News Archives - WPTF-AM

‘I don’t want to get involved’: NC college students avoid abortion conversations on campus

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — It’s mid-October, less than two weeks away from Election Day, and students are rallying in full force at UNC-Chapel Hill. Student organizations sit in the Pit—a brick patio that sits below ground level at the heart of the UNC-CH campus, where it’s believed that every student passes through at least once a day—asking if their fellow Tar Heels have voted, preaching the gospel or recruiting new members. One club’s table that can often be found is Students for Life at UNC-CH, a pro-life campus organization that strives to serve and educate the student body about abortion. The group’s signs, with messages such as “Abolish Abortion” and “Choose Life,” intend to help students engage in thoughtful conversations about abortion—but are not always met with support from UNC-CH’s largely liberal campus.… Continue Reading

Marion community rallies to rebuild after Hurricane Helene

Two weeks after Hurricane Helene ravaged western North Carolina, the community is still reeling from its unexpected destruction. Many residents were caught off guard by the severity of the storm, leaving homes and businesses unprepared for the devastating floodwaters that followed. In the wake of heavy winds and thunderstorms that preceded the hurricane, rivers and streams overflowed, inundating mountain towns. The deluge swept away trees, cars, and homes, leaving a trail of devastation. Now, relief organizations and local businesses are coming together to help the community start the long process of rebuilding.… Continue Reading

Stock market today: Wall Street edges higher as financial markets steady themselves

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are drifting near their record levels. The S&P 500 was basically flat in midday trading Wednesday, a day after sliding from its record on worries about a possible widening of the fighting in the Middle East. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 21 points, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.2% higher. Oil prices rose again as the world waits to see how Israel will respond to Tuesday’s missile attack from Iran, but they pared their gains as the morning progressed. Treasury yields rose after an encouraging update on hiring by private U.S. employers.… Continue Reading

‘I always looked up and knew my place was in the stars’: UNC senior goes to space

Moments before takeoff, soon-to-be astronaut Karsen Kitchen sat atop what she called a “breathing dragon.” One minute. The six passengers watched the clock count down. 30 seconds. The rocket rumbled, inhaled and exhaled, ready to launch the crew 2,238 miles per hour into space. 10 seconds. Only the Kármán line, the boundary separating Earth’s atmosphere and outer space, stood between Kitchen and history. At 21, she would become the youngest woman to travel to space.… Continue Reading

Rescue efforts continue in western NC

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Western North Carolina in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene. Governor Roy Cooper announced Saturday that more than 200 individuals had been rescued from floodwaters. “This is a historic and catastrophic storm for Western North Carolina, and I’m grateful to first responders working right now to save lives and evacuate residents,” Cooper said.… Continue Reading

BugFest infests downtown Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosted its annual BugFest in downtown Raleigh on Saturday. The event featured exhibits, hands-on activities, and education on the world of insects. This year’s focus was on the order Lepidoptera, which includes butterflies and moths. There were butterfly encounter tents, as well as education stations where the public could talk to real-world entomologists. Butterflies and moths might have been the stars of the show, but bugs of all kinds were represented. One of the most popular events was the Roachingham 500, a cockroach race.… Continue Reading

Small plane makes emergency landing on highway, then is hit by a vehicle

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Police in North Carolina say one person was injured when a vehicle hit a small plane that had made an emergency landing on a highway near an airport. Greensboro police say Piedmont Triad International Airport communications received a distress call around 8 p.m. Wednesday from a small, single-engine plane experiencing mechanical failure. Police say the plane made an emergency landing on westbound Interstate 840. After it stopped, a passenger vehicle hit the plane. One of the two people on the plane was taken to a hospital with a minor injury.… Continue Reading

Children’s book to blame for fire inside car, North Carolina officials say

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. (AP) — Authorities in Burke County, North Carolina, say a children’s book is to blame for a fire inside a vehicle. The George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department says a “button battery” on a children’s book is what cause the fire Sunday inside the car. No one was inside the vehicle when the car seat caught fire. Officials told local news outlets they suspect one of the books in the car had a lithium battery.… Continue Reading

Eric Trump discusses his father’s presidential campaign, endorses Robinson for governor

RALEIGH (WPTF) — Eric Trump, the son of former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, downplayed recent indictments filed by special prosecutor Jack Smith. In an interview with the WPTF morning show, Trump told host Chris Edwards he wasn’t surprised by the filings, which he argued was part of a broader effort to stop his father’s campaign. Eric Trump also said he and his father are strongly endorsing Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s bid for Governor.… Continue Reading

Having a family is expensive. Here’s what Harris and Trump have said about easing costs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Families are looking for relief from the high cost of caring for children. On this topic, the Democratic and Republican tickets for president have one main commonality: Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have supported a higher child tax credit. As one of her first campaign policy announcements, Harris said she would work to expand that tax credit to as much as $3,600 per child, and $6,000 in a baby’s first year. Trump has declined to say how he would make caregiving more affordable this time around. But Congress expanded the child tax credit when he was president, and his running mate supports doing it again.… Continue Reading