WPTF Afternoon News

As of the start of December, if you have Cigna health insurance and you use UNC Health Systems, you'll have to find a new health provider or risk paying much more money. After months of negotiations, the two sides could not come to an agreement before Sunday's deadline. The move leaves roughly 65,000 people across the state who need to make a decision for their health care. Rose Hoban, the Editor...

The happiest time of year can sometimes be the most difficult for people dealing with loss, living with mental illness or coping with stress and isolating themselves during the holiday season. Aretha Justice, a volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Health Wake County, deals with depression that used to get worse during the holidays. Justice joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how to treat depre...

The Alzheimer’s Association Eastern North Carolina chapter is encouraging all North Carolina residents to try its new Brain Health Habit Builder, a free web-based tool designed to empower individuals to assess their current habits and take proactive steps to improve their brain health. Katherine Lambert, Regional Vice President of the Alzheimer’s Association of North Carolina, joined Jeff Hamlin t...

If you’ve seen the new season of Stranger Things on Netflix, there are some locations that may seem familiar if you know Wake and Durham Counties. The radio station from Stranger Things season 5 is based on a real-life place in Cary. And It is not abandoned. Heather Leah, from Hidden Historian.com , joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the local inspirations of the new Stranger Things season.

He’s been courtside for Duke’s 1994 run to the Final Four in Charlotte. He was on the sidelines for N.C. State’s win over Notre Dame in the 2002 Gator Bowl and has provided analysis for the Wolfpack from the Lenovo Center and Carter-Finley Stadium. Now, Tony Haynes is retiring. Haynes was honored during a ceremony in the Wolfpack’s final regular season game against North Carolina on Saturday. Hayn...

Dave Doeren will open his 14th season as N.C. State's football coach in Brazil. The Wolfpack will face Virginia in the first-ever college football game played in South America. The Wolfpack and the Cavaliers will tangle at Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 29, 2026. Cory Smith, Editor of Pack Pride, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the Wolfpack playing in Brazil.

Siembra NC has received multiple credible reports that ICE is deploying fifty agents to the Raleigh area this week. ICE’s operation in Raleigh comes in the wake of the direct invitation of North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall, who last Thursday told a reporter “ICE and CBP are doing a great job, we don’t have much to say to them except we just ask that they come back.” Emanuel Gomez-Gonzalez,...

The fiancé of the NC State University professor who was hit and killed while crossing the street is speaking for the first time. Natalia Duque-Wilckens was hit by a car just blocks from NC State’s Campus at the intersection of Pogue Street and Clark Avenue. The driver, 19-year-old Jack Etheridge, is facing multiple charges, including misdemeanor death by vehicle. Trevor Huffman has started a schol...

The Eta Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity distributed gift cards to families on Tuesday afternoon. The community-focused effort reflects the chapter’s ongoing commitment to service and supporting local families during the holiday season. William Bruton, President of the Eta Sigma Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the giveaway.

More than two years ago, NC Modernist identified a George Matsumoto-designed house in Raleigh's Country Club Hills as threatened. It had been purchased and was going to be demolished. George Smart with NC Modernist started a campaign to try to save the house; Melinda and Andy Knowles agreed to buy the house and relocate it to West Raleigh. George Smart joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the quest to sa...

Winter is a little more than one month away. This year, winter may begin during a La Nina climate pattern that helps drive temperatures and precipitation across the globe as stronger trade winds bring cool ocean upwelling off the coast of Ecuador in South America. Historically, about 64% of La Niña winters bring us below-normal snowfall and above-normal temperatures. Corey Davis, state Assistant C...

Santa's mailbox in Cary is officially open for the holiday season. The bright red mailbox can be found in Downtown Cary Park — all decked out for the holidays. The Town of Cary expects to process more than a thousand letters to Santa this year from near and far. Cary’s Santa’s Mailbox is open until December 24. Joy Ennis, General Manager for the Downtown Cary Park, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Sa...

He was known as the Durham Bull who electrified crowds at high school basketball games across Durham, Orange and Wake Counties in the late 1980s. Rodney Rogers eventually became the 1991 ACC Rookie of the Year and the 1993 ACC Player of the Year at Wake Forest. On Friday, Rogers passed away from natural causes due to a spinal cord injury suffered following an ATV accident in 2008. David Hackney is...

A North Carolina Central University alum has just released his transformative new book. Charlie Williams has written “Legacy is Monumental.” He outlines 10 practical mental health strategies that inspire readers to turn pressure into purpose. From recognizing hardships’ lessons to building community, his journey highlights mental health as a foundation for success. Williams joined Jeff Hamlin to d...

Tamara Terry is delivering a message of hope to people anxious to learn how to move forward. She’s turning her situation into a positive opportunity for change. She was laid off from RTI International and just a couple of months later started FDW Strategic Solutions. Terry discussed why she started the organization.

As Thanksgiving approaches and grocery prices continue to rise, one lesser-known factor is a tariff on tinplate steel, the material used to make cans for everyday staples. Jon Champion talks with Ken Blackwell, Board Member of the Club for Growth and former Ohio Treasurer and Secretary of State, about how the policy is hitting family budgets and what solutions could help ease the strain.

U.S. employers added a surprisingly solid 119,000 jobs in September, the government said, issuing a key economic report that had been delayed seven weeks by the federal government shutdown. The Labor Department also said Thursday that the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% from 4.3% in August. Mike Walden, N.C. State Economics Professor Emeritus, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the latest figures.

Amid Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions across North Carolina, a group of faith leaders gathered to denounce the actions. Nonprofit Siembra NC, an organization that opposes United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said it has received six calls about detentions in the Triangle. The nonprofit believes the number of people detained in the Triangle is higher. Iliana Santillan of Si...

The Turkey Trot 5K returns for its ninth year on Thanksgiving morning to Dorothea Dix Park, benefiting Healing Transitions, a Raleigh nonprofit providing recovery services for people struggling with addiction. Chris Budnick, Executive Director of Healing Transitions, discussed the event on Turkey Day with Jeff Hamlin.

The 81st Raleigh Christmas Parade is set for this Saturday. The parade will kick off the holiday festivities at 9:30 on Saturday morning. Jennifer Martin, the Executive Director of Shop Local Raleigh, discussed the annual event with Bruce Ferrell.

FestiBull of Lights transforms the Durham Bulls Athletic Park into a dazzling winter wonderland! Stroll through thousands of twinkling lights synchronized to festive music, creating a magical holiday experience for all ages. The grand opening is on Thursday. Mike Birling, the Vice President of CBC Sports, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how DBAP is now lit up.

Every minute counts when someone’s heart stops. In the U.S., more than 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest each year, and fewer than 10% survive. Most of these emergencies happen at home, far from lifesaving equipment. Now, for the first time in the United States, a coalition of researchers, public safety agencies, and community partners – led by Duke Health is testing a new way to save lives. Dr...

The immigration enforcement across Durham County from border patrol agents is intensifying. Federal agents in bulletproof vests walked around the North Hills apartment complex and detained at least one person. There's still anxiety around the community. Durham mayor Leonardo Williams joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what he’s heard from residents.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents shifted their immigration enforcement focus away from Raleigh and may stay in Charlotte, according to a source familiar with operations. This comes after sparking fear and protests across the Triangle. Last weekend, the activity in Charlotte sparked protests in the Queen City and in Raleigh. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden joined Jeff Hamlin to...

This week is North Carolina Antibiotic Awareness Week. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is calling attention to the importance of correct use of antibiotics, and the threat antibiotic resistance poses to people, animals, plants and their shared environment. Megan Davies, a spokesperson for the State Department of Health and Human Services, joined the Jeff Hamlin to discus...