CommunityLink

Raleigh, NC

Newcomers

Settling In

Alcohol Laws
The legal age to buy and consume liquor, beer and wine in North Carolina is 21. Liquor and some fortified wines are sold at state-run ABC stores, and beer and wine are available in licensed retail, convenience and grocery stores. Alcoholic beverages can be served in bars and restaurants until 2 a.m. daily but not until after noon on Sundays. Drivers may not consume alcohol or have an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the passenger area. A blood-alcohol level of 0.08 is considered legally impaired.

Automobiles

Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
1100 New Bern Ave.
715-7000
www.ncdot.org/dmv

Driver’s License
Newcomers to North Carolina must get a driver’s license within 60 days of moving to the state. You will also be required to take a written test, vision test and traffic signs recognition test. The examiner may also ask you to take a road driving test, though this is not required. If you move within the state, a change of address must be reported within 30 days. The fee for an operator’s or duplicate license ranges from $10 to $20. A license is good for five years. The Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has two driver’s license offices and a mobile unit in Raleigh, along with locations in Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Garner and Wendell. The DMV offers a number of online services, including car tag renewals and requests for duplicate driver’s licenses.

License Plates
New state residents must obtain a North Carolina vehicle title prior to registering the vehicle for plates. The title fee is $35. License plates are $25 for a passenger automobile and must be purchased within 30 days of establishing a residency. Insurance information (company name and policy number) is needed to purchase plates. An annual renewal sticker is required for license plates. Renewal stickers and plates may be obtained from the DMV by mail, in person or online. Vehicles must be inspected annually at authorized inspection stations.

Rules of the Road
North Carolina requires seat belts for all front-seat passengers. Children under age 5 and weighing less than 40 pounds must be secured in a safety seat and should be in the back seat to avoid contact with air bags. Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit is 35 mph in the city, 25 mph in school zones and residential areas, and 55 mph on highways. State law requires headlights to be on whenever windshield wipers are used or when driving during inclement weather conditions. Motorcyclists must wear helmets and use headlights at all times.

Banking
A listing of financial institutions is available from the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce at 664-7000.

Employment Services

Employment Security CommissionJob Placement Office
212-3849

Wake County Human Services
212-7000

Housing
The Chamber forwards requests for local real estate information to area realty companies. The classifieds sections of local newspapers are also good sources of information. Apartments and other rentals are abundant around North Carolina State University, where complexes are offered in a range of styles and prices. Interest in downtown area housing has surged in recent years, with an abundance of condominium and apartment construction underway or in the planning stages. For more information, see the Housing and Neighborhoods section of this guide, beginning on page 23. For information on government-subsidized and affordable housing, contact the Raleigh Housing Authority at 831-6416 or the Wake Housing Resource Center at 212-7000.

Human Services

North Carolina Division of Child Development
319 Chapanoke Road, Suite 120, 27603 662-4499
www.ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us

Wake County Human Services
220 Swinburne St., 27620
212-7000
www.wakegov.com

Libraries
The Wake County Library System (919-250-1200) operates 17 libraries and one bookmobile, circulating over 7 million books annually. The libraries provide free Internet access on 600 computers and offer more than 3,000 youth programs and 1,000 adult programs each year. In recent years, a popular program has been “Wake Reads Together.” Citizens select a book to read at the same time and attend special events and discussion groups to talk about it. To meet the demands of a growing population, the county plans to build four new libraries and renovate a fifth and sixth in coming years. In 2005, the libraries began offering audio books to patrons.

Media

Print

Regional Magazines/Newspapers

Business Leader (monthly
business magazine) 872-7077
Business North Carolina (monthly
business magazine) (704) 523-6987
Carolina Parent (monthly local
parenting publication) 956-2430
Carolina Woman (monthly women’s
lifestyle magazine) 852-5900
The Carolinian (biweekly African-American
community newspaper) 834-5558
The Independent Weekly
(weekly alternative newspaper) 286-1972
La Conexión (weekly Spanish-
language newspaper) 832-1225
The News & Observer
(daily newspaper) 829-4500
North Carolina Magazine (monthly
business magazine) 836-1400
Raleigh Metro Magazine
(weekly lifestyle magazine) 831-0999
Triangle Business Journal (weekly
business newspaper) 878-0010
Triangle Tribune (biweekly
African-American newspaper) 688-9408

Community Newspapers
The Apex Herald 362-8356
The Cary News 460-2600
Cleveland Post (Garner) 772-1166
Eastern Wake News 269-6101
Fuquay-Varina Independent 552-5675
Garner News 772-1166
Garner Times 772-7751
Gold Leaf Farmer (Zebulon) 365-6262
Holly Springs Sun 552-5675 Knightdale Times 269-6101
Neighbors of Southwest Wake 557-6212
The Wake Weekly 556-3182
Wendell Clarion 269-6101
Zebulon Record 269-6101

Radio

AM
WETC 540 – Regional Mexican 404-0454
WRDT 570 – Christian talk 833-3874
WDNC 620 – News/talk/sports 687-6580
WPTF 680 – News/talk 876-0674
WAUG 750 – Gospel 516-4750
WRBZ 850 – Talk/sports 875-9100
WPJL 1240 – Christian 834-6401
WTIK 1310 – Country 220-3226
WSRC 1410 – Religious 477-7999
WRTP 1530 – Christian contemporary 471-1530

FM
WKNC 88.1 – Rock and roll, progressive 515-2401
WSHA 88.9 – Jazz 546-8430
WCPE 89.7 – Classical 556-5178
WUNC 91.5 – NPR/News/Talk 966-5454
WRSN 93.9 – Adult contemporary 878-1500
WQDR 94.7 – Country 876-6464
WBBB 96.1 – Rock & roll 876-3831
WQOK 97.5 – Urban contemporary 848-9736
WRVA 100.7 – Adult alternative 878-1500
WKIX 101.1/102.3 – Country 736-1699
WRAL 101.5 – Adult contemporary 890-6101
WNNL 103.9 – Christian contemporary 848-9736
WDCG 105.1 – Contemporary hits 878-1500
WRDU 106.1 – Adult-oriented rock 878-1500
WFXC 107.1 – Urban adult contemporary 847-9760

Television
News 14 Carolina (Cable 14) 882-4000
WUNC – PBS 4 549-7000
WRAL – CBS 5 821-8555
WTVD – ABC 11 683-1111
WNCN – NBC 17 836-1717
WLFL – WB 22 872-9535
WRDC – UPN 28 872-2854
WRPX – PAX 47 821-4736
WRAZ – FOX 50 595-5050

Recycling
Raleigh and most other municipalities offer curbside recycling programs to residents. Wake County provides 11 convenience centers for residents to drop off trash and recycling, such as aluminum and steel cans, cardboard, glass, plastic bottles, and newspapers and catalogs. In addition, two other sites (at North Wake and South Wake) serve as multi-material recycling facilities, accepting items such as appliances, electronics and tires, as well as offering twice-monthly household hazardous waste collections for batteries, cooking oil, paints, pesticides and other materials. The county works with municipalities and the private sector to provide special annual recycling events for telephone books and holiday materials such as trees, wrapping paper and gift boxes. Citizens who spot illegal dumping or littering may call the Litter Line at 856-5700 to report it. This program is a partnership between Wake County Environmental Services, the Sheriff’s Office and municipal police departments. For more information about recycling programs, contact your local town hall or call Wake County Solid Waste Management at 856-6186 to request a recycling guide. A comprehensive trash takers directory, with information on commercial and residential recycling and disposal resources, is available at www.WakeGov.com.