Fences and cranes rose at the end of Fayetteville Street as crews began site work for the Omni hotel that will anchor the convention‑center expansion. The project includes new meeting space and street‑level restaurants.

JD Sports is opening its first Raleigh store at Crabtree Valley Mall as the center undergoes a $60M refresh.

Mild and windy today in Raleigh with gusts to 30 mph. Slight late‑night rain and a wetter weekend expected.

A planned 160-unit affordable housing project near Moore Square has been paused after the developer withdrew and a lease option expired. City officials are weighing next steps for the downtown parcels.

A Greensboro woman was found unconscious in a Kinston drive‑thru with a child in the car; two adults were arrested and one was served a federal warrant.

A ski-masked suspect robbed the Dollar General on Ganyard Farm Way Tuesday afternoon; Durham police say no one was hurt and detectives are investigating.

A Bladenboro traffic stop went sideways when a man allegedly drove off in an officer’s unmarked truck; he was captured the next morning and faces multiple felony counts. Schools were briefly locked down during the search.

Wake County EMS will roll out a phone-based triage system in March to prioritize life-threatening 911 calls and route low-acuity callers to nurse navigators.

A Raleigh mother warns park-goers after a man allegedly exposed himself at Biltmore Hills Park this week; police are investigating.

Taylor Morrison paid about $59M for 233 acres near Apex and plans Gracewood — 444 luxury single‑family homes with a four‑acre amenity center and first homes due late 2026.

Boatman Spirits Co. at Seaboard Station is selling its first bottled vodka and gins; bottles have been available since Feb. 1 and a launch party is set for Feb. 22.

Sheriff Charles Blackwood says his office reviewed ICE paperwork and urged agents not to make an arrest — a claim his challenger calls misleading as early voting continues. The exchange has become a central issue in the March 3 primary.

R. Kelly was moved to the SHU at FCI Butner after officials say a retired warden's phone number was found in his notebook. His attorney says the contact was tied to a mentorship program.