WPTF Afternoon News

Stephen Stroud, a key real estate figure who was instrumental in the Carolina Hurricanes moving to Raleigh, has died. Stroud was involved in several key developments across Raleigh and Wake County, including the Crossroads development in Cary. Raleigh News and Observer sportswriter Chip Alexander joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how Stroud help lure the Hartford Whalers to North Carolina.

A sixteen year old now faces charges in connection with one of the shootings tied to the "Teen Takeover" chaos in multiple parts of Raleigh on Independence weekend. Raleigh city council has directed the City Attorney to draft a curfew ordinance that would impact those 17 years and under. Raleigh attorney and former police officer Lee Turner joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how a situation with thousands of teenagers on hand puts police officer in a difficult situation.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting over 200 cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness that causes gastrointestinal symptoms, as infections continue to rise during the summer months. Dr. David Weber, Infectious disease specialist with UNC Health, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Cyclospora.

The Wake County Animal Center is full, with more animals arriving every day and fewer spaces available for pets in need. Meagan Frost of the Wake County Animal Center joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the latest developments.

The World Rugby Nations Cup is coming to Cary next Saturday. Dominic Besag is an American international rugby union player who plays as a center. A Danville, California native, Besag was educated at De La Salle High School and has played rugby from a young age. Besag joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss preparations for the Nations Cup.

CNBC has ranked North Carolina #2 in its Top States for Business rankings. Carolina is home to one of the country's most active university innovation ecosystems. 682 active UNC startups — 537 of which are headquartered in North Carolina — have created more than 131,000 jobs worldwide and over 14,000 jobs in the state in the 2025 fiscal year. Gerald Cohen, a professor at the UNC-Chapel Hill Kenan Flagler Business School, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the rankings.

A new Catawba College-YouGov poll finds that North Carolinians expressed broad concern about political violence, yet most remain confident elections will occur as scheduled and say they would reject candidates who violate principles of democracy and elections. Michael Bitzer, Catawba College Political Science Professor, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the survey results.

If you've ever planned a trip to the DMV, you've probably heard the phrase "pack your patience." But the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles says drivers may not need quite as much patience these days, as wait times continue to improve at licensing offices across the state. Marty Homan joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what's behind the shorter waits and the steps the agency is taking to improve customer service.

While summer is in full swing, the new school year is just around the corner. To help teachers prepare their classrooms, a seven-week school supply drive has kicked off in Wake County, collecting essential items for students and educators ahead of the first day of school. Keith Poston, Chair of the WakeEd Partnership, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss this year's school supply drive and how the community can help support local classrooms.Executive Director of WakeEd Partnership

In 2012, Pat McCrory became the first Republican elected governor of North Carolina in 24 years. During his term, the state's political landscape shifted dramatically as Donald Trump rose to national prominence, while McCrory's re-election campaign unfolded in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Andrew Dunn has chronicled McCrory's tenure and legacy in his new book, The Change Agent. Dunn joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the book and McCrory's place in North Carolina political history.