The Wake County school system doesn't come off looking too good in a recent  CNN news report by Soledad O'Brien.

Wake is used as the example for the segment called "the return of school segregation" that aired multiple times last week on CNN. O'Brien says Wake schools were "fully integrated" under the old diversity policy and that critics of the move to neighborhood schools "worry that schools in poor neighborhoods will be neglected."

"'Neighborhood schools' means students attend school closest to where they live," O'Brien says. "A black neighborhood means a black school, a white neighborhood, a white school."

NAACP leaders Benjamin Todd Jealous and the Rev. William Barber are using a national stage to accuse the Wake County school board of trying to resegregate the schools and roll the clock back to the Jim Crow era.

In an op-ed piece Saturday for CNN, Jealous and Barber rail that "extreme right wing members" want to bring neighborhood schools to Wake County to recreate a system of separate but unequal schools. Both NAACP leaders say that they're fighting what's happening in Wake to prevent other school districts nationally from moving in the same direction.

"North Carolina could become a social justice battleground, just as Arizona has been in the immigration debate," Jealous and Barber write. "Wake County is becoming a symbol of attempts to return to the days pre-Brown v. Board of Education, just as 60 years ago, Birmingham, Alabama, woke the nation to the immoral costs of segregating our nation."

If you missed CNN's one-hour documentary on the SBI, "Rogue Justice," you have a second chance this weekend. CNN will rebroadcast "CNN Presents" on Saturday, Feb. 5, at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. EST.

The show focuses on two stories familiar to News & Observer readers: Greg Taylor, who spent 17 years in prison before he was exonerated, and Floyd Brown, who spent 14 years locked up at Dorothea Dix before a judge ordered him freed.

Check it out and let us know what you think.

Another local problem is about to get major national attention.

In a new one-hour documentary airing tonight, CNN’s Drew Griffin examines problems in the North Carolina state justice system. 

Click below for more information and for a clip from the CNN documentary, "Rogue Justice."

The big three networks -- ABC, CBS, and NBC -- will interrupt regular programming tonight to broadcast the remarks of President Obama at this evening's memorial service in Tucson.

The remarks are expected to come sometime between 8pm - 9pm and will likely last less than 10 minutes.

CBS will air repeats of "Big Bang Theory" and "Rules of Engagement" from 8 to 9 and interrupt one of those. "Live to Dance" is moved to 9pm and a new episode of "The Defenders" will air at 10pm.

Tonight will likely be the last time you'll get to hear Larry King mutter the words, "Go ahead, Topeka." That's because the venerable cable host ends his CNN show of 25 years tonight with the final episode of "Larry King Live."

Sure, the cynic in me says, "and not a moment too soon." But the king of fluffy (and often maddening) cable interviews, who has never been much on actually prepping for his interviews, certainly has his fans. And most of them are dropping in tonight to pay their respects.

CNN says Larry will have 15 surprise guests on tonight's show. Reports are that Diane Sawyer, Brian Williams, Katie Couric, Barbara Walters, Bill Maher, Ryan Seacrest, and Donald Trump will be among them.

British reality show judge Piers Morgan has been signed as King's replacement.

Tune in tonight at 9pm to see the final episode of "Larry King Live."

CNN received more than 10,000 nominations from over 100 countries for this year's 2010 Hero of the Year award.

A panel of judges (which included Muhammad Ali, Richard Branson, and Yo Yo Ma) whittled that list down to ten, and on Thanksgiving night, the network will celebrate those nominees and unveil their fourth Hero of the Year.

"CNN Heroes" is hosted by Anderson Cooper and seeks to illustrate the best of humanity through stories of selfless acts of kindness, courage and perseverance. The tribute show features performances by Bon Jovi and John Legend, and appearances by Demi Moore, Halle Berry, Aaron Eckhart, Gerard Butler, Renee Zellweger, Jessica Alba, Marisa Tomei, Keifer Sutherland, Kid Rock, LL Cool J, Holly Robinson Peete, and Sugarland.

The rescued Chilean miners will also be saluted at this year's show.

We had a local guy in the running last year, but no locals in this year's list.

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (8pm, CBS ABC) - Charlie is the hapless host and Snoopy is in the kitchen dishing up ice cream, popcorn and toast for Thanksgiving. Included is a bonus cartoon, "This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers," which finds the gang aboard the Mayflower in 1620.

CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute (8pm, CNN) - Anderson Cooper hosts the fourth annual salute to everyday people for their work improving the world. Bon Jovi, Sugarland, and John Legend with Common and Melanie Fiona perform. Presenters include Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, LL Cool J, Kid Rock, Demi Moore, Marisa Tomei, Keifer Sutherland, Aaron Eckhart, Gerard Butler, and Renee Zellweger. The 33 rescued Chilean miners and five of their rescuers are also recognized. Read more here, and view a photogallery of images from the ceremony.

Taylor Swift: Speak Now (8pm, NBC) - A behind-the-scenes look at Taylor Swift's travels from New York to Los Angeles, which include recording sessions, a video shoot, run-ins with paparazzi, and autograph signings. Swift also performs at unusual venues along the way. More info here.

NBC's People of the Year (9pm, NBC) - Matt Lauer spotlights notable people of 2010, including Chilean miner rescuer Brandon Fisher. Also featured: NBA player Lebron James, Manhattan mosque developer Sharif El-Gamal, pop singer Justin Timberlake, and others.

Beyonce's I Am ... World Tour (10pm, ABC) - A look at performances, production, costumes, choreography, and backstage and offstage moments from Beyonce's world tour in support of her CD "I Am ... Sasha Fierce." Included: appearances by Kanye West and Jay-Z, and footage from Croatia, Africa, China, Australia, and Abu Dhabi.

CNN has a "worldwide exclusive" tonight when Anderson Cooper sits down to interview some of the Chilean miners who were trapped in a mine for 69 days.

The miner interview, part of the "CNN Heroes" special (airing Thanksgiving night), runs tonight on "Anderson Cooper 360." Cooper will also interview some of the rescuers. Here's a video preview of the segment.

"Anderson Cooper 360" airs at 10pm on CNN.

CNN has fired Rick Sanchez after a SiriusXM radio interview this week in which Sanchez called Comedy Central's Jon Stewart a "bigot" and implied that CNN and the media as a whole are run by Jews.

Sanchez, the host of "Rick's List," was on the radio show to promote his book, "Conventional Idiocy."

There's a great article about the radio interview and the firing here at The Washington Post.

Also, just for fun, here are clips of the times "The Daily Show" made fun of Sanchez.