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WPTF Morning News

WPTF Morning News

by WPTF FM 92.9 AM 680

Daily News News Commentary

Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Policy Institute, on cryptocurrency regulation and what consumers should know

Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Policy Institute, joins Tony to break down what cryptocurrency is, why nearly 1 in 5 Americans now own digital assets and what Congress is considering with the CLARITY Act, which would establish the first federal framework for digital asset markets. Smith explains what clearer regulations could mean for everyday consumers and what anyone should know before investing in or using cryptocurrency.

Jeff Whitson, associate director of survivor services at InterAct, on training first responders to identify domestic violence victims

Jeff Whitson, associate director of survivor services at InterAct, joins Tony to discuss domestic violence statistics in North Carolina and how the organization's Lethality Assessment Program trains sheriff's deputies, police officers, first responders and child protective services workers to use a screening tool when responding to domestic violence calls.

Dr. Macie Smith, gerontologist at SYNERGY HomeCare, on planning for care as a solo ager

Dr. Macie Smith, gerontologist at SYNERGY HomeCare, joins Lisa Price to discuss the growing number of older adults aging without nearby family and the practical steps solo agers can take to plan for their long-term care needs, from working with a certified elder attorney and geriatric care manager to exploring continuing care retirement communities. For more information visit aginglifecare.com.

Stephen Kates, financial analyst at Bankrate and certified financial planner, on cooling inflation, resilient retail sales and a strong earnings season

Stephen Kates, financial analyst at Bankrate and certified financial planner, joins Lisa Price to discuss June's Consumer Price Index report showing inflation cooled more than expected, easing pressure on the Federal Reserve ahead of its July meeting, though renewed Middle East tensions are already pushing oil prices higher. Kates also breaks down retail sales data showing consumers remain resilient despite financial stress, with annual sales growth of nearly 7%, and explains why second-quarter corporate earnings are beating expectations by more than twice the recent average with the broader market increasingly driving growth beyond the Magnificent 7.

Brenda Berg, CEO of BEST NC, on North Carolina's new teacher pay raises and first-in-the-nation education programs

Brenda Berg, CEO of BEST NC, joins Lisa to discuss how the new North Carolina state budget raises average teacher pay by 8.5%, pushes starting teacher salaries to the highest in the region, expands the Advanced Teaching Roles initiative and launches TeachReadyNC, the nation's first state teacher apprenticeship program for alternatively licensed teachers.

State Sen. Woodson Bradley on her proposal for a domestic violence offender registry in North Carolina

State Sen. Woodson Bradley joins Lisa to discuss her proposal to create a domestic violence offender registry in North Carolina and how she believes a publicly accessible list of offenders could help protect victims and potential victims across the state.

Daniel Tenney, senior vice president of global strategy at Lockheed Martin, on major announcements from the Farnborough International Airshow

Daniel Tenney, senior vice president of global strategy at Lockheed Martin, joins Lisa live from the Farnborough International Airshow in England to discuss the company's largest-ever presence at what is expected to be a record-breaking show, including displays of the F-35, Black Hawk helicopter, HIMARS rocket launcher and anti-drone systems. Tenney also discusses how AI and autonomous systems are transforming defense technology and highlights from Lockheed Martin's space division following the Artemis II success.

Jay Ratliff, aviation analyst, on the DJT airport name controversy, a United agent's ICE threat and hub delays

Aviation analyst Jay Ratliff joins Lisa Price to discuss the backlash over West Palm Beach Airport's renaming to Donald J. Trump International Airport, including conflicting reports about whether United Airlines was allowing passengers to switch to nearby airports without fees. Ratliff also addresses a viral video of a United ticket agent threatening to call ICE on an American citizen during a reservation dispute, and gives travelers a heads up that Minneapolis and New Orleans are the main delay concerns heading into the week.

State Rep. Zack Hawkins on the new state budget and funding for children with special needs

State Rep. Zack Hawkins joins Lisa Price to discuss the newly passed North Carolina state budget and his concerns about insufficient funding for children with special needs and the families and programs that support them.

Drew Bent, education lead at Anthropic, on Claude for Teachers and free AI tools for K-12 educators

Drew Bent, education lead at Anthropic, joins Lisa to discuss the launch of Claude for Teachers, a free version of Claude Pro for K-12 teachers nationwide that is built on evidence-based curriculum, mapped to state teaching standards and includes the Cowork feature so teachers can set tasks overnight and wake up to completed results. The program is designed to give educators more time with their students by handling time-consuming tasks like lesson planning, study guides and differentiated instruction.

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