The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig at Raleigh science museum opens this weekend

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, so purchasing separate flood insurance is crucial in North Carolina, especially in high-risk areas.

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods: How to protect your home in North Carolina

Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew

All assets associated with the tag: Ashley Rowe

Ashley Rowe Coverage

There are a handful of familiar races in the race for North Carolina Attorney General. WRAL News spoke with Democratic congressman Jeff Jackson on why he feels he's more qualified than his opponents, his record on gun legislation and his use of TikTok.

<p>FOOD ON THE TAPE. &gt;&gt; THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF FAMILIAR FACES IN THE RACE FOR NORTH CAROLINA. ATTORNEY GENERAL LAST WEEK WE SPOKE WITH DURHAM COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SATANA DEBERRY. THERE'S REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN DAN BISHOP. AND TONIGHT WE'RE SPEAKING WITH DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN JEFF JACKSON. REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. THANK YOU. A CONGRESSMAN. YOU ARE AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN GASTON COUNTY AFTER GRADUATING FROM LAW SCHOOL, YOUR OPPONENT IN THE PRIMARY IS THE DURHAM COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. SHE'S ALSO SERVED AS GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE MORE QUALIFIED TO SERVE AS THE STATE'S ATTORNEY GENERAL? &gt;&gt; WELL, I RESPECT HER RECORD. HERE'S BEEN A CRIMINAL PROSECUTOR, A CIVIL LITIGATOR STATE SEN A MEMBER OF CONGRESS. I SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN WITH ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS AND NOW OPEN FOR 21 YEARS ON THE MAJOR NOW AND THE NATIONAL GUARD. ALL DEFER TO THE VOTERS AS WHETHER OR NOT THEY THINK ONE OF US IS MORE QUALIFIED THAN THE OTHER. BUT I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR MY OPPONENT IN THE PRIMARY. &gt;&gt; LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR RECORD, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN A PROPONENT OF GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION, INCLUDING IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND YOU'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW HARD IT'S BEEN TO GET LEGISLATION PASSED. IS GUN CONTROL GUN SAFETY REFORM. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO TACKLE IF ELECTED AS AG? &gt;&gt; THE JOB OF ATTORNEY GENERAL IS TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE FROM GUN VIOLENCE IS GOING TO BE A TOP PRIORITY BECAUSE WE HAVE A REALLY UNFORTUNATE AMOUNT OF GUN VIOLENCE IN THE STATE. THE IDEA IS YOU ARE MORE OF A DEFENDER OF PEOPLE. THERE IS AN ADVOCACY ROLE AS WELL. SO I WOULD ADVOCATE TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE WHEN I THOUGHT CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE REFORMS NEEDED TO BE MADE. BUT LOOK, IT'S NOT REALLY A PARTISAN JOB. IT'S NOT REALLY GOING TO BE ABOUT LEFT VERSUS RIGHT. IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING. AND I THINK IN ORDER TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN A JOB THAT ABOUT KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE. YOU HAVE TO TRY TO TACKLE GUN VIOLENCE TO MEAN THERE'S JUST NO WAY OUT OF. SO ASIDE FROM LOBBYING, THE THE LAWMAKERS &gt;&gt; WHAT CAN YOU DO ASIDE FROM BEING AN ADVOCATE LIKE NORTH CAROLINA'S LAWS TO RESTRICT ACTIONS THAT OTHER STATES CAN DO? YOU KNOW, OTHER STATES ARE GOING AFTER GUN MANUFACTURERS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT CAN YOU DO? &gt;&gt; THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CAN SERVE AS A CONVENING AUTHORITY AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TRY AND ELEVATE PRIORITIES FOR ENFORCEMENT FOR PROSECUTION. BUT WHAT WE DON'T GET TO JUST MAKE A LOSS THAT'S VERY MUCH THE DOMAIN OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE. SO YOU CAN USE YOUR CONVENING AUTHORITY AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT. MAKE SURE IT'S VERY CLEAR WHAT THE MISSION NEEDS TO BE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY JOBS TO ASK THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHAT'S KEEP PEOPLE SAFER WITH SOME BETTER WANTS. &gt;&gt; WE'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE. YOU HAVE A HUGE FOLLOWING ON ALL PLATFORMS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SPECIFICALLY ON TIKTOK. YOU'VE GOT I BELIEVE IT'S 2 AND A HALF MILLION FOLLOWERS. WHEN I LAST CHECKED, I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, TIKTOK HAS BEEN BANNED ON STATE ISSUED DEVICES HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA. CURIOUS TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON ON WHAT MESSAGE YOU THINK IT SENDS TO STATE EMPLOYEES THAT THAT YOU'RE USING A BANNED PLATFORM TO DRUM UP SUPPORT FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. &gt;&gt; WELL, I'M NOT USING A BANNED PLATFORM TO DRUM UP SUPPORT FOR CAMPAIGN. I USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO KEEP MY CONSTITUENTS INFORMED ABOUT WORK THAT I'M DOING ON THEIR BEHALF. AND I KNEW 7 OR 8 DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO DO THAT. FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM. I DO A WEEKLY UPDATE. WELL, WHAT MY CONSTITUENTS KNOW. HEY, HERE'S THE WORK THAT I DID FOR YOU THIS WEEK. AND THE REASON I USE TIKTOK THIS BECAUSE I'VE GOT ABOUT 760,000, SOME ODD CONSTITUENTS. MY SENSE IS ABOUT 300,000 OF THEM ARE ON TIKTOK AND THERE ARE A LOT OF VALID CONCERNS ABOUT TIKTOK TO SHARE THE FBI DIRECTOR'S ASSESSMENT OF A LOT OF THE SECURITY THREATS. AND AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS BY WOULD BE IN FAVOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REFORMS TO HELP IMPROVE THAT SITUATION. BUT AS LONG AS IT EXISTS, USE IT FOR GOOD AND USE IT TO KEEP MY CONSTITUENTS OPPOSED. &gt;&gt; IT NOW BECAUSE IT IS BANNED ON STATE ISSUED DEVICES. WILL YOU STOP USING IT IF IF ELECTED PARTICULARLY TIKTOK? &gt;&gt; EXPAND ON FEDERAL DEVICES AS WELL. I DON'T USE IT ON THE FEDERAL DEVICE. I WOULD NOT USE IT ON A STATE DEVICE. &gt;&gt; OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL REPRESENTED JACKSON, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE AND AND GOOD</p>

US Rep. Jeff Jackson speaks to WRAL on 2024 Attorney General race

Jeff Jackson speaks to WRAL on Attorney General race

North Carolina lawmakers are running out of time to reach a deal on the annual budget. Medicaid expansion, which was approved in March, is delayed due to the budget delays. WRAL's Ashley Rowe spoke to Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley on how soon Medicaid expansion could happen if the budget is approved after the August 31 deadline.

<p>CHAINSAW. &gt;&gt; TAKING A LIVE LOOK NOW AT THE NORTH CAROLINA LEGISLATIVE BUILDING WHERE THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR LAWMAKERS TO REACH A DEAL ON THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET AS MEDICAID EXPANSION HANGS IN THE BALANCE. THE STATE HOUSE AND SENATE HAVE BEEN BICKERING OVER THE BUDGET FOR WEEKS NOW LEAVING MORE THAN 500,000 NORTH CAROLINIANS WITHOUT INSURANCE FOR EVEN LONGER. IF LAWMAKERS DON'T MAKE A DEAL BY AUGUST 31ST. THOSE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COULD HAVE TO WAIT POTENTIALLY UNTIL DECEMBER TO GET MEDICAID BENEFITS NORTH CAROLINA'S SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CODY KINSLEY JOINS US NOW LIVE SECRETARY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. HERE COULD BE HER LAST WEEK. HOUSE SPEAKER TIM MOORE MADE IT SOUND LIKE YOU COULD STILL ROLL OUT MEDICAID EXPANSION BY OCTOBER 1ST, IF THEY CAN GET THIS DEAL DONE, BUDGET DEAL REACHED BY MID SEPTEMBER. IS THAT ACCURATE? YOU CLARIFY. SO WE REALLY NEED THE THUMBS UP. AND LOOK, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE BUDGET. IT COULD BE AUTHORITY JUST TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD. NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER. FIRST FOR US TO DO THAT, THAT WE'VE GOT A MORE DAYS BEFORE THEN. &gt;&gt; WE NEED TO GET THAT DONE. MY TEAM IS GOING TO WORK. EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO GET THIS DONE FOR NORTH CAROLINA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BUT WE REALLY NEED THEIR HELP IN DOING US THE AUTHORITY TO MOVE FORWARD, OK? SO ESSENTIALLY THAT THAT INFERENCE THERE IS WRONG IF IT WAS HARD FOR US TO DRIVE OUT HOW. OKAY, OKAY. YOU HAVE CALLED ON THE STATE LAWMAKERS TO DECOUPLE MEDICAID EXPANSION FROM THE BUDGET SO THAT YOU CAN AS YOU WERE JUST REFERENCING, GET THAT PASSED. &gt;&gt; WHAT CONVERSATIONS HAVE YOU BEEN HAVING WITH LAWMAKERS AS WE'RE NOW JUST ABOUT A WEEK AWAY FROM THAT DEADLINE? YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THAT THIS IS A REALLY COMPLEX REALITY FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. MEDICAID EXPANSION GIVES 600,000 NORTH CAROLINIANS. &gt;&gt; THE COVERAGE THAT THEY DESPERATELY NEED TO BE WELL AND TO BE WORKING TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES ON DAY ONE, MEDICAID EXPANSION WILL GIVE COVERAGE TO 300,000 NORTH CAROLINIANS. THINK ABOUT IT. BEING ABLE TO COVER YOUR COSTS FOR YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS, BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE DOCTOR WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL WELL AND INSTEAD WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING NOW IS JUST IGNORING THOSE ILLNESSES AND THE BUILDING UP TO THE POINT OF AND THAT THE NEEDY AND SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE FOR EVERYONE. THIS IS THE SMART INVESTMENT. LET'S GET THIS DONE. SO WHAT ARE THEY SAYING IN RESPONSE? WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT THEY'RE WORKING NEGOTIATING THE BUDGET. I WANT TO NEGOTIATE THE BUDGET. THERE'S THINGS IN THERE LIKE INVESTMENTS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INVESTMENTS AND STATE STAFF THAT HELP KEEP US ALL HEALTHY AND WELL THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. I HOPE THEY'RE PUSHING THOSE THINGS. BUT THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TIED TO THE BUDGET. WE CAN GET THIS DECOUPLE DIDN'T GET THIS DONE AND THEY'RE SAYING IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THAT WAY. WELL, THEY'RE VERY FOCUSED ON GETTING THE BUDGET YOU KNOW, BUT THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO THE BUDGET DONE AT THE END OF JUNE. AND HERE WE ARE, RIGHT, RIGHT. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WE'RE SEEING AN UPTICK IN THOSE NUMBERS. THE VIRUS SEASON IS COMING UP. &gt;&gt; ASIDE FROM GETTING THE VACCINE, WHAT KIND OF IS YOUR DEPARTMENT TAKING 2 TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID AS WE GET THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO LOOK AT OUR RESPIRATORY ILLNESS DASHBOARD WHERE WE'RE TRACKING A NUMBER OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES. IN ADDITION TO COVID COVID IS GOING TO BE WITH US LIKE THOSE OF THE DISEASES FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. IT'S GOING TO RISE AND FALL. RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING A SLIGHT RISE. &gt;&gt; IN COVID CASES, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO MANAGE COVID TO A DOZEN US. THE VACCINATED HAVE TESTS ON HAND GET TREATMENT. IF YOU GET COVID TESTS WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL WELL AND MAYBE LAYER UP WITH THE OTHER THING, SOME FOLKS MAY CHOOSE TO WEAR A MASK AMONG OTHER THINGS DURING PERIODS OF SURGE. RIGHT NOW, THE SURGE LEVELS ARE NOT MUCH HIGHER THAN WHERE THEY WERE ABOUT THIS TIME LAST SUMMER. COULD WE SEE SCHOOLS CLOSING AGAIN AMID THAT IS NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE. WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO MANAGE COVID. SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE NOT LOOKING LIKE IT'S NOT LOOKING LIKE THAT'S GOING TO BE A SOLUTION FOR US, OK? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. AND TOMORROW. &gt;&gt; REPRESENTATIVE DONNY LAMBETH, VICE CHAIR OF THE HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE HAS AGREED TO TAKE MY QUESTIONS HERE LIVE ON WRAL AT 7 O'CLOCK</p>

NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley on Medicaid delays

NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kingsley on Medicaid delays

It has been a couple of months since my husband and I moved our daughter and two dogs to Raleigh.

Ashley Rowe: No search engine could compete with human connection during my family's move to Raleigh

Ashley Rowe family

Longtime WRAL News Anchor Debra Morgan continues extraordinary run; Journalist Ashley Rowe joins WRAL News Team


Ashley Rowe Coverage

US Rep. Jeff Jackson speaks to WRAL on 2024 Attorney General race

NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley on Medicaid delays

Ashley Rowe: No search engine could compete with human connection during my family's move to Raleigh

WRAL announces new on-air anchor assignments