Episodes

Nov. 22, 2023

What’s really in sushi? WRAL Investigates puts your favorite food to the test

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 t...
Nov. 21, 2023

Raleigh rabbi returns from Israel transformed by what he witnessed

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, ...
Nov. 20, 2023

NC gubernatorial underdogs take big messaging swings

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 t...
Nov. 18, 2023

Toxic chemicals prompt N.C. State to close academic building

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 a...
Nov. 17, 2023

A year after a child dies in an accident in the Raleigh Christmas parade her family shares their grief and resilience

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 th...
Nov. 16, 2023

Triangle rabbi speaks to us from Israel about comforting victims of the Hamas attack and their families

Rabbis from across the country and from North Carolina are in Israel to providing healing and comfort to the victims of the attack by Hamas and their families. One of these rabbis, Rabbi Eric Solomon of Beth Meyer Synagogue i...
Nov. 15, 2023

Did you know you may be getting overtaxed by the state? 5 On Your Side investigates

More than half a million North Carolina taxpayers were overtaxed by the state this year. This is related to a major glitch in the department of revenue’s tax system. The number of people getting incorrect bills is climbing da...
Nov. 14, 2023

The future of nuclear power in the Triangle

The words “nuclear power” have the ability to make a lot of us fearful. In the Triangle, Shearon Harris comes to mind. The cooling tower is located in southwestern Wake County on 5400 acres. The 36-year-old plant can power on...
Nov. 13, 2023

North Carolina’s big bet on clean energy manufacturing

A decision by Toyota to build an electric vehicle battery plant has had a cascading effect on the state's economy. Under Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, the state has spent billions of dollars on tax-payer funded incentives, luri...
Nov. 10, 2023

WRAL posts fake hotel on Expedia; we share what happened

5 On Your Side recently did a story about a fake hotel listing on Expedia that duped both the customers and the business that was located at the actual address—a law firm. As a follow-up, they decided to create their own fake...
Nov. 9, 2023

Rainbow Bridge: a memorial to beloved pets in North Carolina

Pets are family. When we lose a pet the grief can be overwhelming. What if there was a place you could go to remember and pay tribute to your beloved pet, a place where people who understand what you're going through gather t...
Nov. 8, 2023

Bionic reading: Is it for real?

Okay, so most of us are familiar with home-sharing apps like Airbnb and VRBO, but have you heard of a pool-sharing app? Yes, I said pool. It was only a matter of time before everything could be shared. “Swimply” rents private...
Nov. 7, 2023

WRAL’s winter weather predictions: How much snow will we get?

It’s a little bit like hurricane season. Meteorologists now have the science and the technology to help them predict what our winter weather might look like this year. It’s a big deal for companies who want to make sure their...
Nov. 6, 2023

Reassignment: The student shuffle in Wake County

Overcrowding is forcing thousands of Wake County families to move to new schools every year - the result of a population that is outpacing the county's ability to build schools. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst explai...
Nov. 3, 2023

Tricks for getting through the DMV line quicker

For a year, WRAL’s 5 On Your Side team has been studying ways to help you navigate the headaches of waiting in line at the DMV. People have been complaining to WRAL for years that there are few appointments, and the lines see...
Nov. 2, 2023

Amanda Lamb's connection to "The Killing Month August 1978" podcast

It’s not every day that you get to work with your dad on the project of a lifetime. That’s the gift I have experienced for the past year as I delved into one of his old cases to create a true crime serial podcast for WRAL, “T...
Nov. 1, 2023

What is really in those over-the-counter products that claim to contain trace amounts of THC in North Carolina?

The WRAL Investigates' team set out to find out what’s in those over-the-counter products that promise to help you sleep or give you a buzz. While marijuana is not legal in North Carolina, a certain level of THC, the active i...
Oct. 31, 2023

Urban legends in the Triangle make for a spooky Halloween

From the mysterious Gimghoul Castle in Chapel Hill to the curious spinning angel of Oakwood Cemetery, the Triangle area is full of eerie urban legends to tell around Halloween. In this episode, WRAL Hidden History Reporter He...
Oct. 31, 2023

Real ghost towns in North Carolina that you can visit

Have you ever wanted to explore a real ghost town? Odds are good you’ve driven or hiked past remnants of a ghost town or a lost community without even realizing it. In this episode, WRAL’s Hidden History reporter Heather Leah...
Oct. 30, 2023

Number of juvenile offenders accused of crimes spikes in North Carolina

Since 2020, the number of juveniles connected to crimes in North Carolina is up by 19 percent. A juvenile offender is anyone 17 or younger. And some of those accused are as young as 10. This has led to an overcrowding problem...
Oct. 27, 2023

State health plan cuts weight-loss coverage for North Carolina employees

The North Carolina State Health plan covers more than 700,000 state employees, retirees, and their family members. There is discussion about dropping coverage of weight loss drugs which have skyrocketed to popularity in the p...
Oct. 26, 2023

Ghosts in the Stadium Pt 2 | The painful history of race relations behind iconic NC sports venues

Football stadiums and other sports complexes were built to bring people together. But there is some history behind these stadiums that could divide us. Our most recent WRAL Documentary, “Ghosts in the Stadium”, is the story o...
Oct. 25, 2023

Ghosts in the Stadium Pt 1 | The painful history of race relations behind iconic NC sports venues

“Ghosts in the Stadium” is a new historical documentary from WRAL looking at the unknown pasts of four iconic football stadiums in the Carolinas and their links to the painful history of race relations in the United States. W...
Oct. 24, 2023

Afternoon shooting in the heart of downtown Raleigh near Moore Square Middle School concerns community

Monday afternoon a man was shot in downtown Raleigh near Moore Square Middle School. He was taken to the hospital and police arrested a suspect. The school was briefly put on lockdown. Multiple streets were shutdown. This bra...