RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – With hurricane season officially underway, NOAA forecasts an active 2025 in the Atlantic with 19 named storms. NC Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey urges residents to prepare now by reviewing insurance policies, updating emergency kits, and securing their homes. The advice comes as many still recover from last year’s deadly Hurricane Helene.… Continue Reading
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Businesses around Fort Bragg in North Carolina are facing a challenge now that the Trump administration has once again renamed the military post. Fort Bragg and other military installations that were once name for Confederate figures from the Civil War were rebranded under the Biden administration. Fort Bragg became Fort Liberty. But a couple of months after Ralph Rodriguez opened Fort Liberty Pawn & Gun, the Defense Department changed the name back to Fort Bragg. Now the businessman is having to change signs, uniforms, stationery and government paperwork, costing about $30,000. Several other businesses are facing the same problem. And the name change is costing taxpayers, too. The state expects to spend about $200,000 changing all the highway signs back.… Continue Reading
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — During North Carolina Beef Month, local ranchers like those at Wilder’s Wagyu are showcasing the genetics, health benefits, and flavor that make Wagyu beef stand out. Known for its intense marbling and rare breed origin, Wagyu continues to grow in popularity—and it’s being raised right here in North Carolina.… Continue Reading
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — The 2025 Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival is set to return October 3-4, filling downtown with live music, art, food trucks, beer gardens, and family fun. Executive Director David Brower says the free event is a celebration of community, featuring genres like bluegrass, folk, gospel, and Americana—plus artists from hurricane-impacted counties.… Continue Reading
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Trump administration has accused North Carolina’s election board of violating federal law by failing to ensure that registration records of some applicants contained identifying numbers. It wants a judge to force board officials to create a prompt method to obtain such numbers. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division sued in federal court on Tuesday alleging violations of the Help America Vote Act. The lawsuit is about the collection of a registrant’s driver’s license number or partial Social Security number. The department says it’s carrying out a recent executive order from President Donald Trump on elections. Registrant records were also an issue in a state Supreme Court race last year.… Continue Reading
By ERIK VERDUZCO Associated Press CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. (AP) — Park ranger Jesse Anderson leads dozens of people on a weekly hike in North Carolina to see some of the most unique living things in the world — plants that supplement the nutrients they get from sunlight by digesting ants, flies and spiders. But the Venus…… Continue Reading
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — A new United Way of North Carolina report is spotlighting the state’s growing ALICE population—working families earning above the poverty level yet struggling to cover basic needs. Through tools like 24/7 resource support and “My Friend Ben,” the organization aims to connect individuals to vital assistance.… Continue Reading
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – A research grant awarded through NCInnovation could bring promising new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease closer to reality. UNC Pembroke’s Dr. Ben Bahr, a nationally recognized neuroscientist, is developing low-cost, oral drug compounds designed to clear toxic proteins from the brain—offering a simpler and more accessible alternative to current treatments. The research is part of a broader initiative by NCInnovation to bridge the gap between North Carolina’s universities and commercial industries.… Continue Reading
RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – Jason Johnson, principal of Orange High School, has been named the 2025 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. Honored during a statewide ceremony in Cary, Johnson credited his students, staff, and the broader Orange County community, emphasizing that strong schools depend on strong partnerships between educators, parents, and students.… Continue Reading
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, azaleas, or hydrangeas. Now there are a plethora of woody plants for the darker areas of your yard. What I am building up to is the world of Illiciums or Illicium parviflorum, illicium floridanum and illicium parviflorum anise shrubs. The leaves of this species have a distinctively pleasant scent when crushed. Most people say it smells like licorice, which is not my favorite. However, I do think it has a unique fragrance. The flowers of the floridanum have another distinctive attribute. They are pretty, a red to maroon color with a raw fishy fragrance. Some say it smells like a wet dog. This odor is not apparent unless the flower is right up to your nose. The plant usually blooms in April and May.… Continue Reading