WPTF Afternoon News

Orange High School Principal Jason Johnson has been named the 2025 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction presented the award to the 27-year educator during a luncheon in Cary, where he was joined by other regional finalists and several Orange County Schools leaders. During his acceptance speech, Johnson became emotional as he thanked...

Former President Joe Biden's office has announced that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The diagnosis came after the 82-year-old reported urinary symptoms, which led doctors to discover a nodule on his prostate. On Friday, it was confirmed that the cancer had spread to the bone, indicating a more aggressive form of the disease. However, his office noted that the cancer appears to be hor...

The excitement of pregnancy turned to shock and fear for a Lumberton couple after doctors diagnosed their unborn twin sons with Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), a potentially deadly condition. A laser surgery at UNC-Chapel Hill before the boys’ birth saved their lives. Irene and Kevin Howell call their twin sons their miracle babies. TTTS occurs in about 10-15% of identical twins who shar...

The Memorial Day Click It or Ticket campaign is officially underway in North Carolina. The statewide initiative from the Governor’s Highway Safety Program kicked off on May 19 and runs through June 1. The annual campaign focuses on public outreach and increased enforcement of the state's seat belt laws to keep drivers safe during the busy holiday season and upcoming summer months. Mark Ezell, the...

It’s a full weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway. For the second straight year, NASCAR has brought its All-Star Race back to North Wilkesboro. The origins of North Wilkesboro’s connection to NASCAR traces back to the 1940s. In 1996, NASCAR ran its last race at the Speedway, opting to go to Texas. For over 20 years, the track was left abandoned as major stock car racing was highlighted in bigger ci...

The Rialto Theater is keeping things salty as the Carolina Hurricanes series with the Washington Capitals continues. On the marquee of the venerable theater has been several messages aimed at Capitals players, namely Tom Wilson and Alexander Ovechkin. In fact, the marquee has posted several messages dating back to last winter, including one aimed at former Hurricane Mikko Rantanen, who was traded...

In a stunning move, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has removed Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and other deceased players from Major League Baseball's permanently ineligible list. Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader, and Jackson are now eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Rose was banned for gambling in 1989 by Bart Giamatti. Jackson and seven of his teammates o...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness of the importance of mental wellness and the reality of mental illness for 1 in 4 North Carolinians. Every May, NAMI North Carolina holds our annual NAMIWalks NC event. This year’s walk/community wellness fair will be held this Saturday. Nearly 1000 participants are expected for the rally. Amy Brundle, a spokesperson for the National...

It’s set to be another record-breaking year for Memorial Day travel in the Carolinas. AAA predicts 1.3 million North Carolinians will travel at least 50 miles for Memorial Day this year, which marks an increase of nearly 50,000 compared to 2024. Nationwide, 45.1 million people are estimated to spend time away from home for the holiday weekend, and that’s 1.4 million more domestic travelers than la...

Former University of North Carolina basketball star Larry Miller died Sunday, the university announced. Miller died in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, at the age of 79. The Catasauqua, Pennsylvania-native was a forward on Dean Smith’s first two ACC championship and Final Four teams in 1967 and 1968, earning first-team All-American honors in both seasons. In 1968, Miller was a consensus first-team All-Ame...

A recently released report by the Beer Institute and the National Beer Wholesalers Association drafts a picture of the state of beer in North Carolina. According to the biennial report, North Carolina generated a total economic output of $13.4 billion. By the numbers, the Beer Saves America report points out that North Carolina is responsible for 71,867 jobs within the beer industry. Lester Jones,...

Hearts for Home Care, in conjunction with the Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina and SembraCare, will hold an advocacy day at the NC General Assembly. The day will start with special remarks from home care leaders and supporting lawmakers, who will address the unprecedented demand for home-based care and the barriers to accessing that care, including underfunding, a critical...

A prominent anti-tax conservative has joined the fight against the North Carolina Senate’s proposal to double the tax rate paid by legal online sports betting operators. Sports betting operators have lined up against the proposed increase, urging their users to contact lawmakers and warning of worse odds and fewer promotions if the tax rate hike goes into effect. Brad Senkiw is a gaming industry r...

A local youth center is rebranding and working to provide much needed resources for the community. The move comes after a week when a teenager was shot and killed, and another was charged with his murder. A teen also died after being gunned down in the McDougald Terrace community over the weekend. On Monday, the Salvation Army of Durham officially changed the name of its Boys & Girls Club to t...

Wool E. Bull, the beloved mascot of the Durham Bulls, is a finalist for the Mascot Hall of Fame. He is among 28 nominees, including Big Al from the University of Alabama, Homer the Dragon from the Charlotte Knights, Hugo the Hornet from the Charlotte Hornets, and Mrs. Met from the New York Mets. According to the Mascot Hall of Fame, between two and four mascots are selected each year, requiring no...

Steve Harmon, a historical theology professor at Gardner-Webb University, says Pope Leo XIV, formerly known as Robert Prevost, has already made history as the first American pope and the first pontiff with a higher education degree from a U.S. university. Harmon, who has followed Prevost’s journey closely, noted that the new pope’s background mirrors that of many of his students. Harmon joined Jef...

The Town of Morrisville is gearing up for its annual SpringFest celebration on Saturday, May 17, at the Indian Creek Trailhead. This year’s event will feature the inaugural Morrisville Chalk Walk, inviting local artists to transform the pavement into colorful works of art. The day will also include the Western Wake Farmers Market Craft Fair, live music, make-and-take native plant crafts, and a var...

David Simon discusses with Anthony DeHart a Your Rights" is a collection of free apps developed to help everyday Americans understand and exercise their legal rights.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since its creation in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been used to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans' lives while erasing the stigma that is often attached to it. Dr. Macie Smith, a SYNERGY HomeCare gerontologist and social worker, believes that attention to self-care in the form of reducing emotional stres...

Pope Leo XIV said “Peace be with you” in his first words as pope, offering a message of peace and dialogue “without fear.” From the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, history’s first pope from the United States recalled that he was an Augustinian priest but was above all a Christian and a bishop, “so we can all walk together.” He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years...

Robert Prevost was brought to the Vatican in 2023 by Pope Francis as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. On Thursday, he ascended to become Pope Leo XIV — the first American pontiff. Prevost, 69, had to overcome the taboo against a U.S. pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the sec...

Frustrated residents filled a regulatory meeting Tuesday, calling out a draft PFAS plan they say protects polluters, not people. Instead of voting, members of the Environmental Management Commission’s Water Quality Committee postponed action, again, citing the need for further fiscal review. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals used in nonstick cookware,...

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, which is timely as you may notice more motorcycles out on the roadways as the weather warms up. Advocates say while a safety course is not required for riders over 18 in North Carolina, the skills taught there can make a world of difference for both novice and veteran riders. Bob Wagner, Director of the North Carolina Motorcycle Safety Program, joined Jon...

North Carolina lawmakers are scheduled to debate whether to officially call for a national convention to make changes to the U.S. Constitution. Supporters want to change rules around term limits for federal officials as well as members of Congress. Their efforts — if successful — could lead to changes in term limits for federal officials, including members of Congress and even the president. But s...

Edgecombe County paramedics are on high alert about carfentanil, a new highly potent synthetic opioid recently found in local pressed pill samples. Detected in April, the presence of carfentanil—though only comprising two percent of the pills—poses a significant overdose risk. Only about two percent of the makeup of the pills were carfentanil, but Edgecombe County Community Paramedic Program Manag...