WPTF Afternoon News

The North Carolina Department of Human Services Kindergarten Immunization Dashboard reports 93% of kindergarteners statewide are up to date on required vaccines. However, the vaccination numbers in Durham County are lower compared to neighboring areas. Dr. Tony Moody, a pediatric infectious disease specialist who sees patients with Duke Health, said Durham County’s low numbers are surprising. Dr....

The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority and Pacific Elm Properties are hosting three upcoming public workshops for people to learn more about a new recreation and wellness destination. Potential features of the recreation and wellness destination include water sports, land sports, family-focused activities, retail, food and beverage establishments, and lodging. Michael Landguth, the President and CEO...

A chapter of North Carolina baseball history is coming to a close. Next week, the Carolina Mudcats will play their final homestand at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, their home since 1991. This winter, the team will move to a new stadium in Wilson. But before the transition, the Mudcats are chasing one more milestone. With 12 games left, they sit atop the Carolina League’s Northern Division and ar...

Hurricane Erin has strengthened back into a Category 4 storm and is now just under a thousand miles southeast of Cape Hatteras. Pitt County Emergency Planner Merredith Lovely warns that in past storms, pet owners have put themselves at risk trying to rescue animals, stressing the importance of including pets in evacuation plans. Laura Helock of the National Weather Service joined Jeff Hamlin to di...

All eyes are on Hurricane Erin, now a Category 4 storm. Mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for Ocracoke Island in Hyde County and Hatteras Island in Dare County. While the storm is expected to stay offshore, officials aren’t taking chances by issuing a state of emergency for all of Dare County. Sam Walker, Editor-in-Chief of Sam Walker OBX, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how the Outer Banks...

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump say they hope recent talks at the White House with Ukrainian and European leaders could lead to trilateral negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting followed Trump’s sit-down with Putin last week, where Trump suggested it was now on Zelenskyy to agree to concessions that could bring the conflic...

SNAP benefits help 1.4 million North Carolinians put food on the table. Amy Beros is the CEO of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. She says there are more than 600,000 people in the 34 counties her agencies serve facing hunger every day. That number is up from 450,000 people two years ago. Beros joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how the loss of federal funding is impacting the food b...

Most stocks are falling on Wall Street following a disappointing update on inflation. But gains for Amazon and other influential Big Tech companies are helping to mask the losses on Thursday, and the S&P 500 edged down by just 0.1% after setting an all-time high the day before. The hotter-than-expected inflation report forced traders to second guess the widespread consensus that the Federal Re...

Raleigh Exec has signed agreements with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to provide customs services — clearing the way for international flights in and out of the growing general aviation airport. Details about when customs services will begin and how they will be administered are now being finalized and will be announced soon. The jetport has always been a final destination for flights into th...

A new study shows that a simplified two-dose antibiotic treatment may be just as effective as traditional long-term IV therapy for serious staph bloodstream infections, offering patients a safer and easier path to recovery. Led by researchers at Duke Health and funded by the National Institutes of Health, the study tested the antibiotic dalbavancin against the standard of care – antibiotics delive...

There’s a month remaining in the Durham Bulls season. But Bulls management has all sorts of activities planned in downtown Durham throughout the offseason. And the Bulls have announced its schedule for the 2026 season so fans have something to look forward to when next spring rolls around. Mike Birling, the Vice President of Capital Broadcasting Company Sports, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what’s...

A controversial proposal in Glenwood South is one step closer to reality after the Raleigh Planning Commission unanimously recommended Raleigh City Council to rezone 2.6 acres northeast of Peace and West Streets. Right now, that area is zoned for up to 12 stories. Raleigh Development Company wants to create a mixed-use building up to 30 stories high in the area adjacent to Smoky Hollow Park. Larry...

North Carolina has the eighth-worst nursing shortage in the nation, a study has found. According to the study from CheapNursingCEUs, North Carolina has 1,674 nurses per 100,000 residents. There are 185,007 in the state overall, with 162,197 registered nurses and 22,810 nurse practitioners. Bonnie Davis Meadows, President-Elect of the North Carolina Nurses Association, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss...

At the age of 67, a Raleigh resident has accomplished his dream of writing a book that’s getting rave reviews. Buddy Howard spent his life organizing financial mergers and acquisitions who spent eight years writing about his days from Wake Forest University. Now, he’s turned into a gripping thriller called “The Burden of Evidence.” It’s earning five-star reviews as it nears publication. Howard joi...

Wake Tech has announced it will be launching a new radio technician program in partnership with the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters. According to the school, the 10-week, the NCAB Broadcast Technology Academy program will provide students with the technical skills and knowledge necessary for a career in the broadcasting industry through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-o...

NC By Train continues to experience growth in the first half of 2025. The state-supported intercity passenger rail service saw an increase for the first half of 2025 compared to ridership for the first half of 2024. NC By Trai has carried over 355,000 total passengers in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Jason Orthner, N.C. Department of Transportation Rail Division dir...

A recent study from Stanford Medicine shows death from heart attacks have dropped overall, but heart attacks are becoming more prevalent in young adults. A student at East Carolina University, and member of the track team, lived through a heart attack at just 21-years-old. The experience has turned her into an advocate for AED and CPR training, which can make a life-or-death difference. Hailey Yen...

The National Institute of Minority Economic Development is holding its conference in Pinehurst this week. The institute was formed in 1986 with a purpose to diversify North Carolina’s business base as a strategy for expanding economic opportunity. Now, 35 years later, the institute remains the only organization of its kind in the country focused on business and economic growth through effective bu...

Five weeks after Tropical Depression Chantal, much of Chapel Hill’s Eastgate Shopping Center remains shut down. Longtime Triangle businesses are still unable to reopen, with their future uncertain. The storm caused more than $26 million in damage. Dale Sela, Broker-in-Charge of Blue Moon Properties, is working with business owners to get back on their feet and joined Jeff Hamlin to talk about what...

With school starting soon, Raleigh families are trying to make the most of the last days of summer. Downtown offers hidden gems and kid-friendly spots, from restaurants with playful atmospheres to sweet treats and family activities. Illeana Rodriguez, Vice President of Community Relations for the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, joined Jeff Hamlin to share ideas for enjoying downtown before the school y...

After 28 years, the Wilson Tobs have finally won their first Coastal Plain League championship, rallying from a 9-1 deficit to beat the Forest City Owls 10-9 and claim the Pettit Cup. But the celebration is bittersweet — Saturday may have been their last game at historic Fleming Stadium, in use since 1939, and possibly their final days in the CPL. Mike Bell, the Tobs’ General Manager, joined Jeff...

During the height of COVID-19, Dr. David Wohl recalled UNC hospital wards filled with patients “hungry for air.” He said the greatest lifesaver was the rapid development of mRNA vaccines. Now, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has canceled nearly $500 million in contracts and grants for mRNA vaccine development. Dr. Wohl joined Jeff Hamlin to share his reaction to Kennedy’s...

Jennifer King is an NFL history maker. This North Carolina native is the first black woman to be an assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL), coaching for the Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, and Chicago Bears. She talks to Jon Champion about the upcoming season as she joins Coach Trei Oliver and the coaching staff at North Carolina Central University.

The "Sturgeon Moon" is the name for the full moon that occurs in August. This name is historically linked to the time when sturgeon fish were most readily caught, particularly in the Great Lakes region. It also marks the start of the harvesting season for some cultures. What does a Sturgeon Moon look like? Amy Sayle from the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what to...

A major road in Apex will be closed for the near future. Over the last two days, six inches of rain has fallen in Apex, leading to the culvert at Olive Chapel Road failing. The N.C. DOT is looking for ways to accelerate plans to replace the culvert. Apex mayor Jacques Gilbert says the road will be closed and there's no timetable for its reopening. Gilbert joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how much dam...