WRAL Newscasts
4:30AM News on WRAL - Friday, June 28, 2024
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. Parkway Sleep Health Centers. Sound Sleep. Sound Health. Right now at 4 30, President Biden is in Raleigh this morning after a historic debate against former President Donald Trump. We have comprehensive coverage on how both candidates answered questions about the topics you care about and what Biden plans to do while visiting the triangle. And when you're headed out the door this morning, it is steaming our due point sitting at 68. We still have a heated decks to deal with over the next few days. I'll show you what it will feel like. Plus we're following breaking news of two fires in our area, one at a workshop in More County and another at a funeral home in Fayetteville. What we've learned from those two scenes. Welcome in on your Friday morning. We made it. I'm Michelle McConnicky and for an HU. And I'm Jeff Hobie. Yeah, there was never a doubt. Never a doubt is going to happen here. We're glad you're with us as well. You've started with Elizabeth Gardner in the WRS Severe Weather Center. Is that muggy meter broken? It doesn't feel as bad this morning. It doesn't. It's okay. Isn't it amazing that the subtle difference you get into the 70s and you're like you can't even like get through the air out there. You get it into the 60s and you can feel it but it just doesn't feel as bad. And so that's what we'll have to experience today. And Clinton, everything is all quiet. You can see just a little bit of water on the streets. There are been a few isolated showers or thunderstorms overnight but nothing's still left out there right now. It is warm out there. 76 degrees. But the two points sitting at 68 which we call the tolerable to steamy zone. 68 in South Hills. Our temperature is 73 in Rocky Mount. 71 in Southern Pines in 74 in Fayetteville right now. It is still going to feel hot this afternoon. Of course. But we won't get it into the level of heat advisory. So it'll feel like 100 to 102 this afternoon. And we do have a chance of a few isolated thunderstorms. We'll roll it on out and take a look at that potential for some scattered storms this afternoon. There's 9 a.m. And we'll take it on out to four or five o'clock and you can see a little bit later on in the evening that potential for a few isolated storms. It will be a hot day today of course, 93. But we don't have any triple digit highs in our forecast for the next week. The tropics are getting really active. We could have another named storm soon. I'll show you coming up. All right. Thanks, Elizabeth. Fresh off the historical debate stage. President Biden is here in Raleigh this morning. Meanwhile, former President Trump will appear at a rally near Norfolk, Virginia today. We'll get to the highlights and reaction from last night's debate in just a minute. But first, let's start with W. R. E. L. Kelsey coffee at the NC State Fairgrounds. Kelsey President Biden will be there to rally today in a quick turnaround from last night's debate. Michelle, that's exactly what we're expecting. The president and the first lady landed here in Raleigh just a couple of hours ago. They're expected to hold a campaign rally here at the State Fairgrounds later today. But take a look at this. Our crews were there as dozens of supporters welcomed the Bidens at R. D. U. Air Force One arrived at the airport around 2 a.m. Now, we're working to confirm what time the rally will start. But hip hop artist Fat Joe and E 40 are expected to join the Bidens today in Raleigh. The president and first lady are scheduled to head to New York City after the rally. They will attend an official event and a campaign reception up there. So we'll have crews here throughout the morning and afternoon. So if you want to stay up to date on all things related to President Biden's visit today, you can keep up with us on air and online at WRL.com Kelsey coffee WRL news live in Raleigh. Last night's debate was a memorable one, but for supporters of President Joe Biden, maybe not for the right reasons the debate has left some Democrats panicking over his shaky performance. At times, he seemingly struggled to even talk and repeatedly tripped over words early in the debate in NBC News. Post debate coverage, Kristen Welker broke it down. Zooming out, this was a debate about performance. This was a debate about a laying American's concerns about his ability to serve another four years and I had a number of reporters at NBC News have heard from a range of Democrats who have said that they are concerned by tonight's debate. People close to the Biden campaign say he is suffering from a cold. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with CNN after the debate acknowledging Biden had a slow start, but commending him for what she called a strong finish. And Republicans are celebrating what they consider to be a strong showing by Trump. Both he and Biden pushed their policies on abortion and the economy. They also shared their stances on illegal immigration. That is one of the topics our WRL news poll found is most important to you. The moderators asked the question to President Biden first and here is his response followed by what former President Trump had to say. And since I've changed the law, what's happened? I've changed it in a way that now you're in a situation where there are 40 percent fewer people coming across the border legally. It's better where he left office all over the world that pouring in. And this guy just left it open and he didn't need legislation because I didn't have legislation. I said close the border. We had the safest border in history. And our partners that PolitiFact call that claim from former President Trump about the safest border in history to be mostly false. Check out WRL.com for a breakdown of statements made in the debate and for the full fact checked from PolitiFact. Republican Senator Ted Baud is enthusiastic about Trump's debate performance. He posted to ex-President Trump soundly defeated Joe Biden in tonight's debate. He also included a link to donate to Trump's campaign. And we'll have live reports at the President's fundraising event at the fairgrounds throughout the day, today and online at WRL.com. Other big news we're following this morning. Firefighters are working to learn what caused a fire in a workshop in Moore County. Several fire departments responded to the scene on NC Highway 73, just before 1 a.m. Officials say the workshop was engulfed in flames. Smoke was also coming from a nearby garage. Crews were able to put out those flames, but the workshop and garage were badly damaged as well as a pickup truck and motorcycle. No one was hurt. And a long-standing Fayetteville landmark goes up in flames. Fire crews say they were able to knock down a fire at Rogers and Breece crematory on North Street. But not before it caused major damage. The funeral home has been serving the Fayetteville community since before 1900. And crews responded at about 830 last night there. They found fire coming out of the roof of the single-story building. They have not determined what caused that fire. And there are no reports of any injuries. Some people in Kerry are pushing back over a proposal to redevelop the Waverly Place shopping center. The town held a public hearing on the plan last night. Developers want to turn it into a mixed-use development, including stores and housing. The plaza currently has shops, restaurants and a movie theater. Some people who live nearby say that's all it needs. Real estate group Heinz wants to put in hundreds of housing units, commercial space and a structured parking lot. A petition opposing the re-zoning has gotten about 900 signatures. Town Council says it'll take feedback from the meeting and forward it to the planning and zoning board. The caroline hurricanes will stay in Raleigh for another 20 years. The owners of PNC Arena have given final approval to at least extension with the team. And along with it, the vision for a much larger entertainment district around the arena. And this new deal allows the team to develop a total of 80 acres of land around it. The vision includes restaurants, a hotel, a live nation music venue and housing. Hurricane's owner Tom Dunden says it will be a world-class experience. The arena itself will also be renovated under a separate agreement that was approved last year. That work is expected to start next summer. UNC Police are investigating a string of break-ins on and near main campus. Since Tuesday, police have been called to Beatty Hill, Craig, Parking Deck and Fraternity Court. In all, they've taken eight reports of car break-ins. UNC Police are reminding everyone, don't just lock your car. Make sure your alarm is set. And this is wild. A man in Charlotte stole an Amazon delivery truck during a police chase there. It all started when Charlotte Mecklenburg police officers started following a stolen truck after it's sped away from a traffic stop. The driver and the passenger then jumped out of the truck and ran. Police say the driver then stole an unoccupied Amazon delivery truck. They say he drove into Gaston County before it crashed and tried to run away. Officers arrested him a short time later. Meanwhile, the passenger was found hiding in a dumpster. He had multiple outstanding arrest warrants. We have some exciting news for NC State basketball fans, specifically fans DJ Burns, the NC State star, signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers Summer League team. He is not guaranteed a roster spot, but Cleveland's coach said his skills are too intriguing not to get him to Cleveland right away. UNC's Armando Baycott also signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Utah Jazz. Baycott joins Duke Kyle Philopowski in Utah. He didn't have to wait long to hear his name in the second round of the NBA draft. The Jazz chose him with the second pick of the second round, 30 second overall. Some experts say he didn't interview well with teams ahead of the draft, which could be a reason for him not being chosen in the first round as was expected. UNC's Harrison Ingram also heard his name called in the second round last night. San Antonio Spurs selected him 48th overall. Coming up a sinkhole near St. Louis swallowed a bench that soccer players could have been sitting on. We have more incredible video from the 100-foot hole left behind. And the Bible will now be taught in public schools in Oklahoma. The reasoning the state's education leader gave in in his decision and what people against the rule are saying now. I'm going to give you this live look in Goldsboro. Good morning to you. Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner walks us through the weekend forecast and the chances for some scattered storms possibly later today that come with it. From the WRAL Severe Weather Center, North Carolina's most experienced team of meteorologists. It's 443 and we're taking a live look at Sanford this morning and the sky's are mostly clear actually as though you had out the door this morning. We'll take a look at the temperatures. You know it's what you're going to expect. Temperatures are in the upper 60s to mid 70s depending on where you are. Mostly clear and definitely a muggy start out there. Walking the dog this morning temperatures again will be upper 60s low 70s. We're looking at temperature at lunchtime right around 89 and high of 93. And actually our normal high this time of year is right around 90 degrees. So this is not very unusual. You know you've had such extreme heat this week. We're going to kind of settle down a little closer to normal. Our humidity is going to be sort of in the tolerable to steamy zone. We do have some afternoon thunderstorms in our forecast, but not a lot. I'll walk you through it coming up. A judge in Idaho has set the date for the murder trial of Brian Coburger. In a court hearing yesterday, the judge proposed the trial to begin June 2nd, 2025. Coburger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November of 2022. Deadlines were also set for other legal filings in the case. The judge anticipates the trial to last for about three months. Coburger's attorneys have indicated the 29 year old intends to present an alibi as part of his defense. The Supreme Court will allow doctors in Idaho to perform abortions in emergency situations for now. Idaho law allows for abortions only when the life of the pregnant woman is in danger. In its decision, the court sidestepped ruling on whether that law conflicts with federal law that requires people to get appropriate emergency room care. The Biden administration argues that care should include abortions to preserve a woman's health. Take a look at this huge sinkhole. It's in a soccer field right between two fields near St. Louis. Officials say that holds about 100 feet wide and 30 feet deep. Watch this video here. A light pole right in between the two fields just come crashing down in that surveillance video at sinkhole opened up an area where players would sit on the bench during games disappeared into the earth there. No one was there on the field at the time. The sinkhole was reportedly the result of an underground mine that collapsed. The park is temporarily closed to the public. The Bible will now be taught in Oklahoma public schools. The state's Department of Education issued the new requirement yesterday and it's effective immediately. The state superintendent says the Bible is a necessary historical document. He says that schools should refer to the Bible and attend commandments for their influence on our nation's founders and on our Constitution. It'll be part of the curriculum in grades five through 12. A nonprofit civil liberties group says the new policy tramples on the religious freedom of public school children. It says it's ready to step in but did not say that it would sue. The NFL may have to pay nearly $4.8 billion in damages to people who paid for Sunday ticket. The Los Angeles jury agreed with fans who claimed they overpaid for NFL service. Now the jury ruled the league violated antitrust laws in distributing the out of markets Sunday afternoon games on our premium subscription service. The lawsuit covers almost two and a half million subscribers and 48,000 businesses who paid for the package from 2011 through 2022. The NFL says it will appeal the verdict claiming the strategy is the most fan-friendly model in all of sports. The battle for your shopping dollar is going to new lengths. Amazon is looking to take on the surging popular of Chinese-linked online discount sellers Timu and Sheen. Those retailers ship goods from China directly to customers and they bypass import fees which helps keep prices down. CNBC reports that Amazon will launch its own low-priced fashion and lifestyle section with a similar model. That would include more unbranded items, many selling for less than $20. And Asheville woman couldn't believe what was happening when a black bear charged her and her dog in her backyard. Audrey Thompson and her dog Gracie watching a family of bears heading to her bird feeder there. It's all I could think is do not fall. Do not fall. You will be eaten. You can hear that bear just huffing at that dog. Thompson says the bear hit the patio so hard the entire deck shook. North Carolina Wildlife Commission says could have been worse because mama bear protecting a reliable food source with that bird feeder while also protecting her four cubs could have been disastrous right there. It could have been and mama bear when there are cubs around you don't mess with mama bear you don't go anywhere near mama bear. Wow she's lucky. All right let's get over to meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner in the WRLC of your Weather Center talking about the drought we're seeing right now. We need the rain is it going to come anytime soon? We do. I mean a little bit here a little bit there is really all we're going to see anytime soon and that is our summer pattern. Unless we get a tropical system that is really this time maybe the only way we get a good soaking rain and we know what can happen there. You know a little bit can end up being too much very quickly speaking up too much very quickly just two weeks ago there was nothing on the map at all. Last week we're abnormally dry and then of course this week we're looking at moderate drought. The drought monitor came out yesterday and I'll tell you at least in my neighborhood that's what everyone is talking about. It's just it's just incredible to see the changes there. You've heard of a flash flood the National Weather Service has started talking about a new term a flash drought and that is exactly what we're in. We do have a stationary front that's to our south and we may see some isolated showers or thunderstorms to the north of it but we're you know more likely to see that closer to the front itself. This morning we're seeing mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies and we'll end up partly cloudy through the afternoon. There's two o'clock with an isolated shower popping up. You can see there is some coverage out there but not a lot. It's not going to be very much that really measures up in the rain cages. We take live look at Clinton this morning. Looks like there was a shower overnight a little bit of water standing on the road there. 76 as our temperature heading out and by lunchtime temperatures will be in the mid-80s. We do not have a severe weather threat today and that is definitely good news. Our weather watcher there from Tarver Deborah Page sent us this gorgeous photo of our cone flowers and up the I love it. So so fantastic. I just finally got around to planting some flowers in my yard and it's almost too high. Go to www.wrl.com search weather watchers and show us what's happening in your backyard. Around town highs will be in the low to mid-90s this afternoon. We do have a few isolated storms in the forecast. Right now the monkey meter is sitting at steamy but it's likely to go up on Saturday and Sunday. And so both of those days we have the possibility of seeing a heat advisory. Right now it's measuring 110 possibly for Saturday and 108 on Sunday. After that it feels much better and we're out of the danger zone Monday and Tuesday feeling like 98 Wednesday. That also is not heat advisory criteria. So up here's what we're looking at. Our high temperatures don't reach the triple digits until possibly Thursday. We're back up to 99. We do have the potential for some showers and thunderstorms. We're going to go over that especially for Sunday into Monday that looks like the wettest period in the next seven days. Well those of you with young children if you've ever been out in public and realize that you need a diaper or a onesie a new small business is creating a solution for you. We have a look at a new diaper vending machine that's popping up in airports in the south. Also people in Colorado are working to solve a mystery of this structure that appeared in their state. The theories visitors have about this mysterious monolith. 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 ncchiro.org/poster. Are you taking a flexible moveout date? Feeling too busy to deal with open houses and last-minute showings? Sell your home in a snap with sold it in a snap by the Jim Allen group. Simply submit your information and schedule a walkthrough. The Jim Allen group simplifies the home selling process and you're guaranteed a competitive cash offer with the number one real estate team in the triangle. The Jim Allen group. Learn more at sold it in a snap dot com. Today in entertainment news two comedy legends and a lost Johnny Cash album. Here's David Daniel with the Hollywood Minute. Songwriter is a collection of demos Johnny Cash recorded more than 30 years ago but never released. The video for Hello Out There was filmed at the Tennessee cabin where Cash would write and record and features his youngest granddaughter Grace exploring her grandparents' personal belongings. Songwriter is out today. Ricky Gervais has announced a new comedy world tour. Mortality is set to launch later this year and run through the end of 2025. It'll be filmed for a Netflix special like his last stand-up show, Armageddon, which won a golden globe. Happy Birthday! Mel Brooks, the National Medal of the Arts recipient and Emmy Grammy Oscar and Tony winner turns 98 today and he's still going strong working on a sequel to his sci-fi comedy Space Balls. Rewatching blazing saddles yet again in Hollywood, I'm David Daniel. Well parents out there have you ever been in public and realized that your diaper bag is empty? A new small business aims to help parents in that situation. Diaperic concierge is a vending machine for diaper changing needs down to a onesie for emergencies. The first machine was in Dallas Lovefield Airport and now there are 15 diaper concierges in Texas including a children's health sponsored free vending machine at Southern Methodist University. I'm hopeful that it sends a message to parents and moms especially that I see you. I see you. I know this is hard and we're all in it together. I think it's really smart. England says that her business is expanding this summer to airports in Texas and Arkansas. For every diaper purchased the company donates a diaper to the National Diaper Bank. It's free to get rid of it too when they're down with them. A mysterious monolith in Northern Colorado is prompting visits from curious sightseers. People want to know who built it, who put it there and why. Some say it's aliens and one Reddit user says the structure was put up to mess with someone who lives in the area. The woman who owns the property says she has ideas as to who's behind this structure but doesn't want to ruin the mystery. A similar mysterious monolith popped up north of the Las Vegas Valley a few weeks ago. We showed you that one too. Yeah, the guessing game continues. Well, some of the most famous shoes and rock and roll history are on the auction block. The blue suede shoes Elvis Presley were famous for made it made their debut in his 1956 album. They are now up for bids. The auctioneers say the authenticity of the shoes was confirmed by a close friend of Elvis. They're expected to bring in a high bid of as much as $150,000. For 57 right now coming up in just a few minutes, President Biden left the debate stage and arrived at RDU this morning. What he's doing today to ramp up support for his campaign. And we have a look at how both former President Trump and President Biden answered questions about the topics you care about plus who a CNN poll says won that debate. And another Raleigh native punched her ticket to Paris. This time for the discus. Look at the throws that secured Veronica Fraley a spot on Team USA.