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Right now, Hurricane Erin is churning offshore, pushing waves over dunes and spilling water across some roads. That’s not unusual along N.C. Highway 12 in the Outer Banks. But a new collaborative study finds that some of the very efforts to protect this road whenever a major storm comes through may actually be making Ocracoke more vulnerable in the long run. WRAL climate reporter Liz McLaughlin has been digging into the findings. 

Hurricane Erin is not projected to make landfall on the North Carolina coast, but that doesn't mean we won't feel its impact. Hurricane season in general tends to line up with some of the busiest times of the year for the beach. 5 On Your Side's Keely Arthur shares with us what you can do to get a refund if you have to cancel your vacation plans.

Hurricane Erin is not expected to make landfall but it is still having serious effects on the North Carolina coast. The Outer Banks are expected to see the most impacts from the storm's wind and rain. WRAL's Shaun Gallegher explains the precautions taken so far.

College football season kicks off soon. And if your team is in the ACC, you can make them more money, just by watching them on TV.

Those behind the move say its not just a way to help make teams more money, but also make them perform better. 

WRAL’s Sports Investigative Reporter Brian Murphy shares what he's learned about the change. 

Wake County school leaders hope to expand student access to therapy to all campuses by the end of the upcoming school year, desptite the district losing most of a $14.1 million federal grant to do so earlier this year.

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention 40% of US high school students in 2023 reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year and 20% reported seriously considering attempting suicide in the past year.

More than half of U.S. adolescents reported discussing their mental and emotional health with a health care professional.

WRAL news reporter Destinee Patterson spent time with professionals directly involved and shares how they're trying to meet the goal despite the loss of federal money.

If you or someone you know needs help -- you can contact the Suicide and Crisis lifeline at any time. 

The number is 988.

You can also visit wral.com and search 'get help' for additional resources in our area.

A Garner teen is facing charges after allegedly using someone else's Smoothie King account to order nearly $600 of food items. Authorities say the account was compromised during a 2023 data breach, impacting thousands of customers. WRAL's Shaun Gallagher shares how he found the story and what steps to take to protect yourself.

Heritage Square is a 10-acre former shopping center in Durham, located in the middle of the historic Hayti community. Sterling Bay, a real estate development group, purchased the site in the summer of 2022 with plans to develop it into an area for lab science spaces, offices, and residential units. But there’s a lot in flux, including a pulled rezoning request and the feelings of the historic African American community around it. WRAL news reporter Monica Casey dives into the history and details while trying to answer the question: what comes next?

Wake County Public School System has a $200 million dollar maintenance backlog affecting heating and cooling its classrooms. Students have been pushing for new HVAC technology but the district says it's not ready for that kind of upgrade. WRAL's Destinee Patterson explains the obstacles.

The Wake County Public School System is taking a deep look at how it serves students with disabilities. District leaders are evaluating how to better utilize staff and tweak processes to improve special education services, and they’re looking for ways to improve management of individualized education plans — a source of frustration for many parents. WRAL education reporter Emily Walkenhorst breaks down the reorganization.

North Carolina State Representative John Blust, a Guilford County Republican, said Democrats have 24 more seats in the U.S. House than they would if noncitizens were not counted in the U.S. Census. And now, President Trump is calling for changes to the Census to count them out. But would it make a difference? PolitiFact Reporter Paul Specht weighs in.