NC Senate votes to shorten early voting, purge more voters

Wildfire forces evacuation of NASA’s Madrid Deep Space Network Complex

Communication with spacecraft across the solar system continued uninterrupted as sites in California and Australia took over remote operation while personnel in Spain evacuated ahead of wildfires

NASA is preparing astronauts for Mars’ dusty hazards

As NASA prepares for future human missions to Mars, the agency is establishing the first health standards for exposure to the planet’s pervasive dust, building on lessons learned from Apollo and decades of robotic exploration.

From Durham to Wendell to Raleigh: Noah Kahan's concert stop goes beyond the music

Folk-pop singer-songwriter Noah Kahan is performing a sold-out show Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Foodie News: Final weekend of Raleigh Restaurant Week, new concepts coming

Triangle Food Guy Sean Lennard has the latest: Durham food truck rodeo, Celebration at Six Forks welcomes two new food concepts.

Ask the Meteorologist: How much more rain do we need now to get out of this drought?

Any time we get some beneficial rain, it is good to embrace the win but also put the rain into perspective. We still need a lot of rain to pull us out of the drought. Let's break down how much rain we have seen so far this month and how much we need to break the drought in a one month period.

November Rain in July: Raleigh Guns N' Roses fans get weather & traffic luck for concert

Rock and roll fans heading to Carter-Finley Stadium for Thursday's Guns N' Roses concert are going to be dealing with rain, and we're not talking about the band's hit song.

Parents: Teen boy used AI to create sexually explicit images of their daughters

A teen faces multiple sexual exploitation charges connected to the use of AI to manipulate images of teen girls.

Flavor Flav spotted in Raleigh ahead of performance

Fans spotted Flavor Flav in Raleigh prior to concert at Carter-Finley Stadium. Public Enemy is listed as the special opener for Guns N' Roses.

Students drive electric truck across country to join Duke's new climate-business program

After a seven-day road trip in an electric truck, two students arrived at Duke to join a new graduate program focused on business, climate and sustainability.

Cosplayers, rejoice! GalaxyCon is back in Raleigh

If you see a parade of characters this week throughout downtown Raleigh, it can only mean one thing: GalaxyCon is back.

Rain, rock and gridlock: A brief history of concerts at Carter-Finley Stadium

Before Raleigh had its own arena to host big-time productions and rock concerts, Carter-Finley Stadium played host to many household names and showed that Triangle rockers aren’t afraid of a little rain, staying up late or occasional logistical chaos.

After unauthorized pool parties, one community beefs up security while lawmakers push for HOA reform

Residents from two different neighborhoods came to WRAL Investigates with complaints about unauthorized parties in their community spaces. After we started asking questions, we learned at least one community is seeing changes.

Headed to see Guns N' Roses or Noah Kahan this weekend? Here's what you need to know before you go

Carter-Finley Stadium is hosting big concerts this weekend! Guns N' Roses kicks it off on Thursday, while Noah Kahan performs Saturday.

Weekend best bets: GalaxyCon, Taste of Soul, bubble festival

The month of July features GalaxyCon, food festivals and so much more.

Wake schools need $2B in facility improvements in next 5 years

That's according to a draft report of the district's facility needs survey. It was put together by a third-party based on school documents and interviews with school leaders.

WRAL Investigates: Social media ‘takeovers’ overrun private neighborhood pools

Residents shared pictures and videos with WRAL Investigates showing crowds of people in the pool area and around the community. They tell WRAL Investigates they believe the HOAs have taken minimal action.

A baby is in the forecast for WRAL's Kat Campbell

WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell and husband Jack are expecting their first child in December.

Nearly 300,000 North Carolina college-goers are in default, owing billions in student loans

Student loan repayments were mostly paused from 2020 to 2024. Now, defaults on student loans have nearly doubled in the past year, and millions are trying to get their lives back on track.

Construction work underway: fixing structural issues at 3 Wake County elementary schools

Repairs start this weekend. Teachers and students at one school will start the year at another school.

Happening now: Work begins to fix structural issues at 3 Wake County elementary schools

Repairs start this weekend. Teachers and students at one school will start the year at another school.

Fleas close part of NC beach

A flea infestation has closed part of a popular North Carolina beach.

How congress’s latest push to end the twice-yearly clock change could succeed

Congress has tried and failed before to standardize on daylight saving time, but bi partisan support of the improved bill has sparked cautious optimism that falling back and springing forward might no longer be necessary.

How congress’s latest push to end the twice-yearly clock change could succeed

Ask the Meteorologist: Will wildfire smoke impact World Cup final in NJ?

Dense smoke from the Canadian wildfires is descending on the US. Significant air quality alerts and concerns are in place for many states over the next 48 hours.

Why small departments hire 'problem' officers comes down to 3 factors

Sources at all levels of law enforcement say smaller departments face a harder hiring scenario than their larger counterparts. More than a dozen sources weighed in and agree that whether a small department gets saddled a problem officer comes down to three things.

RDU welcomes 5 new restaurants at Terminal 2

Raleigh-Durham International Airport held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for five new dining options opening within Terminal 2.

Drought status: Recent rain provides decent drought relief in eastern half of NC

Several areas in the eastern half of the state improved slightly thanks to recent rain, but extreme drought persists widely across central and eastern North Carolina.

Drought status: Recent rain provides decent drought relief in eastern half of NC

Several areas in the eastern half of the state improved slightly thanks to recent rain, but extreme drought persists widely across central and eastern North Carolina.

Carowinds' Fury 325 coaster closed for 2nd time in 3 years

Carowinds closed its popular roller coaster, Fury 325, on July 7 after identifying an issue with the ride's foundation during a routine maintenance inspection.

Explosive diarrhea? Symptoms, prevention and other answers about stomach bug cyclospora

North Carolina has reported at least 205 Cyclospora cases since May 1, 2026. The bulk of the cases statewide -- more than 180 -- are in Wake County.

Watch parties or at home, catch the games of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup comes down to four. France will play Spain in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday and England will face Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday.

A man became Tarboro's watchdog after it lost its newspaper. Now his work is getting noticed

When Tarboro lost its local newspaper, John Walker didn't leave. Instead, he stayed and built the digital news site "My Tarboro Today" to keep covering the community.

Wake board approves repairs at 3 schools, questions whether they'll be ready in time for school year

The Wake County Board of Education approved 9-0 Monday emergency construction contracts --- for a still-to-be-determined amount of money --- at three schools with significant structural concerns that could affect the start of the school year.

Drought conditions make hot weather even hotter

While the lack of rainfall is an obvious part of North Carolina's ongoing drought, there's another side effect that many people don't realize. Drought conditions can make hot weather even hotter.

Drought status: Rain added a foot of water to Falls Lake, still 10 feet below last summer's level

Summer thunderstorms added a foot of water to Falls Lake between July 6 and 13, 2026, but extreme drought persists across central and eastern North Carolina.

What is an aortic dissection?

On Saturday night, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., died of an aortic dissection — a rip in the aorta, the main artery carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Support local by drinking these spirits distilled in North Carolina

Those who enjoy spirits and whiskey should go local with North Carolina bourbon. There is plenty to tour and taste, which can give you a unique glimpse into a more agricultural side of NC.

Sunflowers in bloom: It's prime time to visit Dix Park

If you are looking for a good photo opportunity or just want something to do on a summer day, the sunflowers at Raleigh’s Dix Park are for you.

Feds say NC special education still needs improvement. What they say still isn't working

A report by the U.S. Department of Education is the latest to raise concerns about special education in North Carolina, which families and advocates for thousands of students with disabilities have long contended is drastically underfunded.

Dix Park holds Sunflower Celebration on Saturday as sunflowers start to bloom

The sunflowers are back! Dix Park announced Thursday that the buds are starting to bloom, so it will be celebrating peak bloom on Saturday, July 11.

Slideshow: Sunflowers in bloom at Dix Park in Raleigh

The sunflowers at Dix Park are blooming. WRAL viewers submitted their photos of the flowers to us. You can submit yours at wral.com/report-it

Three Wake schools need emergency repairs before school starts

The issues "prevent safe occupancy by students," according to the school district.

Foodie News: Raleigh Restaurant Week, plus new three new Japanese spots

Triangle Food Guy Sean Lennard has the latest: Three new Japanese resturants are coming to the Triangle, fusion resturants, and more.

Explore on the water: How, where to kayak in Raleigh

It doesn't matter if you're a seasoned paddler or a novice eager to dip your paddle, kayaking offers a unique way to explore Raleigh.

Most NC voters expect political violence. Some prefer candidates who embrace it, poll finds

Most North Carolinians expect political violence during the 2026 election cycle. And about one in every four or five voters say they’d be more likely to support candidates who refuse to condemn violence against the other side.

Most likely to be scammed: BBB data shows towns most targeted

An analysis of data with the Better Business Bureau shows which communities within the Triangle are most frequently reporting scams, both attempted and successful.

Explosive diarrhea? 200+ cases of stomach bug cyclospora in NC

It's invisible to the naked eye, difficult to trace and can cause weeks of diarrhea. Here's what to know about the parasite, Cyclospora.

Soaring ticket prices cause NC lawmakers to ban the bots

A new provision in North Carolina’s budget creates tougher ticket protections, requiring upfront prices and cracking down on bots after Hurricanes fans reported problems buying Stanley Cup Final tickets. The law applies to tickets sold or resold on or after Oct. 1, 2026, for live entertainment.

Consumer Reports investigation finds arsenic levels in everyday rice products

Rice can carry a risk: inorganic arsenic, a dangerous form of a heavy metal and known carcinogen.

Britt's Donut Shop opening second location in Charleston

Britt’s Donut Shop, a staple on the Carolina Beach boardwalk, announced it will be opening a second location this fall. The announcement was made on the shop’s Instagram page.