7PM News on WRAL - Friday, April 10, 2026

·24 min·2 clips

The Artemis II crew is one hour from a risky splashdown as a mental health podcast asks why we whisper about illness.

The episode opens with a promo for the podcast 'Sarah Has Questions' discussing mental health stigma, then immediately shifts to the countdown for the Artemis II mission splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Anchor Dan Haggerty introduces the newscast and encourages viewer feedback. Reporter Willie Danley is live at NC State's Talley Student Union, where students and faculty are watching the countdown; he interviews Cook's college advisor, who notes the splashdown is the riskiest part due to atmospheric reentry heat. The broadcast cuts to a recap segment with Grace Holland, who explains the risks like the 5,000-degree heat shield and shares lighter moments from the mission, including viral incidents like floating Nutella, email troubles, and toilet issues, plus the astronauts' wake-up songs. Meteorologist Mike Mays provides the splashdown weather forecast off San Diego, noting clear conditions. The newscast then covers five local news items: school lockdowns in Wake County, a murder case in Hillsborough, an arrest for impersonating law enforcement in Raleigh, Sanford's data center restrictions, and a Hyundai seat belt recall. The inflation report segment follows, with Keely Arthur explaining how the 3.3% year-over-year increase is calculated, highlighting gas prices up 21% in March and spikes in airfare, coffee, and peanut butter due to fuel costs and droughts. Arthur notes wages aren't keeping pace with inflation. Mike Mays returns with a weather forecast predicting a weekend warm-up, hit-and-miss storms, and near-record highs next week. The broadcast checks back with Willie Danley at NC State as NBC special coverage nears. It concludes with a nostalgic segment on the 80-year-old Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill, which trained Apollo astronauts, featuring archival footage from 1999.

As heard by us

A brisk Friday newscast ties Artemis II, inflation, storms, and practical consumer news into a useful local-news sweep.

WRAL's Friday newscast treats the night as a live dashboard for public life, moving from Artemis II's approaching splashdown to weekend storms, higher gas prices, and a March inflation report that widens the frame beyond the pump.

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You can step into a Friday check-in that moves from Artemis II's splashdown watch to weekend storms, rising gas prices, and the inflation report.

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