We’re also following how a local school is responding after a mother says a teacher threatened her child. Plus, how local leaders are preparing for Passover with increased threats to Jewish Americans. Watch WRAL NEWS at 11 and search for these and other stories on WRAL.com.

On WRAL at 11 : Showers leaving out of the area tonight. The cooler weather coming after and when we could see more rain

Shortages of teachers, infrastructure and technology workers will hamper schools' ability to provide the best education, facilities and tools to children, Superintendent Robert Taylor said Thursday.

Higher employee pay will be key to running Wake schools smoothly, superintendent says

Wake County Public School System Superintendent Robert Taylor speaks to the League fo Women Voters of Wake County, April 18, 2024

More than 21% of North Carolina's four-year-olds enrolled in the state's pre-kindergarten programs during the 2022-2023 school year, up from the prior year but still below the state's pre-pandemic highs, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.

North Carolina ranks 29th in public pre-K enrollment, new report shows

Durham County budget increases funding for pre-K students

While you are downtown for Artsplosure this weekend, you might want to take a trip under the big top.

<b>RALEIGH, N.C.</b> — While you are downtown for Artsplosure this weekend, you might want to take a trip under the big top.

Zoppe, an Italian family circus, is setting up its tent in the Lichtin Plaza directly outside of the Duke Energy Center. The circus has shows Friday through Sunday. 

The show features acrobats, equestrian ballerinas, a baby horse and performing dogs! 

I caught up with Tosca Zoppe, who helps run the family circus and performs in it. Check out the videos below to find out more about the circus, meet some acrobats and see me interview a baby horse who likes Beyonce. 

Tosca Zoppe talks about her family's Italian circus, which runs in a tent outside of the Duke Energy Center through Sunday.

Italian circus comes to downtown Raleigh

Italian circus

Two acrobats from the Zoppe Italian circus, which runs in a tent outside of the Duke Energy Center through Sunday, talk about their craft.

Italian circus acrobats show their moves

Acrobats from the Zoppe Italian circus

WRAL's Out and About Editor Kathy Hanrahan tries to interview a baby horse from the Zoppe Italian circus.

Interviewing a baby horse

Zoppe Italian family circus to hold shows in downtown Raleigh this weekend

community events,downtown Raleigh,family-friendly

NEW YORK — A man set himself on fire Friday afternoon near the lower Manhattan courthouse where jurors were being chosen for the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump.

Man Sets Himself on Fire Near Courthouse Where Trump Is on Trial

Trump Trial Enters Fourth Day With Opening Arguments Next Week

Storms moved east Friday in central North Carolina. Over the weekend, the Triangle will feel a cooldown due to an incoming cold front.

Storms move east in North Carolina ⛈️; cooldown coming this weekend

Weather for the weekend 

Capitol Broadcasting Company, the parent company of WRAL News, is part of the 2024 class inducted into the North Carolina Media & Journalism Hall of Fame at the University of North Carolina.

WRAL parent company inducted to NC Media & Journalism Hall of Fame 

The crash involved a school bus from Corinth Holders Elementary School at North Carolina Highway 96 and Earpsboro Road in Johnston County, according to authorities.

Johnston County school bus involved in crash on NC 96 

UNC staff and hospital executives got their first looks at the product of the years-long construction project: a new hospital dedicated entirely to surgery.

New UNC surgical hospital to bring more beds, new procedures to patients

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

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings are held at 3 p.m. daily. They can be seen as live or on-demand video.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

Gov. Roy Cooper joins United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to make a clean energy announcement.

Gov. Cooper makes clean energy announcement

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

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Videos

The Carolina Hurricanes are no stranger to playoff hockey. They're in the postseason for the sixth-straight season and are regarded as a Stanley Cup contender.

Chaotic Canes hope late-season surge continues into playoffs

Hurricanes_Blackhawks_Hockey_50050

Mark Mitchell announced he has committed to the University of Missouri in a post to his Instagram post.

Former Duke forward Mark Mitchell commits to Missouri

uvaduke23

The No. 15 Tar Heels have now beat No. 25 Duke in 15 consecutive games. Both teams now prepare for the ACC championship next week.

Women's Lacrosse: North Carolina pulls away in the third quarter, beats Duke

Duke vs. UNC women's lacrosse

Game 1 is Saturday night in Raleigh. Game 2 is Monday at PNC Arena.

Make your plans: Complete Hurricanes-Islanders first-round schedule

Capitals_Hurricanes_Hockey_58513

Brandon Butterworth picked up his first hit of the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to beat No. 11 North Carolina.