ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 11pm - June 1, 2026

Episode Date: June 2, 2026

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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 eyewitness news. And we begin with breaking news here at 11, a tragedy unfolding in a Harnock County neighborhood where a two-month-old baby girl has died. Thanks for joining us. I'm Steve Daniels. And I'm Lauren Johnson. I witness news is learning the SBI has now joined Dunn Police in this investigation. This home in the 300 block of West Broad Street is now a crime scene. The Dunn Police Chief telling us the investigation was launched after the death of a nine-week-old baby girl today at a hospital. Stay with us here on eyewitness news as we continue to learn more about the investigation, including the exact cause of that newborn's death.

New tonight, it is a done deal. Wake County homeowners now need to shell out more money for their property taxes. This evening, Wake County Commissioners approved the $2.3 billion budget. The spending plan fully funds Wake County schools and adds more first responders, but it also includes a two-cent property tax hike for every $100 of assessed value, which is a little more than 3%. Despite that tax increase, the county still had to take $35 million from its reserves to fund the budget to fill a budget shortfall. Tom George, live for us in downtown Raleigh now with new reaction to the budget. Tom, the commissioners are calling this a challenging budget. Yeah, and it's one that they admitted was a really difficult decision for them. It's all a combination of factors. On the one hand, you have. so many people moving to Wake County and the need for more infrastructure, combined with

inflation and the economy being what it is, and a difficult situation with the state budget. Wake County Commissioners unanimously passing a nearly $2.3 billion budget, but it comes at a cost, a two-cent increase to property taxes, meaning $90 more on a tax bill for a $450,000 home. The board says it was a tough choice. You know, we understand that many of our citizens, you know, it's tough times. right now. You know, as I always like to tell folks, I got a 97-year-old mom that lives here in the county. So these types of things affect mainly our senior citizen, those that live in our community that needs assistance. But they said they were left with no choice between tariffs, a war,

and inflation at the federal level and at the state level, lawmakers still not passing a budget of their own. It's those types of things that put us in a bind, and they keep lowering and lowering it and pushing it down to us. And, of course, our only revenue is about, 75% come through tax or property taxes, which makes it very difficult for us. Combine that with so many people moving to Wake County, creating more need for infrastructure. Growth do not pay for itself. So with that being said, we have to do other things in order to try to help balance our budget. But one of the biggest costs, an additional $25 million to help fully fund Wake County Public Schools. On top of extra funding, they say they had to chip in from the state not adequately funding K-12.

Some still wonder, though, if the property tax hikes were needed. need to lower the property taxes, I guess. Yeah. Yeah, they need to use their money in the right places. Others say they understand it's a tough situation, and regardless of the reasons, it was important not to leave schools behind. You would hope that their priority is making sure they have the resources that they need to give the children all the opportunity that they need to succeed. So wherever they have to get it from as soon as possible, I think it's important to make that the priority. Yeah, and a lot of other counties around the triangle, dealing with similar issues. One other issue that they say has been a problem for revenue

has been those property appraisals, those being challenged. A number of them, people tried to have it reassessed. That contributed to less revenue coming in. Another issue is this so-called a Blue Ridge loophole, basically where developers have been able to get around not paying property taxes on apartment complex. That is something that they want to see changed at the state level and something they're pushing for lawmakers to see done that can hopefully improve the revenue situation moving forward. Reporting live, Tom, Georgia, ABC 11, Awoodis News. Yeah, and Tom, for a lot of people in Wake County, this will be a double whammy because the city of Raleigh and the town of Kerry, both considering increases in their property taxes as well. So people in those communities need to be prepared for those hits as well.

We appreciate the report. Tonight, people who live in Durham had a chance to weigh in on the proposed budget. The Durham City Council held a public hearing on the city's 766. $6 million spending plan, which does not include a property tax increase. But residents say they want more money to be spent on certain things, many people speaking out in favor of the Durham immigrant community. My name is Joe Ferdick and I'm here representing Church World Service to advocate for Durham's immigrant community, a community over 45,000 people.

I'm here to remind this council of the promises several of you made last fall in front of over 500 Durham constituents to fund immigration legal services. That funding was completely left out of the city manager's proposed budget. The city of Durham needs to pass a budget before the fiscal year begins on July the 1st. Today, Raleigh City leaders held the first in a series of budget work session scheduled for this month. The city manager is proposing a $1.77 billion budget, which includes a $1.7% property tax increase for every $100 of assessed value. The budget also includes funding for more first responders. The city council is having a public hearing tomorrow night at 7 o'clock.

on that proposed budget. The budget must be adopted by June 30th. Cumberland County Commissioners held two public hearings today on its proposed budget. There was one this morning and another tonight at 7 p.m. The recommended $656.5 million budget includes raises for county workers, funding for Cumberland County schools, but does not include a property tax increase. New tonight, eyewitness news, learning the state auditor is investigating the town of Benson and its budgeting practices. The auditor's office has identified areas of concern as that investigation in that Johnston County community continues.

The investigation comes as the town deals with a massive financial crisis. Just last month, a former town manager estimated the deficit in the town of Benton at about $2.75 million. Dane Riteout said years of overspending and financial mismanagement contributed to that situation. Wrightout resigned on May 21st following a controversy surrounding comments on social media. The assistant town manager also resigned, citing what she described as a hostile work environment. Breakfast and lunch prices could be going up for kids in Wake County schools. The district is proposing a 25 cents increase for next school year. The child nutrition department is blaming higher food prices and supplies for higher labor cost as well.

Under that proposal, elementary school kids would pay $4 for lunch. Middle and high school prices would jump from $4 to $4.25. The school board will talk about the meal increase during tomorrow's work session. Right now at 11, each passing second gets us closer to puck drop in game one of the Stanley Cup final. It all goes down tomorrow at Lenovo at 8 p.m. And new tonight, the state of North Carolina is fully behind the hurricane. Yeah, take a look at the Capitol building in downtown Raleigh. It's lit up in red tonight as the Canes get ready to take on the Las Vegas Golden Knights tomorrow evening. The excitement is really building ahead of tomorrow night. The NHL announced today there's a free concert before the game. The Grammy Award winning duo Brothers Osborne headlining that concert outside the Lenovo Center at 530.

The concert is open to the public and you don't need a ticket to attend. A lot of A lot of fans we talked to today say they can't wait for the puck to drop. We're going to get a sparkly hurricanes jersey and I mean, we don't have plans to go to the game if we find tickets and my brother can land them. We're 100% there. We've seen them struggle. We've gotten close, so close. Like some of these upsets feel like breakups, but this is it. This is the bride.

And still ahead here on IWitness News tonight. The Better Business Bureau has tips to make sure you're not getting scammed if you are looking for tickets. And if you've been to a Keynes game, you have likely seen. seeing Sue Bonesack. If not her, you've definitely spotted one of her festive homemade signs, a necessity to cheer on her canes. Jamise Price went to see Sue tonight ahead of game one of the Stanley Cup final. And James Sue let you in on her action and you learned the fandom runs much deeper than the signs we all see. Absolutely, Lauren, as you can see, the entire city ready to cheer on the canes. And so is Ms. Sue. She has been a long time fan, even when she

lived in Charlotte making those trips up the road to cheer on the. the cane. She's a lot closer now in Clayton and she's turned up that excitement. She's turned up that energy ready to cheer on the home team. So it started with one sign and that one sign turned into hundreds. You may know her as the sign lady. It's just fun for me. Sue Bonesack is at every Kane's home game with her husband and her white poster board. Each game, a different sign, but the message is the same. Let's go Keynes. They get me on camera during the warm-ups now,

and I always look for a little kid to come stand next to me because then they get on the Jumbotron too, and it's just exciting. Sue inviting us into her home for a peek at her process. I have to see who we're playing, and then I come up with the ideas. Now, sometimes it's just for our team, and sometimes it's against the other team.

From her brain to the boards with the help of her husband and a cricket machine, her creations come to life. Her next few signs will be the most important of the season. Since we're playing Las Vegas, I decided to go with a slot machine. Instead of lemons, apples, and everything, it's just cane symbols that you'll see, and it'll say canes win. Then I have a different one ready in my mind for Thursday. The signs started five years ago, but the fandom started well before then.

That's when we got to touch the cuff. Take a look around, autograph, hockey sticks, pucks, pictures, bobbleheads, and even a Stanley Cup lamp. I've got gloves over here. There's Martinook and stalls, and then a team signed, and then team signed helmet. From the Canes Cave to the closet, she's rocking everything from sweatshirts to jerseys. I never used to get jerseys with names and numbers because we always lost the players. but now I love it.

And Sue is ready to add another chapter to her Kane's love story, and it begins with game one. In her story, the Keynes will hit the jackpot. We're going to win. This is our year for the cup. And if the past is any predictor of the future, this author knows how to write a winning story. Now, Ms. Sue is a retired teacher, if you couldn't tell.

She's also a three-time cancer survivor, and she's enjoying her retirement, rooting for the Cains. And you can certainly expect to see her tomorrow on the JumboTron with her new sign. Lauren, Steve. All right. We'll look for Miss Sue tomorrow night. Jemise, thank you. And new tonight, the mayor of Raleigh, getting into game mode as well. And North Carolina barbecue is on the line.

Today, Janet Cowell, wearing her cane's jersey, posted this video on social media, announcing she's made a friendly wager with the mayor of Vegas. I have made a bet with the mayor of Vegas, Mayor Berkeley, and if the Cains win, she will be sending me a sequined Cain's jersey because Vegas is good at Bling. And if the Vegas Knights win, she will be getting barbecue. Go Cains, we'll be cheering you on here in Raleigh. Mayor of Vegas is not getting any barbecue. That Sequin Cane's Jersey's coming right over here to Rale. Right. Send it overnight. That's right.

And the city of Raleigh is holding a couple of watch parties for games one and two tomorrow and Thursday. Both parties happening in Moore Square in downtown Raleigh beginning at 7 o'clock. And we'll have continuing team coverage throughout the Stanley Cup final, including pregame specials each night before the puck drops. Chasing the cup airs tomorrow night at 7.30 right here on ABC 11 and wherever you stream. Still to come at 11 o'clock, a sentencing hearing in Raleigh cut short due to a medical emergency. Coming up, we'll show you what happened in court in Raleigh as a family of a restaurant manager waited for justice to be served for their loved one. And we'll tell you why this Clayton High School student's graduation speech was cut short.

And Don is keeping an eye on the radar and the temps outside tonight. Yeah, the shower is shutting off pretty much across the regents tonight. Still warm out there, but we do have some lower humidity headed in. We'll talk about that and a big warm-up to first alert you about in the seven-day forecast. At the Wake County Justice Center, the sentencing hearing for the man found guilty in the death of a Raleigh restaurant manager is expected to resume tomorrow after ending early today because of a medical emergency. Tyrell Moore pleaded guilty in March, a voluntary manslaughter in the 2023 death of David Millett, who was the general manager of the Midwood Smokehouse. Prosecutors say Moore punched

Millett during a fight in Glenwood South. The punch caused Millett to fall and hit his head on the sidewalk. He died six days later in the hospital. During today's sentencing hearing, Millett's family addressed the court, but before the judge could hand down the sentence, Moore appeared to have some kind of medical issue. The sentencing is scheduled to resume tomorrow. morning at 9.30. New tonight. A gunman is dead in Iowa after police say he shot and killed six people before taking his own life. That tragedy unfolding at several locations in the central part of the state about 35 miles southeast of Iowa City. Police say they first received reports of a shooting at one location. That's where officers found four people dead. Another man was later

found dead inside a second home and a sixth victim was found inside a business. Investigators said the gunman identified as 52-year-old Ryan McFarland shot himself after officers confronted him. Police are continuing their investigation. Early reports indicate the victims may be members of McFarlane's family. All right, let's turn now to the latest in the war with Iran, and the conflict in Lebanon is now complicating the peace talks between the Trump administration and Iran. Iran's semi-official news agency reporting that Tehran is suspending negotiations with the U.S. because of Israel's ongoing military strikes in Lebanon targeting Iranian-backed Hezbollah. President Trump disputing that claim today on social media that the talks are continuing at a rapid pace

The president also saying today Israel and Hezbollah agreed to pause fighting after he spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives from Hezbollah. Tonight's school officials in Johnston County are responding to an incident at Clayton High School at their graduation ceremony. A school administrator stepped in stopping a student speaker who officials say went off script when she was talking about Palestine and ICE. In a video from the online stream of Thursday's graduation, Speaker Lean Hijaz appears to end her pre-approved remarks. And then she says she has one more thing to say. Whether it's the million suffering in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan, and so many other countries around the world. You see the moment right there when the microphone was taken away from her. Johnston County Public Schools issued a statement this afternoon saying in part this action was not about limiting a student's voice,

but about ensuring that a school-sponsored event remained consistent with its intended purpose. JCPS respects students' rights to express their views and encourages thoughtful dialogue in appropriate settings. At the same time, we have a responsibility to ensure that official school events remain inclusive, respectful, and focused on celebrating all graduates. ABC 11 reached out to the student involved, but we have not yet heard back. And in Fayetteville, graduation season continued today for high school students in Cumberland County. Zanaya Leneath Felton, Shantay Nicole Flood. Five high schools held graduation ceremonies today. This is video of the E.E. Smith graduation.

The ceremonies continue tomorrow morning. First up, Westover High School at 8 o'clock. All Cumberland County High School graduations are happening at the Crown Coliseum. All right, Don Schwinnaker. Let's talk about the weather this week. We've got some tailgating. Got some visitors in town from Vegas. Not going to have their heat and humidity that they have out there, though, right?

A lot on the line. Right? Yeah, they're actually going to enjoy it. We've got some Chamber of Commerce weather tomorrow with highs in the 70s. Let's check your one big thing tonight. And as far as the weather goes, you walk away from tonight's forecast, knowing lower humidity is in tomorrow into the midweek. It is going to feel very nice around here.

Look at your seven-day forecast, though. Tomorrow the last day in the 70s, we'll see the 80s in Wednesday, Thursday, 88, Friday 93. We're in the 90s all the way into next week. Not much of a rain chance. Now we are seeing a few sprinkles out here in Alamance County tonight to just falling apart. They'll continue to drop south through the overnight hours. Other than that, we are pretty much done with the rain. Live look into Durham. Tonight, Mutual Tower, sky cam looking over the city of medicine.

It is 70 under a cloudy sky and a northeast wind at nine miles per hour. Manny Oda Murphy tonight. We've got numbers in the 60s down to the coast. 70 down at ECU, 66 in Chase City, 70 in the triad, 68 in Charlotte and 10 degrees cooler up in boom. Tonight we'll drop into the 60s and 50s for lows. Normal is 62 for the first night in June and that's where we'll be very close to that for overnight lows under partly cloudy skies. We did have some showers in the southern counties pushed through earlier. That is dropping south. This last little piece of energy will work through.

Once it does, we've got clear skies back up here to the north and west tonight. And that will work in and bring us some fine weather over the next 48 hours. Your first alert predictor forecast model. As we go through the overnight into tomorrow, 7 o'clock will start off with clouds. But later in the day, by 3, 4, 5 o'clock folks heading out to tailgate. We'll see temperatures in the 70s, lower humidity working in. We clear out tomorrow night. And Wednesday really is the pick day of the week. Forecast looks like this for tomorrow. Temperatures across the region in the 70s, 77 Durham, 78, Raleigh, 79 in Fayetteville.

Back to that seven-day forecast. And you'll notice Wednesday in the 80s, a little warmer, but the humidity will be so low. It's just going to be a great day. Thursday, you're heading out to game two of the Stanley Cup finals. And it'll be a little warmer for tailgetting. will be about 10 degrees warmer than tomorrow. So be ready for some hotter weather on Thursday. Friday, summer, heat 93, Saturday 94. And feeling like Vegas temps almost as we head into the weekend. Yeah, the muggy meter gets, well, yeah, warming up then.

And the muggy meter gets turned off from the next couple days. It's going to be great. All right. Don, thank you. You bet. Still ahead, the vibes are high as Caniaks are ready to support the hometown hockey team. But the scammers are skating around online, hoping to score off your mission. We'll tell you what to watch out for after the break.

I've been digging deep in your wallet, hoping to afford to buy into the excitement as the canes try to bring a Stanley Cup back to the city. Some fans are already falling victim to scammers trying to steal their money. Yeah, and if you're still looking for tickets, watch out so you don't get scammed. Tickets went on sales Saturday on Ticketmaster and not long after they were being resold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars more. We found tickets for as much as $17,000 per seat for game one on a third party website. Business Bureau is getting complaints about ticket sales and they're looking into them. The biggest red flags. If you see someone sending you a screenshot of tickets, the BBB says you should not accept those

screenshot tickets. The actual tickets need to be transferred to your... Join TST 2027 and have their chance at another $1 million. On the line tonight and those guys are celebrating. I know. And the teams are lining up to come to carry. That's right. I love it.

I love it too. Kate, thank you. And thank you at home for watching. That's going to do it for us here tonight. Remember, we are the place to be. for game one of the Stanley Cup final with the Keynes tomorrow night. Puck drops eight o'clock here on ABC 11 tomorrow. We'll help you stick around Friday to see you. We'll see you back. Good night. ABC 11 eyewitness News is sponsored by Capitol Chevrolet. Together let's drive. Shop Capitol Chevrolet.com.