WPTF Afternoon News

It will be a big celebration at the Carolina Theatre for Halloween on October 30. On Friday night, the Rocky Horror Picture Show will be screened for the first time since the death of Tim Curry, who portrayed a principal role in the cult horror classic. Jim Karl from the Carolina Theatre to discuss the event on Friday.

Dr. Martin Kifer High Point University Polling

Arise Collective aims to support incarcerated women while they are in prison and after they are released. They have been around for 45 years, starting as a prison chaplaincy program at the main women's prison in Raleigh. Jennifer Jackson with the Arise Collective joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the nonprofit.

As Halloween celebrations get underway, law enforcement agencies across Wayne County and North Carolina are preparing to increase patrols and conduct sobriety checkpoints as part of the annual Halloween "Booze It & Lose It" campaign. Linsdey Poe from the Governor’s Highway Safety Program joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the focus on Halloween

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is urging the public to get a flu shot before the holidays. Weeks into the start of respiratory illness season, there are already two flu-related death reported in the state. Dr. David Weber with the UNC School of Medicine joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss flu season.

Bar O Bar, a new contemporary Indian restaurant rooted in the culinary traditions of South India, will open in December in Cary, bringing a refined yet approachable take on Indian dining to the table. Sai Ancha, a co-owner of Bar O Bar, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the new restaurant.

Lauren Brownlow is a longtime college sports writer who hosts a podcast called “This Team is Killing Us” about the Carolina Panthers. She’s also a horror film buff. Lauren joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss horror films she enjoys during Halloween.

After 14 years, Dave Doeren has been fired as the head coach of N.C. State football. The move came less than 24 hours after the Wolfpack lost to Stanford. Despite having one road game in a span of 61 days, the Wolfpack is 3-4 this season, including a shocking loss to Vanderbilt where they fumbled the ball in their own end zone on the last play of the game for the game-winning touchdown. Brett Friedlander, a writer for Straight Up Sports.net, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Doeren’s departure.

The College Football Playoff could expand to 24 teams. Since going to a 12-team model in 2024, speculation about the future of the playoff has been swirling. Could an expansion of the playoff lead to teams leaving their current conferences and becoming independent to determine its own schedules? Dave Glenn, from the North Carolina Sports Network, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the future of the playoff.

The North Carolina State Fair wrapped up its 11-day run Sunday, with a new 15-percent fee on gross sales for food and beverage vendors. State Fair manager Kent Yelverton joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how this year’s event went.