WPTF Afternoon News

Only 5% of America's doctors are Black. That number has barely changed in 100 years. A former television reporter out of Durham just wrote a new book that explains why, and traces it back to a building in Raleigh that most people walk past without a second thought. Nicole Carr, who previously worked at WTVD, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss “The Price of Exclusion: The Pursuit of Healthcare in a Segregated Nation.”

The North Carolina baseball team is two wins away from its first national championship. The Tar Heels romped through the opening three games of the College World Series. On Saturday, UNC starts a best-of-three series against Oklahoma for the national championship. Dave Nathan, UNC Baseball play-by-play man, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the Tar Heels latest stint in Omaha so far.

George Clinton, a Kannapolis native, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Clinton was inducted into the NC Music Hall of Fame in 2009 and is also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Victoria Cordble, with the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss Clinton receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award and this year’s inductees

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday it is keeping its interest rate unchanged for the fourth-straight time but signaled that a rate hike is ahead. Trump appointee Kevin Warsh led his first policy meeting on Wednesday as Fed chairman and quickly made his mark. Gerald Cohen, a UNC-Chapel Hill Economics Professor, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the Fed’s decision.

There are plenty of Juneteenth celebrations scheduled for Durham on Friday. Susan Amey, the CEO of Discover Durham, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss what is on the slate

The Minister Paul Scott was a prominent Durham activist who always had his eye on the next generation of youth. He organized book drives for children and was a champion of peace. Sadly, Scott passed away last week. The Reverend Carl Kenney, an assistant journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss the life of Paul Scott.

The parade route for the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup celebration has been released. On Saturday morning, the parade will begin at the intersection of Hillsborough Street and St. Mary's Street in Raleigh. The parade stands to mean more dollars for Raleigh businesses. Jennifer Martin of Shop Local Raleigh joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how beneficial the parade will be.

With no end to our drought in sight, Raleigh water officials will crack down on the water restrictions already in place, with the impact on the water supply and the agriculture industry becoming more of a factor. Ed Buchan, Raleigh Environmental Coordinator, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss any potential restrictions on the table.

The first thing anyone does when stepping into their car this time of year is blast the air conditioner. In Durham on Wednesday, there was a display to spread awareness about preventing hot car deaths. There were 50 pairs of shoes, each representing a child in North Carolina who died in a hot car since 1998. Alan Buchanan, Director of Safe Kinds North Carolina, joined Jeff Hamlin to discuss how preventable hot car deaths are.

Fatherhood plays a vital role in building strong families and strong communities. This weekend, an event in the Triangle will bring together fathers, family advocates, and community leaders to focus on that important mission.Jon Champion talks with Vanessa Hickmon, Executive Director of the Family Resource Center South Atlantic Region about the upcoming NC Fatherhood Conference, the work her organization is doing across the state, and why supporting fathers matters now more than ever.