WPTF Afternoon News

David Holt, President of the Consumer Energy Alliance, discusses how consumers and businesses can lower their electricity costs. The organization's mission is to advance nonpartisan energy policy by advocating for affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy solutions for all Americans.

Downtown crime was an agenda item for the Raleigh City Council during its meeting on Tuesday afternoon. New Raleigh Police Cheif Rico Boyce laid out a plan to slow crime. He also discussed safety measures and strategies that are working. RPD has increased patrols over the past two years. Bill King, the President of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, says there has been a benefit to a new camera access...

It’s a rich time for women’s basketball across the Triangle. North Carolina, Duke and N.C. State will all host games this weekend in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. There’s also the potential for Duke and North Carolina to play in the Sweet 16. The Blue Devils are coming off its first ACC Tournament championship under head coach Kara Lawson. N.C. State won the ACC regular season title. Mit...

The new UNC Down Syndrome Clinic opening in Chapel Hill this week is expanding care options for North Carolinians. Services will include physical therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, speech therapy, nutrition, family medicine and more. Dr. Kate Westmoreland, a UNC pediatrician and director of the new clinic, said the mission is a personal one, driven by her own experiences as a mother of a ch...

Governor Josh Stein is offering a $33.6 billion budget plan, that highlights priorities including education, safety and health. In a briefing for reporters, Stein said offered targeted tax cuts and said general tax cuts for businesses should be frozen at current levels. Lawmakers are developing their own plan for spending and taxes. The budget is scheduled to be approved by late June with implemen...

The Democratic Party was fracturing Friday as a torrent of frustration and anger was unleashed at Senate Democrats, led by Senator Chuck Schumer, who was faced with the choice of shutting down the government or consent to a Republican funding bill that allows President Donald Trump to continue slashing the federal government. After Schumer announced that he would reluctantly support the bill, he b...

Longtime sportswriter Brett Friedlander is the 2025 recipient of the Skeeter Francis Award. Friedlander has been a longtime writer on ACC sports for various media outlets, covering everyone from Tyler Hansbrough to Cooper Flagg. Friedlander has watched an eventful years in local college basketball, which has included Duke winning the ACC Tournament and the outright regular season championship in t...

Morrisville will celebrate Holi, the ancient Hindu festival marking the end of winter and welcoming the spring season, on Saturday. The free event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at Cedar Fork Community Center. Typically celebrated in the month of March, the Holi festival is inclusive of all faiths and cultures, as one of the main themes of the festival is unity. So, while the Holi festival is ro...

The lineup for the Dreamville has been announced. The headliners for Saturday night, April 5, will be Lil' Wayne. Fayetteville-native J'Cole will headline the second and final night for the fifth and last Dreamville event. Among the other acts will be 21 Savage, Party Next Door, Ludacris, Erica Badu and Gorilla. Last year, over 104,000 people were on hand for the event at Dorthea Dix Park. The eco...

John Feinstein, one of the most influential sportswriters of his generation, has passed away at the age of 69. A best-selling author of over 40 books, Feinstein is best known for A Season on the Brink , his groundbreaking account of Bobby Knight’s Indiana Hoosiers during the 1985-86 season. His career began at The Chronicle at Duke University, and he continued to cover college basketball with unma...

Dementia currently affects around six million people in the U.S. and more than 40 million worldwide, with projections indicating that cases could double in the next 30 years. As the baby boomer generation—now numbering over 70 million in the United States—continues to age, many assume that dementia rates will rise accordingly. However, new research is challenging some of these assumptions, suggest...

Demonstrations against the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency have been growing, with one of the latest protests taking place in Raleigh last week. The outcry comes after Department of Education leaders announced plans to lay off more than 1,300 employees as part of a broader effort to cut the organization’s staff in half—a move seen as a prelude to President Donald Trump’s...

Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Raleigh last week for a “Down with DOGE” rally, voicing their frustration with recent actions from the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency. The department has overseen mass layoffs of federal workers and significant funding cuts to various programs, sparking concerns among both government employees and the public. Among the speak...

Warmer weather is coming soon and multigenerational families are preparing for spring and summer travel. Award-winning travel expert Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon also known as Jetset Sarah discusses avoiding last-minute travel chaos, finding discounts on spring and summer travel, and planning travel for those who require mobility assistance. She’s an award-winning travel writer and editor who has appear...

Later this week, stargazers will witness a breathtaking celestial event—a "blood red" total lunar eclipse. The eclipse will take place on the night of March 13 and continue into the early hours of March 14, offering a striking display in the night sky. Unlike penumbral lunar eclipses, which are subtle and often go unnoticed, this total lunar eclipse will cast the moon in a deep red hue as it passe...

Brenda Stephens, former Hyconeechee Library Director, has been honored with one of North Carolina’s highest civilian awards—the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Bestowed by Gov. Roy Cooper before the end of his term, the award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary service to the state. Stephens has spent decades serving her community, not only through her work in libraries but als...

Less than a year after leading N.C. State on an improbable run to the Final Four, Kevin Keatts is out as head coach. After eight seasons at the helm, Keatts was dismissed following a disappointing end to the season, with the Wolfpack failing to qualify for the ACC Tournament and closing with a loss to Miami. In his final press conference, Keatts acknowledged how much college basketball has changed...

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the refugee resettlement program and cutting funding for organizations that assist refugees. The move left many nonprofits scrambling for resources as they worked to support individuals seeking safety in the United States. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported that more than 60,000 refuge...

NC State Professor Emeritus and Economist Dr. Mike Walden joined Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about economic headlines including what DOGE is trying to do for the national debt and what affect tariffs will have on the economy.

Kari Wouk, Head of Public Science Events at NC Museum of Natural Sciences, joined Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about all of the upcoming events at the museum. The museum offers events for all ages including movie nights, adult nights and a wide range of activities for kids.

Benjamin Johnson Save SAU Coalition

March is Women's History Month. Roberta Scoblick is Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at Sunstates Security—a security company based in Raleigh. With over 35 years of experience in a male-dominated industry, Roberta shares her journey from starting in support roles to leading national expansion efforts and mentoring the next generation of security professionals. She discusses th...

There were 1.8 million NC households unable to afford the state’s $78,576 average cost of living in 2022, according to the ALICE Report released by United Way of North Carolina. The Report was released in partnership with United For ALICE, a U.S. research organization driving innovation, research and action to improve life across the country for people in financial hardship. Brittany Pruitt Fletch...

President Donald Trump’s trade war against America’s three biggest trading partners drew immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China. The president’s latest tariffs also sent financial markets into a tailspin Tuesday as the U.S. faced the threat of rekindled inflation and paralyzing uncertainty for business. Just after midnight, Trump imposed 25% taxes on Mexican and Canadian imports, thou...

The Atlantic Coast Conference’s Board of Directors has approved a proposed settlement that would end the legal fights with Clemson and Florida State as well as change the league’s revenue-distribution model. The ACC office, based out of Charlotte, will vote on the proposal today. ESPN reports the proposed exit fee for Clemson and Florida State would drop $18 million per year through 2029-2030. In...