Heidi Kirk

2 weeks ago | wral.com | Heidi Kirk

People across Wayne County are cleaning up after a severe thunderstorm came through the area on Monday. The National Weather Service issued the first and only severe thunderstorm warning for Wayne County at 2:31 p.m. on April 7, for damaging winds. Jeremy Bryan Darden heard the storm roll through around 3:15 p.m."It got dark, the winds picked up, (I) saw lightning and [heard] thunder," he said. A shopping center was damaged across from where he works in Goldsboro.

3 weeks ago | wral.com | Heidi Kirk

Just days after Marbles Kids Museum announced plans for its largest expansion project ever, the federal agency funding a portion of it put its employees on administrative leave. The museum announced expansion plans in March, including a new immersive exhibit, a multipurpose classroom, and a new rooftop exhibit. According to a spokesperson, the museum has already raised $8.5 million through a fundraiser to benefit the project.

3 weeks ago | wral.com | Heidi Kirk

North Carolina farmers dealing with a devastating season of lost crops can now apply for help. The program is part of a disaster package approved by the North Carolina General Assembly. The package includes $311 million designated for relief for farmers. Jackie Thompson has been growing crops in eastern North Carolina for most of his life. "We rent about 1,200 acres of open land," Thompson said. His farm sits on the Wake-Franklin County line, where he grows everything from Tobacco to Canola.

4 weeks ago | wral.com | Heidi Kirk

Nash County Public Schools announced it will join a growing list of schools starting earlier than the state law allows. With new legislation on the table, schools may not have to break state to have that flexibility. State law currently forbids public school districts from starting class instruction before the Monday closest to Aug. 26, but nearly a quarter of the state's districts broke the law last year. Senate Bill 754 would allow schools to start as early as the Monday closest to Aug.

4 weeks ago | wral.com | Heidi Kirk

On Wednesday, firefighters with the Raleigh Fire Department were offered screenings for esophageal precancer through a new test. The Raleigh Professional Firefighters Association, Local 548, teamed up with Lucid Diagnostics to offer the EsoGuard DNA Test for free to its members. "Firefighters have lower life expectancies because of the work we can do. If we can detect [cancer] early, proactively treat it, and give these firefighters longer lives, that is really important," he said.