WPTF Afternoon News

Losing weight isn't just beneficial for health—it can also lead to significant financial savings. A new study reveals that even modest weight loss in obese adults can result in lower healthcare costs, reduced absenteeism, and an improved quality of life. Dr. Kenneth Thorpe, Chairman of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the value of making meaningful lifestyle...

Raleigh’s Figulina has been named a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. Opened in March 2024 by Chef David Ellis in the Warehouse District, Figulina’s menu showcases handmade pasta infused with Italian techniques, seasonal Southern ingredients, and global influences. Chef Ellis joined Jeff Hamlin to share what makes Figulina stand out in Raleigh’s vibrant dining sce...

Thousands of Duke Health clinicians now have access to new technology the health system says is helping enhance patient care. The tech uses a cell phone and protected AI software developed by Abridge to help physicians transcribe clinical notes faster. Dr. Eric Poon said he used to think he did a good job with transcribing his clinical notes in real time on a computer during the appointment, until...

President Donald Trump’s second inauguration seemed normal, but there were concerns about U.S. democracy lingering just beneath the surface. Trump himself made those apparent when he followed his speech that urged unity and optimism with one to supporters vowing to pardon Jan. 6 rioters and then later he did just that. Trump also has promised to seek revenge against his political opponents. That p...

The coldest air so far this winter season has arrived in North Carolina and will stick around for much of this week. Residents across the Triangle are making plans for keeping their pipes warm around their homes. Chris Massey, a plumber with C. Massey Plumbing, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how to keep your pipes warm in the midst of the coldest weather in North Carolina in years.

Immigration is the signature issue for President Trump, who based his winning 2016 campaign on building a wall along the southern U.S. border and emphasized economic and national security themes to immigration during campaign visits to North Carolina last year. Ilana Dubester, whose group the Hispanic Liaison helps immigrant families in Lee and Chatham counties, said some immigrants fear the new s...

Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors the civil rights leader who championed equality and fought racial segregation during the 1950s and 60s. While his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech is widely recognized for its role in the 1963 March on Washington, few know it was first delivered in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. James Miller, a Distinguished English professor at N.C. State University, joined Jeff Haml...

TikTok’s brief ban in the United States left Raleigh business owners scrambling for alternatives before the app was restored on Sunday. Among them was Ceazer Stylz, a local hair stylist specializing in locks, who has gained over 400 clients in the past three years—60% of them through TikTok. Stylz joined Jeff Hamlin to share how essential the platform is to his business.

Steve Rao joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss and give commentary on the political news of the day

Gautam Aggarwal joins Steve Rao and Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News

Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell joins Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News

Kinston Mayor Don Hardy joins Anthony DeHart on the WPTF Afternoon News

Colonel Josh McConkey has spent more than two decades serving our country, in both the Army and Air Force Reserve. He's now a Commander at Andrews Air Force Base of the 459th Aeromedical Staging Squadron. On Monday though, he'll get to do something that will mark a first for the decorated servicemember, leading the Air Force Reserve delegation at the 2025 Presidential Inauguration. Colonel McConke...

Scientists at Duke University's Human Vaccine Institute have made a significant advance in the quest for an HIV vaccine, successfully developing a vaccine candidate that could help the immune system produce antibodies needed to fight the virus. Dr. Mihai Azoitei, assistant professor at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, has created an immunogen -- a substance that provokes an immune response -- tha...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that a last-minute dispute with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Netanyahu signaled complications with the deal shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced it was complete. Dr. Rachel Posner, Interim Sabbatical Rabbi wit...

The Nature Conservancy is gearing up for its controlled burn season, which runs January through August. People who live in and near longleaf pine forests from the Sandhills to the Coast may soon see smoke in the air as TNC and its conservation partners conduct controlled burns to restore the forest. Longleaf pine forests are adapted to frequent, low-intensity fires. These fires knock back shrubs a...

Steve Rao joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss and give commentary on the political news of the day including Joe Biden's farewell address and the Trump inauguration.

Officials announced that Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip, raising the possibility of winding down the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies. The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of...

With MLK Day coming up, many celebrations and commemorations are planned. It’s something that former Durham City Councilman and North Carolina State Senator Floyd McKissick has a personal connection with. His father was a North Carolina native, attorney, and civil rights leader, sought to create a thriving, self-sustaining community that would provide equal opportunity for Black Americans during t...

A home heating program in Wake County is in desperate need of support from the community. Warmth for Wake provides fuel to people who need help keeping their homes warm, but their resources are running low. The program runs solely on donations and volunteers. While needs are increasing, donations and volunteers are not. Gunter says Warmth for Wake is in dire need of help to warm homes. Brian Gunte...

With a possible TikTok ban just days away, many U.S. users are looking for alternative social media platforms to help them keep up with pop culture or provide the type of entertaining videos that popularized the short-form video app. TikTok, which has been a cultural phenomenon, could be banned on Jan. 19 under a law that forces the platform to cut ties with its China-based parent company, ByteDan...

The North Carolina Forest Service expects high fire danger this week, despite parts of North Carolina picking up precipitation after the winter storm Friday. It seems counterintuitive: snow and ice melting will give our ground moisture which should decrease our risk of fires, but the Forest Service says that’s not the entire story. Not everyone across the state picked up decent precipitation from...

The Rotary District 7710’s MLK Day of Service Meal Packing Program, one of the District's largest initiatives, returns for its 18th year on January 20. Started by the Durham Rotary Club in 2007, the program has provided over 1.8 million meals to individuals and families experiencing hunger. This year, with generous sponsorships from Duke University, Pinnacle Financial Partners, and Wegmans, volunt...

A group of Wake Tech students received the Wake Tech Lifesaver Award on Monday for their quick actions that saved an employee's life. In October, facilities technician Byron Gray suffered a stroke while on his way to the Perry Health Sciences Campus, but four students stepped in to assist him. Sam Rouse, a Dental Hygiene student and one of the honorees, joined Jeff Hamlin to share her account of t...

Chabad of Cary held a groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday for the new Bais Mendel Jewish Center in Morrisville. The 11,000-square-foot facility will serve the Jewish community of Western Wake County and beyond, marking a significant milestone for the area. Rabbi Yisroel Cotlar, co-Director of Chabad of Cary, joined Jeff Hamlin to share details about the center’s vision and what the community can exp...