Category Archives: WPTF News

Louisiana is poised to hike its sports betting tax to help colleges pay their athletes

Louisiana is poised to hike its sports betting tax to help colleges pay their athletes

Louisiana soon could raise taxes on sports betting to help finance the athletic departments at many of its public universities. Legislation pending before Gov. Jeff Landry would make Louisiana the first state to raise taxes for college sports since a judge approved a landmark settlement allowing schools to directly pay athletes for use of their name, image and likeness. Earlier this year, Arkansas became the first state to exempt school NIL payments to athletes from state income taxes. Some sports business analysts expect more states to follow with laws aimed at giving an edge to their college athletes.… Continue Reading

Trump will sign an order extending deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell app

Trump will sign an order extending deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell app

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will sign an executive order this week to extend a deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to divest the popular video sharing app. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Trump’s intention after Trump indicated earlier Tuesday he would “probably” make the move. Leavitt said in a statement Tuesday evening that “Trump does not want TikTok to go dark.” The extension will last for 90 days. Trump had signed an order in early April to keep TikTok running for an additional 75 days after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice.… Continue Reading

NYC mayoral candidate is arrested at immigration court after linking arms with man being detained

NYC mayoral candidate is arrested at immigration court after linking arms with man being detained

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander has been arrested by federal agents at an immigration court after he linked arms with a person that authorities were attempting to detain. A reporter with The Associated Press witnessed Lander’s arrest on Tuesday. The person Lander was walking out of the courtroom with was also arrested. Lander had spent the morning observing immigration court hearings and told an AP reporter that he was there to “accompany” some immigrants out of the building. The episode occurred as federal immigration officials are conducting large-scale arrests outside immigration courtrooms across the country.… Continue Reading

Wake County activates cooling centers as heat index soars past 100

Wake County activates cooling centers as heat index soars past 100

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – With heat indexes soaring past 100 degrees, Wake County has opened temporary cooling centers to help residents escape dangerous temperatures. These public facilities—including libraries and regional centers—are activated when extreme heat persists and are open during normal business hours. Emergency officials urge everyone, regardless of age or health, to stay hydrated, avoid peak heat hours, and never leave children or pets in vehicles. Cooling centers will be closed on June 19 for Juneteenth.… Continue Reading

Could you eat this much ice cream after walking 1,100 miles? Some Appalachian Trail hikers try

Could you eat this much ice cream after walking 1,100 miles? Some Appalachian Trail hikers try

GARDNERS, Pa. (AP) — Midway up the Appalachian Trail, a little country store in Gardners, Pennsylvania, invites hikers to take on an additional challenge: eating a half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting. So far this year, about 50 thru-hikers have finished the challenge. Besides bragging rights, they earned a commemorative wooden spoon and the honor of having their photos posted on a store bulletin board. The record, set two years ago, is under 4 minutes. It took nearly 40 minutes for Sam Cooper to finish the challenge earlier this week. He called it “pure misery,” and added: “I don’t think anybody should be doing this. This is not healthy at all.”… Continue Reading

Wall Street recovers from Friday’s shock as US stocks rise and oil prices ease

Wall Street recovers from Friday’s shock as US stocks rise and oil prices ease

NEW YORK (AP) — Calm returned to Wall Street, and U.S. stocks rallied, while oil prices gave back some of their initial spurts following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets at the end of last week. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% Monday to recover most of its drop from Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1.5%. They joined a worldwide rise for stock prices. The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. oil fell by 1.7%, while the price of gold eased. Treasury yields rose ahead of a meeting by the Federal Reserve this week.… Continue Reading

North Carolina judges side with GOP lawmakers for who gets say on highway patrol commander

North Carolina judges side with GOP lawmakers for who gets say on highway patrol commander

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A panel of North Carolina trial judges dismissed Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s case against GOP legislative leaders over the issue of who gets to appoint and remove the State Highway Patrol commander. The Superior Court panel’s Monday decision means the case doesn’t go to trial but it can be appealed. The lawsuit focuses on part of a power-shifting law passed by the Republican-dominated legislature last year. The provision outlines that Col. Freddy Johnson would remain in his role as the State Highway Patrol commander until 2030. Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper originally appointed Johnson in 2021.… Continue Reading

North Carolina redistricting trial begins, with racial gerrymandering allegations the focus

North Carolina redistricting trial begins, with racial gerrymandering allegations the focus

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina congressional and legislative districts drawn by Republicans in 2023 that helped them retain majorities in Raleigh and Washington are in court. A trial began Monday in two federal lawsuits filed by voters and advocacy groups that accuse mapmakers of illegally eroding Black voting power while enacting lines that aided GOP electoral prospects. The lawsuits claim that lines are so skewed that many Black voters lack the ability to elect their preferred candidates. Republicans counter that they used no race-based data in developing the plans. The trial won’t end until next month. North Carolina has a long history of redistricting litigation and related landmark decisions.… Continue Reading

The Trump family’s next venture, a mobile phone company

The Trump family’s next venture, a mobile phone company

NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump family company says it’s launching a mobile phone company, the latest in a string of ventures that have been announced while Donald Trump is in the White House. Eric Trump, one of President Trump’s sons, said Monday that the new company would build its own phones and maintain a call center in the U.S. The new business follows several real estate deals for towers and resorts in the Middle East, including a golf development in Qatar announced in April, and a $1.5 billion partnership to build golf courses, hotels and real estate projects in Vietnam.… Continue Reading

The Latest: Trump attends G7 summit amid his trade war with US allies

The Latest: Trump attends G7 summit amid his trade war with US allies

President Donald Trump has arrived for the G7, or Group of Seven, summit in Canada, a country he’s suggested should be annexed, as he wages a trade war with America’s longstanding allies. If there’s a shared mission at this year’s G7 summit, which begins Monday in the Rocky Mountains, it’s a desire to minimize any fireworks at a moment of combustible tensions.… Continue Reading

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