Triangle/Local
United Way launches tools to help North Carolinians navigate financial uncertainty
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — A new report from United Way of North Carolina is shining a spotlight on ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. This growing demographic consists of working individuals and families who earn above the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford…
New NCInnovation grant supports breakthrough Alzheimer’s treatment development at UNC Pembroke
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – A recent grant aimed at commercializing university research could help bring new treatment options for patient’s Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. Ben Bahr, a William C. Friday endowed chair and distinguished professor at UNC Pembroke, has been studying Alzheimer’s for years and has…
Orange High School Principal named 2025 N.C. Principal of the Year
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – In an emotional ceremony filled with applause and community pride, Orange High School Principal Jason Johnson was named the 2025 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction presented the prestigious award at a…
Meet Illicium: A Shade-Loving Shrub with Personality
By MIKE RALEY I can remember a time when there were few shade-loving shrubs from which to choose for the North Carolina landscape. In the early years of the “Weekend Gardener,” Erv Evans or those who filled in for him, would primarily recommend: acubas, rhododendrons,…
Pence speaks in North Carolina against broad Trump tariffs and praises House on tax bill
By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke Monday in North Carolina against the Trump administration’s zealous efforts to impose tariffs on trading partners worldwide — another effort that shows his willingness to split at times with his former…
State/Regional
North Carolina House advances more Hurricane Helene aid in $465M package
By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina House advanced another Hurricane Helene funding package on Thursday to address pressing needs in the mountains eight months after the storm caused historic flooding and destruction. The $465 million package, approved unanimously by the chamber…
Taxes, salaries, vacancy cuts make plain differences over rival North Carolina GOP budgets
By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina House’s reveal of its state government budget proposal makes plain the differences on taxes, salaries and job cuts between Republicans who control both General Assembly chambers. With strong bipartisan support, the House…
North Carolina governor urges state lawmakers to include more Helene aid in upcoming budget
By MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein urged state lawmakers Monday to allocate hundreds of millions more dollars toward western North Carolina’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene instead of waiting on “uncertain federal assistance.” The money requested — $891 million…
Cheerwine Festival returns to Salisbury with family fun and cherry-flavored favorites
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — North Carolina’s beloved cherry-flavored soft drink will once again be at the center of celebration as the annual Cheerwine Festival returns to Downtown Salisbury this Saturday. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and offers a full day of…
North Carolina justice sworn in after long battle over result
By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs was sworn in to a new term on Tuesday after the Democrat won a monthslong fight against her Republican rival’s challenges to thousands of ballots. The State Board of Elections…
World/National
Court papers say suspect in embassy killings declared, ‘I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza’
By ERIC TUCKER, MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum told police after his arrest, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for…
Judge blocks Trump’s order to dismantle the Education Department and fire employees
By COLLIN BINKLEY AP Education Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in mass layoffs. U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston granted a preliminary injunction stopping…
House Republicans pass Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and program cuts after all-night session
By LISA MASCARO, KEVIN FREKING, LEAH ASKARINAM and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans stayed up all night to pass their multitrillion-dollar tax breaks package, with Speaker Mike Johnson defying the skeptics and unifying his ranks to muscle President Donald Trump’s priority bill to approval Thursday. With last-minute…
New salmonella outbreak tied to same Florida grower with tainted cucumbers last year
By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health Writer U.S. health officials are investigating a new outbreak of salmonella illnesses tied to a Florida grower whose tainted cucumbers were linked to more than 550 illnesses last year. Cucumbers grown by Florida-based Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce…
Trump announces he’s selected final ‘Golden Dome’ space missile defenses that would cost billions
By TARA COPP Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the concept he wants for his future Golden Dome missile defense program — a multilayered $175 billion system that for the first time will put U.S. weapons in space. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said…
Entertainment
Rapper Kid Cudi to testify at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial this week
By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper and actor Kid Cudi is expected to testify at the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial this week, taking the witness stand to tell the jury about his brief relationship 14 years ago…
George Wendt, who played beloved barfly Norm on ‘Cheers’ and found another home onstage, dies at 76
By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — George Wendt, an actor with an Everyman charm who played the affable, beer-loving barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy “Cheers” and later crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway in “Art,” “Hairspray” and “Elf,” has…
SAG-AFTRA files unfair labor practice charge over use of AI to make Darth Vader’s voice in Fortnite
By SARAH PARVINI AP Technology Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood’s actors’ union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors’ work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader’s voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen…
Cassie testimony against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs ends after she spent days describing abuse
By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — R&B singer Cassie finished testifying in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial Friday after four emotional days on the witness stand during which she was questioned about the deepest, most disturbing secrets of her sex…
Cassie testifies that Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs raped her and threatened to release sex videos
By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The R&B singer Cassie testified Wednesday that Sean “Diddy” Combs raped her when she ended their decade-long relationship, after he locked her in a life of physical abuse by threatening to release degrading sexual videos of…
Sports
Bennett, Verhaeghe help Panthers roll past Hurricanes 5-0, take 2-0 lead in Eastern final
By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sam Bennett scored one of his two goals in Florida’s three-goal first period, Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves and the Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-0 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in…
Reigning Stanley Cup champ Florida Panthers beat Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Eastern final opener
By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers wasted no time snatching home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference final. Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad scored two tone-setting first-period goals while Sergei Bobrovsky remained strong in net…
Great Scottie! Scheffler pulls away to win PGA Championship for 3rd major title
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler had every reason to worry the PGA Championship was slipping away. A five-shot lead on the front nine was gone in four holes. Every shot seemed to go left and he didn’t know…
The Carolina Hurricanes keep leaning on their penalty kill in another deep postseason push
By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — There’s a moment of frustrated dread for any hockey team that comes with an official raising an arm to call a penalty triggering a power play. For the Carolina Hurricanes, that moment quickly flips to…
Svechnikov breaks late tie as the Hurricanes beat the Capitals to reach Eastern Conference final
By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Andrei Svechnikov scored the go-ahead goal with just under two minutes left and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 in Game 5 on Thursday night, winning the second-round series and advancing to the Eastern…