Category Archives: WPTF News

A stretch of a North Carolina highway that collapsed during Helene is about to reopen

A stretch of a North Carolina highway that collapsed during Helene is about to reopen

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A stretch of Interstate 40 through the western North Carolina mountains is reopening to traffic this weekend, months after Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding collapsed portions of the road. The state Department of Transportation said the 20-mile section on the North Carolina side of the border will officially reopen on Saturday and partially restore a major travel connection with eastern Tennessee. Large portions will now have one narrowed lane in each direction and a reduced speed limit, so delays are expected, especially during weekends. The section won’t resume fully to four lanes until late next year at the earliest.… Continue Reading

Actor Gene Hackman, prolific Oscar winner, found dead at home at 95 years old

Actor Gene Hackman, prolific Oscar winner, found dead at home at 95 years old

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman has been found dead at his home. He was 95. Hackman starred in “The French Connection,” “Unforgiven” and dozens of other films. He was known for his studied portraits of reluctant heroes and conniving villains and won two Academy Awards. He was an early retiree and a late bloomer. Hackman was in his mid-30s when cast for “Bonnie and Clyde” and past 40 when he won his first Oscar, as the rules-bending New York detective “Popeye” Doyle in the 1971 thriller about tracking down Manhattan drug smugglers, “The French Connection.”… Continue Reading

Trump administration says it’s cutting 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts

Trump administration says it’s cutting 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says it is eliminating more than 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance around the world. That’s according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press as well as court filings Wednesday. They detail the outcome of a 90-day review ordered by President Donald Trump of all the money provided by USAID and the State Department for development and aid work overseas. The move leaves few surviving USAID projects for advocates to try to save in what are ongoing court battles. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court late Wednesday temporarily blocked a court order requiring the administration to release billions of dollars in foreign aid.… Continue Reading

Egg prices could jump another 41% this year, USDA says, as Trump’s bird flu plan unveiled

Egg prices could jump another 41% this year, USDA says, as Trump’s bird flu plan unveiled

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration believes a renewed emphasis on biosecurity can help in the battle against bird flu and ease egg prices, but the Agriculture Department predicts the current record prices are going to get much worse this year. It’s also not clear how much more farmers can do to keep the virus out. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins offered the first new details about her bird flu plan Wednesday. But USDA predicted this week that egg prices will soar more than 41 percent this year on top of the record average price of $4.95 per dozen.… Continue Reading

Rare video captures super pod of 2,000 dolphins breaching and playing off California coast

Rare video captures super pod of 2,000 dolphins breaching and playing off California coast

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A California boat captain has captured rare video of a super pod of more than 2,000 dolphins off the coast of Monterey Bay. They include the more elusive northern right whale dolphin, which are often spotted farther from shore in deeper waters. Evan Brodsky was about a dozen miles from Monterey Harbor when the crew encountered a mass of northern right whale dolphins and their babies mixing with Pacific white-sided dolphins. Monterey has deep underwater canyons, making it ideal for whale and dolphin watching. Northern right whale dolphins live in pods of 100 to 200 and do not have a dorsal fin.… Continue Reading

Tar Heels’ Davis gets 2-year extension through 2030, hires agent Jim Tanner as GM

Tar Heels’ Davis gets 2-year extension through 2030, hires agent Jim Tanner as GM

North Carolina coach Hubert Davis has signed a two-year extension running through the 2029-30 season. Davis has also hired basketball agent Jim Tanner as the men’s basketball program’s first executive director and general manager. The school announced Tanner’s hiring Tuesday. That came roughly three weeks after Davis talked about plans to hire a GM. UNC also posted an updated contract for Davis on its official athletics website. That deal was reached in July and signed in December. It includes a pay raise with Davis averaging $3.2 million in base and supplemental pay through June 2030.… Continue Reading

Another $500M for Hurricane Helene relief in North Carolina passes key hurdle

Another $500M for Hurricane Helene relief in North Carolina passes key hurdle

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Another $500 million would be spent toward Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in North Carolina in legislation approved unanimously by the state House. The measure would add to the funds the Republican-controlled General Assembly already approved in late 2024 and help with home and road repairs. The $500 million is less than half the amount that Democratic Gov. Josh Stein has requested. The bill next goes to the Senate, where GOP members have their own spending ideas. House Republicans offered a successful amendment Tuesday to address some Democratic concerns. State officials say Helene caused a record nearly $60 billion in damages and recovery needs.… Continue Reading

RJ Davis, Seth Trimble lead North Carolina to 96-85 victory over Florida State

RJ Davis, Seth Trimble lead North Carolina to 96-85 victory over Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — RJ Davis had 20 points, Seth Trimble came off the bench to score 17 and North Carolina cruised to a 96-85 victory over Florida State. Davis made 5 of 9 shots with three 3-pointers and 7 of 8 free throws for the Tar Heels (18-11, 11-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won four in a row to pull within a half-game of Wake Forest and SMU for fourth place. The top four teams receive byes into the third round of the conference tournament. Trimble did his damage on 6-for-10 shooting with two 3-pointers. Jamir Watkins had 26 points to lead the Seminoles (16-12, 7-10), who dropped into ninth place — a half-game behind Pittsburgh. The top nine seeds earn first-round byes.… Continue Reading

Judge rejects immediately restoring AP’s access to White House but urges government to reconsider

Judge rejects immediately restoring AP’s access to White House but urges government to reconsider

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has refused to immediately order the White House to restore The Associated Press’ access to presidential events, saying the news organization had not shown it had suffered irreparable harm in the matter. But he urged the government to reconsider its two-week-old ban. He said that case law “is uniformly unhelpful to the White House.” U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden told attorneys for the Trump administration and the AP that the issue required more exploration before ruling. The AP filed a lawsuit Friday saying that its First Amendment rights were being violated. President Donald Trump said it was punishment for the agency’s decision not to entirely follow his executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”… Continue Reading

FDA moves to rehire medical device, food safety and other staffers fired days earlier

FDA moves to rehire medical device, food safety and other staffers fired days earlier

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is reinstating some of the hundreds of staffers it fired last week. That’s according to agency employees who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The FDA callbacks are the latest example of the chaotic fallout from President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s sweeping cost-cutting effort. Many of the staffers getting their jobs back are responsible for reviewing medical devices and food ingredients. After last week’s terminations, lobbyists for the device industry warned that the cuts would hurt companies and patients. The FDA’s device program is heavily funded by companies that pay the agency to quickly review their products.… Continue Reading

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