Category Archives: WPTF News

Wildfires prompt evacuations and an emergency declaration in the Carolinas

Wildfires prompt evacuations and an emergency declaration in the Carolinas

Wildfires forced a mandatory evacuation in one North Carolina county as emergency crews fought separate fires in an area of the state still recovering from Hurricane Helene, while South Carolina’s governor declared an emergency in response to a growing wildfire. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety issued a mandatory evacuation Saturday night for parts of Polk County in western North Carolina. The agency warns residents could be trapped, injured, or killed if they remain in the impacted areas. In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster has declared a state of emergency as part of an effort to stop a blaze in Pickens County called the Table Rock Fire that started Friday in the Blue Ridge Mountains.… Continue Reading

Ole Miss holds off frantic UNC comeback to beat Tar Heels 71-64 in NCAA Tournament

Ole Miss holds off frantic UNC comeback to beat Tar Heels 71-64 in NCAA Tournament

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Sean Pedulla made a critical 3-pointer with 52.8 seconds left, and Mississippi topped North Carolina 71-64 in the NCAA Tournament after the Rebels squandered most of a 22-point lead in the second half. Ole Miss, the No. 6 seed in the South Region, will chase its first Sweet 16 berth since 2001 when it faces No. 3 seed Iowa State on Sunday. The Rebels are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019. They hadn’t won an NCAA tourney game since beating BYU 94-90 in the First Four in 2015, and they hadn’t advanced beyond the round of 64 since 2013.… Continue Reading

North Carolina justices decide family can sue over unwanted COVID-19 shot

North Carolina justices decide family can sue over unwanted COVID-19 shot

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s highest court says a mother and son can sue a school system and a doctors’ group on allegations they gave the boy a COVID-19 vaccine without consent in 2021. The state Supreme Court on Friday reversed a lower-court decision that declared a federal health emergency law blocked the litigation. The Supreme Court has ruled the law did not prevent lawsuits alleging violations under the state constitution. According to the litigation, Tanner Smith was 14 when he received the vaccination against his will at a Guilford County school clinic. Smith and his mother, Emily Happel, filed a lawsuit alleging claims of battery and that their constitutional rights were violated.… Continue Reading

Tobacco Road is front and center of March Madness with 3 women’s sites and men’s site in area

Tobacco Road is front and center of March Madness with 3 women’s sites and men’s site in area

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Tobacco Road is the center of the NCAA Tournament this week with three women’s first-round sites at Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State. There’s also the men’s first-round games being played at N.C. State as well. In all, there’s 21 men’s and women’s teams in the area for the games. No city comes close to that, including Los Angeles which has both UCLA and Southern Cal hosting first-round women’s sites. It’s the first time that there’s been so much basketball in one area at four different venues. The “Triangle” as its known, hosted three women’s first-round sites in 1998, but there was no men’s games in the area that year.… Continue Reading

Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department while keeping some core functions

Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department while keeping some core functions

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the Education Department. The Republican president announced his plan Thursday. Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. And the White House says the department would not close completely right now. It is to retain certain critical functions, like managing federal student loans and Pell grants.… Continue Reading

Tar Heels and Rebels fighting for respect going into NCAA tourney matchup

Tar Heels and Rebels fighting for respect going into NCAA tourney matchup

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Seth Trimble and North Carolina face Jaemyn Brakefield and Mississippi in the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Milwaukee. It’s a matchup of two motivated teams. North Carolina was a controversial selection when it received an at-large bid on Sunday. But the 11th-seeded Tar Heels posted a dominant 95-68 victory against San Diego State in the First Four on Tuesday night. No. 6 seed Ole Miss also has faced criticism. Despite going 22-11, including a 10-8 record in the rugged SEC, a veteran college basketball analyst labeled Mississippi a “fraud” while predicting a first-round loss.… Continue Reading

McNeese State’s Will Wade confirms he’s been in contact with NC State about its coaching job

McNeese State’s Will Wade confirms he’s been in contact with NC State about its coaching job

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — McNeese State coach Will Wade knows his name is in the mix during the college basketball coaching carousel. And unlike some coaches during this time of year, he’s not being coy talking about it. Asked Wednesday if he or his agent had been in contact with N.C. State about its opening, the second-year McNeese State coach confirmed that he had been. Though he didn’t elaborate on the extent of his contact with N.C. State, Wade name has since been linked to the Wolfpack job and other schools after finishing up his second straight 20-win season at McNeese that ended with an NCAA tourney berth.… Continue Reading

North Carolina lawmakers approve additional $528M for Hurricane Helene recovery

North Carolina lawmakers approve additional $528M for Hurricane Helene recovery

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers have agreed to spend another $528 million on still-pressing needs from Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding nearly six months ago. House and Senate Republicans worked out their differences in competing bills and voted for a compromise. The final vote came Wednesday. The measure now goes to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, who requested double that amount last month. He’s still expected to sign the bill. More Helene aid is expected later this year. The latest package emphasizes home and private road repairs, agriculture and infrastructure to aid businesses. The money also located over $300 million to address the continued recovery from previous storms and disasters.… Continue Reading

New North Carolina governor seeks to freeze tax cuts, phase out school vouchers in budget

New North Carolina governor seeks to freeze tax cuts, phase out school vouchers in budget

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — New North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein wants Republicans in charge of the legislature to roll back upcoming income tax cuts and scale back private school vouchers that expanded dramatically recently. Stein had made the comments while releasing his first two-year state government budget proposal Wednesday. Stein wants to freeze the current individual and income tax rates. He says not doing so will lead to large revenue shortfalls soon. GOP legislators have embraced recurring tax cuts for all wage earners and taxpayer-funded scholarships for K-12 students. Republicans may have to consider Stein’s views more because they are one seat shy of a veto-proof majority.… Continue Reading

Davis perfect on six 3s as North Carolina routs San Diego State 95-68 in First Four

Davis perfect on six 3s as North Carolina routs San Diego State 95-68 in First Four

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — RJ Davis scored 26 points and went 6 of 6 from 3-point range to help North Carolina silence some skeptics with a dominant 95-68 victory over San Diego State in a First Four matchup. Davis’ six 3-pointers tied Caleb Love’s program record for an NCAA Tournament game. Love had six against UCLA in 2022. Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis went 5 for 5 from deep against Eastern Michigan in 1991. The 14 made 3-pointers were the most for North Carolina in an NCAA Tournament game. The Tar Heels hit 13 against Marquette in 2022. Seth Trimble had 16 points for North Carolina in a matchups of No. 11 seeds. UNC advanced to face No. 6 seed Mississippi in a South Region game Friday in Milwaukee.… Continue Reading

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