This year marks the 67th annual lighting of the WRAL-TV tower in Raleigh, an annual tradition that has grown to include celebrations with towers at American Tobacco Campus in Durham and Rocky Mount Mills.


WRAL Tower Lighting: WRAL lights the towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount

WRAL Tower Lighting

Michelle Mackonochie - familiar to WRAL viewers after five years as part of the morning news team - will anchor the 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts with Dan Haggerty, and the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts with Gerald Owens. 

WRAL welcomes Michelle Mackonochie to evening newscasts beginning Jan. 5

Michelle Mackonochie

What it really means to be an organ and bone marrow donor

Stay up to date with WRAL’s 1st Congressional District news and reporting coverage

1st Congressional District News and Reporting Coverage | WRAL

1st Congressional District Coverage

The challengers behind an existing anti-gerrymandering lawsuit in North Carolina have won permission from the judge to change their lawsuit so that it now focuses on the newest districts.

Lawsuit targets new NC congressional map. More challenges could be on the way

Social justice groups have vowed legal challenges against the new Republican-drawn map, making allegations of racial gerrymandering in northeastern North Carolina. U.S. Rep. Don Davis indicates he plans to run 'on my third new map.'

Legal challenges against new NC congressional map in the works as Davis considers next move

Some Wilson-area voters beleive the new voting maps that affect northeastern North Carolina give Republicans an unfair advantage.

LATEST ON THE LIST THAT'S COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. ALL RIGHT, MIKE, THANK YOU. >> NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS TO GIVE REPUBLICANS A BIGGER ADVANTAGE IN THE NEXT ELECTION OR NOW LAW. THE HOUSE PASSED THE REDRAWN MAP. IT HAS BEEN LESS THAN A WEEK SINCE THE NEW MAP WAS INTRODUCED WITH MORE THAN 12,000 PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED CRITICS SAY THIS WILL DILUTE THE BLACK VOTING BLOC IN THE EASTERN PART OF NORTH CAROLINA. REPUBLICANS SAY THAT IT'S BEING DONE TO GIVE THEM AN ADVANTAGE IN CONGRESSIONAL RACES TO SEND MORE REPUBLICANS TO WASHINGTON. >> THE FACT IS THE FACTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MID-DECADE RETEST REDISTRICTING AS LONG AS IT'S HELPING DEMOCRATS. BUT IF IT'S HELPING REPUBLICANS THAN THEY HAVE A MORAL OBJECTION TO IT, SAY I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE MAP WILL BE UPHELD IN COURT. I'M ALSO CONFIDENT THAT THEY'LL FOLLOW BUNCH OF LAWSUITS BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR STRATEGY. NOBODY IN THE HOUSE WAS EVEN INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER, WHICH IS SHOCKING TO ME UP. >> I'VE BEEN HERE 11 YEARS. I'VE NEVER KNOWN A MAP AT ANY POINT IN TIME TO GET DRAWN WHERE AT LEAST THE HOUSE WAS A CONSULTANT. AND SO I'M DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THAT, TOO. AND AT THE CENTER OF THE REDISTRICTING BATTLE, THE PEOPLE OF WILSON WR THEIR MILLER WAS THERE TODAY AND HE SHOWS US HOW LIFELONG RESIDENTS ARE REACTING TO THE CHANGE. PARKED OUTSIDE WILSON ICON WEDNESDAY. PATRICIA CHAPMAN IS DIGESTING A MORE THAN THE FOOD. I THINK IT'S UNFAIR. THE LIFELONG WILSON AREA RESIDENT IS REACTING TO THIS. THE NEW NORTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL MAP. JUST OKAY. BUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AMONG OTHER CHANGES, WILSON, GREEN WAYNE AND LENOIR COUNTIES CURRENTLY REPRESENTED BY DEMOCRAT DON DAVIS IN THE FIRST DISTRICT WILL BECOME PART OF THE 3RD DISTRICT. >> CURRENTLY REPRESENTED BY REPUBLICAN GREG MURPHY, PART OF A NEW MAP. BOTH DISTRICTS WILL LEAN SOLIDLY REPUBLICAN. >> THEY SHOULD BE SPLIT EVENLY AT BANK AND YOU HAVE TO CHOICE TO MAKE THE NEW DISTRICTS ARE BEING DRAWN AT THE URGING OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HOPING TO SHORE UP SUPPORT IN CONGRESS AHEAD OF THE 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS. CHAPMAN ISN'T THE ONLY ONE FRUSTRATED. >> MADE A MAZE. IS MISS. JENNY SAVAGE IS ANOTHER LIFELONG WILSON AREA. RESIDENT. SHE SAYS HAVING A DISTRICT LIKE IN SEE ONE TO 10 DID HISTORICALLY TO ELECT A BLACK DEMOCRAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME. SOMEBODY THE HANDS, THE INDIANS SEEM TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT RIGHT. IT JUST DOES EVERYTHING WE NEED, BUT NOT EVERYONE AGREES. THE NEW MAPS ARE A BAD IDEA FOR STAFF TO COME TO LIGHT THE WAY THERE. >> BEGIN THE OPRY NICHOLS SAYS IN THE LIFETIME HE'S LIVED AROUND WILSON. HE'S SEEN THE AREA CHANGE SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT THINK IT'S LATE AND WILL SERVE IT IS THAT IT IS LIBERAL. AND SO I PROBABLY PROBABLY PRETTY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY IT IS NOT. THE GOAL SAYS THE NEW DISTRICTS WILL BE A BETTER FIT AS THE POLITICAL FIGHT OVER THIS CORNER OF NORTH CAROLINA SPENDS ON IN WILSON, ERIC

Congressional map shifts rub some Wilson voters the wrong way

Wilson County now part of third congressional district

The North Carolina House gave final approval to new congressional districts designed to help protect Republicans' slim majority in Congress by eliminating the state's only competitive district. The new districts favor GOP candidates in 11 of 14 districts.

NC Republicans pass new congressional districts into law to boost GOP edge in U.S. House races

Current congressional map 

North Carolina legislative leaders' plan to redraw the state's only swing seat -- a diverse northeastern district -- advanced in the Senate Monday. The Republican-led effort seeks to help the GOP protect its narrow majority in Congress.

NC redistricting: Map to protect GOP power in US House advances as protesters allege racism

voting map, redistricting

North Carolina Republicans are preparing to redraw the state's congressional districts in an effort to help the GOP protect its control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Here's a breakdown of what to expect.

What to know about NC Republicans' effort to flip a U.S. House seat through redistricting

Democrat Don Davis appears to have held off challenger Laurie Buckhout in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District, a seat that could help determine the balance of power in the U.S. House. NC House Speaker Tim Moore also won his race.