WPTF Afternoon News

Alumni at the beleaguered St. Augustine's University in Raleigh are helping raise money to help their beloved university and current students. Earlier this week, interim university president Dr. Marcus Burgess said they met payroll last week, but admitted that the school's financial situation is "dire." Deloris Revis graduated from St. Aug's in 1959 and is still active in the alumni group Groove P...

The Durham City Council has approved a resolution that calls for a cease fire in Gaza. Durham is just the second city in the state to make such a move, joining Carrboro. Ittai Korman is with the Triangle chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace. He joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss his feelings about the City Council's vote, and the lack of a similar move by the Raleigh City Counci...

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center was selected as one of nine national research sites for the National Cancer Institute's newly launched Cancer Screening Research Network. The CSRN is aimed at evaluating emerging cancer screening technologies. Doctor Daniel Reuland of the UNC Comprehensive Cancer Center joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the accolade.

North Carolinians struggling with their mental health will soon have another resource for support at their fingertips. A new phone line is launched across the state earlier this week. Kelly Crosbie of the NC Department of Health and Human Services joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the launch.

North Carolina is known for a lot of things: the food, the people, the nature and also its iconic Southern accent. But now, research suggests the Southern drawl may be fading away as younger generations grow up and the state welcomes more transplants. N.C. State professor Robin Dodsworth joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the reasons for this change.

Today’s jobs require a quality education, including strong science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curricula. A robust STEM education creates critical thinkers, problem solvers, and produces the next generation of innovators. STEM jobs are growing at a fast pace and currently outpacing STEM graduates. Can we do something to spark an interest? Mona Singh from "Stem for Kids joined Jeff Ha...

The North Carolina General Assembly is working on changing a new law that was just passed involving food safety at bars. The law requires bars to go through the same permitting and health inspections that restaurants do. However, bars say some of those changes are too expensive or impossible to make. Leslie Cox is the co-owner of The Beagle, which opened in 2021. She's concerned that the law will...

It's Adopt a Rabbit Month and Wendy Paige, an educator and volunteer with Triangle Rabbits, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to share some tips and things to think about before you decide to adopt a rabbit.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh is preparing for the unveiling of Dueling Dinosaurs. The combination of high-tech research lab and dynamic exhibit space is the first physical expansion of the Museum in more than a decade. Lindsay Zanno is the Head of Paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and associate research professor at North Carolina St...

Lefty Driesell, who provided more color to the Atlantic Coast Conference during a memorable 17-year run as the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins, passed away at the age of 92 on Saturday. Before Driesell went to College Park, he was the head coach at Davidson for ten years. He took them to the Elie Eight twice. D.G. Martin, a host on PBS North Carolina and a syndicated writer, played for Driese...

Human trafficking continues to be a problem in North Carolina, and a new program was designed to address the issue. According to the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission, North Carolina ranks within the top 10 when it comes to states with the highest number of trafficking cases. Brennon Fuqua is the interim director of the integrated mobility division at the NCDOT.

Alexei Navalny, who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests as President Vladimir Putin's fiercest foe, has died in the Artic penal colony where he was serving a 19 year sentence. That's according to Russia's prison agency. He was 47 years old. The stunning news comes less than a month before an election that will give Putin another 6 years in power. It has al...

A New York judge has ruled against former president Trump in the culmination of a trial brought by state Attorney General Letitia James over what she said were deceptive practices while he built his company. The judge imposed a $364 million fine. Trump is also barred from serving as an officer or director if any New York corporation for 3 years. CBS News legal analyst Thane Rosenbaum joined Jeff H...

President Joe Biden avoided criminal charged related to his handling of classified documents in part because of his answers during a lengthy interview with the special counsel investigating him. However, the sit down has also opened the President to scrutiny over his age and memory. Now, the public release of a transcript of the discussion is being sought by both Biden's allies and critics, both s...

Retired Police Lieutenant Steve Hauck joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about how law enforcement and the media handled the shooting situation at the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade.

The ACC Tournament will look very different in 2025. For the first time in the history of the event that started in 1954, not every team in the conference will be invited to the event. The addition of Stanford, Cal and SMU this summer will make the ACC and 18 team league but only 15 teams will be included in the tournament field. Brett Friedlander, a columnist for saturdayroad.com, joined Jeff Ham...

Downtown Wilson has some new color on its streets and empty storefront windows, and the sides of buildings are now decked out with expressions of creativity from student artists at Sallie B. Howard School. Carrie Nobles is a visual arts teacher at Howard and took charge in the 'Walls of Wilson" project. She joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about the project.

The numbers have been tabulated and what they show is the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival continues to contribute a strong boost to the local economy. This year the event welcomed more than 216,000 visitors and generated more than $8 million in direct economic impact according to figures released by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. William Lewis, Cary's Cultural Arts Man...

A total of 252 firearms were seized in Durham County in 2023, while 34 firearms were reported stolen. Both of those numbers are slightly higher than 2022. On Tuesday the Durham County Sheriff's Office released gun data from this past January and all of 2023. Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the latest data.

Wednesday was Valentine's Day and according to National Retail Federation, the average consumer expects to spend about $185 on gifts this year. That's nearly $8 more than the average amount spent over the last 5 years. Surging restaurant and chocolate prices are playing a role in those rising costs. Tierra George, owner of TG Floristry, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon news to talk about t...

There's a miraculous birth expected to take place any time at an Aquarium and Shark Lab in Hendersonville. It surrounds and expectant stingray named "Charlotte". But Charlotte became pregnant in a most unusual way. People around her thought it was impossible for her to become pregnant. Brenda Ramer, found of Team ECCO in Hendersonville and Kensley Boyette joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon N...

Most North Carolinians still enjoy expressing their love and appreciation on Valentine's Day. A majority of residents interviewed for the 100th High Point University poll see the gift-giving tradition of Valentine's Day as a positive part of the holiday, while 26% sees it as a negative. Sadie Elder, a High Point University associate professor of psychology, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon...

Governor Roy Cooper has announced a Job Development Investment Grant for Siemens Energy Incorporated to support expanding its existing manufacturing facility in Charlotte. It will produce large power transformers. The project is expected to create up to 475 direct operating jobs and 285 construction jobs in Charlotte and an additional 84 jobs for Siemens Energy's Raleigh locaztion. Richard Voorber...

The North Carolina Zoo has expanded its lands for local wildlife conservation by adding 139 acres to Ridges Mountain Nature Preserve, increasing it to 423 acres. The addition was a gift from the Conservation Fund made possible by the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, as well as private donors. Mike Leonard from the Conservation fund joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about the...

RDU President Michael Lndguth joins Jeff Hamlin and Steve Rao on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about new flight destinations that RDU is offering as well as how RDU has rebounded after the pandemic