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.

North Carolina ranks 29th in public pre-K enrollment, new report shows

Durham County budget increases funding for pre-K students

Consumer Reports surveyed more than 2,000 members who shared their experiences with pet insurance.

Is pet insurance worth the bark? Survey reveals middling results

Pet insurance

This holiday weekend, enjoy some holiday lights, great music and time with loved ones. 

RALEIGH, N.C. — This holiday weekend, enjoy some holiday lights, great music and treasured time with loved ones.

Very Funky Christmas - Head to Deep South in downtown Raleigh Sunday night for this free show featuring local musicians and vocalists performing songs from the 1970s and 80s. The first 50 people through the door get a free gift.

Candlelight Christmas - The North Carolina Symphony hosts this event Friday night at Meymandi Concert Hall. Raleigh Children's Chorus will also perform.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical - The beloved TV classic gets the musical treatment this holiday season. See it through Christmas Eve at Fletcher Opera Theater.

Carolina Ballet's The Nutcracker - Carolina Ballet performs Tchaikovsky's holiday classic, The Nutcracker, for the 15th year. Shows are at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium through Christmas.

Ice Skating - Go skating in City Plaza in downtown Raleigh. A $10 ticket includes skate rental. The ice rink is open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Kids dress warm and wait in line to have fun Sunday afternoon sledding and ice skating at City Plaza in downtown Raleigh. (Photo by Wes Hight)

Raleigh Winterfest_48

Festival of Lights - Hill Ridge Farm has transformed into a winter wonderland. Enjoy a covered wagon hayride through the beautiful Christmas lights through Dec. 31.

<a href="https://www.wral.com/entertainment/holiday/page/6437698/">Map of Holiday Lights</a> - We have a map of great holiday lights in the Triangle.

The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival returns to Koka Booth Amphitheatre for its second year.   It will be open November 25, 2016 through January 15, 2017.   Every lantern is hand made by visiting Chinese artisans and glows with thousands of LED lights. 

Photo by:  Suzie Wolf

North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival - Koka Booth Amphitheart

Chinese Lantern Festival - These beautiful LED light displays delight at Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. See them through Jan. 14.

Kathy Hanrahan

Weekend best bets: Funky Christmas, holiday lights

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The Storm Prediction Center has our southern counties under a Level 1 risk for severe storms Friday.

Level 1 severe risk: Damaging winds and hail possible Friday⛈️

Level 1 risk for severe storms Friday 

Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defense unit in southern Syria, causing material damage, state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement as saying Friday.

The Latest | Israel targets air defense system in Syria, state news agency says

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A local Hip-Hop artist and UNC-Chapel Hill educator died, the North Carolina Arts Council announced Thursday on Facebook.

NC Hip-Hop icon Kevin "Rowdy" Rowsey dies

Kevin "Rowdy" Rowsey

Firefighters said when they arrived here just after midnight, the side of the home was engulfed in flames.

Fire forces 11 people out of home in Durham

11 people escape house fire in Durham

Residents in Anderson Creek Crossing in Spring Lake, are on high alert after discovering a disturbing pattern of tampered mail.

Torn envelopes, missing money: Harnett County residents report disturbing mail tampering

Harnett County residents report disturbing mail tampering

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.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

After 22 years in business, Armadillo Grill on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh has closed.



Glenwood South staple Armadillo Grill closes

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Brandon Butterworth picked up his first hit of the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to beat No. 11 North Carolina.

NC State beats UNC with walk-off homer in game one of weekend series

NC State at UNC

The Coyotes are moving to Salt Lake City in a deal that was signed less than 24 hours after Wednesday night's 5-2 win over Edmonton.

Party's over: Coyotes end tenure in the desert with team's sale, move to Salt Lake City

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NCAA athletes will be immediately eligible to play no matter how many times they transfer -- as long as they meet academic requirements -- after the association fast-tracked legislation Wednesday to fall in line with a recent court order.

NCAA allows transfers to be immediately eligible, no matter how many times they've switched schools

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If the Panthers want to start winning again, they're going to need a good -- maybe even great -- draft class. Here's an in-depth look on who Carolina should be targeting and when.

Weekend best bets: Funky Christmas, holiday lights

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