Ripken the Bat Dog, cherished for fetching bats at Durham Bulls games and retrieving tees for NC State football, has died at age 8.5. Fans and his owners, the O'Donnells, mourn his passing.

Wake Forest Power received national commendation from the APPA for assisting with electricity restoration after Hurricanes Milton and Helene in Florida.

Chatham County has made improvements in public safety, parks and recreation, mosquito control, workplace safety, election integrity, voter services, climate initiatives, and fiscal responsibility, aiming for strategic growth and community support.

Durham will honor MLK Jr.'s legacy with an observance event featuring a keynote by Superintendent Dr. Anthony S. Lewis and music by Kimberly Michelle.

Wake County Animal Center's "New Year, New Pet!" campaign offers reduced fees for animal adoptions until January 17 to encourage adopting shelter pets and alleviate overcrowding.

Raleigh Police investigate the first homicide of the year after a man was fatally shot on Poole Road on New Year's Day. No arrests have been made yet.

A woman died in a south Durham crash after the driver, now facing multiple charges including DWI, lost control of the vehicle, which struck a utility pole.

A two-alarm fire at a Raleigh apartment complex displaced 17 people, with no injuries reported. Firefighters controlled the blaze within 45 minutes; the cause remains under investigation.

The NCDHHS is distributing 2,000 free radon test kits to encourage testing and reduce lung cancer risks in North Carolina during National Radon Action Month.

Duke University Hospital's emergency department remains closed due to a water pipe rupture that caused flooding, prompting patient relocations and service diversions within the hospital.

Cumberland County deputies seek public help identifying a man suspected of setting fire to God's Little Blessings Daycare in Fayetteville. No injuries occurred as the facility was empty at the time.

Daveaun Whittle, sought for kidnapping in New York, evaded arrest after a crash in Garner, North Carolina. Manhunt efforts are ongoing with K-9 units assisting.

A child custody argument in Aberdeen turned into a shootout, injuring one and damaging two homes; one shooter is hospitalized, the other at large. The incident is under investigation.