WPTF Afternoon News

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday it is keeping its interest rate unchanged for the fourth-straight time but signaled that a rate hike is ahead. Trump appointee Kevin Warsh led his first policy meeting on Wednesday as Fed chairman and quickly made his mark. Gerald Cohen, a UNC-Chapel Hill Economics Professor, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the Fed’s decision.

There are plenty of Juneteenth celebrations scheduled for Durham on Friday. Susan Amey, the CEO of Discover Durham, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what is on the slate

The Minister Paul Scott was a prominent Durham activist who always had his eye on the next generation of youth. He organized book drives for children and was a champion of peace. Sadly, Scott passed away last week. The Reverend Carl Kenney, an assistant journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the life of Paul Scott.

The parade route for the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup celebration has been released. On Saturday morning, the parade will begin at the intersection of Hillsborough Street and St. Mary's Street in Raleigh. The parade stands to mean more dollars for Raleigh businesses. Jennifer Martin of Shop Local Raleigh joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how beneficial the parade will be.

With no end to our drought in sight, Raleigh water officials will crack down on the water restrictions already in place, with the impact on the water supply and the agriculture industry becoming more of a factor. Ed Buchan, Raleigh Environmental Coordinator, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss any potential restrictions on the table.

The first thing anyone does when stepping into their car this time of year is blast the air conditioner. In Durham on Wednesday, there was a display to spread awareness about preventing hot car deaths. There were 50 pairs of shoes, each representing a child in North Carolina who died in a hot car since 1998. Alan Buchanan, Director of Safe Kinds North Carolina, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how pr...

Fatherhood plays a vital role in building strong families and strong communities. This weekend, an event in the Triangle will bring together fathers, family advocates, and community leaders to focus on that important mission. Jon Champion talks with Vanessa Hickmon, Executive Director of the Family Resource Center South Atlantic Region about the upcoming NC Fatherhood Conference, the work her orga...

Cory Lavalette has written about the Carolina Hurricanes throughout Rod Brind’Amour’s tenure as head coach. Now, he’s about to publish a book about the Canes Stanley Cup season called “Perfect Storm: The Hurricanes Commemorative Championship Book.” He joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the atmosphere after the Canes won the Stanley Cup on Sunday.

As local governments continue to grapple with challenges like inflation and ongoing public safety concerns such as mass shootings, the personal-finance company WalletHub has released its report on 2026’s Best and Worst Run Cities in America. Chip Lupo, WalletHub writer, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss their results.

The Rialto Theater was one of several venues to host a Stanley Cup Watch Party as the Carolina Hurricanes took the championship. At Glenwood South on Monday night, the Stanley Cup was in full display, along with many of the Hurricanes players. Hayes Permar, owner of the Rialto, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the atmosphere.

An initial agreement between the United States and Iran to extend their shaky ceasefire is inching toward a formal signing. That's despite questions Monday over the fate of Tehran’s nuclear program and an offensive by Israel in Lebanon that could prolong the fighting and scuttle the deal. Mac McCorkle, from the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the deal...

Brian LeBlanc wrote and talked about the Carolina Hurricanes during times when the fates of the team weren’t as rich. He was there when the Canes played home games in half-empty buildings and commonly missed the playoffs. LeBlanc still is an avid Canes fan from his home in Florida. He joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the Canes run to the Stanley Cup.

The Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup concluded what may have been the wildest spring in North Carolina Sports history. From the departures of two prominent college basketball coaches to memorable NCAA Tournament runs by the Duke men’s and women’s basketball teams, it was a time to remember. Brett Friedlander of Straight Up Sports.net joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss a memorable time.

Even after winning the Stanley Cup, the Canes future is blindingly blight. Carolina has four first-round draft picks over the next three years. Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Nikolaj Ehlers, Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, Jaccob Slavin and K'Andre Miller are all signed until 2031, at least. Mike Solarte, Sports Anchor for Spectrum News One, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what’s ahead for the Canes.

This Saturday has officially been proclaimed Carolina Hurricanes Day by Raleigh mayor Janet Cowell. On Saturday morning, there will be a victory parade starting downtown after Carolina won the Stanley Cup. It's the second major professional sports championship in North Carolina history. Former Hurricanes forward Shane Willis, now Carolina’s Director of Youth Hockey & Community Outreach, joined...

If you are a fan of the hit series "Bridgerton" Gayle Hurd has a treat for all of you in the "Ton"! A fundraiser with a regency twist from Pure Life Theatre!

Graham Platner won the Maine Democrat primary for U.S. Senate. channeling voter frustration over the high cost of living and overcoming revelations about his past to set up a high-stakes race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Chris Cooper, a Western Carolina political science professor, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss this high-stakes matchup

The North Carolina Baseball team is off to Omaha for the College World Series. A sendoff for the squad held in Chapel Hill this afternoon. They will open against Ole Miss on Friday night. It's the 13th trip to the College World Series for the Tar Heels. The Tar Heels fought back from a run down in the ninth inning to defeat Southern Cal and win the Chapel Hill Super Regional on Sunday. Dave Nathan...

Pro wrestler Danhausen has gained a reputation online for cursing pro sports teams. He decided to put one on the Carolina Hurricanes during their Stanley Cup Finals series against the Vegas Golden Knights. So one Canes fan stepped up and put his money where his mouth was…and straight into Danhausen’s pocket. Preston Brown joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what happened to life the Danhausen curse.

The Chairwoman of the Free Our Spirits NC Campaign is calling for a change in North Carolina’s liquor laws. Currently, more than $690 million a year is generated in taxes from liquor sales. Joyce Sullivan joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss why now is the time for change.

Visit North Carolina says the Carolina Hurricanes' run to the Stanley Cup Finals could bring up to $15 million in local revenue, and the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce says there will be long-term benefits. Kyle Touchstone, Raleigh’s Economic Development Director, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the boom.

The National Association of Realtors' May Existing Home Sales report has been released. Bankrate Principal Analyst Ted Rossman examined the report, how it shapes the approach for prospective buyers currently navigating the homebuying process, and how it could impact their shopping and financing strategies. He spoke with Jeff Hamlin.

The Raleigh area is off to its driest start in more than 140 years, as North Carolina’s drought has become extreme across much of the Triangle, according to data from the National Weather Service. That may force farmers to make some difficult decisions. Jeffrey Dorfman, Professor of N.C. State’s Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how the drought will im...

Fans at the Lenovo Center say a viral "tarps off" trend helped spark a surge of energy during Game two of the Stanley Cup Finals in Raleigh last Thursday. Canes fan Jason Waterstradt and his 9-year-old son Mason helped whip the crowd into a frenzy. Jason and Mason joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the wild scene in Lenovo.

The National Weather Service is forecasting the first major heat wave of the year in the Central and Eastern United States this week, potentially endangering the health of tens of millions of people and affecting economic activity. Ashley Ward, Director of Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss ways to stay safe during the hot weather.