WRAL Daily Download

Most of us have heard of Stonehenge in England, the mysterious pre-historic vertical stones in a circle that people around the world venture to see. But few people know that we have our very own Stonehenge in Chapel Hill--one of North Carolina’s seven wonders. Like the original Stonehenge, it’s also a sacred place where people can go to meditate and contemplate. In this episode, WRAL&r...

For most of his two terms in office, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has worked behind the scenes to bring his priorities to fruition. But in recent weeks, Cooper has resorted to aggressive tactics, using the bully pulpit to oppose GOP agenda and harangue moderate Republicans into siding with him, yielding little success, criticism from opponents and speculation about his future plans. WRAL State Gover...

In 1968, at the age of 75, a tobacco farmer decided to build a miniature stone village with rocks he mined himself from his own property. What followed was a magical mini-town featuring 27 buildings complete with tiny inhabitants that you can see if you look closely. In this episode, WRAL’s Hidden History Reporter Heather Leah takes us to one of North Carolina’s seven wonders—Sha...

When it comes to hurricanes, climate change has real consequences. Going forward, storms impacting North Carolina are likely to bring more rain, more wind, more flooding and stay longer. They are also likely to make their impact further inland. In this episode, WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell and WRAL’s climate reporter, Liz McLaughlin, break down the risk for us and let us know what we can...

If you’re a Duke Energy Progress or Duke Energy Carolinas customer, you can expect to see major rate hikes in the next three years. Rates are projected to increase by 19 percent in that period and could even double within six years. Duke tells the North Carolina Utilities Commission, which must approve the hikes, that they are needed to update the energy grid and continue providing reliable...

In most cases, if you are overpaid by a business or an individual, the law says you only have to pay back three years of what you improperly received. This doesn’t apply, however, to the state retirement plan. When a retired Raleigh city worker found out he had been overpaid by the state retirement fund by $240,000 dollars, he was forced to declare bankruptcy and go back to work at 80-years-...

Thousands of North Carolina kids struggle with reading. Experts say it's because a lot of them have been taught bad habits. That's leading to changes in North Carolina classrooms. There are also things parents can do at home to help. WRAL Education Reporter Emily Walkenhorst explains. 

Every year about 500,000 women in the United States experience miscarriage, that’s ten to fifteen percent of all pregnancies, or one in four. Still, it’s often a silent loss—the woman suffers quietly, only sharing her pain with people closest to her. But WRAL reporter Sarah Krueger is speaking out because she wants other women to know they are not alone in this struggle. In this...

The Tar Heel Traveler, also known as reporter Scott Mason, has traveled thousands of miles, from the mountains to the coast of North Carolina. He’s interviewed thousands of people about the very things that make our state unique. And he’s told their stories, thousands of them. In this episode, we talk to Scott about his new milestone—2500 stories and counting.   https://www....

WRAL’s 5 on Your Side tested multiple electric vehicles to see how they drive, whether they are more efficient than gasoline-fueled cars, and whether there are enough charging stations to support them in North Carolina. Producer Pritchard Strong walks us through what they found in this episode. You may be surprised by the pros and cons of going electric.  

North Carolina lawmakers are poised to potentially override the governor’s veto of a bill that would restrict abortion to twelve weeks. On the eve of the possible override which is expected to fall down party lines, several hundred businesses have come out against the bill, saying it’s bad for the economy. And this isn’t the first time business owners have spoken out against cont...

North Carolaina's state government is having an extremely difficult time keeping employees and filling job vacancies, leading to a debate over pay increases for state workers. The battle enters its next phase as lawmakers begin to negotiate the annual budget. WRAL State Government Reporter Travis Fain explains. 

In August of 2022, Raleigh’s iconic theater, its oldest theater, shut its doors. Almost everyone who is a Raleigh native has been to the Rialto on Glenwood Avenue in the Five Points neighborhood to catch a movie, a concert or a live performance of the Rocky Horror Picture Show . It was known for its independent films and its old-world feel, a feeling like you had stepped back in time to an e...

A rare century plant in the WRAL Azalea Garden has just begun blooming. According to legend, century plants bloom every hundred years. However, in reality, it’s lifespan is only 10-30 years. It blooms once, then dies. The stalk grows rapidly and can reach impressive heights of up to 35 feet. Visitors are welcome to come see it on our WRAL campus or watch it in action on our livestream. WRAL&...

Major changes in North Carolina’s health care landscape are moving through the General Assembly this legislative session. In addition to new abortion rules and Medicaid expansion, the state's largest insurer may get new freedom from regulation. UNC Health, meanwhile, wants more power to negotiate deals and change employee health and retirement plans. These shifts may lead to more vertical in...

Hurricanes’ commentator Tripp Tracy shares his struggles with alcoholism and his yearlong journey through his newfound sobriety. There was a dramatic moment of realization for him after he fell into deep despair in a hotel room in New York City that changed his life and put him on this positive path to better health. Now, he wants to inspire others to get the help they need. WRAL’s Kac...

Lawsuits from watchdog Disability Rights NC could force the state to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to help people with disabilities live at home. The push threatens existing group homes and workshops that employ people with disabilities - arrangements some families are happy with. WRAL State Government Reporter Travis Fain explains the conflict. 

North Carolina lawmakers have approved a bill that would restrict abortion after twelve weeks. Some people say it doesn't go far enough. Others say it goes too far and could lead to a total ban on abortion in North Carolina. Roe v. Wade, the landmark federal ruling that made abortion legal for the past 50 years, was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022. Now, the right to allow or restrict...

A Fuquay-Varina family lost their 15-year-old daughter to an allergic peanut reaction. Doctors say food allergies in children have increased dramatically, more than fifty percent in the past two decades. 700,000 people are currently diagnosed with food allergies in the U.S. Why the increase, and are there tangible solutions? In this episode, WRAL’s 5 on Your Side reporter Keely Arthur joins...

Annual spending on private school vouchers would become one of North Carolina's biggest education expenditures under legislation making its way through both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst explains why Republicans are pushing the measures, why they face resistance, and how the bills would impact public schools. 

North Carolina State University has experienced seven deaths by suicide of students since the beginning of the school year. Police say two students took their own lives within 24 hours of one another last week. The community—especially parents—is desperate to try and understand the mental health crisis that is leading to these tragedies. WRAL reporter Keenan Willard spoke to the family...

Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo is accused along with his brother of shooting and killing Wake County Deputy Ned Byrd in August. Early Sunday morning, Marin-Sotelo escaped from a jail in Virginia. Another inmate from North Carolina in an unrelated case also escaped from the same jail later that day. Both escapes have prompted a massive manhunt. WRAL has multiple crews covering this developing story. In...

In a major win for Republicans, the North Carolina Supreme Court issued opinions Friday on a series of cases involving voter rights. They could have major ramifications on future elections in the state, and they could even affect the balance of power in the U.S. Congress. WRAL State Government Reporter Travis Fain breaks down the cases and explains how they could affect elections across the state.

A December attack in a Moore County exposed a weakness in our power grid. Someone shot up two substations and plunged 45,000 people into the dark. Five months later some security upgrades are in place, but the reality is setting in: There's only so much we can do to beef up security, and some of it's expensive. WRAL Investigative Reporter Cullen Browder joins the Daily Download to discuss what's b...

Downtown Cary is the last place you’d expect to find a miniature redwood forest – but tucked away behind town hall is a secret world of dawn redwoods with fluted trunks, and rippling roots, a striking red sight against a hillside curtained with green ivy. It looks like something out of a fairytale. In this episode, WRAL’s Hidden History reporter, Heather Leah, takes us on an adve...