WRAL Daily Download

In July, Carl Michaud, a quadriplegic, fell out of bed at the Raleigh Rehabilitation Center and died. His father wants to know how this could have happened. So far, he’s gotten no clear answers. He turned to the WRAL Investigates team. They investigated the tragedy. In this episode, reporter Sarah Krueger shares what they learned about Carl’s death.

Allisha Watts has been officially missing since July 16 and her community is desperately seeking answers about where she might be. WRAL reporter Chelsea Donovan has uncovered new information about the person of interest in this case, Watt's boyfriend, James Dunmore. In the meantime, the community has started a grassroots effort to find her. They’ve been holding candlelight vigils to bring attention to the case with hundreds of people in attendance. In this episode, WRAL reporter Julian Grace shares the community’s incredible effort to bring Allisha home.

It’s one of the hottest movies in the country right now, Oppenheimer, which documents the true story of the scientist who created the atomic bomb. One of the scientists who worked on the team in Los Alamos, New Mexico, Dr. Lewis Seagondollar, was a physicist from North Carolina State University. He was there in the desert in July 1945 when the first bomb was detonated as a test on U.S. soil. In today’s episode, Seagondollar’s son, Mark, shares his father’s incredible story with us.

LINKS:

https://www.wral.com/story/son-shares-story-of-nc-state-scientist-s-role-in-oppenheimer-experiments/20969911/

Scientists tell WRAL that climate change is creating more extreme and more frequent heat waves in our state and across the country. The Raleigh-Durham area has on average forty more high temperature days per year that pose risk to people than we did in 1970. By 2050, heat waves in our state are expected to quadruple. The risk is even higher for urban areas where dense development and pavement absorb the heat. In this episode, WRAL’s climate change reporter Liz McLaughlin explains just how hot it could get.

Across the state, county school leaders say they need more money for facilities, staffing and safety measures. But state spending isn't rising fast enough for counties to keep up with their needs. And local leaders aren't finding the help they need in bills that are moving in the legislature. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst breaks down the disconnect. 

Scientists have tracked a steady climb in ocean temperatures since April. This is causing unprecedented heat stress conditions in the waters surrounding Florida and in the Gulf.

More isolated marine heat wave conditions have been detected off the East coast, along the path of the Gulf Stream, which directly impacts North Carolina’s coastal waters. WRAL’s climate change reporter Liz McLaughlin joins us in this episode to explain why this is happening and how it could take a toll on our ecosystem.

These days camera technology is so advanced that one can be disguised as something as small as a run-of-the-mill USB device. With so many potential hidden cameras on the market, it can be a scary prospect to stay in a vacation rental for example and not know if you are being watched. WRAL’s 5 On Your Side Team learned that while there are many small cameras on the market, there is now also easy-to-use technology to spot hidden cameras. The team put this technology to the test. In this episode, 5 On Your Side Producer Pritchard Strong explains what they found.

An EF-3 tornado touched down in parts of Edgecombe and Nash Counties on July 19 leaving major damage in its path, including to the Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in Rocky Mount where part of the roof was ripped off. The company lost 50,000 pallets of medicine, one hundred vehicles and its temporary closure has put hundreds of people out of work. Homes and local businesses were also damaged or destroyed. Our Keenan Willard was the first reporter on the ground for WRAL. In this powerful interview, Keenan shares the human cost of what he saw and experienced and explains what’s next for the people impacted by the tornado.

LINKS:

https://www.wral.com/video/resident-on-town-hall-road-reacts-to-tornado-damage/20962117/

https://www.wral.com/video/couple-thrown-100-feet-by-nc-tornado-family-says/20964406/

Two children involving separate cases in Nash County died after recommendations that they be removed from their homes following investigations of mistreatment were ignored. WRAL has learned that administrators with the Nash County Department of Social Services did not agree with the recommendations to remove the children and allowed them to stay. The WRAL Investigates team spoke with DSS workers who shared a harrowing behind the scenes look into these deaths which they believe could have been prevented.

State employees are supposed to reimburse the state if they take an official vehicle home. But several officials at the state Department of Adult Corrections don't - despite having long commutes in gas-guzzling vehicles. WRAL State Government Reporter Travis Fain explains why the department is OK with it.