ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at Noon - August 11, 2026

Episode Date: August 11, 2026

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Right now on eyewitness news at noon, we're tracking a dangerous combination on this first alert day, intense heat and the threat of strong storms coming up when and where you need to be weather or where. Duke Energy rate hike, the hearing now underway and the rally happening in Raleigh as the utility company meets with state regulators about the proposed increase that could impact your family. And keeping students safe, the summit happening in Wake County is thousands of children prepared to return to traditional calendar classrooms in less than two weeks now. Plus, we get a look inside Wake County's newest to elementary school. Eyewitness News at noon starts right now. Right now. Live coverage from your local news leader.

Today's top stories you need to know and your first alert forecast. Here's what's happening where you live. This is ABC 11 eyewitness news. Right now at noon, eyewitness news on alert for severe weather. Thank you for joining us for the news at noon. I'm Barbara Gibbs. Amber Repenta has the day off today. It is a first alert day.

double trouble today for central North Carolina. We are under a level two out of five risk for severe storms and also dealing with that dangerous heat. Let's get the latest from meteorologist Cruz Medina. Hey Cruz. Hey there. Yes, the heat, the humidity. That's going to help to fuel the storms that we could see late in the evening and the overnight hours. Heat advisories are in effect until 8 p.m. for Cumberland, Wayne and Samson counties. That's where you feels like temperature's could go up to 105, 107. There's also a flooding risk and that severe risk for today which was upgraded from this morning, by the way, to a level two out of five to include the triangle. Feels like temperature's right now still in the 90s in most areas, but Irwin and

Clinton both over 100. So it's going to be a hot afternoon. Keep in mind those southern communities are under that heat advisory. And here's the thing, the heat's going to keep building as we go throughout the day. So mid 90s in the forecast, the humidity kind of off the charts today, feeling very humid, tropical outside. And then late in the day, that's when the storm chances start to come into play. So we're watching these storms come all the way out of the Midwest. They have a lot of a journey to go through before they get here. So there's a lot that could change in the forecast, but right now the main time frame looks to be in the late evening and overnight hours for Central North Carolina. So through tonight, expect there to be some rumbles of thunder.

If you're going to sleep around 10, storms could still be around then. Temperatures in the 70s as we start your day tomorrow. Tomorrow starts off pretty quiet. Temperatures reaching the mid-80s by noon. the afternoon highs tomorrow will be similar to today. It's just not going to be quite as humid tomorrow. There will be an additional storm chance tomorrow also a first alert day as we're already outlooked for a level one at a five risk for storms tomorrow. The details on that and tracking out the storms. That's all coming up in your extended forecast. Barbara. All right. We know you'll keep us updated. Cruz. Thank you. And as many people crank the AC to beat that heat, Duke Energy is proposing raising your energy rates again. A hearing is underway right now in Raleigh. Expert witnesses are

testifying before regulators today. Michael Perjik joins us live from Halifax Mall in Raleigh, where a rally opposing those increases is now underway. Hey, Michael. Barbara, good afternoon. We have seen pushback from Afkits over the past several months, as Duke Energy has put forward these proposals, which are now much lower from those initial asks. At first, the company has had a 15 to 16 percent residential rate increase over a period of two years. However, that has been lowered markedly down to an average increase of about 3.4 to 3.7 percent each year. Break that down for customers using 1,000 kilowatt hours a month. That equals about $9.62 per month starting in 2027, plus an additional $6

hike in 2028. Further, Duke Energy has pledged to contribute $10 million short of low-income bill assistance and weatherization programs. These hearings have to take place over the course the week the utilities commission expected to make their final decision in the fall advocates here holding a press event just getting underway, speaking out, against the, Those proposed hikes coming up this afternoon, we hear both from those advocates and Duke Energy, but what's at stake? In Raleigh, I'm Michael Perchick, ABC 11, eyewitness news.

All right, Michael, thank you. Happening now at noon, a special meeting of the UNC Board of Trustees is just getting underway. This is a live look inside the meeting. The Board of Trustees is expected to discuss campus operations related to the University's policy on equality after ending DEI on campus. Also, UNC Athletic Director Steve Newmark is expected to present a proposal to create an outside entity to help generate additional revenue for the school. Our Akela Davis is at the Board of Trustees meetings to look for her live report beginning on eyewitness news today at 4.

Well, new at noon, the state's largest school district is focusing on student safety today. Wake County Schools holding a school resource summit to discuss the new standard response protocol that's being implemented district-wide and other safety concerns. Tamara Scott is at Milbrook High School with more on that. Right now, inside of Milberg High School, there are school resource officers and administrators coming together to. make sure they're prepared for the upcoming school year, which includes learning a new system that changes the language that students and staff will hear during an emergency.

The district's annual SRO summit is underway bringing together law enforcement, principals, assistant principals, and school security leaders. A major focus today is Wake County's new standard response protocol. The district is moving away from the familiar color coded system, including code red and code yellow and replacing it with plain language commands such as lockdown and hold. Security leaders say the goal is to make those directions easier to immediately understand whether you're a student, teacher, parent, or a visitor who has never been trained on Wake County's emergency codes. Lockdown is a more plain speak of what you need to do. So in that case, you'll hear the lockdown locks, lights out of sight. That verbiage gives you much more clear direction than Code Red.

The standard response protocol has what's called a hold feature, which is very nice, and it gives us something that's in between the two. So that there's something we just need to investigate something to figure out. Is this something we need to really take protective action on or not? Instead of going straight to a code red, which we would have to do and cause all that panic in the community. And the training happening today isn't just about learning new terminology. The SROs and administrators are also working through different crisis scenarios together today. With the district taking what it's calling an all hazards approach to school safety. Now, there are already some Way County Public School students back in school in the year-round schedule,

but traditional calendar students return back to school in just a couple of weeks. Tamara Scott, ABC 11, eyewitness news. All right, Tamara, thank you. Also happening today, the Wake County School Board will get an update on the emergency repairs happening at Creech Road, Davis Drive, and Durant Road Elementary. After extensive structural issues were found, year-round students at Durant Road Elementary are currently attending school at Abbott's Creek Elementary while those repairs are underway. The repairs at all three schools are expected to be finished by August 24th, which is the start of the school year for the traditional calendar school. New at noon, parents and students getting a chance today to tour Wake County's brand new Swift Creek Elementary School before it opens on August 24th. The school was built on the site of the old school on Tri-on Road and Raleigh.

The new school will hold the same students about 500. That's the same number as the former school, but this new school includes modern technology and excitement is growing to welcome those students back. We are so thrilled. We can't wait to see these hallways filled with students and our families. families. This has always been a place that's been welcoming to everyone. We have a church across the street that comes and reads with our students every day. So we're looking forward to seeing all that life come into this new space and enjoy it. The construction process took two years, cost about $40 million. Classes begin, again, Swift Creek on Monday, August 24th. More local students are already back in the classrooms. Monday, March the first day of class in Cumberland County for Cross Creek Early College, Cumberland International, and Cumberland Polyford. Technic students, the school system sharing a snapshot of the first day back, including these photos posted online. This is the third year. Comberlin County Schools will use the open gate weapons detection system in schools.

The portable and non-intrusive screeners are stationed at key entry points to screen students as they arrive in the morning. They're also used to monitor visitors entering main entrances throughout the day. The screeners can also detect vapes and other contraband. We'll stay with eyewitness news for back-to-school coverage. We're going to have live team coverage on the 24th on all of our placards. platforms here on ABC 11. Well, new at noon, the North Carolina Labor Commissioner announces record-breaking results from the Department's wage and hour bureau.

According to Luke Farley, the historic milestone represents the Labor Bureau's greatest annual impact to date in protecting workers. Now, these aren't just numbers on a page. They represent real people, real families, and real financial relief. They represent the hours someone spent on the job, the sacrifices they made, and the promise that a hard day's work should always result in a full day's work. paid. In all 3.7 million dollars and unpaid wages were recovered for North Carolina workers. The recoveries reached workers in 89 of North Carolina's 100 counties. Coming up next at noon, a death

investigation now underway in Goldsboro. Plus, an arrest in a deadly bar shooting in Harnock County, what we know about the man now facing murder charges. Plus, that boat operator now facing federal charges after his boat capsized near the Statue of Liberty in New York, killing a mother and her infant daughter. Those new details ahead. Eyewitness News. We are local news weeknights four to six 30 and 11. New at noon, a death investigation is underway in Golsboro. Around 5.30 this morning, police found a person dead inside a car. When officers responded to the car crash in the 600 block of West Holly Street,

at this point, police have not said how the victim died and that person's identity has not been released yet. A man appears in court today after a deadly bar shooting in Harnock County. Dunn Police arrested 32-year-old Kisan Stocks yesterday. He's accused of shooting and killing two people at 601 bar on North Fayetteville Avenue last weekend. Two others were injured. In the meantime, we're also learning the bar's ABC permits have been suspended. In Durham, a man is fighting for his life after a shooting last night. Police found the victim around 8 o'clock outside Braley's sports bar on Hillsborough Road.

That man was rushed to the hospital so far no one's in custody. Well, now at noon, federal prosecutors filed charges against the captain of that boat that capsized in New York City Harbor over the weekend. and her infant child were killed. It happened near the Statue of Liberty. Authorities say the captain piloted the boat into a swell, causing the boat to capsize, sending all 14 people on board into the water. Twelve people were pulled from the harbor,

but the 27-year-old mother and her five-month-old daughter, it was too late. The captain, Manuel Hernandez, did not enter a plea during an initial court appearance on Monday. Well, the grassroots effort to save a Wake County firehouse is heating up. Coming up, the rally happening tonight in APEC, as town leaders meet to discuss the future of Fire Station 1. Plus, data center pushback details of the vote in Fayetteville

as leaders debate a new ordinance to regulate the controversial facilities. Happening this evening, supporters of Apex Fire Station 1 are expected to rally outside town council chambers ahead of tonight's town meeting. The town says no decisions have been made about the future of the firehouse, which was built in 1954. Residents, however, are worried the building on Salem Street could be torn down. Tonight's council meeting begins at 6 o'clock. Happening tonight,

Cumberland County Commissioners are holding an input session on the work on new regulations for data centers. Several local governments, including the city of Durham and Durham County, also considering new ordinances for the massive facilities as concerns grow about energy usage and the impact on the environment. Tonight's meeting in Cumberland County begins at 6 o'clock at the J.D. Pone Recreation Center

in Hope Mills. And there is reaction today after the city of Fayetteville delays a decision on a proposed ordinance amendments for a data center development. It was a packed house last night as dozens spoke out at the City Council meeting for tougher regulations. Let's consider all the facts. These massive data centers consumes millions of gallons of water just to cool their servers. This is not an abstract statistic. It translates into real consequences for our community. As water

resources are drained, our local supplies dwindle. driving up water bills for families already grappling with rising temperatures. I'm not opposed totally to data centers, but I think there's a place for them. And I can almost guarantee I'm a neighborhood boy, and that is not the place for a data center on Custer Avenue. We in the county do not want to see, hear, feel, smell, or pay for data centers. As you cite, your UDO will not control the light pollution that will emanate from the center. A six foot fence will not hide a two-story building. Councilmember McMillan to approve.

In the end, the City Council voted to come back in 45 to 60 days with a refined ordinance that would add more protections for the community. Downtown Raleigh Restaurant, Flavor Hills, has closed and the future of its Durham location is uncertain. Eyewitness News stop by both locations. The Raleigh restaurant is on Fayettele Street next door to our downtown eyewitness News Center. We found this note on the door announcing the restaurant is closed indefinitely. We also found a note on the door of the Durham location on West Main Street, announcing the restaurant is shut down due to an equipment issue. There was no information about a reopening date.

The veteran-owned restaurant opened in Raleigh in 2024 to huge fanfare. The Durham location opened this past December. In the meantime, a newly opened ping pong bar in Glenwood South is temporarily shutting down. Smash Social Club opened in December, taking over the former spot of Carolina Alehouse. LM restaurants now says it is closing the site as its test. new and refine learn and refine new ideas alongside its guests and communities. There's no word on how long the smash area will remain closed. So we will keep an eye on that. Right now we're keeping an eye on the weather. It is the first alert day. Meteorologist Cruz Medina is here with the latest on the forecast, risk of storms and boy that heat is intense. And is it. Absolutely. And so because the storms don't come in until later today, that means there's going to be a lot of hot time, a lot of dry time before the storms can get here. Now what that does is a lot of the atmosphere to be more charged up. So we'll watch for complexes of storms to move out of the Midwest. And as they track here, the only thing that could really limit these storms today is the

timing. So typically for strong storms, you need daytime heating. And so if the storms don't come in until after the sun has set, that could lessen our severe risk today. Otherwise, still expecting some scattered storms. Again, these will be moving in in the afternoon and evening hours. And so they're well back to our north right now watching several complexes here so this one moving out of Ohio that one's tracking more toward Virginia than us but maybe on the edge of that the western edge we could get a few storms to pop in our northern counties this complex that we're watching out for is the one actually moving through Chicago right now so Chicago Midway Airport just had to evacuate their control tower there was a tornado warning for that area so there could even be some delays

here locally just given how the weather is impacting big cities like Chicago up north. But you can see in our region, it's very quiet right now and it will stay that way for several more hours. That means the feels like temperatures are going to continue to rise above 100 degrees today. So this afternoon, make sure that you're staying cool, you're staying hydrated and taking breaks in the shade and AC. Notice how as we go toward evening, that's when the storm chances start to pop up. It's possible we see one a little earlier in the afternoon as well. But at this point, it's looking like we could see two waves of storms. I'll show you what that looks like on first alert predictor. So most of the afternoon is dry. By the time we get into the evening hours,

6 or 7 p.m., we start to see storms popping, generally in our northern counties. That's kind of the precursor before that main cluster of storms arrives. The main cluster could come in in the overnight hours if the timing holds in a much weaker state than it is back in the Midwest, but still capable of producing damaging winds. Once that slides to the east, we should dry out going into your Wednesday morning. So lots to digest there, but again, the main takeaway is that there could be two separate clusters of storms that impact our area, and damaging winds would be the primary concern with any of those stronger storms. Now for tomorrow, we're starting out dry. The afternoon, most of the afternoon is dry. Tipters will feel like 101 as we get into the peak

afternoon heating, so around 4 or 5 p.m. A few clouds around could be a late-day storm, so the storm prediction center already putting us under a level one out of five risk for tomorrow. I say tomorrow looks much less impressive as far as the overall setup of storms. There could be an isolated storm or two that pops with damaging wind. So we'll keep you updated on that potential. I'll take you outside. This is North Hills. 90 degrees in Raleigh already.

86 in Roxburgh and 90 in Fayetteville as well. Just to recap here, most of these storms come in in the evening and could linger through the overnight. So tipters will be in the 70s. Very warm and muggy kind of fueling those storms. tomorrow, still a warm and muggy day. Temperatures reaching the mid-90s. From there, after our two first alert days, Thursday and Friday, still staying hot in the mid-90s. There will be some storm chances as the front comes in on Friday. Those could linger into Saturday and staying unsettled

as we go into next week and the heat starts to crank up once again. Back to you. All right, Cruz, thank you. President Trump signs an executive order reducing the number of childhood vaccines. Coming up, we'll explain why the executive order is likely to face legal challenges. A major push from President Trump in Washington to change how children are vaccinated, signing an executive order recommending the measles, mumps, and rebella vaccines be split into three separate shots. Doctors and medical experts now pushing back saying the new suggestions are not backed by science. ABC's Olivia Rubin has details. Today, doctors pushing back on President Trump's new executive order overhauling the child vaccine schedule. There is no new science evidence research that has come out or emerged.

that is pushing forward these new recommendations. The order calls for fewer childhood vaccines, now recommending children get vaccinated against 11 diseases down from 18. It also recommends splitting up the measles, mumps, and rebella, the MMR vaccine, into three separate individual shots. The vaccine is currently only available together

in the U.S., not separately. The American Academy of Pediatrics coming out against the recommendations, saying children will suffer. If we end up not giving the same kinds of vaccines that we're giving now, children are going to end up contracting diseases that could otherwise avoid, and some percent of those are going to die. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a longtime vaccine skeptic

and continues to insist without evidence that vaccines are linked to autism. There are decades of research, millions of individuals studied across multiple countries. There has been no link found between autism and vaccines. And President Trump claiming the MMR vaccine is, quote, lethal. But when pressed, he didn't provide evidence to back up that claim. Is there any evidence of that? What I've heard is that there are some people that say it is that way. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a doctor, pushing back, saying the order will, quote, make children less safe and is, quote, wrong.

And Senator Cassidy urging parents to talk with their doctor before making any decisions. instead of listening to what he describes as an inaccurate order. Olivia Rubin, ABC News, Washington. Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump is set to hold a news conference in Durham this afternoon. Coming up, the lawsuit he's filed against the popular rideshare company Lyft after the deaths of a Durham schoolteacher and her husband. Plus, what we're learning about a secret flight President Trump took amid an assassination threat. And a reminder, you can find eyewitness news live on ABC 11, Disney Plus, and everywhere he's streamed. Thank you.