Episodes

Why a safety advocate say highway guardrails could kill you
Jan. 12, 2024

Why a safety advocate say highway guardrails could kill you

Guardrails on North Carolina highways are supposed to keep us safe but there's growing concerns they could be doing the opposite. WRAL Investigates' Sarah Krueger spoke to a man who's raising the issue and says lives are at stake.
Severe storms flood a Chapel Hill condo community out... again
Jan. 11, 2024

Severe storms flood a Chapel Hill condo community out... again

Severe storms on January 9 caused flooding at the Camelot Village condos. Seven residents were evacuated and it's not the first time the community has seen this problem. WRAL Durham Reporter Monica Casey was there as residents rushed to save their belongings. She's also digging into why the problem has continued for more than 20 years.
Troubles on the turf and off -- what went wrong with the Panthers season and how do they rebuild
Jan. 10, 2024

Troubles on the turf and off -- what went wrong with the Panthers season and how do they rebuild

The Carolina Panthers wrapped up the season going 2-15 - the worst record in the NFC South and league. While there wasn’t too much drama or excitement on the field, there was plenty of it off of there and inside the front office. WRAL's Chris Lea joins Ali Ingersoll to chat all things Panthers.
WRAL Weather Alert Day: Power outages, damaging winds, heavy rain in the forecast for Jan 9
Jan. 9, 2024

WRAL Weather Alert Day: Power outages, damaging winds, heavy rain in the forecast for Jan 9

A WRAL Weather Alert Day has been issued as our team of meteorologists is forecasting a storm to move through with heavy rain, damaging winds, and possible power outages. WRAL's Kat Campbell joins Ali Ingersoll to discuss the forecast and how to prepare for severe weather.
NC schools grapple with new parents’ law
Jan. 8, 2024

NC schools grapple with new parents’ law

North Carolina schools are grappling with how to comply with a controversial new law designed to expand information available to parents of public school students. It includes provisions that opponents say will out transgender students to their parents before they’re ready to tell them. Opponents and supporters of the law say school boards, principals and teachers have their own approaches to implementing the law. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst explains what that means for students and...
A precious resource in energy-independence could be mined in North Carolina
Jan. 5, 2024

A precious resource in energy-independence could be mined in North Carolina

The demand for lithium is surging. It's the metal used to make everything from phones, to electric cars to pharmeceuticals. Now a Charlotte-based company is looking to extract it in our state. WRAL Climate Change Reporter Liz McLaughlin explains what she learned when she visited the mine.
Flu is on the rise in North Carolina
Jan. 4, 2024

Flu is on the rise in North Carolina

Hundreds across the Triangle are sick with a rise in COVID-19, RSV and the Flu. North Carolina hospitals have already put stronger visitor restrictions in place. WRAL Health Reporter Grace Hayba explains the impact New Year's Eve celebrations could have on kids heading back to school and parents heading back to the office.
Six-year-old killed in Cary and local man arrested
Jan. 3, 2024

Six-year-old killed in Cary and local man arrested

Chelsea Donovan lays out details of the sad story of a six year old girl being hit and killed by a driver police say was speeding down Walnut Street in Cary.
Is NC Gov. Roy Cooper keeping campaign promises?
Jan. 1, 2024

Is NC Gov. Roy Cooper keeping campaign promises?

The new year brings a new edition of the WRAL Promise Tracker — our annual progress report for Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. WRAL State Government Reporter Travis Fain offers updates on whether Cooper is making good on them heading into his last year in office before terming out. The governor faces obstacles — namely a Republican-controlled legislature — as he aims to achieve some of his most ambitious policy goals.
What's ahead for NC politics in 2024
Dec. 29, 2023

What's ahead for NC politics in 2024

NC Capitol reporter Travis Fain looks ahead to the 2024 election cycle in North Carolina. He discusses top races, how the state could change from recent redistricting, and how the Presidential election could impact voter turnout and who becomes the state's next governor.
2024: Another hot year in the forecast for North Carolina
Dec. 28, 2023

2024: Another hot year in the forecast for North Carolina

2023 brought its share of wild weather--a busy hurricane season in an unusual weather pattern, near-record heat and a tornado in December. WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell talks about what was behind this year's trends and walks through what we could see in 2024.
An interesting year: 2023 in NC Politics
Dec. 27, 2023

An interesting year: 2023 in NC Politics

NC Capitol reporter Travis Fain takes a look back at the most impactful--and most intriguing--events in North Carolina politics in 2023.
The power of play in the workplace
Dec. 26, 2023

The power of play in the workplace

If you love what you do for a living, it doesn’t feel like a job. Right? Well, this isn’t always the case. As we get older, and become more set in our ways, it’s easy to forget that much of our creative thinking processes grew out of our abilities as children to play and imagine new things. In this episode, we speak to B.J. Davis about her desire to spark these same creative processes in the workplace at any age.
Top PolitiFact NC fact-checks of 2023
Dec. 25, 2023

Top PolitiFact NC fact-checks of 2023

Man-made tornadoes, beached sharks, Mount Rushmore and North Carolina legislators all have one thing in common: They were subjects of some of our most popular PolitiFact fact-checks of 2023. WRAL PolitiFact North Carolina reporter Paul Specht breaks down the year in misinformation and offers tips on spotting misleading ads and social media posts as we head into the 2024 election.
Woman feeds people on Christmas in downtown Raleigh for the 20th year
Dec. 22, 2023

Woman feeds people on Christmas in downtown Raleigh for the 20th year

Mary Brown has an army behind her, an army of volunteers and people who donate their time and food to feed people in downtown Raleigh on Christmas day at City Market. She fills in the gaps when many organizations that help people yearround are closed. Mary's Christmas day event has become a tradition for many local families who spend their holiday in service instead of on the couch in front of a cozy fire. Hundreds of people who need a hot meal show up. In this episode, Mary explains her "why" a...
Raleigh’s lost castle that once housed Meredith College
Dec. 21, 2023

Raleigh’s lost castle that once housed Meredith College

Downtown Raleigh is full of parking lots – but you never know when a plain-looking parking lot is hiding some amazing history. Did you know that there once was a castle on the former campus of Meredith College? In today’s episode, WRAL’s Hidden History reporter Heather Leah and news production assistant Arri Woodhouse unlock the secrets of this mysterious place.
Damaged windshields; who is responsible?
Dec. 20, 2023

Damaged windshields; who is responsible?

There’s a good chance it has happened to you. You’re driving down the highway and something flies off a truck and hits your windshield cracking it. Windshield repair companies say business is booming. As our population grows, so does traffic. The more cars on the road, the more chances there are for your windshield to get damaged. But who is at fault when this happens? 5 On Your Side’s Keely Arthur investigated one man’s fight to get a trucking company to pay for the damage to his windshield.
Amanda Lamb's next chapter
Dec. 19, 2023

Amanda Lamb's next chapter

It's rare in the television news business for a station to be able to tap into the expertise of a reporter who has cultivated sources and instrinsic knowledge of a community for nearly thirty years. Amanda Lamb is just that reporter. She's leaving WRAL at the beginning of 2024 as one of the longest-serving reporters in the station's history. She's also an accomplished author, blogger, and podcaster. In this episode Debra Morgan interviews Amanda about her WRAL career, her thoughts on the future ...
How ‘high-dosage’ tutoring is reversing learning loss in NC
Dec. 18, 2023

How ‘high-dosage’ tutoring is reversing learning loss in NC

Individual and small-group tutoring sessions are helping North Carolina students catch up after falling behind during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the federal funding that pays for the tutoring is nearly gone, and it won’t be coming back. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst explains how schools are working to keep the tutoring going.
Oakwood 24: A 24-hour walk/run to raise money for people in recovery from addiction
Dec. 15, 2023

Oakwood 24: A 24-hour walk/run to raise money for people in recovery from addiction

For Jon Frey, recovery from his alcohol and drug addiction six years ago involved more than just a program, it involved a committment to overall health, a committment to fitness. Frey credits Healing Transitions, a program for men and women struggling with addiction, for getting him on the path to recovery. He credits his dedication to fitness for helping him stay there. Frey is the founder of the Oakwood 24, a 24-hour walk/run in Oakwood cemetery on December 22-23 which raises money for Healing...
Taxes in Wake County are expected to go way up after a recent property evlauation
Dec. 14, 2023

Taxes in Wake County are expected to go way up after a recent property evlauation

For the past year, assessors have been evaluating 450,000 residental and commercial properties in Wake County to prepare for new property taxes in early 2024. The last evaluation in 2020 resulted in a 20% hike in taxes. They are likely to climb by an even higher percentage next year. WRAL Investigates reporter Matt Talhelm is covering this issue in multiple reports and joins us in this episode to explain how it all works.
Ira David Wood III is finishing his 50-year run in a timeless Triangle tradition, "A Christmas Carol"
Dec. 13, 2023

Ira David Wood III is finishing his 50-year run in a timeless Triangle tradition, "A Christmas Carol"

Tonight, "A Christmas Carol" begins its 50-year at performance at DPAC in Durham. This will be Ira David Wood III's last show after creating it and playing Scrooge since he was 27. His son will be taking over the role. My guest today is Mark Olexik, a WRAL photographer and a talented actor who dreamed of being in the play when he first saw it as a little boy. That dream eventually came true. His interview is a true testament to a magical show that has become a timeless Triangle holiday tradition...
A tornado touches down in Garner leaving destruction in its wake
Dec. 12, 2023

A tornado touches down in Garner leaving destruction in its wake

An EF-1 tornado with winds as high as 110 miles per hour touched down in Garner Sunday. It hit just seconds after the warning was issued. Amazingly, no one was injured, but the tornado damaged homes, cars, and uprooted trees. WRAL reporter Eric Miller was one of the first journalists at the scene. In this episode, he shares what he saw, what people experienced, and how they are cleaning up the mess.
Big-money NC education contracts raise vetting questions
Dec. 11, 2023

Big-money NC education contracts raise vetting questions

Lawmakers recently set aside millions of dollars for a pair of education projects that are raising some eyebrows. The companies receiving the money didn’t compete for the contracts, and the state agency that has to implement the projects they fund didn’t have much say in the process, revealing a disconnect between lawmakers and agency officials. WRAL State Government reporter Travis Fain, who teamed up with Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst to look into the contracts, explains how they ended u...