ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 4pm - December 22, 2025

Episode Date: December 22, 2025

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Right now on eyewitness news at 4 o'clock, a flu alert in the triangle, the new visitor restrictions going to effect today at some local hospitals. And grieving in a Goldsboro community, a 13-year-old girl shot and killed. The three alleged suspects are just 15 and 16 years old. Akela Davis spoke with the victim's mother and sister who were both there when the team was shot. And the holiday travel rush is on, but will the weather get in your way? And preparing for the holidays, we're live at the Durham Rescue Mission as they count down to their annual Christmas giveaway. Christmas giveaway. It's the news at 4.

Right now, live coverage from your local news leader, keeping you connected to your community and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11, I Witness News. And good Monday afternoon. Thanks for starting your Christmas week off with us here at 4. I'm Amber Repenta.

And I'm Lauren Johnson. Barbara Gibbs is enjoying the day off. Today is a first full day of winter and it's also the chilliest day that we're going to have this week. Meteorologist Cruz Medina joins us now in Cruz. Despite the cold today, shorts may not be out of the question by the end of the week. Yeah, I think I'm already going to scout mine out for the next few days because we're going all the way into the middle and upper 60s as we go into the Christmas holiday.

So tomorrow is the start of the warm up. Tipters won't be all that warm to support shorts tomorrow, but low 60s there. That's an improvement from today. And then middle to upper 60s as we go into Wednesday and Thursday. So it's going to be a warm Christmas. around here today not so much this is the the blue skies over downtown Raleigh from our Pendo sky cam tipters are at least in the low 50s but this is kind of a seasonable day and it gets even cooler as you work away to the north Roxborough

right at 50 degrees so all across central North Carolina it will be a chilly evening if you're stepping out to walk the dog tipters will be in the 40s for most of the evening falling into the 30s tonight but we should manage to stay just above freezing once the sun sets but for the sunset today now that we're officially in the winter season. We're gonna see that around 506 is still an early sunset, but some encouraging news here. We will start gaining seconds of daylight

as we go throughout the rest of this month. And then in January, we'll start transitioning to gaining minutes of daylight back. So that sunset is gonna get later in the day as we go into the end of January and of course through the month of February as well. So today, suns setting around 506. Tonight, tipters go down into the mid 30s,

staying above freezing as some clouds move in. Tomorrow morning, we could start today with a sprinkle, That range chance very low, only about 20%. And it clears out by 10 a.m. We should reach the 50s by noon and then once again low 60s for the afternoon. We'll take a deeper dive into your seven-day forecast coming up in a few minutes. Lauren. All right, Cruz, we'll see you then.

Thank you. Now to a heartbreaking tragedy in Goldsboro just days before Christmas. Police say a 13-year-old girl was shot and killed. Three other young people are now in custody for her murder. Akela Davis is joining us life from Goldsboro. A heartbreaking story, Akila. I know that you spoke with the victim's mother and sister. today. The family of the 13-year-old victim is still grappling with this unimaginable loss.

The victim's sister tells me they were together when the shooting happened and she actually held her as she took her final breath. She didn't deserve this at all. Like, people are very cool because now I have to live on without my sister. Heartbreaking words from 14-year-old Jasheetoon. She's the older sister of the victim, Jaliyatoon. Goalsboro's. police say the 13-year-old was killed just after 4.30 Sunday afternoon in the 200 block of Alpha Court. Investigators arresting three teenage boys in connection to her death. Julia's sister told me they walk with some friends to get something to eat. On the way home, she says a group of boys that they didn't know jumped out the bushes and started shooting.

When she turned around, she saw that her sister had been shot. She looked so scared. I was scared myself because I hate to have to see her like that. And it was like, all my hands. I didn't want to wipe it off because I still felt her present. My I still felt that she was with me. And Goldsboro Police say this remains an active investigation ahead at 5 o'clock.

We hear from the victim's mother. Reporting live in Goldsboro, Akila Davis, ABC 11, eyewitness news. It's just simply heartbreaking Akela and the tears say it all. We will see you at 5 with more from Goldsboro. In the meantime, we're getting new information. about a deadly shooting in Durham this morning.

It happened around 5 a.m. on Ardley Drive. The Durham County Sheriff's Office has now identified the victim as 54-year-old John Tyler. Investigators say Tyler was shot inside the home by another person who also lived there. 50-year-old Joseph Stevens has been charged with first-degree murder, and the investigation is still underway. And we are seeing an uptick in flu cases, both here in North Carolina and across the nation, as doctors continue to urge people to protect themselves. Michael Perchuk joins us outside WakeMed Hospital.

where new visitor restrictions just started today. Michael, what are you hearing? Lauren, Amber, we typically see a rise in flu cases during this time of year, but the sheer number of cases is a typical causing concern, because holiday travel is now getting underway. The CDC estimates nationally there have been at least 4.6 million flu cases thus far, leading to 49,000 hospitalizations and 1900 deaths. We've seen a dramatic rise in the last two weeks, three weeks. of the current season. We're about halfway to the peak. Last week, NCDHHS reported there were 480 hospitalizations from the flu, representing the ninth straight week of increases. Further, flu-like

illness accounted for 5% of all emergency department admissions. Much of that has been fueled by a new variant called subclate K that the current vaccine is not as effective against. However, doctors continue to urge people to roll up their sleeves. It's better of preventing death than it is preventing hospitalization, better preventing hospitalization than illness, so it can ameliorate things. For those who are heading out of town over the next couple weeks, Dr. David Weber with UNC Health urging them to wear masks and to air on the side of caution. If you're not feeling 100% stay home. Coming up at 5, we speak with a father whose adult son died of the flu, the message he's sharing tonight. In Raleigh, I'm Michael Perchick. ABC 11 eyewitness news.

A take. Michael, thank you. Happening today, another busy day expected for the holiday travel rush. This is a live look at the traffic this afternoon along I-40. AAA predicting 3.7 million North Carolinians will travel through January 1st. That's nearly 3% more than last year. If you are driving, traffic is expected to be busiest until 7 o'clock. So you might want to just wait and head out first thing tomorrow morning. If you are driving gas prices are cheaper compared to last year, the average cost in North Carolina is $2.65. cents that's down 18 cents from last year. And a reminder, the annual booze it and lose it campaign is underway. Authorities in all 100 counties, increasing patrols and sobriety checkpoints, trying to catch impaired drivers. The campaign runs through January 4th. Now to some other local headlines in your speed feed this Monday first in Durham. A former Southern high school student is accusing Mayor Leo Williams of inappropriate conduct while Williams was a teacher at the school. 30-year-old Marquise Covington posted the allegations on Facebook last week. He said Williams showed him an inappropriate video when he was a junior at the school.

Our partners at the News and Observer got a statement from Williams' attorney who called the allegation demonstrably untrue. Right now, you are taking in some of the cleanest air in North Carolina in decades. That's according to a new report from the state's Department of Environmental Quality, analyzing the most recent data from the EPA. The report says carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide emissions reached all-time lows in 2022. DEQ says it expects to see further reductions in the future as more North Carolinians by electric vehicles. And happening now, the Durham School Board holding a special meeting. District leaders gathering remotely to discuss personnel and school security.

The meeting getting underway just a short time ago at 4 o'clock. The public can view open sessions of the meeting using a live feed on the DPS YouTube page. There will be no public comment. And that is your speed feed, Lauren. Back to you. All right, Amber, happening now, the Durham Rescue Mission preparing for the annual Christmas community dinner and toy giveaway. Volunteers starting to pack toys and groceries and start cooking the food for tomorrow's meal. Volunteers will be back at 5 a.m. tomorrow to begin slicing turkey, cooking vegetables, and setting up doors at the rescue mission on East Main Street will open at 11 a.m. That meal starts at noon.

The Trump administration taking aggressive action against another oil tanker link to Venezuela. That story ahead. And just a year after legendary coach Bill Belichick landed a job at UNC, another high-profile coach may be added to the staff. That story in just two minutes. And a court hearing for the suspect charged in the terror attack on Bondi Beach in Australia, knew at 430 why the deadly attack also included some explosives. And Cruz is keeping an eye out the window. Yes, let's take a look at traffic as we head to your break here. This is I-40 at Airport Boulevard, and this road is usually a lot busier than what you see here. So hopefully you have a smooth commute on your way home. As we head to break, though, let's check out some other spots. Your traffic hotspots are brought to you

by the first alert weather team. Your first alert that we could have some low visibility. Warmer air working in. More clouds around tomorrow. The next chance of rain that we're watching. Always tracking, always alerting. Wind gust will be up around 30 miles an hour. Your first alert forecast team. ABC 11 eyewitness news. For the third time this month, the United States is chasing another ship linked to Venezuela. It's the escalation, the latest in escalation between bold U.S. military maneuvers and what's happening there. ABC's Christian Cordero has the details from Washington. The Trump administration facing mounting pressure over the partial release of the Department of Justice files on convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introducing legislation today in hopes of holding the Department of Justice accountable for not releasing. all of the Epstein files by last Friday's deadline. That deadline mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Trump. And now the lawmakers who wrote that law say they're pursuing inherent contempt charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi for not complying with the law to release all the files. Republican Thomas Massey speaking on CBS's Face the Nation this weekend. The quickest way, and I think most expeditious way, to get justice for these victims is to bring inherent contempt against Pam Bondi. And that doesn't require going through the courts. On Friday and into the weekend, the DOJ releasing a batch of Epstein files,

the photos released without context explaining what's depicted, and several pages were heavily redacted. They say that they are in full compliance by continuing these rollouts. They say that it was just merely impossible to be able to hand over all the files with the appropriate redactions. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, telling ABC News, more files will be published soon, insisting the DOJ is complying with the law and the releases about protecting victims, adding there is no effort to protect President Trump after one image of him was taken down and later restored. President Trump has certainly said from the beginning that he expects all files that can

be released to be released, and that's exactly what we're doing. Some photos released show former President Bill Clinton with Epstein, though no Epstein survivor has ever accused Clinton of wrongdoing. A Clinton spokesperson saying this is about shielding the White House from what comes next or from what they'll try and hide forever. Rena Roy, ABC News, New York. I believe we might have just ran the wrong story there. We will try to bring you the Venezuela package shortly.

Meantime, President Trump appointing a special envoy to Greenland, the president tapping Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry for the role, posting on social media that he chose Landry because the Republican governor understands how essential Greenland is to U.S. national security. It is unclear if Landry will have to step down if he accepts the special envoy job. Trump has previously expressed interest in buying Greenland, but the Danish government has said the island is not for sale. Jim Beam announcing plans to pause production at its main distillery in Kentucky, the bourbon maker saying it's due to supply concerns as they deal with retaliatory tariffs from the trade war sparked by President Trump's tariffs. Experts also say

The demand is dropping due to consumers spending less because of inflation. Now to another high profile coach that could be coming to UNC Chapel Hill. ESPN is reporting that UNC is working to hire Bobby Petrino as the program's next offensive coordinator. Kate Rogerson joins us now with more on what we know now. Hi Kate. There's no such thing as a slow Monday in sports. And just when you thought it would be maybe a little chill because the holidays, UNC said, yeah, we don't think so. So there's a lot of reports out there, a lot of different comments and things on social media.

but what we do know is that UNC is working on a deal to give Bobby Petrino to Chapel Hill. Nothing is finalized just yet. However, if Petrino does put pen to paper, he will bring more than four decades of coaching experience to the Tar Heels. From 2008 to 2011, Petrino served as the head coach of Arkansas. He was fired abruptly in 2012 for an off-the-field controversy. Since then, Petrino has held various head coaching roles in all of college football at stops, like Louisville, Western Kentucky, Missouri State, and most recently, once again, at Arkansas. Under his coaching, Petrino's offenses have generally produced high numbers that is exactly what the Tar Heels need.

This past season, UNC's offense really struggled when the team won four games and lost eight. They barely averaged over 19 points a game. That ranked 119th nationally in scoring at all of college football. Plus, in those 12 games, they scored only 25 touchdowns. Only seven college football programs had fewer touchdowns score than that. So Bill Belichick's first year in Chapel Hill didn't go according to plan. So maybe bringing someone like Bobby Petrino to replace Freddie Kitchens could give the offense a boost and get some more numbers. The next biggest thing for Carolina, in addition to their coaching searches, will be getting more talent.

The transfer portal opens on January 2nd. So new coach, you need new players. We're going to keep the thing going at Chapel Hill. It'll be a new year, so we'll see what happened. Chapel Hill gets a lot of headlines, and she didn't wear that outfit on purpose. Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't. She might have. Kate, thank you.

Starting now the NBA Hoops, former Duke Star Cooper Flag is listed as question. ahead of tonight's Mavericks game against the Pelicans, the 18-year-old apparently dealing with a back issue. Flag, of course, was the number one pick in the 2025 draft and has dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season, including a shoulder injury and a finger injury as well. And speaking of sports, it's a big Monday night football game here on ABC 11. Tonight, the Colts looking for their first win since November 9th as they host the Red Hot San Francisco 49ers kickoff at 815 right here on ABC 11. All right. This alert weather from ABC 11. I witness news. We have a new guest on the show, right? A new voice in the room. I forgot to let him speak first.

We're going to get used to that. Yeah, definitely. It's going to take some time. But hey, how do y'all feel about the warm up that we have on the way? I love it. Especially because it's the first day of winter. Yeah, exactly. The timing is a little bit off, but hey, we'll take it. It's possibly going to be short weather as we go into the Christmas holidays. So any of your outdoor plans, definitely keep those weather. that's on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Now as far as tomorrow, it will be the start of the warm up. We're going to start the day pretty cloudy like what you're seeing there. A few sprinkles possible in the morning. Then we're back to dry weather. And we're going to keep that going through the holiday and also through the end of the week.

When it's going to stay pretty warm, temperatures will stay in those middle to upper 60s, even as we go into Friday of this week. For now, though, it's cooler for your evening hours. This is a live look at North Hills. So you've at least got some blue sky out there, the sunset, not too far off. off. We're less than an hour away from that occurring. Tipters holding in the low 50s in Raleigh, Rocksboro dropping to 48 right now, and we are at 53 in Fayetteville. So all across the region, a bit of a chilly evening ahead, but not overly cold. You will definitely want a jacket if

you're stepping out for an evening walk. Tiptors will be in the 40s, and then overnight, we should stay above freezing, and that's because we have some clouds moving in. So you can see that here on First Alert Predictor. Here's our brief little chance of seeing a shower or a little sprinkle early tomorrow morning. So if you have to work tomorrow early in the morning, you could get, once again, just a sprinkle. This is going to be a very brief and weak opportunity to see that. And then for the afternoon, we actually go back to sunshine. And that's going to help us to warm up pretty nicely as we go throughout the day. So we'll keep those clear skies going. And that'll last into the middle of the week. Wednesday will also start off with plenty of

sunshine. So temperature is tomorrow. We should be in the 30s early on by about six or seven, mid thirties for most of us by eight o'clock you see we're already jumping into the 40s 50s for our northern counties for those afternoon highs and low 60s in areas like the triangle and in the sand hills so all across the board it's going to be a bit warmer tomorrow and we're going to keep that warm up going through the middle of the week so the setup here we actually have our winds that are going to be out of the south due to high pressure to our south and a warm front to our north this is going to help to boost those temperatures with that wind coming in from a warm or air masks. So 69 by the time that we get into Thursday and those temperatures stay warm once again through the end of the week. So like I said, any plans, whether those are indoors, outdoors, nothing really to slow you down on Christmas Eve or Christmas day. Just be ready for that warmth that's going to be much above average as we go forward in time. So you can see it all here in your first solar acqueweather seven day forecast. Thursday likely going to be the warmest day of the week. By the time we get into the back half of the week still staying in those middle to

upper 60s and then a huge cool down as we go into late Sunday could be a shower then but check out early next week we'll only be in the 40s for highs so a bit of a shock to the system but we'll take the the warmth for Christmas Lauren I know it doesn't feel like the holidays but you know I gotta take what you can get yeah very true Cruz thank you procrastinators listen up some local shopping malls will be open a little longer to help you complete or maybe for some people start their holiday shopping and B prices are rising really fast at the grocery store. Could we see some relief in the new year? And cue the awes. Look at that. We have what may be the sweetest video of the day. Local NICU babies dressed up just in time for

Christmas. Maybe it's just a phase you're going through. You'll get over it. I can't help you with that. The next appointment is in six months. You're not alone. Finding mental health support shouldn't leave you feeling more lost. At CAMH, we know how frustrating it can be trying to access care. We're working to build a future where the path to support is clear, and every step forward feels like progress.

Not another wrong turn. Visit camh.ca to help us forge a better path for mental health care. It's time now for some news you can use first a warning for those who love coffee do not expect those prices to go down anytime soon. Even with the recent pullback of President Trump's tariffs, analysts say much of the price increase now is due to supply shortages from last year. Beef prices just keep going up and it doesn't look like it's going to get any better anytime soon despite Trump's efforts to rein in the cost. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ground beef costs an average of $6.78 a pound in November. That's a

2.1% increase from September and a 15% jump from this time last year. The record beef price has also come as the U.S. has a historically small cattle herd. The Trump administration has sought to address the problem with measures to increase imports and support for domestic ranchers. If you've still got some holiday shopping to do, several local malls are extending their hours. The streets at South Point Mall is open until 9 o'clock tonight. Tomorrow, the mall opens at 10 in the morning. Christmas Eve, it will be open for last minute shoppers from 9 until 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. And in Raleigh, the Crabtree Valley Mall is open until 10 o'clock tonight and tomorrow night.

Christmas Eve, the mall will be open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. And in Fayetteville, Cross Creek Mall is open until 9 tonight and tomorrow night. Christmas Eve hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Good luck if you still have some shopping to do. That's news you can use. Amber back to you. All right, Lauren, thank you. And the nurses at UNC Health Rex's NICU today spreading some amazing holiday cheer. You have to see this must-see video.

Santa ever here. This is to kick off the Christmas week. Of course, they decked out the tiny little ones in those festive holiday outfits for their first Christmas. Everything from a gingerbread buddies to a Christmas tree. The nurse is showing off their creative talents. Bring so many smiles to families when your babies are in the NICU, it's a tough time. So love to see those moments. A little holiday cheer. Yeah, so cute. And a toy giveaway today in Durham just ahead here at 4 o'clock, the group behind the effort to make this Christmas bright for children in the triangle. And a somber remembrance as today marks four years since a Charlotte police officer was killed in the line of duty. Eyewitness news is helping you count down to the holidays and happening today a big toy giveaway in Durham.

It is part of the 27th annual Toys To Kids Outreach Initiative. Jemis Price shows us how volunteers are working to make sure children will have a Merry Christmas. I love it. I'm just so excited. Katisha Burns is in the holiday spirit. The mom of three stopped by Santa's Durham Workshop to pick up toys for her kids, two boys and her three-year-old little girl. She likes all things, colors, rainbows, you know, all the girls stuff. Katisha is not working right now and like many families across the triangle. Things are tight, so the help goes a long way. I need all the help I can get. I'm because I'm in school, I'm not working. That's the goal of Toys to Kids annual toy drive that started nearly 30 years ago by three Durham attorneys. Sarah Banks, James Butch Williams, and James Rogers. Rogers stopped by today to see the families who appreciate the community's generosity. We take the generosity of the community and these partners and turn it into joy for kids.

kids and create kind of one smile at a time during Christmas. The Toy Drive is a partnership with several community groups including the Hay Thai Reborn Justice Movement, which identified the families who need extra help this year. And all, about 150 children receive bags full of toys and clothes. Every year, there are going to be a lot of kids who may not get gifts of Christmas. And in addition to creating a smile for the kids, we think. I think it helps it impacts the whole family and the whole family is more seen when their gifts at Christmas time. And parents like Katitia feel seen.

I'm just blessed, honestly. In Durham, Jimmy's Price, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Doing great work there. New at 4 UNC is considering closing some university centers due to budget reductions. 14 centers and institutions are ultimately set to be decommissioned. Part of a plan to reduce spending by $7 million over several years. Of that group six have been reportedly informed that they will be impacted, including the Center for Slavic, Eastern European and Eurasian studies.

Director Graeme Robertson says leaders of those centers have requested a meeting with the Chancellor and Provost but have not yet heard back. And he says their work has a far-reaching impact. We bring the world to Carolina. We bring an extraordinary array of figures from culture, from politics, from politics, from the arts, from industry to Carolina to speak and to interact with our students. We also make it possible for students to go abroad. We provide the contacts that will allow them to really, you know, make the best use of their time there.

The potential impact of staffing isn't clear yet. In a statement, a university spokesperson wrote in part, a number of factors were taken into consideration while evaluating centers and institutes and some programs have been identified to be sunset in 2026. The list is not finalized at this time. And recognizing the scale of these changes, leadership is prioritizing thoughtful, transparent communication with further updates planned for January as we present the plan to the board of trustees. Today marks four years since Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department Officer Mia Goodwin was killed in the line of duty. Goodwin was responding to an accident on Interstate 85 on December 22nd, 2021 when a truck hit and killed her. The mother of three

was the first woman officer in CMPD's history to be killed in the line of duty. A bridge over I-85 in the Charlotte area was renamed in her honor last year. Now to a court appearance today for the Bondi Beach deadly mass shooting, the suspect is now charged with 59 offenses related to the December 14th terror attack. According to court documents, the father and son accused of carrying out the attack also threw unexploded bombs at the crowd, but none of those bombs detonated. The father was killed by police during the attack that left 15 people dead. His 24-year-old son, Navid Akram, appeared in court via video from a Sydney hospital yesterday, marked one week since the violent attack.

And for the third time this month, the U.S. is chasing another ship linked to Venezuela. It's the latest escalation in a series of bold U.S. military maneuvers. Let's go back to ABC's Christiane Cordero, who has the details from Washington. Today is the U.S. chases down a third vessel with ties to Venezuela in less than two weeks. Venezuela's authoritarian government with a warning to the American military calling the escalation at sea illegal and vowing to take all appropriate actions. If they start escorting these vessels with their own Navy, that could force a military confrontation with the United States. We obviously would be successful in overcoming that, but it could actually start something that. I don't think the U.S. is intending, which is a direct military-on-military confrontation with Venezuela.

A U.S. official tells ABC News the Coast Guard tried intercepting a ship that's part of Venezuela's illegal sanctions evasion, adding the ship is, quote, flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order. It follows Saturday's operation in the Caribbean where a Coast Guard tactical team seized an oil tanker. And then 10 days earlier, U.S. forces repelled from helicopters onto the deck of another. oil tanker. For roughly three months prior, the U.S. has targeted suspected drug smuggling boats off the coast of Latin America. Officials say it has killed at least 104 people in 28 boat strikes. The government has not publicly provided evidence those boats were carrying drugs headed to the U.S., leaving some lawmakers concerned. I'm not for confiscating these liners. I'm not for blowing up these boats of

unarmed people that are suspected of being drug dealers. I'm not for any of this. Others support the administration's efforts, including forcing a regime change in Venezuela. I am all in the camp for regime change, and I'd like to see the people of Venezuela be able to elect a new leader that would not only be good for them, but good for the region and good for the United States. Some observers say the latest operations to take over oil ships at sea is a direct target to Venezuela's economy, oil exports being essential to Maduro's regime. Christiane Cordero, ABC News, Washington. Christian, thank you. A Russian general has been killed in a car bombing in Moscow, with officials pointing the finger at Ukraine for the latest apparent assassination of a senior military officer. Lieutenant General Thinil Sarvarov ran the Armed Forces Operational Training Department.

He died after an explosive device installed under a car exploded earlier today. He was the third senior Russian military officer to be killed in a bombing this year. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack. Japan is restarting the world's biggest nuclear power plant 15 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The plant has sat dormant for more than a decade after a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011 triggered a nuclear meltdown. Japan has taken a cautious approach to nuclear energy since that disaster, but is looking to reduce its reliance on costly imported fossil fuels. Christmas is just days away, and the tree farmers who produce holiday trees are dealing with a new reality. They are competing with companies that make artificial trees.

An organization that promotes real Christmas trees says people are not buying real Christmas trees in the numbers that they did 50 or even 40 years ago. The Real Christmas Tree Board says artificial trees have taken a big bite out of the live tree business. Imported artificial trees have doubled over the past decade, but that number fell a little this year because of President Donald Trump's tariffs. The clock is ticking down until Christmas and if you're out of gift ideas and time. to shop for presents. We have some good news. An Associated Press poll finds that about six out of ten of us don't mind receiving cash or gift cards for holiday presents and younger people are more likely to be okay with the cash option than those over 45. The poll also finds 30% of adults plan to get a gift for their pets. Is POCO getting a gift? Yes and he needs us talking

ABC 11 and the Whitley law firm are paying tribute to our everyday heroes those who are currently serving or who have previously served in the armed forces. You can nominate your hero for their chance to be featured right here on eyewitness news. You can find a link to share your submission at the bottom of the home page at abcc.11.com. Legendary singer barry manelow today postponing his upcoming concert as he reveals his cancer battle. We'll have that story just ahead. And a trap is set to capture a bear living underneath a California home. Well let's just say things didn't go as planned. That's a big one. Singer Barry Manalo confirms he is battling lung cancer and we'll have to have surgery.

Manila says he happened to have an MRI after suffering from weeks of bronchitis and that is when the spot was discovered. Manilow was treated for throat cancer back in 2020. He was scheduled to be on tour in Greensboro in January. That date has been rescheduled for April. This year's Disney Park's magical Christmas parade is marching onto your TV screens with some big performances. On the red carpets, George Pinocchio has a preview. It's candy time. Here come Chip and Yow. So much candy.

The Disney Park's magical Christmas parade is always something special, and this year is no different. Aside from the parade, viewers will see some memorable performances, including Gwen Stefani, Lady A, and Coco Jones. It is going to be amazing. I get to do one of my favorite Christmas songs called White Christmas. And we're here at Disneyland. I grew up here in Anaheim, so to be here doing Christmas music and being part of people's holiday is beyond.

I think it's a blessing to be part of the holiday tradition here at Walt Disney World. I mean, I have some of my favorite kid memories here, of course. So I'm excited to be here for the holidays. We are just so excited to be here. It's the most magical place on Earth, and we just love Christmas. I think, you know, for us, it feels so special to be a part of this because we have so many kids. now. We have how many kids between us all? Nine. Nine. So, I mean, Disney is such a big part of our households and to be a part of this. I mean, I think our kids are going to get a big kick

out of it. B.B. Rexa and Nicole Scherzinger are both feeling that Disney magic. When I walked out in front of the Cinderella Castle, it was so emotional and it was, I was about to cry. I feel like a real-life prison says being here. And, um, Just to be a part of this Disney holiday tradition, it's a dream come true. And of course, you'll see your favorite Disney characters as part of the Disney Parks magical Christmas parade. It airs Christmas morning on ABC and streams on Hulu. George Pinocchio for On the Red Carpet.

A group of North Carolina teachers are Powerball winners. They did not win the billion dollar lottery, but they won thousands of dollars. And a Fayetteville mother being introduced to a real-life angel. Here down the person who gifted her son some important Christmas presents. A North Carolina mother's TikTok video asking for help finding the woman who donated gifts from her son's angel tree list is making a real world connection tonight. When the donation came with a handwritten letter explaining why that donor chose her son, she found the reason even more meaningful than she ever imagined. Penelope Lopez shows us how one act of kind has turned into a powerful moment of compassion and compassion connection. Tanya Strada, the mother who received the angel tree donation, was deeply moved

when she learned that the gifts were a tribute to the donor's late son. So I need your help. It all started with a simple question. Tanya Strada, seen here, turned to TikTok, asking strangers for help, finding the woman who donated gifts to her child. I have to find her. I knew I had to find her. A mother of four, Tanya signed her children up for angel trees, a program that provides. new clothes and toys to children in need during the holidays. Donors shop for the children, helping turn Christmas wishes into reality. Every gift is meaningful, but the donation for Tanya's three-year-old son, Adrian, stood out. Attached to the gift was a letter from Andrea Gardner.

I cannot imagine how you feel. And I'm just, I'm just thankful that you found my son's tag. A grieving mother, Andrea was honoring the memory of her three-year-old son, Tristan. The note filled with love and loss left Tanya overwhelmed with emotion. The fact that even in her grieving moment, you went out of your way to bless another child. You don't even know. I could not. I could not do it. It takes a very strong woman to do what you did.

What a simple gift that turned into a shared moment between both mothers coming up in the next hour, the mothers meet for the first time, what they said to each other, and how this unexpected bond continues to grow. Reporting in Fayetteville, Penelope Lopez, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Wow, Penelope, just wow. We'll see you in an hour with more there. Now to today's top trending stories and real news first, a trap was set to catch a 550-pound black bear living underneath the California man's home. You may remember this video of it crawling out of the home. Ken Johnson's been trying to coax that huge bear out of underneath his house for nearly a month. So he tried loud noises and fake dog barks, hoping to scare the bear away.

The area near the crawl space was sprayed with cherry and caramel scents. And then look at this. Finally, a bear was inside the large metal cage, so it worked. But guess what? It wasn't the right bear. It was a different bear that took the bait, not the one that's living underneath the home. So Johnson is now back to square one. He quite likes it under the house there.

Avatar, Fire and Ash, taking the top spot at the weekend box office. It brought in $88 million for its opening. The animated biblical adventure David debuted in second place, grossing $20 million. And the housemaid starring Sidney Sweeney and Amanda Seyford came in third with $19 million. And now to a group of elementary teachers in North Carolina who just struck it big, winning $100,000 bucks right before Christmas playing Powerball together. The teachers at Swansboro Elementary School calling themselves the lucky nine pirates after their school mascot. The nine teachers split the prize, so each claimed $11,110 after required federal and state tax withholdings each took home just under 8,000, 7,972, to be

exact. They bought the winning $3 power play ticket from a Walmart in Swansboro. One teacher saying she started hyperventilating when she learned that they had won some money. They deserve it. We love teachers. And that is real news. But Lauren, guess what? You know this. There's an even bigger jackpot up for grabs. Oh, yes. It could also be a very merry Christmas for someone else if they win tonight's power ball lottery. The jackpot currently sits at a staggering $1.6 billion with a B dollars. It's the fourth largest jackpot in the game's history and has only been growing since the last winter in September. We will have tonight's winning numbers after Monday night football. This is first alert weather from ABC 11. I witness news. Can you imagine? Yes, we can. We were daydreaming about it all day today. Like I said, if I ever won, there would be signs, but I wouldn't tell a soul. Okay, there would be signs.

Just see me in the Caribbean. There you go. So where else would you go? Somewhere warm, right? I agree with you for that. This week, it'd be here. We've got some worm tipters in our forecast locally, too. Not quite as worm is down there, but we'll take what we can get. Temperatures leading up to Christmas are going to be well into the 60s. And for reference, our average highs this time of the month are about 53 degrees for RDU. So significantly above average, enjoy that warmth, break out the shorts, the short sleeve shirts, and all of that as we go into the holiday. But let's actually take a look back at previous years and what we've seen. So if we average the last 10 years of Christmas highs together, that was just under 58 degrees for that average high.

To see a similar temperature and recent memory, we'll go back to. at 2023 when we hit 66 at RDU during that Christmas season. But for this evening, obviously it's been a bit cool today. Temperatures will stay in the 40s through this evening if you're heading out to the Chinese Lantern Festival and Kerry. Overnight, we stay above freezing, but we do drop into the 30s. And then for tomorrow, we'll start today with plenty of clouds, maybe a morning sprinkle. Afternoon sunshine returns and it'll be warmer with those highs reaching the lower 60s. So it's a pretty dry seven-day forecast. We do have a big cool down though Sunday and into Monday. Down's going to have more information on that coming up on eyewitness news

at 5 o'clock. Back to you. All right, Cruz, thank you. Speaking of five, here's a look at what's coming up at 5 o'clock. The I team troubleshooter hearing from multiple frustrated customers who say at Chapel Hill storage facility left them in the dark about why they couldn't access their units after a power outage. And an iconic African elephant that's lived in North Carolina since 1978 has died. We'll have a look back at some of the surprising first Tsar the elephant was known for. An injured Hope Mills Army veteran gets surprised with more than just a home makeover. You'll see the additional life-changing gift he received from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. And as we wind down the year, ABC News is looking back at the biggest breakout

stars, heroes, newsmakers that had everyone talking. Join Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts for the year and special the year 2025. It airs Monday, December 29th at 8 p.m. here on ABC 11 and streaming the next day on Disney Plus and Lulu. And then join us. on next Wednesday night as we ring in the new year. Tune in for Dick Clark's New Year's Rock and Eve with Ryan Seacrest. That fun starts at eight. New Year's Eve right here on ABC 11.

A man with a pink guitar and singing soothing songs to animals. Animals of all sizes, both large and small, being serenated by a French songwriter with his guitar and their reaction is priceless.