ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 11pm - December 28, 2025

Episode Date: December 29, 2025

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Right now, live coverage from your local news leader, preparing you for tomorrow starting tonight and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11, I Witness News. And right now at 11, we're taking a live look at the Raleigh skyline from our Pendo SkyCam. The sky in the city of Oaks cleared tonight after part of our viewing area saw some sprinkles of rain today. And we're looking ahead to tomorrow, dry air and gusty winds leading to a red flag warning from most of Central North Carolina. You're watching Eyewitness News at 11. I'm Bianca Holman. Thanks for joining us on this Sunday night. Tomorrow is a first alert day because of that red flag warning. It's been issued from noon until 6 p.m. tomorrow.

So let's send things over to our meteorologist Cruz Medina, who will tell us all about this and what this means for our area. Well, Bianca, we are seeing increased fire danger for tomorrow as a front comes through and really increases our wind speed. But also with that front, it's going to cause a change in our wind direction, and so that's going to affect our temperatures. We will start out with tipters near 60 degrees in the morning. Our afternoon tipters reached the mid-60s, which is nearly 15 degrees above average, and then they tank as we go into the second half of the day. So by Tuesday morning, we're talking temperatures only in the 20s to start out. That's about a 37-degree drop in those temperatures. Now the wind shift, you can see it here.

So notice the little wind arrows at the bottom. We go from southwest to northwest late in the day. Those northwest winds are going to be what drive down those temperatures, but also winds are going to be gusting through the morning and afternoon up to 35 miles per hour. Now you combine that with the drought conditions that we have in place and this dry air mask coming in, and that's where that fire danger comes into place. So we do have a red flag warning in effect for the triangle, parts of the sand hills, and anywhere back into the Piedmont area.

That's from noon until 6 p.m. on Monday. no outdoor burning is advised for tomorrow. Now, temperatures tonight have actually been warming up a little bit over the past few hours. Many spots are near 50 degrees right now due to that southwest wind and a front lifting through right now. And so that means we're going to start out warm tomorrow. Temperatures reached their peak close to lunchtime. Around that time, we could also see a few little showers and then we'll see some late day clearing and tipgers come down into the 50s and 40s by the time we get into the evening hours. But like I said, that's just the start of the cool down.

Temperatures will get even colder into those 20s as we go into Tuesday morning. We'll talk a little bit more about how temperatures rebound leading up to the new year coming up in your extended forecast. Bianca, back to you. All right, Cruz, thank you. And remember, you can always stay up to date with the latest weather conditions from the free ABC 11 mobile app. We'll send those watches and warnings straight to your device. You can also check the seven-day forecast and Doppler net at any time. Well, the winter storms across the northeast are impacting travel for people all across the country.

including right here in the triangle. RDU airport reporting reporting multiple delays and cancellations today. And according to the latest data from flight aware, nearly 150 flights at RDU have been delayed today and at least 15 have been canceled. Now, eyewitness news stopped by the airport earlier today where we saw some cancellations from Chicago,

New York, Boston, and just those were actually some of the places that were hit by the winter storm. While some people had luck, others say they weren't that lucky. Luckily, we've took some pretty early morning. to get to where we need to get to without any delays and hiccups, so we've been fortunate. So what happened was my flight got delayed, and now I'm having to get a new flight,

and it's kind of just all freaking me out. Meanwhile, more than 40 million Americans are on alert for either snow, wind, ice, or rain, as that winter storm makes it sway from the Midwest to the northeast. While out west, a much-needed break from the rain, but hazardous conditions persist. Here's ABC's Alison Kosick with the details. Treacherous driving conditions in the Midwest, drivers struggling to stay on the road amid heavy snow and howling winds. Near Clear Lake, Iowa, close to the Minnesota border, winds gusting up to 50 miles an hour, abandoned and damaged vehicles littering roadways. That system now headed to the northeast, which is already digging out from the biggest snowstorm parts of the area have seen in nearly four years.

Much of the country is dealing with severe weather. Heavy snow and wind already in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes. Then we have the ice starting to slide into the northeast as that severe line tracks through Indiana and Illinois. All this is causing headaches for travelers. More than 2,700 flights were canceled Friday and Saturday and at least another 600 again today. Thousands more flights have been delayed

as millions are traveling for the holidays. We'll get to land in a different airport. in Tampa instead of Sarasota. We've got another six-hour flight wait before we get out of here. Ron Dow's been trying to get to Hawaii from Boston Logan. They canceled the flight to JFK, which of course we missed our connecting flight. Downed wires Saturday brought delays and cancellations to Amtrak's busy northeast corridor line. California has been dealing with relentless rain for days, leaving neighborhoods caked in mud and the threat of more mudslides. In the mountains near Big Bear Lake, Five people were heard, including two children, when this massive boulder crashed onto Highway 18 Friday night.

Allison Cossack, ABC News, New York. Yes, and thank you. Well, if you are driving this holiday season, be prepared to hit some traffic. According to AAA, the worst time to drive today is actually right now. And so you also want to avoid the roads tomorrow between noon and 8 p.m. And then on Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m. And a reminder, the annual Boozid and Luzit campaign is underway. Authorities in all 100 counties, they're increasing patrols and sobriety checkpoints trying to catch impaired drivers.

The campaign runs through January 4th. We're following new details into an armed robbery that led to an officer involved shooting in Rocky Mount. The man charged in the case, 42-year-old Willie McGee Jr. is now facing federal charges. It began Friday morning. Police say Willie McGee Jr. allegedly went inside First Citizens Bank on Wakelawn Street. with a letter claiming his truck was rigged with an explosive. Hours later, police found McGee in a Hobby Lobby parking lot on Sutter's Creek Boulevard in Rocky Mount. But when police approached his truck, McGee hopped out and started shooting.

Officers returned fire hitting McGee. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to be okay. McGee is now facing multiple multiple federal charges, including discharging a firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison on bank robbery charges and a mandatory minimum. of 10 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence on the discharging a firearm charge. Well, starting the start of the new year, it's just a few days away, if you can't believe it, and a few new laws will go into effect on January 1st, including changes to the Raleigh noise ordinance. The new rules will apply to amplified sound from commercial establishments like bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.

Tamara Scott has reaction from people in the Glenwood South District. It's a quiet day here on Glenwood South, but that's not always the case. Not interruptively loud at all. I don't find it to be problematic. That's one opinion of Josiah Geist, who lives near the social district. But for someone who feels differently, starting at the first of the year, they will now have a formal opportunity to complain. I guess that's tough if you've lived here a while and you're unhappy with the noise, but

if you live here and you're surprised by noise, I'm not sure I understand why you're here. It's a part of the new adoptions to the city noise ordinance. It only applies to places like bars, clubs, and restaurants. Citizens will be able to file a complaint if they think the decibel levels exceed the rules based on location, time of day, and day of the week. Glenwood South will be rated on a separate level from the city and permitted events. I guess it depends what they do with those complaints. If it's just some form for someone to feel heard, then maybe it's good for them. There could be real consequences.

There could be a $1,500 penalty for three. or more violations. A fourth violation means restricted outdoor sound equipment. Tamara Scott, ABC 11, eyewitness news. And speaking of changes, economy parking options are changing at RDU in the new year. The economy four lot near I-540 and US 70 will permanently close to airport guests on January 2nd and become an employee-only parking lot. The lot will not accept online bookings from travelers beyond January 1st. You'll still be able to park in the premier central and express lot, as well as the economy three lot, which is being expanded to add 7,000 new spaces, a customer amenity building, solar panels, and EV chargers. New spaces will continue to open in phases throughout

2026. Well, still ahead, at least one person was killed after two helicopters collided mid-air in New Jersey. Well, the FAA and NTSB are saying about that deadly crash. Plus, we're counting down the 2026 and tomorrow, GMA's Robin Roberts revisits defining moments in an upcoming special the year 2025. We've got a sneak peek of that special after the break and Cruz is here with the check of the forecast. Well, temperatures tonight are in the 40s to around 50 degrees, but tomorrow we're going into the 60s just to come down again as to go into Tuesday morning. So get ready for feels like temperatures in the mid 30s by Tuesday afternoon. We'll have that cold forecast coming up for you after this break.

Now to a deadly mid-air collision between two helicopters in New Jersey. Witnesses say one of the choppers was engulfed in flames within seconds of the crash. At least one person is dead and another critically injured. Here's ABC's Reno Roy. A terrifying mid-air collision in New Jersey. Shortly before noon, the Hamilton Police Department in New Jersey received a call of an aviation crash between two helicopters. One of those choppers seen in this video spiraling out of control. Black smoke rising from the crash site, witnesses described the terrifying moments.

I see one helicopter slowly descending down in a rotating motion, almost as if the rudder and the tail had lost control. And then I see a second one come down with the same issue behind it. Police, fire, and EMS responded to the scene extinguishing the flames that engulfed one of the aircraft. The FAA describing the incident as a mid-air collision between two helicopters over Hammondon Municipal Airport. Only the pilots were on board each aircraft. Both the FAA and the NTSB will be investigating the craft. authorities have asked residents to avoid the area while the investigation continues rena roy abccc news new york the virginia man accused of putting two pipe bombs outside the republican and democratic

national committee buildings in washington the night before the january 6th 2021 insurrection is set to appear in court this week brian cole was arrested earlier this month after a nearly five-year manhunt video released by the fbi during their search showing a man putting one bomb outside the dnc headquarter just blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The FBI determined the pipe bombs were viable and if they were detonated could have caused serious bodily injury or death. Well, the countdown continues to 2026.

And happening tomorrow, GMA's Robin Roberts revisits, defining moments, and an upcoming special year 2025. Here's ABC's Joelle Gargulo with more from Robin Roberts. 2025. 2025 was... Oh, oh, what? From trends, many of us don't quite understand.

To pop culture obsessions. Beyonce, Beyonce, Beyonce. Hip, Demon Hunters. Wild celebrity trials. If they said baby oil one more time. And beautiful love stories. Taylor got engaged. I'm like doing a happy dance all day for her.

It's been quite the year. And before we say goodbye to 2025, Robin Roberts has taken a look back at the most iconic and memorable moment. on the year 2025. I look forward to this every single year because the years go by so fast. The years go by so fast, and that's how the year goes by.

The program, it's fast-paced. And then finding a way, being real, because this was a year, but finding the light in it as well. Okay, what were some of the moments that you were like, wait a second, that happened? Oh, boy, so, of course,

I remember the fires, remember that was right after the first of the year. Recently what we went through with people, going through the shutdown, but what we also saw, remember that father from Pittsburgh who started that pantry in his front yard? May God prosper and bless your food pantry. So again, in the darkness, you saw such light, people finding a way to bind together.

What about those headlines that made you say, what? Six, seven? What is it? What is it? Would you please tell me? Would someone please tell me what that is? Six, seven. That was one that really got me.

But also, I love the resurgence, like, of Dancing with the Stars. Robert and Whitney! But that also showed you that people just, they want to be at home and feel good and be uplifted. But I love what you just said, because we all want some good news. And there was, there was so much of it. What made you personally smile this year? That Taylor got engaged. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. Are you a Swifty? I am a Swifty. I'm a Swifty. I'm a showgirl. Let's end. with wishes for 2026. We're talking about how we love even years, and I wanted to be an even year.

Joval Girojulo, eyewitness news. Oh my goodness, so many defining moments of 2025. Can you believe it, Cruz? So much happened. When you look back at all of that, you're like, oh, I remember where I was when that happened, would that happen? This year was a whirlwind.

It was. But honestly, a good year. It was. So many lessons learned. So many lessons learned. But I say even years as well. where I win the most. Yes.

So I'm ready for 2020. 2026 is going to be great. It's going to be great. I can feel it. It's also going to be a little chilly leading into the new year. Okay. But also warm tomorrow. So we've got a bit of a roller coaster in the forecast and that's been the case over the past several days.

So we've had some warm up. Think about Christmas Day when we were around 70 degrees and then it got cold and then it got warm and it's going back cold. That's pretty much going to be the pattern that we continue in. So tomorrow is warm and windy to start out with those windy conditions. conditions we have a red flag warning and effect from noon until 6 p.m. By the time we get into New Year's Eve, it's quiet and colder. Tipters will be in the 50s then overnight lows in the 30s and then as we go into the middle of the week, highs should be in the 50s, which is where we should be for this time of the year. Now let's talk about the system that's going to bring in those

windy conditions tomorrow because it could bring us a little shower chance as well as we go into midday. And this is the front that's going to do it. So this skinny line of showers and even some storms. That stretches across much of the Ohio and Tennessee valleys right now. Then you can see in the Midwest, especially the Great Lakes region, there's also some snow ongoing in Wisconsin and Minnesota and Iowa. So that is definitely not coming in our way, but the rain and the wind is coming in our way as we go into tomorrow. So a live look outside. This is actually out in Carrie. So the Chinese Lantern Festival temperatures are in the 40s in Raleigh right now. So Wake County warming up. It's actually warmer than it wasn't.

a few hours ago. Those temperatures will keep rising as we go throughout the duration of tonight. First alert predictor. This shows the cloud sticking around. So when you wake up tomorrow, there could be some peaks of sun in the mix. We'll probably get a nice sunrise out of it anywhere where there are some of those sunny peaks. But temperatures are going to wake up already around 50, upper 50s or around 60 degrees and they keep going up with that breezy southwest wind. So around midday, I'd say 10 to about noon. That's the best chance for us to see a few light showers across the region. Most of you are going to stay dry. There's just that small rain chance. Tipters will reach the mid-60s by then, and then the front is past us. So the

tipters are going to start to drop into the 50s as we go into the late afternoon, 30s for the evening, and by the time we get into Tuesday morning, tipters could actually be in the 20s around 6 or 7 a.m. So recapping here, tomorrow is going to be windy from start to finish. Temperatures are going to be warm in the morning and early afternoon, and then they start to drop quickly as we go into the second half of the day. Now notice some areas northwest of the triangle like Roxborough, you might only see highs in the 50s tomorrow, while areas down in the sandhills could be around 70 degrees in areas like Fayetteville and Lumberton. Those gusty winds early in the day are gusting around 30 miles per hour in the afternoon. We could see gusts up to 35 miles per hour.

So before you go to sleep tonight, just make sure you've secured any loose objects. And then once that front is out of here, that opens the door for the Arctic air. That Arctic air, is going to mean business when it comes in. We could have feels like temperatures all the way in the teens and 20s as we go into Tuesday morning. So bundle up as we go into the middle of the week. And then for New Year's Eve plans, you're going to need those jackets as well. Your first alert, ACUweather 7-day forecast shows the 50s as we go into the middle of the week. Once again, chilly as we go into New Year's Eve. So that's Wednesday night. And then by the time we get into Thursday, those temperatures will be back in the 50s. We're tracking a rain chance as we go into next

weekend. So Saturday, a risk of some mid to late day showers and then temperature just drop briefly back into the 40s by Sunday. All right, Cruz. Thank you. You got it. All right. Well, coming up next, Celebration Station, the first black-owned bookstore in the state is reopening its doors in Raleigh tomorrow will tell you when and where. The annual Cars and Coffee event was held in Raleigh today on Capitol Boulevard. The theme for this month is everything right-hand drive featuring foreign rides from Japan, Britain, and several other countries with rare cars. So it's pretty cool. The event also featured local food vendors, giving people a chance to shop local. Organizers also accepted donations to the Food

Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. It brings people together in general, and I think it's important that the car community be involved in what the needs of the community are. So if we come together to help the food bank or to help a hospital or a clinic or something like that, we just come together around some kind of event and then kind of help the community with either donations or bringing awareness to a particular need. The event is held every fourth Sunday of the month. North Carolina's first black-owned children's bookstore is making a comeback. The Raleigh store closed last year after the owner reported receiving racist threats and no longer feeling safe. Liberation Station is now set to reopen tomorrow on Hill Street. That's in East

Raleigh off Oakwood Avenue. There'll be a reopening celebration starting at 10 a.m. Well, what a year in sports from records shattered to history made across nearly every league. But as far as fans were celebrating scandals, they were quietly unfolding behind the scenes. And so shaking pro and college sports alike. So a very big year. ABC's Christian Cordero takes us through the biggest triumphs. the controversies that defined the year in sports. Only in New Orleans, y'all. Super Bowl 59, the Philadelphia Eagles push pushed past the Kansas City Chiefs,

led by Super Bowl MVP, Jalen Hertz. Ohio State scoring 31 unanswered points, defeating Notre Dame in the college football playoff national championship. Rory McElroy winning the Masters in a one whole playoff. earning a green jacket and completing his journey for the elusive career Grand Slam. It's been 14 long years, but thankfully, I got the job done. On the ice, Alexander Ovechkin surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the most goals in NHL history and becoming the first player to ever reach 900 career goals.

And history on the basketball court as the Oklahoma City Thunder dominating the regular season and finishing the Indiana Pacers in seven games, winning their first NBA championship. As champions were celebrating, controversy was brewing. Suspended Portland Trailblazers coach, Chauncee Billups pleading not guilty to federal charges for his alleged role in a gambling scheme tied to the mafia.

The NBA Hall of Famer is accused of luring unsuspecting players to rigged poker games. He's the most prominent name among more than 30 people charged in a case that has rocked the NBA. Day Day Hunter is banned for life from the NCAA, embroiled in a gambling scandal. An NCAA investigation found Hunter and two of his University of New Orleans teammates engaged in point shaving. I did point shaving.

I mean, I did go out there and not do my best. Basically shooting a ball and not actually trying to make it, but making it. Like, make a couple and miss a couple. Emmanuel Class A walking out of court released on a $600,000 bond after pleading not guilty to charges he conspired with sports betters to throw pitches into the dirt on purpose. Authorities accused Closay and his Cleveland Guardians teammate Luis Ortiz of accepting bribes and kickbacks to help gamblers win big bets on rigged pitches like this one. Throw it over the plane. The first one bounces in the grass.

Ortiz also pleaded not guilty and was released on a half million dollar bond. In a thrilling game seven finish, the Los Angeles Dodgers outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays in extra innings, winning back-to-back World Series tight. In the WNBA finals, the Las Vegas Aces completing a sweep of the Phoenix Mercury, their third title in four seasons. Yukon women's basketball back in the winner's circle, taking down South Carolina to earn their 12th national championship. In a Stanley Cup finals rematch, the Florida Panthers defeating the Edmonton Oilers again and repeating as champions.

2025 included new beginnings, unrivaled success, fierce competition. Fierce competition, unprecedented longevity, finding strength in times of tragedy, and celebrating life's most joyous occasions. Cristiano Cordero, ABC News, Washington. You know, just looking at that, I'm like, oh yeah, Taylor did get engaged. That was, I guess, to consider a sports moment with Travis, Kelsey. And so, but tell me a sports moment here locally. Yeah, big one.

The final four in March was really fun with Duke. Making it that far, of course, they did not win it. But we could be creating another sports moment here if the Panthers get themselves together. Of course, that might be next year of 2026. But after spoiling another chance at the NFC South, we're going over what went wrong for the Carolina Panthers today. We'll also talk about what happens going forward

when we come back with sports. We're going to be able to do. And so much. And so. I'm going to be able to be. We're going to be able to be. We're going to be. I don't know.

I'm going to be. We're going to be able to be. We're going to be. I'm going to be. We're going to be able to be. We're going to be able to be. I'm going to be. I'm going to be able to be.

I'm going to be. I'm going to be. You know, Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Well, still to come, a high-stakes meeting at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump and Ukrainian and President Zelensky meeting face to face today to discuss ending the nearly four-year-long war with Russia.