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Community Corner

🌱 Wake County To Pay Fire Cadets + Rodney Clark Sr. Speaking Out

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Raleigh.

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Christina Fullford, Neighbor
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(Patch Media)

Happy Kids Music Day Raleigh!

It's also First Friday! If you're new to the Raleigh area, or maybe you have been here a while but have yet to go out and experience it, today is the perfect day to enjoy. The weather has been amazing and should stay incredible through tonight's festivities! Before you get your day started, catch up on everything you need to know, including:

  • RSV cases spiking in the Triangle (especially important to those with infants).
  • First Friday details
  • Here's a list of pumpkin patches you should check out.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and nice. High: 81 Low: 57.

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Here are the top six stories in Raleigh today:

  1. In an effort to recruit more cadets, the Wake County fire academy has begun paying cadets. According to Fire Services and Emergency Management Director Darrell Alfford, 25% of firefighters leave in the first five years. Academy members will also receive benefits, and this round of the academy will be the most diverse that the county has had. Twenty-four of the 36 recruits will go to new stations in Garner and Fuquay-Varina. (CBS17)
  2. Triangle hospitals are reporting a spike in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases. Representatives for WakeMed believe the caseload is breaking records, with nearly 500 cases in September. Last week doctors confirmed another 160 positive cases, with 90 more this week. UNC is also seeing a spike in RSV. UNC Health Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. David Weber says that this is early in the year to see numbers that high. (abc11)
  3. Rodney Clark Sr. is speaking out after the death of his son, Rodney Clark Jr., on Crabtree Creek Trail. Clark Jr. was found dead from a gunshot on the greenway at Crabtree Creek Trail. According to Clark Sr., he walked the trail every day and believes whoever is responsible knew his path. The city of Raleigh says there are no cameras along Crabtree Creek Trail. (abc11)
  4. A state trooper was involved in a rollover crash in Raleigh after a pursuit. The initial pursuit began in Nash County as the suspect, Joe Ashley Jr. fled from a random traffic stop. The pursuit reached speeds of 100 mph and ended when the Ashley Jr. collided with a trooper's vehicle. The trooper was not injured and Ashley Jr. was taken to WakeMed for observation before he was formally arrest for felony fleeing to elude arrest and careless and reckless driving. He is also wanted for probation and drug violations in Virginia and Maryland. (abc11, WRAL)
  5. As Halloween approaches, Raleigh city leaders gathered to discuss rainbow fentanyl. Rainbow fentanyl is brightly colored and looks similar to candy and activists say the dangers are urgent. On Wednesday, agents in New York City discovered thousands of pills hidden in Lego bricks. Fentanyl is 100 times more powerful than morphine, and the event aims to spread awareness before the holiday. (WRAL)
  6. Raleigh has ranked among the cities with the largest downtown housing growth. The development downtown has earned Raleigh the 15th spot for downtown apartments constructed in the last 10 years and 6th place for those currently under construction. According to the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, the last year saw a 66% increase in the number of apartments under construction and it expects more than 8,300 units to be constructed over the next decade. (CBS17)

Patch deal of the day:

Wine lover alert. We found this amazing deal from Splash Wines — an 18-bottle curated selection of reds and whites for fall — for just $69.99. Shipping isn't cheap at $39.95, but that still comes out to just over $6 per bottle. Splash Wines has a money-back guarantee if you don't like the wine and 4.6 out of 5 rating on TrustPilot. So: recommended.

(The Patch Deals team scours the web for deals we think our subscribers will like. We may earn a commission on products purchased. All promotions are as of publication and could change.)

Today in Raleigh:

Saturday in Raleigh:

Bonus: 39 Things to do in Raleigh this week (Raleigh Magazine)

From my notebook:

  • It's Kids Music Day and Romp N' Roll as well as Sprout Songs can help your little ones get musically inclined.
  • Looking for pumpkin patches? NewsDeal has put together a list of locations near Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.
  • The Town of Cary is looking for Cary residents to participate in the "My Tree, Our Tree" initiative.

Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with your next update.

— CJ Fullford

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Raleigh Daily? Contact me at raleigh@patch.com

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