RALEIGH

Raleigh at a glance

How it got its name

The state General Assembly named the capital for Sir Walter Raleigh, an English statesman who directed England's failed 16th-century attempts to colonize Carolina; he never came here.

Vital statistics

     1990 population: 212,092
     1996 estimated population: 260,189
     City government: Raleigh City Hall, 222 W. Hargett St., Raleigh, N.C. 27602-0590. (919) 890-3050.
     Raleigh is governed by a city council that meets at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month, and at 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. During odd months the council meets at 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday and has a 6:30 p.m. rezoning meeting.
     Chamber of Commerce: 800 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh, N.C. 27601. (919) 664-7000.

Raleigh online

     Raleigh's official home page: http://www.raleigh-nc.org/
     Raleigh Online: http://www.webs4you.com/raleigh/
     Virtual Raleigh: http://www.raleigh.acn.net/

Public services

     Natural gas: Public Service Company of North Carolina, 1720 Hillsborough St., P.O. Box 1349, Raleigh, N.C. 27602. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. (919) 833-3355.
     Telephone: BellSouth, (919) 780-2355.
     Electricity: Carolina Power & Light Co., (919) 508-5400. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; an automated service is available 24 hours a day.
     Cable television: Time Warner Cable, 2505 Atlantic Ave., Raleigh, N.C. 27604. (919) 832-2225. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
     Water and sewer: City of Raleigh Water & Sewer Division, (919) 890-3245.
     Garbage collection: Raleigh City Sanitation Department, (919) 831-6890.
     Recycling: Raleigh Recycling, (919) 831-6522 or (919) 831-6890.