WPTF Afternoon News

Minor League Cricket is the premier domestic T20 cricket league in the United States, showcasing the country’s top talent and providing a platform for the next generation of American cricketers. Founded in 2021 and sanctioned by USA Cricket, Minor League Cricket bridges grassroots development with elite-level competition. Recently, the organization has held matches in Morrisville. Steve Rao of the...

President Donald Trump has laid out plans to impose tariffs on a range of strategic imports, including timber, wood products and furniture. An executive order signed on Monday includes tariffs of 25% on upholstered furniture and 10% on softwood timber and lumber that take effect October 14, with exceptions for some trading partners, such as the United Kingdom. What impact will it have on North Car...

More homes collapsed into the ocean on the Outer Banks of North Carolina Wednesday night, resulting from a pair of offshore hurricanes that produced large swells and helped bring about the collapse of six other unoccupied homes in a 24-hour span. It marks 19 homes that have collapsed on Outer Banks beaches in the past five years. Laura Moore, Professor at Coastal Environmental Change Lab and a pro...

The government shutdown is having an impact on social program across the state. At the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, the shutdown is taking place at a time when they are struggling to meet demand. Food Bank officials say the federal cuts have already led to the loss of millions of dollars in funding that they would use for items like food and producer. Food Bank CEO Amy Beros jo...

Philip Morris International’s U.S. businesses has announced an investment of $37 million in their manufacturing facility in Wilson. The investment will support expanded operations in Wilson, generating economic activity in the community, reinforcing PMI U.S.’s long-term commitment to American manufacturing, and advancing PMI’s mission of ending cigarette smoking by providing legal-age adults who s...

A barbecue doughnut, pickle juice popsicles and cotton candy iced tea are among the 86 new foods coming to the North Carolina State Fair for 2025. The N.C. State Fair is October 16-26 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Kent Yelverton, the Manager of the North Carolina State Fair, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what’s on this year’s menu.

A lot of government continues during a federal shutdown. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, will continue at least for the month of October. The National Park Service plans to furlough about two-thirds of its employees while keeping parks largely open to visitors during the shutdown that began early Wednesday. A park service contingency plan released Tuesday...

A vote to end the government shutdown has failed. Democrats in the Senate held firm Wednesday to the party’s demands to fund health care subsidies that President Donald Trump and Republicans refuse to provide. But the tally showed cracks in the Democrats’ resolve, leaving next steps uncertain. On day one of the shutdown, blame was being cast on all sides. Michael Bitzer, Catawba College Political...

Five unoccupied houses along the Outer Banks collapsed into the ocean on Tuesday as Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda rumbled in the Atlantic, the National Park Service said, marking the latest private beachfront structures to fall into the surf there in recent years. The homes that collapsed Tuesday were in the island community of Buxton. Residents in the neighborhood were left stunned and helpless....

North Carolina Medicaid has instituted a 5% cut in reimbursement rate for providers, citing funding shortages. That has caused concern that providers will eventually decide that can’t deal with Medicaid anymore. Lisa Poteat is the CEO of the Art of NC, an advocacy organization that provides services with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Poteat joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss...

It’s a busy and exciting time for high school students as testing season kicks off in October. Jon Champion speaks with Priscilla Rodriguez, Senior Vice President of College Readiness Assessments at The College Board — the organization behind the SAT and PSAT. They’ll discuss the critical role these exams play in shaping a student’s academic journey and future opportunities.

Raleigh Wide Open is set for this weekend. This new festival will feature free stages for music, food, families and fun all over downtown Raleigh. Stages in every corner of downtown will ring out with bluegrass, folk, Americana, gospel and the best audience in the world. David Brower, the Executive Director of Raleigh Wide Open, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the new festival.

On the winding roads near Grandfather Mountain, the first streaks of red and gold are beginning to show. But if you wait too long this year, you may miss them. A drier-than-normal fall across much of North Carolina, layered on top of a long-term warming trend, is threatening to dull the brilliance and shorten the window of one of the state’s most cherished autumn traditions. Robert Bardon, Profess...

Two recent studies from the American Cancer Society show a sharp rise in colorectal cancer diagnoses among adults ages 45 to 49 — the very group newly eligible for screenings since the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age from 50 to 45. Dr. Dan Neumann, gastroenterologist with SCA Health, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the importance of early screening.

For the past 10 years, Adams School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has held DEAH DAY. It’s a day service in memory of Deah Barakat, a second-year DDS student, Yusor Abu-Salha, incoming DDS student, and her sister, Razan Abu-Salha, who were killed in 2015 at their apartment in Chapel Hill. Amr Saleh is a student organizer for DEAH Day. Amr joined Jeff Hamlin to disc...

Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted on charges of lying to Congress. The case comes just days after President Donald Trump appeared to call on his attorney general to prosecute Comey and other political rivals. The indictment makes Comey the first senior government official tied to Trump’s long-running grievance over the 2016 Russia investigation to face prosecution. Mac McCorkle, wi...

Medical emergencies in the air may be more common—and more serious—than most travelers realize. With nearly five billion people flying each year, a new study led by Duke Health researchers analyzed more than 77,000 in-flight medical events reported to the world’s busiest airline medical support center. The findings show that while most incidents are minor, thousands of passengers required hospital...

A new documentary is shining a spotlight on Broadway and motherhood. Satisfied , which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, follows Tony and Grammy Award–winning performer Renée Elise Goldsberry, best known for originating the role of Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton . The film explores her personal journey as she balances family life and stardom. It also features North Carolina n...

A new High Point University poll shows mixed feelings among North Carolinians about the nation’s leaders. President Donald Trump received a 41% approval rating, while 47% disapprove and 12% offered no opinion. Closer to home, Governor Josh Stein’s job approval stands at 46%. Dr. Martin Kifer, Director of the High Point University Poll, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the findings.

Jon Champion talks with Pam Springs of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about preventing deadly carbon monoxide poisoning — especially when using generators during storm season. She shares essential safety tips to keep your family protected when the power goes out.

Mark Gangloff UNC Swimming Head Coach

Artificial intelligence is making its way into one university’s curriculum to help teach the next batch of North Carolina nurses. North Carolina Central University is the first in the state to have an immersive technology room on campus. It’s a new way for students to learn and grow in preparation for their career in medicine. Janice Collins-McNeil, an Associate Professor of North Carolina Central...

In a major move to close the skills gap and fuel career opportunities, Wake Tech Community College has joined forces with Autodesk, a global leader in Design and Make technology, and Kimley-Horn, one of the nation’s top planning and design consultancy firms. This collaboration will deliver state-of-the-art software and curricula, immersive and hands-on training from industry leaders, and valuable...

The outlook for the U.S. economy among financial decision-makers improved somewhat in the third quarter of 2025, as uncertainty declined. However, concerns about the impact of tariffs on prices and business performance continued to weigh on firms, according to the CFO Survey, a collaboration of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta. John G...

President Donald Trump has announced his administration is recommending women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless necessary. He claims Tylenol is linked to autism, but experts criticize this as unfounded. Trump also made several erroneous statements including incorrectly stating the history of autism rates and that vaccines play a role. Additionally, medical professionals emphasize that Tyle...