ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at Noon - January 6, 2026

Episode Date: January 6, 2026

Eyewitness News at Noon - January 6, 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Right now, when eyewitnesses at noon, the Raleigh City Council holds its first meeting of the new year. An update today on when the Raleigh Convention Center might reopen after a massive fire last month. And a grand jury inditing a former Duke University hospital nurse on sexual assault charges involving three patients will explain what's next in the case. The state of the economy, the economic forum in Raleigh is underway today. Our Sean Coffey is live with the topics being discussed for the new year. And today, marking five years since the attack at the U.S. Capitol, today House Democratic. holding some unofficial hearings. 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. And good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for joining us here at 12. I'm Amber Repenten. And I'm Barbara Gibbs. Get ready for some warmer temperatures this afternoon and even warmer temperatures tomorrow. Meteorologist Cruz Medina joins us. now more on the forecast. Hey Cruz. Hey there. Yeah, today is the start of that warm up. Tipgers will press well into the 60s forward this afternoon. So you can see 64 and Raleigh, 61 and Henderson, but closer to 70 down in the Sand Hills, Fayetteville, you could hit 67 by this afternoon. Now early in the afternoon, it's going to take us a while to get into those 60s,

and that's because we've had such stubborn cloud cover this morning. Tipters will peak around 2 or 3 p.m. and then we see them hold steady through about the 4 or 5 p.m. hour, and even this evening will be mild compared to what we've seen the past few evenings. So overnight with the southwest wind in place and lots of clouds, tipters aren't going to cool down all that much. We should be in the upper 40s to low 50s across the region. So starting off your day mild tomorrow. And like Barbara just said, it's going to be even warmer than today. So with sunshine tomorrow and not as much clouds, tipters will push to around 70 for a high. That's not the only chance that we have to hit 70 throughout the next seven days. So if you look at Friday and Saturday,

we forecasted low 70s there and it looks like Saturday it's not out of the realm of possibility that we tie that high record high of 73 or possibly even break it as temperatures are already forecast to be in the loads mid 70s there so we will eventually see those tipters come down we'll talk about a big arctic front moving in this weekend and how that affects our temperatures coming up in your seven day forecast ember all right cruz thanks and happening today it is the first meeting of the new year for the raleigh city council right on the agenda including an update on the The fire recovery at the Raleigh Convention Center. Elena Athens joins us live with a look ahead. Elena, good afternoon. Good afternoon to you, Barbara and Amber. Yeah, we do know that there are some events that are gonna take place here at the Raleigh Convention Center this month.

There is a volleyball tournament scheduled MLK weekend and also the downtown Raleigh Home Show at the end of the month. This morning I spoke with the show coordinator and she says even though repairs are going to be taking place, she has been given the green light that this event can move forward at the end of the month, somewhere between 10 and 12,000 people will be attending that home show event here at the Raleigh Convention Center.

So later on this afternoon, the Raleigh City Council will be getting an update on where the repairs stand after last month's fire. The council will learn about the recovery and discuss the next steps to repair. There will also be a vote on the emergency resolution to give the city manager more authority on the project. Leaders from the convention center and the city attorney's office meet regularly to discuss. regularly to discuss the restoration efforts like how the fire created critical building systems to be compromised if the building can host events and impact the local economy. Right now, the cost to repair and restore is totaling just under a million dollars. In addition to that, another $280,000 for restoration in order to provide safety and security

to reopen by the end of this month. So we should be learning a little bit more once that meeting does get underway. council meeting is slated to start around 1 o'clock this afternoon. We're live in downtown Raleigh, Elena, Athens, ABC 11, eyewitness news. All right, Elena, thank you. New at noon, a grand jury indicts a former nurse at Duke University Medical Center on sexual assault charges. 39-year-old Jamil Tukato is accused of assaulting three patients in May and December of last year. Tucato is being held without bond as he faces a long list of charges, including sexual battery. Today's scheduled court hearing was canceled after the indictment yesterday.

New at noon, two people are on the run after a police chase and crash in Johnston County. Our breaking news crew says this started when troopers attempted to pull over a driver on I-95. A high-speed chase followed with the suspect then hitting another car, driving on the median, and nearly hitting two mobile homes. The two people in the truck ran away. They have not been found. And new at noon, we're hearing from North Carolina Senator Ted Budd, who is sharing his reaction to the operation in Venezuela that led to the arrest of that country's leader. Nicholas Maduro. Maduro now facing charges including narco terrorism here in the U.S. Michael Perchick joins us live

outside the Raleahub and his new center after going one-on-one with Senator Ted Bud. Michael, what's he sharing? Good afternoon, Amber and Barba. Much of the discussion of Capitol Hill among lawmakers in the immediate aftermath revolved around the administration moving forward with that military operation without seeking congressional approval. Bud sits on the U.S. Committee in Armed Services. He believes the process was

followed, saying the president and his cabinet were justified in their actions, expressing concerns over the possibility of a leak and wanting to protect those involved directly in the operation. He adds the administration will be briefing the committee this week where they expect to learn more about the planning, decision-making process, and battle damage assessment amidst other key points. What's the legal process moving forward in New York with Maduro and his wife? And then also what's the plan for regional stability of Venezuela? I think every mom and dad around the United States that has lost a child or a loved one from the narco trafficking is glad that somebody like this has been brought to justice.

Now, justice is not yet complete, but there's a lot more to do, but I think people are happy about what's been done. Outside the criminal charges, Maduro is now facing the U.S. human rights organizations have alleged his regime has engaged in the targeting of political opponents and acceptance. use of force amongst other actions. Coming up this afternoon, we speak with a local immigration attorney of potential impact this could have an asylum cases for Venezuelans in the U.S. I'm Michael Perchick. ABC 11, eyewitness news. Michael, thank you.

And today marks five years since the deadly January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Supporters of President Trump stormed the building in protest of the 2020 election certification affirming President Biden's victory. House Democrats today holding hearings, they see. highlight the ongoing threats to elections in public safety. ABC's Perry Rossum is in Washington. On the fifth anniversary of the attack of the Capitol, House Democrats are holding three unofficial hearings, they say, sets the record straight on the violent insurrection by supporters of President Trump. For a little over three hours, five years ago, this sacred temple of our

democracy where we are sitting today was transformed into a war zone. include Winston Pijam, a former U.S. Capitol police officer. Five years ago today, I was called a traitor, violently assaulted in the line of duty, punched in the face, pepper sprayed, and thought, I'm going to die here on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee yesterday releasing two new reports, examining the aftermath of the deadly attack. So this is a big one. On Trump's first day back in office, he issued sweeping pardons and commutations for more than 1,500 January 6 defendants. Among them,

More than 150 were charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or seriously injuring an officer. At least the cases that we looked at, these were people that actually love our country. The Democrats report cites a non-profit watchdog group that found at least 33 people who were parted have since been charged, arrested, or convicted of new crimes. That includes Christopher Moynihan. He was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Moynihan pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. The criminals and thugs that Donald Trump pardon have flooded communities across the country, unleashing violence and mayhem.

President Trump today talking January 6th, blasting the news media for its coverage of the day, the Select Committee who investigated the attack, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Perry Rustum, ABC News, Washington. New at noon, business leaders and economic officials meeting at downtown Raleigh today for the annual economic forecast. It's an opportunity to evaluate opportunities and challenges for the regional economy in the upcoming year. Sean Coffey is live outside the Martin Marietta Center where the event just wrapped up. Hey Sean. Yeah, hi Amber and Barbara. Major topics today included the role of AI and the triangle economy, the health of the real estate market here and lingering effects from

tariffs and inflation that this area continues to see. But most of the speakers at today's seminar agree that the triangle continues to see a healthy amount of investment and a high volume of people continue to move here. More broadly, concerns do remain about the strength of the overall economy as the business world awaits more potential cuts to interest rates and job growth remains sluggish. One of the panelists today was the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond who acknowledged that a lack of confidence continues to cast a shadow on business, but that he's confident that the triangle is well equipped to handle it.

2025's uncertainty is bound to diminish. The fog should lift. And as firms build confidence and demand in the policy environment, that should be good for hiring and for investment. Barkin was one of several speakers today who said that there should be real reason for optimism about the triangle and North Carolina's resilient in the face of some of those economic headwinds will have more on what's driving that as part of our full story today on eyewitness news at 430. We'll live in Raleigh, Sean Coffey, ABC 11, eyewitness News.

Thank you. New at noon, several different fire departments responded to a mobile home fire around two this morning. And as you can see, the trailer could not be saved. When fire department officials arrived on the scene, it was fully engulfed with fire spreading to the yard. Firefighters from Pikeville, Pleasant Grove, and Fremont were all put out to go to the fire. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. No injuries are reported at this time. The trial getting underway today for the former police officer charged in the Yuvaldi School Massacre will have that. story just ahead. And coming up, new videos showing the terrifying moments after a UPS plane crashes shortly after takeoff that story two minutes away. And the Department of Homeland Security says ICE agents were turned away from booking hotel rooms in Minneapolis. That's new at 1230. Watch Lauren Johnson tonight on ABC 11. I Witness News. New at noon, opening arguments in the trial of a former Texas police officer who responded to the mass shooting in Uvaldi, Texas, Texas. left 19 children dead. Adrian Gonzalez is facing charges of child abandonment and endangerment.

Prosecutors alleged Gonzalez failed to protect students from the teenager who opened fire at Rob Elementary School in 2022. That shooting killed 19 children and two teachers, 12 dwarers and four alternates were seated yesterday. Now to the new video showing the aftermath of the deadly UPS plane crash in Kentucky. The Louisville Police Department releasing its aerial and body cam video from that fateful day in November. You can see the charred debris, smoke plumes and fire there. Fifteen people died in the crash. Preliminary report says the left engine fell off the plane when critical hardware failed.

And new at noon, we turn to an update on the Swiss bar hit by a deadly New Year's Eve fire. According to local authorities, the Lake Constellation Bar had not been inspected in five years. 40 people died in the December 31st Inferno. Teenagers as young as 14 were among the victims of the fire. It's raising questions about whether sufficient age checks were in place. Governorland County Sheriff's Office needs your help, identifying two people accused of stealing playground equipment from a church in Fayetteville. And ramping up restrictions, Duke Health, putting limitations on visitors.

The changes coming as flu cases spike across the state. And Wegman's grocery store chain is using facial recognition technology in some stores to keep an eye on customers. Details coming up at 1230. The Mecklenburg County District Attorney calling on the FBI to investigate the county sheriff. Five people, including a state lawmaker and former deputy chief, have filed a formal petition asking a judge to remove Sheriff Gary McFadden from office. The group accuses McFadden of misconduct relating to conditions at the jail, retaliating against crime victims and whistleblowers, misuse of official resources, and weaponizing internal affairs. The Mecklenburg DA is asking the SBI to investigate the allegations before deciding if the removal petition can move forward. Well, as flu cases rise in our state, another local hospital system is implementing visitor restrictions.

Starting today, Duke Health says now it will allow more than two visitors. It will not allow more than two visitors at a time, and children under 12 are not permitted without prior approval. WakeMed, UNC Health, and Cape Verbella Health all have similar policies designed to slow the spread of respiratory viruses. It comes as new CDC data shows North Carolina is among 30 states with very high flu-like illnesses. The state health department will release its weekly data tomorrow. And happening now, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office is asking for your help. They're trying to identify these two people accused of stealing playground equipment from Femont Baptist Church in Fayetteville. The alleged incidents happened on, well, it happened on December the 5th and January 1st.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. Opening today, Durham County is helping residents weather any disaster, the county hosting an event on storm preparation and recovery, explaining insurance coverage, the claims process, and more. And you can also learn how to protect your home and your belongings during and after a storm. The event begins at 6 tonight. It's at South Regional Library. All right. Let's talk to meteorologist Cruz, Medina. He's here with this now with quite the warm up on the way. Oh, absolutely. It's going to feel great the next few days if you're a fan of warm weather. And I think we'll be able to give our winter jackets a little bit of a break. Just not for too long because, you know, North Carolina.

You know how it is. It's winter after all, right? Tifters are going to eventually go back to where they should be. But for the next few days, we can enjoy spring-like warmth. So today, highs in the 60s. By tomorrow, we're going to 70. And we can see more 70s into Friday and Saturday. You can see how quickly those tipters are going to come down throughout the weekend.

Saturday, very warm at 72 and only 56 for the high in Raleigh on Sunday. So tipgers, compared to average. We're talking 10 to 15 degrees above average today, closer to 20 degrees above average as we go into Wednesday, staying warm on Thursday, and then Friday, once again. That's kind of nearing record. So Friday and Saturday will be near those records. Maybe not breaking them, but there's a chance to at least tie the record as we go into Saturday. That's something that we'll see if it happens in time. But let's take a look outside. This is a live look from our self-help sky cam down in Fayetteville. And the clouds have finally broken apart. So it's a very cloudy start to the day. That kept tipters on the cool side for the morning, but tipters are warming up nicely at this hour. Already 59 in Lewisburg, Rocky Mount. You're at 62. We've got 61 in Smithfield and 60 in Siler City. If we look back to our south, so our winds are out of the southwest today, this is where our warm air is coming from.

It's coming from the south. That warmer air mass is being pushed into our region by those southwest winds, and so temperatures still are going to climb several more degrees as we go into the afternoon hours. First alert predictors shows those highs in the 60s later today. Some clouds roll in at times and we'll have them around overnight as well. That southwest wind will still be blowing overnight too. So tipgers will start out near 50 degrees in the morning. Lots of clouds as we start the day tomorrow. But throughout the day, those clouds start to fade away and we should see more sunshine for the second half of the day tomorrow.

If you ask me, I'd say tomorrow's the pick of the week. Tomorrow's the day to make outdoor plans and it's because tipgers are going to be even a little warmer than today. And of course, in the sunshine, it's going to feel. even better. Back to tonight's forecast. We do have a Kane's home game at the Lenovo center as they take on the Dallas stars. So if you're going out to that, Tipters will be in the mid to upper 50s before the game and after the game. So you don't have to wear your thick jacket for that. You probably wear a cane's hoodie and do just fine as you walk into the Lenovo center. But for tomorrow, another stellar day. Once again, a lot of sunshine compared to what we see throughout today. And that sunshine will last not too much longer than what we see throughout the day tomorrow. So by Thursday, we'll see the clouds increasing. This is ahead of our next weather maker that could bring some showers throughout this weekend. So as we go into Thursday, we'll be watching back to the west. It looks less than impressive at this frame that I'm showing you.

But through Friday and Saturday, the moisture arrives from the Gulf. And that'll give us a better chance of seeing some rain as we go throughout the day on Saturday. So recapping tonight, mild with temperatures in the 40s tomorrow. Even warmer than today, highs around 70 in the triangle and plenty of sunshine. Your first alert, Accuweather 7-day forecast is a very warm one until we get to this weekend. So tipter is in the low 70s for Friday and Saturday. Once that front arrives with some showers on Saturday, temperatures are going to come tumbling down into the 50s for Sunday and into the start of the next work week. Amber, back to you.

Rollercoaster continues. All right, Chris, thank you. A volunteer today for the man charged with breaking the windows of Vice President J.D. Vance was home in Ohio. That story just ahead. Plus, an update in the double murder of an Ohio dentist and his. Wife, one week after their deaths, police now have a person of interest. Watch Steve Daniels. Tonight on ABC 11, I Witness News. Authorities in Ohio are looking for a person of interest in connection to a double murderer.

Columbus police say a 37-year-old dentist and his 39-year-old wife were dead at their home on December the 30th. They were reportedly shot to death. Security camera shows an unidentified person walking through an alleyway near the home. home during the time frame of the crime. Police believe Monique and Spencer were killed between two and five in the morning. Their two young children were inside the home, but they were not hurt.

Investigators said that there were no obvious signs of forced entry, nor was a firearm found at the scene. An investigation is ongoing. The DOJ still has a mountain of Jeffrey Epstein material to review. More than 12,000 documents have already been released, but over two million others remain under the microscope. The DOJ was expected to release

everything on the convicted sex offender by December under a law passed by Congress late last year. Officials now say they need more time to sort through papers, photos, videos, and audio files stored in the FBI system. Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in 2019. Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville officially filed paperwork to run for governor of the state. Tuberville announced his plan to run back in May of last year. The first term U.S. Senator is a former college head football coach. He said that that background can serve him well in the governor's office to recruit new business to Alabama. The state's primary elections are set to take place May the 19th, and the general election is November the 3rd.

The Trump administration cutting off billions of dollars in funding for child care and social services in several states, it's part of their effort to crack down on fraud. Family and friends and dignitaries attend the private funeral for the granddaughter, former president John F. Kennedy. That story just ahead. Thank you.