WRAL Daily Download

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 at...

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....

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 abso...

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. 

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 McL...

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 e...

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 destroy...

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 w...

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. 

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 whi...

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 Hist...

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...

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...

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. 

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&r...

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 incentive...

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 afou...

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. 

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...

This show aired on February 9, 2023, but there’s no doubt that many of us are still apprehensive when we have to head to the DMV. Wait times continue to be a concern at North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles. 5 On Your Side’s Keely Arthur joins us to break down what she found at the state’s DMV and what’s causing the delays. Plus: Tips to make your experience mov...

This interview originally aired in January of 2023, long after he coached his last season. But he will forever be an icon in college basketball. Love him, or not, former Duke Men’s Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski has been a fixture in the Triangle for decades. With his retirement last year, our local basketball landscape experienced the end of an era -- but retirement has been a new be...

Mike Krzyzewski talks about the Final Four, his last game in Cameron Indoor Stadium, and his new dog, Coach, with WRAL’s Debra Morgan in part two of her in-depth interview with the coaching legend. https://www.wralsportsfan.com/coach-k-discusses-his-purpose-in-retirement-how-he-s-lending-his-coaching-talents-now/20696376/  

This episode originally aired on January 20, 2023, but it’s a trend that continues. As Raleigh’s skyline fills with cranes that are busy building new high-rises, some of the old flavor that many people grew up with is disappearing. WRAL’s Hidden History reporter Heather Leah takes us on a trip down memory lane to take stock in what is vanishing to make way for progress. https://w...

This show originally aired in December 2022, but trying to understand the rules of recycling never gets outdated. Most of us want to be better stewards of the planet we live on, but recycling rules can be confusing and can vary by municipality. WRAL reporter Travis Fain breaks it all down for us (pardon the pun), walking us through what can be recycled, what the rules are and he tells us what happ...

Lawmakers are considering provisions that would help UNC Health and Atrium Health, already some of the industry's biggest players, expand. The Federal Trade Commission has raised concerns about competition. WRAL state government reporter Travis Fain explains how the effort could affect the health care landscape in the state - and your medical bills.