Podcasts about wral

Durham has a new top cop. Stephanie Mardis will be the city's new police chief, starting in early September. She's focused on reducing violence, improving staffing, and building trust. WRAL's Monica Casey spoke with Mardis in a one-on-one interview. 

A 4-year-old Johnston County boy is dead, and his family believes Child Protective Services should have done more to protect him. WRAL reviewed records to learn what happened to Jack Gibson. His mother, Amber Gibson, is now facing child abuse and drug charges. Although family members say caseworkers visited her home at least four times earlier this year, Gibson's three children were not removed until July 1. WRAL’s Megan Cloherty and Rennee Chou talk through what we know.  

Lynn Council died Sunday at 93 years old. Council survived an attempted hanging by two Wake County deputies who were trying to corece a confession from him. Council survived the ordeal, but kept the emotional and physical scars of the experience. He shared his story with WRAL's Gerald Owens in 2019. Seven years later, Gerald reflects on Council's passing.

Wake County teachers earn less on average than their peers in comparable southeastern metropolitan areas, a WRAL News data analysis shows. That’s despite a recent state budget that drastically boosted early career teacher pay and provided more modest pay increases for more experienced teachers.  WRAL’s Destinee Patterson and Emily Walkenhorst talk through the salary gap and how this impacts your kids. Here’s their conversation.  

North Carolina Republicans plan to replace U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards on the ballot as soon as next week following the incumbent’s decision Wednesday to end his reelection campaign, party leaders said Wednesday. Edwards on Wednesday withdrew from the race for his 11th Congressional District seat — an announcement that came two days after the U.S. House Ethics Committee recommended he be sanctioned after releasing a report that alleged he harassed two aides.  WRAL state government reporter Paul Specht and Louis Fernandez speak through what led to this decision and how North Carolina republicans move forward.

The number of new Cyclospora infections is going down in North Carolina. The state has seen more than 800 cases so far this year. WRAL health reporter Grace Hayba talks through where things are trending and what experts say you need to know about the current state of cyclospora.

University of North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi was placed on administrative leave on Monday morning. Now an investigation is underway due to "concerns behind allegations" that led to Lombardi being put on leave. We've heard this week from university leaders, including chancellor Lee Roberts and athletics director Steve Newmark. In this week's edition of On the Record, WRAL sports investigative reporter Brian Murphy sits down with Louis Fernandez to discuss what we've learned, how this impacts the university, the football team and Bill Belichick, and how this could all end.

50 years ago, one Triangle company changed how the world uses data. WRAL presents a special look at SAS's impact on the Triangle and beyond. Cristin Severance spoke exclusively with co-founder Dr. Jim Goodnight.

Elizabeth "Liz" Waddell from Cary was reported missing last week while vacationing in Grenada. Police said she was not seen returning from the water after going for a swim near her rental. WRAL's Shaun Gallegher breaks down the timeline investigators are piecing together from surveillance video.

WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth explains the weather conditions -- high wind, heat, ice, snow, severe storms -- that prompt us to warn that weather could be dangerous and call it a WRAL Weather Alert Day. The start of July 2026 brought an unprecedented seven days in a row, for various reasons. And the conditions proved the alert was necessary. Here's why.

The City of Rocky Mount has resumed shutting off utilities and charging late fees after months of exceptions due to a utility billing issue that lead to back bills. A recent state audit found the city did not double-bill customers. Instead, auditors said the city was trying to correct billing delays and eliminate a gap between meter-reading dates and billing dates created by the city by mistake. WRAL's Heidi Kirk explains.

It could soon be easier for North Carolina elections officials to throw out people’s ballots during the 2026 midterm elections and beyond, under new rules approved Thursday by the State Board of Elections. The new changes, backed by the Republican majority on the State Board of Elections and opposed by the board's Democratic minority, make it easier for elections officials to reject people’s excuses for not having required voter identification. They'd also make it easier to kick people out of polling places, in addition to other changes. WRAL state government reporter Will Doran and Louis Fernandez talk through this topic.

North Carolina law enforcement agencies are now authorized to place cameras alongside state-maintained roads to track who is driving and where, due to a provision tucked into the new state budget that essentially enables a permanent, statewide surveillance program. Automatic license plate readers, or ALPRs, record the license plates of every vehicle driving by as well as the make, model and color of their vehicles. Then, using artificial intelligence, they cross-reference that information with various law enforcement databases. Hits might come back for stolen cars, criminal suspects, missing people or other reasons. WRAL state government reporter Will Doran and Louis Fernandez talk through what we know.

Some law enforcement officers resign whiel facing criminal charges, then go on to work for another department. WRAL's Megan Cloherty explains where the hiring process can break down, why some smaller towns end up hiring officers with troubling histories and what's being done to close the gaps.

Christina Serafino thought she had food poisoning when she woke up feeling sick on Father’s Day. Three weeks later, the Wake County woman learned she was battling Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite that can cause weeks of severe gastrointestinal illness. WRAL's Grace Hayba talked to her about that experience.

If it feels like this summer has been especially brutal, you're not imagining it. While the lack of rainfall is an obvious part of North Carolina's ongoing drought, there's another side effect that many people don't realize. Drought conditions can make hot weather even hotter. WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell and Grace Holland explain.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham died early Sunday morning. A medical examiner's office said a ruptured aorta is the cause of death. Before coming to WRAL, NC Capitol Reporter Caroline Yaffa covered Senator Graham extensively. She spoke with WRAL Executive Producer Scott Nagel about her experience covering the long-time Senator and his impact on South Carolinians.     

Recent storms have brought some relief to parts of North Carolina, but the state’s drought continues to worsen. Central North Carolina, the Triad and the coast still need 16 to 20 inches of rain over an extended period to see meaningful improvement. WRAL meteorologist Grant Skinner and WRAL anchor Ken Smith talk through the drought conditions and why we may not see relief until the fall.

A new Consumer Reports investigation found concerning levels of certain additives and contaiminants in some widely-sold foods and drinks. WRAL 5 On Your Side's Alex Littlehales explains what the findings show.

After a year without a budget, North Carolina lawmakers pitch and pass a 600-page, $34 billion spending plan in just three days. WRAL's NC Capitol team explains the winners, losers, the weird bipartisan way the vote broke down and what is still to come before state employees see long-awaited raises.

Folarin Balogun picked up a controversial red card for the US men's national team in the 2-0 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina. WRAL's Dan Haggerty and Louis Fernandez talk through the penalty and explain why it wasn't a great call. Plus, how it will impact the US in the Round of 16 against Belgium on Monday.

North Carolina lawmakers have unveiled the largest budget proposal in state history. It includes tax cuts and raises for state employees. WRAL's Capitol Team breaks down everything you need to know.

A wide-ranging bill in the North Carolina legislature would change a host of election laws. The 37-page document proposes new rules for so-called “never-resident” voters allows for more secrecy around campaign donations and more clearly spells out what to do about voters who cast ballots early but die before election day. WRAL's Paul Specht discusses the major points of the bill. 

A question on everyone's minds after the Carolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup win this year: is Rod Brind'Amour one of the best coaches in North Carolina sports history? WRAL sports anchor Chris Lea and Louis Fernandez go over their lists and look at what an all-around North Carolina sports Mount Rushmore looks like.

A Fuquay-Varina man is stressed about the amount of money he lost in an elaborate scam. He reached out to WRAL Investigates after seeing his name in a federal court document related to an online investment scam. Wesley Marley learned after reporting his losses to the FBI that he was the victim of an international scam known for its odd name: pig-butchering. The name alludes to the number of cuts scammers make on their victims’ lives after taking months to gain their trust. WRAL's Megan Cloherty and Lora Lavigne talk through this story and what you can learn.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour missed out on the Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2026. He's been eligible for over a decade now. How close is he to making the list? How does his coaching resume impact the decision? WRAL sports investigative reporter Brian Murphy and Louis Fernandez talk through the process and where things go from here.

Episode Date: Tuesday, 23 June 2026 Runtime: Approximately 18–22 minutes Hosts: Anna and Avery   Story Sources & Further Reading STORY 1 — SpaceX Starfall Demo SpaceX launches Starfall Demo mission (June 23, 2026) — SpaceX.com / Space.com / Gizmodo FAA Environmental Assessment for Starfall reentry vehicle operations   STORY 2 — Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope NASA Science: 'NASA's Next Generation Telescope Arrives in Florida Ahead of Launch' (June 21, 2026) Spaceflight Now / Discover Magazine — Roman arrives at KSC (June 22, 2026)   STORY 3 — JWST & XLSSC 122 IPAC/Caltech: 'New JWST Images of XLSSC 122 Open Up the Cosmic Noon Frontier' (presented AAS 248, June 17, 2026) Finner et al., The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2026) — three-paper series on XLSSC 122   STORY 4 — Galactic Centre Excess List, Rodd et al., Physical Review Letters (2026): 'Energy Distribution of the Galactic Center Excess's Sources' Phys.org: 'Dark matter cannot be ruled out as cause of gamma ray glow at the Milky Way's center' (June 17, 2026)   STORY 5 — Swift Observatory / LINK Space.com: 'No one thought it was going to be possible' — NASA Swift Boost mission briefing (June 17–20, 2026) WRAL.com: 'Teaching a robot to rescue a space telescope' — LINK mission detail   STORY 6 — Tianwen-2 / Kamoʻoalewa SpaceNews: 'Tianwen-2 makes series of burns on approach to asteroid' (June 14, 2026) Scientific American: 'China's Tianwen-2 spacecraft will soon grab samples from a quasi-moon of Earth' Nature Communications: Pengfei Zhang et al. — Kamoʻoalewa composition study (June 2, 2026)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-latest-space-news--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.

Major League Baseball wants to select two new cities for expansion before early 2029. North Carolina officials want one of them to be Raleigh. It’s becoming an issue in state budget discussions. People familiar with the talks tell our N-C Capitol team that lawmakers are weighing whether to reserve hundreds of millions of dollars for a stadium that would support a big-league bid. WRAL's Brian Murphy goes in-depth with WRAL's Elizabeth Holmes. 

Avantae Deven was arrested on June 24, 2024, connected with the deaths of her two adopted children. Their names were Blake and London. Their deaths, and what it said about North Carolina’s foster system, was at the center of the WRAL Documentary, “Broken.” WRAL’s Chris Lovingood has a new look inside conversations between Deven and the biological mother of her adopted children. Those conversations took place over email, just days before Deven was arrested.   

The Carolina Hurricanes won a Stanley Cup for the second time as a franchise. How does this impact the team, Lenovo Center and Raleigh as a whole?  WRAL's Dan Haggerty takes a deep dive on what's already happeneing and what could come next.

In the final hour, the guys are joined by Chris Lea from WRAL, as he recaps the Canes Game 5 win in the Stanley Cup Final, Tyler Metcalf joins the show, to talk about all the Hornets draft options at 14 & 18, they preview the weekend in sports, they read funny texts, & more See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The guys are joined by Chris Lea from WRAL, as he talks about the Hurricanes winning Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, to go up 3-2, he talks about the play of Brandon Bussi in goal, and Jordan Staal providing a scoring punch, he outlines how they can finish the series off on Sunday, & more See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off Thursday, marking a significant sporting event across North America. WRAL's Louis Fernandez explains the storylines for diehard and casual soccer fans.

As newsrooms shrink, media companies consolidate, and communities lose access to trusted local information, a new WRAL documentary explores what is at stake for North Carolina. "Left Uncovered: Inside North Carolina's News Deserts" premieres Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. on WRAL-TV and streams live on WRAL.com, the WRAL News+ app, and WRAL's YouTube channel. WRAL documentary investigator Cristin Severance and Louis Fernandez talk through the impacts to our local communities and how the news industry moves forward.

In North Carolina, reports of online exploitation of children increased by 1,115% since 2019, according to data from the State Bureau of Investigation. WRAL Investigates reached out to some of the largest law enforcement agencies in the WRAL viewing area. Agencies are trying to keep up with the caseload. However, many reported minimal staff or funding increases.

A Greensboro woman says she lost $1,000 while trying to buy Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup Final tickets through a Facebook group that appeared legitimate. After sending money to the group's administrator for two tickets, the tickets never arrived. WRAL 5 On Your Side's Keely Arthur and Louis Fernandez talk through what happened and what you need to know to protect yourself from similar problems.

June 1 marked the beginning of the hurricane season this year. While the WRAL Severe Weather team's tropical outlook predicts less storms than an average season, if there's one thing we've learned, a hurricane doesn't need to be a category 5 to have a massive effect. WRAL's Aimee Wilmoth and Mark Bergin talk through the history of storms in North Carolina, and how a single storm can leave a lasting impact.

On this week's episode of On the Record, two of the biggest economic development projects in North Carolina state history are dealing with changes. WRAL's Jack Hagel and Elizabeth Holmes talk through what's happening and what's at stake with VinFast and JetZero. Plus, hear from North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley as North Carolina takes auto manufacturer VinFast to court.

June 1 marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season. Making preparations ahead of time is always a good idea. WRAL's Mark Bergin and meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth talked through good items to include in your hurricane prep kits.

For over four decades, former members of the Word of Faith Fellowship have tried to hold the church accountable through every available channel — journalists, law enforcement, social services, federal prosecutors, the courts. According to those who lived it, the system failed at every turn. Jane Whaley's 2004 assault conviction was overturned after five years of appeals. More than forty former members gave testimony to the SBI in the 1990s. No charges resulted. Inside Edition investigated in 1995. The church survived. DSS opened child abuse investigations. The church sued the department and won. Former members told the AP that the church orchestrated a cover-up strategy in which congregants were pressured into lying to investigators and recanting prior statements. Church leaders and followers reportedly gave at least eighty-five thousand dollars to state politicians, according to WRAL's analysis. Members volunteered at campaign events for Donald Trump, according to the New York Times. The local Republican Party in Rutherford County was allegedly taken over by people connected to the fellowship. Matthew Fenner's criminal case stalled for over eight years following a 2017 mistrial. A special prosecutor took over the case in 2026. The only convictions secured: unemployment fraud. Tony Brueski closes a five-part investigation with the systems that were supposed to protect victims — and reportedly failed them for more than forty years.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#WordOfFaith #JaneWhaley #SystemFailed #Cult #TrueCrime #Spindale #PoliticalInfluence #HiddenKillers #MatthewFenner #ReligiousAbuse

Jane Whaley's 2004 assault conviction was the only time the legal system came close to holding her personally accountable. Five years of appeals later, it was overturned. And according to former members, the church learned it could outlast the courts. The pattern repeated across decades. More than forty former members testified to investigators in the 1990s — no charges. Inside Edition aired an investigation in 1995 — the church survived and allegedly used the coverage to deepen members' distrust of the outside world. Social services opened child abuse investigations — the church sued the department and won. According to the AP, church leaders waged a cover-up strategy in which members were strong-armed into lying to investigators and recanting statements. According to WRAL, leaders and followers gave at least eighty-five thousand dollars to state politicians. The New York Times reported members volunteered at Trump campaign events. In Rutherford County, complaints emerged that the Republican Party had been taken over by people associated with the fellowship. Matthew Fenner's case — stemming from an alleged 2013 beating — was delayed over eight years after a mistrial. By 2026, the cases had been transferred to a special prosecutor. The only criminal convictions secured against the church involved unemployment fraud totaling more than $250,000. Tony Brueski closes a five-part investigation with the institutional failures that former members say protected the Word of Faith Fellowship for over four decades.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#WordOfFaith #JaneWhaley #SystemFailed #Cult #TrueCrime #Spindale #PoliticalInfluence #HiddenKillers #MatthewFenner #ReligiousAbuse

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.

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.

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

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming ~20 year old Cheez-Its. Dr. Don - not risky

This episode is presented by Create A Video – Andrew Dunn is the publisher of Longleaf Politics and a contributing columnist to The Charlotte Observer. He joined me to discuss a recent interview on WRAL with the North Carolina Speaker of the House, Destin Hall. We also discussed the push to implement some kind of statewide limits on property tax increases. Subscribe to the podcast at: https://ThePetePod.com/ All the links to Pete's Prep are free: https://patreon.com/petekalinershow Media Bias Check: GroundNews promo code! Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.comGet exclusive content here!: https://thepetekalinershow.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.