A recent study out of Duke University used silicone wristbands in order to look at firefighters’ exposure to cancer-causing chemicals. Of the 134 chemical compounds researchers were testing for, scientists say 71 were found in at least half of the bands that the firefighters wore.
Have you ever been driving along at night, and all of a sudden, the entire atmosphere changes? Everything appears in a different light – literally. That’s what WFDD listener Katy Shick experienced in her Winston-Salem neighborhood. And it had her wondering: "Why are all the street lights being replaced with purple bulbs? I feel as though I'm being abducted by aliens when I drive home." In this installment of Carolina Curious, WFDD's Bethany Chafin decided to illuminate the issue.
In 2003, journalist Phoebe Zerwick wrote an eight-part investigative series in The Winston-Salem Journal about the case of Darryl Hunt, a Black man who had been wrongfully convicted of murder and had served 19 years in prison. Many close to the case believe her work was crucial in his exoneration which occurred just months later.
During the Jim Crow era, the Historic Magnolia House was a Green Book site and hosted Black writers, athletes, and musicians, from James Brown and Tina Turner to Jackie Robinson and James Baldwin. It's currently a living museum and recently reopened as a bed and breakfast. WFDD’s Bethany Chafin spoke with owner Natalie Pass-Miller about welcoming new patrons to this historic space.
The omicron variant of COVID-19 has driven a massive surge in case numbers that has Triad health care providers desperate for relief. In unusual joint press conferences this week, leaders described a health care system pushed to the brink, with available treatments in short supply. At-home testing kits are also scarce, and lines at some testing centers are hours-long. WFDD’s April Laissle talked with health system officials about the omicron-induced shortages, and how frontline workers are managing the crisis. She spoke with Assistant News Director Bethany Chafin.