WPTF Afternoon News

The first couple visited Fort Bragg to meet with special forces who captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as Venezuelan communities across the state paid close attention. A North Carolina man with deep ties Venezuela said it’s far more complex than taking a leader down and propping up a new one. Marcel Jara, the co-owner of Arepa Culture in Raleigh, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the situat...

Experience the magic of Broadway with the one you love this Valentine's weekend as the NC Symphony and guest vocalists perform showstoppers from beloved shows like Wicked, Rent, Hamilton, The Phantom of the Opera, and more at "Bravo Broadway", this weekend at Meymandi Concert Hall. Gayle Hurd spoke with guest vocalist LaKisha Jones, who takes these hits from the broadway stage to the symphony abou...

Whenever the situation with the Smith Center and the UNC men’s basketball team plays itself out, the UNC women’s basketball team will be impacted. After playing inside Carmichael Arena for decades, the UNC women will leave the building at some point over the next few years. R.L. Bynum is a writer for Tar Heel Tribune. He joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the end of basketball at Carmichael.

Attorney General Pam Bondi launched into a wide-ranging, passionate defense of President Donald Trump, repeatedly shouting at Democrats during a combative hearing in which she postured herself as the Republican’s chief protector. Bondi's remarks came at a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday as she tried to turn the page from persistent criticism of the Justice Department’s handling of the...

The U.S. economy put in a strong showing at the start of 2026, following a year of disruptions that depressed both the demand for labor and its supply. Employers added 130,000 jobs in January, the Labor Department reported on Wednesday, in a report delayed from last week by a short government shutdown. Mike Walden, N.C. State Economics Professor Emeritus, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the report.

More cases of measles are being reported in the Triangle. In Orange County, officials have joined the growing list of possible exposures which includes Wake, Durham and Johnston Counties. Dr. Tony Moody of Duke Health says the first dose of the MMR vaccine starts at around one-year-old for children. Moody joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the latest on measles cases.

A warning from Wake County health officials after another possible measles exposure. On Tuesday night, health officials announced someone infected with the virus visited a number of locations in Raleigh while contagious. Candace DeMatties of the Partnership to Fight Infectious Diseases, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how infectious the measles are

Nina Simone's music became the sound of several movements, giving sound to pain, resistance and hope during the Civil Rights Era. Now, the childhood home of legendary artist and activist Nina Simone has been restored in Tryon, ensuring her story and legacy endure for future generations. Melissa Jest, Senior Manager of Preservation Projects with the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, j...

Nearly 400 hours of historic radio broadcasts are returning to North Carolina Central University. It's a rare collection of recordings capturing the voices, music, and stories that shaped the history of the Black community in North Carolina. Lackisha Sykes, General Manager of WNCU, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the preservation of the broadcasts.

Independents tend to decide elections. Public Policy Polling’s latest national poll finds Donald Trump and Republicans are in a lot of trouble with them. Tom Jensen, with Public Policy Polling, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss their findings

North Carolina bet more than $666 million on sports through legal operators in January. That's up from $623 million in January 2025. Brad Senkiw, a gaming industry reporter for Covers.com, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the new figures.

Duke University and Duke University Health System have both been named to Forbes’ “America’s Best Large Employers” list for 2026. Paul Grantham, Duke University Vice President for Work Culture and Communication Service, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the Forbes Magazine rankings.

The owner of North Carolina's first Black-owned children's bookstore, Liberation Station, recently appeared on the Jennifer Hudson Show. Scott-Miller first opened Liberation Station in June 2023 in downtown Raleigh. She joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the challenges that the last year have brought

The Winter Olympics are underway in Italy. UNC-Chapel Hill’s Huffman School of Journalism is represented in the games with extensive coverage. Avery Bales joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the opening days of the winter games.

North Carolina is set to play a pivotal role nationally in the battle for control of Congress in the midterms, and there are also some key races at stake. Some feel the future of the Democratic party runs through North Carolina. Anderson Clayton, the Chairperson of the North Carolina Democratic Party, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the importance of the state in this national election.

President Trump has refused to apologize after sharing a racist video on his social media platform despite widespread outrage and condemnation. It coincides with two more Congressional incumbents who announced last week they won’t seek re-election. There are now 51 Congressional incumbents not seeking re-election this year, the highest number since World War II. Bob Orr, a Republican and a former...

House lawmakers tried to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, but the former girlfriend and confidant of Jeffrey Epstein invoked her Fifth Amendment rights to avoid answering questions that would be incriminating. An attorney for Maxwell also told lawmakers that if President Donald Trump ended her prison sentence, she would be willing to testify that neither Trump nor former President Bill Clinton were cu...

It’s the end of an era in sports journalism. The Washington Post has laid off one-third of its staff, eliminating its sports section, several foreign bureaus and its books coverage. The widespread purge announced Wednesday is a brutal blow to journalism and one of its most legendary brands. Tim Crothers is a former writer for Sports Illustrated and a best-selling author based out of Chapel Hill. H...

As folks solidify their Super Bowl plans for this Sunday’s big event, Hillsborough will have a special reason for plopping down in front of their TVs. Animal Planet will broadcast Puppy Bowl XXII. And, for the first time ever, the game will include a puppy from Hillsborough. Janice Smith, the owner of Durham-based Big Dog, Little Bed, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how the dogs wound up on the Pupp...

There remains plenty of discussion surrounding the verdict in the double-murder trial of Issiah Ross in Hillsborough. Last week, Ross was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Devin Clark. However, in the death of 14-year-old Lyric Woods, a mistrial was declared. Carl Fox, a former North Carolina judge who has extensive history in Orange County, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the fal...

Last week, the FBI served a search warrant at the election headquarters of Fulton County, Georgia, which includes most of Atlanta, seeking ballots from the 2020 election. It continues President Trump’s preoccupation of his failed reelection bid from six years ago. Chris Cooper, Western Carolina University Political Science professor, discussed how unusual the situation is.

With the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics starting Friday in Milan, Italy, a UNC-Chapel Hill Professor of History is reflecting on how the Olympics have shaped politics and social reform movements. Dr. Matthew Andrews joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how the Olympics have impacted life away from the playing surfaces.

In the latest High Point University Poll, North Carolinians gave President Donald Trump an approval rating of 41%, while 48% disapproved. In the same poll, residents gave their input about Governor Josh Stein and his policies. Martin Kifer, High Point University Survey Research Center, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the latest numbers.

On February 18, the National Association of Home Builders will host its annual meeting, where two veterans who were stationed at Fort Bragg, will be honored and receive awards for their dedication, skill, and leadership within the construction industry. John Pomelow is a graduate of the Path to Pro military program. Pomelow discussed the program with Jeff Hamlin.

With North Carolina receiving winter weather two weekends in a row, is the end of winter in sight? Snerd the groundhog was supposed to give that insight Monday morning, but the weather had other plans. Kindra Mammone, Executive Director for CLAWS, Inc., joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how long Snerd has been making predictions about winter.