WPTF Afternoon News

As scams and frauds continue to inflict significant harm on Americans, North Carolina's vigilant fraud watchdogs are stepping up efforts to raise awareness. They're set to spotlight the top scams circulating in the state, unveil a new educational video tailored for older audiences, and introduce a fresh resource aiding individuals in reporting fraud or assisting victims. Secretary of State Elaine...

Jurors convicted Hunter Biden on all three felony charges in his federal gun case in Delaware. In a written statement following the verdict, Hunter Biden expressed disappointment with the outcome but conveyed gratitude for the support of his family and friends. His attorney announced they would continue to pursue "all the legal challenges available." First Lady Jill Biden, who attended most of the...

The N.C. State baseball team is heading to the College World Series for the fourth time in its history. The Wolfpack secured their spot in Omaha by defeating Georgia 8-5 in the best-of-three Super Regional series at Foley Field in Athens, GA. N.C. State dominated with four home runs in the decisive game. Next, they will face Kentucky on Saturday afternoon. The team is eager to redeem itself after...

Wake County has been in the national sports spotlight for the past month. It started with the NCAA Division I women’s national lacrosse championships at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. It continued with the Division II College World Series at the USA Baseball Complex. Soccer fans from around the country gathered for the Soccer Tournament, featuring 48 teams from Raleigh to England. It’s been a busy t...

With a hectic hurricane season forecasted for this summer, LawnStarter ranked the most vulnerable counties for hurricanes in 2024. LawnStarter considered hurricane risk assessments and anticipated financial loss from hurricanes according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They also included the past 10 years of historical storm data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration...

The Raleigh Firebirds of The Basketball League are one step closer to becoming the first team from North Carolina to win a professional basketball championship. The Firebirds clinched the Eastern Conference championship by winning a best-of-three series against the Albany Patroons, securing both victories on the road, including the decisive game three at Knickerbocker Arena. On Thursday, the Fireb...

A new exhibit at the Mountain Gateway Museum, "A Place at the Polls," examines the history of voting rights in the United States and how it played out in Western North Carolina. The exhibit runs through February 2025. From the start of the nation, the question of who deserves the right to vote has been an ongoing debate. For generations, states primarily made those decisions, but wars, protests, a...

The Raleigh Firebirds of the Basketball League are in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Firebirds will face the Albany Patroons in the finals. Raleigh is one of 52 teams in the Basketball League, an organization that spans from New York to San Diego, California. Raleigh will face an Albany team that reached the Basketball League Finals last season. The co-owner of the Firebirds, Wade Harris, join...

How are North Carolina’s children responding after the pandemic? A member of the Department of Public Instruction says, overall, teens are progressing well. But things could be better. More North Carolina students are eating breakfast, exercising regularly, and feeling better emotionally. However, students aren’t doing as well as they were ten years ago. Ellen Essick, a section chief with the Depa...

Motor vehicles may be reintroduced to the Raleigh Christmas Parade this December, following new recommendations from city staff. This change comes after a year-long ban on vehicles, implemented after the tragic death of 11-year-old Hailey Brooks, who was struck by a truck while dancing in the 2022 parade. Consequently, motor vehicles were also prohibited in the 2023 Christmas Parade and the St. Pa...

North Carolina’s second-highest court has ruled that N.C. State University must allow independent investigators to test Poe Hall. The university closed the building last fall after a group of faculty battling cancer requested testing for toxins. The tests revealed high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are now known carcinogens but are still found in many buildings constructed in t...

A $2.5 million donation announced Thursday will help build a fuller picture of North Carolina’s relationship with tobacco, illuminating narratives of enslaved people and Native Americans that might otherwise be lost to history. This substantial contribution, the largest single-donor gift to a historic site in state history, comes from the Duke family's foundation, which has long been integral to t...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared victory for his alliance in India’s general election, claiming a mandate to advance his agenda, despite his party losing seats to a stronger-than-expected opposition that challenged his mixed economic record and polarizing politics. Official results from India’s Election Commission on Wednesday showed the NDA won 294 seats, more than the 272 needed to secure a...

There have been over 40 police chases in central North Carolina so far in 2024, and they’re becoming increasingly deadly. In June alone, there have been five chases. On June 3, two people were taken into custody after leading state troopers on a chase through Johnston County. That same day, two people were hospitalized following a chase that ended with two cars crashing in Person County. Authoriti...

A newly formed advocacy group is demanding stricter penalties following a tragic Memorial Day accident that claimed the lives of a family in Garner. Susie Campbell, her husband Tyler, and their 8-year-old son Miles were killed when an impaired driver allegedly ran a red light and collided with their car. Susie Campbell had just begun her nursing career in the neuroscience unit at UNC Health. Her c...

Raleigh recently experienced its warmest spring on record, with an average temperature of 75.8 degrees from March 1 through May 31. This broke the previous record of 75.2 degrees set in 2012. The third warmest spring was in 2022, with an average of 74.8 degrees. Notably, half of the top 10 warmest springs have occurred since 2007. This trend has led Esri, a company specializing in geographic infor...

North Carolina is among the top ten states utilizing automated systems to improve efficiency and accuracy in tax escrow payments. A recent national survey of government tax collectors revealed that 41% of respondents face major challenges such as insufficient resources and staff, data management issues, and IT problems during payment processing. Additionally, 28% cited delinquent payments as a pri...

The anticipation builds as the Soccer Tournament makes its triumphant return to WakeMed Soccer Park for its second annual event, promising twice the excitement with two tournaments lined up. With 48 men's teams, including defending champions Newtown United, and the introduction of a thrilling women's tournament boasting eight competitive teams, the stage is set for intense soccer action. Featuring...

Explore the phenomenal growth of Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) with Stephanie Hawco, its spokesperson. Jeff Hamlin delves into the factors driving RDU's record-breaking expansion, from surging passenger traffic to the addition of new airlines and international routes. Gain insights into how RDU is shaping the future of air travel and becoming a pivotal player in the aviation industry.

In an unprecedented turn of events, Donald Trump is set to become the first major presidential nominee to run for office as a convicted felon. Trump has been found guilty on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in his New York hush money criminal trial. Polls are already showing that the verdict is influencing Trump's presidential rematch with Joe Biden. Western Carolina University pol...

The sports world is mourning the loss of professional golfer Grayson Murray, who tragically took his own life during a PGA Tour event on Memorial Day weekend. Murray, a Raleigh-native, had been open about his battles with mental health issues and alcohol abuse. In this episode, Jeff Hamlin is joined by Dr. Michelle Joshua, a licensed psychologist with Work it Out Sports Psychology in Raleigh, and...

Donald Trump has become the first president in American history to become a convicted felon. On Thursday afternoon, Trump was found guilty of 34 counts by a New York jury. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11. The judgment caps a trial centered on lurid claims of sex and financial coverups and exposes Trump to prison time. The verdict represents a stunning courtroom reckoning for Trump, who was ind...

Join Jeff Hamlin as he sits down with DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin to discuss the necessity of North Carolina's new driver's licenses and identification cards featuring advanced security measures. Learn how these upgrades are enhancing identity protection and setting global standards in card security.

Findings from a recent research study at NC State University are helping to decrease the 11 million tons of post-consumer textile waste being dumped into U.S. landfills every year. Associate Professor of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science at NC State, Dr. Sonja Salmon, led the research effort, which made major progress on the “separation of materials” front by using enzymes to unravel text...

Hurricane season starts on June 1. Duke Energy workers are ready to respond when bad weather breaks. Duke Energy has a new nerve center for its power-outage response. The new distribution control center in Wake County is where repair crews get their assignments. Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks talked with Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the new features of the headquarters.