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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.

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U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis says he is doing well after experiencing mild symptoms following a positive coronavirus test.



<b>RALEIGH, N.C.</b> — U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis says he is doing well after experiencing mild symptoms following a positive coronavirus test.

In a tweet on Sunday, Tillis said he is self-isolating at home with mild symptoms, including a loss of taste and smell.

Tillis spokesman Adam Webb issued a statement Sunday night saying that the senator is continuing to self-isolate at home but that he's feeling better after experiencing mild symptoms the previous day. <a href="https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/tillis-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/19317834/">Tillis announced Friday night that he had tested positive.</a>

“His mild symptoms from yesterday have significantly improved,” Webb said in an email.

In an earlier tweet, Tillis said, "COVID is a very contagious virus. If you were exposed or start to display symptoms, please call your doctor, self-isolate, and get tested."

Tillis is among several people to be diagnosed with the virus after attending the Supreme Court nomination ceremony in the White House Rose Garden last weekend for Amy Coney Barrett. Tillis was wearing a mask at the ceremony and has supported mask use.

Tillis has said that he would self-isolate for 10 days and that he was temporarily halting in-person campaigning during his re-election bid.

With Thom Tillis testing positive for COVID-19 and Cal Cunningham apologizing for exchanging sexually suggestive text messages with a woman who's not his wife, the race for the NC Senate is complex this year. 

READ MORE ABOUT THIS DECISION RIGHT NOW ON WRAL.COM. >>> THE SENATE RACE SEAT IN NORTH CAROLINA IS ALREADY TIGHT. NOW, ONE MONTH FROM ELECTION DAY, STUNNING PERSONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS ON BOTH SIDES COULD SWING THE RACE. CAL CUNNINGHAM HAS ADMITTED TO REPORTS HE SENT SEXUAL MESSAGES TO THE WIFE OF A FELLOW VETERAN. AT THE SAME TIME, TILLIS ANNOUNCES HE WILL SELF-ISOLATE AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. WRAL'S ADAM OWENS SHOWS US HOW THIS PLAYS INTO THE ELECTION. >> Reporter: IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTENSE SENATE RACE, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE CAL CUNNINGHAM IS APOLOGIZING OVER TEXT MESSAGES SENT TO A WOMAN IN CALIFORNIA. IN A STATEMENT, THE MARRIED FATHER OF TWO SAYS I HAVE HURT MY FAMILY, DISAPPOINTED MY FRIENDS AND AM DEEPLY SORRY. THE FIRST STEP IN REPAIRING THE RELATIONSHIPS IS TAKING COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY WHICH I DO. CUNNINGHAM SAYS HE WILL STAY IN THE RACE. >> FRANKLY, JUST KIND OF STUNNED. PARTICULARLY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DEALING WITH THAT HERE IN ELECTION TIME. >> Reporter: MICHAEL WATTLEY IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY. HE SAYS THIS IS A FAMILY MATTER FOR CUNNINGHAM THE DEAL WITH, BUT HE ALSO SAYS -- >> WE, YOU KNOW, FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES OF WHO THE VOTERS CAN TRUST AS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CAMPAIGN. >> Reporter: IN A STATEMENT ON THE SENATE RACE, NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN WAYNE GOODWIN FOCUSED ON OTHER ISSUES SAYING IN PART, THIS IS WHICH CANDIDATE WILL STEP UP FOR NORTH CAROLINA. >> THIS HAS CREATED MORE CHAOS. >> Reporter: STILL, MERIDITH COLLEGE PROFESSOR DAVID MCCLENDON SAID CUNNINGHAM'S EMBARRASSMENT MAY NOT COST HIM ANY VOTES. >> THE HYPERPARTISANSHIP MAKES PEOPLE IGNORE THINGS THEY WOULD NOT HAVE OTHERWISE IGNORED IN THE PAST. >> Reporter: OVER AT THOM TILLIS'S CAMPAIGN, THEY ARE FOCUSED ON THE SENATOR'S HEALTH. HE CONFIRMED HIS DIAGNOSIS ON TWITTER. THE SENATOR IS AMONG THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO TESTED POSITIVE AFTER ATTENDING A SUPREME COURT NOMINATION CEREMONY IN THE WHITE HOUSE ROSE GARDEN. IN VIDEO OF THAT EVENT, TILLIS IS SEEN WEARING A MASK. HE SAYS HE HAS NO SYMPTOMS AND FEELS WELL. JUST THE SAME, TILLIS -- MCCLENON SAYS THIS IS NOT LIKELY TO COST TILLIS ANY SUPPORT. >> IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO MAINTAIN HIS CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE. SO AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT TEN DAYS, YOU KNOW, HE WILL BE QUARANTINED. AND HAVE TO DO THINGS VIRTUALLY. >> Reporter: ADAM OWENS, WRAL NEWS. >> WE HAVE MORE PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU. HE SAYS THE REAL IMPACT ON THE CAMPAIGN MAY INVOLVE MONEY AND HOW THESE DEVELOPMENTS MAY AFFECT FUND RAISING FOR TWO CAMPAIGNS. AND AS WE MENTIONED, AT THE START OF THE SHOW, CUNNINGHAM

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

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