Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: What new legal limit is the Hedingham shooting suspect seeking?

Be sure to catch Manifesting 2026 Vision-A Creative Activation Experience on the Raleigh Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Tuesday December 30th Patch AM
Tuesday December 30th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hey there, Raleigh! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • What new legal limit is the Hedingham shooting suspect seeking?
  • How fast is Raleigh public housing really fixing your repairs?
  • Why are Triangle businesses demanding Shop Local Raleigh’s leader step down?

Also on today's calendar: Manifesting 2026 Vision-A Creative Activation Experience and 5 more events.

Find out what's happening in Raleighfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: The world champion tongue twister just got arrested! 🤔 (Answer below!)

Sponsored: BJ's Wholesale Club opening soon in Selma. Join the club today for just $20 (reg. $60) and start saving big Click here for details.

Find out what's happening in Raleighfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Sunny and much colder, with a high of 42 and low of 30 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Sunny, temps: high: 48, low: 35.
  • Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high of 52 and low of 32 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Motion: State can't argue that Raleigh mass shooting was motivated by race or gender (wral.com) — Raleigh residents following the Hedingham mass shooting case should know the defense has filed a new motion to block prosecutors from arguing the 2022 killings were motivated by race or gender. Lawyers instead point to a note about “humans destroying the planet” and prior claims of medication-related diminished capacity, as the long-delayed trial is now set for February.
   

2. NC renters waiting months for repairs in public housing, as thousands of work orders pile up (wral.com) — Raleigh’s public housing authority currently has 288 open maintenance work orders across nearly 2,000 units, with repairs taking just over eight days on average. A WRAL investigation compared those numbers to other Triangle housing authorities and highlighted severe delays and safety concerns in Durham, where one tenant has waited years for critical repairs. The findings spotlight how response times vary widely across nearby public housing systems.
   

3. Outcry after Shop Local Raleigh leader's alleged social media comment on transgender youth (abc11.com) — Raleigh’s small-business community is roiled after multiple Triangle businesses called for Shop Local Raleigh’s executive director to resign over an alleged anonymous Facebook comment dismissing transgender youth. The organization has distanced itself from the remark, emphasizing its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and respect while partners and members weigh their response.
   

4. Experts expect large spikes in flu cases are across Raleigh area as holiday travel comes to an end (cbs17.com) — Raleigh health officials say flu cases are spiking sharply, with more than 460 positives in the past week and a warning that the worst may still be ahead. UNC Health experts urge residents to consider masking while traveling, stay home when sick, practice good handwashing, avoid sharing utensils, and remember it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
   

5. NC to officially recognize sex as male and female this week (cbs17.com) — A new North Carolina law taking effect Thursday, reported from Raleigh, will legally define sex only as male or female based on biological characteristics and bar state funds for gender transition treatments. Lawmakers added this provision to an online exploitation bill, prompting a veto from Governor Josh Stein that Republicans later overrode. The change will shape how state agencies interpret sex, gender identity, and parental definitions going forward.
   

📸 Around Raleigh

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Raleigh

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Raleigh Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Raleigh PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Kwanzaa Events in the Triangle - A Day-by-Day Guide to Celebrating Culture and Community
    http://doraleigh.com/2025/12/29/kwanzaa-events-in-the-triangle-a-day-by-day-guide-to-celebrating-culture-and-community/?utm_source=nextdoor&utm… (Nextdoor Ligon)
  • Anybody missing a small black and white dog.
    I just saw one with no collar on snowberry Dr 10:45 am. I’ll try to add a photo UPDATE: found dog- I was able to get him to follow me home. Black… (Nextdoor Idlewood Village)
  • Guidehouse posted a job opening for Revenue Integrity Coding Billing Specialist (remote) in Raleigh. Apply here.
  • Burlington Coat Factory Corporation posted a job opening for Seasonal Retail Stocking Associate - Part Time in Raleigh. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Raleigh here.

Ok Raleigh! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I hear they’re giving him a really tough sentence.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Raleigh