WPTF Morning News

National Weather Service meteorologist Barrett Smith joins Tony to discuss an incoming cold front expected to bring a brief temperature drop to the mid-80s and low 90s over the weekend after two weeks of oppressive heat with temperatures regularly topping 100 degrees and heat index values reaching 105 to 110. Smith notes that while parts of the Triangle have received two to four inches of rain in...

Matt Poole, assistant town manager for the town of Garner, joins Tony to recap a successful July 3 celebration that drew approximately 10,000 attendees despite the heat and preview upcoming summer events including a free showing of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" on Aug. 14, Festival Latino on Sept. 12 and the Firefighters Festival in October. Poole also invites Garner residents to an informal strat...

Stephen Kates, financial analyst at Bankrate and certified financial planner, joins Lisa Price to review the first half of 2026, with the S&P 500 up nearly 10% for the year despite a recent pullback in technology and semiconductor stocks. Kates explains why inflation may have peaked in May but is still weighing on consumer confidence, how home prices in fast-growing Sunbelt markets like Raleig...

Robyn Fehrman, executive director of Teach For America North Carolina, joins Lisa Price to discuss the wave of recent college graduates heading into North Carolina classrooms for the first time this fall, how new teachers are building relationships and setting strong expectations from day one, and why purpose-driven careers like teaching are drawing a growing share of Gen Z workers.

Brian Walsh, certified financial planner and head of advice and planning at SoFi, joins Lisa Price to break down the student loan reforms that took effect July 1 and what they mean for the more than 42 million Americans who collectively owe $1.87 trillion in federal student loan debt, including who will pay more under the new rules governing how students borrow and repay loans for higher education...

Dr. Larry Charleston IV, professor of neurology, founder of Charleston Health Neurology & Head Pain Consultants and adjunct faculty at the Jefferson Headache Center, joins Lisa Price to discuss the approximately 43 million Americans living with migraine and the roughly 1 in 1,000 people living with cluster headache, and why a lack of effective treatment options continues to drive emergency dep...

Josh McLeod, director of federal government relations at the National Federation of Independent Business, joins Lisa Price to discuss NFIB's new campaign urging Congress to permanently repeal the federal Beneficial Ownership Information reporting mandate, which the organization says could require more than 32 million small businesses to submit sensitive personal data and expose owners to criminal...

Mitch Kokai, senior political analyst at the John Locke Foundation, joins Lisa Price to break down the proposed North Carolina state budget, including what it gets right, where it falls short and what it means for residents across the state.

Logan Stewart, spokesperson for Duke Energy, joins Lisa Price to discuss how customers can reduce their electricity use and manage costs during the high demand period expected over the Fourth of July weekend.

Durham Fire Department Chief Robert Zoldos joins Tony Riggsbee to share fire safety tips for the Fourth of July weekend, including how to handle fireworks responsibly and reduce the risk of accidental fires during outdoor celebrations.

Former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr joins Lisa Price to break down the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling affirming that birthright citizenship cannot be eliminated by executive order, calling it consistent with roughly 150 years of legal precedent. Orr explains what the decision means for future legislative efforts to address the issue, why a constitutional amendment would face enorm...

Benjamin Cook, physician assistant and regional medical director for Duke Urgent Care Durham and Orange counties, joins Tony to discuss how to recognize and manage heat-related illness as a heat dome settles in over the region during the July 4th holiday weekend.

Secretary Pamela Brewington Cashwell of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources joins Tony to discuss Capitol 250: NC Freedom Fest, a free all-day celebration of America's 250th birthday at the State Capitol building and grounds in Raleigh on July 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features live music from Tift Merritt and Rissi Palmer, living history exhibits, more than 50 vendors a...

National Weather Service meteorologist Nick Petro joins Tony to explain what a heat dome is, how it is affecting the Northeast, the extreme weather unfolding in the Rockies, and whether North Carolinians should expect more early and intense summer heat in the years ahead.

Stephen Kates, financial analyst at Bankrate and certified financial planner, joins Tony for his weekly segment to discuss the latest economic trends and practical personal finance guidance for listeners.

Dr. Michael Bailey, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, joins Tony to discuss how to keep pets calm and safe during the loud fireworks and crowds expected around the nation's semiquincentennial celebrations, as well as tips for protecting animals from the summer heat.

Rosie Rios, chair of America250, joins Lisa Priced to discuss the Giving 4th initiative, a first-of-its-kind national effort encouraging Americans to pair their July 4th celebrations with a pledge to donate to a nonprofit of their choosing, turning Independence Day into an annual tradition of giving back.

Chris Edwards, play-by-play voice of the Wilson Warbirds, joins Tony in studio.

Aviation analyst Jay Ratliff joins Lisa Price to discuss an American Airlines jet that aborted its takeoff in Miami after a business jet mistakenly pulled onto the active runway, and a United Airlines flight that nearly struck a drone flying at 2,000 feet near Newark Liberty International Airport. Ratliff addresses the alarming frequency of runway incursions, what investigators look for when human...

Alex Jacquez, chief policy advocacy officer at Groundwork Collaborative, joins Tony to break down how the war in Iran is driving roughly 60% of May's inflation increase, with gas prices up more than 40% and airfares jumping 26% compared to last year. Jacquez explains why North Carolinians are spending an extra $1.1 billion on gas and diesel alone, how rising transportation costs ripple through gro...

Michelle Futrell, director of lung cancer screening programs and initiatives at the LUNGevity Foundation, joins Tony Riggsbee to discuss why only 25% of eligible Americans are getting screened for lung cancer despite screening reducing the risk of death from the disease by 20%, and what patients should know about eligibility guidelines, misconceptions and biomarker testing after a diagnosis. For m...

Dr. Michael Bitzer, professor of politics and history and director of the Center for North Carolina Politics and Public Service at Catawba College, joins Tony Riggsbee to discuss a new Catawba College-YouGov poll showing Democrat Roy Cooper leading Republican Michael Whatley by 14 points in the race for North Carolina's U.S. Senate seat, driven largely by Cooper's 50% support among independent vot...

John Eaton, vice president for complex care at Wounded Warrior Project, and Dr. Jessica Keller, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University, join Tony Riggsbee to discuss new research showing more than three in four veterans served by Wounded Warrior Project report PTSD symptoms and the growing clinical evidence supporting alternative treatments, including psyched...

Distracted driving causes approximately 3,200 deaths and 315,000 injuries among teenagers each year. Julie Garner, the founder of Project Yellow Light, joins host Lisa Price to discuss these sobering statistics and how she is turning tragedy into purpose. Garner shares how she established the foundation in honor of her son to give high school and college students a platform to create impactful adv...

Noel Nickle, executive director of the North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, joins Tony to discuss a public webinar examining what the state has learned during 20 years without executions and what may be at stake as capital cases move through the courts following the passage of House Bill 307, which sets a two-year timeline for capital case hearings. The webinar takes pla...