Category Archives: WPTF News

Hurricane Helene hit the reset button on one town’s goal of becoming an outdoor tourism mecca

Hurricane Helene hit the reset button on one town’s goal of becoming an outdoor tourism mecca

OLD FORT, N.C. (AP) — The mountain “gateway” town of Old Fort, North Carolina, was well on its way to achieving a major goal: to become a hot spot for mountain biking and all things outdoors. Then nature, as one business owner put it, hit “the reset button.” A year ago, floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Helene inundated the town, washing out miles of multi-purpose trails and closing long stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a tourist lifeline. Chad Schoenauer has reopened his Old Fort Bike Shop, but he’s doing more repairs than sales these days. Tourism spending last year was way off in the mountains, but many are hoping for a successful fall foliage season to hit the reset button again.… Continue Reading

He was a loan mortgage officer. Now Ben Griffin is in the Ryder Cup

He was a loan mortgage officer. Now Ben Griffin is in the Ryder Cup

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Ben Griffin is a Ryder Cup rookie with a path unlike any other American at Bethpage Black. It was only four summers ago when Griffin was working as a mortgage loan officer. He was a good junior and college player. The developmental tours wore him down so he quit to work a 9-5 job. And through a chain of events he never saw coming, Griffin got back in the game. Four years later, he’s No. 11 in the world and a two-time PGA Tour winner. And this week he tees it up against Europe in the Ryder Cup.… Continue Reading

North Carolina Medicaid patients face care access threat as funding impasse continues

North Carolina Medicaid patients face care access threat as funding impasse continues

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Medicaid patients face a threat of reduced access to services due to a funding impasse. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein confirmed Thursday that the state program will lower reimbursement rates for doctors, hospitals and other providers starting next week. This decision comes as his administration says additional Medicaid funds approved by the Republican-controlled General Assembly still leave the program with a shortfall. GOP lawmakers couldn’t agree on a way forward this week. The legislature is next scheduled to meet Oct. 20. Republicans argue the action is premature and unprecedented this early in the fiscal year.… Continue Reading

Man who opened fire on ICE facility hoped attack would give agents ‘real terror,’ FBI says

Man who opened fire on ICE facility hoped attack would give agents ‘real terror,’ FBI says

DALLAS (AP) — The gunman who opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas left behind a note saying that he hoped the attack would “give ICE agents real terror.” That’s according to FBI Director Kash Patel, who posted the information Thursday on the social platform X. The post offered the first hint of a motive behind the shooting on Wednesday that killed an ICE detainee and critically wounded two others. The detainees were in a van. No ICE personnel were hurt. Authorities said the assailant fired indiscriminately from a nearby rooftop.… Continue Reading

No. 8 FSU’s visit to Virginia, No. 16 Georgia Tech’s trip to Wake Forest headline ACC slate

No. 8 FSU’s visit to Virginia, No. 16 Georgia Tech’s trip to Wake Forest headline ACC slate

No. 8 Florida State and No. 16 Georgia Tech are hitting the road in Atlantic Coast Conference play this week. The Seminoles visit high-scoring Virginia on Friday to open their league slate. The Yellow Jackets beat Clemson in their ACC opener. They travel to face a Wake Forest team led by first-year coach Jake Dickert. This week’s schedule includes Duke visiting Syracuse. The Blue Devils are coming off an instate win against N.C. State. The Orange are coming off a win at Clemson. Louisville’s trip to Pittsburgh is another game to watch on the schedule.… Continue Reading

On North Carolina’s rivers and streams, the cleanup of Helene’s fury seems never-ending

On North Carolina’s rivers and streams, the cleanup of Helene’s fury seems never-ending

WOODFIN, N.C. (AP) — It’s been only a year since Hurricane Helene hammered the southeast U.S. from Florida to the Carolinas. Some of the heaviest damage came from flooding in the North Carolina mountains, where some 30 inches of rain turned gentle streams into walls of water that swept away anything in their path. The worst wreckage has been cleared away, but cleanup crews are still at work plucking smaller debris from waterways throughout the region. In the understandable haste to rescue people and restore their lives to some semblance of normalcy, some fear the recovery efforts compounded Helene’s impact on the ecosystem. Contractors hired to remove vehicles, shipping containers, shattered houses and other large debris from waterways sometimes damaged sensitive habitat.… Continue Reading

North Carolina legislature passes ‘Iryna’s Law’ after refugee’s stabbing death

North Carolina legislature passes ‘Iryna’s Law’ after refugee’s stabbing death

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina legislature has approved a criminal justice package in response to the stabbing death of a Ukrainian refugee on Charlotte’s light rail. The package finalized Tuesday with a House vote limits bail and aims to ensure more defendants undergo mental health evaluations. The measure already passed the Senate and now goes to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. His office said the measure is being reviewed. The bill also includes provisions that aim to help restart executions in the state. Public outrage over the death of Iryna Zarutska intensified with the release of security video showing the attack on the commuter train.… Continue Reading

College football picks: Punts trending toward record low as coaches get more aggressive on 4th down

College football picks: Punts trending toward record low as coaches get more aggressive on 4th down

Football Bowl Subdivision teams are averaging 3.82 punts per game through Week 4 of the season. That figure on track to be the lowest since the NCAA began keeping the statistic in 1937. Punt attempts have decreased eight straight seasons, and the 2024 average of 4.06 was one full punt per game less than in 2015. The sport’s growing reliance on analytics has encouraged coaches to be aggressive on fourth down. Also, field goals from long distances are on the rise.… Continue Reading

YouTube to start bringing back creators banned for COVID-19 and election misinformation

YouTube to start bringing back creators banned for COVID-19 and election misinformation

NEW YORK (AP) — YouTube will offer creators a way to rejoin the streaming platform if they were banned for violating COVID-19 and election misinformation policies that are no longer in effect. YouTube parent Alphabet said in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that the decision reflects the company’s commitment to free speech. The move is the latest in a cascade of content moderation rollbacks from tech companies, who cracked down on false information during the pandemic and after the 2020 election but have since faced pressure from President Donald Trump and other conservatives who argue they unlawfully stifled right-wing voices. It comes as tech CEOs, including Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, have sought a closer relationship with the Republican president.… Continue Reading

Man who represented himself is found guilty of trying to assassinate Trump at Florida golf course

Man who represented himself is found guilty of trying to assassinate Trump at Florida golf course

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man representing himself in federal court against charges of trying to assassinate Donald Trump last year at his Florida golf course has told jurors he didn’t intend to kill anyone that day. Jurors have begun deliberating the charges against Ryan Routh, who says he could’ve shot Trump or a Secret Service agent if he had intended harm. On Tuesday, prosecutors argued Routh spent weeks plotting to kill the Republican before aiming a rifle at him. Prosecutors say the evidence shows Routh “wanted Donald Trump dead.” Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.… Continue Reading

Recent News

Powered By SoCast