Kathy Hanrahan

Raleigh

Lifestyle Editor at WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)

wife, mom, 📺 Pop culture junkie, 📸 concert photog, ate a tarantula 🕷, WRAL Lifestyle Editor and Who Dat!

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Articles

Where to find spraygrounds, splashpads in Raleigh, Durham

1 month ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

Traditionally seasonal pools open on Memorial Day weekend, unofficially signaling the beginning of summer. Many pools and spraygrounds in and around Raleigh are open for the season. Check out this list of five places to go swimming right now!These splashpads are free to visit and most open before Memorial Day. This Cary sprayground is typically open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, weather permitting. It features seven water features and is great for children ages 12 and younger.
Video: Look back at Pope Francis' life, TED Talk and outspoken moments

1 month ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

Pope Francis, history’s first Latin American pontiff, brought a breath of fresh air into a 2,000-year-old institution when he took over as the leader of the church in 2013. Until his death on April 21, 2025, he continued to focus on concern for the poor and a message of acceptance and mercy.
GalaxyCon, WRAL team up for inaugural Streetfest

1 month ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

GalaxyCon is partnering with WRAL for its first free outdoor street festival in July. GalaxyCon StreetFest will take place on Saturday, July 26, and include vendors, live music, performances, appearances by celebrity guests and family-friendly activities. Admission to the street festival will be free. GalaxyCon Raleigh's popular fan convention will return July 24-27 to the Raleigh Convention Center. Tickets, which start at $45, are currently on sale for that event.
In bloomðŸŒº: The WRAL Azalea Gardens have started to blossom

2 months ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

The colorful flowers at the WRAL Azalea Gardens are starting to bloom. Peak bloom is expected around April 15, but many of the garden's azaleas have already started to bloom - creating a sea of color.ÂThe WRAL Azalea GardensÂ are located behind the WRAL Studios at the intersection of Western Boulevard and Avent Ferry Road, just across the street from North Carolina State University, and can also be accessed from Centennial Parkway.
NC chef named finalist for James Beard Award

2 months ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

A North Carolina chef has been named a finalist for a regional James Beard Award. The annual awards honor the best in the culinary industry and are often referred to as "The Oscars of Food." The Triangle has a legacy of taking home honors. The finalists were announced Wednesday and despite many North Carolina chefs being named semifinalists in national and regional categories, only one chef moved ahead as a finalist.
The standardized tests your NC high school student takes

2 months ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

By high school, students in North Carolina are used to taking standardized tests. Having been tested yearly since third grade, students are not subjected to the same tests in high school – but they do have the higher pressure ones like the ACT and SAT to worry about. Each state and even each school district has a different set of required tests for students. This guide will explain which tests your high school student takes and when. What standardized tests does North Carolina use?
Standardized tests in NC schools - Who takes them and why they are required

2 months ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

The mere mention of standardized testing can cause anxiety for students and parents. When does your child start taking these tests? And why do they have to take them in the first place? Each state and even each school district has a different set of required tests for students. This guide will explain who takes what and when. What standardized tests does North Carolina use? Public and charter school students in North Carolina will take a variety of tests starting in the third grade.
Spring break is here: Ideas for family-fun, road trips and outdoor fun

2 months ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

Spring break means lots of chances to explore new destinations with your family. From road trips to the best local playgrounds, WRAL Family has your guide to the fun. Spending less at pump, but more on other thingsBefore you hit the road, makes sure to check out our Fuel Tracker to see local gas prices. AAA Carolinas said the average gas price in North Carolina is $2.87 per gallon as of Friday. Overall the travel company says gas prices are 30 to 40 percent cheaper than last year at this time.
5 places to celebrate International Waffle Day

2 months ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

March 25 is International Waffle Day and we have your guide of where to celebrate. Whether you like your waffles with chicken or without, you have many options for places to celebrate. Waffles are not just for breakfast anymore. You can get your waffle fix with a variety of shmears (creamy, buttery mixtures that include everything from blueberries to chocolate) and also with your choice of chicken on top.
Whataburger's first NC locations set to open in the summer

2 months ago | wral.com | Kathy Hanrahan

Popular Texas-based chain Whataburger will open its first North Carolina locations this summer, but Raleigh residents will have to wait a little longer. Locations in Gastonia, Hickory, Charlotte, Greensboro and Winston-Salem all have targeted opening dates by late summer. Locations in Archdale and High Point are planning fall openings. In Raleigh, the first location will open in 2026, company officials said Monday. It is expected to be at 6305 Falls of Neuse Road in the old location of PDQ.