ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at Noon - January 13, 2026

Episode Date: January 13, 2026

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Several stories breaking right now at noon. Some North Carolina college students are protesting right outside of a Board of Elections meeting in Raleigh just ahead the proposed changes the students are against. Also breaking former President Bill Clinton and his wife are refusing to testify before a House hearing on the Jeffrey Epstein case. The former president was a no-show today on Capitol Hill. And a just-released report on the economy shows inflation was higher than expected in December. And we are in the courtroom today for jury selection in the double-murdered. of teenagers in Orange County. It's the news at noon. 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-I Witness News. Good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for joining us here at noon. Look who's back.

I'm Amber Repenta. I'm Barbara Gibbs. Enjoy the temperatures today and tomorrow before an Arctic blast arrives. Let's go to meteorologist Cruz Medina now with the details. Hey Cruz. Hey there, yeah, tipters today are milder compared to what we saw yesterday. And like Barbara and Ember were just saying, you got to enjoy that because that Arctic blast on Thursday is going to have our feels like temperatures or the wind chill down in the 20s and low 30s throughout the day.

Now by Friday, still staying cold, but tipters recover a little bit and then we'll see a slightly warmer day as we go throughout Saturday. But we've got several rounds of cold air coming in throughout the next seven days. And so this first one, we're going to see a big dip in the jet stream. This is going to bring a cold shot of air in from areas like Canada and the Arctic. That's going to spill down into our area. Keep us pretty cold as we go into the middle of the week. Now for today, tipters aren't feeling that terrible outside. Middle to upper 50s, so this is actually above average.

And we have sunshine. And the wind's not going to be that strong today either. So today, not that bad if you're going to be outside. You might still want a light jacket, but it's not going to feel terrible if you're heading out. Now tonight we do go down into the 30s. This will be a little milder than what we started the day the past. two days. There will be some passing clouds, especially as we go to our day break tomorrow. And so we start the day off tomorrow pretty cloudy and those clouds will continue to increase

as we go throughout the morning and afternoon hours. So 30s in the morning, 40s for mid morning. And then by noon, we should be reaching those highs. Once again, temperature is going into the 50s tomorrow. Some of the warmest spots will be in the triangle, 57 for Raleigh. Only 55 in Fayetteville where those thicker clouds arrive first and then 54 up in Roxborough. Now tomorrow night and early Thursday we could see a few showers, maybe even a few novelty flakes. We'll talk about that potential coming up in your extended forecast. Back to you. All right, Cruz, thank you. We begin now with breaking news right out of the gate. North Carolina A&T University students flooding a state board of elections meeting. Those students frustrated at a proposal to close

the voting site closest to the Greensboro campus. Today's board of elections meeting was to discuss plans for the upcoming primary election in March. And breaking news just coming in here at noon, the police chief of Newton Grove resigning from his job. This coming just a week after Greg Warren was charged with taking indecent liberties with a minor and also secret peeping. The town of Newton Grove says police operations will continue without interruption. And new at noon, jury selection continues in the trial of a man charged with the murder of two Orange County teenagers. Isaiah Ross is accused of killing Lyrick Woods and Devin Clark in September of 2022 when Ross was 17 years old. A judge has ruled the two first-degree murder charges can merge into one trial.

Cindy Bay has been following the trial. She joins us now with the latest. Cindy, good afternoon. Good afternoon, Barbara and Amber. Well, we just heard the state interview the first 12 potential jurors. They're sitting in the box right now being questioned. The state just excused three of those potential jurors. Now, the state basically reviewed some of the details of the case, including the ages of the defendant and the victims who were all teenagers at the time of this incident back in September 2022. Isaiah Ross was 17 years old at the time of the incident, but is being tried as an adult. And he's now 21 years old and is pleading not guilty. He rejected the state's plea deal yesterday and declined to make a counteroffer. And so jury selection now is still underway with the

defense expected to also interview this pool of potential jurors who remain in the the box that they have affirmed so far that they could follow the law and court instructions and remain impartial. But we're following this closely. Going to go back into the courtroom and bring you the latest as soon as we can in the next half hour. Back to you. Thank you for that report. Also new at noon, state health and human services workers are demanding higher pay. More than 600 employees today delivered a petition to the General Assembly calling for bonuses and pay raises. This comes after a November report showing the state agency has $386 million in lapsed salary funds.

After 340 positions were either not advertised or posted, DHS employees say that they continue to suffer while the state agency sits on so much money. Turning now to the DOJ investigation into the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell after months of criticism from President Trump over interest rate levels. Today, Iowa witness news is speaking with local economists

about what it means for the economy and your wallet. Sean Coffey joining us live now. in downtown Raleigh with more on this. Hi, Sean. Yeah, hi, Amber and Barbara. Well, admit that criticism from President Trump, new data today shows that inflation held steady in December with prices up around 2.7 percent versus last year. That's the lowest inflation has been since the summer, but it still is above by about a percentage point where the Fed's target is at 2%. Economists say that stubborn inflation has put the Fed in a tricky position as it balances inflation with

employment even before the DAJ's investigation into Powell. This morning we spoke with an NC state economist about how that investigation and pressure to drop interest rates could impact North Carolinians. I mean, certainly it adds more uncertainty, but it's no surprise to the financial markets that the president has interest in more directly managing the Fed. This is just, this is another shot from the cannon, but the cannon's been shooting. Yesterday, we saw the markets react when when they open with stocks dipping sharply before they rebounded by the end of the day. Though we did also see a rise in the prices of gold and silver and a drop in the value of the U.S. dollar, both signs economists say of expected volatility in the markets.

But Allen acknowledged that there could be separate impact should any Fed power be shifted under executive control. We'll have more on that later today on eyewitness news. For now we're live in Raleigh, Sean Coffey, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Back to you. A lot to unpack with this. Sean, thank you. We'll see you later. And the ABC 11 price tracker is hunting down deals on membership-only warehouse clubs this noon. Those wholesale big box stores can really offer significant savings, but the sign-up cost can turn some shoppers off. Here in the triangle, we found New Year's savings deals on memberships at Costco, Sam's Club, and BJs, and you can join for 30 to 77% off the membership price.

So for Costco, we found an online deal at Groupon. You buy a $65 dollar gold star membership. and they send you a $20 shop card. So that gets you in at $45. That's a 31% savings. Sam's Club is also offering big savings for the new year, cutting the price of a one-year basic membership from $50 down to $20. Also slashing the price of its Sam's Club Plus membership

from $110 down to $60. So that deal expires January the 19th. And over at BJ's, there's an online deal going right now, offering the $60 one-year membership for $20. bucks. That is 67% off and you can do even better on Groupon. The site now offering a BJ's club card for as low as $15. And if you're still not sure, you can try out BJs for free with a one-day pass. For much more on how you can keep an eye on everyday prices and save money in the new year, go check out the ABC11 price tracker on ABC11.com slash price tracker. Well, now to breaking news in

Washington, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have refused to testify in a congressional hearing in the Epstein investigation. The former president was scheduled to appear today before House committee. His wife was scheduled for tomorrow's appearance. The panel says it's seeking information about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Clintons could now face contempt charges. The Supreme Court today hearing arguments on whether school bans on transgender athletes are legal. That story just ahead. President Trump tells protesters in Iran, help is on the way as the death toll rises. This says the president cancels meetings with Iranian officials over the killing of anti-government protesters. That story in two minutes.

And a police officer in South Carolina is the victim of an ambush. It is caught on video. An update on the injured officer new here at 1230. Watch Lauren Johnson tonight on ABC 11. I Witness News. We're back now with the death toll from Iran's nationwide protest now at least 2,000 people. That's according to the human rights activists. And President Trump announcing new tariffs and is considering military action against. against Iran and the State Department is warning Americans to leave Iran immediately. ABC's Christian Cordero has the latest now from Washington.

Human rights activists today said the death toll in Iran from anti-government protests is now at least 2,000 people, more than tripled what was first reported. President Trump's national security team is expected to meet at the White House today to discuss his options for intervention in the Islamic Republic. According to U.S. officials, the Trump administration is considering sanctuary. possible cyber attacks and even military intervention. We're looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it.

And we're looking at some very strong options. Calling the protesters, patriots today, President Trump canceled all meetings with Iranian officials and said, quote, health is on its way. With the collapse of its currency and surge in cost of living, anti-government demonstrations in Iran have spanned two weeks. There are reports to, of morgues running out of space in Tehran. This video shows a morgue there with people searching

rows of body bags. The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop. The labeling of protesters as terrorists to justify violence against them is unacceptable. Iran's foreign minister blames in part the U.S. for the violence without providing evidence. Trump claims Iran wants to negotiate with Washington. As it weighs military options, the administration, the administration has imposed a 25% tariff on anyone who does business with Iran. And that essentially, without naming names, is taking aim at China because China is Iran's largest trading partner and it's the world's largest importer of oil. Iran hasn't directly said it's willing to negotiate with the U.S., though its foreign

minister says it is open to diplomacy while insisting the regime has the situation under total control. Kristjian Cordero, ABC News, Washington. Christiane, thank you. And happening now, the Supreme Court is weighing in on a heated national debate over whether transgender girls should be allowed to participate in girls and women's sports. The justices are hearing arguments in a pair of cases from Idaho and West Virginia, where federal courts have blocked state laws that would prohibit trans girls from participating on teams consistent with their gender identity. The outcome of these cases will determine the fate of those laws and similar measures in 27 other states. Carverland County Schools today inviting parents and students to take part in a series of focus groups about the future of its schools. That story's just ahead.

And the Raleigh Convention Center slowly returning to business as usual following a massive fire on the roof last month. In two minutes, the events happening at the facility today. Governor Stein today getting a firsthand look at how the state's new cell phone ban in classrooms is working. Happening today, the Raleigh Convention Center is hosting its first events since last month's devastating fire, a software sales conference and a health care road shows getting underway today. The first event since the roof caught fire at the beginning of December. In the meantime, the City of Raleigh continues the repairs on the estimated $2 million worth of damage. Happening today, Comberlin County Schools inviting families to help shape the school district's next strategic plan.

CCS hosting a series of focus group sessions to share ideas about the future of its schools. The first is tonight from 6 to 7 at Douglas Bird High School. families are encouraged to register and advance on the district's website for other sessions are planned for next month. Happening today, Governor Josh Stein, spending the day in Charlotte addressing two big state initiatives. Stein delivered a speech this morning on recruiting and retaining more correctional officers. And then this afternoon, the governor heads to East Mecklenburg High School talking to teachers

about the new law that makes classrooms cell phone free. It's got a meteorologist Cruz Medina. I couldn't help but on social media this weekend seeing big weather talking about the I think he calls them netterologists all the people talking about the you know the weather coming later this week she won't even say it well it's tough because it gets people riled up right people are waiting for this winter weather and it's just been quiet I mean we had a little bit in December but we're kind of in the drought now by people do you mean my son who thinks he doesn't have to do his homework yes probably yeah so the kids are rooting for it they want to be out of school

I get it. We've been there. But as we go forward, there would be a little chance of some rain, possibly a few flakes mixing in tomorrow night and into early Thursday. But as far as today goes, today is sunny and milder. Tomorrow with those clouds increasing, that's ahead of an Arctic front that's moving in. That front is what brings that potential for the sprinkles or maybe a few flakes. But into Thursday, more significantly is the temperature. So the highs will barely be near 40s. So most of us will be in the upper 30s. But it'll feel like the 20s and the 20s. 30s throughout the day. So let's track out that air mass as we go into this afternoon. Our winds are out of the south. So that's what's boosting us into the 50s. We'll see the same thing throughout tomorrow, but the clouds will be increasing once again ahead of that front. And you can see most of the moisture is banked up against the mountains. So most of that moisture will stay on the west side of the mountains, but some of that could actually come in off of these south winds up from the Gulf. So if that happens, that's where our rain opportunity comes in. Once again, that's overnight tomorrow and into early 30.

It's something that we'll watch right now, but things have trended drier over the past few days. We'll just have to keep that little chance in there in case the moisture does make it into our region. Here's a live look outside though. A crystal clear day over downtown Raleigh, this is our Pendo Skycam. We've got a little bit of a breeze so you can see the flag waving on top of that crane there. Tipter's already in the mid-50s and we've got still another four or five degrees to climb throughout today. So parents, if you're off today, you're out with your kid or your kids are at school and they're

going to recess soon. This is going to be a nice afternoon to be on the playground compared to the past few days. So tipters make it to near 60 degrees in the triangle and the sand hills with plenty of sunshine and then we cool down just a little bit as we go into the evening hours. First alert predictor. This takes us through tonight. So we will have the clouds increasing by tomorrow morning. The sand hills, you start off warmest in the morning, those low 40s compared to 30s elsewhere. But as we go throughout the day, that would be the spots that see some of the thickest cloud cover. And so tipters there could struggle to climb. I actually think it'll be a little warmer in the triangle. So areas like Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill through tomorrow. And then once again, that chance of a shower overnight. This will linger into early Thursday and we should eventually get back to some clearing. So recapping here, tipters for tomorrow will not be quite as warm as today, but it's still seasonably mild. So still above average. We have lots of clouds around and tipgers will make it into those 50s as we go throughout the day.

If you're just joining us now, here's the check of current tipgers. We are well into the 50s. at this hour. Tipters still rising at this point and we'll see that continue until about three or four p.m. when we hit our highs. Going into tomorrow becomes cloudy. Once again, that chance of rain overnight, maybe a few flakes mixing in. Tipters will only reach into the upper 30s for highs on Thursday, 40s for Friday and starting off the weekend mild in the 50s, but then tipter's come crashing down as we get into the back half of the weekend and next Monday. Amber, back to you. Winter certainly here this week. Absolutely. All right, Cruz, thanks. The Pentagon,

denies reports the U.S. attacked an alleged drug boat with an aircraft painted like a civilian plane. That story is just ahead. And the NCAA's Image Awards today releasing the list of this year's nominations. That story new at 1230. And talk about adding insult to injuries. Some Carolina Panthers fans are the victims of car break-ins while attending the playoff game at Bank of America Stadium. Watch Steve Daniels tonight on ABC 11. I Witness News. We are just getting in some new details here in the breaking news. center with a large fire at a service station in Wayne County. We want to take you to Chopper 11 that is over the scene here. It is a very large fire. This is in Grantham and southern western

Wayne County. This is very close to Samson County and you can see there's still some smoke coming from the roof there. The fire is at a strip mall off of Highway 13. We're told that this is an ACE hardware store there in Grantham and the damage appears to be mostly contained to a service station right next to the ACE hardware but you can see there's the front of of the building where you can see it's really kind of attached to the ACE hardware. Firefighters are still working to extinguish the flames. They're spraying right there. We're working to learn what caused this fire.

And if anyone was hurt, we will keep a close eye on that breaking news coming out of Grantham at this hour. Barbara? All right, Amber. Thank you. Well, now to the new information that we are learning about the arson investigation at the only synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi. The FBI charging the suspect 19-year-old Spencer Pittman, new surveillance video from Saturday morning shows a person with a canister pouring a liquid throughout the House of worship. Pittman reportedly confessed that he targeted the building because of its Jewish ties.

Investigators say the suspect was turned in by his own father after reportedly confessing his actions to his father. Democratic Senator Mark Kelly suing the Pentagon over attempts to punish him for his warnings about illegal orders. The lawsuit filed Monday claims defense secretary Pete Higsef violated Kelly's constitutional rights to free speech in due process. Kelly, who is a former Navy pilot, is seeking to block his censure from Heggseth. A federal judge has scheduled a hearing Thursday on the matter.

A new legal issue has emerged related to Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth and the first U.S. airstrike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. Sources say the Pentagon may have committed a war crime. They tell the New York Times that the aircraft used in the attack on September 2nd was painted to look like a civilian plane. If confirmed, experts say that that would be a violation of the laws of armed conduct. conflict. The Pentagon has insisted all of its aircraft complied with those laws. Former prosecutor Jack Smith will testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee. Smith investigated Trump for his role in the effort to subvert the 2020 presidential election

results. The special counsel also looked into Trump's handling of classified documents. Smith testified for more than eight hours during a closed-door hearing in December. He told lawmakers he could prove, quote, beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump engaged in a criminal scheme, end quote, to overturn the 2020 election results. His public hearing is set for January the 22nd. And state lawmakers want to know how federal cuts to Medicaid will impact people in North Carolina. Michael Perchick with that story brand new at 1230. Potential jurors are being questioned in the murder trial of two Orange County teenagers were live at the courthouse.