WPTF Morning News

As the weather starts to turn cooler, we start to think about those fall festivals and events. We want to continue to do our part to highlight the great things that are going on in our local communities and with that thought in mind, in today's Talk of the Town Segment we highlight the events coming up in Wake Forest this fall with Mayor Vivian Jones who joins Chris Edwards.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are back in action this Saturday as they welcome Georgia Tech to Kenan Stadium with kick-off slated for noon. Our coverage on WPTF begins at 10:00 and with Chris Edwards to preview the contest is the Voice of the Tar Heels, Jones Angell.

Hurricane Helene brought devastation to many parts of Western North Carolina and took out production to a number of business that call Western North Carolina home, leaving long lasting impacts that might still be unknown. One of those companies that have a home in Western North Carolina is Sibelco which has a quartz mine in Spruce Pine that was impacted by the storm, with Chris Edwards to talk about the recovery from the storm from their perspective is Jac Fourie, Sibelco Vice President of Projects for the Americas.

Doctors at Duke University Hospital have played a key role in a remarkable medical breakthrough. Donavon Harbison, an Alamance County resident diagnosed with heart failure, recently became the second person in the world to receive a total artificial heart. The device allowed him to regain enough strength to successfully undergo a heart transplant. With Chris Edwards to discuss this breakthrough further is Dr. Manesh Patel.

Wake County Schools has grown to over 160,000 students making the Wake County School System larger than the entire public school system in eight states. WakeEd Partnership was created in 1983 and their goal is to engage, inform and mobilize the business community and community at large in collaboration with Wake County Public Schools to provide every student with excellent educational opportunities. With Chris Edwards to talk more about WakeEd and the work they are doing is Caroline Graebe, Program Coordinator for WakeEd.

As the weather starts to turn cooler, we start to think about those fall festivals and events. We want to continue to do our part to highlight the great things that are going on in our local communities and with that thought in mind, in today's Talk of the Town Segment we visit with Kaleb Harmon with the Town of Zebulon to discuss the great things they have coming up this fall.

Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida on Wednesday night as a Category 3 Hurricane with sustained winds of 120 miles per hour bringing those winds, heavy rains and the possibility of devastating storm surge. With Chris Edwards to provide a first hand account of Hurricane Milton and its impacts is Brian Freeman.

With less than one month until North Carolinians go to the polls there are a number of state-wide races that will impact the council of state. One of those races that is on the ballot this fall is for Labor Commissioner, and with Chris Edwards to discuss his candidacy for the position is Braxton Winston.

We continue to follow the impact of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina where the cleanup is just beginning after devastating flooding and other damage. With Chris Edwards is North Carolina 5th District Congresswoman Dr. Virginia Foxx.

Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Western North Carolina and as many begin to pick up the pieces, there is now a back-and-forth going on over a proposed insurance rate increase. Representatives for both the Department of Insurance and the North Carolina Rate Bureau continue to meet to arrive at a settlement. With Chris Edwards to discuss is North Carolina Insurance Commissioner, Mike Causey.

While we have been focused on the rescue and recovery from Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina, the race for the White House and other state-wide races have still pressed on with less than a month away from election day, we drop ourselves back into the political realm to get a peek into what we've missed and what comes next Chris Edwards visits with Meredith College Political Science Professor, David McLennen.

Western North Carolina continues to deal with the fallout out from Hurricane Helene as Hurricane Milton is barreling toward the West Coast of Florida which is expected to take a direct hit from a major Hurricane. With Chris Edwards to discuss how these storms might impact the Presidential Race is a senior at NC Central and a DNC Delegate Devin Freeman.

We are less than a month away from Election Day and the race for the White House has entered the home stretch with both sides seeing North Carolina as a key state this November. With Chris Edwards to offer perspective on the race is GOP National Spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko.

As Western North Carolina continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, our state is preparing to go to the polls and cast their votes. Obviously there are some challenges for those in the western part of our state as it relates to voting and that is a job that has been tackled by the State Board of Elections. With Chris Edwards to talk about their plan to ensure safe and fair voting while also previewing the early voting period is the Executive Director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Karen Brinson-Bell.

We are just over a month away from election day and a number of down ballot races that will be decided this November which includes a number of state house and state senate races. With Chris Edwards to discuss their candidacy for State Senate in District 13 is Scott Lassiter who joins us in studio.

Just over a week after Hurricane Helene devastated many parts of the southeast, a major storm is brewing the Gulf of Mexico and Hurricane Milton is expected to bring major impacts to the west coast of Florida later this week. With Chris Edwards to talk more about Milton and its impacts is Nick Petro, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

NC Child was founded in 1983 as the NC Child Advocacy Institute. They supported the creation of Smart Start and the establishment of the Child Fatality Task Force. In 2014, a merger with the Covenant for North Carolina’s Children led to what is today NC Child. Since then, NC Child has made an impact working to end corporal punishment, keeping teens out of adult hails, improving the lead poisoning prevention program, and expanding access to Medicaid for families. With Chris Edwards to talk more about the program is Michael Cooper, Senior Director of Advocacy for NC Child.

We are just over a month away from election day and a number of races on the ballot will have an impact on the Council of State in North Carolina. One of those races that will be decided in November is the Superintendent of Public Instruction where Michele Morrow is running, Mrs. Morrow joined Chris Edwards studio to talk about the race and her candidacy.

We continue to follow the recovery and clean-up following Hurricane Helene which devastated Western North Carolina. With Chris Edwards to talk through the recovery efforts and how the folks in Western North Carolina begin to move on is North Carolina Senator Ted Budd.

We continue to follow the recovery and clean-up following Hurricane Helene which devastated several states but hit Western North Carolina very hard. With us now to talk through the recovery efforts, the work they are doing and what the prospect looks like moving forward is FEMA Assistant Secretary Daniel Watson.

According to the latest jobs report released last week the US added 254,000 new jobs, that marks the 45th consecutive month the economy seen a jobs increase but could that streak be at risk and what did the jobs report really mean? Chris Edwards get perspective now from CBS Business Analyst, Jill Schlesinger.

Today marks one year since the deadly attack by Hamas on Israel and now, 365 days later many are concerned about the widening regional conflict with Chris Edwards to discuss the ongoing conflict in the region is CBS News Correspondent, Robert Berger.

We are approaching one month until election day and the race to get out the vote, the message and sway the undecided voters is in the home stretch, with Chris Edwards to talk more about this election cycle is Sloan Duvall, President of the UNC Young Democrats.

Airlines helping out those affected by hurricane Helene, a seat stealer, and more. All in Chris Edwards weekly conversation with Jay Ratliff.

In 2024 more than 360,000 people will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer but the good news to that fact is when the cancer is caught in its earliest, localized states, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%. October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we want to do our part to highlight the great work that is going on in terms of research, awareness and hopefully one day, finding a cure. With Chris Edwards to highlight the work their organization is doing is Jenny Palmateer, CEO of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

As we continue to follow the rescue and recovery from Hurricane Helene there are so many challenges facing those in Western North Carolina from the loss of loved ones, destruction of property - the thought of cleaning up and rebuilding could be overwhelming for some and that could lead to mental health challenges, with Chris Edwards to discuss the resources available to those in Western North Carolina and the state as a whole is Kody Kinsley, The Secretary of The Department of Health and Human Services.

We continue to follow the cleanup and recovery in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene last week with Chris Edwards to talk about those efforts is North Carolina Labor Commissioner, Josh Dobson.

We continue to follow the cleanup and recovery in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene last week and those impacts stretch also to farms where livelihoods have been upended, farms destroyed and livestock killed. With Chris Edwards to talk about the impact of Helene on our farmers in Western North Carolina is former North Carolina Congressman and current North Carolina Farm Services Director, Bob Etheridge.

We continue to follow the cleanup and recovery in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene last week and a number of organizations are out front helping lead the recovery efforts to assist those in Western North Carolina. With Chris Edwards to talk more about their efforts to aid our friends in the West is Todd Unzicker who is part of the executive team at the North Carolina Baptists State Convention.

In a story that we've been following for several weeks, the dockworker strike that began earlier this week where 45,000 dockworkers went on strike after they were unable to come to terms over wages and automation of ports has been put on pause. With Chris Edwards to talk more in depth about this story is Lauren Beagen, the founder and CEO of Maritime Professor and a maritime attorney.

The North Carolina Tar Heels return to Kenan Stadium this week for another conference test as the Pittsburgh Panthers come to town for a noon kick-off. You can hear the game right here on WPTF with coverage beginning at 10 am. With Chris Edwards to recap that tough loss to Duke last week and look ahead to tomorrow's game is the Voice of the Tar Heels, Jones Angell.

Chris Edwards spoke with Attorney General Josh Stein about recovery efforts post hurricane Helene and how to avoid people talking advantage of the disaster.

Hurricane Helene made its way through Western North Carolina last week leaving in its wake devastating destruction, numerous deaths and forcing so many communities to rebuild. On Wednesday, President Biden was in our state to visit the Emergency Operations Center and tour the damage in the Mountains. With Chris Edwards to offer perspective on how to handle the response to a storm like this is former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory

We continue to follow the cleanup and recovery in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene last week with Chris Edwards to talk about those efforts is Tom Campbell.

We continue to follow the cleanup and recovery in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene last week with Chris Edwards to talk about those efforts is North Carolina State Senator Warren Daniel who represents Buncombe, Burke and McDowell counties.

We continue to follow the impact of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina where the cleanup is just beginning after devastating flooding and other damage. With Chris Edwards is North Carolina 11th District Congressman, Chuck Edwards

There are so many things to love about our country and one of the things we love the most is the history and the beauty of the People's House, the US Capitol in Washington, the home to lawmakers, so many historic moments and of course National Statuary Hall. Chris Edwards get perspective now on the US Capitol, its history and why it is so important to us as we visit with the President of the US Capitol Historical Society, Jane L. Campbell.

As our friends in Western North Carolina continue to feel the impacts from Hurricane Helene, several organizations in the triangle are helping out with essential items for those who are picking up the pieces after having their homes destroyed and lives upended. With Chris Edwards to discuss what they are doing to help and how you can get involved is Mike DeSanti with the Red Cross of North Carolina.

We continue to follow the cleanup and recovery in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene last week with Chris Edwards to talk about those efforts is the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Kody Kinsley.

We continue to follow the cleanup and recovery in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene last week with Chris Edwards to talk about those efforts is North Carolina Representative from Buncombe County Eric Ager.

A pretty special event going on today with the Raleigh Police Department and the community. In our Talk of the Town segment this morning Chris Edwards visits with Raleigh Police Lt. Jason Borneo to tell us more about today's Coffee with a Cop.

As we get into the fall months, many festivals and celebrations are on the docket in many of our local communities. Coming up in Fuquay-Varina this week they will host Celebrate Fuquay-Varina which kicks-off with a concert tomorrow. In our Talk of the Town segment this morning we visit with Fuquay-Varina mayor Blake Messengill.

In a story that we've been following for several weeks, at midnight 45,000 dockworkers went on strike after they were unable to come to terms over wages and automation of ports. With Chris Edwards to talk more in depth about this story is Lauren Beagen, the founder and CEO of Maritime Professor and a maritime attorney

The first and only scheduled Vice Presidential Debate is scheduled for tonight in New York - you can hear the debate with coverage beginning at 8:30 here on WPTF as JD Vance and Tim Walz face off. With Chris Edwards to preview tonight's debate is David McLennen, Meredith College Political Science Professor.

The first and only scheduled Vice Presidential Debate is scheduled for tonight in New York - you can hear the debate with coverage beginning at 8:30 here on WPTF as JD Vance and Tim Walz face off. With Chris Edwards to offer perspective is Dr. John Purakal, Duke University doctor and a DNC Surrogate.

We continue to follow the impact of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina where the cleanup is just beginning after devastating flooding and other damage. With Chris Edwards to talk about the recovery process and how insurance will work after all of this damage is North Carolina Insurance Commissioner, Mike Causey.

With over a month until North Carolinians go to the polls there are a number of state-wide races that will impact the council of state. One of those races that is on the ballot this fall is for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Mo Green.

Within the last few weeks the General Assembly returned to Raleigh to pass House Bill 10 which clears the backlog of nearly 55,000 opportunity scholarship applicants who would like to attend private schools and would also provide $248 million in nonrecurring funds for those attending those schools. That bill was vetoed by Governor Cooper last week and now some are calling on legislators to reach across party lines and support that veto. With Chris Edwards for perspective is Dr. Robert Taylor, Superintendent of Wake County Schools.

Coming up tomorrow night, Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz will debate in their first and only scheduled Vice Presidential Debate. With Chris Edwards to talk about the history of Vice Presidential Debates and the impact it could have on this years election is former teacher and current YouTuber Matt Beat.

A United captain ordering pizza for his passenger, Southwest announcing the date of their new seating procedures, and more. All as Chris Edwards talks with Aviation Analyst Jay Ratliff.