WRAL Daily Download

Tar Heel Traveler Scott Mason tells the story of a Durham man honoring his grandma with every pitcher of sweet tea he sells. He also introduces us to a Pinetops family with a special motivation to selling their produce.

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.

Starting July 1, loan service providers started the process of reaching out to borrowers to start their 90-day deadline to switch from the SAVE repayment plan. But not everyone's deadline to switch will be the same. Enterprise Reporter Destinee Patterson speaks with Ashley Rowe about what borrowers need to know. 

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.

Major healthcare changes are coming for hundreds of thousands of state employees, retirees and family members. Starting next year, State Health Plan premiums will go up, and a new provider system could change what members pay for care. WRAL State Government Reporter Will Doran explains the changes with WRAL News+ Anchor Elizabeth Holmes.

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.

Could your zip code be a high-target area for scams? Our 5 On Your Side team compiled data around the Triangle to see which areas are getting scammed the most and what the top scams are.

FEMA committed more than $11 million to North Carolina for Tropical Storm Chantal relief efforts but less than half of those funds have been distributed so far. Orange County, which had the most damage from the storm--is still waiting for its share of federal help. WRAL Investigates Destinee Patterson explains what federal data reveals about the wait for funding.

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 is about to experience a heat wave, causing triple-digit highs going into the Fourth of July weekend. So why should we be thinking about flooding now? WRAL Meteorologist Chris Michaels explains. 

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.

Fewer people are reaching for a glass of wine or a cocktail. A recent Gallup survey shows 54% of adults consume alcohol. That’s down 10% from 10 years ago.

Yet, the roads aren’t necessarily getting safer. In fact, keeping them safe is getting more complicated.

Law enforcement agencies in North Carolina are trying to catch up to the changing landscape of impaired driving. 

WRAL Investigates Destinee Patterson spoke with the head at the Forensic Test for Alcohol branch with the Division of Public Health, Kenny Benfield.

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.

Tar Heel Traveler Scott Mason tells the story of a former professional soccer from North Carolina who went from performing on the pitch in Italy to running a successful Italian restaurant in Raleigh. Mason also shares insight into an upcoming story on the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division's All-American Band and Chorus and their upcoming Independence Day tributes. 

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.

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.