The blooming of the WRAL Azalea Garden has been a constant symbol of the return of spring.  

WRAL Azalea Gardens: Everything you need to know for your visit

WRAL Azalea Gardens

North Carolina's teacher workforce is changing drastically. Where schools are finding teachers now.

NC teacher turnover hits highest mark in decades. New report shows changes in who is leading classrooms

Classroom generic, teacher generic

Gov. Roy Cooper will roll out his state budget proposal Wednesday. Meanwhile, the House Health Committee will vet a bill pitting optometrists against ophthalmologists.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Roy Cooper is scheduled to roll out his state budget proposal at Durham Technical Community College at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

So far, the Democrat has <a href="https://www.wral.com/cooper-to-pitch-budget-plan-to-lawmakers-with-whom-he-has-been-battling/16557352/">emphasized education spending when he's talked about his budget plans</a>. WRAL.com plans to carry the presentation live online.

It's unclear what sort of reception Cooper's administration will get on Thursday when they present the spending plan to lawmakers. Members of the Senate and House budget subcommittees have been sifting through budget materials for the past two weeks during morning meetings.

There was lots of talk Tuesday on repealing House Bill 2, with three press conferences in less than four hours, but no action on the proposal.

Laura Leslie

Mark Binker

Tom Normanly

Matthew Burns

Tuesday Wrap: HB2 presser-palooza

TheWrap@NCCapitol (Feb. 28, 2017)

Floor sessions: The Senate and the House are scheduled to begin their floor sessions at 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., respectively, but those will be no-vote sessions held to move bills from committee to committee during the day. Both chambers will hold voting sessions later in the day. The Senate has no bills on its calendar yet. The House has nine bills on its calendar, including one delaying a key submission to the U.S. Department of Education.

Committees: The General Assembly posts <a href="http://www.ncleg.net/LegislativeCalendar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a full legislative committee calendar online</a>.

Among the meetings we're keeping an eye on Wednesday is a showdown in the House Health Committee between optometrists and ophthalmologists. Optometrists want the right to perform certain types of surgeries now restricted to their colleagues, who hold medical degrees.

WRAL.com plans to carry the committee meeting live online.

State of the State: A House resolution filed Tuesday invites Cooper to give the State of the State address at 7 p.m. March 13.

Today@NCCapitol (March 1): Keeping an eye on budget rollout

Gov. Roy Cooper

A 38-year-old man, Jonathan Lecompte, died while trying to stop a carjacking incident in Lumberton.

Good Samaritan killed while trying to help carjacking victim in Lumberton

Jonathan Lecompte

Tuesday will be partly cloudy and warm with storms expected to move in during the evening hours.

Summer-like heat in store ahead of potential storms Tuesday⛈️

Rain chances, Tuesday, April 16

A woman in the store caught on camera a man placing his phone under another woman's skirt. 

Man arrested after woman catches him taking pictures under another woman's dress in Greenville Target

Target, target sign

Baker's attorney, Lee Turner, said the young girl had been posing as a 19-year-old East Carolina University student. The judge, however, wasn't buying it.

'Under 13 is under 13': Judge responds to attorney's claims that man charged with kidnapping & rape believed 12-year-old girl was college student

Man faces kidnapping, statutory rape charges after Wake County traffic stop

"It's unknown at this time if any drugs collected at the scene of each location, if any, is laced," the Goldsboro police chief said in a statement. "That is part of the ongoing investigations, and it's too soon to say."

4 bodies found in Goldsboro raises concerns about fentanyl

Bodies found in Goldsboro

WRAL-TV News Broadcasts: Watch each newscast live or watch the most recent newscast on demand.

WRAL Late News 

WRAL Noon News

Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday Powerball drawings, as shown live on WRAL.

Powerball Drawing

Fans of the NC State Wolfpack's men's and women's basketball teams are celebrating the teams' run to the Final Four on Monday night on Hillsborough Street at the Memorial Belltower. NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson, Athletics Director Boo Corrigan and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin are expected to speak Monday night at the event.

NC State men's and women's basketball teams honored for Final Four appearances at Memorial Belltower

Videos

Caitlin Clark has been selected with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever. The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during her record-breaking college career. 

Caitlin Clark taken No. 1 in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, as expected

WNBA_Draft_Basketball_52462

The "30 for 30" documentary will explore Stuart Scott's impact on broadcasting, journalism, sports, and culture.

ESPN planning to make '30 for 30' documentary on Stuart Scott

Williams, UNC return to court for Late Night

Traveling baseball team, Savannah Bananas, spent the morning playing with the Miracle League of the Triangle in Durham.

Savannah Bananas play ball with the Miracle League

Savannah Bananas and the Miracle League of the Triangle

Drake Powell is one of the top high school basketball players in the country.  Next year the Pittsboro native will play for his dream school UNC, but this season he had unfinished business at Northwood High School.  WRAL's Pat Welter followed Drake and the Northwood Chargers on their quest for a state title this season.  The Prince of Pittsboro is a documentary that takes you behind the scenes of their most emotional moments and shows a side of Drake and his head coach Matt Brown that you've never seen.  

The Prince of Pittsboro: UNC commit Drake Powell's final season at Northwood High School 

The Prince of Pittsboro 

Caleb Foster confirmed he would return for his sophomore season in Monday's episode of "The Brotherhood Podcast."

Today@NCCapitol (March 1): Keeping an eye on budget rollout

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Cooper to pitch budget plan to lawmakers with whom he has been battling