WPTF Afternoon News

For the first time in over 70 years, the Prime Minister of Japan is visiting North Carolina. Fumio Kishida arrived in the Tar Heel State on Thursday. It led to an exciting time for organizers at the North Carolina Japan Center, who organized two events at North Carolina State University. Kishida met with students at N.C. State's Nagoya University campus in Raleigh. Stephen Sumner is the Director of the North Carolina Japan Center in Raleigh. Sumner joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the visit from Kishida.

The fight over a newly revived 1864 Arizona law criminalizing abortion throughout pregnancy unless a woman's life is at risk has engulfed the state's lawmakers. The Arizona Legislature devolved into jeering Wednesday as Republican lawmakers shut down discussion on a proposed repeal of the law. Shouts of "Shame! Shame!" erupted in the state House. It has also led to the issue being a focal point in the presidential race, where Arizona will be a key battleground state once again. N.C. State Political Science professor Andy Taylor joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about the issue.

Hundreds of Raleigh police officers have signed a petition ahead of Tuesday's City Council public comment session to ask for more competitive salaries. Rick Armstrong is the vice president of Teamsters Local 391, the union that represents many Raleigh officers. Armstrong said officers that signed the petition are asking for a 15% pay increase. Armstrong joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the need for pay raises for police officers.

America's employers delivered another outpouring of jobs, adding a remarkable 330,000 workers to their payrolls and bolstering hopes that the economy can vanquish inflation without succumbing to a recession in the face of high interest rates. Last month's job growth was up from a revised 270,000 in February and was far above the 200,000 jobs that economists had forecast. Mike Walden, N.C. State Economics Professor Emeritus, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the March jobs report.

In an emergency, people count on access to 911 services regardless of their location or the communication technology they use. The N.C. 911 Board, a division of the N.C. Department of Information Technology, recently completed a years-long effort to modernize the state's 911 system, helping ensure that everyone in North Carolina can quickly reach emergency services. Tom Rogers, North Carolina Board's Next Generation 911 Network Engineer, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the improvements made across the state.

Thomas Farr, a longtime North Carolina redistricting and election law attorney who regularly defended Republican interests but whose 2018 federal judgeship nomination was scuttled by two GOP senators, has died. He was 69. Farr, an Ohio native who attended law schools at Emory University and Georgetown University, arrived in North Carolina in the 1980s. Retired North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss Farr's legacy.

The Rialto Theater turned into Wolfpack Central over the weekend. The Theater, which has been homes to movies and stage performances in the past, welcomed college basketball fans as the N.C. State men's basketball team played Duke on Sunday. They also watched on Sunday afternoon as the N.C. State women defeated Texas to earn its first trip to the Final Four since 1998. Hayes Permar is the operator of the Rialto and plans to host a screening if N.C. State can reach the national championship game on Monday night. He joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the atmosphere at the Rialto for watching basketball games.

A retired psychology professor from Duke University has written a new book about his experience spending a summer hosting for the Durham Bulls. Dr. Harris Cooper has written "Finding America in a Minor League Ballpark: A Season Hosting for the Durham Bulls." A lifelong New York Yankees fan, Cooper spent a season as a seating host at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Cooper joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss why he decided to write a book about a season with the Bulls.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when organizations and advocates come together to raise awareness about services available to help children and families thrive. This April, you might see pinwheels planted outside as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month campaigns across the Tar Heel state. Sharon Hirsch is the President of Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina. She joined Jeff Hamlin on Tuesday to discuss what the pinwheels signify and what activities they are holding as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

With summer on the horizon and temperatures rising, Wake County inspectors are hard at work to ensure the safety of 1,393 public swimming pools throughout the county. From city municipal pools to apartments, condominiums, subdivisions, homeowner associations and clubs, 74 inspectors visit each pool to conduct inspections and issue permits. Jessica Sanders, Environmental Health Program Manager for Wake County, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the inspection and permitting process.

The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is back in downtown Durham this Thursday. For the first time since 2019, the event will be held in person. More than 60 films are expected to be screened at multiple locations across the Bull City. The festival was held virtually from 2020-to-2022 because of the pandemic and was put on hold last year. Emily Foster, the co-founder of the Full Frame Film Festival, joined Jeff Hamlin on Monday.

Last year, N.C. State Wolfpack play-by-play man Gary Hahn announced he would retire at year's end. Last month, it appeared that Hahn would say goodbye without ever seeing the Wolfpack win an ACC Tournament win a title. But now, his final days on the job are ones he will remember because of one of the greatest runs in NCAA Tournament history. This weekend, Hahn will call his first Final Four in Phoenix. Hahn discussed the Wolfpack's incredible run with Jeff Hamlin

The Durham Bulls are set to start a new season on Tuesday night. The Bulls have been the most successful minor league franchise in America since they moved up to Triple-A in 1997. They have won eight International League championships and 16 division championships. Mike Birling, the General Manager of the Bulls, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what's on tap for Durham's first homestand of the season against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp this week.

The N.C. State Wolfpack is moving on to the NCAA Final Four and how they've done it is incredible. N.C. State has won nine straight elimination games to reach the Final Four for the first time since 1983. On Sunday, the Wolfpack defeated Duke in the first-ever meeting between the two rivals in the NCAA Tournament. The run is reminding many people of State's run to the National Championship in 1983. Tim Peeler is a historian with N.C. State and joined Jeff Hamlin on Monday.

Liz Johnson is the Affiliate Chair and Volunteer for the Raleigh-Durham, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Liz's father passed away from pancreatic cancer and got involved with this wonderful organization. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) leads the way in accelerating critical progress for pancreatic cancer patients. Johnson joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about the PanCAN PurpleStride even that will take place on Saturday April 27th at The Corner at N.C. States Centennial Campus.

It's a big weekend for women's basketball. Duke will face off against Connecticut in the Round of the 16 of the NCAA Tournament in Portland. It's the first time that Duke has reached the Sweet 16 under head coach Kara Lawson. Meanwhile, the N.C. State women's basketball team is back in the Sweet 16 for the 16th time in program history. They will face Stanford, also in Portland. Chris Edwards, the voice of the Duke women's basketball team, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss a big weekend in women's basketball.

An NC State engineer said they are looking at ways to make bridges safer and more effective and will look to learn from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Dr. Greg Lucier says engineers design bridges to absorb or deflect impact but not from something as large as a cargo ship. One piece is from a bridge in Sampson County that was replaced just a few months ago. Dr. Lucier joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss how North Carolina bridges are designed.

North Carolina may not be in the path of totality, but we should still get quite the spectacle during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 - if viewed safely through specialty solar filter lenses, of course. This will be the first total solar eclipse to cross the United States since August 2017, and the path of totality is expected to run straight through Indianapolis, Indiana; Cleveland, Ohio; Buffalo, New York; and Burlington, Vermont. Dr. Amy Sayle, Science Education Specialist with the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the eclipse.

The catastrophe in Baltimore has also brought one of the most important trade hubs in the country to a standstill. N.C. State Professor of Supply Chain Management Robert Handfield says it's not just a hit for the automobile industry, but also the farming community. Combines, tractors and hay balers all come through Baltimore. Handfield joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk about how much of an impact the loss of the Francis Scott Key bridge will have in North Carolina.

Duke Health has announced it has received $33 million in funding to develop osteoarthritis treatment that regenerates joints. Duke is part of a multi-institution research team that has been awarded funding from the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. The team is working to develop an osteoarthritis treatment that regenerates joints. Dr. Benjamin Alman, chair of the Department of Orthopedic and Surgery at Duke, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the partnership.

Gene Bennett, aka Mickey Severson is the author of "We Did Not Deserve the Crapper" and is an Iraqi Freedom veteran (two deployments). After being discharged in 2011, Gene returned to his home state of Wisconsin. He now lives in Salisbury, North Carolina. From 1994-1998, Gene served in the USMC 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment; the same unit that so bravely defended Afghan civilians until the last minute as US troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan in 2021. From 1998 to 2001, he served in the Army National Guard as a mechanic, keeping tracked vehicles defensive and operational. From 2001 to 2011 Gene served in the US Army Reserves, doing two deployments in Iraq, doing his part in the Global War on Terror.

It was a big weekend for the Atlantic Coast Conference in men's basketball. For the first time since 2015, North Carolina, N.C. State and Duke all advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Plus, Clemson advanced to the regional semifinals, as well.Brad Brownell became the first Tigers coach to lead Clemson to the Sweet 16 twice. This comes as many college basketball experts felt that the ACC was having an off-year. Brett Friedlander is with Saturday Road.com and joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the ACC and the upcoming weekend.

A breathalyzer test enables law enforcement to quickly determine whether a driver is impaired by alcohol, but as drug problems continue to plague the state and THC products become increasingly easy to access at North Carolina convenience stores and smoke shops, law enforcement is contending with an increase in drivers impaired by drugs. In February, for example, a 19-year-old Raleigh woman believed to be impaired by marijuana caused a fatal wreck in Duplin County. She was charged with driving while impaired. Jeremy Maddox is a personal injury attorney with James Scott Farrin and Associates. He joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News.

Clemson, a charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference from its opening in 1954, is making a move to leave the league. Clemson has filed suit against the ACC, based in Charlotte, in a courtroom in Pickens County, South Carolina. It's the second lawsuit that the ACC has faced since the end of college football season. Florida State is suing to get out of the Grant of Rights agreement. Clemson's lawsuit says its ability to explore meaningful options regarding conference membership is inhibited by the ACC asserting it owns the university's media rights. Dave Glenn, the host of the Dave Glenn Show on the North Carolina Sports Network and from Chapelboro.com, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the lawsuit.

The N.C. State men's basketball team pulled off the impossible last weekend. The Wolfpack became the first team in history to take the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament by winning five games over five days. To make it even sweeter, the Wolfpack defeated its Triangle rivals-Duke and North Carolina-en route to its first ACC tournament title since 1987. With it, the Wolfpack claimed its first ACC title of any sort since 1989. Raleigh News and Observer sportswriter Andrew Carter joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the experience in Washington, D.C.

NCFC Youth Announces the Starting XI of All-Star 50th Team. Katharine Eberhardt, NCFC Youth Chief Marketing and Development Officer joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to talk more about what NCFC Youth is and about the All Star 50th team

St. Augustine’s University is in a fight for its accreditation. A recent audit revealed that the university can’t account for $10 million. The report shows the university frequently disregarded processes that require authorization for wire transfers and it’s unclear how the $10 million was spent during the 2021 fiscal year. Renee Pollum helped Morris Brown College in its accreditation fight in 2002. She joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss what the accreditation hearing will be like for St. Augustine’s officials.

N.C. State’s chemistry department has created the Rob-O-Chem. It allows students a chance to participate in research and they don’t even have to go into the lab to do it. Students can fully participate and physically coordinate live movements using machinery through a computer to conduct experiments. Ryan Chiechi, associate professor of chemistry at N.C. State, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss their findings.

Art in Bloom is back for the 10th year at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. The event, which started Wednesday and runs through Sunday, is the museum’s only annual fundraiser. Dozens of local florists created live floral installations that can be found throughout the museum’s West Building. Laura Finan of the North Carolina Museum of Art joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the latest Art in Bloom.

Some North Carolina students with disabilities are getting a taste of what it’s like to pursue a career in STEM as they work towards a future that beats the statistics. The Catalyst program creates free STEM opportunities for high school students with disabilities. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. It is funded through N.C. Vocational Rehabilitation. Joann Blumenfeld, Director of GIST Programs at N.C. State, joined Jeff Hamlin on the wPTF Afternoon News to discuss the program.

Consumer prices in the United States picked up last month, a sign that inflation remains a persistent challenge for the Federal Reserve and for President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, both of which are counting on a steady easing of price pressures this year. Prices rose 0.4% from January to February, higher than the previous month’s figure of 0.3%, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Compared with a year earlier, consumer prices rose 3.2% last month, above January’s 3.1% annual pace. N.C. State Professor Emeritus of Economics Mike Walden joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the report.

Mobile and online sports wagering across North Carolina took off on Monday, as several licensed gambling operators started taking bets nine months after legislation to authorize such activity statewide became law. Some of the interactive sports wagering operators, which include big names in the growing field of legalized gambling, and their affiliates held special events to highlight the new gambling options in the nation's ninth-largest state. North Carolina is now the 30th state, along with the District of Columbia, to offer mobile sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. Brad Senkiw, a reporter from Covers.com, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss it's start in North Carolina.

It's been nearly a week since Super Tuesday, but there are still reverberations across North Carolina's political landscape. In the state superintendent of public instruction race, Michele Morrow is now the republican nominee after stunning incumbent Catherine Truitt. Tom Jensen of public policy polling looked at this race and many others. He joined Jeff Hamlin on the wtf afternoon news.

it has been nearly four months since Poe Hall at N.C. State university was shut down after 123 reports of cancer in people who worked there were released. Tremaine Brittian worked at N.C. State as a student and as an employee for ten years. She later was diagnosed with cancer. She says she relayed her concerns to university officials. Brittian joined Jeff Hamlin on the wtf afternoon news on Monday.

On paper, Michele Morrow didn’t look like an Election Day threat. The Republican candidate for state superintendent didn’t have a career in education, let alone experience as a public school parent in North Carolina. But Morrow pulled a stunner on Super Tuesday, defeating Catherine Truitt in the State Board of Education race. Jeff Hamlin talked with Amy Kappleman with Moms for Liberty's Chatham County chapter. 

Starting Monday, North Carolinians will be able to legally place sports bets online, the effects are already evident with ads virtually everywhere: social media, billboards, television and even podcasts. A member of UNC-Chapel Hill's Department of Psychology and Neuroscience is concerned about the impact that the availability of gambling online could have on young people. Rosa Li joined Jeff Hamlin on the WTF Afternoon News.

North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson made history, winning the Republican gubernatorial primary and becoming the first Black nominee in the state. Robinson says he will focus on reforming education across the Tar Heel State. Robinson faces a showdown with Democrat Josh Stein in November. Longtime North Carolina Central law professor Irving Joyner joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss having Robinson as a gubernatorial nominee means for North Carolina.

A new multi-sport simulator bar will be opening this spring at American Tobacco Campus in Durham. State of Golf integrates Full Swing Golf's advanced technology to offer an immersive experience where guests can play virtual golf on the world's most prestigious courses, as well as enjoy 30 other sports simulations, like baseball and soccer. Brandon Baker, the co-owner of the State of Golf, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the new bar.

Raleigh city council members were split 4-4 on Tuesday in a surprise resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Council members Mary Black, Jane Harrison, Christina Jones and Megan Patton voted for the resolution, which wasn't on Tuesday's agenda. Previously, Raleigh mayor Mary Ann Baldwin had said the issue would not be up for vote. Swarnali Sengupta has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in meeting in Durham and Raleigh. She joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the Raleigh City Council vote.

Now that Mark Robinson is the first Black gubernatorial nominee in North Carolina history, how big of a milestone is it? And what can we expect in the upcoming gubernatorial race between Robinson and Josh Stein? Longtime North Carolina political observer Tom Campbell joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the 2024 gubernatorial race. 

President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump are poised to have the biggest day of the primary campaign move them to the brink of winning their party's presidential nominations and setting up a historic rematch. Voting is taking place in 16 states and one territory. Hundreds of delegates are at stake, the biggest haul for either party on a single day. Catawba College political science professor Michael Bitzer joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the national impact of Super Tuesday.

Court storming is a college basketball tradition - as well as a safety hazard and legal risk. Recently, the issue came up when Duke men's basketball forward Kyle Filipowski was run into by several Wake Forest fans at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem. What are the legal ramifications of a court storming. Eric Haase, an attorney with the law offices of the James Scott Farron, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the legal fallout.

A new High Point University Poll finds North Carolinians likely to vote or those reporting they voted in the 2024 North Carolina Republican primary for president prefer former President Donald Trump (69%) to other candidates on the ballot. Meanwhile, the Republican race for governor appears to be in favor of Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson. Brian McDonald, from the High Point University Survey Research Center, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the survey's findings.

On Tuesday, North Carolina voters will vote in the primary gubernatorial election. The two most popular candidates, Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Democratic AttorneyGeneral Josh Stein, are expected to face off in the general election. If it does come down to Robinson and Stein, political analysts expect it to be a close race. Mac McCorkle is a professor of Public Policy at Duke University. He joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the primary races.

Regardless of socioeconomic factors and tumor variables, Black women with triple negative breast cancer have a significantly poorer response to chemotherapy than white women. That's according to researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute. The report recently appeared in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It suggests that this type of aggressive cancer may not be the same tumor in all patients, contributing to differences in treatment outcomes for racial and ethnic groups. Dr. Maggie DiNome, Chief of the Section of Breast Surgery at the Duke University School of Medicine, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the report.

On Monday morning, Alamance-Burlington Schools Superintendent Dr. Dain Butler resigned. It's the latest in a string of senior officials who have left the district in the past month. In February, Chief Financial Officer Kim Mc Vey left the system amid the financial crisis and investigation, and Deputy Superintendent Lowell Rogers was suspended with pay after charges of failure to report a crime against a juvenile. Sophie Rosenthal, a reporter for the Elon News Network, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Butler's departure.

A private lander has made the first U.S. moon landing in more than 50 years. Intuitive Machines' lander touched down Thursday, but left flight controllers scrambling before gaining better contact. Tension mounted in the company's Houston control center when there was no immediate word from the lander following the designated touchdown time. A faint signal finally was acquired. Chris Katella, a spokesperson for the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill, joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the milestone.

A new indoor pickleball and golf center opening in Raleigh this summer. It may be the largest in the state. Pinpoint Raleigh is set to open later this year at 2201 s. Wilmington St., south of downtown Raleigh. Pin Point Raleigh bills itself as "the largest indoor pickleball and golf facility in North Carolina." Garrett Leatham and Jacob Starritt of Pinpoint Raleigh joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss its opening.

Nearly 1,000 volunteers gathered at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds on Thursday for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina’s annual Sort-A-Rama event. With the support of more than a dozen Triangle-area companies and organizations, volunteers united to sort and package culturally meaningful and versatile pantry staples like rice, lentils, and pasta. Jennifer Caslin of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina joined Jeff Hamlin on the wPTF Afternoon News to discuss Sort-A-Rama.

The Wake County Animal Center is once again at capacity and is urging people to consider adopting a pet. The plea comes weeks after the center changed its policy amid the ongoing overcrowding issue. There are 144 dogs, three puppies, five cats and one kitten at the Animal Center. Megan Frost with the Animal Shelter joined Jeff Hamlin on the WPTF Afternoon News to discuss the situation.