ABC11 Eyewitness News - Eyewitness News at Noon - September 18, 2026

Episode Date: September 18, 2026

Eyewitness News at Noon - September 18, 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Right now at noon, a high-stakes competency hearing underway in Orange County Court. A court set to decide if the man charged with killing a UNC professor is fit to stand trial. We're live as the judge hears from witnesses. In Durham, swearing in its new top cop, the city holding an official ceremony for Chief Stephanie Martis, what she's saying about leading the police department. And tackling cybersecurity, Duke University bringing tech experts and students together to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence. It is 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 eyewitness news. Thank you for joining us for the news at noon. I'm Barbara Gibbs. Amber Repenta has the day off today. After a few days of perfect weather, the heat, as you've been told, crank it up again today. It definitely feels like summer today. And the heat could stir up severe storms this afternoon.

Let's get it off from meteorologist Playlority. Hey Barbara, yeah, summertime feels are back today ahead of a cold front. High temperature around 94 degrees this afternoon, but we will have some evening storms with a level one severe threat. Weekend, not as hot highs in the 80s. Some lingering spotty rain, maybe a stray storm Saturday, down to 20% on Sunday. Here's at risk for severe today. The main window 5 p.m. to 10 o'clock tonight. It's a level one on our scale of 1 to 5, so a low threat, but still a threat nonetheless. Less damaging winds the main concern. So any gusts between 40 and 60 miles per hour possible this evening along with downpours. We had some clouds this morning still lingering clouds around the sand hills. So that's slowing the warm up there.

A few showers too, but everywhere else we're seeing bright skies. There's the front tracking our way for later today. So you can see how rain chances really climbed towards evening hours and some lingering activity overnight into tomorrow morning. Live look into downtown. We have partly cloudy conditions here at RDU. 91 degrees, 7 degrees higher than yesterday. There's that due point back to 70. That's the humidity in term returning as well.

85 in Fayetteville contrast that with the sunshine over the triangle low 90s on temperatures there. It already feels like 97 in Roanoke Rapids, 97 Rocky Mountain, or Durham and Chapel Hill. And it feels like 94 degrees in Goldsboro. So we're looking at low to mid-90s today. Storms will get going a bit sooner for our northern counties this afternoon. High school football, unfortunately, another chance this week for showers and storms that could delay some games later this evening or at least pause them for a short time. As we head into tomorrow, Duke playing kicking off at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

Should be pretty decent weather for the game. 81 at kickoff up or 70s afterwards. Partly cloudy skies, maybe a stray shower. That is it. Drought monitor came out yesterday. Worst conditions, including for parts of the triangle. Now back to severe drought because we need some rainfall. We only had one surplus in the last several months.

That was July. And we really messed that up because August and September were quite hot. and we had limited rainfall. Good news, though, next week. The pattern changes. We'll see a wetter set up at least to start the week, and we're turning cooler just as fall arrives next week. We'll talk more about that in my 70 forecast. Barbara, back to you. All right, all sounds great. Goyland, thank you. New at noon, the former UNC graduate student accused of gunning down a professor on campus goes back before judge today. Cindy Bay is live in Orange County for us. Cindy, good afternoon to you. Today's hearing was an important step in determining if there will be a trial.

That's right, Barbara. And the court will hear from two witnesses today as the defense works to establish Tai Li Chi's mental state at the time of the August 2023 shooting. Now, Tai Lei Chi is accused of fatally shooting his faculty advisor, Professor Zizhi Yin, inside a campus science building in August, 2023. The court first heard from Dr. George Corvin, a Raleigh forensic psychiatrist. The defense asked Corvin to evaluate whether Chi was competent to proceed with the case and his mental state at the time of the shooting. This morning Corvin testified that staff members had raised concerns about Chi's deteriorating mental health for a year before the shooting. Multiple staff members had voiced concerns both in writing and other communications about Mr. Chi's declining or impaired mental health. Dr. Yan himself and as well as other staff members were concerned.

that he was seriously mentally ill, that his behavior was becoming more concerning. Dr. Yan at one point actually questioned whether he had schizophrenia. Now the defense has said it plans to pursue a not guilty by reason of insanity plea. The defense is continuing to question witnesses. They just announced the court will take a recess between 12 to 215. So we'll hear more later this afternoon. and we'll keep you updated throughout the day about what we learn here in Orange County in Hillsborough. Cindy, Bay, ABC 11, IWendous News.

All right, very interesting, Cindy. Thank you. Well, now to Durham, where the city's new police chief making it official with a swearing-in ceremony today. Akela Davis is at the ceremony. Akela, the new chief, actually been on the job for a few days, though, already. That's right, Barbara. You know, the city of Durham officially welcoming a new police chief, police chief, Stephanie Martis. She is the department's 17th chief.

and she's actually the fourth woman to lead in this capacity. So Chief Martyrs was officially sworn in with her mother and son by her side. There was a sea of support that included dozens of current and former law enforcement officers, city and county leaders and community members. Chief Martis has nearly 25 years of service with the Greensboro Police Department, where she held a number of positions ultimately becoming the assistant chief. So today, she asked the entire crowd to stand as she raised. the names of all Durham homicide victims that were killed this year.

She said celebrating her is over and it's time to get to work. To the community of Durham, you have welcomed me with open arms. I truly believe that the Lord has prepared me for such a time as this. This city, this community, it's vibrant. And Chief Martyr says she chose this day. for her swearing-in ceremony because it's her son Jackson's 20th birthday. Such a heartfelt moment. The crowd sang happy birthday to him, the Stevie Wonder version.

Back to you. That's a great version. All right, Akela Davis, thank you for that. New at noon, Carboreal police are searching for a woman accused of a stabbing that left the victim with life-threatening injuries. Police say it happened just after midnight off NC-54. The victim is expected to survive. Police are looking for 33-year-old Keila Quarles of Carborough. multiple charges. If you see her, you're asked to call 911 immediately. New at noon,

North Carolina is getting nearly $7 million in federal funding to strengthen mental health and addiction services. The State Department of Health and Human Services has been awarded three federal grants totaling nearly $7 million. A majority of that money will improve North Carolina's response to all 988 contacts, including calls, chats, and text messages. A separate grant will enhance mobile crisis teams, and a third grant will fund integrated mental health and substance use treatment specifically for pregnant and postpartum women and their families. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, it's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Wake County Commissioners have scheduled a vote on the merger between WakeMed and Atrium Health. That vote is Monday at 2 p.m. Commissioners are voting on proposed amendments to the WakeMed Articles of Incorporation and transfer agreement. In the proposed WakeMed Atrium Health Strategic Combination, Commissioners previously paused a vote, scheduled for May in order to get more information and public comment about that merger. Good news for United Health Care members who use WakeMed, your in-network access is coming back. WakeMed and United Health Care have signed a new three-year contract ending nearly a year of negotiations.

Starting October the 15th, commercial plan members will again have in-net access to WakeMed hospitals, clinics, and specialists. The deal does not cover Medicare Advantage members. Well, now at noon, the future of AI and how it's impacting cybersecurity is the first of focus of discussion at the third annual cybersecurity at Duke conference today as lawmakers, intelligence experts, and students come together to discuss technological challenges on the horizon. Sean Coffey is at Duke's Penn Pavilion with more from that event. Today's event included remarks from NSA Deputy Director Tim Koseba as well as Congresswoman

Deborah Ross and Valerie Fushi. It's all part of an event that Duke has put on the last three years and part of a broader conversation around AI and how it continues to impact cybersecurity and geopolitics. address tech leaders as well as students and professors from Duke's Master of Engineering Program which helped put on the event. Specifically there was conversation about how to balance the potential perils of AI with the need for the US to remain competitive in emerging technologies and use it for our national defense moving forward. That involves partnerships that events like today are trying to foster. Problems we're going to see with AI and in particular gentic AI they're

going to require a whole of government whole of society approach. The academia has to work with government, with corporations, and vice versa. There is no, there's no conceivable way that any one organization can do this on their own. Tech experts here today say AI is likely to become one of the key technologies moving forward in our cybersecurity efforts, but that putting the right guardrails in place will be key. In Durham, Sean Coffey, ABC 11, eyewitness news. Sean, thank you. Record high diesel prices are impacting grocery bills, plane tickets, and home heating bills this fall,

what's driving the spike and how the impacts are spreading far beyond the gas pump. And the so-called tycoon of finance is officially stepping down what Warren Buffett is now doing and also an inside look into new leadership that will soon take over Berkshire Hathaway. That's next. The holdout drawer in the Lindsay Can't Lindsay Clancy murder trial is speaking out. His account that led to the hung jury is strikingly different from the claims of the defense. Michael Desranville says he had zero doubts about her guilt throughout seven days of deliberations. In a statement shared to ABC News by his attorney, Desronville said, quote, based on all the physical evidence, key witnesses, and what the prosecution presented, I thought it was enough proof that she knew exactly what she was doing and planned, end of quote.

He says every time he tried to explain his reasoning to other jurors, he was cut off as if they assumed he had doubts when he did not. His account directly contradicts the defense, which had acknowledged him of acknowledging doubt, but refusing to apply it to the verdict. Clancy was charged with murdering her three young children. Her defense argued she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis. The trial ended in a mistrial. Eye witness is with an eye on the economy rising fuel prices, putting pressure on budgets. Olivia Rubin, with more on how the pain at the pump is spreading to all areas of life. Gas prices climate with the war in Iran during the seven-month mark and no end in sight. And refineries in the Middle East and Russia are damaged, which could keep prices climbing higher.

Americans like Brittany Bivens in North Carolina say they're feeling the pain. I'm a teacher, so I don't make a lot of money. It's really, you have to make a decision on gas, food, you know, the basics. A gallon of gas averaging almost $450, according to Gas Buddy, and diesel reaching the highest price average ever recorded, $6.44 and climbing. That's the fuel that powers trucks, trains, and tractors. Everyone's affected by this. From the growers, the producers, the shippers, the receivers, supermarkets, no hold on. Jamie Hagan owns a small trucking company in South Dakota. I paid $6 for fuel today. I've never paid $6 for fuel. Like I just, I stare at that number in complete disbelief.

And with cooler temperatures on the horizon, prices to heat homes this winter expected to rise to. Homes that heat with electricity and propane expected to pay nearly 10% more. Natural gas, nearly 6% more. And if you use oil, those bills are expected to go up more than 30% this winter. And for those looking for a way to save here, try small things like signing up for your gas stations rewards app, which can get you cash back at some locations that can help bring down the prices a bit. In Washington, Olivia Rubin, ABC News. 96-year-old Warren Buffett says he is stepping down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway after more than 50 years in that role. In a letter to shareholders, he cites his age and his confidence in the company's new CEO.

That is a position Buffett left last year. The so-called Oracle of Omaha is assuming an emeritus role at Berkshire Hathaway. His son Howard is becoming the new chairman. Buffett is credited with using his investing powers to make the company one of the most valuable in the world. A three-year-old proving it really is a small world, the record she just said that makes her a part of Disney magic. And when it comes to getting sleep, a new study reveals which is more important to your health, the amount of sleep you get or the quality of sleep. That story new at 1230.

Well, it's a small world is one of our parent company Disney's most beloved and time-honored attractions at its theme parks. But as one young Disney superfan has just discovered, it's actually not such a small world after all. In fact, she and her family hopscotch the world landing herself a world record. Check it out. Three-year-old Bootsie Darrington is official. a Guinness World Record Holder, becoming the youngest person to visit all 12 Disney parks. Yeah, congratulations. You're officially amazing.

Bootsy was just 11 months old when she went to her first park, Disney Sea, in Tokyo. Her mother, Jessica Derrington, says it was a work trip that initially brought the Idaho family to Asia. Throughout the course of the next year, we just happened to be in Disney locations around the world, and so we always found ourselves at Disney. Neither my husband and I grew up doing Disney at all. And so it was fun to experience at first time with the kids. And this week, Bootsie visited her final magical destination,

Disney Adventure World Paris. She gave me a close-up of her award. Spangis. Can I see it? What? That is so cool. Bootsie celebrating her achievement with a lollipop and by making her brother Briggs carry around her new title.

And if you think Briggs looks familiar, you're right. He went viral as the Pena Colada kid. It's pediatric. My seven, peyneillata. But on Bootsie's special day, the new world of Frozen is where the park princess wanted to roam. Who's your favorite character? Oh, Elsa.

This moment, don't think the Derringtons will ever be able to let it go. Let it go! It was a really special moment, and it just kind of was a fun way to commemorate all of the travels that we've done together as a family around the world. Sophie Flay, ABC News, New York. I want to travel with Bootsie. I want a piata.

Today would be the perfect day. Perfect day for a piñata. Alcoholic, non-alcoholic. Your choice for sure. Something to keep you cool, though, that's for sure. We're tracking the chance for some showers and storms later today, but right now it's all about the heat and the sunshine. Still some clouds lingering to the south.

We have a front to the north that will bring that storm chance. Ahead of that, though, heating up to the mid-90s, it's going to feel hotter, more like 100 when you factor in humidity. weekend not as hot 80s for highs. A few lingering showers Saturday. Sunday looks drier at this point for the most part. Just a 20% chance of a shower or storm. So 5 p.m. to 10 o'clock tonight, we do have that isolated severe weather threat for damaging winds. Could be some downpours too, so maybe some minor flash flooding in a few spots. Here's a light look downtown bright skies. Yes, we are into the 90s right now in the triangle 90 and Sanford Goldsboro, 85thville, 88 degrees

in Roxborough, up to 94 at 4. And by this time, I do think we have spotty. storms to the north scattered storms by the evening hours, uh, 76 degrees at 10 tonight. For the kids that are heading to those football games, if there is a delay to the game, please have a safe space, not in the bleachers to go to if those storms do develop. Overnight may be some lingering showers. I think we have a few showers tomorrow morning. Then we'll see mainly cloudy skies overall tomorrow. There's the front to the north.

You can see the clouds to around Virginia. So timing this out, two, three o'clock next few hours, spotty activity. This is five o'clock. More action to the north initially. diving south through the triangle point south and east through late tonight. Heading into the overnight hours again some passing light showers, maybe a spotty storm possible, nothing severe, and we'll hold on to some shower potential Saturday because the front still close by at this point. As we get into Sunday, that's when we'll start to break out into a little bit more sunshine by late morning,

but there will be another disturbance that may bring a stray shower. I think overall the air will be dry enough to help support the shower activity coming to an end late Sunday evening. in night. Rain chances do go back up next week, though. The same front that lifts back north, pushes back closer. So that's going to bring rain and storms Monday through Wednesday of next week. And we celebrate that because of our deficit on rainfall for the month at RDU is now approaching two inches. I think between Monday and Wednesday, we could see one to three inches of rain with some isolated higher totals. If you are beachbound this weekend, some scattered storms highs in the 80s in the 80s in the mountains, rain and storm chances continue there, but 70s and 80s for

high temperatures. In the tropical, There was one disturbance near Bermuda. The hurricane center was watching no longer a concern for development. The other is near the Azores and it has a medium shot to develop, but it's way out to see and that chance for development will be cut to an end very soon. 94 degrees a high today, hot and humid, scattered storms late, 71 tonight with scattered storms and then turning mainly cloudy. Into the weekend, 80s for highs, Monday, upper 80s.

So we're hot again, but not for long. Tuesday, scattered storms, high, slow 80s, fall arrives Tuesday evening. And it feels like fall Wednesday and Thursday, highs in the 70s, humidity lower, and by Thursday night, we drop into the 50s at night. So some nice fall air is on the way. Be back to you. Speaking about love language. Yes.

Quaylan, thank you. All right, well, you buy an item online, decide later you don't want to, but you may have noticed stores are making it harder for you to return ahead. What you need to know about store policies. Reaching your audience on Spotify with display ads is easy. Use your existing creative and launch your. first campaign in minutes with Spotify ads manager. Italian Apple store employees go on strike today over working conditions.

It also happened to be the same day as the launch of the new iPhone 18 Pro. The unions are demanding that more employees be hired, the moving of fixed term employees onto permanent contracts, and that part-time staff be given the option of working longer hours if they wish to. More than 1,600 employees in 17 Apple stores are involved. Well, if you think it's been hard to ever return some products, you're right, and it's harder than ever now. For years, those no questions asked policies and long return windows made returns almost as easy as checking out. From fees to shrinking return deadlines, customers on social media say that the rules are getting harder to unpack.

So why the change? Retailers say returns are expensive and processing one can cost the company. Companies are also warning customers that future returns could be denied. For shoppers, the real sticker shock may be the return policy itself, especially if they don't see it until after they check out. I do think that it is more important that companies are transparent. I think a lot of the time they hide it in the small print because they know that we're not we're not reading it like we should. And we should. The bottom line, before you buy, check the return window, the fees and whether you can return it in the store.

Still ahead on eyewitness at noon, the man charged with killing a UNC professor in court today. the questions about his competency to stand trial. And creating more safe spaces for young people in Raleigh will take you to one neighborhood where that work is already happening. And a reminder, you can find eyewitness News live on ABC 11, Disney Plus, and everywhere you stream.