Steve Rhode

As Raleigh’s Dix Park blossoms into a crown jewel of public space, it also reopens questions about history, progress, and who gets to stay.

In this episode, Steve explores the complicated legacy of the land — from its Indigenous roots and time as Spring Hill Plantation, through its transformation into the Dorothea Dix Hospital, and now into one of the most ambitious urban parks in North Carolina.

You’ll hear a quote from Kane Realty’s Stacey Buescher and Dix Park Executive Director Kate Pearce, as well the story of a Wake County schoolteacher whose front yard marks a very real line between growth and displacement.

Then we tumble into something a little lighter: Abby Lampe, an NC State graduate and Johnston County native, just rolled her way to second place at the infamous Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling Race in Gloucestershire, England. Dressed in her Wolfpack shirt and full of grit, Abby tells the BBC and Raleigh’s Adam Gold why she’s already planning a comeback in 2026.

Finally, we meet Benji — a Yorkie found abandoned outside the Wake County Animal Center. With help from Nicole Kincaid and her team at Perfectly Imperfect Pups, Benji’s journey from pain to healing is a reminder of what grace, empathy, and second chances really look like. Steve shares his own story of a rescue dog named Karl, and why these stories stick with us.

From blooming playgrounds to muddy hillsides to cardboard boxes that carry more than they seem — this episode is about second chances, and the hope that transformation can still lead to joy.

From slides to spotlights, today’s episode is packed with Wake County joy — and a few moments that might just stick with you.

We begin in Raleigh, where the brand-new Gipson Play Plaza at Dix Park is finally open for play — complete with a swing terrace, sunflower sculptures, and a splash-ready waterfall grand plaza. You’ll hear about 9-year-old Susanna Scheffel’s first trip down the slides, a memory shared by longtime Raleigh donor Tom Gipson, and why city leaders like Stephen Bentley and Ruffin Hall believe this park is unlike anything else in the Southeast.

Then, Steve reflects on what growth has really given Wake County — from new neighbors and coffee shops to international listeners tuning in from Germany, Canada, the UK, and Spain. There’s even a grocery store moment with a brand-new transplant from upstate New York. Growth isn’t the enemy… it might just be the invitation.

And finally, we head to Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, where Alexia Jorge made baseball history. She’s the first woman to start in a Coastal Plain League game — and she didn’t just show up, she was named Player of the Game after leading the Holly Springs Salamanders to victory over the Carolina Pirates. With a gold medal from the U.S. Women’s National Team and a dream that started when people told her “no,” Alexia’s story is the kind of Wake County moment worth remembering.

If you’ve got a good news story to share from Wake Forest, Wendell, Cary, Clayton — or anywhere in Wake County — visit TapYourNews.com to send it in.

From traffic cams to fire rescues and a miracle growing out of red dirt — this episode of Good Morning Wake County goes deeper than headlines.

Steve shares the personal story of how he moved from Rockville, Maryland to Wake Forest, North Carolina — drawn by nothing more than live footage of 540 traffic cams and a feeling that Wake County just “felt right.”

We visit Method Road in Raleigh, where more than 40 local Raleigh Fire Department firefighters responded to a house fire and made a heartwarming discovery: 14 tiny kittens, rescued with reverence and care. Captain Ralph Ripper of Raleigh Fire Department shares why pets are family, and how Wake County Animal Services stepped in to give those kittens a future.

Then there is a story of reverence after a disaster. It will warm your heart.

Then it’s off to Knightdale Eagle Rock Road, where the Raleigh Rescue Mission is building The Garden — a $25 million campus offering second chances for women and children facing homelessness. With support from CAHEC and a powerful quote from Brian Oxford, we explore how this new community will serve 350–400 people annually with job training, healthcare, childcare, and more.

Towns like Garner, Cary, Apex, Zebulon, Knightdale, and Clayton are changing fast — but maybe that change is something to grow with, not fear.

👂 Tap play to hear why growth might be the greatest gift of all — and what Wake County is doing right.

On this Memorial Day, we’re tuning in to the quiet kind of service — from a Raleigh weather radio giveaway to a Fuquay butcher offering ribeyes wrapped in hope, to a screen printer keeping Raleigh’s best memories alive on soft cotton. It’s the kind of good news worth waking up for.

Each story in today’s episode highlights a different kind of resilience in Wake County — the kind that doesn’t ask for recognition but leaves a mark all the same.

In Raleigh, hundreds of free NOAA weather radios are being distributed to help families prepare for storms and power outages, thanks to a local grant from Duke Energy. It’s emergency preparedness with a human touch — a reminder that sometimes, safety starts with a signal and someone who thought ahead.

Down in Fuquay-Varina, the Fuquay Meat Market is drawing long lines and even longer grocery lists with their now-famous $19.99 meat deal — five packs for just under twenty bucks. It’s gone viral on TikTok, thanks to Tiffany Pearce’s real-world testimonial, and it’s helping families stretch their budgets without sacrificing quality or dignity.

And back in Raleigh, Logan King of Cardinal Apparel is reviving the soul of the city through RaleighRewind.com — a project that turns beloved but shuttered local institutions like 42nd Street Oyster Bar and Sadlack’s into shirts, pint glasses, and wearable memories. It’s nostalgia with purpose, preserving the character of a community that’s constantly changing.

Whether you’re in Apex, Cary, Wake Forest, or right here in the heart of Raleigh, this episode is a tribute to those who serve — in uniforms, behind counters, or through memory and meaning.

📥 Subscribe at TapYourNews.com to get local good news delivered daily, and never miss a story that makes you proud to call Wake County home.

One son helps his father give up the car keys before it’s too late. A mobile market brings dignity to those in need. And an African chef in Apex stirs up more than just stew — he stirs the soul.

This episode of Good Morning Wake County weaves three true stories about loss, love, and community resilience right here in Wake Forest and Apex, North Carolina. If you’ve ever wondered how small choices — like letting go, showing up, or cooking with your whole heart — can ripple through a neighborhood, this one’s for you.

Visit TapYourNews.com to sign up for the free daily email, suggest a town we should cover next, or just send a message. Good news starts here.

Today on Good Morning Wake County, we’ve got four stories that prove hope can grow anywhere — even in the heat, in the dirt, or behind prison walls.

🏡 First up, we visit Sanford Correctional Center, where a landscaping business born from barbed wire is now inspiring inmates through the Inmates to Entrepreneurs program, founded right here in Holly Springs. You’ll hear what it takes to start over from Brandon Lowery, Charles McQuaig, and voices inside the prison walls.

☀️ Then we head to Wake County Health & Human Services on Bland Road, where the Cool for Wake program is racing to keep people safe as summer heat rolls in. We share a personal reflection from Steve’s time as a search and rescue pilot with the Wake Forest Fire Department, and how you can help at wake.gov/coolforwake.

🌱 Next, we’re headed to Simple Gifts Community Garden in Apex — now thriving again at 3109 Tingen Road, thanks to the YMCA of the Triangle. After losing their original land, they’ve replanted their mission and are hosting an open house with the South Wake Conservationists.

👶 And finally — a bonus story we couldn’t leave out: Cary may soon be home to North Carolina’s first-ever stand-alone children’s hospital. Backed by land from Reedy Creek Investments and support from Governor Josh Stein, this project could bring world-class pediatric care to families across the Triangle.

Whether it’s inmates finding purpose, neighbors beating the heat, volunteers rebuilding from scratch, or hospitals rising from hope, today’s episode proves that good things take root in Wake County.

For more stories like this, subscribe and visit TapYourNews.com to get the daily email, suggest a town we should cover, or send us a message.

A national swim champ trades gold for a badge in Cary. Cary & Apex rank among the top 10 best places to live. Garner is NC’s fastest-growing town. Plus local pride for Apex, Holly Springs, Wake Forest, Fuquay-Varina, Zebulon & more. Real good news from Wake County, NC. Visit TapYourNews.com to sign up for free email alerts.

Bagpipes echo in Wake Forest, a toddler is saved in Wendell, and Morrisville walks for mental health. Don’t miss an episode — sign up for email alerts at TapYourNews.com.

A viral food truck moment. A quiet hero in a wheelchair. A rescue dog waiting for someone like you. These aren’t just Wake County stories—they’re reminders of what’s still good.

💛 Start your day with hope at TapYourNews.com

From a bench built from plastic bags in Wake Forest… to Raleigh’s red trolley recruiting storytellers… to tacos and trails near Dix Park — today’s episode is all about the places that bring us together. Subscribe for more Wake County stories worth sitting with. Visit TapYourNews.com to get the free daily email or suggest a town we should cover.