Usually, when we hear stories about people getting lost at sea, they don’t always have a happy ending. This is especially true for people who are doing anything slightly risky, like scuba diving. When 4 divers disappeared off the coast of the Carolinas on Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard from multiple stations aggressively began to search for them. Early Monday morning they were spotted and rescued. WRAL’s Chelsea Donovan spoke with one of the divers and joins us with their unbelievable story of sur...
Aug 17, 2023•11 min
It’s a struggle every single year for school districts across North Carolina to get enough drivers to man their buses and their routes. It’s especially tough for the state’s largest school district, Wake County, to manage its 560 routes. It takes aggressive recruitment, training, and retention efforts to make it all come together. In this episode, WRAL reporter Kelsey Coffey puts the spotlight on Wake County’s status as it pertains to bus drivers and shares how the school system plans to put the...
Aug 16, 2023•10 min
Blasting at a construction site in North Raleigh is sending thick dust clouds onto people’s properties. Think dust so thick that you wouldn’t be able to see a foot in front of you. One North Raleigh homeowner caught the blasting on their home security camera and asked our 5 On Your Side team to investigate. In this episode, WRAL producer Pritchard Strong explains what in the world is going on.
Aug 15, 2023•10 min
In recent months, a behind-the-scenes battle over legalized commercial casinos has emerged in North Carolina. Gaming companies have stocked up on lobbyists and they’ve donated to lawmakers. Meanwhile, dark-money groups have sprung up in opposition. Cities, counties and casino developers have tied up land. But lawmakers haven’t publicly proposed anything. WRAL Sports Investigative Reporter Brian Murphy explains North Carolina’s gambling future.
Aug 14, 2023•15 min
4000 people are dying in North Carolina every year as the result of drug overdoses. A whopping 77 percent of those deaths are related to the powerful drug fentanyl according to authorities. The scary thing is that even in the most minute dose—think something as small as a grain of salt or sand-this drug can kill you. WRAL reporter Chelsea Donovan spent several days with undercover agents and informants in Nash County watching how they are battling this war on deadly drugs. In this episode, she s...
Aug 11, 2023•11 min
Greg Taylor splits his time between North Carolina and Maui. The wildfires that have devastated the island killing dozens of people and destroying everything in their wake have Taylor grieving for his adopted home. In this special edition of the WRAL Daily Download, Taylor shares his emotional firsthand account of the destruction with us and the loss that he is witnessing.
Aug 10, 2023•9 min
After attracting hundreds of visitors over the summer, the century plant in the WRAL gardens is finishing its reign. It bloomed and grew to more than twenty feet in the past few months. It is scheduled to be cut down, but don’t worry, a new one will be planted in its place. In this episode, WRAL’s Hidden History reporter Heather Leah tells us what the plant has meant to its visitors and how you can still see it.
Aug 10, 2023•10 min
Connie has had a hard life. Her family was plagued with addiction and poverty, and without good role models it looked like her future might not be bright. But, she built a home and a happy, fulfilling life for herself, her partner, and her daughter. They had a roof over their heads, cars to drive, and good jobs. They even traveled outside the country on a regular basis. Then one day, everything came crashing down. In this powerful interview, Connie shares what it means to rebuild your world from...
Aug 09, 2023•13 min
Everywhere you look there are high-rise office buildings that seem to be empty, or at least partially empty, in our area. Currently, 18.1% of the office space in the Triangle is vacant. At the same time a new study reveals that the Raleigh area needs 17,000 housing units. We wanted to know if that empty office space could be reconfigured into residential space as this is being done in other cities. WRAL reporter Matt Talhelm investigated this idea and joins us in this episode to share what he le...
Aug 08, 2023•10 min
If Republican front-runners win key primaries next year, the top GOP general election ticket in North Carolina could be more socially conservative than any in recent memory. WRAL State Government Reporter Paul Specht explains how that could energize the Republican base - but turn off voters in the middle. He also explains how the candidates represent a shift in the state Republican party, and why one Democratic strategist call it the "angriest" ticket in years.
Aug 07, 2023•14 min
In July, Carl Michaud, a quadriplegic, fell out of bed at the Raleigh Rehabilitation Center and died. His father wants to know how this could have happened. So far, he’s gotten no clear answers. He turned to the WRAL Investigates team. They investigated the tragedy. In this episode, reporter Sarah Krueger shares what they learned about Carl’s death.
Aug 04, 2023•9 min
Allisha Watts has been officially missing since July 16 and her community is desperately seeking answers about where she might be. WRAL reporter Chelsea Donovan has uncovered new information about the person of interest in this case, Watt's boyfriend, James Dunmore. In the meantime, the community has started a grassroots effort to find her. They’ve been holding candlelight vigils to bring attention to the case with hundreds of people in attendance. In this episode, WRAL reporter Julian Grace sha...
Aug 03, 2023•12 min
It’s one of the hottest movies in the country right now, Oppenheimer, which documents the true story of the scientist who created the atomic bomb. One of the scientists who worked on the team in Los Alamos, New Mexico, Dr. Lewis Seagondollar, was a physicist from North Carolina State University. He was there in the desert in July 1945 when the first bomb was detonated as a test on U.S. soil. In today’s episode, Seagondollar’s son, Mark, shares his father’s incredible story with us. LINKS: https:...
Aug 02, 2023•13 min
Scientists tell WRAL that climate change is creating more extreme and more frequent heat waves in our state and across the country. The Raleigh-Durham area has on average forty more high temperature days per year that pose risk to people than we did in 1970. By 2050, heat waves in our state are expected to quadruple. The risk is even higher for urban areas where dense development and pavement absorb the heat. In this episode, WRAL’s climate change reporter Liz McLaughlin explains just how hot it...
Aug 01, 2023•11 min
Across the state, county school leaders say they need more money for facilities, staffing and safety measures. But state spending isn't rising fast enough for counties to keep up with their needs. And local leaders aren't finding the help they need in bills that are moving in the legislature. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst breaks down the disconnect.
Jul 31, 2023•17 min
Scientists have tracked a steady climb in ocean temperatures since April. This is causing unprecedented heat stress conditions in the waters surrounding Florida and in the Gulf. More isolated marine heat wave conditions have been detected off the East coast, along the path of the Gulf Stream, which directly impacts North Carolina’s coastal waters. WRAL’s climate change reporter Liz McLaughlin joins us in this episode to explain why this is happening and how it could take a toll on our ecosystem....
Jul 28, 2023•10 min
These days camera technology is so advanced that one can be disguised as something as small as a run-of-the-mill USB device. With so many potential hidden cameras on the market, it can be a scary prospect to stay in a vacation rental for example and not know if you are being watched. WRAL’s 5 On Your Side Team learned that while there are many small cameras on the market, there is now also easy-to-use technology to spot hidden cameras. The team put this technology to the test. In this episode, 5...
Jul 27, 2023•11 min
An EF-3 tornado touched down in parts of Edgecombe and Nash Counties on July 19 leaving major damage in its path, including to the Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in Rocky Mount where part of the roof was ripped off. The company lost 50,000 pallets of medicine, one hundred vehicles and its temporary closure has put hundreds of people out of work. Homes and local businesses were also damaged or destroyed. Our Keenan Willard was the first reporter on the ground for WRAL. In this powerful interview, Ke...
Jul 26, 2023•18 min
Two children involving separate cases in Nash County died after recommendations that they be removed from their homes following investigations of mistreatment were ignored. WRAL has learned that administrators with the Nash County Department of Social Services did not agree with the recommendations to remove the children and allowed them to stay. The WRAL Investigates team spoke with DSS workers who shared a harrowing behind the scenes look into these deaths which they believe could have been pr...
Jul 25, 2023•14 min
State employees are supposed to reimburse the state if they take an official vehicle home. But several officials at the state Department of Adult Corrections don't - despite having long commutes in gas-guzzling vehicles. WRAL State Government Reporter Travis Fain explains why the department is OK with it.
Jul 24, 2023•12 min
If you’re a fan of cemeteries and the history they hold, there’s one in Tarboro you must visit. Enclosed in a gothic-style churchyard, graves covered in ivy sit beneath a lush canopy of century-old trees. It can only be described as North Carolina’s very own “Secret Garden.” And that’s not all, just down the street sits the the Colonial-era Town Common dates which back to 1760. In this episode, WRAL Hidden History reporter Heather Leah takes us back in time and unlocks the secrets of Tarboro. ht...
Jul 21, 2023•11 min
At one time it drew people from all over the state, people hoping that the mineral spring nestled quietly on a farm in North Carolina would have healing properties that could make them well. The town that we know of today as Fuquay-Varina grew up around the mystical healing waters. The spring now sits in the middle of a public park where you can take in its beauty and its history. WRAL Hidden History reporter Heather Leah fills us in on what’s behind the legend of this ethereal body of water....
Jul 20, 2023•10 min
You’ve probably driven by one and not even noticed it… a ghost town. North Carolina is full of them. Why go to the beach this summer when you can visit one of these spooky places? WRAL’s Hidden History reporter Heather Leah shares what’s behind these abandoned communities—and tells us which ones are accessible. https://www.wral.com/story/ghost-towns-from-above-bird-s-eye-view-of-abandoned-communities-across-nc/20530696/
Jul 19, 2023•12 min
It’s right in the middle of the bustling city. On any given Saturday or Sunday families with children flock to Raleigh’s Pullen Park to enjoy the small train, the paddle boats, the playground or the carousel. But did you know that the park has a rich and interesting history? WRAL’s Hidden History reporter Heather Leah shares some of its secrets in this episode including where you can find remnants of Raleigh’s very first zoo. https://www.wral.com/story/when-pullen-had-alligators-and-bears-remnan...
Jul 18, 2023•11 min
State lawmakers are considering a proposal that would pump $1.425 billion into unproven companies. Supporters say the money is needed to spur economic growth in the state. Opponents say it has too many risks, and the money would be better spent elsewhere. WRAL state government reporter Travis Fain breaks down the debate over the controversial NCInnovation program.
Jul 17, 2023•13 min
If you’re a fan of dinosaurs, there’s one roaming the woods in Durham that you must see this summer. You might see him peering through the branches along the heavily wooded greenway trail. He’s been there for more than fifty years and is an impressive 70 feet in length. He is part of the original “Dinosaur Trail” which opened in Durham in 1967. In this episode, WRAL’s Hidden History reporter Heather Leah fills us in on the history of this magnificent creature and tells us how we can visit him. h...
Jul 17, 2023•10 min
For as long as anyone can remember, Goldsboro High School has struggled to have students achieve at their grade level or above. Currently, the high school is part of the state’s Restart program which gives low-performing schools more flexibility and resources to help struggling students. The alumni of GHS are taking this fight to help students thrive one step further by giving them incentives in the form of scholarships to continue their education past high school. They believe it’s their duty a...
Jul 13, 2023•14 min
If we break a traffic law, there’s a good chance we’ll get a ticket. If we violate a policy at work, there’s a good chance we will be reprimanded. But there’s one entity that’s above being held responsible for wrongdoing in North Carolina- the government . Towns, cities, and counties in our state consistently cite “governmental immunity” when they run afoul of the law. This means they are not liable. In today’s episode, WRAL’s 5 On Your Side reporter Keely Arthur explains what governmental immun...
Jul 11, 2023•10 min
A battle is simmering over leadership of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. It involves allegations of discrimination and intimidation and political meddling in what is supposed to be an independent agency. The power struggle has raised questions about who should be in charge of the SBI. WRAL state government reporter Travis Fain breaks it down.
Jul 10, 2023•12 min
Originally aired on March 22, 2023, this episode of the WRAL Daily Download explains some things that are often hard to put into layman’s terms. It’s been the topic of heated debate across the country and here in North Carolina. How does the map that defines where people vote impact the outcome of elections locally and nationally? WRAL’s state government reporter Will Doran joins us in this episode to break down what redistricting is, how it works and what it means to voters. https://www.wral.co...
Jul 07, 2023•17 min
