WPTF Afternoon News

Five years after video of George Floyd's killing on a Minneapolis street, video of another law enforcement action in the northern city is central to another American debate. But times have changed. The video images of Renee Good's shooting while protesting against ICE immigration enforcement tell a much murkier story than the politce officer who knelt on Floyd's neck for nine minutes. People are a...

The group We the Patients will host their first Town Hall event at the Friday Center at UNC-Chapel Hill later this month. The event is designed to engage and organize Cancer patients to collectively call for reform to the nation’s healthcare policy. Matthew Zachary, the Executive Director of We the Patients, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the event.

Greenland’s harsh environment, lack of key infrastructure and difficult geology have prevented anyone from building a mine to extract the sought-after rare earth elements that many high-tech products require. Those challenges won't go away even if President Donald Trump takes control of the Arctic island. Trump has made it a priority to break China’s stranglehold on the global supply of rare earth...

Ryan Camacho is charged with the death of Ravenscroft science teacher Zoe Welsh. But a Durham woman says Camacho broke into her home years ago—twice. Michelle Potchak believes the Durham courts failed to take the situation seriously at the time and now worries that if Camacho had been behind bars earlier, Welsh might still be alive. Potchak joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how run-in with Camacho.

Local activists plan to hold demonstrations on Thursday to protest the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Minnesota state and local officials demanded ICE leave after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good was shot in the head Wednesday. Steve Rao, a former Morrisville Town Councilman, says he has heard from residents after the shooting. Rao joi...

Holding handmade signs with pleas for more funding and support, groups of educators and their supporters gathered at intersections in Wake County on Wednesday. The groups were among the hundreds of teachers calling out of school to push state lawmakers for higher pay for advanced degrees. Alyssa Johnson, from NC Teachers in Action, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss their demonstration.

The Rotary District 7710’s MLK Day of Service Meal Packing Program, one of the District's largest initiatives, returns for its 19th year on January 19, 2026. Started by the Durham Rotary Club in 2007, the program has provided over 2 million meals to individuals and families experiencing hunger. Kathleen Cody, Regional Coordinator for MLK Day of Service in Raleigh, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss thi...

Wake Tech is starting the spring semester with record-breaking enrollment, as more students choose the college to pursue their educational and career goals. On Wednesday, nearly 27,000 degree-seeking students will begin classes – an increase of over 8% compared to last spring. This includes 22,000 continuing students and more than 4,500 new students. Brian Gann, Wake Tech Vice President of Enrollm...

On the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, there's no official event to memorialize what happened. Instead, the day displayed the divisions that still define Washington, and the country — with the White House releasing its own report with a revised history of what happened. Congresswoman Deborah Ross had just been elected when the riot happened. She joined Jeff Hamlin to...

The most popular New Year’s Resolution is to get healthier – whether by eating better or working out. In fact, a new national survey found that staying generally healthy (36%), living longer and better (30%), and maintaining physical activity (30%) are top health goals, signaling that transformation isn't just about looking better—it's about feeling better. Stacy Anderson, Global Brand President o...

Austin Thompson is accused of killing five people in the Hendingham neighborhood and his trial is scheduled to begin in less than a month. Monday was the deadline for the defense and prosecution to file motions ahead of the trial. The defense submitted a motion asking for the court to block certain cell phone and computer data. Carl Fox, a legal expert and former judge, joined Jeff Hamlin to discu...

The leader of Common Cause NC is stepping down. Bob Phillips will retire at the end of this month. Phillips has helped to shape anti-corruption laws and organize support for voting rights. He has worked with other groups like the League of Women Voters, Democracy NC, and the North Carolina NAACP to remove obstacles to voting. Phillips joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss his decision to step down.

Tyler Hansbrough, the all-time leading scorer in North Carolina men's basketball history, will be enshrined into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame this May. Hansbrough will be one of eleven inductees. He'll be joined by longtime Florida State men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton, Houston Cougars basketball coach Kelvin Sampson, longtime pro golfer Chip Beck, former tennis star John Isner,...

“Breaking the Booth,” a Carolina Theatre of Durham-produced documentary, follows Durham’s youth protesters during the Civil Rights Movement as they fought to desegregate the Carolina Theatre and integrate public and private facilities across the city. On January 19, Breaking the Booth will have its grand opening at the Carolina Theatre. J.D. Jones, the Director of Breaking the Booth, joined Jeff H...

Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested the United States would not take a day-to-day role in governing Venezuela, a turnaround after President Donald Trump announced a day earlier that the U.S. would be running Venezuela following its ouster of leader Nicolás Maduro. Rubio’s statements on TV talk shows seemed designed to temper concerns about whether the assertive American action to achieve regi...

Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro declares himself “innocent” and a “decent man” as he pleads not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. Maduro told a judge in New York on Monday, “I’m innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country." Maduro was making his first appearance in an American courtroom on the narco-terrorism charges the Trump administration used to...

For the past decade, Mount Airy, which is also known as Mayberry, the fictitious town from the "Andy Griffith Show," rings in the new year by raising a giant sheriff's badge. Seth Gibbons, the Director of Programs and Education with the Town of Mt. Airy, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss their annual New Year’s Eve celebration.

Braswell Family Farms is hosting its first-ever New Year’s Eve egg drop on Wednesday night. There will be a fireworks display at this family friendly event that will including music and plenty of food. Trey Braswell of Braswell Family Farms joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the first Egg Drop in Nash County.

Duke will face Arizona State in the Sun Bowl on New Year's Eve. The Blue Devils are making its second appearance in the Sun Bowl. As fate would have it, Arizona State defeated Duke to win the 2014 Sun Bowl with a touchdown in the final minute. The Blue Devils are coming in after winning the ACC Championship. Conor O’Neill is the publisher of Devils Illustrated. He discussed Duke’s matchup against...

The retirement of Thom Tillis. The return of Roy Cooper to the political scene and a state Supreme Court race that seemingly wouldn’t end. Those were among the top political stories from 2025, according to Westen Carolina University Political Science professor Chris Cooper. Cooper, author of the book “Anatomy of a Purple State: A North Carolina Politics Primer,” joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the t...

It’s a tradition in McDowell County. On New Year’s Eve, the Nugget will drop to start a new year. The event features a scavenger hunt, a costume contest, music for street dancing, after the midnight gold nugget drop. OmI Salavaea, from Destination McDowell, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what’s coming up in McDowell County on New Year’s Eve.

President Donald Trump says Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace deal, but he acknowledges that negotiations could still break down and leave the war dragging on for years. Trump spoke Sunday as he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort. Earlier Trump had what he described as an “excellent,” two-and-a-half-hour phone conversation with Russian Pr...

Longtime North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt was laid to rest on Friday. Hunt served more terms as governor than any man in state history. He was also influential with many communities across the state. Steve Rao worked with Jim Hunt on issues regarding Morrisville’s Indian population. Rao joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss his work with Governor Hunt.

CBS News suddenly shelved a “60 Minutes” segment featuring the accounts of Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration to a notorious maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Now one of its own correspondents fears the program is being “dismantled,” and some employees are threatening to quit. Phil Napoli, Professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, joined Jeff Hamlin to...

As the New Year approaches, many families are looking not just for celebrations and resolutions, but for stability, peace of mind, and kindness. In response, a local church is stepping in to offer a night of fun with a purpose. Pastor Johnathan Thomas of Center Point Church in Garner, and his wife Jessica, joined Jon Champion to talk about the church’s New Year’s Eve Sneaker Ball: a community cele...