WPTF Afternoon News

Former Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson has officially withdrawn his lawsuit against CNN. The lawsuit stemmed from an exposé the network aired in September, which detailed dozens of alleged disturbing comments Robinson made on a porn forum. The report was a major blow to Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign. Once a prominent figure at the Republican National Convention and a regular at Donald Trump’...

Dry January has come to an end, but a new survey from Suffolk University and USA Today shows that while 86% of people don’t plan to change their drinking habits, awareness of alcohol’s dangers is growing. Outgoing Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently highlighted alcohol’s links to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths each year. Despite these concerning numbers, only 13% of pe...

Tom Snyder Executive Director of "RIoT" joined Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News

Tom Snyder, Executive Director of RIoT, sat down with Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss RIoT’s highly anticipated "State of the Region" event. This important event will tackle key issues affecting economic growth in our region, from the shifting economy to emerging employment trends and business growth.

2400 calories, 12 doughnuts, 5 miles, 1 hour. The mantra of the Krispy Kreme Challenge epitomizes the test of physical fitness and gastrointestinal fortitude. What started as a challenge among ten friends has transformed into a nationally publicized charity race, and the number one tradition to complete before graduating from North Carolina State University. The challenge is taking place this Satu...

There are plenty of issues on the agenda as the Morrisville Town Council prepares to hold a weekend retreat. Steve Rao of the Morrisville Town Council joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the issues that will be sorted out at the retreat. Steve also discussed the feedback he’s hearing from Morrisville residents about President Trump’s birthright citizenship plans. And there’s also the issues of AI Chatbo...

A midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight from Kansas killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft. That was the word from authorities Thursday as they scrutinized the actions of the military pilot after the country’s worst aviation disaster in a generation. At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently f...

William Leuchtenburg, a prize-winning historian widely admired for his authoritative writings on the U.S. presidency and as the reigning scholar on Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, has died at 102. Leuchtenburg died Tuesday at his home in Chapel Hill. A professor emeritus at UNC and a published author for more than 70 years, He received some of the top awards given to historians, including the...

Donald Trump has rescinded a proposed freeze on federal aid. Governor Josh Stein called the proposed spending freeze "confusing" and "concerning." On Wednesday morning, the governor took questions from the media following a wellness week program at an elementary school in Greenville. It's a program that could be impacted by the Trump Administration's freeze on federal grants and loans. If a spendi...

A long-awaited acquisition of over 200 acres of land that includes the Historic Occoneechee Speedway to add to Eno River State Park has been finalized, according to the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The acquisition process, which began in 2021, was facilitated by the Eno River Association, which worked with the previous landowner, the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation. The a...

Irregardless opened as Raleigh’s first vegetarian restaurant when Arthur Gordon opened it with a bunch of college friends in 1975. Arthur eventually bought his friends out and ran the restaurant for decades. Arthur was often ahead of the curve. He banned smoking in 1985 and added solar panels to the roof and opened a farm in 2012. Arthur Gordon sold the building and the business in January 2020. D...

It has been over 80 days since the polls closed on Election night and there is still no official winner in the race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. The Republican challenge over the seat continues. On Monday afternoon, the 4th circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals listened to arguments in the ongoing race between Democrat Allison Riggs and Republican Jefferson Griffin. During a pres...

UNC Health and Duke Health are joining forces to create the Triangle's first standalone children's hospital. The goal is to provide state of the art pediatric care for families across the state. It's being made possible by a $320 million investment from the state. A site for the hospital hasn't been selected. Plans call to break ground in two years. Construction is expected to take six years. The...

There were lines outside of the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh Monday following a surge of immigration arrests nationwide. People say the consulate is usually busy, but with President Trump's recent executive orders, there's a push by some here to make sure all of their documents are in order. 34 percent of students in the Durham Public Schools are Latino and the district say it's consulting with in...

More than 300,000 people in North Carolina are blind or visually impaired, according to state leaders. The State Library of North Carolina Accessible Books and Library Services plays a critical role in supporting residents who are visually impaired or blind by providing access to books, magazines, and other resources tailored to their needs. Joshua Berkov, assistant director for the library, joine...

North Carolina Central University will participate in FICO’s Educational Analytics Challenge, an initiative aimed at preparing the next generation of data scientists. Now in its second year, the program has expanded to include NCCU and three additional universities. This effort comes at a time when financial fraud is a growing concern among college students. Siobahn Day Grady, an NCCU professor, a...

Winter weather swept through North Carolina last week, leaving roads coated in snow and ice. To improve driving conditions, North Carolina Department of Transportation crews applied thousands of gallons of salt brine. While effective for road safety, salt brine can have unintended effects on vehicles. Automotive experts emphasize the importance of cleaning brine off cars to prevent potential damag...

A shocking new report from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission reveals that the nation’s three largest pharmacy benefit managers have significantly inflated the prices of critical medicines, including those for heart disease, cancer, and HIV. Between 2017 and 2022, these markups at their affiliated pharmacies generated over $7.3 billion in revenue. Antonio Ciaccia, President of 3 Axis Advisors, join...

Mike Walden N.C. State economics professor emeritus joined Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about the evolving landscape of manufacturing in North Carolina. From the decline of traditional industries like textiles and furniture to the rise of sectors such as technology and pharmaceuticals.

Bethany Pryor from UNC MediaHub on Western NC

Kerissa Armstead and Caitlin Avinger from Durham Parks & Recreation joined Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News to give tips on winter outdoor recreation and safety, and to talk about the exciting programs Durham Parks will be hosting this year.

We are just days away from the 24th Annual African American Cultural Celebration at the NC Museum of History! It is the statewide kickoff to Black History Month. Joining us to talk more about the event and some changes is Kaya Littleturtle, Community Programs and Festivals Coordinator for the NC Museum of History

Climate change was a major topic of a recent Environmental Justice and Healthcare Summit. With the Trump administration resetting the agenda..many people are paying attention. The event was hosted by the North Carolina Black Alliance. Joining us to talk more about the summit is Brayndon Stafford, the environmental justice coordinator for North Carolina Black Alliance.

An arctic blast bringing extreme cold and coastal snow inland has Duke Energy gearing up for potential scattered power outages. The Raleigh area is expected to see lows of 14 degrees Wednesday night, with mountain temperatures dropping to around 6 degrees. Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss preparations for the frigid weather and potential outages.

North Carolina Central University has earned a prestigious spot in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings for best online programs. The university placed No. 2 nationally among historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for its online bachelor’s degree programs and No. 9 overall in North Carolina. Kimberly Phifer-McGhee, NCCU’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Extended Studies and S...