Shows / WRAL Daily Download
WRAL Daily Download
The WRAL Daily Download is an in-depth conversation about a single news story. WRAL covers news across North Carolina every day, but this podcast focuses on one story at a time, bringing context to each conversation. The in-depth, localized podcast takes you into the latest stories from Raleigh, Durham, and the entire Triangle region on North Carolina. This is community news aimed at keeping you informed about the more subtle stories that are happening around you. Hosted by WRAL News…
Episodes
- WRAL Daily Download
Studying Sharks: Our trip with the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences
The UNC Institute of Marine Sciences has been tracking sharks for decades! Our team got in on the action. WRAL Investigates Senior Producer Randall Kerr shares…
- WRAL Daily Download
Have immigrants wreaked havoc on NC? Here's what the data says
Immigration and border security are top issues for voters in the upcoming election. And some Republicans say the Biden administration’s policies have…
- WRAL Daily Download
With safety top of mind, the Nash County school board is renegotiating its SRO agreement
A tragic school shooting in Georgia this week killed four people, including two students and two teachers. It gets you thinking, how do schools in our area…
- WRAL Daily Download
Sites like Shein and Temu are bypassing safety inspections, here's why lawmakers are concerned
Companies like Shein and Temu can avoid customs inspections if what's being shipped costs less than $800 and is sent directly to the consumer. It's called the…
- WRAL Daily Download
Recording reveals confession related to Blake and London Deven's murder
Fayetteville mother Avantae Deven is awaiting trial, accused of murdering her two adopted children. In a recording revealed Only On WRAL, a family member…
- WRAL Daily Download
The heroes behind the North Carolina Patriot Guard
Men and women seen riding in the motorcycle escorts and holding the flag lines during veteran and service member funerals belong to a volunteer group called…
- WRAL Daily Download
Why some Republicans think Robinson could hurt Trump in NC
For months, former President Donald Trump was leading the presidential race in North Carolina. But in recent weeks, he’s lost ground. Part of it has to…
- WRAL Daily Download
What we learned in an unexpected interview with the CEO of Holly Hill Hospital
We finally heard from the new CEO of Holly Hill Hospital, the Raleigh mental health facility at the center of multiple WRAL investigations. It comes just days…
- WRAL Daily Download
UNC-Chapel Hill commemorates 1 year since a professor was killed on campus
It's been one year since Zijie Yan's death on UNC-Chapel Hill's campus. Students and faculty gathered as the bell tower chimed in his honor on Wednesday…
- WRAL Daily Download
Durham reviewing Bull City United anti-violence group after members arrested
Over the years, several Bull City United employees have been charged with gun and drug offenses. Now, another employee faces an Accessory After the Fact to…
- WRAL Daily Download
Top high school quarterback sues over North Carolina's NIL restrictions
A Greensboro high school junior is the nation's top quarterback prospect and he's suing the state over its name, image and likeness prohibitions. Faison…
- WRAL Daily Download
Back-to-School Headquarters: Everything you need to know for the first day of school in NC
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Durham crime report shows an increase in shootings and youth crime in 2024
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
A Chapel Hill art museum helps colorblind people see artworks in brighter hues
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
How North Carolina schools are trying to stop vaping
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
The convicted murderer who tried to escape a life sentence and the woman police believe helped him
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Natron Energy could bring more than 1K jobs to Edgecombe County
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
St. Augustine's University delays the start of fall classes as financial woes continue
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
GOP NC Superintendent candidate Michelle Morrow addresses January 6 comments
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
What it was like for WRAL Stormtrackers inside Debby's tornado warnings
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Disaffected Republicans mount anti-Trump campaigns in NC
For months, Republican political operatives largely ignored the presidential race in North Carolina. But then Kamala Harris took Democratic nomination and…
- WRAL Daily Download
A destructive tornado and a close call water rescue are two of many severe weather stories this week
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Covering the coast during Tropical Storm Debby: Ocean Isle Beach
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
What’s in Brian Shrader’s extreme weather prep kit?
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Tropical Storm Debby to bring days of rain and flooding to North Carolina
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Will NC Democrats benefit from the Harris effect?
North Carolina Democrats hope a Kamala Harris presidential nomination will help them win down-ballot races this year. WRAL Capitol Bureau Chief Laura Leslie…
- WRAL Daily Download
$3.7 million dollar project will aim to ease congestion in Clayton
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
North Carolina lawmakers banned 'gas station heroin' but its not off the shelves yet
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
WRAL Investigates digs into Avantae Deven's past
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
How a freshman NC legislator ended up on the national stage
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Whooping cough cases are on the rise: What to know and how to protect your family
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Why you need to check your airbags if you own a used car
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Why GOP lawmakers grilled NC elections officials over ballot access
Was it process or politics? That’s the question that preoccupied North Carolina lawmakers as they grilled state elections officials Tuesday over why they…
- WRAL Daily Download
Randy Woodson announces retirement after 15 years as NC State's chancellor
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
Is NC Gov. Roy Cooper VP material? Some Democrats think so. Here's why.
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
She almost lost $15,000 to a Bitcoin scam, now Pauline Miller is warning other potential victims
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…
- WRAL Daily Download
WRAL Investigates what is going on at Holly Hill Hospital after escapes earlier this year
Documents obtained by WRAL this week show years of violations at Holly Hill Hospital where patients and staff have complained about the care given there. It's…
- WRAL Daily Download
Should Wake County Schools ban cell phones?
Research shows cell phones can be a major distraction in the classroom and a group of parents in Wake County want the school district to do something about it…
- WRAL Daily Download
A jam packed day one of the Republican National Convention and what NC's delegates have to say about it
Former President Trump was officially named the Republican nominee at the party's National Convention Monday just 48 hours after surviving an assassination…
- WRAL Daily Download
The $1B chancellor: Can UNC’s next leader make it rain?
The University of North Carolina’s next chancellor will have to be a prolific fundraiser, capable of raising $1 billion every year. WRAL investigative…
- WRAL Daily Download
School safety, affordable housing among priorities in State of the City, County & Schools 2024
Year-round Wake County students are already back in the classroom, and even more will be heading to school next month. Their safety was one of the topics…
- WRAL Daily Download
How to protect yourself against the next generation of A.I. scammers
Triangle law enforcement agencies are raising the alarm about Artificial Intelligence being used to scam more people out of their money. It's fooling people…
- WRAL Daily Download
The third party North Carolina is allowing on November's ballot and whether more could join
On Tuesday, the State Board of Elections reversed course and decided to allow The Constitution Party to nominate candidates for this year's election. The board…
- WRAL Daily Download
Two families fighting for justice and mental health reform after their sons were murdered
Christian Webster pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of first-degree murder for shooting and killing his roommates at their home in Franklinton. He's set to…
- WRAL Daily Download
Why mental health services are growing in NC schools
Mental health has been worsening for young people in North Carolina — and beyond — for years. Now new partnerships with mental health agencies are…
- WRAL Daily Download
Hurricane Beryl's unusual intensity and what we'll feel in North Carolina
Hurricane Beryl may be weakening, but its itensity is unusual for this time of year. Beryl tore through Jamaica as a Category 4 storm this week, now Mexico and…
- WRAL Daily Download
WRAL Out and About's guide to Independence Day in the Triangle
From parades and live music to splash pads, food trucks and of course, fireworks--there's so much 4th of July fun going on in and around Raleigh and Durham…
- WRAL Daily Download
Nearly 8 years since Cole Thomas disappeared, his family celebrates his 30th birthday with a wish for answers
On November 25, 2016, Cole Thomas was driving home to Florida from Minnesota and went missing in Benson. Searches for him turned up nothing. Arrests in the…
- WRAL Daily Download
Durham's new school superintendent and his plan to rebuild trust in the district
Durham Public Schools' new superintendent is set to get started next month. Anthony Lewis is inheriting a lot of challenges after a controversial end to last…
- WRAL Daily Download
Flurry of bills were passed in NC legislature, but failed efforts stand out
North Carolina lawmakers passed dozens of bills in the past few days. They also had some high-profile failures. GOP leaders couldn’t muster enough votes…
- WRAL Daily Download
How a Durham church bellringer's message of love to the LGBTQ community went viral
Since the start of Pride Month, new songs have been ringing over Durham over a church's bells. Katelyn MacDonald went viral for playing "Hot To Go" by Chappell…
- WRAL Daily Download
The chilling details that led Fayetteville Police to arrest Blake and London Deven's adoptive mother in their disappearance
Avantae Deven was arrested and charged with murder on Wednesday in the disappearances of her two adopted children. Blake and London Deven disappeared years ago…
- WRAL Daily Download
Everything you need to know with 30 days to go until the Paris Olympics
Anticipation is building for the 2024 Olympics set to open in Paris next month. WRAL's Liz McLaughlin, who will report from the games, walks us through some of…
- WRAL Daily Download
Raises for teachers among the budget items standing between the State House and Senate
The State Senate approved its budget proposal Monday but the chamber's standoff with the State House continues. Lawmakers disagree about how, or if, to spend…
- WRAL Daily Download
Tribe says NC defying UN as bill to bulldoze Native American sites dies
Republican lawmakers are no longer planning to let a coastal developer bulldoze a major archeological site. But Tuscarora Nation says existing development on…
- WRAL Daily Download
Dangerous summer heat on the way to the Triangle this weekend
The start of summer is bringing triple digit heat to North Carolina this weekend. That kind of heat can be dangerous for people spending lots of time outdoors…
- WRAL Daily Download
The NC employee accused of trying to meet a minor for sex and the YouTube vigilante who filmed his arrest
Harlan Frye, a former department head at the North Carolina Department of Revenue, was arrested for a felony charge for a crime involving a child in…
- WRAL Daily Download
Bigger raises for state employees? Only if NC House can sway Senate
The GOP-led North Carolina House of Representatives wants to spend almost $1 billion on bigger raises for teachers and other state employees. But will the…
- WRAL Daily Download
NC school boards defy school calendar law. Coastal businesses cry foul
School boards across the state are starting their school years ahead of the earliest allowable date in North Carolina. A group of parents and coastal…
- WRAL Daily Download
Golf greens and Green Berets: The connection between Pinehurst's golf and military communities
As hundreds of thousands decend on Pinehurst for the U.S. Open, many of them will look for nightlife in the town's social district. A nonprofit is hoping some…