WPTF News Archives

CBS News hosting prime-time ‘town hall’ with Erika Kirk, widow of activist Charlie Kirk

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 4, 2025, 3:47 pm

NEW YORK (AP) — CBS News says it will host a prime-time “town hall” event next week with Erika Kirk, widow of assassinated activist Charlie Kirk. She will be interviewed by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss for the event, scheduled to be telecast at 8 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 13. Kirk has taken over as head of the conservative group Turning Point USA, which was founded by her husband. She’ll be questioned by young evangelicals and religious and political leaders, as part of an invited CBS audience. Charlie Kirk was shot on Sept. 10 while speaking to a group of college students in Utah.… Read More

House Republicans subpoena Jack Smith for closed-door interview about his prosecutions of Trump

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2025, 2:26 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith for a closed-door interview later this month even though he had earlier volunteered to appear for an open hearing about his prosecutions of President Donald Trump. The committee’s Republican chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, directed Smith in a letter dated Wednesday to appear for a private deposition on Dec. 17 as part of the panel’s investigations into the prosecutor’s work. A lawyer for Smith says the prosecutor offered nearly six weeks ago to appear before the committee in an open hearing but would nonetheless appear as scheduled for the deposition.… Read More

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips is emphatically pushing for No. 12 Miami, league champ to get CFP bids

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2025, 1:48 pm

Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Jim Phillips is pushing for No. 12 Miami to earn a bid to the College Football Playoff along with the winner of the league championship game between No. 16 Virginia and Duke. In an interview with The Associated Press, Phillips was emphatic in making his case first for the Hurricanes and the league’s eventual champion. That comes with the ACC facing at least a chance of being squeezed out of the 12-team playoff entirely based on Tuesday night’s rankings. Phillips told the AP he has “conviction and confidence in our teams, starting with Miami.”… Read More

Raccoon goes on drunken rampage in Virginia liquor store and passes out on bathroom floor

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2025, 10:54 am

ASHLAND, Va. (AP) — A raccoon broke into a closed Virginia liquor store and drank alcohol from the bottom shelves over the weekend. An animal control officer says the raccoon was found Saturday passed out next to the store’s toilet. The officers says the raccoon then sobered up after a few hours. Officials say they released him back into the wild. Officials say the raccoon had zero signs of injury after the break-in.… Read More

Dixon delivers late as No. 16 North Carolina wins 67-64 at No. 18 Kentucky

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 3, 2025, 12:35 am

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Derek Dixon made a tiebreaking layup with 16 seconds remaining and scored five of North Carolina’s last six points to lift the No. 16 Tar Heels to a 67-64 win at No. 18 Kentucky. Dixon had nine points off the bench, and his 3-pointer with 53 seconds left helped give the Tar Heels their first road win this season. Henri Veesaar led North Carolina with 17 points, followed by Caleb Wilson with 15. Wilson shot 5 for 19 but added 12 rebounds and six assists. The Tar Heels made six 3s and limited the Wildcats to one on 13 attempts. Neither team led by more than six in a game that featured nine ties and 14 lead changes. Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 16 points.… Read More

Evans’ late 3 helps No. 4 Duke top No. 15 Florida 67-66 in ACC/SEC Challenge

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2025, 11:41 pm

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Isaiah Evans hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 19.7 seconds left, and No. 4 Duke held on to beat No. 15 Florida 67-66 in the ACC/SEC Challenge. The slim sophomore was sitting at 0 for 7 from behind the arc when Florida’s Boogie Fland hit a 3 with 34.6 seconds left for a 66-64 lead. But Evans calmly sunk the shot that ultimately helped Duke stay unbeaten. Star freshman Cameron Boozer scored 29 points for the Blue Devils. Thomas Haugh scored 24 points for the Gators, the reigning national champions.… Read More

Trump administration threatens to withhold SNAP management funds from states that don’t share data

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2025, 7:55 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says it will withhold funds for administering SNAP food aid in most Democratic-controlled states starting next week unless they provide data about those receiving the assistance. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Tuesday that the action is looming because those states are refusing to provide requested information about the recipients, including their names and immigration status. She says it’s necessary that states comply to root out fraud in the program. Democratic states have sued to block the requirement. About 42 million lower-income Americans rely on SNAP to help buy groceries. The USDA said it is targeting states’ administrative funds, not the benefits people receive.… Read More

The ACC is trying to spark men’s basketball. A better showing in the ACC/SEC Challenge would help

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2025, 12:54 am

The ACC/SEC Challenge begins this week. It comes with the Southeastern Conference coming off a year with a record 14 bids to the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile the Atlantic Coast Conference has been grappling with how to jumpstart its tradition-rich sport amid a dwindling number of March Madness bids. That included dropping to just four tournament teams last year for its worst showing since 2013. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips has touted investments by league schools and efforts to improve scheduling to bolster postseason resumes. The key is winning marquee games like No. 4 Duke hosting reigning national champion Florida on Tuesday.… Read More

AI may be scoring your college essay. Welcome to the new era of admissions

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 2, 2025, 12:48 am

Students applying to college know they’re not supposed to use AI chatbots to write their essays. So it might come as a surprise that some schools are now using artificial intelligence to read those essays. That’s just one way that AI is entering the college admissions space for many schools starting this fall. Administrators around the country say that 2025 marks a new era in college admissions as AI tools are being incorporated into the way applications are screened, analyzed and scored. Schools like Virginia Tech, the California Institute of Technology and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are introducing AI tools in a variety of ways. Some colleges are speaking publicly about it, and others are not.… Read More

Melania Trump reveals White House holiday decorations and her theme, ‘Home Is Where the Heart Is’

Author: The Associated Press | Date: December 1, 2025, 2:14 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump has decorated the White House for the holidays, and her theme is “Home Is Where the Heart Is.” The first lady’s decor also nods to next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and founding of the United States of America. In a change this year after the East Wing was torn down, the official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room also honors Gold Star families that lost a member during active-duty military service. The East Room is decorated with patriotic colors and eagles and other national symbols to highlight the coming America250 celebration.… Read More

Bussi makes 15 saves for 1st NHL shutout, Ehlers scores in OT in Hurricanes’ 1-0 win over Flames

Author: The Associated Press | Date: November 30, 2025, 11:21 pm

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina rookie Brandon Bussi made 15 saves for his first NHL shutout, Nikolaj Ehlers scored at 2:52 of overtime and Hurricanes beat the Calgary Flames 1-0 on Sunday for their second straight victory. Ehlers beat rookie goalie Devin Cooley after Taylor Hall put the puck on net. Ehlers scored his fifth goal of the season and first in seven games. Sean Walker also assisted. Bussi played back-to-back games for the first time in his NHL career. Cooley stopped 16 shots. The Flames lost for just the second time in their last six games. They were shutout victims for the third time this season.… Read More

Panthers take advantage of Stafford’s 3 turnovers to end Rams’ 6-game win streak with 31-28 victory

Author: The Associated Press | Date: November 30, 2025, 4:28 pm

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young completed 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns — two of them coming on fourth down — and the Carolina Panthers forced three turnovers by Matthew Stafford to beat Los Angeles 31-28 on Sunday and snap the Rams’ six-game winning streak. Carolina’s defense intercepted Stafford twice with Mike Jackson returning one for a 48-yard touchdown and ended the 37-year-old’s NFL record of 28 straight TD passes without an interception. Derrick Brown, who tipped a ball resulting in one of Stafford’s first pick, came up with a key strip-sack with 2:25 left in the game to preserve the win. Stafford completed 18 of 28 passes for 243 yards with two touchdown passes to Davante Adams, his 13th and 14th of the season.… Read More