What’s Up, Wake covers the people, places, restaurants, and events of Wake County, North Carolina. Through conversations with local personalities from business owners to town staff and influencers to volunteers, we’ll take a closer look at what makes Wake County an outstanding place to live. Presented by Cherokee Media Group, the publishers of local lifestyle magazines Cary Magazine, Wake Living, and Main & Broad, What’s Up, Wake covers news and happenings in Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Wake Forest.
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Episode #79
Fresh Catch: The NC Seafood Festival and Local Industry
Sep 24, 202641 min
North Carolina Seafood: Local Shrimp, Trawling Debate (HB 442) & the NC Seafood Festival Sponsored in Part by Bloomin’ Blinds Raleigh, we dive into North Carolina’s commercial fishing industry with Amy McCullough of NC Catch. Amy explains NC Catch’s consumer education mission, its statewide chef ambassadors, and how to identify real local seafood by asking questions and looking for menu details. She highlights North Carolina shrimp varieties and seasons, the importance of fishing to coastal economies and multigenerational families, and discusses the controversy around House Bill 442, which proposed restricting inshore shrimp trawling where much of the shrimp is caught; she argues trawling is already highly regulated, and bycatch claims are often outdated. Melissa also interviews Nick Eatman, executive director of the North Carolina Seafood Festival in Morehead City, about the 40th festival, its focus on North Carolina-only seafood, educational tents, Fisherman’s Village, and the Blessing of the Fleet memorial. 00:00 Welcome and Sponsors 01:30 Episode Preview NC Seafood 02:39 Meet NC Catch 04:30 What Counts as Local 06:01 NC Shrimp Seasons 08:54 Fishing Heritage Impact 10:28 House Bill 442 Explained 12:13 Trawling Facts and Gear 17:43 Why It Matters Next 19:31 Commercial vs Recreational 20:23 Seafood Festival Education 22:10 Chef Demos and Dinners 22:55 Favorite Seafood Picks 23:54 Whole Fish Confidence 26:03 Oysters and Terroir 26:59 Wrap Up and Resources 27:41 Meet Nick Eatman 30:21 What Makes It Special 33:17 Local Seafood Only 34:37 Fishermans Village Tours 35:59 Blessing of the Fleet 37:22 Supporting Fishing Families 38:15 Festival Challenges Today 39:26 Final Thanks and Signoff
Dig in: Backyard-to-Table Tips from Corinne Beirne of The Nourished Garden
Sep 17, 202636 min
Episode 78 of What’s Up Wake explores the world of kitchen gardening with Corinne Beirne, founder of The Nourished Garden. Corinne shares how she went from growing herbs on her back porch to helping others create beautiful, productive gardens that fit into everyday life. Melissa and Corinne discuss beginner-friendly herbs and vegetables, raised beds, seasonal gardening in Wake County, growing food in small spaces, and why gardeners should focus on growing what they actually eat. They also explore the mental benefits of gardening, including patience, resilience, mindfulness, and the importance of spending time outside. Corinne also shares her experiences being featured in Martha Stewart, her work teaching gardening workshops, and how she helps people get started with their own kitchen gardens. Her biggest advice for new gardeners is simple: start small, find a sunny space, and grow what you love. 00:00 Show Intro Sponsor 00:06 Smart Blinds Pitch 00:39 Woodworking Sponsor Spot 01:30 Why Grow Your Food 02:36 Meet Corinne Byrne 02:59 Nourished Garden Origin 04:45 What Is Kitchen Garden 06:16 Start Any Space 08:08 Beginner Herbs Veggies 09:40 Workshops Garden Coaching 11:47 Watering Systems Timing 12:23 Fall Cool-Season Crops 14:22 Lettuce Seed Starts 15:12 Winter Harvest Herbs 19:08 Raised Beds Vs Ground 20:05 Soil Compost Basics 20:59 Hydroponics Basics 22:17 Indoor Gardening Options 22:45 Gardening Mindset Shift 24:54 Wellness Through Ritual 27:23 Kids Learning From Gardens 28:34 Start Small Garden Tips 29:58 Harvesting Carrots Right 31:28 Martha Stewart Feature 32:46 Rosemary Migraine Remedy 34:00 Where To Find Her Find Corinne & The Nourished Garden Website: www.thenourishedgarden.com Instagram: @the_nourished_garden
Feeding NC: Amy Beros of Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina Fights to End Hunger
Sep 10, 202632 min
In this episode of What's Up Wake , Melissa sits down with Amy Beros, President and CEO of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, to discuss hunger and food insecurity across the region. Amy shares the story of how the Food Bank began in 1980 with Barbara Oates and a small group of volunteers, growing from a card table and phone in a Cary garage into an organization serving 34 counties through six locations. She explains how rising grocery, housing, healthcare, and transportation costs are affecting working families, seniors, and children, and why food insecurity is often much closer to home than people realize. The conversation also takes listeners behind the scenes of the Food Bank's complex logistics, from moving 100 million pounds of food each year to working with grocery stores, farmers, manufacturers, schools, and community partners. Amy explains how donations such as Food Lion's contributions, locally grown produce, and even unexpected truckloads of strawberries and eggs can quickly make their way into communities that need them. Melissa and Amy also discuss the stigma surrounding food insecurity, the importance of providing food with dignity, and the challenges of transportation and access in both urban and rural communities. With September being Hunger Action Month, Amy shares ways people can get involved through volunteering, donating, and advocacy, including the Food Bank's Plate It Forward campaign and other community initiatives. 00:00 Bloomin' Blinds Raleigh 00:32 Local Sponsor Spotlight 01:24 Hunger Conversation Begins 02:32 Food Bank Origin Story 04:52 Amy’s Path to Service 05:43 Rising Hunger Crisis 07:08 Kids and School Meals 09:22 Schools and College Pantries 10:07 Inside Food Bank Logistics 13:41 Access and Transportation Barriers 17:01 Farmers and Food Partnerships 19:02 Stigma and Misconceptions 22:05 How You Can Help 24:35 Advocacy and SNAP 26:06 Service Area and Rural Challenges 28:10 Hunger Action Month 29:04 Hope and Youth Leadership 30:30 Get Involved and Closing foodbankcenc.org
Exploring Wake County Magnet Schools With Dr. Mariah Walker & Tamani Powell
Sep 3, 202638 min
In this episode of What’s Up, Wake, host Melissa Wistehuff sits down with two women helping shape education in Wake County: Dr. Mariah Walker, principal of Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy and the 2026 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year, and Tamani Anderson Powell, director of marketing and recruitment for Wake County Public School System’s magnet programs. Both have also been recognized as Women of Western Wake honorees. They explain what makes Wake County’s magnet schools different, from leadership and STEM to visual and performing arts, International Baccalaureate programs, language immersion, early college opportunities, and specialized learning environments. Dr. Walker shares how Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy combines leadership development with early college opportunities, allowing students to earn up to 60 college credits at no cost through its partnership with Shaw University. Many graduates can enter college academically positioned as sophomores or juniors. Tamani breaks down how magnet schools work for Wake County families, including base schools, applications, the weighted selection process, and why choosing a school should be about finding the environment where an individual student can thrive — not simply choosing the program a parent thinks sounds best. 00:00 Smart Shades Intro 00:32 Local Sponsor Spots 01:25 Show Opens 01:48 Meet The Guests 02:41 Mariah Background 06:00 Tamani Background 08:05 Principal Of The Year 11:02 Leadership Advice 14:37 Women Of Western Wake 15:12 Wake YWLA Explained 16:56 Early College Credits 20:22 What Magnet Means 23:32 Magnet Logistics Basics 24:15 Choosing Magnet Schools 25:14 Lottery and Student Fit 27:29 Magnet Themes Explained 28:08 IB and Immersion Options 30:20 College and Career Prep 35:06 Tours and Info Sessions 36:53 Final Thanks and Wrap
The Raleigh You've Never Seen: A Secret Guide to the City with Emily Price
Aug 27, 202634 min
Secret Raleigh with Emily Price: Hidden Gems, Ghost Stories & Lost Landmarks Melissa interviews Emily Price, author of “Secret Raleigh: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure,” about unusual and mysterious places around Raleigh. Price explains her love of weird history and how she researched multiple versions of local legends using the North Carolina Archives and old newspapers. She shares crowd-pleasing finds like one of the first electric guitars being made at NC State, the pink dog remnant of Gotno Farm behind Preservation NC on Oberlin Road, and haunted lore including the Heck-Andrews House and a reportedly haunted room in the governor’s mansion. The conversation also covers Hargett Street’s “Black Main Street,” Bloomsbury Park’s former rides and carousel now at Pullen Park, and recommendations like downtown wandering, the Muffler Man landmark, and visiting Raleigh Times. 00:00 Sponsor Messages 01:44 Meet Emily Price 03:05 Why Raleigh Secrets 04:48 Fact Checking Legends 05:59 Crowd Pleasers 07:00 Cut Stories Food Focus 08:33 Gotno Farm Pink Dog 10:14 Hotels Taverns History 14:28 Pretty Places Waterfall 18:00 Ghost Stories Begin 19:04 Haunted House Update 19:48 Raleigh Ghost Stories 20:46 Black Main Street History 24:00 Bloomsbury Park Rides 26:40 Pullen Park Zoo Tales 28:21 Future North Carolina Book 29:14 Lightning Round Favorites 32:56 Where to Buy Secret Raleigh
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