WRAL Daily Download

WRAL's Gerald Owens and Scott Mason talk through a few upcoming Tar Heel Traveler stories including the history behind the "world's oldest longleaf pine" and a couple starting a new journey with bicycle spokes.

A Benson family says their dog was hit by an Amazon delivery driver, who drove off. Though the dog is expected to be okay, the family asked Amazon to help pay their mounting vet bills. They called 5 On Your Side's Keely Arthur to get help. 

Granville and Cumberland counties lost the most schools as costs to school districts is leading to merge and close schools. It's a trend being seen for public schools across the country. WRAL's Destinee Patterson and Emily Walkenhorst discuss what it means for the next generation of students.

Warm oceans, shifting wind shear, building tropical energy. The WRAL Severe Weather Team is analyzing EVERY atmospheric signal - to forecast what hurricane season 2026 could bring.

Meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth talks through some of the different variables and shares the WRAL Severe Weather Team's 2026 hurricane outlook.

After about a year without a state budget, North Carolina lawmakers are one step closer to delivering one before the July 1 deadline. They've agreed on some things, like possible raises for state employees and tax cuts. But what else needs to be worked out before it hits Governor Stein's desk? Will he even sign it once it does? WRAL State Government Reporter Will Doran talks with WRAL's Elizabeth Holmes. 

North Carolina is the only state in the country without a new budget, but GOP lawmakers say they've reached a deal on taxes and state employee raises, two of the main sticking points. Is it enough for the most experienced educators in the state?

WRAL news reporter Carly Haynes and education insider Emily Walkenhorst talk through the concerns and what the future of education looks like in the state.

WRAL Anchor Gerald Owens speaks with Scott Mason, known as the Tar Heel Traveler, about hidden gems and unique stories he's encountered across North Carolina. 

A cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak has sparked some fears and concerns just years after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Three cruise ship passengers have died, and six people with confirmed or suspected cases of hantavirus are being quarantined, according to the world health organization.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed one person from North Carolina was on board and evacuated with all remaining United States passengers to the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s National Quarantine Unit. 

What are the facts and what are the actual concerns around the hantavirus and its potential for something bigger? WRAL News reporter Shaun Gallagher spoke with Dr. David Wohl, a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of North Carolina, about what you need to know. 

Earlier this week, Wake County Public Schools shared that Canvas, a massive educational platform used for assignments, grading, exams, and other things, had been breached by hackers. What does it mean for school systems and their students' data? WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst speaks with WRAL's Elizabeth Holmes about the impact. 

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is still figuring out how many districts were impacts by a breach of the Canvas learning management system. Wake and Durham Counties confirm that their students' and teachers' data was impacted. WRAL's Destinee Patterson explains what it means for schools' cybersecurity