WRAL Daily Download

Southeast Raleigh High School was closed Tuesday after violence on campus took the life of a 15-year-old student and sent a 16-year-old to the hospital. A 14-year-old is in custody facing a juvenile petition in the fatal stabbing. The entire school community is in mourning as staff, students and parents try to wrap their heads around the tragedy. WRAL has a team covering this unfolding story. In this episode, we speak to reporter Matt Talhelm about his role in our coverage.

In August, the unthinkable happened in our backyard-a shooting on a college campus. It took place at UNC Chapel Hill. A professor was killed. For hours students and staff sheltered in place in campus buildings while police searched for the shooter. A graduate student was eventually captured and charged in the professor's death. He was in court today, so was WRAL investigative reporter Sarah Krueger. In this episode, she shares what happened in the courtroom.

The 2024 race for North Carolina attorney general is expected to gain outsize attention — and loads of spending — as the role becomes more politicized. No longer is the position just for going after scammers and defending the state in lawsuits. In recent years, partisan debates over abortion rights and voting laws have pitted states’ judicial and legislative branches against one another. The two likely frontrunners for state AG in 2024 are among North Carolina’s most politically outspoken members of Congress. WRAL state government reporter Will Doran explains how the state AG role is evolving.

It’s one thing to mispronounce the name of a colleague or a new friend, but what about mispronouncing the name of the highest elected official in the state of North Carolina? Well, that’s exactly what we’ve all been doing for a very long time. State government reporter Travis Fain discovered this and decided to set the record straight. He joins us in this episode with what he learned.

This story falls into the category of cool jobs I didn’t even know existed. The fancy name is “graphic facilitation.” Basically, it’s an artist who creates a visual representation of a meeting on a whiteboard for all the participants to see and digest. The idea is that these images can help people brainstorm in a way that opens up their minds to new strategies and solutions. In today’s episode, we speak with Nicole Karp, a North Carolina native, who lives in Raleigh and works as a graphic facilitator.

Sushi has become the go-to food of choice for many Americans today. But how much do we really know about what is in the sushi we eat? WRAL Investigates purchased a variety of sushi in the Triangle and had scientists test it to see what we’re really eating when we ingest America’s favorite meal. Senior Producer Randall Kerr joins us in this episode with what they found.

Rabbi Eric Solomon of the Beth Meyer Synagogue in Raleigh traveled to Israel last week to support victims of the Hamas attack. He was transformed by what he saw, by what he heard, and by what he experienced. In this episode, he shares his emotional journey with us and his feelings about a possible Raleigh city resolution calling for a cease fire.

Democratic former state Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan is an uphill fight in the North Carolina governor's race. To stand out, he released an unusually cinematic ad that has generated some buzz. Will it be enough for him to overtake Democratic frontrunner Josh Stein? WRAL State Government Reporter Travis Fain shares details from his recent interview with Morgan and political experts. And WRAL State Government Reporter Paul Specht shares what he's learning about messaging in the Republican primary, where Bill Graham is taking to the airwaves in an effort to upend Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. 

N.C. State University officials unexpectedly closed Poe Hall Friday after toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found inside the academic building. WRAL 5 On Your Side Producer Pritchard Strong explains what was found and who might be most affected by exposure to the cancer-causing chemicals. He reveals concerns dating back years from faculty and staff who worked in the building. 

It's hard to believe it has been almost a year since 11-year-old Hailey Brooks was hit by the truck driving her dance school float and killed. She was dancing down Hillsborough Street in the Raleigh Christmas Parade, a day that she and her family had been looking forward to for weeks. The Brooks family sat down and shared their story with WRAL anchor and reporter Debra Morgan. In this episode, Debra talks about their heartbreak and their path forward.