WPTF Afternoon News

President Trump has used his State of the Union address to sell a booming America, even as voters worry about the economy. He says the country is “bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever.” He also celebrates the 250th anniversary of American independence and promises more progress. Chris Cooper, Western Carolina University Political Science professor, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the addres...

The new Coastal Plain League team in Zebulon officially has a nickname. The Zebulon Devil Dogz will start play at Five County Stadium this summer. The name of the Devil Dogz traces back to Zebulon’s history. Caleb Whittemore joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how they chose the new nickname

President Donald Trump used a record-length State of the Union on Tuesday to argue that the country is “winning” under his leadership, even as his approval ratings slide. He focused on jobs, manufacturing and an economy he says is stronger than many Americans believe. Mitch Kokai of the John Locke Foundation joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss his feelings about the marathon address

With North Carolina’s spring wildfire season arriving at a time when most of the state is experiencing moderate to severe drought, the N.C. Forest Service is urging the public to apply best practices and common sense with all outdoor fire, especially yard debris burns. Phillip Jackson, spokesman for the north Carolina Forest Service, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the best tips to stay safe.

President Donald Trump suffered a rare rebuke when the Supreme Court ruled against his tariff agenda. The decision Friday throws U.S. trade policy back into uncertainty. Andrew Greenland, N.C. State Assistant Professor of Economics, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what impact the Supreme Court’s decision will have on consumers.

Six planets are linking up in the sky at the end of February, and most will be visible to the naked eye. It's what's known as a planetary parade, which happens when multiple planets appear to line up in the sky at once. Amy Sayle, Science Education Specialist with the Morehead Planetarium, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how people can see the display

Last week, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad OchoCinco made a stop at Raleigh’s Rialto Theater. It came after an appearance on the podcast “Night Cap,” where OchoCinco pronounced Raleigh “Rah-lee-ah.” Hayes Permar is the owner of the Rialto Theater and decided to welcome OchoCinco in a unique way. Permar joined Jeff Hamlin.

African Americans have served proudly in every great American war. In 1866, through an act of Congress, legislation was adopted to create six all African American Army units. These fighting men represented the first Black professional soldiers in a peacetime army, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers. Today, 45 chapters across the U.S. promote the legacy and accomplishments of these regiments . Gayl...

This week, we’re recognizing National Caregivers Day, and here in North Carolina, thousands of families are quietly caring for loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Many don’t realize there are free resources available to help them navigate services and plan for the future. Ruth Garfinkel, Program Director for Family Connect at TLC - The Tammy Lynn Center, joins Gayle Hurd t...

Anna Jordan started the AnnaBanna Jewelry brand out of her dorm room at UNC-Chapel Hill. It has grown so much, she has taken it to retail stores across the Triangle. Jordan talked with Jeff Hamlin about how she grew her idea out of college into the real world

In the leadup to the Civil War, Somerset Place was one of North Carolina’s largest plantations with over 800 slaves overall located right along Lake Phelps. Located in Criswell, North Carolina, several documents and original items are still intact on the plantation. Karen Hayes is the site manager for Somerset Place. She joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss its history.

The United States men’s hockey team has won the gold medal in the Winter Olympics for the first time since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin returned to the United States victorious, though he played against his Hurricanes teammate Seth Jarvis, a forward for Canada. Longtime Triangle sports talk show host Adam Gold hosts the Canes Corner podcast. He joined Je...

People around the world have been calling for peace since the start of the Ukraine-Russian war. Nataliia Bondarenko works for the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and is a native of Ukraine who came to the United States as the war started. Bondarenko joined Jeff Hamlin to reflect on four years since the war started. On March 8 at 3:00 PM , at Moeser Auditori...

Krzyzewskiville, the tent city Duke University students inhabit in the lead-up to the annual home men’s basketball game against UNC, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Over the years, Duke students have braves cold temperatures to get the first seats inside Cameron Indoor Stadium to watch their beloved Blue Devils face North Carolina. Aidan McCarthy and Claire Raney are the line monitors a...

The Winter Olympics winds to a close this weekend. It has been a memorable experience for Avery Bales a student-journalist at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism. Bales talked about her experiences in Italy with Jeff Hamlin

The former Prince Andrew has been arrested by British police on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to Jeffrey Epstein. The arrest Thursday was an extraordinary move in a country where authorities once sought to shield the royal family from embarrassment. It was the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal was placed under arrest, and it underscored...

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has reported 22 new measles cases in North Carolina since late December 2025. As cases continue to rise across the state, NCDHHS urges vaccination for everyone ages one year and older. Dr. Zack Moore, State Epidemiologist, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the latest measles numbers.

“Soccer is Football” is a book that explores the global game through the lenses of history, culture, data, and human storytelling—particularly in the context of the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Raymond Elume is the author of Soccer is Football and joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the book.

Investigators in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance say DNA from gloves did not match any entries in a national database. CODIS is a valuable storehouse of DNA taken from crime suspects or people with convictions. Any hits could identify possible suspects in the Guthrie saga, which reached a 17th day Tuesday. Anna Schecter of CBS News joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the latest in the Guthrie case.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson kept up his more than half-century-long fight for civil and human rights through his final years despite challenges over his health, the coronavirus pandemic, racial injustice and political divisions. Whether appearing at the funerals of Black people killed by police or participating in COVID-19 vaccination drives to address hesitancy in communities of color, Jackson built o...

There’s plenty different about the North Carolina-N.C. State men’s basketball rivalry this year. For starters, they’re playing only once. With transfers coming and going from teams annually, there’s hardly any time for players to stay at one school long enough to build any animosity. Tim Peeler is a N.C. State University historian. He joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss whether the UNC-N.C. State rivalr...

Remembrances are coming for civil rights leader Jesse Jackson -- who has died at age 84. Jackson graduated from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro in 1964. Irving Joyner, N.C. Central University law professor, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss his memories of Jesse Jackson.

Actor Robert Duvall died on Sunday at the age of 95. Duvall had a career that spanned over 7 decades and is best known for his roles in The Godfather and its sequel and the epic war film Apocalypse Now. Jim Carl, the Director of Film for the Carolina Theatre, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about Duvall's career and the legacy he leaves on Hollywood and film as a whole.

In the early 2000s, the best rivalry in college basketball wasn’t Duke-North Carolina. It was Duke-Maryland. The Blue Devils and the Terrapins met four times in 2001, including a legendary matchup in the Final Four and a classic Duke comeback at Cole Field House in January. Now, Vice TV is taking a look back at the animosity that surrounded Duke-Maryland 25 years ago. Peter Gaffney, President of G...

The Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival will return next October. The festival, which is produced by nonprofit PineCone, celebrates live music and the arts with three days of events. David Brower, the Executive Director of PineCone, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what’s planned for next fall.