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

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

As many other universities move to online learning, thousands of students at North Carolina Central University start in-person classes Monday.



DURHAM, N.C. — As many other universities move to online learning, thousands of students at North Carolina Central University start in-person classes Monday.

NCCU students told WRAL News they’re willing to do what it takes to be able to stay on campus. Freshman Caleb Veal, who lives on campus, said the school of 8,000 students has been strict with their precautions.

"They are being very strict on where we can go, where we can't go and who we can be with," Veal said.

Classes will be a mix of in-person and online learning, NCCU Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye said. Since most students live on campus, the university will have more control over student activities.

North Carolina State University Chancellor Randy Woodson said large parties may be to blame as undergraduate classes move to all-online.




Julian Grace

Kirsten Gutiérrez

Adam Owens

Keith Baker

Charles Bradley

Sydney Franklin

NC State chancellor disappointed, says large parties may be to blame for online classes

NC State, UNC start back up with guidelines in place amid pandemic

Clusters of COVID-19 cases are popping up on campuses around the Triangle, most recently at N.C. State and the <a href="https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/story/unc-begins-covid-19-testing-after-rapid-increase-in-virus-cases/19246204/">University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill</a>. It has triggered those universities to move classes online.

“It didn’t shock me, I kind of knew this is going to happen," NCCU senior Savoya Joyner said. "I honestly feel like it was really selfish of the different fraternities and freshmen and other people who say 'Forget it, let’s have these parties.'"

WRAL's Kirsten Gutierrez spoke with students at N.C. Central University, who will be attending class in person starting Monday. Some are expressing concern over reports of COVID-19 cases at other area universities.

>>> AS UNIVERSITIES COPE AND SCRAMBLE TO COPE WITH CORONAVIRUS, STUDENTS AT NC CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ARE DAYS FROM STARTING AND PRESENT LEARNING. WRAL  KIRSTEN GUTIERREZ JOINS US LIVE FROM THEIR CAMPUS IN DURHAM. HOW CONCERNED ARE STUDENTS THERE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS? >> Reporter: DEBRA, THEY ARE PRETTY CONCERNED, BUT THEY TELL ME THE UNIVERSITY HAS SEVERAL SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE TO HELP MINIMIZE RISK OF COMMUNITY SPREAD. CLUSTERS OF COVID-19 CASES ARE POPPING UP ON CAMPUSES AROUND THE TRIANGLE. MOST RECENTLY AT NC STATE AND UNC, TRICKING THOSE UNIVERSITIES  TO MOVE CLASSES ONLINE. >> IT IS SHOCKING. I KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. >> Reporter: STUDENT AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY BEGAN CLASSES MONDAY. >> I FEEL CITED BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE PEOPLE AGAIN IN THE CLASSROOM. >> Reporter: AFTER HEARING OF POSITIVE CASES ON OTHER CAMPUSES, SOME STUDENTS ARE CONCERNED BUT FEEL LIKE NCCU IS PREPARED. >> FIRST, I'M WORRIED JUST BECAUSE  THE MONEY PART OF IT, BUT I FEEL LIKE CENTRALIZED ON A REALLY GOOD JOB AS FAR AS DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS FOR BREAKING VIOLATIONS. RHETORIC THEY WILL FACE VIOLATIONS FOR RISKY BEHAVIORS. STUDENTS WHO THROW A PARTY OR ATTEND ONE COULD FACE A CLASS TWO MISDEMEANOR. AND WHY STUDENTS ARE GLAD STEPS ARE IN PLACE TO CUT DOWN ON THE RISK OF EXPOSURE, SOMEWHAT MORE PROTECTIVE MEASURES IN PLACE TO KEEP UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES LIKE HOUSEKEEPERS AND JANITORS SAFE, AS STUDENTS RETURNED TO CAMPUS. >> THEY ARE ESSENTIAL, AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE WITHOUT A MASK, AND IT'S IMPORTANT. >> Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE UNIVERSITY'S WEBSITE, LAST

Jason O. Boyd

NCCU students cautious about safety as they prepare to return to class

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While students are concerned, many feel NCCU is prepared and will be ready to act accordingly when classes start Monday.

“I’m really excited because I want to see people again in the classrooms," Sebastian Vino said.

WRAL's Gerald Owens spoke with the chancellor at N.C. Central about his university's plans to keep students safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Students are scheduled to return to class on Monday.

THERE'VE CLOSED COMMUNAL DINING FACILITIES AS WELL. >>> NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY HOPES TO AVOID THE SAME FATE AS UNC, CHAPEL HILL AND NC STATE, STUDENTS HAVE BEEN MOVING IN FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS, CLASSES ARE COMBINATION OF IN PERSON HYBRID AND ONLINE. FACE COVERINGS ARE REQUIRED AND STUDENTS HAVE BEEN WARNED BY THE UNIVERSITY TO AVOID LARGE SOCIAL GATHERINGS ON AND OFF CAMPUS. AN EMAIL SENT TO STUDENTS INFORMED THEM THAT THEY COULD FAST, FACE A CLASS TO MISDEMEANOR FOR ATTENDING OR THROWING A PARTY. 1200 STUDENTS THAT ENROLLED THIS SEMESTER ARE FRESHMEN. THE CHANCELLOR JOINS US LIVE RIGHT NOW AHEAD OF THE SEMESTER AND I KNOW THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT AND EXCITING TIME FOR YOU, AND BUSY AS WELL. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, FOR INVITING ME. >> Reporter: ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HAPPEN AT OTHER COLLEGES? >> YES I THINK WE ARE ALL CONCERNED, THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TREPIDATION THAT WE ALL EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE YOU WELL KNOW, THE THINGS THAT -- OUR PLAN IS AS GOOD AS WHAT WE KNOW TODAY. OF COURSE WHAT IS GOING ON IT CHAPEL HILL AND NC STATE, IT IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE MOST OF THESE CLUSTERS ARE OCCURRING OFF CAMPUS WHERE YOU HAVE THE GREEK LIFE, THROWING LARGE PARTIES, LARGE EVENTS. FORTUNATELY FOR US, AS A MUCH SMALLER CAMPUS THAN IN C STATE AND CHAPEL HILL, WE DON'T HAVE THE DENSITY THAT THEY HAVE AND WE ARE ALSO FORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GREEK HOUSES OFF-CAMPUS WHERE THESE EVENTS ARE OCCURRING. MOST OF OUR STUDENTS LIVE ON CAMPUS AND AS WELL AS YOU KNOW WE JUST OPENED TWO NEW RESIDENTIAL HALLS SO WE ARE ABLE TO MANAGE THE MOVEMENT AND ACTIVITIES MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY. THEN THOSE STUDENTS WHO LIVE OFF CAMPUS. WE ARE ALSO IN VERY CLOSE CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION WITH OUR GREEK LIFE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT SHOULD THEY ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CONTRARY TO COVID GUIDELINES THEY COULD BE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS BASED ON OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. AND THAT MAY INCLUDE THE SUSPENSION OF THOSE CHAPTERS ON CAMPUS. SO THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING TO TRY TO MITIGATE AND TRY TO PREVENT THE KIND OF CLUSTERS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT CHAPEL HILL AND NC STATE. >>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TRACKING INFECTIONS, THE DASHBOARD FOR KNOWN CASES ON THE CENTRAL CAMPUS CURRENTLY HAS 13. ARE THESE ONLY INFECTIONS DIAGNOSED BY YOUR HEALTH STAFF ON CAMPUS AND HOW DO YOU TRACK CASES DIAGNOSED OFF-CAMPUS? >> ON OUR CAMPUS AS YOU WELL KNOW WE HAVE CONTRACTED A THIRD- PARTY VENDOR, APEX SOLUTIONS, AND THEY ARE INTEGRATED WITH OUR STUDENT HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON CAMPUS AS WELL AS OUR DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND THEY DO ALL OF OUR TESTING AND ALL OF OUR TRACING. THEY GET RESULTS BACK WITHIN 24 OR 48 HOURS AND THAT ENABLES US TO DO RAPID CONTACT TRACING. RIGHT NOW AS YOU MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE OPENING, WE'VE BEEN ALLOWING STUDENTS INTO THE RESIDENCE HALLS FOR THREE WEEKS. BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO USE THE TRADITIONAL MOVE-IN METHOD WIRE WE DO THIS IN A 1 TO 2 OR DAY BASIS WITH A LOT OF FOLKS ON CAMPUS, SO OUR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN MOVING BACK IN AT A RATE WE CAN MANAGE AND THEY ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE CALL PRESCREENING BEFORE THEY COME AND THEY HAVE TO REPORT IF THEY HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS OR ANY CASES BEFORE THEY GET TO CAMPUS. AND SO, WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED WHAT WE CALLED A GRAB AND GO AS WE MOVE STUDENTS IN. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE START OF MOVE-IN STUDENTS COULD DRIVE THROUGH, DROP THEIR BELONGINGS AND WE WOULD HOUSE THEM FOR THEM UNTIL THEY COME BACK TO CAMPUS. THAT HAS HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY TO MITIGATE THE DENSITY AND THE CROWD. WE ALSO LIMIT OUR STUDENTS TO ONE PERSON ACCOMPANYING THEM TO CAMPUS AS WELL AS LIMITING THE VOLUNTEERS ON CAMPUS SO IT'S BEEN MUCH EASIER FOR US TO MANAGE OUR POPULATION, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE LARGE DENSITY THAT YOU FIND ON THE LARGER CAMPUSES. >> THIS WEEK WE HEARD FROM HOUSEKEEPERS AT YOUR UNIVERSITY AND OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE AREA WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. THEY DELIVERED A PETITION EARLY THIS WEEK SAYING THAT THEY FEEL LIKE WORKING CONDITIONS ARE NOT SAFE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE AT CENTRAL? >> AS YOU WELL KNOW WE ALL HAVE TREPIDATION AND SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST VERY CAREFUL RETURNING TO WORK. AND WE FIND THAT ACROSS THE SYSTEM. AT CENTRAL I BELIEVE WE'VE DONE VERY WELL. WE'VE PUT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE WHEREBY ANY EMPLOYEE INCLUDING HOUSEKEEPERS OR FACULTY AND STAFF, IF THEY HAVE WHAT WE CALL IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PEDICLE CONDITIONS, THAT ARE RELATED TO COVID AND THEY WANT EXEMPTIONS, WE PUT A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY FILL OUT THAT FORM TO OUR HR OFFICE AND HR WILL REVIEW THAT AND IF THEY MEET THOSE CONDITIONS THEN OF COURSE THEY ARE EITHER ALLOWED TO TELL HER WORK OR THEIR ACCOMMODATION, IS ACCOMMODATED. SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY, -- WE CONTINUOUSLY ON A DAILY BASIS ARE LOOKING AT OUR PLAN AND LOOKING AT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR FACULTY AND STAFF AND STUDENTS ARE SAFE ON CAMPUS. SO WE ARE RESPONDING TO ANY CONCERN BROUGHT TO US EITHER BY HOUSEKEEPING EMPLOYEES OR ANY OTHER STAFF MEMBERS ACROSS THE CAMPUS. WE'VE INVESTED A LOT INTO OUR PREPARATION, WE'VE ACQUIRED A LARGE STOCK OF PPE TO INCLUDE MASKS, GLOVES, AND FACE SHIELDS THAT CAN BE USED AND WE ARE USING ALL THE CDC GUIDELINES AS WELL AS THOSE PROVIDED FOR US BY THE UNC SYSTEM. SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE BY WHICH ALL EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE ANY CONCERN AT ALL, WHETHER PERSONAL OR HAVING TO DO WITH CONDITIONS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED, THAT WE'VE BEEN RESPONDING RAPIDLY TO THEIR CONCERNS. >> AND OUR STUDENTS PROVIDED THE MASKS AS WELL? >>> YES, STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED THEM, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID VERY EARLY ON IN APRIL, AND MAY, WE ACQUIRED A LOT AND WE ALSO FORTUNATELY, SOME OF OUR ALUMNI DONATED LARGE SUPPLIES OF PPE FOR US. SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF THAT. AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY INSTALLED PLEXIGLASS IN ALL OF THE FRONT OFFICES, AS WELL AS AREAS WHERE OUR STAFF DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC TO BE SURE AND WE'VE ALSO PUT COVID-19 SIGNAGE ALL ACROSS THE CAMPUS IN OUR RETAIL SHOPS AND DINING HALL, IF YOU WANT TO VISIT THE DINING HALL NOW YOU WOULD BE VERY PLEASED, WE HAVE MOVED SEATS AROUND AND INSTALLED LEXI GLASSWARE FOOD IS SERVED SO THEY HAVE THE OPTION OF TAKING MEALS TO THEIR ROOM WHEREBY THEY DON'T HAVE TO SIT DOWN IN THE DINING HALL, SO WE'VE DONE ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND IN THE CLASSROOM WE HAVE LIMITED CAPACITY TO LESS THAN 40%. FOLLOWING CDC GUIDELINES SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN 3 TO 6 FEET BETWEEN STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM AND AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR INSTRUCTIONS ARE REALLY ONLINE NOW. 65% OF ALL OF OUR INSTRUCTION IS ONLINE. AND WE HAVE 30% THAT ARE HYBRID. WE ONLY HAVE 4.5% THAT ARE FACE- TO-FACE SO WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO REDUCE DENSITY, TO KEEP CONTACT DOWN BETWEEN STUDENTS. >> YOU HAVE A LOT TO THINK

Gerald Owens

N.C. Central chancellor talks preparations for safe return for students

"Of course I’m worried, just because of the money part of it, but I feel like Central has done a really good job when it comes to disciplinary actions for breaking violations," Corey Neal said.

Students will face disciplinary action for risky behavior and for not following health guidelines set up by the university. According to an email sent out to students, those who throw a party or attend one could face a class two misdemeanor.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will test students and employees for COVID-19 on Friday after a "rapid increase" in cases within three residence halls.



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UNC begins COVID-19 testing after 'rapid increase' in virus cases

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While students are glad steps are in place to cut down on the risk of exposure, some want more protective measures put in place to keep university employees like housekeepers and janitors safe as students return to campus.

"They are essential, they are very important," Joyner said. "They shouldn’t be the only ones not receiving masks, and it was just very easy for me to put myself in their shoes and see how important they are.“

According to the university’s website, as of Wednesday night, there were 13 total known positive COVID-19 cases connected to the campus -- five students, seven employees and a subcontractor.

Thousands of students start in-person classes at NCCU under strict rules

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A 911 call made in January 2024 by the children's adopted mother reveals that she told a dispatcher that Blake Deven had been missing since the 2022 holiday season.

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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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The rest of the week looks dry and mild. Temperatures will stay in the 70s until Sunday, which has a high of 80 degrees.



Clouds, cooler temps on tap Friday

Hour-by-hour forecast Friday

The Panthers got their guy, only it was a bit earlier than expected. What the Xavier Legette means for the Carolina offense, plus what to expect on day two and beyond.

Panthers trade into the first round, draft Xavier Legette at No. 32 overall

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It's severe weather season, which means there's an increased chance of power outages across the state.

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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

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

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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.

Preview of Dueling Dinos, opening Saturday in Raleigh

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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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Many thought the Panthers would have the night off, but apparently they didn't get the memo! Carolina traded back into the first round to draft South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette, on a night dominated by offensive playmakers.

NFL Draft Round 1 recap: Maye to the Pats, Panthers make surprise move to draft WR Legette

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A dump truck was attempting to turn into the construction zone when a car failed to stop and rear-ended the truck, authorities said.

Thousands of students start in-person classes at NCCU under strict rules

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