Published: 2020-05-28 06:11:00Updated: 2020-05-28 16:12:12BusinessTags:By Keely Arthur and Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporters — Lawmakers call an effort to allow bars to reopen with outdoor seating during the coronavirus pandemic a "lifeline," but some bar owners said they don't want it.Bar owners have grumbled over the last week after Gov. Roy Cooper allowed restaurants to reopen at half capacity but ordered bars to remain closed for several more weeks in an effort to control the spread of the virus.But they said Thursday that that would allow them to set up an outdoor seating area for up to...…Published: 2020-05-28 06:11:00Updated: 2020-05-28 16:12:12BusinessTags:By Keely Arthur and Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporters — Lawmakers call an effort to allow bars to reopen with outdoor seating during the coronavirus pandemic a "lifeline," but some bar owners said they don't want it.Bar owners have grumbled over the last week after Gov. Roy Cooper allowed restaurants to reopen at half capacity but ordered bars to remain closed for several more weeks in an effort to control the spread of the virus.But they said Thursday that that would allow them to set up an outdoor seating area for up to...WW…

Published: 2020-07-13 05:12:00Updated: 2020-07-13 05:24:55Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Confirmed coronavirus cases are growing in North Carolina, which just had another record-breaking weekend.Saturday marked the highest number of daily cases North Carolina has seen yet -- 2,462 -- and the highest number of hospitalizations reported on a single day. .Even as more testing sites open to meet demand, many locations are booked.According to state officials, about 23,000 tests are being completed each day. About 10% of those come back positive.North Carolina Department of...…Published: 2020-07-13 05:12:00Updated: 2020-07-13 05:24:55Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Confirmed coronavirus cases are growing in North Carolina, which just had another record-breaking weekend.Saturday marked the highest number of daily cases North Carolina has seen yet -- 2,462 -- and the highest number of hospitalizations reported on a single day. .Even as more testing sites open to meet demand, many locations are booked.According to state officials, about 23,000 tests are being completed each day. About 10% of those come back positive.North Carolina Department of...WW…

Published: 2020-04-29 08:14:00Updated: 2020-04-29 20:01:46Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter & Maggie Brown, WRAL Multiplatform producer — There's a concern about food supply across the state of North Carolina as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses.Nationally, there's a high demand of meat, but there's also been many reports of virus outbreaks in meat packing facilities in North Carolina.President Donald Trump signed an executive order which went into action on Tuesday that requires meat processing plants to stay open even if multiple workers become infected with...…Published: 2020-04-29 08:14:00Updated: 2020-04-29 20:01:46Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter & Maggie Brown, WRAL Multiplatform producer — There's a concern about food supply across the state of North Carolina as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses.Nationally, there's a high demand of meat, but there's also been many reports of virus outbreaks in meat packing facilities in North Carolina.President Donald Trump signed an executive order which went into action on Tuesday that requires meat processing plants to stay open even if multiple workers become infected with...WW…

Published: 2020-08-06 05:35:00Updated: 2020-08-06 07:00:44Health TeamTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporterNorth Carolina and six other states are participating in a new COVID-19 antigen testing strategy that could produce faster results and help slow the spread of the virus.The antigen tests may be less reliable and have more false negatives than normal coronavirus tests, but experts say results come back in minutes, not days -- which could be key to slowing the spread of coronavirus.As part of the initiative, each state will get 500,000 antigen tests, which are performed via a nasal...…Published: 2020-08-06 05:35:00Updated: 2020-08-06 07:00:44Health TeamTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporterNorth Carolina and six other states are participating in a new COVID-19 antigen testing strategy that could produce faster results and help slow the spread of the virus.The antigen tests may be less reliable and have more false negatives than normal coronavirus tests, but experts say results come back in minutes, not days -- which could be key to slowing the spread of coronavirus.As part of the initiative, each state will get 500,000 antigen tests, which are performed via a nasal...WW…

Published: 2020-08-09 19:42:00Updated: 2020-08-13 12:57:39Local NewsTags:By Sloane Heffernan, Kasey Cunningham and Aaron Thomas, WRAL reporters — A Wilson man was in custody Monday night, about 24 hours after police said he shot and killed a 5-year-old boy.Darius N. Sessoms, 25, was apprehended in Goldsboro by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, Goldsboro police and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. He was charged with first-degree murder and was being held without bond in the Wilson County jail.During a brief court hearing Tuesday morning, he said...…Published: 2020-08-09 19:42:00Updated: 2020-08-13 12:57:39Local NewsTags:By Sloane Heffernan, Kasey Cunningham and Aaron Thomas, WRAL reporters — A Wilson man was in custody Monday night, about 24 hours after police said he shot and killed a 5-year-old boy.Darius N. Sessoms, 25, was apprehended in Goldsboro by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, Goldsboro police and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. He was charged with first-degree murder and was being held without bond in the Wilson County jail.During a brief court hearing Tuesday morning, he said...WW…

Published: 2020-07-22 05:41:00Updated: 2020-07-22 15:25:12EducationTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporterNorth Carolina families with school-age kids will get to hear important COVID-19 updates and ask questions in a Wednesday and Thursday.Both meetings will occur from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday's in English. Sign Language interpreters will be present at both.The events are hosted by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and the NCPTA. Health leaders will share pertinent information related to COVID-19 numbers, focusing on what needs to happen before schools can reopen for...…Published: 2020-07-22 05:41:00Updated: 2020-07-22 15:25:12EducationTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporterNorth Carolina families with school-age kids will get to hear important COVID-19 updates and ask questions in a Wednesday and Thursday.Both meetings will occur from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday's in English. Sign Language interpreters will be present at both.The events are hosted by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and the NCPTA. Health leaders will share pertinent information related to COVID-19 numbers, focusing on what needs to happen before schools can reopen for...WW…

Published: 2021-03-09 11:47:00Updated: 2021-03-13 10:51:27Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham and Sarah Krueger, WRAL reporters — A FEMA-operated COVID-19 mass vaccination site opens in Greensboro on Wednesday morning. It's one of only 18 in the country.The federally-supported site at Four Seasons Town Centre is right off Interstate 40 and centrally located near the heart of the state. The site will start operation on Wednesday with intentions to vaccinate as many as 3,000 people a day.Volunteers conducted a trial run on Tuesday, vaccinating 500 people, the bulk of whom were frontline...…Published: 2021-03-09 11:47:00Updated: 2021-03-13 10:51:27Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham and Sarah Krueger, WRAL reporters — A FEMA-operated COVID-19 mass vaccination site opens in Greensboro on Wednesday morning. It's one of only 18 in the country.The federally-supported site at Four Seasons Town Centre is right off Interstate 40 and centrally located near the heart of the state. The site will start operation on Wednesday with intentions to vaccinate as many as 3,000 people a day.Volunteers conducted a trial run on Tuesday, vaccinating 500 people, the bulk of whom were frontline...WW…

Published: 2021-03-08 05:13:00Updated: 2021-03-08 19:52:27Health TeamTags:By Sarah Krueger, WRAL Durham reporter & Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Demand for coronavirus vaccine overwhelmed phone lines in Lee County Monday morning after the county began accepting registrations from people with health conditions that put them at higher risk from the virus.Lee County was the first area county to begin allowing people in Group 4 of the state's vaccine priority list to register for vaccinations.By about 10 a.m., the county IT staff had to shut down the vaccine call center and establish a...…Published: 2021-03-08 05:13:00Updated: 2021-03-08 19:52:27Health TeamTags:By Sarah Krueger, WRAL Durham reporter & Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Demand for coronavirus vaccine overwhelmed phone lines in Lee County Monday morning after the county began accepting registrations from people with health conditions that put them at higher risk from the virus.Lee County was the first area county to begin allowing people in Group 4 of the state's vaccine priority list to register for vaccinations.By about 10 a.m., the county IT staff had to shut down the vaccine call center and establish a...WW…

Published: 2021-01-12 05:04:00Updated: 2021-01-12 13:30:10Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Hundreds of senior citizens waited in the dark on Tuesday morning for a drive-thru coronavirus vaccine clinic in Johnston County. Some were in line at midnight, 10 hours before the event was to begin.Thirty minutes before the clinic opened at West Johnston High School in Benson, some seniors were turned away when capacity was reached for the 500 doses available.The clinic was operated on a first-come, first-served basis for people ages 75 or older. Although supplies were expected to...…Published: 2021-01-12 05:04:00Updated: 2021-01-12 13:30:10Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Hundreds of senior citizens waited in the dark on Tuesday morning for a drive-thru coronavirus vaccine clinic in Johnston County. Some were in line at midnight, 10 hours before the event was to begin.Thirty minutes before the clinic opened at West Johnston High School in Benson, some seniors were turned away when capacity was reached for the 500 doses available.The clinic was operated on a first-come, first-served basis for people ages 75 or older. Although supplies were expected to...WW…

Published: 2021-01-04 06:11:00Updated: 2021-01-04 19:24:15Health TeamTags:By Sloane Heffernan and Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporters — Although North Carolina remains focused on vaccinating health care workers and residents and staff in long-term care facilities against coronavirus, some area counties are also starting to vaccinate people ages 75 and older.But the move, as well as the state's overall vaccine rollout effort, is causing confusion and frustration.The Wilson County Health Department, for example, is using some of the 800 doses of vaccine it has for seniors, but officials told people...…Published: 2021-01-04 06:11:00Updated: 2021-01-04 19:24:15Health TeamTags:By Sloane Heffernan and Amanda Lamb, WRAL reporters — Although North Carolina remains focused on vaccinating health care workers and residents and staff in long-term care facilities against coronavirus, some area counties are also starting to vaccinate people ages 75 and older.But the move, as well as the state's overall vaccine rollout effort, is causing confusion and frustration.The Wilson County Health Department, for example, is using some of the 800 doses of vaccine it has for seniors, but officials told people...WW…