Have you noticed an unusual smell or flavor in your tap water over the past few days?

What's wrong with Raleigh tap water? Algae bloom at Falls Lake behind the smell, color

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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, laboratory access at Raleigh science museum

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Durham Public Schools announced Friday it has made the decision to close beginning on Monday. The closure will last through at least April 3.

<b>DURHAM, N.C.</b> — Durham Public Schools announced Friday it has made the decision to close beginning on Monday. The closure will last through at least April 3.

A press conference with school officials was held on Friday, where the announcement was made. The superintendent of Durham Public Schools was very candid. The decision to close schools over the <span class="nanospell-typo">coronavirus</span> was not an easy one.

Officials said spring break will be moved to next week to cover some of the days away from school. As for learning, students will use online resources and material that will be sent home beginning March 23.

Durham Public Schools to close due to coronavirus scare

Some children rely on food from school and food distribution sites will be announced next week. Plans are also possible where bus drivers deliver school supplies and food to families.

"I think my colleagues are really struggling with that same question," said Durham Public Schools Superintendent Pascal Mubenga. "At this point, the way we came to that conclusion is we are hearing from our parents, concerned parents that wanted to pull their kids from school as well as the guidance from the governor as well.

Durham County Public Health officials and Durham Public Schools officials discuss the local response to the coronavirus outbreak

As you all know the World Health Organization declared Corona virus a pandemic earlier this week Before that announcement our public health professionals have been working to understand the potential impacts and effects of Corona virus what it would pose and how to develop a response  The health and safety of all of our residents and visitors is top of mind And as is transparency with that said we're bringing forth our department hit Who is leaving our response Public health director Rodney Jenkins is our point person on Corona virus and will come forth to summarize how we're working with state and federal partners at this time Following Rod Dr Pascoe Mubanga pretended up during public schools will come forward to D Day or what went into the recently announced decision to close all schools effective Monday March 16th and other important information that families need to hear And after those two statements we will have a brief period of question and answers Rod please come forward Good afternoon Abroad Jenkins Durham County's public health director Since January Durham County Department of Public Health has been operating a team to coordinate efforts around the local response to the Corona virus disease to 19 also known as cool Vin 19 Durham County Department of Public Health is working with federal and state health officials healthcare providers and emergency management officials to protect the health and well being of Durham County Cove in 19 is a new infection that is particularly severe in older persons and those with medical conditions such as heart disease lung disease diabetes and weakened immune systems  At this time there are no approved treatments and no vaccine to prevent There are known methods to reduce and slow the spread of infection Everyday prevention measures like frequent hand washing staying home when you're sick in covering coughs and sneezes are effective methods  Community based interventions can also slow the spread of covert 19 This includes measures collectively known as social distancing social distancing measures aimed to reduce the frequency of contact and increase physical distance between persons thereby reducing the risk of person to person transmission These measures are most effective when implemented early in an epidemic We are at a critical inflection point We may have the opportunity to slow the spread of this epidemic by taking proactive measures Now North Carolina has currently 17 presumptive positive cases with one confirmed case One of North Carolina's presumptive positive case is a Durham County resident who tested positive in another state Public health has diligently worked to serve dirt Durham County residents in the following manner We have monitored return travelers and other potentially exposed persons for symptoms We have trace contacts of known presumptive and confirmed positive individuals We have facilitated testing of people who meet testing criteria  We have worked with Duke's Infection Control and Duke's Emergency Management Division's We have engaged in regular communication with federal state and local partners We have shared guidelines on how to proactively prepare and respond including guidelines for healthcare providers childcare providers employer schools colleges universities and many others We will continue to work alongside during public schools to provide support and guidance We have provided guidance to BMS law enforcement and other county city agencies It is important to make sure that the information you receive about Covert 19 is from trusted reliable sources like the CDC and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services You could visit their Web sites for more information on covert 19 Durham County Department of Public Health follows the guidance of both state and federal public health authorities to reduce the spread of infection While we're still in this early critical stage the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service is is making these recommendations for the next 30 days and we'll reassess at that point for symptomatic persons If you mean medical care and have been diagnosed with Kobe 19 or suspect you might have covert 19 we ask that you call ahead and tell your medical provider you have or may have called in 19 This will allow them to take steps to keep other people from getting exposed The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services recommends that person's experiencing fever and cough should stay home and not go out until their symptoms have completely resolved for high risk persons with symptoms people at high risk of severe illness from Cove in 19 should stay at home to the extent possible to decrease the chance of infection  People at high risk include those individuals who are 65 years of age and older Those individuals with underlying health conditions including heart disease low disease diabetes and most supporting those individuals with weakened immune systems for congregate living facilities All facilities that serve as residential establishments for high risk persons should restrict visitors Exception should include end of life care or other emergency situations determined by the facility to necessitate a visit Thes establishments includes setting such as nursing homes independent and assistant living facilities correction facilities and facilities that care for the medically vulnerable Children for the work Please we encourage employers and employees to use teleworking technologies to the greatest extent possible We encourage them to stagger work schedules and consider canceling non essential travel Workplaces should hold larger meetings virtually to the greatest extent possible Employer should arrange work space to optimize distance between employees ideally at least six feet apart Employers should urge high risk employees to stay home and urged employees to stay home when they are sick Employer shit Maximize flexibility and sickly benefits Information pertaining to mass gatherings community and social events Events that draw wouldn't 100 people should cancel postpone modified these events offer online streaming service is these events include large gatherings where people are in close contact less than six feet Examples include but are not limited to concerts conferences sporting events faith based events and other large gaps Mass transit mass transit operators should maximize opportunities for cleaning and disinfection of frequently touch surfaces And of course people should avoid using mass transit like buses and trains while they're sick I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Health and I also want to thank the men and women of the Durham County Department of Public Health for their endurance their motivation and their resilience As we endeavored to work together to protect the health and well being of Durham County I will now turn it over to Dr No Bingo for updates from during public schools I think you're right Jenkins for your collaboration responded to Covert 19 during public school Student will be out of school from March 16 to April 3rd to maximize time for instruction through the remainder off the year DPS students will be on break the week off March 16 and we will be provided supplemental instructional material beginning March 23rd DPS will evaluates when students will return to school in consultation with state and local public health authorities  Doing probably schools Facilities will be close to the public including facility rentals meals DPS will begin a daily feeding program for Deron County Children on Monday March 23rd Similar to our Summer Meals Initiative we will provide locations for families to peek up meals Details will be available next week It's far staff are concerned DPS as arranged staff work days and holidays to maximize available funding and minimize the use off live doing the covet 19 closure while we await possible action by the state off of call on a journey this state off emergency spring breakfast Students on the traditional and year run calendars has been moved to the week off March 16 We're granting our staff the flexibility to work from home if possible in order to increase social distancing And we are developing a plan for distributing food and classroom materials to the community as well as are the options for classified employees Magnet schools Families with Children receive sits in the Magnet school lottery for 2021 are being given additional time to communicate their assistance DPS is a standing the magnets It approval window from March 20 tow One week after student returned to school magnet school welcome events will be postponed and families will receive information directly from schools about reschedules date student with disabilities send with disability We have individualized education program that we call eyepiece will have access to all The resource is being made available to all student in DPS In addition Student instructed on the extended con content standards will have access to the unique learning system Online platform curriculum materials and resource is provided are supplemental to enable opportunities for practice Doing these school closure period  I'm gonna pass it on back to health department forks and it will be ready for your questions Thank you very much Now we'll entertain a period of questions if you will please state your question and identify yourself Adam Owens with Double Uriel News Can you talk to us a little bit about I mean these are tough decisions to make There's a family's They're impacted but you want to be safe with the spreading viruses Well can you tell us about the the process of going through those discussions about how it would be handled And if you would close thank you for the question  Swill it off or question I think my colleagues are really struggling with that same question at this point the way we came to that conclusion as we're hearing for my parents concerned parents are the wanted to pull the kids from schools And as we heard the guidance from a governor's wall we cannot gather more than 100 forks in the place  Just keep in mind some of our schools They have about 305 100 student one time during lunch  So those I mean this was not really is the decision to come up with in a It was really a public meeting yesterday with our board as we're really rustling with far particular question I think we made the best decision for our parents a swell for our community Are there concerns that it may have to push back beyond the in date You've said so far we're not there End up went as I said earlier or we're gonna consult with all health departments as we're making those decisions  We still working on some details I'm very proud of Durham as a community a CZ  We made this decision yesterday I received towns off e mails or four saying How can we help And we're still working on those details and I think our community they're gonna be waiting for active I know there's some are local elected officials Here's what everybody's gonna chip in to make sure that our community are really well taken Care off Yes people That's going to be a combination off our online platform as well The materials that would be sending home And if I'm going to allow this little bit here we're still on the face off developing your plan We will want to make sure that all our classified employees they're going to get paid So we have our yellow buses We're gonna use our bus drivers to drive to deliver foods as well deliver learning materials So we have all these details that we're still working on and we should be able to deliver the plan this week No more questions Thank you very much for coming This is an evolving issue and we will do our best to keep you informed We don't know when we'll schedule another news conference but certainly the situation dictates changing times And as we have more information that needs to be shared jointly you can count on us to bring that to you And we thank you so much for helping to get this important information out your community

Mark Stebnicki

Matthew Burns

Durham officials discuss school response to virus

Durham Public Schools Superintendent Pascal Mubenga

"We can not gather more than 100 folks in a place. Just keep in mind, some of our schools have 300 to 500 students at one time during lunch."

Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools have also announced they will close school as well.

Adam Owens

Jason O. Boyd

Durham Public Schools is latest to announce it will temporarily close due to coronavirus fears

Mykia Daniel, an eighth grader at Ligon Middle School, was shot and killed on Monday in a north Raleigh apartment. A 16-year-old was charged with her murder.


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WRAL News has new information Thursday in the search for Blake and London Deven, siblings who vanished from Fayetteville several years ago.

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Coming off a momentous win in Game 2, the Carolina Hurricanes hit the road for Game 3 of the first-round playoff series against the New York Islanders on Thursday night at UBS Arena.

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A mother said her daughter and a friend are alive thanks to a quick-thinking Uber driver and Narcan administered by paramedics. 



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For Thursday night you will need to bundle up. It will get chilly tonight, with lows in the forties: 48 in Durham, 46 in Rocky Mount, 49 n Goldsboro, and 49 in Southern Pines.

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Canes watch parties Thursday night

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, museum leaders and museum paleontologist Dr. Lindsay Zanno on Thursday preview Dueling Dinosaurs, a brand new exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The exhibit opens to the public Saturday.

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

Evening Pick 3, Pick 4 and Cash 5

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Videos

The biggest event of the offseason is underway in Detroit and SIX quarterbacks have been taken in the Top 12. Here's a look at the top moments of the evening.

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Bulls drop second straight to Scranton, 14-2

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The Carolina Panthers don't have a first round pick as the NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night, but that doesn't mean they won't be busy. Here's everything you need to know.

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With Hurricane defenseman Brett Pesce likely out for the rest of the series vs. the Islanders, that opens the door for Tony DeAngelo to slide in. The regular season didn't go as he had hoped, but he's ready to step in 

Durham Public Schools is latest to announce it will temporarily close due to coronavirus fears

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