WRAL Daily Download

Monday is the first day of school for most public school students across the state. Wake County Public Schools students are an exception and they will start school Tuesday. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst explains the biggest back-to-school stories our team has been following.

New numbers from Durham Police this week show more young people are committing crimes. In the first six months of this year, there have been 289 juvenile offenses. The number of people shot in Durham is also up by more than 43%. WRAL's Durham Reporter Monica Casey breaks down the data.

The Ackland Art Museum is the first art museum in the state to offer Enchroma glasses which make colors more vibrant for people with color blindness. On Wednesday, six local people with color blindness tried the glasses for themselves. WRAL's Grace Holland explains what it was like when they put them on for the first time.

Teachers and health officials say vaping is a growing problem among students and districts are trying new ways to stop it. A new grant is available to help North Carolina Schools do just that. WRAL's Heidi Kirk explains the unique detection systems and prevention strategies happening in our schools.

A week ago, a man serving a life sentence escaped custody at a Hillsborough hospital. Ramone Alston was convicted in a 2015 shooting that killed a one-year-old little girl in Chapel Hill. It took three days for investigators to capture him and when they did, they also arrested a suspected accomplice named Jacobia Crisp. WRAL's Monica Casey was there for Crisp's first court appearance Monday.

Industrial battery manufacturer Natron Energy is planning a high-tech plant that could bring up to 1,062 jobs to the Rocky Mount area. The $1.4 billion facility would also be one of the biggest eastern North Carolina economic development deals in recent years. WRAL's Heidi Kirk shares more about the California-based company and how it could help locals who have experienced employment setbacks.

St. Augustine's University is pushing back it's fall semester by two weeks in part as it finalizes funding to pay staff and student refunds. WRAL News has been reporting about missing pay for employees, incorrect student balances and lawsuits for money owed. WRAL Destinee Patterson explains where the Historically Black College's finances stand heading into a new school year.

The Republican candidate to lead North Carolina's public schools is pushing back against accusations she called for a military coup on January 6. The comments that surfaced this week caught national attention and her democratic opponent has criticized her ability to serve as the Superintendent of Public Instruction. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst breaks down the race and interviews with...

Three people died in North Carolina as Tropical Storm Debby brought tremendous amounts of rain and 10 tornadoes. One of those deaths came from an EF-3 tornado in Wilson County. WRAL Meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth talks about what it was like to survey the damage in the WRAL Storm Tracker.

For months, Republican political operatives largely ignored the presidential race in North Carolina. But then Kamala Harris took Democratic nomination and gained ground in the Tar Heel State. Now Republican Donald Trump is buying up ads in North Carolina. So too are moderate Republicans who are trying to keep Trump out of office. WRAL State Government Reporter Will Doran explains why, and what it...

From Tropical Storm Debby to multiple confirmed tornadoes, severe weather is at the forefront this week on WRAL. On this episode, we hear from both WRAL's Chelsea Donovan and Shaun Gallagher. Chelsea shares the extensive tornado damage at Springfield Middle School in Wilson County. Shaun reports the water rescue of three children in Raleigh.

Tropical Storm Debby is making its presence known across the Carolinas this week, especially on the coast. WRAL's Grace Holland shares what she has seen and who she has heard from in Ocean Isle Beach.

Tropical Storm Debby is crawling up the East Coast toward the Triangle. WRAL Meteorologist Brian Shrader gives an update on the storm and lays out the essentials for a proper extreme weather prep kit. He also offers tips on how to protect your home, your valuables, your pets and yourself.   

Much of our state is in the path of Tropical Storm Debby after it made landfall in Florida. It is expected to still have plenty of rain left after it brings flooding and historic rain to Georgia and South Carolina. WRAL Meteorologist Brian Shrader explains how you can prepare.

North Carolina Democrats hope a Kamala Harris presidential nomination will help them win down-ballot races this year. WRAL Capitol Bureau Chief Laura Leslie explains how Democrats’ chances have changed since Harris inherited President Joe Biden’s campaign.

As Clayton's population grows, so does the traffic coming into town. In 2023, more than 50,000 cars traveled through the intersection of U.S. 70 Business and Shotwell Road each day. By the end of next year, a $3.7 million project will help ease those backups. WRAL's Brett Knese explains the plan in place and how local drivers feel about it.

Tianeptine was banned by lawmakers last month amid warnings of its opioid-like effects but people are still overdosing on it. Its sale is still allowed until the end of the year. WRAL Health Reporter Grace Hayba explains the awareness push to save lives before and after the ban goes into effect.

New details are emerging more than a month after Avantae Deven was charged with torturing and killing two of her adopted children and hiding their bodies. WRAL Investigates has been speaking with people who knew Deven years before she moved to North Carolina. WRAL's Chris Lovingood walks us through what those conversations have revealed.

North Carolina state Rep. Jarrod Lowery just wanted to be an usher at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He ended up on stage giving the Pledge of Allegiance before millions on national television. WRAL State Government Reporter Paul Specht explains what the appearance says about Lowery's political future, and what it means for his fellow members of the Lumbee Tribe.  

Reported cases of people with pertussis -- or "whooping cough" -- are increasing in the United States and back to pre-pandemic levels. Before COVID, there were about 10,000 cases a year in the U.S. Now, the CDC reports, there have been nearly 9,000 cases so far this year. WRAL Health Reporter Grace Hayba shares what health officials are recommending, especially ahead of a new school year...

It's one of the most important safety features in our cars and we don't often think about it unless we find ourselves in a crash--airbags. 5 On Your Side has learned about a warning for defective airbags in used cars and Keely Arthur explains how you can check yours.

Was it process or politics? That’s the question that preoccupied North Carolina lawmakers as they grilled state elections officials Tuesday over why they delayed or denied ballot access to small political parties. WRAL State Government Reporter Will Doran breaks down why Republicans are crying foul.

North Carolina State University's chancellor will retire at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Randy Woodson led the system's largest university by enrollment since 2010. WRAL Sports Investigative Reporter Brian Murphy explains the highs and lows of Woodson's tenure.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is a moderate who has impressed Democrats by winning statewide races in years that Republicans also win. That’s why some political observers say he’d be a good running mate for Kamala Harris if she ends up winning the Democratic nomination. WRAL state government reporter Paul Specht breaks down the other reasons Cooper’s in the mix.

A Raleigh woman says she was pulled into a complicated, detailed scam that used fear and trust to prey on her. Looking back on it now, Pauline Miller can't believe what she did. WRAL's Meghan Glova shares her story and what police recommend to avoid this scam.