ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at 4pm - January 19, 2026

Episode Date: January 19, 2026

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Right now at four, we are looking ahead to the potential for some winter weather in the upcoming weekend. Our first alert weather team is taking a look at the latest models. Right now at four, a man hit and killed on I-40 over the weekend. Today, loved ones gather to remember the victim, what we're learning about the man killed, and the latest on the investigation. And safety and security, top of mind for residents in the Glenwood South District. After a shooting left one person injured, neighbors reacting to the safety measures. And the community honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

or look at all the events happening across the triangle and the message of hope from local leaders. I witness is at 4. Starts right now. 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. Right now at 4, the extreme temperatures overnight, and early morning, look at this. Very dangerous travel. in our area. This is also some video from Durham County, that SUV hitting a slick spot, the truck as well, skidding across the road. This was the ramp from I-85 to I-85. It was a slick morning. We could see more dangerous cold than ice in the upcoming weekend. Thanks for joining us here for the news at four. I'm Amber Repenta.

And I'm Barbara Gibbs. Central Carolina, once again, bracing for winter weather with the potential for a wintry mix this weekend. Meteorologist Cruz Medina joins us now with the latest on this. I know this is days ahead, Cruz. Absolutely. So we're We're just putting it on your radar at this time and just highlighting the potential for that winter weather right now. And also you know that you're going to see it on social media too. So we'd rather you hear it from us. So we're seeing a strong signal to support winter weather as we go into the upcoming weekend. What that means is we're going to have cold air already in place.

And then there's a system that we're watching that could develop down in the Gulf. And as that rides along the southern states, that's where we could see some of this precipitation generated. So the exact type of precipitation we're going to see here, that's still yet to be determined. So this could be ice or it could be snow. It could be a little bit of both. We don't have exact timing or impacts yet. But now is a great time to start reviewing your winter safety kit as we could potentially see this, you know, unfold across our region this week. So two different models showing two different solutions. Once again, rain, snow, ice, too early to tell. We're going to keep you updated in the days to come.

But for now, all is quiet across central North Carolina. We have a crystal clear blue. sky outside. Tipters are in the mid 40s across the state and we're going to see those tipters cool very quickly throughout this evening. So if you're taking your dog on a walk, tipter should be dropping into the 30s by about 7 or 8 p.m. And we stay in those 30s for most of this evening, but overnight we'll actually drop all the way down into the 20s. So, Raleigh, you're going all the way down to 22 tonight. It's going to be another cold morning, just like what we had this morning. We just likely won't see that black ice potential since we got above freezing this afternoon. So in the morning, obviously you'll want to be bundled up.

Parents think about that when you send your kids off to the bus stop. Tipters will be in the 20s, so you'll want to dress them in layers. And then for the afternoon, we should see tipters only reaching the upper 30s for those northern counties, low 40s for areas like the triangle and down into the sand hills. Now, we'll take a little bit of a deeper dive into your seven-day forecast coming up in just a few minutes. Barbara. All right, thank you, Cruz. And I witness news will bring you all of the latest weather updates throughout the week.

Download the free ABC 11 mobile app for the latest watches and warnings, and you can also check Doppler Net and the 7-8 forecast anytime. Well, new at 4, we're hearing from the family of a man killed in a crash on I-40 on Sunday. Police now identifying the victim as 35-year-old Arun Sandrum. He was standing outside of his car when he was hit. Duwan Hoard is joining us live from Raleigh now, so Dewan, I understand you spoke with those who knew Sandrum. What are you hearing from his loved ones? Yeah, quite a large family of friends. family members gathered outside of his home today in Fuku-Waverina.

I mean, kind, jovial, a gem of a person, all words in terms used to describe 35-year-old Arun Sandrum. And I'm being told that his family this afternoon, they are in still a state of shock, disbelief thinking, this is all a dream, and that he'll, in fact, come home, knowing deep down that he won't. This afternoon, 35-year-old Arun Sandrum is dead after being hit and killed on I-40 Sunday night near the 440 Interchange. and today family and friends gathered at his house to remember their loved one. We're all here to support their family in whatever way we can. That's the main reason we are here here. Sondrom, as seen here, described as a talented cricket player for the Fouquet Mavericks.

With their last game, he played just on Saturday. He ticks all the boxes in a cricket game, both all three batting, bowling and feeling. He's very dearest friend of hers. We just played a game on Saturday. It's very unfortunate. a void on the team that cannot be replaced. He is the only batsman who scored a hundred in our team. His contribution to any game that we play is immense.

It's very unfortunate that this happened. This afternoon, Sandrum's friends and family all still searching for more answers. I'm shell-shock, not able to handle what has happened. We'll dearly miss him a lot. And you know his friends outside of the house earlier today, they tell me, yes, they play the they played that game on Saturday. They had no idea that that would be the last time that they would not only just see him, but also play with him, and that he will be deeply messed as an incredible team out. Now, Raleigh, police, they tell me they are still in the midst of their investigation and more information will be released at a later date. We're live in downtown Raleigh, Duane Hogarth, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Heartbreaking account, Duwant, Dwan, thank you so much for that story. And Raleigh, three men are charged after a fight led to a shooting on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. A bystander. was shot during the incident.

That person is expected to be okay. It comes as city officials have increased security along the busy stretch. Atlanta, Athens is joining us live from Raleigh now with new reaction from neighbors who live in the Glenwood South District. Elena? Yeah, a couple of residents who live near Glenwood South, how many that they have appreciated some recent investments to increase security here, and it has been making a difference. Raleigh police say an innocent bystander was injured and,

sent to the hospital after a fight broke out on Glenwood South and it led to a shooting. The incident happened early Sunday morning. A victim was found shot and police say the person was not involved in an altercation. Three people have been arrested and are charged with inciting a riot. A 26-year-old is facing additional charges, including assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. We're being told the victim has non-life-threatening injuries. Shirley Stansell lives at Glenwood Towers and saw the shooting aftermath. It happened but it was contained. Even with what happened this weekend, she still feels incredibly safe and says there has been a shift on Glenwood South. For the most part, a lot of them carried on, didn't even know until they heard

on the news. So that's a good thing. But I can say that Glenwood South had a lot of negative output, but for the most part, for what I see, it has changed so much. And I thank God for the police presence. I think God, even I think that helps and, you know, encourage the, you know, the but that come down here to be more cautious, to be more careful. So many of the businesses here along Glenwood South also have their own security inside their respective establishment.

So what one business is saying about the strides that have been made? We'll have that coming up all new at 5 o'clock. For now we're live in Raleigh, Elaine Athens, ABC 11, eyewitness news. All right, Elena, we'll see you from Glenwood South with more at 5. Thank you. Now to some other local headlines

in your speed feed, first we're waiting for the murder trial to resume for Isaiah Ross and Orange County. testimony was canceled Friday after the wife of the defense attorney Jonathan Trapp went into labor. The court is closed today, obviously, for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. The 21-year-old Isaiah Ross pleaded not guilty in the murders of two teenagers, 14-year-old Lyric Woods, and 18-year-old Devin Clark nearly four years ago. So far, Lyric Woods's mother and Devin Clark's father have taken the witness stand, as well as the medical examiner and other authorities describing the

events leading up to the crime in September of 2022. The trial is expected to love. last at least two weeks. Fayetteville police are investigating a deadly double shooting. I witness news on the scene in West Fayetteville. This is Tangora Lane in the Creek's Edge townhomes. We're told one victim was found dead in the front yard of a townhome there. Another victim was found shot and wounded in the legs. Fable Padiq.

Calling it an isolated incident and no ongoing threat to the public. And that is your speed feet and we're back to you. All right, Barbara, thanks. And now at four honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There were many events in the Triangle today to celebrate the holiday, a large crowd gathering outside the Capitol in downtown Raleigh for the 46th annual Memorial March. Those in attendance walked all the way down to the Martin Marietta Center for the Ecumenical Service there. There was also a march in Durham today. Dozens of people walking from the Mutual Tower downtown to the First Presbyterian Baptist Church on East Main Street.

Proud that we haven't given up, that we're still resilient with everything that's going on in the government today and that we're not giving up. The EC-11 was also a proud sponsor of the 15th annual Dream Big Celebration, hosted by Book Harvest, the nonprofit. That event held at Box Yard RTP, the organization honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by celebrating the power of community and literacy for all kids. Today we spoke with the executive director sharing more on the importance of the event. It's not just about being a book drive. It's about having an opportunity for kids to have books to create imagination, to build their language, and to dream of their own big opportunities.

She says the book drive also gave students an opportunity to volunteer and learn more about service and giving back to the community. And we will have continuing coverage of all of the MLK events happening across the triangle. For now, you can find the very latest on our website, ABC11.com. Coming up next, demonstrators in Minneapolis

protesting today against ICE operations and rallying for justice as today marks MLK day. And the president's efforts to take over Greenland have been unpopular among some Americans polled and also lawmakers and now European leaders are pushing back. We'll have the latest there. And we are keeping an eye out your window.

Cruz. Yeah, it's time for a check of First Alert traffic. This is I-40 at Avent Ferry Road and you can see things moving along smoothly. So as we head into the evening commute, obviously the traffic volume increases and we wanna get you to break, but here are your traffic hotspots first.

Brought to you by the First Alert Weather Team. The ABC 11 First Alert Forecast team is working to keep you safe. across the region. Some cloud cover starting to build. That rain is going to push on through. Cold air coming in. The first alert forecast team. Only on ABC 11. I witness news. Tensions are boiling over in Minnesota nearly 10 days after the death of resident Renee Goods shot by an ice officer. Protesters turning out in the freezing cold as immigration sweeps intensify. And over the weekend with ice saying it made thousands of arrests in Minneapolis since operation surge began. Here's ABC's Michelle Franzen.

On this Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday marches championing the civil rights icon. Hallelujah for the immigrants in my life. And standing against federal immigration operations and the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good by ICE officer Jonathan Ross. In New York City, a march for justice across the Brooklyn Bridge. This one in Philadelphia. Celebrating on this day to talk about stopping ice because I know where MLK would be on this day if he was still alive. He'd be right here standing against what the real enemy is, racism. A show of solidarity with Minneapolis, which has become a flashpoint for immigration operations, protests and unrest since goods death.

Homeland Security says DHS law enforcement has arrested 3,000 people in the past six weeks. Multiple attorneys allege some of those detained during operations and protests, including at least one U.S. citizen, have been denied by DHS their constitutional rights. to see an attorney. In a statement, DHS is denying those claims, adding all detainees, quote, have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers. ICE out! Protect our route! Despite the cold protests have not stopped. Community response members warning residents when ICE agents are nearby. And taking down vital information of those taken into custody. You know, videotape, do constitutional observing, blow whistles, let, let neighbors know that ICE is on the block and it's not safe to come outside.

President Trump says he doesn't plan to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minneapolis for now. Two defense officials say 1,500 active duty troops are on alert in case of deployment. Michelle Franzen, ABC News, New York. Well, the leaders from all 27 European Union nations are set to meet this week in response to President Trump's escalating threats to acquire Greenland. Trump vows to impose tariffs on NATO allies. who don't support the acquisition, insisting the United States needs Greenland for national security. Steve Daniels is joining us now with more on the pushback from European leaders.

Hi, Barbara and Amber, of course we know by now higher tariffs mean it's very likely we will be paying more for things imported from those countries. Today, European leaders are rallying around the efforts by Greenland and Denmark to ward off the Trump administration's escalating threats. President Trump says beginning on February 1st, a 10% tariff will be imposed on everything sent to our country from eight different NATO nations, including Denmark, the UK, France and Norway. The British Prime Minister calls the threat completely wrong. The Danish foreign minister also reacting in a meeting with his British counterpart today. They are red lines which can't be crossed. This is a matter of basic principles. And we are living in in 2026 where you can trade with people, but you can't trade people. The President is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States. We are not

going to outsource our hemispheric super, to anyone else. And the Norwegian Prime Minister says President Trump seems very preoccupied with the Nobel Peace Prize, which is given by a Norwegian committee, not the Norwegian government. In fact, in a text message yesterday to the Norwegian leader, Trump linked his position on Greenland to last year's decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. NATO allies are, allies are stepping up their military presence right now around Greenland in response to Trump's focus on Greenland, and European leaders are planning to mobilize this week coming

together for a meeting that will include the leaders of all 27 European nations to come up with their own strategy now. Barbara. Steve, thank you. New it for iconic fashion designer Valentino Garvani has passed away. He was known in the world of high fashion by just his first name, Valentino. He founded his own line of clothing in 1959 and became known for designing red dresses. He dressed some of the most glamorous women in the world, princesses, first ladies, and A-list actresses. He remained a popular designer throughout the decades and recently dressed actresses Zendaya, Carrie Mulligan, and Gemma Chan. Valentino was 93. Temperatures take a dip this week and it could get even colder by this weekend. And as temperatures drop plumbing and heating experts

say it is important to have a plan in place to prevent frozen pipes. So inside of your home, here's what you can do. Be sure to open cabinets with pipes, so let some heat and air circulate. You should also keep your faucets dripping and disconnect your water hose. And don't forget to put a cover over your outside pipes that are exposed to those cold temps. It's got a meteorologist Cruz Medina as we talk about this. This is a number of days out. Things can change. There are different models that have different ideas of what's going to happen.

So you make all this sense for us. Absolutely. So that's a great point. So far out, we know that there are going to be changes. So right now we're just highlighting it saying, hey, as you look ahead to the weekend, This is what we could potentially see, right? So for the time being, no major impacts, at least for the next several days. If anything, tonight's forecast is very quiet.

We could even see the northern lights. Those will be possible if you're out late tonight shooting with your phone in a dark place or your camera. That'll be a possibility. It's colder tomorrow. High's barely making it to about 40 degrees. And of course, that weekend system that we're watching. We're going to dive into those details here in just a moment. Let me get you outside if you're joining us for this afternoon.

Stepping out this evening is going to be pretty cold. So you see this clear sky here. Tipters are in the 40s now, but they're going to crash overnight and very quickly. So your evening plans dress for temperatures in the 30s with that clear sky. Tipters fall into the lower half of the 30s as we approach midnight. And by tomorrow morning, we could actually wake up in the 20s once again. So that's where we started the day today. Windsor out of the north tomorrow. And that's behind the Arctic front that's going to pass through tonight.

So with that front passing through, there will be a few. clouds overnight. That'll be around midnight and that could affect the viewing if you are heading out trying to look for the northern lights tonight. And then for tomorrow, even with the sunny sky, tipters will be in the 30s for most of the day. Now back to those northern lights. This is about how far NOAA is forecasting it, that it could be seen south. So maybe not with the naked eye, but in long exposure mode on your phone. You could potentially see the auroras as far south as Alabama tonight. That means we have a chance here in North Carolina. So let's walk through that timeline. I mentioned that front. moving through tonight there will be a batch of clouds likely midnight forward just some thin clouds they're not to be super thick but the chances to see the northern lights actually go up as we go in the 10 to 1 a.m. time frame and then again after that up until about the time the sun starts to come up tomorrow so happy aurora hunting if you're heading out tonight just make sure you're bundled up because temperatures are going to fall into the 20s now for tomorrow high temperatures will be coldest in our northern counties low 40s in the triangle and the sand hills and then of course we

look ahead to this next potential weather maker as we go into this weekend. So here's the first Arctic blast of the week. That's what comes in overnight and into tomorrow. As we go into the middle of the week, it actually turns slightly warm and then watch this big mass of cold air just spilled down from Canada. This is going to be across much of the mid-south, the deep south, and the southeast. And so we're watching to see if an area of low pressure develops in the Gulf and rides across those southern states. So right now we're just continuing to watch for the pattern. Overall, this does like a favorable pattern for winter weather, but as far as what type we're going to see, could this be snow and ice? Could it just be snow or ice? These are

the things that we're trying to nail down right now. So stay with this in the few days. We'll keep watching these trends and know that there are going to be changes. So like I said, it's too early for specifics. We're just giving you a heads up right now. You might want to revisit your plans, your toolkit, if you will, for winter weather as we go into the middle of the week. before the system ever arrives. So tipters will come crashing down from the 30s to the 20s between Saturday and Sunday. And look at those overnight lows. In the teens, we were just talking about those freezing pipes and things like that.

We're going to be reminding you about that all throughout this week. Amber, back to you. All right. We'll be ready. Thank you, Cruz. And ABC 11 and the first alert weather team are here to make sure you're ready for whatever the season may bring. You can watch our eyewitness new special, your first alert to winter right now on ABC11.com. Up next year, 4 o'clock, an important recall alert for consumers.

Come here. Plus, the CDC is warning about a global health threat. More on the superbug warnings and the alarming spread of drug-resistant bacteria. And here is a live look at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Well, we were going to show you that. We're just hours away from the college football championship game between Miami and Indiana. It's time now for some news you can use this Monday. A new superbug is raising alarm among health experts.

Researchers at the CDC flagging an increase in infections from a superbug bacteria known as NDMCRE. It is considered a superbug because it's resistant to nearly every antibiotic doctors have prescribed, making it extremely hard to treat. This infection can cause pneumonia, wound infections, and even bloodstream infections. Those most at risk include people with weakened immune systems, patients and hospitals, or anyone recently treated with antibiotics or undergoing a medical procedure. A gel superfood product is under recall. The voluntary recall by Diva Fam is for all lots and flavors of its Seymoss gel superfood. The FDA says it's over a potential risk of botulism, a rare but serious illness that can affect the nervous system. Symptoms may include general weakness, dizziness, difficulty speaking or swallowing, and in severe cases, difficulty breathing or muscle weakness.

The affected products are packaged in 16 ounce glass jars. And this week, you can roll up your sleeves and contribute to the sixth annual ABC 11 Together Blood Drive. It's Wednesday from 10 to 6. Donations will be accepted in Raleigh at the Embassy Suites by Hilton-Rolly Crabtree. In Durham at the streets at South Point Mall and in Fayetteville at Fayetteville Technical Community College. You can make an appointment by going to ABC11.com and Walkins are also accepted. And that is your Monday news you can use. Barbara, back over to you.

All right, Amber, thank you. Well, another NFL coach ousted the Buffalo Bills, Fires head coach Sean McDermin. after the team loses the divisional round on Saturday. He's been at the helm since 2017 and taken the team to the playoffs eight times. The bill's also won five AFC East Division titles, but the team never advanced to the Super Bowl under his leadership. He joins the eight other NFL coaches who have been told to hit the road this season. Ouch. In the meantime, the NFL's final four is set.

The Patriots now heading to the AFC championship for the first time since the Tom Brady era back in 2018. next weekend they'll face off against the Broncos while the Rams take on the Seahawks. And of course the countdown's on for tonight's big college football national championship. The Indiana Hoosiers take on the Miami Hurricanes for the title. Miami is going to have a rare home field advantage for this game, which takes place at Hard Rock Stadium. But most sports books are still favoring Indiana by more than a touchdown. So this will be the first time they have played each other since the 1960s. And they picked that Miami Stadium years ago.

You can watch the big game tonight here. at 730 on our sister network, ESPN. Our coverage of MLK Day continues next. Race and Culture Reporter Akila Davis will be joining us live with a look at how local leaders are honoring 45 years since Dr. King's death. And what you need to know about the changes happening at the Cumberland County Animal Shelters. Some services have now been suspended. We are Local News. ABC 11 eyewitness News continues now.

Right now is for honoring MLK Day. Today, Governor Josh Stein attended the annual MLK breakfast in Rocky Mount Stein, released a statement saying in part, Dr. King's commitment is motivation for us all. We must work to improve lives by strengthening North Carolina's health system, supporting its schools, building safe communities, and creating real job opportunities so that all people have a shot at success. Race and Culture reporter Akela Davis joins us live in Raleigh. Akela, good afternoon to you.

Can you tell us about the message from the community today? Hi there. Good afternoon. You know, a number of MLK events happen today across the triangle, including here at the John Chavis Center. I ask people today if MLK's dream has been achieved by society, take a listen. I think that it is still a working progress. I would agree with that. It's a work in progress. And I think that our community is crying out for peace.

And as you can see that from D.C. to the monks walking and things like that, I really think that people want unity. It's been more than 60 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous I Have a Dream speech. Today, people across the triangle who participated in marches and parades to commemorate the day are reacting to if society has achieved his dream. Every year it's important for us to come in honor brother Dr. Martin Luther King. Not only as Alfa, he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Petanian Incorporated, but just as people in general, especially in this current climate. I think more than ever, we need to show unity. Everyone deserves health care. Everyone deserves a home.

Everyone deserves food. Even addicts, even people we don't like, people we disagree with. So no, we're not there. We have a lot of work to do. Dr. King was a model for us. We have made some strides, but we have some big steps to take. And ahead at 5.30 is MLK's dream still attainable? I'm asking people here in the triangle.

I'll see you then coming up. Reporting live in Raleigh, Akela Davis, ABC 11, eyewitness news. See you at 530 with more. Akela, thank you. Now to some other headlines in your speed feed. First, the U.S. Department of Education puts a hold on wage garners. and involuntary collections for defaulted student loan borrowers. The temporary reversal was made as the agency continues

streamlining the student loan repayment process. This move for now gives breathing room to millions of Americans who have struggled to pay back their loans. An estimated 5 million Americans have defaulted on student loan payments, which means they have not paid their debts for at least nine months. Some Coverland County animal services are now temporarily unavailable due to a rise in animal illnesses. A number of animals recently developed symptoms consistent

up symptoms consistent with an upper respiratory illness. Out of an abundance of caution, the county says it will not be taking any animals or releasing any animals for adoption. Well, if you're looking out to dine out next week, Triangle Restaurant Week begins on Sunday. The week-long event features restaurants in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Participating businesses charge $15 for a three-course lunch. Dinner's cost between $25 and $50 a person. That does not include drinks, tax, or tip. You can find a full list of participating restaurants on the Triangle Restaurant Week website. And that is your speed feed.

Amber, back to you. Barbara, thanks. Developing now, President Trump purchasing up to $51 million worth of company and municipal debts at the end of the year. That's according to a financial disclosure form submitted by the White House, which showed 191 financial transactions. The investments included four purchases of Netflix and Discovery Communications bonds worth up to $2 million. The investments were made after Netflix announced. to purchase Warner Brothers Discovery Studio and HBO assets. Trump has said he would be involved in the regulatory decisions on whether to allow the

proposed deal to go through. Still ahead here at 430. Trial begins this week in Prince Harry's case, alleging illegal acts by daily mail, the latest on the case from London. And the emotional plea for help for actor Timothy Busfield. More on the letter his wife wrote to the judge after Busfield was arrested on child abuse charges. We go to London now where Prince Harry is in court today as his lawsuit against the Daily Mail publisher goes to trial. Other celebrities including Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley,

and others also joining that lawsuit with Prince Harry. Here's ABC's Maggie Rooley with details from London. How are you feeling confidence? Prince Harry is back in the UK and in court taking on the tabloids. Harry, alongside six other high-profile names, including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley, Associated Newspapers, the publishers of the Daily Mail, for illegal information gathering. Arguing that back in the 1990s and early 2000s, the newspaper group paid private investigators to bug their homes and cars, listen in on their phone calls, even bribe police for sensitive information. Associated newspapers denies all allegations, calling them preposterous, adding they are unsubstantiated and highly defamatory claims, based on no credible evidence.

Harry is due to testify later this week, a rarity to see a rarity to see a rarrow. in court. There's a lot riding on this case for Harry, money and reputation. He feels he has to continue with his fight. Otherwise, he would have not taken on all the main media outlets and the associated newspapers are fighting all the way. The prince has said his strained relationship with the press is one of the reasons he and his wife, Megan, left Royal Life and moved to California back in 2020. That publicized step back from official duties, also fracturing his relationship with his family. I would love reconciliation with my family. I've always, I've, you know, there's no point in continuing to fight anymore. And I said, life is precious. I don't know how much longer my

father has, you know. The king, when he met Harry and William, made it very clear that he thought taking on the press, the British press, was a suicide mission, which he feels the king could damage the relationship between press and monarchy. And that was Maggie really reporting. developing now the wife of actor Timothy Busfield sends an emotional letter to the judge defending her husband after Busfield was arrested on child abuse charges. Former Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert wrote a letter to the judge pleading with the judge to quote, please, please take care of my sweet husband as he is my protector. I am his, but I cannot protect him now. I'm relying on you to protect him for me. End of quote. Gilbert's letter is among dozens of letters of support for the actor director. Busfield is facing. two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse from child actors he directed on the set of the TV series The Cleaning Lady, he Busfield, has denied

all the allegations. Next year at four, the Queen of Country celebrating a big birthday today. How Dolly Parton is gifting her fans with a special treat as she celebrates 82 years. Watch Joel Brown. Weekday mornings on ABC 11, I Witness News. Will Smith taking a daring journey traveling across all seven continents in a new Nat Geo series. Over the course of 100 days, Smith will travel across the planet in an inspiring seven-part adventure as he tests his limits in pole to pole with Will Smith. Take a look. I always had the sense that people needed stories, finding the sameness. We get to see how similar we actually are.

We'd been sniffing around the idea of pole-to-pole is sort of the next evolution of that idea. The heart behind pole-to-pole is to tell gripping stories about the wonders of our world through everyday people. I feel like I'm just a little bit too small for the chair. I thought the email was spam. We meant this is not spam. Will Smith of my childhood, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Will Smith. Psychologically, I felt the will needed to be tested. He came to Antarctica looking for something.

If you think about what defines humans from the rest of the beautiful organisms in our world, as sentient beings, we can be curious. Life, for me, is about people. You work with young creators at the beginning of their careers, trying to find their voice. Creators tend to look at it from a different angle. Will showed up on YouTube and Instagram.

It gave more of a backstory to, like, what puts the super in? superstar. Step into your own storyteller spotlight. You have stories to tell and you have an audience who cares. My name is will Smith. My name's richard pox. I'm ali fawn. My name is karen greenfield and this is the storyteller's spotlight streaming on disney plus and hulu. Well now to today's top trending stories and real news first the only Ferrari 250 gTO ever made in the color white has sold for $38.5 million. The auction house says the

1962 Bianco Speciali is one of the most highly coveted models for Ferrari lovers. It's beautiful. It can also go zero to 60 in about five seconds and the top speeds around 174 miles an hour. Now to California were several humpback whales were caught

interacting with a dog on a boat. The whales played with that six-year-old rescue pup named Finn. This is cute. The dog's owner says he loves whale watching And on this day, the pup and the whale played for nearly two hours, excuse me, dipping their heads in water in and out of the water. And this is not the first time Finn has had a special interaction with the marine life. His owner says just a few months ago, Finn spotted a group of orcas as well. Now to a sight you'll only see in Florida those frozen iguanas.

It's that time of year. One woman says she spotted a large iguana laying in her yard, not moving. She posted the video on social media with the caption, Dude is paralyzed. It happened as temperatures dropped to the 40s affecting the region's iguana population. People were encouraged to leave those large lizards where they lay if you see this as they were not hurt. And they do recover as the temperatures increase. But I think we all can sympathize. That's real news.

Back to you, Barbara. That is a site indeed. Well, today is National Popcorn Day and CineMark is celebrating with a bring-your-own bucket deal. It lets moviegoers fill up any container with popcorn. That includes bags. even coolers. There's a 400 ounce limit, which is about three gallons. According to Cinemark, those who do not have buckets, we'll be able to get any size popcorn for $5. A cooler. Can you imagine? Somebody's showing up? Yeah. Give me some popcorn. I mean, it is good.

It is. I can't remember the last time I had popcorn. Oh, yeah. At the movie theater is the best, right? It's got to be at the movie theater and like extra butter, you know, all the good stuff. I'll say with some of these chili tipters we're going to see over this week, Some of these evenings might be great. Evenings throughout to the movie. Oh, yeah. That way you're inside and not outside in the cold. Cozy. Who wants to be in the cold, right?

It's popcorn. That's right. All right. So tipters going forward, you're going to be pretty chilly through this evening. For tomorrow, high tipters in many areas will even struggle to hit the 40 degree mark. But for the triangle region, we should hit around 41 tomorrow. A little warmer on Wednesday, near 50, and then in the 50s on Thursday before those tipters come crashing down again by this weekend. But I'll tell you for this evening, tipters are certainly.

going to crash pretty quickly. We will already be in the 30s by the 7 or 8 p.m. timeframe. Those temperatures continue to drop into the 20s by the time you're waking up tomorrow morning. So parents keep that in mind when you're sending your kids off to school tomorrow. Probably want to address them in several layers as most of the morning is going to be spent in the 20s and 30s and barely reaching those 40s for the afternoon. So tomorrow is pretty sunny. And then of course we look ahead to this weekend. We're still seeing a strong signal that we could support some type of winter weather. throughout the upcoming weekend. So Saturday and Sunday, we're just giving you that heads up for now. Two early for specifics, but Don's going to walk you through what we know right now coming up in the next half hour of eyewitness news.

But you can see it here in your first alert seven day forecast. So we're going with alert possible right now for Saturday and Sunday, which means in time these could become alert days. And we'll keep you posted on that. But for now, we're joined by Steve Daniels with what's coming up at 5 o'clock. Hey, Steve. Hi, Cruz. Thanks very much. Yeah, new at 5. We have this from the I team troubleshooter. triangle brides are absolutely infuriated right now. They tell Diane Wilson, the woman they hired to be their wedding photographer took their money, and now they can't get in touch with her. In some cases, they've had their weddings and say they cannot get their pictures.

In other cases, they paid in advance and now say they can't get in touch with her, and they don't think she'll actually show up for their wedding day. Also coming up, a big recall of ready-to-eat-eat-eat-eat-gilled chicken that's sold in restaurants here in North Carolina, 13,000 pounds under recall because of Listeria concerns. And we had some black-ice concerns around here this morning, but it was nothing compared to this. A 100 car pile up in Michigan, including all those big rigs.

We'll take you there for the details. And the canes in action on the ice this afternoon for a holiday game with the Lenovo Center. We'll have the highlights and the score for you coming up. And we'll have an important roundup of all the big MLK Day events all across the area today. Barbara, don't go far. I'll see you for the news at five here in just a few minutes.

All right. I'll be right here. See, thank you. Well, former Super Bowl champion turned showrunner, Martellis Bennett teamed up with Disney Jr. to roll out the red carpet at River, theater in his hometown of Houston, Texas. This all for a special screening of his new animated series. Hey, AJ.

Yeah, the show follows the real-life relationship between Bennett and his daughter, Austin Jet, or AJ, and is inspired by the books that he wrote of the same name. On Saturday, members of the community and their families were invited to see a never-foreseen episode from the whimsical and music-filled series that Bennett not only executive produced, but lends his voice to ask the dad, Marty. I just hope everybody gets a chance to check out the show, watch it, enjoy it, watch it with your family, and also don't just watch it, go out and play and be inspired by what you have watched. We loved it. This guy was engaged the whole time. He couldn't take his eyes away, so we were totally into it.

So many people came out to be supportive. It was such a creative experience as far as the production. The young girl had such a great imagination, and so did it dad. And I love this. relationship. It's very beautiful. The first seven episodes of Hey AJ are streaming now on Disney Plus with additional episodes set to debut later this year. Disney is the parent company of ABC 11. Well today is Dolly Parton's 80th birthday, but she's the one giving it to others. A new version of her 19 to 77 single light of a clear blue morning is now available along with a music video and the proceeds from both are going to a children's hospital in Nashville to support pediatric cancer research. The song features other stars like Queen Latifah and

Miley Cyrus. Parton's website says it has a message of hope and love. Giving to others on her a idiot. Typical dolly. She's the best. Coming up in your health check, new guidance for cervical cancer screening. We are hearing from a local doctor at UNC why she believes at home testing is so important in saving lives. Here's tonight's ABC primetime preview. At 8.7 central, it's Will Trent. Five months after the attack on the GBI, a figure from Will's past escapes prison, forcing him to defy orders and launch a search that rips open old wounds. Then more Will Trent at 9-8 Central. When Will disappears and is presumed dead, the team scrambles for answers.

As Angie questions the evidence, it becomes clear something isn't adding up. Will Trent himself is at a kind of breaking point. He's struggling and you get to really come inside his world. even more. And at 10-9 Central, the wild docu-series, Dirty Talk, when daytime talk shows Ruled TV. That's followed by your late local news. Then Jimmy Kim alive with guest Michael B. Jordan and Joel McHale.