Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: What’s really at stake in Ligon’s $141 million rebuild debate?

Also, don't miss Doors 6:00 PM on the Raleigh Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday December 17th Patch AM
Wednesday December 17th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Morning Raleigh! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • What’s really at stake in Ligon’s $141 million rebuild debate?
  • How a Raleigh principal just moved closer to statewide recognition
  • How a massive Raleigh drug ring finally ended in 50-year sentence

Also on today's calendar: Holiday Tea @ Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and 9 more events.

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

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Raleigh? Post it to Raleigh photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: The doctor told me to drink carrot juice after a hot bath. - Did it help? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: Turning out cloudy, with a high of 55 and low of 33 degrees.
  • Thursday: Rain and drizzle in the p.m., temps: high: 60, low: 54.
  • Friday: Sunshine and windy, with a high of 60 and low of 31 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Black alumni want to save Ligon school building. Wake staff see merits elsewhere (newsobserver.com) — Wake County school leaders are weighing three options for rebuilding Raleigh’s historic Ligon campus, from renovating the 72-year-old main building to tearing it down and relocating the new school on current ball fields. Black alumni are pushing to preserve the building or its hilltop site, while staff favor a cheaper option that would replace it entirely.
   

2. This Wake school leader is a finalist for North Carolina Principal of the Year (newsobserver.com) — A Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy principal in Raleigh has been named the North Central Region Principal of the Year, putting her in the running for 2026 North Carolina Principal of the Year. Mariah Walker’s leadership at the all-girls academy, including its partnership with Shaw University, is being praised for building trust, high expectations, and a joyful school culture.
   

3. Raleigh Man Gets 50-Year Federal Prison Sentence For Cocaine Trafficking Operation (wizs.com) — A Raleigh man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for leading a large-scale drug trafficking ring that pushed cocaine, crack, fentanyl and other drugs throughout the Raleigh area. Federal investigators and Raleigh police say the long-running operation used local homes as stash houses and exploited personal relationships, but a multi-agency effort finally shut it down.
   

4. North Carolina training site pairs sheep grazing with solar (canarymedia.com) — A new agrivoltaics training site at NC State in Raleigh is teaching students, farmers, and solar professionals how to combine sheep grazing with solar power on the same land. The facility lets locals get hands-on with advanced solar tracking equipment while learning how livestock and clean energy can coexist on North Carolina farms.
   

5. Jewish community draws strength from Triangle Hanukkah events after Australia massacre (abc11.com) — Raleigh’s Jewish community is gathering at downtown events like the Moore Square menorah lighting while police say there are no known local threats during Hanukkah. After the deadly mass shooting in Sydney, residents are turning to prayer, public celebrations, and heightened security to find strength and togetherness across the Triangle.
   

📸 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 ★

    Friday December 19
  • Doors 6:00 PM
    Meymandi Concert Hall, 2 E South St, Raleigh
    7:30 pm

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!

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

  • Obituary: Thomas "Tony" W. Blake (Porto Funeral Homes) —Porto Funeral Homes Read on Patch
  • Today, we partnered with the Governor's Highway Safety Program for a news conference to kick off the Booze It & Lose It campaign. As we head into the... (X: raleighpolice)
  • @NCSHP proudly recognizes Trooper B. L. Thompson of Troop E District 6 for assisting a fellow Salisbury Police Officer whose infant child was... (X: NCSHP)
  • Oracle posted a job opening for Delivery Manager (Individual Contributor) - NetSuite ACS (Products Team) in Raleigh. Apply here.
  • Humana posted a job opening for Anaplan Model Builder 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 don’t know. I can never finish drinking the hot bath!
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