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

Athens Drive Magnet High School and Conn Magnet Elementary School won national awards Saturday at the Magnet Schools of America's annual conference.

Top two magnet schools in the US are in Wake County

Athens Drive High School

All assets associated with the tag: Providing in a Pandemic

Providing in a Pandemic Coverage

COVID-19 has been in America for more than 18 months. Many people are exhausted, frustrated and angry with how the pandemic has affected life. 



30% more patients sought mental health care during the pandemic, UNC says

Depression photo from Andrew Neel on Pexels.

Kind acts of generosity, large and small, can be a balm for the heart of both the one giving and the one receiving in this challenging period.

Serve others: An antidote for trying times

Lisa Barrie delivers flowers

It's been more than two months since North Carolina allowed retailers to reopen their doors across the state. For many, it hasn't been an easy reopening. Stephanie Ellison owns Arrow Tree Boutique in downtown Wake Forest and joined WRAL News on Wednesday.

THREAT >>> WELCOME BACK. IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN TWO MONTHS SINCE NORTH CAROLINA ALLOWED RETAILERS TO REOPEN THEIR DOORS ACROSS THE STATE. FOR MANY IT HAS NOT BEEN AN EASY TIME TO REOPEN. THIS MORNING WE CONTINUE OUR NEW SEGMENT, PROVIDING DURING THE PANDEMIC. DURING THIS WEEK IS STEPHANIE ALLISON WHO OWNS ARROW TREE BOUTIQUE  IN DOWNTOWN WAKE FOREST AND JOINS US THIS MORNING WITH THE HELP OF FACE TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, STEPHANIE. YOU ARE BACK ON THE SHOW IN MAY WITH THE ORIGINAL STAY-AT-HOME ORDER EXPIRING. REMIND US WHAT WAS THE STATE OF YOUR SITUATION WITH YOUR COMPANY AND THAT WILL FAST- FORWARD TO THE END OF JULY  AND SEE HOW IT HAS GONE. >> SURE THAT WE WERE EXCITED TO GET BACK TO WORK ON MAY 8 BUT WE STARTED OUT SLOWLY ONLY OPENING DURING THE WEEKEND JUST BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE CASH FLOW AT THAT POINT TO OPEN FULLY. AND THEN THE FOLLOWING TWO WEEKS WE OPEN FULL TIME MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. IT WAS A GROWING PROCESS. WE ARE FALSTAFF NOW, AND THE BUSINESS IS DOING WELL. WITH THE WEATHER BEEN SO HOT AND PEOPLE TRAVELING BEFORE SCHOOL GOT STARTED, IT HAS BEEN A BASIC JULY FOR US. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THAT. FROM MAY THREE NOW WE WERE NOT WEARING MASKS AND THAT WE ARE WEARING MASKS BECAUSE IT IS A MANDATE. PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTING US. >> YOU ARE FOLLOWING THOSE REGULATIONS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING WITH PEOPLE IN THE STORE. THESE ARE LITTLE STEPS ALONG THE WAY AND THEY ARE THE GROWING PAINS OF GETTING BACK INTO BUSINESS. >> EXACTLY WE DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH FOOT TRAFFIC COMING IN ALL AT ONCE, BUT IF WE DO, WE ONLY ALLOW 10 CUSTOMERS IN AT A TIME AND THAT OF COURSE WEARING A MASK AS WELL. WE ARE JUST FOLLOWING ALL OF THE MANDATES AND TRAIN TOGETHER THIS ALL TOGETHER. >> ARE YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE DO YOU THINK? >> FURTHEST MONTH YES. WE ARE PRETTY HAPPY THAT WE ARE ON TRACK. I AM HOPING THAT THIS NEXT MONTH IN AUGUST WILL BE EVEN BETTER GETTING READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, EVEN THOUGH IT IS GOING TO BE ONLINE. TO TRY TO BE SOMEWHAT REGULAR GOING FORWARD THIS YEAR. >> BUSINESS EXPENSES WERE THE THINGS THAT COME UP THAT YOU DIDN'T EXPENSE EXPECT? >> NOT REALLY BESIDES JUST REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF OUR BUILDING. NO OTHER EXPENSES THAT WE NEEDED TO PAY FOR. WE GOT HAND SANITIZER. THE OTHER SUPPLIES WE ALWAYS HAVE IN THE STORE ANYWAY. >> YOU HAVE A SALE COMING UP. TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT'LL HELP YOU WITH THE SALE. >> ALL WEEK FORCE BOUTIQUES ARE COMING TOGETHER ON AUGUST 8 WE WILL BE IN THE FACTORY AND WAKE FOREST. THERE IS EIGHT OF US SO THAT WILL BE ALL OF THE BOUTIQUES AND WAKE FOREST WILL BE THERE. IT HAD BEEN STAGNANT SINCE THE TIME THAT WE CLOSED WITH THE LAST BIT OF WINTER ITEMS AND ALSO THE SUMMER ITEMS SO THAT WE CAN GET THOSE OUT AND GET THE FALL ITEMS INTO OUR STORE. DEFINITELY I WOULD SAY EVERYBODY COME TO CHECK IT OUT. >> CERTAINLY AND YOU'LL BE GETTING TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER OWNERS WITH A SUCCESSFUL STORY

Wake Forest boutique owner stays open for business

Every business in our area has been affected by COVID-19 in one way or another. Donovan Watson operates Perkins Orchard, a local produce market in Durham, and spoke with WRAL's Ken Smith on Wednesday morning.

BUSINESS >>> WELCOME BACK AT 9:22. EVERY BUSINESS IN OUR AREA HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY COVID-19 IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THIS MORNING WE ARE STARTING A NEW SEGMENT TO SEE HOW LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE HANDLING THE PANDEMIC. IT IS CALLED PROVIDING IN A PANDEMIC. WE ARE FORTUNATE THIS MORNING TO KICK OFF THIS SEGMENT WITH DONOVAN WATKINS WHO OPERATES PERKINS ORCHARD. GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE BROADCAST. >> GOOD MORNING TO YOUR VIEWERS, A PLEASURE TO BE ON THIS MORNING. >> GIVE US A LITTLE HISTORY OF HOW PERKINS ORCHARD STARTED. >> PERKINS ORCHARD STARTED ON MY DRIVEWAY AS A PRODUCE MARKET. IT WAS THE HONOR SYSTEM WITH MY GRANDPA. I FOUND IT INTERESTING WHEN I WAS A CHILD AND YEAR AFTER YEAR I BUILT IT UP WITH THE COMMUNITY AND FARMERS ACROSS THE STATE. I BUILT IT UP TO WHAT IT IS NOW WHICH IS THE OLDEST IN DURHAM AND WE ARE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS. >> THAT HAS BEEN A TOUGH FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS. HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS HOLDING UP DURING DIFFTLT TIMES? >> IT HAS REALLY SHINED A LIGHT ON HOW ESSENTIAL OUR BUSINESS IS. MANY BUSINESSES IN NORTH CAROLINA PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF AGRICULTURE. WE ARE PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY PRODUCE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. WE HAVE FARMERS WE ARE CONNECTED WITH ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. WE ARE UP ABOUT 350% FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR. WE ARE CONSTANTLY HIRING NEW PEOPLE. I THINK I HAVE 15 EMPLOYEES BEING PAID $15 TO $17 AN HOUR. IT IS A WIN-WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE HERE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. YOU CAN SHOP ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTING OUR FARMERS WHICH IS ALSO DIRECT PURCHASE. SO WHEN YOU PURCHASE FROM US, WE ARE WRITING CHECKS TO THE FARMERS EVERY DAY. IT IS A DOMINO EFFECT FOR SURE. >> ARE YOU FINDING NOW MORE THAN EVER PEOPLE AND SHOPPERS ARE LOOKING FOR FRESH PRODUCTS? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE OF COURSE PEOPLE ARE STAYING HOME AND THEY WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO AS FAR AS GETTING CREATIVE IN THE KITCHEN. MORE OFTEN THAN THAT THEY WILL VISIT THE LOCAL PRODUCE MARKETS TO DO THAT. WE HAVE THE $20 BAG WHERE YOU CAN FILL UP ANYTHING FOR $20 AND IT IS CONVENIENT PRICING FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE STRETCHED RIGHT NOW. AND IT IS A SET QUANTITY. FILL UP THE BAG WITH WHATEVER YOU LIKE. WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING BY AND VISITING THE STORE, IT'S QUITE THE BLESSING. >> YOU HAVE BEEN HELPING RUN THE BUSINESS SINCE YOU WERE 10 YEARS OLD. YOU HAVE LIKELY SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES DURING THE YEARS. HOW IS COPING WITH THE PANDEMIC DIFFERENT FOR YOU THIS TIME? >> WELL, WE HAVE HAD TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS AS MOST BUSINESSES HAVE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS WHO PATRONIZE OUR BUSINESSES. ALL THAT SAID, WE ARE DOING ALL WE CAN DO AT THE STORE. WE ARE BLESSED TO BE AN OUTDOOR PRODUCE MARKET ON 3 ACRES. THAT HELPS WITH GIVING FOLKS EASE OF FIND FOR GETTING OUT ESPECIALLY FOR AN ESSENTIAL PRODUCT LIKE FOOD. >> WATCHING VIDEO OF THE PRODUCE STAND, I SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH FACE COVERINGS. THAT IS REQUIRED AS PART OF THE SOCIAL DISTANCING EFFORTS? ABSOLUTELY. WE REQUIRE FACEMASK ON ENTRY. IF PATRONS WALK UP WITHOUT ONE, WE WILL PROVIDE ONE FOR THEM. WE ARE KEEPING SOCIAL DISTANCE AS WELL. WE ALLOW NO MORE THAN 8 TO 10 PEOPLE AT A TIME. AND PEOPLE ARE PATIENT WITH US AS WE MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SAFE. >> DONOVAN WATKINS, ALL THE BEST

Providing in a Pandemic Coverage

30% more patients sought mental health care during the pandemic, UNC says

Serve others: An antidote for trying times

Wake Forest boutique owner stays open for business

Perkins Orchard adapts to COVID-19