November 17, 2025 • 8 mins
Misty Copeland came to Raleigh, gardens are glowing after dark, and a couple turned their farm into a wildlife sanctuary. Your daily dose of good news from Wake County with Steve Rhode.
Links:
- Moonlight in the Garden at JC Raulston Arboretum: https://www.wakenewsandevents.com/p/346
- Raleigh makes list of best cities for dog owners: https://abc11.com/post/best-cities-dog-owners-3-north-carolina-including-raleigh-make-list/18153105/
- Misty Copeland speaks at Women Lead NC Conference: https://ground.news/article/world-famous-dancer-misty-copeland-speaks-at-women-lead-nc-2025-conference
- Alan and Susan Jones - 2025 Farm Family of the Year: https://www.wake.gov/news/six-decades-conservation-excellence-wake-county
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey, hello, Wake County. I'm Steve Road, and I'm back
with you again. There's a garden that flips a
switch after dark, 100,000 lights wrapping magnolias and
fountains in a glow you have to see to believe.
And also, Raleigh just got ranked as one of the best places
in the country. If he got a dog, I'd agree with
(00:22):
that. There's a ballet legend who
packed the Convention Center downtown Thursday and talking
about breaking barriers and leading with grit, and a couple
who met studying wildlife management bought a farm and
turned it into a sanctuary for everything from quail to flying
(00:43):
squirrels. You have to stick around to hear
about the flying squirrels and get your dad joke for the day.
It's at the end. So right now, as the sun is
setting at NC State's JC RalstonArboretum, crews are flipping
switches over 100,000 lights wrapping every Magnolia, every
(01:06):
fountain, every perfectly prunedtopiary in this 10 acre
botanical Wonderland. You walk through the gate and
there's a 30 foot oak erupting into sapphire spirals.
Oh beautiful. A camellia archway, glowing rose
gold, and the koi pond. It's reflecting LED lilies like
(01:30):
someone spilled a disco into thewater.
This is Moonlight in the Garden,and it runs select evenings
through November 30th, Thursday through Sunday nights.
Gates open at 5:30 and close at 9:30 PM.
And here's what makes this different from every other
(01:50):
holiday lighting thing going on.No screaming Santas, no elbowing
for selfies, just you, your crew, and a self-guided stroll
under the stars that's equal parts cozy and romantic and
certainly kid approved. Food trucks are on site if you
get hungry, and stroller friendly paths are right there.
(02:15):
Free parking, though they say that carpool is wise because
lots fill up by 6:00 PM. You know, that is really a nice
thing. I'm going to have to make a
point to go there. Hey, if you got a puppet home,
turns out you picked a pretty great place to live for both of
you. Raleigh just made a national
(02:38):
list of top cities for dog owners, right alongside
Asheville and Wilmington. ABC 11 says the list comes from
a lawn care company. Well they would know and they
looked at things like access to parks and dog services and pet
friendly spaces and honestly this just confirms what you and
(03:00):
I we already know this. You can't walk a Greenway in
Wake County without running intoat least 5 happy dogs.
Every other restaurant patio hasa water bowl waiting.
And dog parks. And they stay busy from sunrise
to sunset. The company ranked us high
(03:20):
because of how many places dogs can actually go.
Not just exist, but belong. Parks and trails and businesses
that roll out the literal welcome mat for your 4 legged
buddy. So yeah, if you're the kind of
person who considers your dog and their quality of life when
(03:43):
choosing where to live, then Wake County and Raleigh doing
something right. We love our dogs.
Thursday morning in downtown Raleigh, it had this energy.
You could feel it because thousands of people were
streaming into the Convention Center for the Women Lead NC
(04:05):
2025 conference. And the reason Misty Copeland
was in town. If you don't know the name,
Misty Copeland is a ballet icon,world famous dancer, the kind of
person who broke barriers in a field that didn't always make
space for people who look like her.
(04:26):
She came to Raleigh to talk about leadership, about
resilience, and about what it takes to keep going when the
world tells you no ground. News says.
Thousands showed up. The Convention Center was
packed. People were listening and taking
notes, feeling that thing that happens when someone who's
actually done it tells you how. And here's what gets me.
(04:48):
Raleigh is becoming the kind of place where people like Misty
Copeland choose to show up, not just passing through, but
actually choosing us for major conversations about leadership
and change. And that's not an accident.
That's what happens when a city starts mattering on a national
level. Hey, when we're not just on the
(05:11):
map, we're on the list of placeswhere important things happen.
So if you went, give me your feedback, go to tapyournews.com,
use the contact form. Tell me how it was.
All right, this one's heart warming.
Allen and Susan Jones just got named Wake County's 2025 Farm
(05:34):
Family of the Year, and their story starts at Haywood
Technical Institute, where they met while studying wildlife
management. They had this dream, own a farm
someday. Didn't think it would be in Wake
County, but here we are. They enrolled their land in the
(05:55):
forest stewardship program, in the Wake County Voluntary
Agricultural District program. Basically they said this land
stays conservation focused, no development ever.
And they didn't just put that onpaper, they actually did the
work. Prescribed burning, selective
(06:16):
thinning, native plant restoration, pollinator
habitats, tree planting, brush management, And the result?
Their farm is now home to quail and wild Turkey, flying
squirrels, deer and songbirds, and native pollinators.
(06:36):
It's a freaking sanctuary. Not because they had to, but
because they wanted to. Wake County Soil and Water
Conservation District gave them the award, and honestly, it
seems well deserved. They met while studying
wildlife, dreamed of a farm, bought 1, and then spent years
(06:58):
turning it into a place where wildlife actually thrives.
Alan and Susan Jones are proof that when people care about the
land, the land gives back. All right, a dad joke I promised
you is just right around the corner.
But first I need to tell you if you want to learn more about any
(07:20):
of these stories, like where to go for the lights, you know,
where to go for more dog friendly places.
Well, links to all the stories are in the show description.
If you go there, you'll find it.Hey, follow this show on
whatever podcast platform you'relistening on.
Now, if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, hey, can you do
(07:41):
me a solid? Drop me a five star review.
Tell people you know what, this is actually worth listening to.
All right, here's your dad joke.I only seem to get sick on
weekdays. I must have a weekend immune
system. They always make me laugh.
(08:03):
All right, see you next time. Bye.
Hey, hello, Wake County. I'm Steve Road, and I'm back
with you again. There's a garden that flips a
switch after dark, 100,000 lights wrapping magnolias and
fountains in a glow you have to see to believe.
And also, Raleigh just got ranked as one of the best places
in the country. If he got a dog, I'd agree with
(00:22):
that. There's a ballet legend who
packed the Convention Center downtown Thursday and talking
about breaking barriers and leading with grit, and a couple
who met studying wildlife management bought a farm and
turned it into a sanctuary for everything from quail to flying
(00:43):
squirrels. You have to stick around to hear
about the flying squirrels and get your dad joke for the day.
It's at the end. So right now, as the sun is
setting at NC State's JC RalstonArboretum, crews are flipping
switches over 100,000 lights wrapping every Magnolia, every
(01:06):
fountain, every perfectly prunedtopiary in this 10 acre
botanical Wonderland. You walk through the gate and
there's a 30 foot oak erupting into sapphire spirals.
Oh beautiful. A camellia archway, glowing rose
gold, and the koi pond. It's reflecting LED lilies like
(01:30):
someone spilled a disco into thewater.
This is Moonlight in the Garden,and it runs select evenings
through November 30th, Thursday through Sunday nights.
Gates open at 5:30 and close at 9:30 PM.
And here's what makes this different from every other
(01:50):
holiday lighting thing going on.No screaming Santas, no elbowing
for selfies, just you, your crew, and a self-guided stroll
under the stars that's equal parts cozy and romantic and
certainly kid approved. Food trucks are on site if you
get hungry, and stroller friendly paths are right there.
(02:15):
Free parking, though they say that carpool is wise because
lots fill up by 6:00 PM. You know, that is really a nice
thing. I'm going to have to make a
point to go there. Hey, if you got a puppet home,
turns out you picked a pretty great place to live for both of
you. Raleigh just made a national
(02:38):
list of top cities for dog owners, right alongside
Asheville and Wilmington. ABC 11 says the list comes from
a lawn care company. Well they would know and they
looked at things like access to parks and dog services and pet
friendly spaces and honestly this just confirms what you and
(03:00):
I we already know this. You can't walk a Greenway in
Wake County without running intoat least 5 happy dogs.
Every other restaurant patio hasa water bowl waiting.
And dog parks. And they stay busy from sunrise
to sunset. The company ranked us high
(03:20):
because of how many places dogs can actually go.
Not just exist, but belong. Parks and trails and businesses
that roll out the literal welcome mat for your 4 legged
buddy. So yeah, if you're the kind of
person who considers your dog and their quality of life when
(03:43):
choosing where to live, then Wake County and Raleigh doing
something right. We love our dogs.
Thursday morning in downtown Raleigh, it had this energy.
You could feel it because thousands of people were
streaming into the Convention Center for the Women Lead NC
(04:05):
2025 conference. And the reason Misty Copeland
was in town. If you don't know the name,
Misty Copeland is a ballet icon,world famous dancer, the kind of
person who broke barriers in a field that didn't always make
space for people who look like her.
(04:26):
She came to Raleigh to talk about leadership, about
resilience, and about what it takes to keep going when the
world tells you no ground. News says.
Thousands showed up. The Convention Center was
packed. People were listening and taking
notes, feeling that thing that happens when someone who's
actually done it tells you how. And here's what gets me.
(04:48):
Raleigh is becoming the kind of place where people like Misty
Copeland choose to show up, not just passing through, but
actually choosing us for major conversations about leadership
and change. And that's not an accident.
That's what happens when a city starts mattering on a national
level. Hey, when we're not just on the
(05:11):
map, we're on the list of placeswhere important things happen.
So if you went, give me your feedback, go to tapyournews.com,
use the contact form. Tell me how it was.
All right, this one's heart warming.
Allen and Susan Jones just got named Wake County's 2025 Farm
(05:34):
Family of the Year, and their story starts at Haywood
Technical Institute, where they met while studying wildlife
management. They had this dream, own a farm
someday. Didn't think it would be in Wake
County, but here we are. They enrolled their land in the
(05:55):
forest stewardship program, in the Wake County Voluntary
Agricultural District program. Basically they said this land
stays conservation focused, no development ever.
And they didn't just put that onpaper, they actually did the
work. Prescribed burning, selective
(06:16):
thinning, native plant restoration, pollinator
habitats, tree planting, brush management, And the result?
Their farm is now home to quail and wild Turkey, flying
squirrels, deer and songbirds, and native pollinators.
(06:36):
It's a freaking sanctuary. Not because they had to, but
because they wanted to. Wake County Soil and Water
Conservation District gave them the award, and honestly, it
seems well deserved. They met while studying
wildlife, dreamed of a farm, bought 1, and then spent years
(06:58):
turning it into a place where wildlife actually thrives.
Alan and Susan Jones are proof that when people care about the
land, the land gives back. All right, a dad joke I promised
you is just right around the corner.
But first I need to tell you if you want to learn more about any
(07:20):
of these stories, like where to go for the lights, you know,
where to go for more dog friendly places.
Well, links to all the stories are in the show description.
If you go there, you'll find it.Hey, follow this show on
whatever podcast platform you'relistening on.
Now, if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, hey, can you do
(07:41):
me a solid? Drop me a five star review.
Tell people you know what, this is actually worth listening to.
All right, here's your dad joke.I only seem to get sick on
weekdays. I must have a weekend immune
system. They always make me laugh.
(08:03):
All right, see you next time. Bye.
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