Raleigh turns muggy with a high near 90 today, then a midweek heat spike pushes highs into the 100s. Short tips and local resources inside.

A Dudley resident scratched a $200,000 Mega Bucks ticket and walked away with $144,021 after taxes; she says she’ll use the money toward buying a home.

With parts of the Triangle in exceptional drought, the state fire marshal is urging North Carolinians to skip backyard fireworks and stick to licensed displays.

Afternoon storms are possible in Raleigh today with gusty winds and heavy downpours. A sharp heat wave builds into July 1–4 with highs into the 100s.

NWS Raleigh issued a flood advisory Friday for five central North Carolina counties as heavy rain produced ponding and hazardous roads in low‑lying areas.

A Garner father was arrested after a 2-year-old was hospitalized with severe head and spinal injuries. Court documents show medical teams performed emergency surgery as prosecutors open an investigation.

Naomi Dix and Club ERA sued Meta after their Instagram and Facebook pages were disabled in mid‑June. The complaint seeks account restoration and damages.

A Smithfield man was charged with first-degree murder after his wife was found shot in the parking lot of the AAF Flanders plant early Thursday. Authorities arrested the suspect at a home and say the case remains under investigation.

A 25-year-old Dunn man died Wednesday after being struck on Dorman Road. Troopers say the driver who hit him is suspected of impairment and charges are pending.

A Raleigh man admitted to running a Los Angeles lab that billed Medicare and Medi‑Cal for more than $60 million in fake tests. Prosecutors say the operation paid collectors and used stolen clinician data to generate bogus claims.

M Pocha has closed and chef Michael Lee is converting the downtown Durham spot into M Nikkei, a Japanese‑Peruvian robatayaki and sushi handroll concept expected this summer.

Clayton’s planning board recommended denying a 376,000-square-foot warehouse rezoning on about 43 acres, sending the heated application to a July 23 Town Council vote.

A severe thunderstorm warning Tuesday evening flagged penny-sized hail and gusts up to 60 mph across parts of Columbus and Robeson counties.