WPTF Afternoon News

North Carolina’s child care crisis is costing the state an estimated $5.65 billion annually and sidelining approximately 100,000 parents of young children from the workforce. The crisis costs Ashe County about $5 million per year. Neil Harrington, Director of Policy and Research at N.C. Child, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss a roundtable slated for this week to examine the rising costs of child care...

A Chapel Hill woman returned home on Saturday after she was trapped in Israel as the war with Iran began. Lilia Austin was one of 100 women who were part of a Christian organization called Eagles' Wings, a group that focuses on building relationships between Christians and people of Jewish faith. Austin joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss her experience in the Middle East at the start of the conflict.

North Carolina state Sen. Graig Meyer has announced his resignation. Meyer plans to become executive director of the North Carolina Justice Center, a group that advocates for rights for low-income people and justice system reforms. Meyer joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss his departure from the Senate.

Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Tiger Woods and Tim Tebow were among the names involved in a college sports roundtable invited to the White House by President Trump last week. The president said he will write an executive order within a week that will "solve all of the problems" brought forth by recent college sports changes. David Glenn joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the meeting.

Duke will raise the minimum wage for eligible employees to $20 per hour effective July 1. The new rate will be among the highest minimum wages offered by regional universities and health systems in North Carolina. Paul Grantham, Vice President of Human Relations for Duke Health, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the wage increase.

Cancer misinformation spreads on social media for a surprisingly sympathetic reason: people think they're helping. New research from UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media suggests that well-intentioned impulse can be redirected with a simple nudge. Allison Lazard of UNC-Chapel Hill joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss ways to correct misconceptions.

Former N.C. State head football coach Lou Holtz has passed away. Holtz was the head coach of the Wolfpack from 1972-to-1975, where he led the Wolfpack to the 1973 ACC Championship and a win over Kansas in the Liberty Bowl. Holtz left Raleigh in 1975 to become the head coach of the New York Jets. N.C. State historian Tim Peeler joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Holtz’s stint in Raleigh during a legenda...

In a recent High Point University Poll, 46% of adult North Carolinians favored switching to year-round daylight-saving time, which would result in more evening daylight. Martin Kifer, director of surveys of High Point University, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the survey.

The Military Family Advisory Network is stepping up to help military families as the situation between Iran and America intensifies. Shannon Razadin is a military spouse who understands how difficult the experience of sending a loved one to battle can be. She’s the CEO of the Military Family Advisory Network and joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss her organization.

The Sam Page-Phil Berger race may go down in North Carolina history on multiple levels. It could lead to the ouster of Berger, who has led the State Senate for decades. At the end of Tuesday night, Page unofficially led Berger by only two votes, making it the tightest major North Carolina election in state history. Western Carolina University political science professor Chris Cooper discuss what h...

A high-stakes battle for power over the state appellate courts is now teed up following the results of Tuesday night’s primaries. Administrative Law Judge Michael Byrne secured the Republican nomination. Byrne joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss his victory.

As expected, Roy Cooper won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate. The former two-term Governor triumphed again on Tuesday night, continuing a political career in North Carolina where he has never lost in nearly 50 years as a candidate. Now, he faces National Republican Party Committee Chairman Michael Whatley in November’s general election. David McLennan, a Meredith College Political Sci...

If the unofficial results stand, the most powerful man in North Carolina politics has lost his seat by two votes. Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page leads Senate President Phil Berger in the Republican primary for the 26th district State Senate seat. Berger has represented the district for 25 years. Former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the primary results.

The price of oil is seeing an uptick in the wake of the Iranian conflict. Experts warn that consumers might soon pay more for gas. According to Triple-A Carolinas, rising gas prices could be seen this week as the conflict grows in the Middle East. Tiffany Wright of AAA Carolinas joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how high gas prices could reach.

Cherene Allen-Caraco Founder of the Promise Resource Network) Peer-run organization opens recovery hub and cafe in downtown Raleigh to help community recover from trauma Promise Resource Network is a peer-run organization that aims to help communities recover from trauma like substance use, homelessness, life after incarceration and mental health challenges. Cherene Allen-Caraco is the founder of...

Keep Our Republic, a bipartisan group of former federal judges committed to defending judicial independence and the rule of law, will host a public forum titled “The Judiciary: Constitutional Checks and Balances.” It will be held next week in Raleigh. Judge Allyson Duncan joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Keep Our Republic and their mission.

A Triangle-area congressional race has broken primary spending records in North Carolina. The race between Valerie Foushee and Durham County commissioner Nida Allam for the 4th Congressional district has led to over $4.2 million being spent. Laura Leslie, a longtime local political reporter, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the races on primary day

A North Carolina state trooper and another driver are dead after a wrong-way crash on the Durham Freeway. On Sunday morning, Trooper Steven Perry was killed in a crash by 39-year-old Melshawn Moore of Kinston. Perry was a football player at Riverside High in Durham before moving on to play at N.C. Central. Riverside Athletic Director Robert Duncan joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss his memories of Perr...

Iranians in the Triangle are speaking out after the future of Iran as the U.S. and Israel carry out air strikes on the country. On Saturday, Iranian TV confirmed that air strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Beth Dehghan, a member of the Iranian American Community of NC, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the air strikes

Purim is celebrated on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar — beginning this year on March 2nd at nightfall and ending at nightfall on March 3rd. It comes amid another turbulent time in America as the U.S. airstrikes on Iran. Now, the Trump administration isn’t ruling out putting boots on the ground in the Middle East. Rabbi Mendy Wilshansky of the Chabad of Raleigh joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss t...

Consumer Reports is celebrating its 90th birthday. A new exhibit at Duke University’s library shines some light on the many ways the publication influences consumer behavior and helps shoppers make better, smarter and safer decisions. Jacqueline Wachholz, Director of Duke’s Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising and Marketing History, joined Bruce Ferrell to discuss the exhibit.

The UNC Board of Governors have given approval to a tuition hike for most schools - for the first time in almost a decade. Most schools will see an in-state increase of three percent. Current students will not be impacted by the increases -- if they graduate within four years …Four schools still offer lower tuition through the North Carolina Promise Program. Adolfo Alvarez, the student body presid...

Through fundraisers and donation drives, the Morrisville community is lending a helping hand to those affected by Monday night's fire at the Camden Westwood Apartments. Natalie Wu, with the Carolina Asian Alliance, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how her organization is helping and why this is personal for her.

A new study from Duke Health suggests a simple blood test may help predict who is more likely to live longer. Researchers found that small RNA molecules known as piRNAs can accurately indicate whether older adults are likely to survive at least two more years. Virginia Byers Kraus, a professor in the Duke University School of Medicine, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the study.

Morrisville town officials say the cause of Monday night's fire at the Camden Westwood apartments is still under investigation, but say they know where it started. Roughly 70 people are without a home as a result of the fire. State Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey’s office is trying to help people recover from the blaze. Causey joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss their efforts.