Carolina Curious

A brutal cold snap in January left hundreds of the state’s turtles cold-stunned. And a gender imbalance among new hatchlings has sparked concern among researchers. All this had WFDD’s April Laissle wondering: How is climate change affecting the state’s sea turtle population? For this edition of Carolina Curious, she traveled to a sea turtle hospital in Surf City to find the answer.

Winston-Salem Department of Transportation Director Jeff Fansler explains that the intersection at University Parkway and Coliseum Drive, being a major city corridor, requires pedestrian accommodations. Financial challenges prevented DOT from redesigning the intersection completely, but he says the city has secured funding to install pedestrian traffic signals on all four corners. The timeline for the project is late 2026 or early 2027, with an estimated cost of $120,000.

The North Carolina General Assembly is currently in session, considering bills on a variety of issues that could shape residents' future. For this week's Carolina Curious, WFDD's DJ Simmons was wondering: What professions are most common among state legislators?

While the Triad area is part of the foothills, we do have a mountain range we can call our own. It includes the landmark Pilot Knob. For this week's Carolina Curious, WFDD's Paul Garber was wondering: How did the Sauratown Mountains form here, and what sets them apart?

For this week’s Carolina Curious, a Forsyth County resident wanted to know more about the role of a county manager – what does this position do exactly? To find out, WFDD’s Bethany Chafin spoke to someone with plenty of knowledge.

A WFDD listener was curious about how mules were able to help deliver aid to victims following Helene. In the latest installment of Carolina Curious, WFDD's DJ Simmons spoke with the owner of a ranch whose organization provided relief in the weeks following the storm.

Sixth graders at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Winston-Salem are curious about the weather in the area. In the latest installment of Carolina Curious, WFDD’s Amy Diaz took these questions — along with an umbrella — to the experts at the North Carolina State Climate Office.

Sixth graders at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Winston-Salem are curious about squirrels, birds, bugs and more. In the latest installment of Carolina Curious, WFDD’s Amy Diaz sat down with Falyn Owens with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to find the answers.

Since North Carolina was founded, the boundaries, borders, and even the names of the state's counties have changed at times. But what about the number of counties? A WFDD listener recently asked: Why does the state have 100? In the latest installment of Carolina Curious, WFDD's DJ Simmons looks into how this figure came to be, and if it's possible for it to change.