WRAL Daily Download

A video of fishermen releasing a great white shark on the Outer Banks went viral earlier this week. Many had questions about the legality of catching these sea creatures in the first place. WRAL's Shaun Gallagher met the men behind the video.

Last month, WRAL Investigates reported that Durham's District Attorney swiped into the office on only about half of work days. She claimed that number was incomplete, in part, because of "issues with the courthouse's security system" -- That sparked concern from some, wondering if the building is safe! WRAL's Sarah Krueger investigates the DA's claims.

WRAL's Mark Bergin and Louis Fernandez discuss Cooper Flagg’s left ankle injury, which looms over the start of the tournament for the Duke Blue Devils. Duke expects to get Flagg back for the start of the NCAA Tournament. The guys also shared why Auburn was the No. 1 overall seed of the tournament despite losing three of its lats four games. Several talented teams will play this weekend at the Lenovo Center, including No. 1 seeds Duke and Florida along with back-to-back national champions Connecticut. The guys talked about which players to watch. Plus, Bergin and Fernandez talked about how the ACC only got four teams into the NCAA Tournament. Last, there is the possibility that Duke will play against Baylor’s Jeremy Roach, who played for the Blue Devils from 2020-2024. Plus, Duke could also play against Arizona’s Caleb Love in the Sweet 16. Love hit the 3-pointer that sealed the game for UNC in the 2022 Final Four against Duke.

A Louisburg woman says earlier this month, she got an alert that an unknown Apple AirTag had been with her for more than seven hours--but after several tries, she still hasn't found it. WRAL's 5 On Your Side has learned that criminals can disable the speaker designed to locate these devices, making them harder to find. Keely Arthur explains why this makes it harder for law enforcement and Apple to protect victims of this kind of stalking.

North Carolina officials have found themselves the target of protests, violent threats and menacing voicemails in recent weeks. WRAL State Government Reporter Paul Specht explains why — and what lawmakers are doing about it.

Duke is the No. 1 team in the country entering the ACC Tournament. WRAL's Mark Bergin and Louis Fernandez discussed Cooper Flagg's incredible season and Duke's historic scoring differential. Duke is vying to become the No. 1 overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Plus, the guys shared what North Carolina needs to do in the ACC Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament.

A local mom was stunned when her health insurance denied coverage for a $126,000 procedure. WRAL 5 On Your Side Producer Pritchard Strong explains how his team got the massive medical bill wiped away.

After eight years with the team and one year after a trip to the Final Four, NC State fired men's basketball coach Kevin Keatts. WRAL Sports Reporter/Anchor Louis Fernandez explains why, what comes next, and breaks down the social media response from Keatts.

Free legal answers are just a phone call away! WRAL 5 On Your Side Producer Pritchard Strong shares more about Lawyers On Call, happening March 7th.

A teenage girl who was the subject of one of two Amber Alerts last week made plans on Instagram to meet one of the suspects. Suspects in this case and another out of Siler City face kidnapping and human trafficking charges. WRAL's Willie Daniely talked to the Executive Director of the Child Advocacy Center about how parents can protect their kids.

Javier Leiva has lived in the Carolinas for the past decade. In 2017, the Raleigh man began hosting the "Pretend" podcast. "Pretend" is a documentary-style, true crime podcast about real people pretending to be someone else. In 2024 alone, he surpassed 5 million audio downloads. Plus, a Spotify billboard featured "Pretend" on a Times Square billboard in New York City. Leiva spoke with WRAL News' senior multiplatform producer Mark Bergin about how he’s covered con artists, cult leaders and even debunked claims made in the movie “Catch Me If You Can.”

The men accused of kidnapping and trafficking a Siler City teen were denied bond, with a judge saying they are public threats. Both men were in the country illegally and had previous run-ins with law enforcement. WRAL's Destinee Patterson explains what comes next in the case.

North Carolina’s judges are chosen by voters in partisan elections, just like any other politician. But should judges have party labels next to their names on the ballot? WRAL State Government Reporter Will Doran explains why some state lawmakers say it’s time to take those labels off judicial races.

A popular product meant for relaxation may be putting families at risk. A Cary family, recently displaced by a fire, says investigators suspect a hot tub (or the pump that comes with it) purchased from a local Costco may have caused the fire. WRAL Five On Your Side's Keely Arthur explains.

Three men police say died of overdoses in Durham sparked a WRAL Investigation into the delay in their autopsy results. It found that the kind of charges sought to hold someone responsible for their deaths is slowing down the state's Medical Examiner's Office in many other cases. WRAL's Sarah Krueger explains how and a possible solution one county is trying.

Companies like Wolfspeed and RTI are years behind on their fire inspections because of staffing shortages at the Durham County Fire Marshall's Office. WRAL Investigates' Sarah Krueger explains the changes that started happening since she started looking into the delays.

North Carolina Democrats reelected Anderson Clayton as state party chair over the weekend — again putting the 27-year-old in charge of a critical state for the party. Clayton originally won the seat in 2023, promising to improve the party’s ground game to boost Democratic performance in statewide elections. WRAL State Government Reporter Paul Specht shares highlights from his recent interview with Clayton.

Most North Carolinians are familiar with the Biltmore Mansion but many don't know who lived on the land before it was built. It turns out the land the sprawling estate sits on used to be a Black neighborhood called Shiloh. WRAL News Anchor Gerald Owens explains his special connection to Shiloh and what he learned on a recent visit.

North Carolina is experiencing another winter storm this week. On this episode of the WRAL Daily Download, we share how the state prepared and what officials say YOU need to do to stay safe. Also, a breakdown on WRAL's continuous severe weather coverage.

Even though we've seen three winter storms in the Triangle this season, experts say Raleigh's winters are warming. It will mean extreme weather patterns and fewer cold nights as winter changes over time. WRAL Climate Change Reporter Liz McLaughlin explains why North Carolina's winters are changing.