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Noon News on WRAL - Monday, July 1, 2024
We take care of the things in our life, knowing proper maintenance and upkeep will extend the life of what we love. Do you give the same attention care to your own body? Staying fit and eating right are key. Equally important is supporting health and mobility with chiropractic. Chiropractic keeps your body aligned and running smoothly. Help extend the life of your engine with chiropractic. Find yours at nciro.org/chiro Now breaking news from WRAL coverage you can count on. Right now at noon the Supreme Court says former President Donald Trump can claim immunity for the January 6th insurrection. Why Trump is calling this historic decision a big win. And it was a soaking of rain finally for some of us yesterday and overnight I'll let you know the impacts behind the front coming up. The driver accused of hitting and killing a family of three on Memorial Day will not be in court. What we know about the charges he faces and when he's expected to be in court. We begin with breaking news. Former President Trump is calling the Supreme Court decision a "big win." On the other side President Biden's campaign says the court's ruling does not change the facts. Less than two hours ago the decision was released in a historic case. Former President Trump argued he has immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken on January 6th. Saying the former president is immune for official acts but not everything is official. WRAL's Chris Love and Good is in the WRAL Live Center with a deeper look at this 6-3 opinion. This is something that we're looking into a little closer here but yes essentially what this does is it sends the immunity case back to a lower court in Washington to kind of talk about this a little bit. I want to read some of what Chief Justice Roberts said. He said in part quote "The nature of presidential power requires that a former president have some immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts during his tenure in office." He says the president enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts and not everything the president does is official. The president is not above the law but we've also been seeing a little bit more reaction from this specifically from the dissenting side. Let's read a little bit from Justice Katanji Brown-Jackson. She said quote "With that understanding of how our system of accountability for criminal acts or ordinarily functions, it becomes much easier to see that the majority's ruling in this case breaks new and dangerous ground." So we've been seeing how the former president's been reacting. This is his truth social account saying "Big win for our Constitution and democracy, proud to be an American." We're going to keep on looking for some reactions on this historic 6-3 split in this decision regarding presidential immunity. A lot of people looking into this especially because what does this mean for the pending cases against the president? Also more breaking news this noon. Part of 10-10 road in Garner is closed after a dump truck overturned. W.R.L.s. Brittany is here with what we've learned about this crash and ways to avoid it Brett. Yes, it's all happened to 4-10 AM and the road is expected to be closed for several hours. It's time for us to go over the scene and show you what this video looks like there on 10-10 road. The man charged with killing a family of 3 in a memorial day crash in Garner will not be in court today. Jordan Porter was released from the hospital last week and expected to make his first court appearance. W.R.L.s. Chelsea Donovan has more on the charges he's facing. Jordan Porter was set to have a court date here in Superior Court in Wake County this morning but we understand from District Attorney Lauren Freeman that Porter's attorney waved his first appearance and now his court date will be continued. A lot of you have been asking why there was no mugshot for 25-year-old Jordan Porter accused of killing a family of 3 in Garner on Memorial Day. He actually was hospitalized with injuries and it was not until this past Friday he was released into police custody. Porter is in jail under a $3 million bond. He has already been indicted by a grand jury on three counts of second-degree murder, drunk driving and a slew of other charges. Police say he was going 82 in a 45 and had been drinking and had open containers of alcohol in his car the day of the crash. He's accused of running a red light on Highway 70 in Garner killing Tyler and Susan Campbell and their 8-year-old son Miles. Miles was declared brain dead a day later in the hospital. Search warrant state Porter smoked pot that day and drank beer at Rainbow Lane's in Clayton. Court documents state his car was in need of repair and had not been inspected since 2020. Porter's attorney has maintained that Porter's blood alcohol content was less than half of the legal limit. We are awaiting to hear about his new court date. Chelsea Donovan, WRL news, Raleigh. We've got that audio corrected now. We'll get back to that breaking news. A 10-10 road in Garner closed after a dump truck overturned there in Bretton East. Here once again with us to tell us how to get around it, Brett. Yes, you have it all happen between Benson Road and Rand Road. You can see that truck that's overturned there, crews already on scene, working to figure out what exactly kind of material was spilled there by this overturned truck. But they're working to clear that road as quickly as possible, but DOT expects it to be closed until at least 3 o'clock this afternoon. I'm also working to find out exactly how this happened, whether or not there was another car involved or if it's just the truck that overturned, also working to find out if the driver is okay. I'll keep you updated. Firefighters and Duke Energy crews spent much of the morning cleaning up after last night's storms. We want to take a look at this video right here. Part of Ligon Mill Road is what you're seeing right here in Wake Forest. It's back open now after a tree brought down a power line there. Drivers were forced to take a detour there as crews work to remove that tree and repair the wires. Also, with a related Jeff, a lightning strike started a fire that destroyed a barn after 11 last night. Firefighters responded to the scene on NC 42 in Willow Spring. They say the barn was used for storage with things like clothes, mattresses and books. Several neighbors saw lightning strike the barn and called firefighters. No one was heard. From last night's storms are also bringing in a cold front. Temperatures are expected to be in the 80s this afternoon. That'll be a nice break. Meteorologist Kat Campbell is in the Severe Weather Center with how long we're expected to get that break from the heat. It's not going to last long, so enjoy today and tomorrow, Jeff. The bulk of the rain out of here are last few sprinkles are clearing out of Sampson County. Let's talk about the rain. Boy, it was nice to see the rain last night. And early this morning, town by town rainfall totals just under an inch around the triangle. In most spots, Fayetteville at the airport seeing over an inch and a half of rain, nearly two inches, over two inches of rain and Rocky Mountain, and Sampson County really winning out on those rainfall totals. Over three and a half inches of rain in Clinton, and we had one report that was just two miles north of Salemberg. Eight inches of rain in the radar estimating between six and ten inches in orange here. So some remarkable rainfall totals there to help put a little bit of a dent in our drought. The cold front has passed. It's fairly breezy behind the front. Our north wind kicking in delivering less hot and humid air. Plenty of suns shine a live look from the Natural Sciences Museum in downtown Raleigh. 76 degrees, the dew point in the 50s, so it feels great. But we're keeping an eye on Hurricane Barrel. It may land full. I'll have more on where it's heading coming up. Cap, thanks. A new initiative could reduce or forgive some medical debt for some North Carolina families. Governor Roy Cooper made that announcement this morning. The B-O-R-L capital bureau chief Laura Leslie is live at the governor's mansion with who would be helped and how this would work. Laura. When Cooper said today that the state will use federal funds as an incentive to get hospitals to forgive some outstanding debts for low and middle income families, and going forward to make sure the families who are in patients who are entitled to charity care are actually enrolled in it. In the news conference today, Cooper said his administration would use extra funding for Medicaid as a carrot to persuade hospitals to forgive some $4 billion in old medical debt owed by low and middle income families. He said hospitals will likely come out ahead because they rarely collect more than a small percentage of old medical debts because people just don't have the money to pay them. However, large judgments remain on the books that prevent people from buying house or getting a credit card or hurting their credit in other ways. As for who this would cover, for people on private insurance, it would apply to people making up to three and a half times the federal poverty level. That's about $52,700 a year for an individual or $109,200 a year for a family of four. People on Medicaid would automatically be qualified. The debt that would have to be covered would have to be at a participating hospital. Hospitals have to opt into the program and some may not. The debt has to be at least two years old and it would have to have been incurred on or after January 1, 2014. That's the first date at which the state could have but did not expand Medicaid. Now, if you're wondering how to apply for this, you don't have to. This is something that the hospitals, if they agree to do it, will work with a third party vendor to identify debt that would qualify. And the earliest any of this could happen would be 2025 or possibly 2026. I've asked a group that represents hospitals in North Carolina for their position on this new initiative. I've not yet heard back from them. Lore Leslie, WRL news live in Raleigh. Take a look at stocks this noon. Dow Jones Industrial Average finished in positive territory for the first half of trading this year. July 1 starts the second half of trading now and you see where the Dow is. Up 38 points this noon. The S&P 500 relatively unchanged. NASDAQ is up 82 points right now. Next at noon as Boeing continues to face scrutiny over safety protocols. How the Department of Justice plans to seek a guilty plea from the company for two of its plane crashes. Also, outrage in upstate New York. The community looking for answers after a police shot and killed a 13-year-old. Who they say he showed a weapon the video just released. Plus it's climbing season officially on Mount Fuji right now. The new rules in place and how they're intended to save the mountain. Keep watching WRL news over the Air Channel 34 and Spectrum Channel 1257. Good posture is essential to good health. Unfortunately, at least half of computer users have posture related back pain. Other daily activities and hobbies can also contribute to weakened posture. Causing spinal misalignment and discomfort in our bodies. Luckily, chiropractic is here to help. Chiropractors provide a drug-free form of health care that improves mobility and overall health. While keeping your posture in tip-top shape. Find yours today at nciro.org/posture. Breaking news, the designer can give you the kitchen of your dreams. I'm Dana Merrill, the owner of the designer in North Raleigh. I am true Merrill. I am the project manager. The designer is a lovely kitchen bath and closet remodeling company. We do pretty much any of the utility spaces in your house. If you want to store things in your cabinets, if you want to work on things on your countertops, if you want to have a floor that can get wet or muddy, we're the place to help you fix your home up. We are the designer in North Raleigh, located at 3030 Wake Forest Road in the Holly Park Plaza. We would love to see you or visit our website at thedesignery.com. New this noon, we've now learned a woman has died from her injuries after she was shot in Wake County. The Sheriff's Office tells us she was 24-year-old Serenity Spencer. Deputies found her injured along Hodge Road near Wendell after 10-30 last night. This video from the W-R-L breaking news tracker shows deputies investigating in the rain. They are still looking for the shooter. The driver of a cement truck is facing charges after that truck overturned while making a right-hand turn. Police say this happened on South Main Street, NC-55 bypass in Holly Springs, just after 7 o'clock this morning. No cars were hit when that truck turned over, but it caused another crash when another driver tried to escape. The driver was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. It's not clear what charges the driver will face. Jeff, for following this developing story from the ACC announcing today that three new schools have joined the conference. We're talking about the University of California Berkeley, Southern Methodist University, and Stanford University. They are full members of the conference, and this right here is a post from UNC, the Tar Heels official. X-Pages are welcoming the teams there, and other teams have also been making some as well. Boston College Eagles putting that up as well. So here's the deal. Today is the first official day for SMU to be in the conference, but it'll be August 2nd before UC Berkeley and Stanford University are a part of this as well. The ACC says the addition of these schools enhanced and strengthened the academic, the financial, as well as the athletic prowess of the conference. Berkeley, Stanford, West Coast School is now part of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Chris, thanks. The Justice Department is planning to seek a guilty play from Boeing over a charge tied to two crashes of 737 MAX planes. This comes as Boeing has been facing intense scrutiny ever since a doorplug on another MAX jet blew out mid-air back in January. NBC's Tom Costello reports. Facing multiple investigations over that mid-air MAX 9 doorplug blowout in January, this morning Boeing is back in the spotlight with the Justice Department seeking a new guilty plea to a charge stemming from two overseas MAX 8 crashes more than five years ago that killed 346 people. Lawyers representing relatives of some of those victims say DOJ lawyers briefed them over the weekend. Under the terms they say, Boeing could avoid trial if it pleads guilty to conspiracy over its flawed MAX 8 design. The company would face an additional $244 million fine. Be required to implement new safety improvements and be subject to external monitoring for three years, and the company's board would be required to meet with victims' families. It's not clear if Boeing, which has no comment, will accept those terms and the DOJ hasn't commented. But lawyers representing the families blasted what they call an inadequate sweetheart deal that includes no new charges for the company or any executives. Chanting shame just a couple of weeks ago, many of the families sat behind Boeing's CEO David Calhoun on Capitol Hill as he publicly apologized. Several spoke after the hearing. They're not sorry for any of what has occurred. Including Zepora Curia, whose father Joseph died in the Ethiopia Airlines crash in 2019. There is a lot more that could have been done, should have been done, and that can be done. The question is, will it be done? What should happen now? I think people should be charged. I think that when people are not held accountable, you're setting a standard of what you can get away with. That was Tom Castello reporting. People in upstate New York want answers after police shot and killed a 13 year old boy. Hundreds in Utica came out Sunday for a meeting hosted by the city's mayor. They say they want police accountability after the death of the teen Friday night. Police say they stopped Niam away and another boy because they fit the descriptions of armed robbery suspects in that area. Police say Maui ran and then pointed a weapon at officers. One officer tackled him, another shot him. The weapon the boy was holding was a BB gun. Japan's Mount Fuji is officially open for climbing season with new rules in place. Hikers now have to book a spot in advance and pay a small fee to climb the country's highest mountain. People will not be able to hike at night. This is the first time. Entry restrictions are being implemented on Mount Fuji. The new restrictions are expected to take part in conservation efforts on Mount Fuji. Cat Campbell is in the WRO severe weather center right now. We have a fair amount of sunshine for a lot of folks out there. We do, Jeff. I've got to be honest with you. I've been looking forward to today's weather and tomorrow since I first saw it showing up on the seven day forecast. We got that nice drop in the humidity out there and the sun is out in Durham and Raleigh today. In Fayetteville, your upper level clouds are beginning to thin. Don't worry, this guy's going to look like this in Fayetteville pretty soon. Clouds holding temperatures down a degree there in Fayetteville where it's 75, 76, and Raleigh in Durham. This feels amazing after weeks of the heat that we have endured. Our muggy meter is going from tropical back down to comfortable. What a difference 24 hours makes across the area. The lower this number is, the dew point, the less moisture there is in the atmosphere. And that's why it feels so much better out today. And that number is going to keep dropping. So it's just going to feel better and better today. It's going to feel great again tomorrow. But that's all you get by Wednesday. We're going to start to reverse things. It's not terribly humid yet, but it's hotter. High of 91 Thursday for 4th of July. The heat and humidity are back, 95 at heat index in that dangerous zone over 105. And Friday, our high back in the triple digits with a dangerous heat index over 110 possible on Friday. The cold front passed and we get to enjoy high pressure in this north wind for the next 24 hours. So definitely makes them out to our plans while you can. The cold front will stay to our east. And then let's take a wider view here on the satellite. We had hurricane barrel made landfall earlier. At 1110 is a category for hurricane top winds, 150 miles per hour. Keep in mind, a category 5 hurricane is 157 miles an hour. So just that 7 mile difference below cat 5 status. This is really an incredibly powerful hurricane. And the earliest we have ever seen a hurricane form that's been this strong. We've never seen a category for hurricane late late June into early July. It's 40 miles north of Granada right now, top winds still 150 miles per hour. It's moving rather quickly at about 20 miles per hour and it's moving to the west northwest. It is expected to come close to Jamaica. So keep that in mind if you do have travel plans in that region toward the middle of the week Wednesday into Thursday. And then eventually likely headed toward Mexico. You could see impacts there as a category one hurricane at landfall around 8 a.m. on Friday. So if your travel plans bring you to Cancun or anything like that, you're definitely going to want to pay attention to this storm. As of right now, most model plots really don't show any big impacts to the US. It's more likely that it would continue to head to the west. There are a few outliers, but these models right here, there are better performing models when you really filter out the more accurate ones. So let's take a look at the system behind this one. This one may be more of one to watch for the US. About a 60% chance it will develop over the next week. And it's headed in the exact same area as barrel is. We do have model plots available for this system. Still a lot of uncertainty in the long term. You can see that big split. So we'll continue to monitor for you. And the next name on the list is Debbie. So we'll keep an eye on the tropics for you. As of right now, no big concerns for the US. But there is that one worth watching. So let's take a look at the next couple of days. They look great lows back in the 60s. But the big heat is back for 4th of July. It's going to stick with us all the way through the holiday weekend. There are some additional storm chances on the way by the weekend though. Cat, thanks. NHL Free Agency starts today. The Carolina Hurricanes are bringing back Jacob Slavin. But what about the other players whose contracts are up? Ahead on our news at 4. What we know about Slavin's New Deal and what could be next for the rest of the canes. Then at 6. Can you trust your valet driver? Someone stole a man's truck at North Hills and the valet put the blame on him. Five on your side. Digs into the valet company's history and explains what to do if this happens to you. But still ahead this noon, this week's 4th of July cookout may be pricier than this year. And next, the biggest reason for the price jump and ways you can save. And a groundbreaking will take place today for a billion dollar rail project. How will improve transportation in the triangle? [Music] Each year millions of North Carolinians visit a doctor of chiropractic for a variety of different reasons. And because of the opioid epidemic, that number is expected to grow. Chiropractic is a drug-free, natural form of healthcare that helps people with all sorts of different painful conditions. Such as headaches, neck pain, back pain, sciatica, and various different musculoskeletal conditions. But did you know that your doctor of chiropractic can actually help you improve your overall level of health? Visit nciro.org/info for more. At your job, do you ever have to deal with a nose roller? How about a snub bully? Well, if you're installing a new conveyor belt system, dealing with the different components can sound like you're speaking a foreign language. Luckily, you've got a team ready to help. Granger's technical product specialists are fluent in maintenance, repair, and operations. So whenever you want to talk shop, just reach out. Call clickgranger.com or just stop by. Granger, for the ones who get it done. [Music] Well, well, well, big moves here for defenseman for the Keynes, Jacob Slavin. We're talking about an eight-year contract extension at nearly $52 million. This is supposed to get into effect between 2025 and for the 2026 season. This is the post on the Keynes official X account. GM Erik Tolsky said that Slavin might be the best defender in the NHL and has cemented himself as one of the best players to ever put a hurricane's jersey on before. But, Jeff, that's almost a cool $52 million, not bad. You're right, we're talking money here. Boeing is taking steps to improve its quality and production issues. And the price of your July 4th cookout might be higher this year. Five is on your side, keeping an eye on today's business headlines with Maribel Abraham. Boeing is buying spirit air systems for $4.7 billion. Spirit makes the fuselage's for Boeing 737 jets and has been at the center of the company's quality and production issues. Spirits operations had been a part of Boeing decades ago, but they were spun off in 2005 as Boeing focused on the final assembly of its jets. Boeing believes buying spirit will help it improve safety and quality issues that have plagued the 737. The deal gives Boeing away to align production systems and the workforces of the two companies. Costco customers are not happy with the change made to its registry chickens. The retailer recently switched the packaging on the birds. It did away with a clamshell plastic container and switched to the plastic food service bags. Costco sold more than 130 million rotisserie chickens last year and said the change would save an estimated 17 million pounds of plastic annually. But social media has been full of complaints with customers saying the bags are leaky and some say the bags also make it harder to pick out a good chicken. Your 4th of July BBQ may be a little price here this year. A BBQ for 10 people will run you $71.22 according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. It's up 5% from last year and a whopping 30% higher than in 2019 before the pandemic. Now big reason for the rise this year, be prices. They're up 11% from a year ago. Lemonade, potato chips and ice cream are also higher, but if you stick to chicken, you can save a bit. Chicken breast prices are down 4% from last year. And those are your business headlines. I'm Maribel Abert the Nasdaq Market site. Red Box's parent company is filing for bankruptcy. The company says it's nearly a billion dollars in debt and owes millions of dollars to several entertainment companies. Employees at Red Box have not been paid in a week and medical benefits have been paused. Red Box is still a thing. It has a number of red kiosks at major retailers offering DVD and video game rentals. Durham Public Schools New Superintendent will start next month. How he says his past experience will help the future of DPS funding. Also, your family history could put you at a higher risk for certain type of cancer ahead. The gene most associated with skin cancer. And here's a look at your winning North Carolina Education Lottery numbers. ♪♪ Good posture is essential to good health. Unfortunately, at least half of computer users have posture-related back pain. Other daily activities and hobbies can also contribute to weakened posture, causing spinal misalignment and discomfort in our bodies. Luckily, chiropractic is here to help. Chiropractors provide a drug-free form of health care that improves mobility and overall health while keeping your posture in tip-top shape. Find yours today at nchiro.org/poster. Here's Brandon with Parkway Sleep Centers. Tired of waiting for a sleep treatment? At other sleep centers, it can take six to eight months just to get an appointment and cost you thousands more. Not Parkway Sleep Health Centers? We schedule you within weeks and will save you money too. We have over 20 years of experience serving the triangle. Let our expert team help you sleep better sooner. And your sleep problems live your best life. Experience the Parkway Sleep Difference. Visit ParkwaySleep.com and start your journey to better sleep today. Parkway Sleep Health Centers, Sound Sleep, Sound Health. ♪♪ We begin this half-hour of WRL news with the newly named superintendent for Durham Public Schools. He says he is ready to get started. WRL was the first news outlet to speak with Anthony Lewis. He will start the job with DPS in August. WRL's Monica Casey is live at the DPS building in Durham. And Monica, we've reported extensively on the district's challenges that will extend into the new school year. And those are challenges Lewis will inherit. That's right. The recent budget discussions between the district and the county have highlighted some of the short and long-term issues facing schools here in Durham with deferred building maintenance and staff salaries at the top of that list. This new superintendent tells me he is not afraid to make tough decisions. Anthony Lewis says it will be critically important to get face time with district staff and students as quickly as possible. He says he's ready to listen and wants stakeholders to understand the why behind important decisions. Lewis tells me he has experience dealing with tight budgets in his previous jobs. My experiences have allowed me to tackle some of those issues head-on from the standpoint of making some tough decisions but also doing it in a way that you are involving staff along the way. Lewis tells me he will create a superintendents entry plan with five goals and after the school board reviews it he will publish it on the website for the community to track the progress in real time. We also spoke about rebuilding trust with DPS staff after issues with the salary study earlier this year and the ongoing issue and discussion around school safety will have his thoughts on those topics coming up at five. In Durham, Monica Casey, WRL News. Today is the first day on the job for North Carolina Central University's new chancellor, Carrie Dixon. Dixon is a first generation college graduate of several UNC institutions. The outgoing chancellor, Johnson and Akonlea, had been in that role for eight years. You'll have to pay more for services at the DMV beginning of the summer. The DMV is required to change fees and rates every four years because of inflation. About 90 fees related to driver's licenses, learners, permits and vehicle registrations will go up by nearly 20%. We have a detailed list of all the fee increases on www.WRL.com. And as of today, go triangle buses are once again collecting fares. Bus service has been free since March 2020 due to COVID-19. Kids under 12 and adults 65 and older can still ride free. Teenagers can ride for free with a youth pass. The regular fare is $2.50. You must pay exact change upon boarding. Go triangles offering an additional month of free rides for those who download and use the UMO app. Today our groundbreaking is happening for new rail projects linking Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia. The new S-line project would create a direct route between the cities, cutting about an hour off the travel time. The services expected to start by 2030. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be in Raleigh for today's groundbreaking. He and Governor Roy Cooper announced a billion dollar investment in the project back in December. The groundbreaking is happening at one o'clock this afternoon on Durant Road. More lane closures are in place near Holly Springs as work to finish the NC 540 project continues. The northbound lanes of NC 55 bypass will be closed between Old Smithfield Road and East William Street at 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. tonight. The ramps on and off NC 540 will also be closed. Once this work is complete, the southbound lanes will have overnight closures. That's expected to start tomorrow night. The town of Zebelen is one step closer to finding its new town manager. Town leaders hired Paula Hire, a recruitment firm to help find its next permanent town manager. Paula Hire will look for candidates, then present them to the Board of Commissioners. The recruitment process starts this month. The town hopes to have the role filled by September. Our county by county coverage takes us to Cumberland and Nash counties. In Cumberland County, the city of Fayetteville is adding a new bus stop. Starting today, the city's bus system fast will be adding a stop to Route 17. The new bus stop is at the Bill Crisp Senior Center. It'll run Monday through Friday every 90 minutes. Fast is also replacing and upgrading several bus shelters. And in Nash County, Rocky Mountains newly approved budget comes with utility rate increases. Starting today, water services will go up about 7%. Sewer will go up 8%. And waste services will go up by 4%. We've seen the rate increases like this all over our area. Chatham County and the city of Sanford have also approved price hikes. President Biden's family is encouraging him to stay in the presidential race. Following Thursday's debate, people in both parties have raised questions over whether President Biden should continue with his campaign. Hallie Jackson takes a closer look at his campaign's effort to stop the backlash. President Biden digging in and driving on after huddling with family members who encouraged him to stay in the race. According to multiple sources familiar with the conversations during a pre-planned weekend at Camp David, NBC News has learned his campaign manager sought to reassure key donors Sunday, emphasizing the president will not step aside and explaining the logistical difficulties in replacing him on the ticket per two participants on the call. All after a damaging debate performance Thursday night deeply rattled members of his own party. Some Democrats acknowledging the ongoing discussion. There are very honest and serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party. We're having a serious conversation about what to do. The editorial boards of both the New York Times and the Atlanta Journal Constitution are urging the president to step aside, even as his allies publicly rally around him, like former President Obama and Clinton. Do you think President Biden should drop out of this race, Senator? Oh, absolutely not. The Biden campaign points to more than $30 million raised since Thursday as a sign of grassroots support, even after the halting debate appearance. If we finally beat Medicare. With the president himself at a rally in North Carolina Friday, recognizing his poor performance while pledging to stay in the race. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth. I know right from Rome, and I know how to do this job. His supporters say former President Trump would be dangerous in the White House, as Mr. Trump boasts about his own debate performance in Virginia Friday. Did anybody last night watch a thing called a debate? We had a big victory against a man that really is looking to destroy our country. That was NBC's Hallie Jackson reporting. I've been following some of the reaction coming out from the political world regarding the Supreme Court. It's ruling regarding presidential immunity regarding Donald Trump. This right here is a majority Senate leader Chuck Schumer saying, "This is a sad day for America and a sad day for our democracy. The very basis of our judicial system is that no one is above the law. Treason or incitement of an insurrection should not be considered a core constitutional power afforded to a president." Now, I do want to show you another one here. This is from a representative in New York, Lisa Stefanik, who is believed to possibly be a vice presidential contender for Donald Trump. She said, "Today's Supreme Court decision is a historic victory for President Donald Trump, the Constitution, the rule of law, and the American people. The President of the United States must have immunity like members of Congress and federal judges, which is necessary for any president to function properly." Again, the next step in this process is this case will now go to a lower court in Washington to decide what specifically is and is not allowed from the presidential immunity being claimed. Chris, thanks. Simone Biles is looking for Olympic redemption, how she secured her spot on Team USA and in history once again. Skin cancer may not be just the result of too much sun, why scientists say genetics could play a role. We're glad you're watching this newscast right now. Remember, you can watch WRL News live anytime on WRL.com or the WRL app on your streaming device. Breaking news, the designer can give you the kitchen of your dreams. I'm Dana Merrill, the owner of the designer in North Raleigh. I am true Merrill. I am the project manager. The designer is a lovely kitchen bath and closet remodeling company. We do pretty much any of the utility spaces in your house. If you want to store things in your cabinets, if you want to work on things on your countertops, if you want to have a floor that can get wet or muddy, we're the place to help you fix your home up. We are the designer in North Raleigh, located at 3030 Wake Forest Road in the Holly Park Plaza. We would love to see you or visit our website at thedesignery.com. I chose William Peace because of the personalized education it offers, which allows students to truly know their professors. It's really possible to make genuine connections with your professors and learn intentionally here and dive deep into what you're passionate about. A 12 to 1 student to faculty ratio is just one of the many reasons students choose William Peace University. Extra attention starts day one for career planning with their Career Services Center. Find out all they have to offer at peace.edu. Many people believe spending lots of time in the summer sun puts you at higher risk for skin cancer, but a new study from Cleveland Clinic finds genetics might play a bigger role. They looked at different genes in individuals with a history of melanoma. About 15% of their patients had genes that increased risk for many types of cancer. Many of those were not originally associated with melanoma. I think a lot of people that develop melanoma sometimes feel some sense of guilt over their past sun exposure. Some of which was not controlled by them because it was during childhood. And what I would say is that there's a large portion of their risk that was not determined by anything that they did. And doctors hope their research will lessen any guilt some cancer patients have. They plan to study more individuals with melanoma and also see if they can identify any other genes that can put a person at risk for cancer. Simone Biles is on her way to the Olympics again. The reigning world champion secured her spot on Team USA with a dominating win last night in the all-around competition at the Olympic trials. She will become only the fourth American woman to compete in three Olympic games. Suni Lee, Jordan Childs, Jade Carey, and Hesley Rivera will join her on the US Women's Gymnastics Team in Paris later this month. Inside Out 2 is making history at the box office the milestone that movie just hit. But first millions of people across the country are expecting intense heat ahead of 4th of July. How the high temperatures could impact the ways to celebrate. I chose the William Peace University because of the small class sizes. I feel that you get more one-on-one time with teachers. With class sizes like about 16, her teacher, you can really get that one-on-one help a lot of students need. A 12-to-one student of faculty ratio is just one of the many reasons students choose William Peace University. Extra attention starts day one for career planning with their Career Services Center. Find out all they have to offer at peace.edu. Sell your home in a snap. Sold it in a snap by the Jim Allen group simplifies the home selling process. You're guaranteed a cash offer. With the number one real estate team in the triangle, just submit your info and schedule an in-home walkthrough. Learn more at solditinastap.com. Stay into the newsroom within the past five minutes. Durham's city manager, Wanda Page, has announced her retirement after serving the city for 36 years. She sent her six-month notice to the mayor and the city council. Earlier today, this is six months to allow them to give them ample enough time to return from their July break and find the next person who will step into her role. Not as many people will be firing up a new grill this fourth of July holiday. The grill business saw huge sales during the pandemic, meaning it is not seeing the typical spike in sales from Father's Day to July 4th. According to a group called the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association, 80 percent of U.S. homes had a grill or smoker last year, except from 64 percent in 2019. The pandemic grills are expected to reach the end of their life cycle in 2025, and sales should pick up then. There's more hot, sticky weather expected across much of the country for the 4th of July. It's expected to be one for the record books, both in high temperatures and the number of people traveling to celebrate the holiday. CB Cotton has more. Burgers and hot dogs may not be the only things cooking over the 4th of July weekend. Much of the country will see historically hot weather. If you are going to be outside, make sure to pack sunscreen and plenty of water. Parts of the south and west could top 100 degrees, prompting officials to consider fireworks in campfire bands due to the added wildfire risk. What do you do, hydrate, right? It's a lot, it stinks. Records also expected to be set on the roads and in the skies. AAA projects nearly 71 million travelers will go 50 miles or more from home. And TSA expects to screen more than 32 million during the holiday weekend. If you're going to be flying, get to the airport early, you know, book early flights just in case there's delays in cancellations, you'll have the best chance of getting out. And if you're driving, try to drive it off peak times because, you know, nobody likes having a traffic, not do they. The busiest days to travel are expected to be this Wednesday and the following Sunday, with the most traffic in the afternoon hours between 2 and 7 p.m. Thunderstorms are also a possibility from Ohio through Virginia and the Northeast, so watch out for flight delays as a result. Adding to the fray is Hurricane Beryl, currently churning in the Caribbean, which has the potential to cause disruptions in the southeast. That was CV Cotton reporting. It's been feeling like summer temperatures for weeks now. Well, it has, and we're getting a little break from that heat, but once you know it, just in time for Fourth of July, is when things will really heat up again, Kat. Yes, they will, but today it feels amazing outside, at least compared to what we've had lately. Make some plants outside today and enjoy it while you can. For Fourth of July, you're going to want to make some plants by a pool, by a lake, by the beach, somewhere to cool off. You're going to need it 97 degrees as our forecast high. It's going to be pretty humid as well. We expect the heat index to exceed 105. So even as we get past sunset, expect temperatures to be quite toasty as we get toward 8 o'clock. We should still be in the lower 90s by 10 o'clock mid 80s. So you may think, "Oh, well, at least it'll cool down for the fireworks." Not quite. It's going to be pretty hot out there, but storm chances are going down. They're pretty low as we get toward the fireworks timeline. So the big story for Fourth of July is going to be the heat. Let's talk about the risk from heat. Wednesday is when we start to see our temperatures climb. The humidity isn't all that bad. So that's going to keep us in a minor heat risk. Thursday, the heat index is back in the triple digits, a moderate heat index on Fourth of July. It's actually right after Fourth of July that really even more dangerous heat settles in. Friday, we have high temperatures at 100 degrees, and our heat index could near 110 by Friday, and that really puts us in a dangerous territory, and likely to be one of the hotter and more humid days of the year. For now, enjoy this nice, more comfortable feel. So here's why it feels that way. We have our cold front offshore. This is the cold front that finally brought us some rain yesterday and early this morning. It's our best chance for rain that we've had in about a month for most of us. It was nice to finally see rain. Our wind direction changed behind the front. We have a wind out of the north, high pressure in control, and it stays in control tomorrow. That's why it feels good again tomorrow. But once high pressure slides offshore on Wednesday, we get the return of our warming and more humid South wind. We're headed to the playground today. It's a great day for it. At 3 o'clock, we run around 82 degrees by 4 o'clock. 84, plenty of sunshine at the playground today. Temperatures are sitting in the mid-70s at lunchtime. Last week, we had days where we were already at 100 at lunchtime. So this feels absolutely amazing. In comparison, 73 in Roxborough, the number on the right is the dew point. So where that number is in the 50s, like Rocky Mountain, the Triangle, South Hill, and Roxborough, feels really good. The air is coming. If you live in Southern Pines, Fayetteville, Goldsboro, and Clinton, it's going to feel less humid by the end of the day today. So today just feels great all around. It has been fairly breezy as we've seen this change in our wind direction. So just to heads up, a bit of a breezy day out there, some gusts 20 to 25 miles an hour. And it's just a brief break from the heat. Tomorrow, we're at 87 Wednesday, 91, and then toward the end of the weekend, the big heat returns. Take a look at our WRAL Weather Watch Your Photo today from Willow Spring. This yellow fenj sitting on a bird bath that finally has some water in it after the rain. I'm sure the bird was happy to see that out there. 84 today, 87 tomorrow, low temperatures are back in the 60s. With those lower temperatures, that's a sign that the air is less humid. As we get into the weekend, our better storm chances look to come on Saturday. Kat, thanks for that. Still ahead. We will run down some of today's top stories. Plus Inside Out 2 makes box office history. What put this animated feature ahead of any other animated movie? Here's Megan with Parkway Sleep Centers. Our sleepless nights affecting your life. Parkway Sleep Health Centers can help. We've treated sleep disorders in the Triangle and beyond for over 20 years. We offer sleep studies, office visits, CPAT machines, supplies, and more. And our streamlined process allows us to see you sooner and usually saves hundreds of dollars. And sleep problems. Live your best life. Experience the Parkway Sleep Difference. Visit parkwaysleep.com and start your journey to better sleep today. Parkway Sleep Health Centers. Sound Sleep. Sound Health. Your heart. It's the only one you have. Fortunately, you also have a choice. Expert cardiologists. Talented surgeons. Highly skilled specialists. All of whom chose WakeMed. Why? The main reason is the same reason patients choose WakeMed. Everything you need for the best possible care is right here. Learn more at WakeMed.org. WakeMed Heart and Vascular Physicians. Your heart. Your choice. As we wrap things up, we have a look at a few of the headlines we're following for you today. The man charged with killing a family of three in a crash on Memorial Day in Garner was not in court today. Gordon Porter was released from the hospital last week. He was expected to make his first court appearance. Porter's case was continued after his attorney waved the appearance. Part of 10-10 road in Garner is back open after a dump truck overturned. This all happened just before 11 a.m. between Rand Road and Benson Road. The dump truck spilled concrete on the road, forcing crews to quickly remove the debris. It's not clear how the truck overturned. Governor Roy Cooper announced this morning a new initiative that could reduce or forgive some medical debt for some North Carolina families. If approved, the state will use federal funds as an incentive for hospitals to forgive outstanding debts for low and middle income families. The earliest this could take effect would be next year. Angel Reese continues to make WNBA history. The Chicago Sky rookie is the first league player to record ten consecutive double doubles during the regular season. She earned her tenth double double during yesterday's game against the Minnesota Lynx. Candice Parker set the previous record in 2015, but it was not enough for a win. The sky lost through the Lynx 62-70. Usher was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards. The R&B singer said he felt it was too early for him to receive the award because he still "running." Various artists took the stage to perform a collection of his hits. Usher also won the award for Best Male R&B Pop Artist. Inside Out 2 is still setting records at the box office. The Pixar movie topped the box office for the third week in a row, earning more than $57 million this weekend. Globally, it has now earned more than a billion dollars. Inside Out 2 reached that point faster than any other animated movie. It took just 19 days. Today's Pet of the Day is a playful and friendly pup. This is Astro. He's four and a half months old, loves to go on walks and play ball. Astro is still learning how to bring the ball back while playing fetch. He is half-lab and half-American foxhound. He's crate-trained and microchipped. If you want to be Astro, contact Love Muts Rescue and apply on their website. Raleigh native and Wakefield High graduate Veronica Fraley is on her way to the Paris Olympics. We are hearing from her coming up this afternoon at four o'clock. NBC News Daily is next on WREL. Your next local news update in 30 minutes. You can always get breaking news updates anytime with our WREL News app. Enjoy this break in the temperatures right now and have a great day. [Music] [Music] Keep watching WREL News over the Air Channel 34 and Spectrum Channel 1257. [Music] Here's Megan with Parkway Sleep Centers. Our sleepless nights affecting your life. Parkway Sleep Health Centers can help. We've treated sleep disorders in the Triangle and beyond for over 20 years. We offer sleep studies, office visits, CPAP machines, supplies and more. And our streamlined process allows us to see you sooner and usually saves hundreds of dollars. And sleep problems. Live your best life. Experience the Parkway Sleep Difference. Visit parkwaysleep.com and start your journey to better sleep today. 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