WRAL Newscasts
Noon News on WRAL - Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Save big this summer with great deals! All in the King Supers app! Get juicy Washington red cherries for $2.99 a pound, then get 10 for 10 on items like Lay's Stacks, Rice Oroni, and Sparkling Ice Sparkling Water for $1 each, all with your card. Shuff these deals at your local Kroger today, or tap the screen now to download the King Supers app to save big today! King Supers! Fresh for everyone, prices and product availability subject to change, restrictions apply, see site for details. [MUSIC PLAYING] Live from WRAL News headquarters in Raleigh, your number one source for local news. WRAL News coverage you can cut off. We're about to head into the hottest part of the day with another heat advisory. You can feel like up to 1 10 this afternoon, I'll walk you through the rest of the day, hour by hour. The man accused in a string of pellet gun shootings is calling for a federal investigation about how his case was handled, plus. It, I've been shaking all day, like it's just, I guess, the adrenaline, even with the medicine. It just, it don't even feel real. An incredible story of survival in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, how a man says he tried to keep calm after a tree fell on him. Try to keep cool as you look at this live picture of Carolina Beach, where people are doing just that. It's the second afternoon in a row of dangerous heat out there, so if you're headed to the beach or the pool, use plenty of sunscreen, try to find some shade. Good afternoon to you, I'm Jeff Hogan. - And I'm Renee Chiu, great to have you with us. Our heat advisory covers the entire viewing area. Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner's in the W are a severe weather center with how hot it is right now. - It is getting hot out there right now. We're gonna experience 105 to 110 this afternoon. There could be even a few spots a little bit hotter than that, as a matter of fact. Feeling like 106 in Durham and Raleigh right now, feeling like 108 in Clinton, 102 in Rocky Mountains and in Goldsboro, 102 down here in Southern Pines, 93 in Roxboro. So already from the triangle area southward, it feels like the triple digits and we still have more heating to go. As a matter of fact, it's 92 in the triangle and we'll likely see a high of 96 or 97. So definitely looking at a very hot feeling afternoon. This is a look at our hour by hour heat index and again, it may go a little higher than this. We've got it at 105, but already it's at 106. And we do have the potential for a few isolated thunderstorms for later on this afternoon. And that may help to cool things down, but it may be that it's just going to be a little bit too little, too late. Our high temperature this afternoon, looking at 96 degrees. We do have the potential for a nice cool down toward the end of the week. I'm gonna show you a system that will bring us a good chance of rain on Friday and some cooler temperatures coming up. - Elizabeth, thanks. The Holly Springs man accused of a string of pellet gun shootings is calling for the Department of Justice to look into improper investigation by law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office. We're talking about Henderson Atwater. He sat in jail for nearly three years with a multi-million dollar bond for the charges against him. Last year, a judge declared a mistrial for about half the charges he faced when a jury couldn't come to a decision. W.R.A.L. Sean Gallagher joins us now with the latest on this saga. Sean, what is Atwater's team looking for now? - Yeah, Renee, well, the NAACP held a press conference here outside of the legislative building about two hours ago, essentially calling for the Department of Justice to investigate the investigation. They claimed that every aspect of this was mishandled, all targeting Henderson Atwater. Now, that press conference was calling the DOJ to look into this case, local NAACP president, Mark Vasconcelos, accused law enforcement and the DA of ignoring and withholding evidence and pursuing Henderson Atwater as a suspect, even after he was cleared by police. - We demand that the Department of Justice take immediate action to rectify this injustice. All charges against Mr. Henderson Atwater must be dropped immediately. - For the prosecution or law enforcement to show how he wasn't framed. - Mr. Atwater, how has this kind of, you know, upended his innocence and hopes the DOJ will hear their call for an investigation? Now, we did have questions after the press conference for the NAACP and Henderson Atwater's attorneys, but they did not field any questions afterwards. We have submitted a few questions to them via email. Namely, the biggest one is what they hope to achieve with a federal investigation, but we're still waiting for responses. Sean Gallagher, WRAL News, downtown Raleigh. - A woman was seriously hurt during a shooting in a Southeast Raleigh neighborhood off of Sunnybrook Road. The breaking news tracker was on the scene just after one this morning on Blue Ribbon Lane. Officers say the woman is expected to live. No one has been arrested. - Nearly two million customers in Texas are still without power, more than 48 hours now after Hurricane Beryl slammed the Gulf Coast. The outage is depriving many of air conditioning during a dangerous heat wave there. The storm is blamed now for 10 deaths so far in Texas and Louisiana. But one Texas man is counting his blessings. Jordan Nichols says he was asleep when a tree fell and caved in his ceiling on top of him. Moments later, he heard his roommate screaming for help. - Like I just remember, I just kept praying the whole time and trying to count to 30 as many times as possible and praying in between. I was like, I didn't, I don't know. I was like, I know God doesn't do things by mistakes. And I was like, it's no way that I'ma still be under this alive and nobody can come and help. - Well, firefighters did rescue both of them. Miraculously, Nichols suffered only minor injuries. The federal emergency management agency finalized a new rule today that will help flooded communities build back in a more resilient way. The rule comes as parts of the US have been severely damaged by early season flooding from Hurricane Beryl. The new standard will cover 75% of the cost to rebuild municipal buildings, fire and police stations and hospitals. It will not impact the rebuilding of private homes. The new rule goes into effect in early September. - Check it out, we're just under 16 days away from the opening ceremony for the summer games. Team USA swimmers have been in carry, training for the Paris Olympics since July 2nd. Today, they are heading to Croatia to continue training. But W.R.I.L.S., Liz McLaughlin was at the Triangle Aquatic Center in carry for that spirited send-off. Hi Liz. Renee, good afternoon. Crowds have dispersed here, but I have some of the signs they were holding up. Just keep swimming, great message there, and go Team USA as those buses drove by with those Team USA swimmers. Just so much cheering and excitement. Lots of young fans, young swimmers, seeing the athletes at that level, letting their Olympic dreams also grow there. Many of the fans that were here this morning were there on Saturday for a public practice. About 1,000 people gathered around the pool to see some of the biggest stars in swimming that are headed to Paris, Katie Ledecky, Caleb Dressel. And many Wolfpack fans are rooting for a first-time Olympian, Catherine Burkhoff, who will be competing in the 100 meter backstroke. And we asked her how training has been going. Here's what she had to say. - It's so nice. It's been a good transition into the training camp because I lived 10 minutes away from here. So I've just been able to ease into it, and now I'm gonna be full into the training, so I'm excited. - A local for us to root for, you know, her father, a four-time Olympic medalist, but she says she's not letting the pressure gets her her that she just plans to have fun, and that's when she performs her best, and we'll certainly have fun watching her and rooting her on. Renee. - We most certainly will, and we wish them all the best, and safe travels for them. WRLL is your home of the Summer Olympics. Liz will be in Paris as well, bringing you live reports. We'll have live coverage all day from July 26th to August 11th, right here on WRLL. - Today, Representative Bigstep, to help those who have aged out of the foster care system. The Hope Village at Method is a joint project between CASA and the Hope Center at Poland. A large group of donors and others celebrated the promise of nine one-bedroom units on that site. They'll house eight people, aging out of the foster care system, as well as a live-in resident advisor. CASA's Everett McElvene says the support of the community was key. - Well, really it was the public funding support from the city in Wake, as well as from federal funding, but the other key part really is private donors. We've had some private donors, private family foundations that have supported this project, and that's what's really gotten us to this point. The group broke ground right there at the sites, and McElvene hopes to have the project finished this time next year. - A long-awaited park in Eastern Wake County now moves into the design phase. The Wake County Board of Commissioners officially adopted the master plan for Lake Vira County Park. The decision follows extensive planning and community input, aimed at addressing the growing recreational needs of the region. Construction is expected to begin by end of 2025, once complete, it will include amenities such as fishing, hiking, public art installations, and more. - Let's take a look at where stocks are headed. This noon right now, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, spent a little bit of time in negative territory, but now it is up almost 120 points this noon right now. The S&P 500 is up 20 points, and NASDAQ is up as well, more than 100 points right now. - Next at noon, a statue of Anne Frank was vandalized in Amsterdam. The investigation into who wrote the word Gaza in red paint across the monument. - Also a road in Washington buckled under the heat and not just the asphalt there, the damage the DOT is now fixing. - Plus an update at 1230 as gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson makes an appearance at the North Carolina Medal of Valor ceremony. - Keep watching WRL news over the Air Channel 34 and Spectrum Channel 1257. (upbeat music) - When it comes to renting out your property, the uncertainty of finding reliable tenants can feel like a real guessing game, responsible renter or perpetual party animal. Enter renters warehouse. The pros who turn the uncertainty of finding great tenants into peace of mind. Renders warehouse offers top notch leasing and tenant placement services, ensuring you get trustworthy renters without the hassles and headaches. With no upfront fees, renter's warehouse works for you, not the other way around. From marketing and showing your property to screening tenants and preparing the lease, their team of experts handles it all so you can sit back and watch the rent roll in. Renders warehouse even warranties their tenants for up to 18 months at no extra cost. And if you need ongoing management, they've got you covered too. All for a flat monthly fee. Visit renterswearhouse.com to request a free rental price analysis. That's renterswearhouse.com. Or call 3039749444 to speak to a rent estate advisor today. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - The mayor of Amsterdam has fiercely condemned those responsible for vandalizing a statue of Jewish Holocaust victim Anne Frank. The monument was built in a park close to where Frank and her family lived before being forced into hiding during the Nazi invasion. Photos show the word Gaza scrawled in red paint across the podium of that statue. The mayor says no Palestinian has been helped by smearing the precious statue. Amsterdam police have opened an investigation into the incident. No one has been arrested. Mehta is expanding its policy against hate speech to take down the posts with the word Zionists. That targets Jewish and Israeli people instead of referring to the political movement. Mehta says it will remove all content on Facebook and Instagram. Social media giants hate speech policy prohibits attacks on people on the basis of several protected characteristics like race, ethnicity, religious affiliation and gender identity. - If you're not a fan of snakes, now is a good time to look away. But you still want to listen because this is some story. The Chinese customs authority caught a man trying to smuggle more than 100 live snakes onto the mainland. Get this, he did it by cramming them in bags and then stuffing them into his pants. The species include milk and cord snakes, which are not native to China. China is one of the world's biggest animal trafficking hubs. Authorities did not specify the man's punishment for breaking the law. The FAA is investigating a close call in the sky above Syracuse. Two planes came dangerously close to crashing and it was all caught on a police dash cam. Watch the circle in the top left corner of your screen. The video shows two planes nearly colliding not far from Syracuse Hancock International Airport. This was just before noon Monday. The FAA says an air traffic controller gave one of the pilots a go around order to keep it separated from a plane that was departing on the same run. Runway. About 20 states are under a heat alert today, including parts of North Carolina, which probably doesn't surprise you, but some effects of the extreme temperatures might now. It's so hot in some places, glass is shattering, helicopters can't fly correctly and that's among other things that Amy Kylie takes a look. In the window, it was just like sizzling from the heat. Some 20 states are under heat alerts today and a few of the impacts might be surprising. Around Las Vegas, it's so hot, glass has been shattering. That pain that's facing the sun can actually get up to close to 300 degrees. The glass starts to expand. It has nowhere to go. The heat's also impeding aircraft. It reduces lift by making the air less dense. The National Park Service says that prevented a helicopter rescue in California's Death Valley recently. Airlines say they've had to change flight times to cooler hours of the day. In Oregon, officials say the heat is contributing to smog. Try to avoid having an idling engine. If you need to refuel your car, do so at a time, like a cooler time in the evening. Temperatures in California are affecting how produce grows. When we get these kind of extreme temperatures like this, we see a lot of our produce, whether it's fruits and nuts, as well as vegetables. They can actually slow down a little bit on the ripening side. Experts say cows make less milk when it's hot. And to them, this summer has been boiling. I believe cows, they get hot at about 68 degrees. So this time of year is really hard on them. I may be highly reporting. Yeah, and it is so hot in the state of Washington. The Department of Transportation there says it had to repair this buckled road. Look at this. So look at the damage there. Not just the asphalt either that is buckled on top there. It goes all the way down to the concrete underneath. And we saw that draw bridge in New York the other day, Elizabeth, because of the heat. It got stuck in the open position. Now roads are buckling. I mean, that's hot. It's hot, it is, it is. And our dew point is one of the hottest that I've ever seen right now. I've been here for 25 years or so. Let's take a look here at Downtown Raleigh. It looks fine out there. We've got a little bit of blue sky, a little bit of cloud cover hanging out up there. It's 92, which is not unusual. But this dew point at 77 is unusually high. It rarely gets that high. And the dew point is a measure of moisture in the atmosphere. So it is very muggy out there right now. And that's making it feel a whole lot hotter. Even though it's 92, it feels like 106 already. And we're going to see the same thing tomorrow. It won't be quite as hot tomorrow, but we're going to hold on to this really high dew point. So tomorrow, we'll likely have high heat index as well. Maybe just low enough though, that we don't go under a heat advisory again. 96 Raleigh, 96 Durham, 98 in Fayetteville. So we still could see four more degrees hotter a little later on this afternoon. Of course, we do have that heat advisory. It's going to feel like 105 to 110 across our area. And it sticks around too. It's going to be eight or nine o'clock before our temperatures drop back into the upper 90s. So it's something that's going to be with us now through the rest of the day. So our heat risk is high today. It's in the red zone. That's major. And of course, typically that will bring us a heat advisory and it is. Now tomorrow, it does drop back to moderate most likely. We're going to be watching. It's going to be kind of on the edge of the heat advisory criteria. But Friday should be noticeably different. We're going to see a low pressure system developing. And it's going to bring us some rain, some cooler temperatures too. This is a look at where we're going to see the heat index at 100 or higher today. And that's almost the whole state. Tomorrow, it's mostly along the coast. So we're feeling like we're going to see maybe the category down in terms of our heat risk tomorrow. Our two points at 77. Again, that's just extremely high for this time of year, any time of year. But it does stay in the tropical zone all the way through Sunday and most likely into next week as well. This is a look at our big picture up there, the remnants of barrel. And we're going to talk a little bit more about that coming up in just a few minutes. But I want to focus on this front. Ahead of this front, we'll have a few isolated storms today and then a better chance for rain in our eastern counties Thursday. We're going to watch a low pressure system developing here and that low pressure system could have some tropical characteristics. Bear with me while you look at today, I kind of want to go with things in chronological order. So a small chance of scattered thunderstorms forest this afternoon. Most of us won't see it, but if one pops up over you, it will probably produce some heavy rain and some blustery winds. But those will be few and far between. Just this morning, new, a tropical outlook issued by the National Hurricane Center. Only a 10% chance of this develops, but this is the first that we've seen of that low that's going to develop and bring us the rain on Friday. May have some tropical characteristics. It's not likely to be a tropical storm, but it's just going to carry with it a whole lot of moisture. This is a look at the remnants of barrel moving on up into the Northeast. Here's our front and then here's that low as it moves on up and pushes a lot of moisture in on Friday. That rain will be widespread for us and fairly heavy. We could see several inches and we're going to get into some of those rainfall totals specifically for all the different parts of our viewing area coming up. Loving the cooler temperatures though on Friday, about high of 84. Notice it will be short-lived. We're back into the upper 90s on Sunday and for a much up next week. And happening right now in the WRAL Live Center, two astronauts who should have been back on Earth weeks ago say they're confident that they can safely return back to Earth despite their Boeing space capsule can return to Earth despite some breakdowns. These are NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and SUNY Williams. They launched aboard Boeing's new Starliner capsule, June 5th. Leaks and failures have kept them there much longer than planned. They expected to return. They are expected to return once thruster testing is complete. Here on Earth, the test flight was originally supposed to last only eight days. Yeah, an extended stay for them. That's encouraging news. The town of Chapel Hill wants your feedback on what to do with a coal ash site. Coming up at four, we're looking at the future options for the current police headquarters. Well, so summer heat can put a strain on your electric bill. Five on your side is sharing how you can keep cool and cut costs. That's at 5.30. But still ahead of this new Durham base, a popular Durham based coffee shop closing another location. We'll tell you when you can get your last cup of coffee from Bayou Cafe at RTP. And side hustles are no longer just nice to have. For some, it's a necessity. Coming up, the percentage of Americans who say side hustles are necessary to make ends meet. [MUSIC PLAYING] Save big this summer with great deals. All in the King Supers app. Get juicy Washington red cherries for $2.99 a pound, then get 10 for 10 on items like Lay's Stacks, Rice Oroni, and Sparkling Ice Sparkling Water for $1 each, all with your card. Shop these deals at your local Kroger today, or tap the screen now to download the King Supers app to save big today. King Supers, fresh for everyone, prices and product availability subject to change, restrictions apply. See site for details. [MUSIC PLAYING] When it comes to renting out your property, the uncertainty of finding reliable tenants can feel like a real guessing game, responsible renter or perpetual party animal. Enter renter's warehouse. The pros who turn the uncertainty of finding great tenants into peace of mind. renter's warehouse offers top-notch leasing and tenant placement services, ensuring you get trustworthy renter's without the hassles and headaches. With no upfront fees, renter's warehouse works for you, not the other way around. From marketing and showing your property to screening tenants and preparing the lease, their team of experts handles it all so you can sit back and watch the rent roll in. renter's warehouse even warranties their tenants for up to 18 months at no extra cost. And if you need ongoing management, they've got you covered too, all for a flat monthly fee. Visit renterswearhouse.com to request a free rental price analysis. That's renterswearhouse.com. Or call 303-974-9444 to speak to a rent-to-state advisor today. A fan favorite returns to McDonald's for a limited time, and the Fed moves closer to an interest rate cut. Those are among today's business headlines with Mayor Bell-Aber. The cooling labor market is helping move the Fed closer to cutting interest rates. Fed Chair Jerome Powell told the Senate Banking Committee yesterday that the job market is not a source of inflation. Now, we also said keeping rates too high for too long could end up weakening the economy. Powell said recent data on inflation has shown progress. It was 2.6% in May, and the Fed is still trying to bring it down to around 2%. Right now, many on Wall Street believe the Fed will cut rates at its September meeting with a second decrease coming before the end of the year. Sam's Club is changing its free shipping policy starting August 19th. Members of Sam's Club Plus will have to spend at least $50 to get free shipping. For orders below $50, an $8 shipping fee will apply. Previously, plus members received free shipping on eligible items with no minimum purchase. The change at Sam's Club comes as retailers in general look for ways to offset rising shipping costs. McDonald's is bringing back a fan favorite for a limited time. The Smoky BLT Quarter Pounder with Cheese is available beginning today. The burger first appeared in 2022 and is back while supplies last. The menu addition comes as McDonald's also offers its $5 value meal. That promotion has only scheduled to last a few more weeks until late July. And those are your business headlines. I'm Maribel Abert, the Nasdaq Market site. More than 1/3 of adults say they have a side hustle. According to a new survey, Americans are making an average of $890 a month, which is up from $810 a month last year. More than 1/3 of people use some of that income for discretionary spending or to pay for regular living expenses. Only about 30% save some of the cash and 20% use it to pay down debt. About 1/3 think they'll always need to have a side hustle to make ends meet. Microsoft is hiking the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It's happening in September. It's telling subscribers the price will go from $16.99 to $19.99 a month. PC Game Pass subscribers will see a $2 increase. Microsoft will also introduce a standard subscription without day one titles for $15 a month. And happening right now in the WRIA Live Center, opening arguments are happening right now in the actor Alec Baldwin's trial after the fatal shooting of Rustin cinematographer Helena Hutchins in New Mexico. Prosecutors say Alec Baldwin violated the cardinal rules of firearm safety audio from the 911 call made following the shooting was also played in court for jurors. His defense attorney says he committed no crime. He says this was an unspeakable tragedy, but Alec Baldwin committed no crime. He was an actor acting. Baldwin is charged with involuntary manslaughter who faces up to 18 months in prison if convicted. - For the first time since making comments, some have called divisive and hateful. Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson made a public appearance. WRIA was there and asked him for comment on his recent statements. Coming up, we hear his response to Capitol bureau chief Laura Leslie's questions. - And just days after a false alarm at Harris nuclear plant, the sirens went off again, but this time it was planned. We take a look at how today's test went and share what you need to know in case of an actual emergency. And here you're winning NC education lottery numbers on your screen, we'll be right back. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Save big this summer with great deals. All in the King Supers app. Get juicy Washington red cherries for $2.99 a pound, then get 10 for 10 on items like Lays Stacks, Rice Oroni, and Sparkling Ice Sparkling Water for $1 each, all with your card. Shuff these deals at your local Kroger today or tap the screen now to download the King Supers app to save big today. King Supers, fresh for everyone, prices and product availability subject to change, restrictions apply, see site for details. (upbeat music) - When it comes to renting out your property, the uncertainty of finding reliable tenants can feel like a real guessing game, responsible renter or perpetual party animal. Enter renter's warehouse. The pros who turn the uncertainty of finding great tenants into peace of mind. Renter's warehouse offers top-notch leasing and tenant placement services, ensuring you get trustworthy renters without the hassles and headaches. With no upfront fees, Renter's warehouse works for you, not the other way around. From marketing and showing your property, to screening tenants and preparing the lease, their team of experts handles it all so you can sit back and watch the rent roll in. Renter's warehouse even warranties their tenants for up to 18 months at no extra cost. And if you need ongoing management, they've got you covered too, all for a flat monthly fee. Visit renter's warehouse.com to request a free rental price analysis. That's renter's warehouse.com or call 303-974-9444 to speak to a rent estate advisor today. - Shot in 4K ultra high definition, your number one source for local news. WRAL news, coverage you can come on. - Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson today told reporters they should be, quote, ashamed for asking questions. Robinson had just finished hosting an award ceremony to present a medal to law enforcement. W.R.O. Capitol bureau chief, Laura Leslie joins us. Now, who's one of the reporters trying to get him on the record, Laura? - Jeff, earlier this week, we told you about some comments that Lieutenant Governor Robinson made that were some people called divisive and hurt hateful. - Well, you know, today Democrats held a call calling on other Republicans to repudiate those comments. Lieutenant Governor Robinson made it clear to us today that he is not interested in talking about them. - Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson made the comments at a church in Bladon County, June 30th. - Get mad at me if you want to. Some folks need killing. It's time for somebody to say it. - Robinson's campaign spokesman said he was talking about the Nazis in World War II. After an award ceremony, Robinson hosted today, we tried to ask Lieutenant Governor himself what he meant. - Can you please answer some questions? - If you had questions about what happened in there today, he would answer them. This day is about. - That's all we got out of this ceremony. - It's not about politics. - You want to come out here and you want to discharge this lady's award by coming out here and asking me that silly question. That's what you got out of this. There's your answer. Shame, that's what it is. You appear shameful and you should be ashamed. - Earlier today, state Democrats on a press call accused Robinson and some other Republicans of violent rhetoric and they called the Republican leaders to denounce his comments. We did ask that today of House Speaker Tim Moore, he said he wasn't aware of what Robinson had said, but said he stands by Robinson as the Republican candidate for governor in November. Laura Leslie, WRAL News, live in Raleigh. - Sirens were tested this morning at the Harris Nuclear Power Plant. This was a direct response to the sirens accidentally being activated Monday. W. Royles, Chris Loveygood joins us now live in the studio and Chris today's was planned. - All right, let's repeat that word again, Renee. Planned emphasis there. A total of 85 sirens were tested around the plant for about five to 30 seconds. They're normally tested to make sure they're working. If there were a real emergency in addition to the sirens, you would see TV stations including WRAL broadcast the emergency alert system message. - Is when the sirens go off, it is simply asking you to pay attention. We can't provide direction over that siren. It doesn't talk to you. It doesn't allow us to type out a message over the siren, but it simply allows us a way that, you know, whether you're indoors or outdoors in that whole 10 mile area spanning four different counties, we can say please pay attention to an authoritative media source. - As to that accidental activation, Duke Energy says, there will be a thorough investigation to make sure this doesn't happen again, Renee. - People who live or work within 10 miles of the plant are eligible to get potassium iodide pills from the state health department. That includes schools and childcare providers. The pills give some protection against radiation in the event of a real emergency at the nuclear plant. - Fadeville Police say a person died after being hit by a car on Merkerson Road. That is just the start of the story. Here's WRAL's Kelsey Comfy to walk us through what happened. (air whooshing) There's a lot of moving parts to the situation, and deputies have since cleared this scene, and this area looks much different than it did a few hours ago. Let's take you to video now from the WRAL Breaking News Tracker. Here's a breakdown of what happened just after 10 last night. A driver was speeding near a deputy on Merkerson Road. The deputy tried to catch up with the driver, but they kept speeding and hit a person. The deputy stayed there to help, but the person later died. Another deputy came in to find the driver. Then the driver led the second deputy on a chase. The chase ended in a crash at Langdon and Ramsey Street. Deputies were finally able to track down the driver after that crash. The driver was arrested, were working to find out what charges they may be facing today. Kelsey Coffey, WRAL News, and Fadeville. - Less than a month after a downtown Durham coffee shop closed its doors, the business announced it was also winding down operations at another location. In a social media post, BU Cafe says the last day the boxyard RTP location will be next Tuesday. The company says the decision was necessary as they continued to restructure after the pandemic. BU closed its door on Main Street, June 19th. - He thought he might never talk again after a cancer ruined his larynx. A transplant gave him his voice back. Stick around to hear him speak. - It is the start of mountain climbing season in Japan. The new requirement for those who want to scale Mount Fuji. Keep up with WRAL News on the go. Download the latest version of the WRL news app for breaking news. - When you need meal time inspiration, it's worth shopping king supers, where you'll find over 30,000 mouth watering choices that excite your inner foodie. And no matter what tasty choice you make, you'll enjoy our everyday low prices, plus extra ways to save, like digital coupons worth over $600 each week. You can also save up to $1 off per gallon at the pump with fuel points. More savings and more inspiring flavors make shopping king supers worth it every time. King supers, fresh for everyone, fuel restrictions apply. - When it comes to renting out your property, the uncertainty of finding reliable tenants can feel like a real guessing game. Responsible renter or perpetual party animal. Enter renter's warehouse. The pros who turn the uncertainty of finding great tenants into peace of mind. Renter's warehouse offers top notch leasing and tenant placement services, ensuring you get trustworthy renters without the hassles and headaches. With no upfront fees, renter's warehouse works for you, not the other way around. From marketing and showing your property, to screening tenants and preparing the lease, their team of experts handles it all so you can sit back and watch the rent roll in. Renter's warehouse even warranties their tenants for up to 18 months at no extra cost. And if you need ongoing management, they've got you covered too, all for a flat monthly fee. Visit renterswearhouse.com to request a free rental price analysis. That's renterswearhouse.com or call 303-974-9444 to speak to a rent estate advisor today. (upbeat music) - A man charged with leaving a dog in a hot car in Kerry is doing court this afternoon. Police say Paul Fisher III intentionally left the dog in the car even with a heat advisory in place. W. Royal is working to learn more about how that dog is doing. The six French bulldog puppies, Apex Police, they were left in a hot car and are now recovering, cannot be adopted until the legal case plays out. Staff at the Wake County Animal Center tell us the puppies are doing much better after showing signs of heat exhaustion. Investigators say the dog's owner left them in a hot car over the weekend as she went inside a restaurant. Police charge Whitney Johnson with animal cruelty. She disputes the charges and says the car had a fan on and the windows were down. - In less than 30 minutes, the Cumberland County School Board is expected to vote on a new school resource officer agreement with the town of Hope Mills. The town police department will need to provide officers to serve in SRO positions. This is happening because the Cumberland County Sheriff's office announced they would no longer provide deputies to schools in Hope Mills. - As St. Augustine's university's debt is growing and it fights for its accreditation, the university plans to start the fall semester as usual. The school's website says the fall 2024 semester will begin August 19th in person. We told you last week the IRS filed another lien against the school for more than a million dollars. That brings the total number of tax liens filed this year against the HBCU to nearly $10 million. - Thousands of people have set out to reach the summit of Mount Everest with this army of climbers aren't here for the glory of reaching the tallest peak in the world. Their mission when we return, plus. - I get started to my 82 year old mother on the phone and she could hear me. - The remarkable surgery that gave a cancer patient his voice back. - Popeyes has the wings you crave. There's a meal, a snack or at your next party for just 599 for a six piece. Crunchy spicy bone in wings or tender, white meat boneless wings are seasoned to perfection in Louisiana herbs and spices. And then tossed in so many different amazing flavors that you can tell if one is better than the last. Pick your wing, choose your sauce and savor all the flavor possibilities. It's the best of both wings and they're just 599 for a six piece. ♪ Popeye chicken from Popeyes ♪ - And participating in your rest restaurants. When it comes to renting out your property, the uncertainty of finding reliable tenants can feel like a real guessing game. Responsible renter or perpetual party animal. Enter renter's warehouse. The pros who turn the uncertainty of finding great tenants into peace of mind. Renter's warehouse offers top notch leasing and tenant placement services, ensuring you get trustworthy renters without the hassles and headaches. With no upfront fees, renter's warehouse works for you, not the other way around. From marketing and showing your property to screening tenants and preparing the lease, their team of experts handles it all so you can sit back and watch the rent roll in. Renter's warehouse even warranties their tenants for up to 18 months at no extra cost. And if you need ongoing management, they've got you covered too. All for a flat monthly fee. Visit renterswearhouse.com to request a free rental price analysis. That's renterswearhouse.com. Or call 303-974-9444 to speak to a rent estate advisor today. (upbeat music) - How about this live look right now? Ritesville Beach, those big puffy clouds there, blue sky coming through. The ocean would be a great place to stay cool today as you're watching WRL news, available on Spectrum and the WRL app on your TV or streaming device. And Arizona man regains the ability to speak after a rare surgery. Marty Kedian was diagnosed with the cancer in his larynx more than 10 years ago, but he refused to let doctors remove it. The larynx is commonly referred to as the voice box. Surgeons recently performed a total larynx transplant making him the third person in the U.S. ever to have that operation. - I want people to know this can be done and it's a bra says, but it's worth it. - As you're getting at my voice right now, two months ago, I couldn't talk. - Oh, larynx, that's just incredible. Mr. Kedian, you just heard him there. He says, thanks to the surgery now, he is able to continue reading bedtime stories to his granddaughter. - Happy for him. Summer travel and busy schedules have blood center scrambling to find donors. The state's Department of Health and Human Services staff, including Secretary Cody Kinsley, stopped at the blood connection in Raleigh to give blood and raise awareness about the need for blood. It's a partnership with GLAD, a nonprofit LGBTQ advocacy group for the summer of giving campaign. This is the first full summer season since the FDA expanded eligibility recommendations to accept more donors, which includes many in the LGBTQ+ community. - I think this is a win, win, win. It's a win for them to be included. It's a win for a stronger and more robust supply of blood and it's a win because it saves lives right here in North Carolina. - The blood connection is the blood provider for more than 50 North Carolina hospitals and requires about a thousand units per day. - Climbing routes on Mount Fuji open today at the sixth station of the iconic mountain. All three climbing routes on the Shizuka Perfecture are that side of the mountain, that's the popular side. They're fully open now to the summit, without any remaining snow obstacles. New this year, that side of the mountain requires pre-registration, so climbers are required to provide details like their routes and accommodation reservations, the climbing season for Mount Fuji and September 10th. And as climbing season gets underway on Mount Fuji, an army of people is tackling a nearly insurmountable task on Mount Everest, a team of Nepalese soldiers and Sherpas removing trash there, sometimes bodies of climbers as well with Paris. The bodies who have been sent to Catman-Doo for identification so the families can receive some closure. Meanwhile, the group has removed 11 tons of trash that is now being sorted to recycle what is salvageable. New rules now require climbers to haul their own garbage off the mountain, but there's still a backlog of unwanted materials on Everest some from decades ago. I thought it was always the rule that you had to leave it better than the way you found it. Take your stuff out. - Well, clearly not in that case. I feel like there are two types of people in this world, people who want to climb Mount Everest and people who don't. And I have a feeling I know, which camp you belong to and which camp Elizabeth's corner belongs to. I will stay down on the ground. - What about Mount Fuji, you could try that. - Okay, maybe. It's a challenge just to get through the seat, Elizabeth. - I think I'd just like to go to the base of Mount Everest to just hang out and look at the snow and the scenery, at least at this point, right? Goldsboro, Apex Chapel Hill, all looking partly cloudy right now, we started with a bit of cloud cover, but we've seen those clouds breaking up. Pretty view of Fayetteville there, our newsroom there on Hasty Street. Let's talk about the big picture. We touched on this just about half an hour ago, but this is the remnants of barrel. And I want to show you what's happening with this right now. Up in New York and parts of Pennsylvania, there is a tornado watch and we have seen a lot of severe weather along the path of this storm. It looks like folks up into the Northeast, just east of Buffalo, seeing a severe thunderstorm morning right now. So more severe storms possible up into the Northeast. The cold front is what's going to come through here late tonight and to early tomorrow and park itself and help to bring us some significant rain. It's not likely to bring us any severe storms. Let's take a look at this afternoon. You can see a few isolated showers and thunderstorms that pop up out ahead of this front. Ahead of this front, the flow is coming out of the Southwest, so it is very warm and very sticky. Unfortunately, this front's really not going to push through, so we don't get into any drier air behind it. What happens tomorrow, though, is most of the rain ends up closer to the coast. So it's possible that we'd see a little rain in our area, but Thursday's trending a bit drier because of the placement of the front. That front begins to back up a little or retrograde backwards as we get into the day on Friday, and the low pressure system starts to move up it, and that's going to help to swing a lot of moisture in. So the best chance of rain that we'll have over the next five days is going to be thanks to this low rotating counterclockwise and really pushing a lot of moisture in. That's going to be up to eight o'clock on Friday. At the beginning of the newscast, we also talked about the potential for some tropical development. It's only a 10% chance. It's that low that's going to help to bring us all that rain. It's unlikely that it's going to become a tropical depression or a tropical storm, but it may have some tropical characteristics. I mean, it has a whole lot of moisture with it, and that's why we're looking at the potential for widespread rain on Friday. Thursday looks like most of the rain will be east of I-95, and of course, today our potential for rain is very limited, only a 10th of an inch or so. On Thursday, the counties that do see rain, which will again be east of I-95, could see a quarter to an inch, and then Friday we may have more widespread one to two inch rainfall totals. We take a look at what we could be seeing. This is going to be, I know for the next five days, but really mainly on Friday. And our Western counties looking at three quarters of an inch to an inch right around the triangle, about an inch and a half, and then some of our Eastern counties, because we'll see rain Thursday and Friday here, it could be closer to two and a half inches, and we definitely need a soaking rain, that's for sure. The next drought monitor comes out tomorrow, and we'll take a look at it. There is the possibility, especially in our Eastern counties, that we could have some isolated flooding with those two to two and a half inch rainfall totals, so that's something that we'll be watching closely. So let's recap Friday. We're gonna see that front move through, a low moves up that front, and that's when we'll see most of the widespread rain with the potential for some localized flooding. Of course, today's big story is that heat advisory feeling like up to one 10 this afternoon, just take it easy one more day. It looks like we begin to see a little bit of relief tomorrow, and then much more on Friday with that rain. It is feeling like 106 in Durham and Raleigh, it feels like 108 in Clinton, 104 in Goldsboro, 102 in Rocky Mountain in South Hill, so it is one more day of dangerous heat. Cooler on Friday with 84, but right now our eye is on Sunday for the next day, that we can have a heat advisory as those temperatures climb into the upper 90s again. - Elizabeth, thanks. Officers make a startling discovery during a home visit, and no, this wasn't Florida or Louisiana. - Well, where this forefoot gator was found, live in life. - Hmm, looks friendly. Winning mega millions numbers, 21, 26, 54, 60, 64, the mega balls three, the mega players three. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - When you need meal time inspiration, it's worth shopping king supers, where you'll find over 30,000 mouth watering choices that excite your inner foodie. And no matter what tasty choice you make, you'll enjoy our everyday low prices, plus extra ways to save, like digital coupons worth over $600 each week. You can also save up to $1 off per gallon at the pump with fuel points. More savings and more inspiring flavors, make shopping king supers worth it every time. King supers, fresh for everyone, fuel restrictions apply. - Hi, Drew and Jonathan Scott here, reminding you that American family insurance agents can help build a customized renters policy, so you can protect stuff like this. Or this, or even this. - Nope. - Well, case in point, life's better when you're under American family's roof. Ensure carefully, dream fearlessly. Get a quote and find an agent at ampam.com. - Products not available in every state. American Family Mutual Insurance Company, SI, and it's operating company 6,000 American Parkway, Madison, Wisconsin. (upbeat music) - We're at things up right now with a look at a few of the headlines we are following for you today. - The Holly Springs man accused in a string of pellet gun shootings. It's calling for a federal investigation into his case. Henderson Atwater, sat in jail for nearly three years with a multi-million dollar bond for the charges against him. Last year, a judge declared a mistrial for about half the charges he faced when a jury could not come to a decision. Today, Atwater called for the Department of Justice to investigate the handling of his case. - The Hope Village at Method is a joint project between Casa and the Hope Center at Poland. Had its groundbreaking today and a large group of donors and others celebrated the promise of nine one bedroom units on that site. They'll house eight people aging out of the foster care system as well as a live-in resident advisor. The site is projected to be ready next year. - Team USA swimmers are headed from Carrey to Croatia to continue training ahead of the Paris Olympics. There was a send-off with their team at the Triangle Aquatic Center this morning, and now they head to Europe to acclimate to the time change. - Police in Detroit made a stunning discovery after performing a wellness check. Officers went to a home after the resident had not been seen or heard from for weeks. Inside, they found a dog and this four foot long female alligator, neither pet had eaten for weeks. - Alligator specifically, it's rare, but we do come across Detroit residents, harboring, owning, or having pets that are against city ordinance. - Yeah, you know, those Detroit alligators. Officers do not suspect foul play in the homeowner's death. Detroit animal control named the Gator Izzy, and now she is headed to an alligator sanctuary, and the dog is headed to a shelter. - A rice field art in Northeastern Japan got a special new look thanks to a major league baseball player. Seven rice plants were used to depict Shohei Otani in his Dodgers jersey with number 17, and this year Otani's dog was also included in the artwork. People will be able to enjoy the art until the end of July. The patty field also featured Otani as a Los Angeles Angels player back in 2019, last year when he was named the World Baseball Classic MVP. New video shows the U.S. Coast Guard rescuing a blind man and his dog. 55 year old man along with his dog and a friend began hiking around the Rogue River Trail in Southern Oregon last week. By Saturday, the man started to suffer from heat exhaustion. Since there was no cell phone service, the friend left the man go somewhere with a signal and called 911. Authorities located the man in a remote area on Monday where an air crew hoisted that man and his dog to safety. Are you looking for an absolute hunk of a lap cat? Cat Angels NC might just have the fella for you. Tim is a handsome four-year-old male tuxedo short hair cat. He loves to be involved in whatever is happening in the house, and it's even better for him if he can sit in your lap at the same time. He gets along well with other cats and loves treats. If you'd like to bring this handsome boy home to snuggle on the couch with you, just fill out an application on the Cat Angels website. Within the last half hour, we told you about a recent animal abuse case in Kerry. The man accused, Paul Fisher the third, is expected in court this afternoon. WRL will be there in the courtroom, and we'll be sharing the latest details that we learned during our news at four. - So when we had that story about Mount Everest, and I was talking about there are two types of people, some people who want to climb it, I knew you at some point wanted to climb out Everest. - I may have aged out of that, but yeah, who, I mean, talk about it. - Who does it? Is that where you were? - I'm just saying it's the top of the world. - It sure is. - Yeah, all right. Well, thanks for joining us at VC News Daily is next on WRL, your next local news update in 30 minutes. - You get breaking news update to any time with our WRL News app. Go out there and have a great day. (upbeat music) Keep watching WRL News over the Air Channel 34 and Spectrum Channel 1257. 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