WPTF Afternoon News

The 16th Annual African American Cultural Festival returns to downtown Raleigh this Labor Day weekend. Festival board member Dia Harris joins Jon Champion to share what makes this free, family-friendly event special — and why it’s a celebration the whole community should be part of.

The final chapter of an influential piece of North Carolina baseball history is going on this week. It’s the final homestand for the Carolina Mudcats at Five County Stadium in Zebulon against the Delmarva Shorebirds. After 35 years in Zebulon, the Mudcats will move to Wilson at the conclusion of the season. The Mudcats find themselves in a pennant chase in the Carolina League's Northern Division....

A procedure which uses living heart valves may have expanded application as a treatment for various types of pediatric heart valve conditions. The research was led by pediatric heart specialists at Duke Health. It looked at 19 children with various heart conditions who received a partial heart transplant, a procedure which uses living valves from donor hearts. Dr. Douglas Overbey, one of the autho...

President Donald Trump 50% tariffs on India has officially taken effect. Trump started the tariff rate at 25% but doubled it earlier this month as punishment for India buying Russian oil, making it one of the highest of the many tariffs imposed during Trump's ongoing global trade war. Steve Rao, a member of the Morrisville Town Council, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the impact the tariffs have on...

A new study from the website CouponBirds shows North Carolina teachers can spend around $1,600 a year on school supplies for their classroom. That’s a 22% increase from last year, when teachers spent on average around $1,300 during the school year. The North Carolina Association of Educators believes some of this could be alleviated with help from legislators instead of heavily relying on the comm...

Authorities say a shooter opened fire with a rifle through the windows of a Minneapolis Catholic church and struck children celebrating Mass during the first week of school. It’s something that sparks concern throughout North Carolina schools. Just two years ago, UNC-Chapel Hill had a shooting on campus, leaving a faculty member dead. Karen Fairley is the Executive Director for the NC Center for S...

It’s one of the most anticipated college football season-openers ever. North Carolina will open the Bill Belichick era against TCU on Monday night. The eyes of the nation will be on Kenan Stadium as Belichick coaches his first college game. In addition, North Carolina State will face East Carolina in Raleigh. It’s the last scheduled trip to Raleigh for the Pirates for the foreseeable future. Dave...

The University of Arkansas has become the latest target of active shooter hoaxes, echoing similar threats nationwide. As North Carolina recalls past tragedies, UNC has bolstered its emergency protocols, emphasizing preparedness against swatting threats. Former FBI Director Chris Swecker said, real danger or not, the response is the same. Chris Swecker, a former FBI Director who is now based in Cha...

With Labor Day weekend marking the unofficial end of summer, families and friends across the country are gearing up for road trips to celebrate the holiday. While the long weekend promises adventure, preparation and safety remain essential to ensuring travelers reach their destinations without incident. Last Labor Day holiday weekend, AAA responded to more than 383,000 calls from stranded motorist...

According to police, a driver is dead after a cargo train collided with his car in Clayton on Monday morning. According to the Clayton Police Department, the incident occurred around 10:50 a.m. at the intersection of Central Street and Main Street. North Carolina Operation Lifesaver is a nonprofit public safety education and awareness organization dedicated to reducing collisions, fatalities and i...

President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have turned negative in North Carolina, according to a new Catawba-YouGov Survey. While 45 percent of North Carolinians approve of the president, 54 percent disapprove — the highest negative rating across three Catawba-YouGov surveys conducted so far in his second term. Michael Bitzer, Catawba College Political Science professor, joined Jeff Hamlin to disc...

The Hussman School of Journalism’s latest documentary highlights the North Carolina women’s lacrosse team’s remarkable journey from an injury-plagued 2024 season to an undefeated 2025 run that secured the program’s fourth national championship under head coach Jenny Levy. Professor Charlie Tuggle joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the production.

It’s back-to-school day for Wake, Durham, Orange, Johnston and several other districts. In Wake County alone, more than 161,000 students are beginning classes across 203 schools. This year also marks the opening of four brand-new schools, including Felton Grove High School in Apex. Keith Poston, Chairman of the WakeEd Partnership, joined Jeff Hamlin to share what’s new and different for the academ...

June was the hottest on record, July topped it as the warmest ever, yet August has taken a surprising turn. As many central North Carolina schools welcomed students back on Monday, the weather felt unusually mild. And heading into Labor Day weekend, cooler-than-normal temperatures are expected to stick around. Wes Hohenstein, Chief Meteorologist for CBS17, joined Jeff Hamlin to talk about what has...

Hurricane Erin has moved on, but its impact on the Outer Banks remains. Dare County officials have launched a staged reentry process for residents after mandatory evacuations were ordered ahead of the storm. The region is no stranger to weather disruptions — last year alone, NC-12 was shut down at least three times due to winter storms, with each overwash bringing both challenges and costs. Photog...

Dr. Elizabeth Kagan Arleo, physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, joins Gayle Hurd to discuss her new book Bye-Bye, Mama's Milk . She shares insights on the many benefits of breastfeeding, from supporting physical health to strengthening emotional bonds.

Humpy Wheeler has passed away. A native of Belmont, Wheeler was the President of Charlotte Motor Speedway for 33 years and cemented the Queen City as a racing Mecca. Working closely with Bruton Smith, Wheeler transformed CMS into a world class facility that attracted a wide range of fans and corporate sponsors. Wheeler garnered the nickname "The P.T. Barnum of Motorsports" with three-ring circuses...

North Wilkesboro is officially back on the NASCAR Cup schedule. NASCAR has released its Cup Series schedule for 2026, which includes a return to Wilkesboro Speedway on July 19. The Window World 400 will be the first time that Wilkesboro has hosted a Cup Series points race since 1996. The past two years, North Wilkesboro has hosted NASCAR’s All-Star Race. Thomas Salley, the President of Visit Wilke...

Wake Tech President Scott Rawls welcome the largest class in school history with golden tickets. It was the first day of classes at Wake Tech on Monday. Five lucky students received the golden tickets, worth $250 courtesy of the Wake Tech Foundation. Gabriella Morero got one of the tickets. Wake Tech started the fall semester with the largest enrollment in school history. They're student body is u...

Hurricane Erin is moving northeast, away from North Carolina's coast, on Thursday morning, but flooding impacts will linger in the Outer Banks. In Buxton, floodwaters covered the streets in a Hatteras Village oceanfront neighborhood, and video near the Hatteras Inn in Buxton shows driveways covered in sand and damage to the lower level of a beach home. N.C. Highway 12 is closed. Sam Walker, Editor...

There’s potential for big changes in Major League Baseball. Commissioner Rob Manfred has not only discussed expansion, but radial divisional realignment. There’s potential for eight division with four teams each. And lots of discussion about Nashville being the first Major League expansion franchise since Tampa Bay and Arizona in 1999. Ryan Freese has been a vocal proponent of bringing a Major Lea...

Mandatory evacuations are underway for parts of the Outer Banks, including Dare and Hyde counties and various islands, as Hurricane Erin draws closer. Storm surge flooding and tropical storm conditions are expected, and the Outer Banks could see waves between 15 and 20 feet. Jenni Koontz, a photographer shooting around Hatteras Island for nearly 17 years, capture Erin's opening blows, including at...

While the eye of Hurricane Erin is expected to stay in the Atlantic, it is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the North Carolina coast. On Tuesday, crews with the North Carolina Department of Transportation worked to stack sand at least 10 feet high in spots along the ocean in Nags Head due to the expected storm surge. Corey Davis, State Climatologist, joined Jeff Ham...

Hurricane Erin is forecast to stay hundreds of miles offshore but is still sending waves 20 feet or greater crashing over vulnerable sand dunes on the islands. Officials have ordered evacuations of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands even without a hurricane warning because that tiny ribbon of highway called N.C. 12 will likely be torn up and washed out in several places, isolating villages for days or...

Jonas Pope has worked as a sportswriter for the Raleigh News and Observer. He has also organized the Dads Stroll Club in Knightdale. They meet on the third Saturday of each month for about an hour. Jonas emphasizes that the group not only bonds and has fun with the kids, but it’s also about forming partnerships beyond the park. Pope joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how he started the local chapter of...