WPTF Afternoon News

For 40 years, Threshold has quietly operated as one of Durham's most impactful, and least known, community resources, offering adults living with severe mental illness a place to work, learn and belong. Elizabeth Barber, the Executive Director with Threshold, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Threshold and the services it provides.

A partnership between GoTriangle and public relations students at North Carolina State University are credited with increasing awareness and ridership on several Triangle transit routes this spring. The collaboration involved 24 students in Assistant Professor Dr. Kalyca Becktel's Public Relations Campaign class during the Spring 2026 semester. Matt Lail, Public Relations Manager for GoTriangle, j...

Governor Josh Stein signed an Executive Order Wednesday that prohibits state employees from using information obtained through their official roles to trade in prediction markets which allow users to buy and sell contracts based on the outcome of future events. Scott Peeler, an attorney and adjunct professor at the UNC School of Law, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what the executive order is target...

Your next flight could be impacted by an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers. The Federal Aviation Administration is now looking for video gamers to help fill the gap. In its latest recruitment campaign, the FAA is looking to attract gamers to join the control tower. John Borchert, UNC Greensboro Director of eSports, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how eSports is creating a new group of air...

The Korn Ferry Golf Tour is back at the Raleigh Country Club. The UNC Health Championship will tip off on Thursday. Slated for the field is former UNC Tar Heel Austin Hitt, former Duke Blue Devil Ryan Blaum and Gastonia-native Taylor Dickson. Brian Krusoe, the Tournament Director of the UNC Health Championship, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss this year’s UNC Health Championship

Kyle Busch's passing has sent shockwaves through the racing community, as well as some in the medical industry. Busch died from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis. UNC Health Critical Medicine Specialist Dr. Kenton Dover joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss sepsis and the threat it poses to people.

The final steel beam was placed on the new Red Hat Amphitheater stage on Tuesday afternoon. It is a significant milestone in the building of the new Red Hat Amphitheater, which is expected to be ready in time for the 2027 concert season. Kerry Painter, Executive Director of the Raleigh Convention Center, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how this impacts business in downtown Raleigh.

A Holly Springs woman is sharing her story for the first time years after her then-husband, Joshua Becker, pleaded guilty to raping and assaulting a stranger. The attack in Glenwood South stunned the community and exposed the elementary school teacher as a sexual predator. Ashley Monroe has written a book called “I Thought I Knew.” She joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the process of documenting her e...

The family of Kyle Busch has released a statement regarding the cause of his death. The medical evaluation provided by the Busch family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications. It was an emotional weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway after Busch’s death. Mike Hembree, a contributing editor to Autoweek, joined Jeff Hamlin t...

The Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Soccer Tournament at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. The Korn Ferry Tour’s UNC Health Championship at Raleigh County Club. The Division II College World Series in Cary. And the North Carolina High School State Baseball Championships in Holly Springs. It will be an active sports weekend in Wake County. Scott Dupree of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance joined Jeff Hamlin...

The woman accused of shooting two attorneys outside of the Wake County Courthouse in downtown Raleigh will remain in jail without bond. 57-year-old Gwendolyn White is charged with two counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting last Friday in downtown Raleigh. Attorney Lee Turner was outside the Old Wake County Courthouse when the shots rang out. Turner joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss...

Unless you live in or in close proximity to Hillsborough, you probably wouldn’t equate Carrot-Top Industries with flags. But, after months of careful planning and strategy, the company that started about 45 years ago in Chicago and later moved to Orange County, the company rolled out a new name that is more closely tied to its product and core values. The flag manufacturer is now Freedom and Glory...

Elliott Avent is retiring as the head coach of the N.C. State baseball team after 30 years at the conclusion of the season. Avent is the winningest coach in school history with 1,103 victories. A native of Nash County, Avent led the Wolfpack to the College World Series three times and to the NCAA Tournament in 22 of 29 seasons. Tim Peeler is an N.C. State historian who has many memories of Avent....

Warmer temperatures mean more people on hiking trails or doing yard work, but also means an increase in snake sightings. Snake expert and wrangler, Milton Morgan, says this time of year is when there will be more snake encounters. Morgan joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how you can stay safe.

This year's Atlantic hurricane season will see below average tropical activity, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The decreased storm activity is driven by El Nino. Jonathan Blaes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office in Raleigh joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the forecast.

For the third time in four seasons, the Carolina Hurricanes are in the Eastern Conference Finals. Tomorrow night, the Canes will face Montreal in game one of the best-of-seven series at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Some Caniacs will be traveling to away games. Alex Traugutt, Elon University Professor of Sports Management, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how the sports economy is impacted by fans vi...

Community members are invited to gather this Memorial Day for a special opening ceremony for Flags for Our Heroes, honoring the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to our nation. Kathleen Cody, with the Rotary Club of North Carolina, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Flags for our Heroes.

A North Carolina man is back home in Beaufort after completing a remarkable journey around the world in a boat he built himself. Josh Kali set sail from Carteret County in January of last year, using a 19-foot boat he spent two and a half years constructing. Kali joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss his year spent sailing around the world.

In a broadcasting career that has spanned decades, Christopher Cruise has done everything from covering the latest developments from the nation’s capital to doing play-by-play for pro wrestling alongside Dusty Rhodes. This week is a difficult chapter for Cruise. He’s saying goodbye as CBS Radio signs off. Cruise joined Jeff Hamlin to reflect on CBS’s legacy.

It's Back! Hamilton! The Revolutionary story of passion, unstoppable ambition and the dawn of a new nation! It's the Broadway show that had everyone following the founding fathers , in particular, Alexander Hamilton and cracking open their old school books as they enjoyed some hip-hop with their history! Here to talk more about this amazing, record breaking show which is coming to the DPAC May 20...

In recognition of Armed Forces Day Weekend, the Appalachian League has announced a league-wide partnership with Cell Phones for Soldiers to support active-duty service members and veterans across Appalachian League communities. Austin Scher joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the initiative and how the partnership aims to give back to military families.

The dispute between Mallard Creek High School and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association is now headed to the state level. Mallard Creek officials have filed an appeal with the State Board of Education’s Independent Interscholastic Athletic Appeals Board after the school’s men’s 4x400 relay team was disqualified from the 8A State Championships. The disqualification came after one runn...

A new feature-length documentary about Kyle Larson is set to debut on Amazon Video on May 21st. The film follows Larson’s two-year pursuit of one of auto racing’s toughest accomplishments — “The Double,” competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Director Cynthia Hill joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the documentary and the challenges behind capturing Larson’s journ...

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of hosting events and festivals has climbed sharply, fueled by inflation and increased demand for vendors, equipment, and entertainment. Organizers of events such as Got to Be NC Festival, Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival, and Artsplosure say they are all feeling the financial strain. Kent Yelverton, Director of the North Carolina State Fair, joined Jeff Hamlin to...

As families head to pools and beaches this summer, safety experts say water safety begins long before children ever get into the water. That’s why Alligator Steps Swim School partnered with first responders to help teach children how to stay safe around water: one of the leading causes of accidental deaths among kids. Larissa Koerschner, owner and operator of Alligator Steps, joined Jeff Hamlin to...