WPTF Afternoon News

Raleigh mayor Janet Cowell says Customs and Border Patrol are in Raleigh. It comes as agents already conducting operations in Charlotte have sparked controversy and fear. A statement from Charlotte-Mecklenburg School officials say 20,935 students were absent from school on Monday. Cowell has emphasized that Raleigh Police don't participate in immigration enforcement. Gwen Frisbie-Fulton, a volunte...

Federal immigration agents were on the ground in Raleigh and conducted operations in the area Tuesday. The move comes as Border Patrol agents conducted operations in Charlotte over the weekend. Protests were held across Charlotte before and during the agents' presence. State Senator Graig Meyer joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the feedback he’s received about the agent’s activities.

Apex mayor Jacques Gilbert released a statement regarding saying the town is aware of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducting operations in the Triangle area. Gilbert said the federal activities are not coordinated in partnership with the town. He also said Apex police do not participate in federal immigration enforcement efforts. Steve Rao is a member of the Morrisville Town Council w...

Student absences were expected to be up Tuesday in Wake County schools amid reports of Border Patrol agents beginning operations in the Raleigh area. Attendance has dropped in other school districts that saw increased operations by federal immigration agents. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is unofficially reporting that 30,399 students were absent on Monday — 21% of its enrollment. Tamika Walker Ke...

A recent survey from AAA shows that North Carolinians are getting an early start on their holiday travel plans. According to AAA, 58% of residents plan to book overnight trips this holiday season. Tiffany Wright, a spokesperson for AAA Carolinas, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Thanksgiving travel plans.

His voice was synonymous with Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling across North Carolina and the entire country. Bob Caudle has passed away. Caudle started working with Jim Crockett Promotions in the 1950s. He began his broadcasting career in Wilmington on television. After a stint in Savannah, Georgia, Caudle became the weatherman on WRAL-TV, where the National Wrestling Alliance Atlantic Coast Wr...

With one year until the midterm election, Democratic former Governor Roy Cooper continues to lead in North Carolina’s US Senate race. According to the latest Carolina Journal Poll, a survey of 600 likely voters in North Carolina that was conducted November 9–10 by Harper Polling, Cooper has 47%. Former Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley has 38%. Mitch Kokai, a spokesman for the John Locke F...

The Salvation Army of Wake County is experiencing a growing demand for services as more local families face hardship due to job loss, illness, and rising costs. Our nightly Community Kitchen now serves an average of 160 meals each evening, up from 120 just months ago. That’s why the Salvation Army of Wake County is calling on the community to help meet this growing need. Christine Rogers, from the...

The House is moving toward a vote on releasing files from the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Republican leaders have no choice but to allow a vote after a petition on the Epstein bill reached the needed 218 signatures. The move comes at a time when new documents have raised questions about Epstein and his associates, including a 2019 email mentioning President Donald Trump. Me...

The doors open Saturday for the 2025 Chinese Lantern Festival at Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre. This is the festival's 10th year and the popular walk-through event has become one of North Carolina's favorite holiday traditions. Chinese artisans have crafted all-new displays for the 2025 festival. William Lewis, Cary Cultural Arts Manager, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss this year’s event.

The UNC Board of Trustees has voted to increase tuition across the board for both in-state and out-of-state students. It will be the first hike since 2017. It comes 24 hours after a board committee shot down the idea of raising tuition for in-state undergraduates. Some of the trustees insisted that tuition remain flat for in-state undergraduates, but the vote was 6-5 for raising tuition by 3%. Ado...

A few dozen people gathered at UNC-Chapel Hill campus to protest the Trump administration's proposed "Compact for Academic Excellence." Chancellor Lee Roberts said the university would not sign the compact "as written." Kiersten Ray Hackman was one of the UNC students to participate in the protest.

What are your rights when flights are cancelled or changed ? Bruce Ferrell delves into the topic with Jeremy Maddox, Partner at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin

It was January weather in mid-November. There were snow flurries across North Carolina on Monday night. Over at the Swift Creek Nursery in Clayton, horticulturist Phil Beaumont had to put blankets over more tender plants on Monday night. Beaumont says he’s also using the cold weather to his benefit as they prepare to wrap up for the fall season. He talked with Jeff Hamlin to discuss his plans to p...

Fred Black is a military veteran who spent three decades in the US armed forces who now dedicates his time to advancing veterans’ interests and supporting their needs. He has worked to promote nonprofits, including years of service on the Strowd Roses Foundation Board and since 2005, he has been part of the effort to build a veterans memorial in Orange County. Fred Black joined Jeff Hamlin to disc...

North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger faces Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page in the GOP primary to represent Senate District 26. It's Berger's first Republican challenger in years. Berger has represented Rockingham County in the state Senate for 25 years, becoming the chamber’s leader in 2011 and subsequently leading Republican measures to cut taxes, slash regulations, and rewrite state polic...

Marketing behind popular e-cigarettes has widely touted the products as “safer” than traditional cigarettes. New research shows that’s not the case. Margeaux Marbrey, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Duke University School of Medicine, has been researching reproductive health for 15 years. Marbrey joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the study.

The impasse between ESPN and YouTube TV continues. For the second straight weekend, football fans who rely on YouTubeTV had to look for other avenues after ESPN removed all programming because of another carrier dispute. Not only that, but all ABC affiliates can’t be found on YouTubeTV and may not return any time soon. Demetri Ravanos is a member of the Ovies and Giglio podcast. He joined Jeff Ham...

The Senate has taken the first step to end the government shutdown after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies. This angered many Democrats who say Americans want them to continue the fight. In a test vote that is the first in a series of procedural maneuvers, the Senate voted late Sunday to move toward passing compromise legislatio...

A research lab here is tackling a critical conundrum: why highly qualified veterans remain underemployed despite widespread public support. The Veteran Transitions Research Lab at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business is pioneering a national movement to understand and improve how military veterans transition into civilian careers. Sean Kelly is the co-Director of the lab. He joined Jeff Haml...

The family of a WakeMed police officer continues to mourn his death. 59-year-old Roger Smith was shot and killed during a struggle with another man while on duty Saturday morning. WakeMed and Garner police haven't said what led up to the struggle, but the SBI called Smith's actions "heroic" and said in a statement: "had it not been for his heroic actions to neutralize the threat, there could have...

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. More than seven million Americans are living with this progressive condition. Jon Champion talks with Dr. Wendell Helveston of the Mississippi Neurological Institute about a recently approved maintenance treatment that’s offering new hope for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

The North Carolina Attorney General’s Office is warning residents about scam calls claiming you’ve missed jury duty. Jon Champion talks with WPTF reporter Shadota Hargett-Hill about a troubling incident that hit close to home, and her message for others to stay alert.

Families across the Triangle are facing another financial challenge, rising healthcare premiums. While several factors are influencing those costs, experts say the ongoing government shutdown is not helping. As of Wednesday, November 5, the federal shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history. Gerald Cohen, Professor at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the impact...

President Donald Trump celebrated his economic achievements on the anniversary of his election victory. Speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami, Trump claimed the U.S. economy is thriving. Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi has announced her current Congressional term will be her last. Steven Greene, N.C. State Political Science Professor, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the results of Election Night a...