RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Childcare funding and increased teacher pay have been two of the biggest issues this legislative session.
Our newsgathering partners, the News and Observer reported that Republicans in both chambers agreed to passed standalone bills that allocate $67.5 million in funding for childcare centers through the end of the year, as well as formally authorize pay raises for teachers and other school employees.
The pay raises were initially approved in last year’s two-year budget but required additional language to take effect. The raises ranged from 3.6% to 10.8% over two years based on experience.
The two bills have been sent to Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk for signature or veto days before the fiscal year begins.
Without additional funding, many of these childcare centers could shut down or raise tuition fees at the end of June. The House approved both bills Wednesday, just hours after eight people were arrested during a rally focused on childcare funding.
WATCH | Eight arrested during childcare rally at General Assembly
The group called on lawmakers to provide enough money to make up the so-called “funding cliff” that childcare providers face.
“This General Assembly is out of control. And we went down there today to say our kids are worth it. Our kids are who we want to fight for,” organizer Rob Stephens said on Wednesday. “And childcare providers and teachers shouldn’t be going homeless. Because that’s what’s happening.”
Stephens was among seven others arrested for second-degree trespassing and violating legislative body rules.
The Senate approved both bills Thursday before sending them off to the governor.
If Cooper signs them into law, they will take effect just in time for the new fiscal year on Monday.
WENDELL, N.C. (WTVD) — A 2-year-old boy died Tuesday after an incident in a pool at a Wake County home.
The Wake County Sheriff’s Office said it happened at a pool in the backyard of a home on Gail Ridge Lane.
When deputies arrived Tuesday morning, the child had already been pulled from the pool. First responders immediately began to attempt life-saving measures.
The child was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
“The entire Wake County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest condolences to the family during this tragic time. We stand with them and the community, providing any assistance we are able to as they navigate this profound loss,” Sheriff Willie Rowe said.
As more people head out to the water this summer, drowning prevention tips are top of mind for water safety experts.
Local emergency responders expect to see an increase in water-related injuries as the summer months continue.
“Community pools are opening, the lakes are starting to become more popular, the beach is starting to become more popular,” Wake EMS Vikki Huffman said. “So that’s why we’re probably going to start seeing a larger increase because of everybody being out.”
The Big Blue Swim School in Apex opened up just in time, teaching Wake County families lifesaving skills.
“A lot of these children have never seen a body of water before, have never been away from parents before,” Tatum Allen said. “So it’s really important that we build their comfortability and their confidence in the water.”
In just this month alone, there have been at least four reported drownings across the Triangle, including two young people.
A GoFundMe that was launched describes the teen as an “incredible and cherished young man,” who had the “biggest heart,” and “sweetest loving spirit.”
As of Tuesday, more than $10,000 was raised to help the family with funeral costs.
“It can happen to anybody in a split second,” Huffman said.
According to Huffman, some drowning prevention tips include keeping an eye on who’s swimming and using a flotation device if necessary.
“If you can’t swim or know that you’re not the strongest swimmer … don’t swim by yourself,” Huffman said. “Don’t go into any big currents, especially watch the weather.”
Huffman said there’s also safety advice for families who are waiting for first responders after a drowning.
“The biggest thing for people is to try to get that water up and encourage them to cough if they can and then do administer some chest compressions if needed,” Huffman said. “Sometimes (that) can help with getting some of that water up and they’ll start coughing it up and start breathing on their own. And then if they don’t, then we can kind of come in and do some of our advanced airway stuff.”
But it’s safe to say an encounter with an exotic African cat wasn’t on most North Carolina beachgoers’ bingo cards.
But that’s what happened in Carteret County where, fortunately, this big cat, a serval, had an owner — and a leash.
Mia Swift brought her serval, to Emerald Isle Beach. As ABC affiliate WCTI put it, “This sparked curiosity among the Emerald Isle community, leading to numerous reactions on social media.”
WCTI spoke to Swift to find out what the deal was.
Swift said she occasionally takes her wild cat, named Kenai, to the beach during off-peak hours. She added that she does advise curious onlookers to maintain a safe distance.
NC State tipped off summer with a sweet upgrade at the Dail Basketball Center.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — NC State tipped off summer with a sweet upgrade at the Dail Basketball Center.
A new banner is on display outside noting the Wolfpack’s impressive postseason run.
The Pack became Atlantic Coast Conference champions after winning the ACC Tournament.
The banner commemorates that title, plus NC State’s additional postseason run to the Final Four, which included an NCAA tournament South Region championship.
The Dail Basketball Center is the hub of men’s basketball at NC State and houses the coaches and staff offices, a practice court and other amenities.
FRESNO, Calif. — Robin McGehee made history becoming Fresno’s first LGBTQ+ liaison, as her pursuit for equal treatment continues in the face of politics.
“You have a choice in a moment of conflict that you can either just take it and, succumb to the conflict, which only builds resentment,” McGehee said. “It only is going to drive you more crazy. or you can decide that I’m going to do something about this. I want to be active. I want to stand up for myself.”
McGehee recalls her experience leading up to the 2008 Presidential Election, which had the controversial California ballot measure Proposition 8 go to voters. The measure would add language to the California Constitution that defined marriage as between one man and one woman.
“All I could think about is we need to organize and show them that we’re just like everyone else, that we need to be welcomed into this society,” McGehee said.
She remembers election night vividly.
“We lost Prop. 8 on the exact same night that Barack Obama won,” McGehee said. “So it was like a sucker punch. I had my hands up here, and then my belly was like in turmoil.”
The Fresno Bee interviewed that same week at a candlelight vigil that McGehee had organized at her church, the Wesley United Methodist Church.
That interview would be seen by the priest of the church. and create a domino effect that would lead McGehee down the path of community activism.
“I got a phone call from the principal and said that she was in tears. She was like, I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but we’re going to have to remove you from the president of the PTA,” McGehee said.
In response, she pulled her son who was attending school at the church and severed ties completely.
“I swore I would never stop fighting until they felt as welcomed in the community as every other kid,” McGehee.
Joined by other frustrated parents, McGehee would organize a march onto the steps of Fresno City Hall called “Meet in the Middle.”
“The reason that was significant is because the mayor at the time was, Alan Autry,” McGehee said. “He was using the steps as a bully pulpit to speak out against our families.”
“I do believe that ‘Meet in the Middle’ showed the community, you’re not alone.”
McGehee would take her activism to the national level, co-directing the National Equality March that saw 250,000 people march in Washington D.C.
As well as founding the non-profit organization “GetEQUAL.” A group that advocated for LGBT social and political equality through confrontational but non-violent direct action.
“We highlighted the injustices. We brought attention to the bills that needed to be repealed…” McGehee said. “But we also brought attention to the fact that our movement is intersectional. We were arguing for trans rights early on, pushing different environments, about racial identity and not just being a white movement.”
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — An 18-year-old from Fayetteville was found in good condition in Virginia after being abducted Thursday morning.
The N.C. Center for Missing Persons issued an Ashanti Alert for the woman Thursday morning around 9. By noon the alert had been canceled.
Investigators told ABC11 the woman was found in Virginia and four men are in custody in connection to her abduction.
Police said all of the men were from Tennessee. Stephen McGovern,19, Alana Adams, 27, D’Anthony Tuthill, 22, and Dustin Hicks, 34, are all charged with first-degree kidnapping and felony conspiracy.
Fayetteville Police Department said the woman was forced into a vehicle against her will Thursday morning by people she knew. The vehicle then drove off.
Investigators said the case remains open.
What is an Ashanti Alert?
An Ashanti Alert is issued when a person between the ages of 19-64 has been reported missing and the circumstances surrounding their disappearance could be the result of a kidnapping or abduction. In many of the cases, law enforcement fears the person may be in danger.
Watch Eyewitness News, First Alert Weather, and original programming.
BUTNER, N.C. (WTVD) — Butner Public Safety is asking for help in identifying four people suspected of breaking into nine cars.
Officers responded Tuesday to 20th Street and found that 9 vehicles had been broken into.
Eight of those were unlocked and the suspects busted a window to enter the other vehicle.
Images of one of the four break-in suspects.
Butner Public Safety
The thieves took guns, several wallets, and cash during the break-in spree.
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A store security camera captured images of one of the suspects as well as the suspects’ vehicle, a black Kia Sportage.
Surveillance image of the suspect vehicle.
Butner Public Safety
Anyone who can identify the suspect or car is asked to please contact Lt. N. Williams at (919) 575-6561 ext. 111 or call the Granville County Crime Stoppers, Inc. at (919) 693-3100. A reward of up to $2,000 is offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. Callers do not have to give their names and personal information.
GARNER, N.C. (WTVD) — A woman was shot in Garner while sitting outside an apartment on Tuesday night.
She was expected to be OK, but police are still searching for the people who fired those shots.
It happened about 9 p.m. at the Avery Square apartments in the 100 block of Avery Street, where an active police presence remained late into the evening.
Garner Police said they think that the shooter fired between five and seven rounds.
The woman was shot in the arm while she was sitting on a chair on a balcony. Police originally said she was 23 but on Wednesday, they corrected her age to 21.
She was rushed to WakeMed for treatment of what was described as a non-life-threatening injury. No one else was injured.
ABC11 has learned that the shooting suspect jumped into a burgundy Honda Accord. The suspect and a driver fled on Avery Street toward Powell Drive.
Police said the shooting suspect was dressed in all-black clothing and had medium-length hair.
The Honda Accord was found later in Raleigh and was being processed for evidence.
Though Garner Police is the lead agency, the Wake County Sheriff brought a K-9 to search the area.
Police advised people who live near Avery Square to keep an eye out and give them a call if they see anything suspicious.
Investigators are still working to piece together a motive. GPD said it did not believe the victim was the target of the shooter but said it also did not think this was a random act.
CARY, N.C. (WTVD) — A teacher at Millbrook Magnet High School was named 2024 Wake County Public School System Teacher of the Year on Monday evening.
Ryan Berglund has been a Sustainable Agriculture Academy teacher at Millbrook since July 2019.
He started teaching Career and Technical Education after working as a welder and equipment fabricator.
He is also a graduate of Millbrook High.
When sharing his approach to teaching, Berglund wrote, “Our students are able to build some amazing projects that show their true understanding of the objectives in the course. I always tell my students, ‘I will not be there in the real world to tell you how to build it, you will have to figure it out.’ This takes their understanding to a new level.”
Berglunf holds a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education from the University of Mount Olive but his secret weapon is that he is the only agriculture teacher in North Carolina who is an AWS Certified Welding Inspector.
Because of his unique qualifications, he can provide his students with a welding certification that industry professionals equate to passing the bar exam to become a lawyer. Under his mentorship, 64 students have become certified welders ready to enter the workforce upon graduation.
He said that his experience with educational differences has shaped how he interacts with his students.
“In the third grade, I was diagnosed with dyslexia. In resource classes, I was able to see how students with disabilities have been given a different lens to look through that is not right or wrong, just different. This is a mindset I try to instill in all of my students,” Berglund said.
As Teacher of the Year, Berglund will get to participate in the Go Global NC international study program in the Netherlands during the summer of 2025. The trip is sponsored by the Dan Royster Memorial Teacher Award, in honor of a former WCPSS science teacher.
He will also have the opportunity to attend the Global Leaders Teacher Fellowship conference compliments of Participate Learning.
Berglund also received an engraved award, a $100 gift card to Angus Barn, a $1,000 check from sponsors, a weekend stay at the Umstead Hotel and Spa, a $100 Amazon gift card and even autographed hockey gear donated by the Carolina Hurricanes, among other prizes.
To top it off, he will also have the use of a 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, compliments of Capital Chevrolet, for the next year.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) — The White House announced that President Biden will be visiting families of the officers who were killed in a Charlotte standoff.
A source confirmed to WSOC in Charlotte, that Biden will be visiting families in Charlotte on Thursday. Additional details about Biden’s visit haven’t been made public yet.
The visit comes a day before the president is supposed to make an appearance in Wilmington. The White House has not announced any changes to the planned trip to Wilmington at this time.
The officers were shot and killed as they attempted to serve two warrants in Charlotte on Monday, city officials said. Four other officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the incident.
A man, later identified by authorities as Terry Clark Hughes Jr., 39, allegedly began firing at about 1:30 p.m. Monday, striking multiple officers, police said. The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force had been serving active felony warrants for possession of a firearm by a felon and felony flee to elude.
Hughes Jr. was shot and killed in the front yard of the home.
Saing Chheon still remembers having to escape war growing up in Cambodia
“The bomb dropped on the village; we lost my daddy and we just ran out,” he recalls.
Chheon was able to settle in Charlotte as a refugee in the 1980s. Now decades later, he never expected that kind of violence would show up right at his door again.
The deputy U.S. marshal who died in the shooting was 48-year-old Thomas M. Weeks.
“I can’t believe it’s right beside my house,” he said.
Chheon spent Tuesday placing flowers on the spot where he saw officers get shot in his own backyard.
He said he had to duck for cover as the suspect nextdoor opened fire on law enforcement serving a warrant on 39-year-old Terry Hughes, Jr. for illegal possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Hughes opened fire shortly after officers arrived at the home.
In video Chheon recorded himself, you can hear multiple rounds of gunfire as officers take position behind parked cars in his garage.
“We’re a resilient profession and a resilient city and we will certainly get through this, but it will take time and it will take support,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said.
DETROIT (WTVD) — The Panthers gave young quarterback Bryce Young another weapon on Thursday night.
Carolina selected wide receiver Xavier Legette out of South Carolina after trading up one spot in the NFL draft to No 32. Legette was the last of seven wide receivers selected in an offensive-heavy first round.
The 6-foot-1, 221-pound Legette possesses good size and speed and is coming off a highly productive season with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns for the Gamecocks. He had no more than 18 receptions in a season in his first four years at South Carolina before emerging in 2023.
Watch every pick of the second and third rounds beginning at 7 p.m. on ABC11.
Legette gives the Panthers another option to go along with Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen and last year’s second-round pick, Jonathan Mingo. There’s a possibility he could also be used on kickoff returns, too.
Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said Legette has the “dog mentality” he covets in players.
“He definitely has that about him,” Morgan said. “He’s a great young man, but you can tell he has that look in his eye. I think he’s not only a special player but a special person. … He’s big, he’s strong, fast and physical. He has a lot of qualities we just loved.”
Carolina Panthers first-round draft pick Xavier Legette holds up his jersey during a news conference on Friday in Charlotte.
Chris Carlson
Morgan said the team began to zero in on Legette after bringing him in for a meeting before the draft. Previously, the team had sent 10 members of the organization to Legette’s workout in Columbia, South Carolina, where Carolina wide receivers coach Rob Moore ran the drills.
Legette mentioned on social media before the draft that he thought the Panthers would take him if he fell to No. 33.
Turns out he was right.
“There was a good vibe there,” Legette said of the meeting.
Panthers coach Dave Canales said he likes the versatility that Legette brings after he was used in several roles in college.
“If you look at the versatile way the Gamecocks were able to use him whether it’s out of the backfield, jet sweeps, short crossers, down-the-field posts – there really isn’t much more we can do with receivers,” Canales said. “And he’s done it all.”
Legette was known as a physical receiver in college and plans to bring that to the next level.
“This is a grown man’s game and I feel like I’m a grown man,” Legette said.
This is the second time in the past four years the Panthers have selected a South Carolina player in the first round after taking cornerback Jaycee Horn eighth overall in 2021. Horn has been very good when he’s played for the Panthers, but has struggled with injuries. On Friday, the team announced it has picked up Horn’s fifth-year option.
Legette used to go against Horn daily in practice a few years back.
“He is one of the reasons that I became the player that I am,” Legette said. “He made me better.”
The Panthers didn’t have a first-round pick entering the night. The team traded that pick – which turned out to be the No. 1 overall pick – to the Chicago Bears last year to move up to get Young. The Bears used that pick on quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Panthers traded the 33rd overall pick and one of their fifth-round picks to the Buffalo Bills for the 32nd pick and the Bills’ sixth-round selection.
Texas running back Jonathon Brooks.
Eric Gay
SECOND ROUND
The Panthers selected Texas running back Jonathon Brooks with the 46th overall pick.
The Panthers traded up six spots to take Brooks on Friday night, the second-latest selection for the first running back to go off the board.
“I think for us, we value the running backs and we value the running game,” Morgan said. “I think to have a guy like Jonathon Brooks, he was a guy we loved and identified. … They are valuable to us because we are going to be running the ball.”
The only draft that had a longer wait for a running back came in 2014. Bishop Sankey was the first taken when he went 54th to Tennessee that year.
Brooks might have gone earlier but he tore his ACL late in the season after rushing for 1,139 yards in 11 games.
Brooks said he believes the league is underrating the position.
“I guess the league and all of the fans will see this year,” Brooks said. “I do agree that as a running backs class, and in the NFL in general, I think a lot of people are going to start showing why we should be held to a higher standard.”
THIRD ROUND
With the eighth pick of the third round (72nd overall) the Panthers took Trevin Wallace, a linebacker out of Kentucky.
FOURTH ROUND
With the first pick of the fourth round (101 overall), the Panthers added Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.
FIFTH ROUND
With the 22nd pick of the fifth round (157 overall), the Panthers added Washington cornerback Chau Smith-Wade
SIXTH ROUND
With the 24th pick of the sixth round (200 overall), the Panthers added Mississippi State defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy.
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — At least a couple of NFL prospects from Triangle schools expect to hear their names called Thursday night during the first round of the NFL Draft.
Plenty more will be taken Friday or Saturday somewhere in the second through seventh rounds.
Others will go undrafted but sign free-agent deals with teams in hopes of making a practice squad or even an active roster.
Here are a few of the players from area schools to watch as the NFL Draft gets underway.
UNC quarterback Drake Maye has deep family ties to the Chapel Hill campus, where his father Mark played quarterback and his brothers Luke and Beau both played basketball.
Drake Maye, QB, UNC
Opinions differ on where Maye ranks among the top college signal-callers, but there’s no debating that he’s one of the few elite QB talents in the draft. At 6-4, 223 pounds, Maye has great size but can make plays with his arm or feet.
in Maye’s first season (2022) as a starter at UNC, he threw for 4,321 yards with 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions. With several key receivers gone to the NFL in his second season, his numbers took a dip as he passed for 24 TDs with nine interceptions.
Still, as ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper describes Maye, “He looks the part of a big-time NFL signal-caller. He can make every throw with ease. He’s accurate on the move and can pick up first downs with his legs. Maye varies his pass speeds really well — he knows when to take a little off to make it easier for his receivers. He has outstanding touch on vertical throws.”
Maye is projected to go as high as No. 2 to the Washington Commanders or No. 3 overall to the spot held by the New England Patriots. It would be a shocker if he fell lower than fifth overall Thursday night.
Graham Barton of Duke
Chris Seward
Graham Barton, OL, Duke
In a class deep in offensive lineman, Barton stands out as one of a handful expected to go in the first round.
Most analysts project Barton as a center in the NFL, and at Duke, the 6-5, 313-pound Barton played a few games at that position though mostly played left tackle. He made 39 starts for the Blue Devils.
Kiper says of Barton: “Extremely coachable and technically sound, and he has excellent natural ability. He plays an aggressive style of football. He is equally adept at both pass protection and moving defenders off the line of scrimmage in the run game. The NFL will love Barton’s game-to-game consistency, starting experience and versatility.”
Barton is expected to be chosen in the 20s on Thursday and be an instant starter.
NC State linebacker Payton Wilson
Ben McKeown
Payton Wilson, ILB, NC State
No one is denying Wilson’s talent. The 6-4, 233-pound linebacker dazzled with his speed and athleticism at the NFL combine where he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash. He’s shown incredible instincts and always seems to be around the ball.
The Hillsborough native won the Chuck Bednarik Award in 2023, given to the college football defensive player of the year, and also won the Dick Butkus Award as the nation’s best college linebacker.
Wilson has first-round attributes but most analysts project him to go in the second or even third round mostly because of his injury history and because he’s an older draft entry at 24 years old.
NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks says Wilson reminds him of former Carolina Panthers great Luke Kuechly. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year will surely make his presence felt no matter where he is drafted.
UNC wide receiver Tez Walker
Reinhold Matay
Tez Walker, WR, UNC
The 6-1 2/2, 193-pound Walker played only eight games in his only year in Chapel Hill because of eligibility issues but still made an impact with seven touchdowns on 41 catches. He racked up 699 yards — an average of 17 yards per catch. That’s the kind of big-play ability that gets the attention of pro scouts.
Most analysts see Walker as a Day 2 guy, getting selected as high as the mid-second round or possibly the third round. NFL Network projects Walker to be a good backup with the potential to develop as a starter.
UNC linebacker Cedric Gray
Karl B DeBlaker
Cedric Gray, LB, UNC
Gray was a highly productive linebacker for the Tar Heels, recording 121 tackles including 64 solo ones in 2023. He also had five sacks and forced two fumbles.
The Charlotte native is a little undersized by preferred NFL standards (6-1 1/2, 234 pounds) but projects as a good depth player who could eventually start. Analysts seem to think Gray will be taken late in the third round or early in the fourth.
Duke’s DeWayne Carter puts a hit on Notre Dame and former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman.
DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke
Opinions have varied wildly on the 6-2, 302 Carter. Some draftheads have mocked Carter as early as the fourth round while others see him as a sixth-round pick.
Kiper has Carter at 93rd in his list of Top 100 players in the draft.
Carter’s sack numbers and solo tackles were down in 2023 from previous seasons, but much of that can be attributed to increased double teams on the disruptive Duke defender.
NFL Network grades him as a good rotational player with the upside to eventually start.
NC State center Dylan McMahon
Karl B DeBlaker
Dylan McMahon, C, NC State
The 6-3, 299-pound McMahon was a reliable member of the NC State offensive line. A team captain, he earned elite grades in seven games, more than any other offensive lineman.
As a pro prospect, opinions vary about his draft grade, with analyst opinions varying from a fourth-round selection to the final picks of Day 3. Kiper ranks McMahon as the eighth-best center prospect.
Regardless of where he’s drafted, McMahon is seen as a depth player with value on special teams by most analysts.
Duke center Jacob Monk.
Terrance Williams
Jacob Monk, C, Duke
Speaking of centers, Monk, at 6-3, 320 pounds, has excellent size for that position.
The Clayton native was a two-time team captain for the Blue Devils who started 44 consecutive games on the offensive line at one stretch. He has played all three line positions but projects as a center in the NFL.
Kiper rates Monk as the 13th-best center in the draft pool and he could hear his name called Saturday when rounds 4-7 are held.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Raleigh Police said late Tuesday evening that a man has been arrested and charged after gunshots were fired on the campus of Shaw University in downtown Raleigh on Tuesday afternoon.
Kamal Rasool Abdal-Rafi, 74, was arrested and charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to kill, four counts of felony discharging a firearm on educational property, five counts of felony possession of a firearm on educational property, one count of going armed to the terror of the public and one count of cruelty to animals.
ABC Commission Law Enforcement Chief for Wake County Kevin Lawrence said one of his officers was on campus when he heard the gunshots. He immediately took off running toward the sound.
RPD said it appears that Abdal-Rafi got into an argument with a man in front of the International Studies Building. off Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard near South Blount Street. The building houses classrooms on the first level and the King Khalid Mosque on the second level.
Shots were fired but no one was injured. Shaw workers told ABC11 that they heard five shots fired.
A Shaw police officer and the ABC agent took Abdal-Rafi into custody after a short foot chase.
Gunshots fired on campus at Shaw University in downtown Raleigh; police take suspected shooter into custody
RPD said neither man involved in the argument was a student or staffer at Shaw.
Police said Abdal-Rafi had three weapons on him when he was taken into custody. Two additional weapons were found in his car but RPD did not specify what type of weapons.
University leaders canceled classes for the rest of the day.
The family of Allisha Watts is dealing with more heartache but determined to keep seeking justice for the woman found dead last August.
CANDOR, N.C. (WTVD) — The family of Allisha Watts is dealing with more heartache Monday.
ABC11 learned that Watts’ mother, Evex Franklin, had died.
Franklin died Sunday from an undisclosed health condition.
Franklin had been fighting for justice for her 39-year-old daughter who was reported missing and later found dead in Montgomery County back in August. Family members say they are determined to continue to seek justice for Watts.
“I felt it in my heart that something was wrong,” Franklin told ABC affiliate WSOC in February. “I don’t want the world to forget my baby. She was wonderful.”
Watts’ boyfriend, James Dunmore, of Charlotte, was charged with her murder.
An autopsy on Watts was unable to determine her cause of death.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Roy Cooper declared Friday “North Carolina and Japan Friendship Day” as he hosted the Japanese Prime Minister on a trip to spotlight the country as the state’s biggest foreign investor.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife, Yuko Kishida, traveled to North Carolina on Thursday night after visiting Washington D.C.
“It puts North Carolina on the global stage of economic development,” Gov. Roy Cooper said Friday after touring the Honda Aircraft Co. headquarters in Greensboro with the Prime Minister. “We know that foreign direct investment is needed to put money in the pockets of North Carolina families. We’ve got about 30,000 people a day that go to work for a Japanese company. So more investment here means more money for North Carolina families and more contracts for small businesses.”
Kishida said in a news conference before his visit that he chose to stop in North Carolina to show that the Japan-U.S. partnership extends beyond Washington, according to a provisional translation posted on the prime minister’s website.
Kishida said he chose to stop in North Carolina to show that the Japan-U.S. partnership extends beyond Washington.
Kishida, Japan’s Prime Minister since 2021, is an up-and-coming Toyota Motor Corp. electric and hybrid battery plant in Liberty and the Honda Aircraft Co. headquarters in Greensboro. He also stopped at the North Carolina Japan Center at Dix Park.
The North Carolina Japan Center was founded in 1980 under Governor Jim Hunt, with a focus on strengthening relationships and attracting economic opportunities. Today, the Prime Minister attended an award ceremony where students there were honored for their pursuit of learning Japanese.
The State of North Carolina is preparing to offer visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida a taste of the region, from banjo to barbeque.
The Prime Minister also got to tour the Nagoya University global campus located at NC State’s Centennial Campus.
His visit marks the first campus visit from a foreign head of government in nearly 70 years, according to NC State. The last visit was in 1954 when Turkish President Celal Bayar visited.
Japanese Prime Minister tours Nagoya University Global Campus
Japanese students from NC State, Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill had the chance to talk to Kishida one-on-one after hearing about some of his visions for Japan’s partnership with NC State, including expanding the student exchange program.
“I feel like the time has passed very fast,” Kiriko Terai said. “But it was very good to directly know what the prime minister is looking for, and I’m glad that we were all able to share our great experiences here with the prime minister. I hope young students in Japan will also be encouraged by us to study abroad.”
Prime Minister’s wife
Meanwhile, Yuko Kishida spent her morning inside a Japanese language classroom at Chapel Hill High School. She then toured Duke Gardens with North Carolina first lady Kristin Cooper. The pair enjoyed a traditional Japanese tea ahead of touring the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
At the museum, Kishida and Cooper saw a traditional Japanese Friendship Doll named Miss Kagawa. It was given to the State of North Carolina by the people of Japan as part of an exchange in the 1920s.
Unlike other similar dolls, Miss Kagawa remained on display during World War II as a symbol of peace and goodwill.
Yuko Kishida spent her morning inside a Japanese language classroom at Chapel Hill High School.
Lunch at the Executive Mansion
In the middle of the day, the entire group met at the Executive Mansion for a historic lunch, marking the first time that a foreign head of state visited the residence.
The menu for the luncheon was prepared by James Beard Award-winning chef Ashley Christensen, with food provided by Sam Jones BBQ. Unspoken Tradition, a North Carolina bluegrass band, performed for guests.
Dignitaries from Japan met at the Executive Mansion for a historic lunch Friday, marking the first time that a foreign head of state visited the residence.
Inside, attendees included US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, Attorney General Josh Stein, Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue, House Speaker Tim Moore, House Minority Leader Robert Reives, Consul General for Japan Mio Maeda, NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson, and Honorary Consul for Japan in North and South Carolina David Robinson.
“(The Japanese delegation is) going to go back and tell stories (that) North Carolina isn’t just that place between Washington and Miami. It’s a great place to do business. It’s a great place to study. It’s a great place to do research and development, collaboration, and we told that story really well today,” said Robinson.
Also inside was Lars Petersen, the CEO and President of FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies. Thursday, Petersen spoke at an event in Raleigh, in which the company announced it was investing more than $1 billion into its Holly Springs facility, with plans to add 680 jobs by 2031.
“What we’re seeing today is the fruits of investment 30 years ago. When we started an office in Tokyo, when we started The Japan Center where the Prime Minister is going right now, the investments we’re making today, they’ll pay off this year. They’ll pay off in a decade, but they’re going to pay off 30 years from now as well,” said Robinson.
The luncheon lasted for about 90 minutes.
Outside the event a small group stood across the street watching the motorcade pull behind the gates.
Dean Centa was part of that group.
“I just came to visit for the weekend and I was like, ‘literally the prime minister is here. We need to go see,’” said Centa, who landed at RDU this morning to visit a friend at UNC.
The State of North Carolina is preparing to offer visiting Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio a taste of the region, from banjo to barbeque.
Centa, whose mother is Japanese, grew up in Wilmington. He studied abroad in Nagoya at Nanzan University last year and did see NC State influence there. He got to interact with students from Nagoya University, which has a campus at NC State that Kishida visited Friday afternoon.
“There’s not really many Japanese people (in North Carolina). I was one of the only people in Wilmington that had any roots to Japan. Seeing the Japanese Prime Minister come to North Carolina is kind of a connection of both of my parents,” explained Centa, who is studying Global Affairs and East Asian Studies at Yale.
Japan’s impact in North Carolina
Japan is North Carolina’s largest source of foreign direct investment, according to the governor’s office. About 30,000 state residents work for Japanese companies, Cooper said.
One of those companies, Fujifilm, announced a $1.2 billion investment in its biopharmaceutical manufacturing plant in the state hours before Kishida landed.
US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel discusses why North Carolina is an attractive place for Japanese business partnerships.
Chiaki Takagi, a Japanese studies lecturer at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, said the prime minister’s visit surprised her but it could signal a “positive future partnership” between Japan and the U.S. and more Japanese workers coming to the state.
“This whole thing will provide the area with opportunities to be engaged in very active cultural exchange between Japan and the U.S.,” Takagi said. “And it’s nice to know Greensboro will be the place.”
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — DJ Horne got a chance to play at home when he transferred to North Carolina State this season after starting for two other schools. Big body DJ Burns Jr. wasn’t really sure how things were going to play out when he put his name into the transfer portal two years ago.
“It usually takes like a day to set in, honestly,” Burns said in the locker room after their 76-64 victory Sunday over Tobacco Road rival Duke in the South Region final. “With all this stuff, even the ACC thing, it takes a second.”
For a team that plays a lot of rap songs and loud gospel music in the locker room, maybe it’s only fitting to have a pair of grad transfers named DJ having such an impact on the court.
DJ Burns Jr. shoots over UNC’s Armando Bacot in the Wolfpack’s 84-76 win over the Tar Heels for the ACC Tournament championship. Burns finished with 20 points.
Susan Walsh
The 6-foot-9, 275-pound Burns is a bruising forward with some slick moves who will bang inside with big men like Duke’s 7-foot sophomore Kyle Filipowski – and next has to face 7-4 All-American Zach Edey when N.C. State (26-14) plays Purdue in the national semifinals Saturday in Glendale, Arizona. But the left-handed Burns also has the soft touch to finish shots, whether layups or swishing short and mid-range jumpers.
“Great touch, great footwork,” coach Kevin Keatts said. “It’s changed the way I look at post guys now. … I don’t know how you guard him. I’m excited, and I hope nobody figures that out.”
“He was like ‘Dad, I want to get back to March Madness, I want to get my hometown team back to the Dance.”
Then there is Horne, whose 103 made 3-pointers this season are one shy of matching N.C. State’s single-season record. The guard from Raleigh began his college career with two seasons at Illinois State before the last two at Arizona State.
“Coach gave me an opportunity to come back home and play basketball, and the confidence that he instills in me every day allows me to go out there and do what I do,” Horne said.
Battling through a hip injury, DJ Horne drives for two of his eight points against Virginia in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
Nick Wass
Burns played three years at Winthrop before getting to N.C. State, and together with Horne makes the Wolfpack one of only four teams in the country with a pair of 2,000-point career scorers on their roster this season. The others were North Carolina, Illinois – two teams that also made it to at least the Sweet 16 – and Wright State.
Even with the most losses ever by a Final Four team, the Wolfpack is back on college basketball’s biggest stage for the first time since the late Jim Valvano was sprinting around the court looking for someone to hug after winning the 1983 national title with an upset over Houston and Phi Slama Jama.
DJ Horne, left, and DJ Burns Jr. have provided a potent 1-2 scoring punch for NC State this season.
Alex Brandon
They got there after Burns had a season-high 29 points on 13-of-19 shooting against Duke, and Horne scored 20 points.
After Burns was held to only four points in the Sweet 16 win over top-seeded Marquette, though he had a season-high seven assists, he hit short jumpers on the Wolfpack’s first two shots in the regional final. He had eight points in the game’s first nine minutes before his second foul and didn’t score again until their first possession after halftime – and made 9 of 11 shots after halftime.
Burns was putting on such a show that two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was delayed getting to his postgame interview after the two-time NBA MVP had a triple-double in Denver’s 130-101 win at home over Cleveland on Sunday. He had just finished with 26 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists, but was awed watching N.C. State’s big man on TV.
DJ Burns Jr., reacts with DJ Horne and Mohamed Diarra after a big shot against Duke during the Elite Eight college in Dallas.
Tony Gutierrez
“Really? Yeah for sure, he dunks a lot more from me but he also shoots 3s way better than me,” Burns said. “But as far as post moves and everything, we have a similar game. So I won’t say all of our game is the same, but specifically from a post aspect.”
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The most exciting two days of college basketball are finally upon us. The NCAA tournament Round of 64 begins with North Carolina and North Carolina State on the docket Thursday and Duke playing Friday.
Duke
The Blue Devils enter the NCAA tournament on a two-game losing streak. They dropped their last two games against rivals North Carolina and North Carolina State. Worse for the Blue Devils is the fact that no college team has ever lost its first game of a conference tournament and then won a national championship.
The Blue Devils enter as a No. 4 seed and look to avoid an upset against Vermont.
But that doesn’t mean Duke is dead. The team has the talent to get back on track with its winning ways.
The Blue Devils (24-8) are a No. 4 seed playing at 7:10 p.m. Friday in Brooklyn against 13 seed Vermont (28-6). This is the fourth time those teams have met; Duke has never lost against the Catamounts.
NC State
Some felt NC State wasn’t supposed to be here. The Wolfpack proved they belonged.
Some felt NC State wasn’t supposed to be here. The Wolfpack proved they belonged.
NC State (23-14) used a strong night from its frontcourt to take control in the second half and subdue No. 6 seed Texas Tech 80-67 on Thursday night.
Ben Middlebrooks scored a career-high 21 points, Mo Diarra added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and DJ Burns Jr. chipped in with 16 points as the Wolfpack frontcourt feasted on the Red Raiders.
DJ Horne also tossed in 16 points as the Wolfpack shot nearly 51% from the floor to Texas Tech’s 38.7% shooting.
NC State’s Ben Middlebrooks battles inside against Texas Tech’s Warren Washington at the NCAA tournament on Thursday night.
Gene J. Puskar
It was the Wolfpack’s first NCAA tournament win in nine years and the first under head coach Kevin Keatts.
Joe Toussaint led the Red Raiders with 16 points, but Texas Tech made just 7-of-31 3-pointers and couldn’t keep pace in the second half.
NC State broke the game open with a 13-2 surge midway through the second half, highlighted by a pretty bounce pass from Michael O’Connell that turned into a dunk by Diarra and a soft running hook shot by Burns that made it 65-51.
Texas Tech’s Joe Toussaint shoots past the defense of NC State’s Casey Morsell on Thursday night at the NCAA tournament.
Matt Freed
The sixth-seeded Red Raiders (23-11) had relied on defense to reach the tournament in coach Grant McCasland’s first season. Texas Tech came in 18-0 when holding opponents under 70 points and just 5-10 when teams reach that threshold.
N.C. State hit the 70-point mark on a layup by Middlebrooks with 4:06 to go.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround in the past 10 days for N.C. State, which entered the ACC Tournament as the 10th seed and was dealing with questions about coach Kevin Keatts’ future. The Wolfpack responded by beating rivals Duke, Virginia and North Carolina, the last in a decisive victory in the title game.
Keatts admitted he was worried about how his team would respond emotionally against an opponent it barely knows. Turns out N.C. State was just fine thanks to Middlebrooks, a transfer from Clemson who has been a key reserve but rarely the focal point.
WATCH | NC State’s big win
NC State Wolfpack beats UNC Tar Heels, wins the ACC Tournament and earns NCAA March Madness bid
That changed against the Red Raiders. The 6-10 Middlebrooks tied his career high of 14 points set in January against Wake Forest in the first half. He kept going in the second. And when Burns – who plays a throwback under-the-rim game – got going after halftime, Texas Tech was scrambling to keep up.
It couldn’t, sending N.C. State to the second round for the first time since 2015, when the Wolfpack won two games in Pittsburgh to reach the Sweet 16. Another chance awaits this weekend against Horizon League champion Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies (24-11) stunned No. 3 Kentucky (23-10) 80-76. The results ensure that a double-digit seed will reach the Sweet 16.
North Carolina was the first of the Triangle schools to take the court in this year’s tournament, beating Wagner 90-62 in Charlotte.
The West Region No. 1 seed Tar Heels (28-7) came out sloppy in the first half, committing six turnovers that Wagner (17-16) converted into nine points.
Armando Bacot had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and North Carolina never trailed.
Hubert Davis’ team steadied the ship quickly and started to use its size advantage against the Seahawks — finishing the first half with a 24-12 advantage on points in the paint.
UNC led Wagner 40-28 at halftime and steadily pulled away.
Armando Bacot had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and North Carolina never trailed.
UNC’s Armando Bacot drives to the basket against Wagner in Thursday’s opening round of the NCAA tournament.
Chris Carlson
Jae’Lyn Withers had a season-high 16 points and matched his best rebounding work with 10 boards for the West Region’s headliner. That helped the Tar Heels finish the game shooting 55% while dominating up front against a short-handed upstart aiming to pull off only the third opening-round takedown of a 1-seed in March Madness history.
“I think he did set the tone,” Davis said, and he added: “J-Wit, his energy and effort on both ends of the floor really ignited us and got us the lead going into halftime. He came off the bench and his production was real.”
UNC’s Armando Bacot shoots over Wagner forward Keyontae Lewis on Thursday during the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Chris Carlson
RJ Davis, named this week as a first-team All-American by The Associated Press, had 17 of his 22 points after halftime for the Tar Heels.
UNC also played with the backing of a blue-clad crowd about 2 1/2 hours from its Chapel Hill campus. And the Tar Heels will have that again for the next step: a marquee matchup with Michigan State (20-14) and Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo on Saturday. It’s a rematch of the 2009 national championship game. The Tar Heels won that game, to give head coach Roy Williams his second national title.
RJ Davis scored 22 points for the Tar Heels against Wagner.
Mike Stewart
The Tar Heels dominated this one inside, finishing with 48 points in the paint and a 43-24 rebounding advantage to go with 17 second-chance points.
Withers had scored in double figures only three times all year, the last time coming against his former Louisville program on Jan. 17.
The UNC basketball team practiced at Johnson C. Smith, a Charlotte HBCU that means a lot to Hubert Davis.
“(Davis) typically challenges us before the game and sometimes at half, saying, ‘It doesn’t need to be only an Armando Bacot rebounding game or a Harrison Ingram rebounding game,’” Withers said.
Melvin Council Jr. and Julian Brown each scored 18 points for the Seahawks, who won their first-ever NCAA game by holding off Howard in the First Four on Tuesday night. Wagner shot 39.7% for the game.
“I was happy for them to be able to compete in this, and I was really proud the way they competed,” Seahawks coach Donald Copeland said. “Obviously what we’ve gone through all year isn’t ideal, but we expected to play well. We expected to win the game. Obviously, we didn’t. But I’m glad the way we played.”
UNC had the clear edge inside against a team with only seven available scholarship players and only one – 6-foot-9, 255-pound Keyontae Lewis – offering any notable size. By halftime, the 6-10 Bacot had a double-double after getting multiple deep-block touches while the 6-9 Withers showed plenty of energy in the paint by tallying his first double-digit scoring output since Jan. 17.
The Tar Heels gradually stretched that lead out after the break. That included Davis and Harrison Ingram hitting back-to-back 3-pointers, followed shortly by an alley-oop dunk in transition from Elliot Cadeau to a high-flying Withers for a 70-50 lead with 8:33 left.
The Tar Heels got another comfortable setting to start the tournament. They improved to 35-2 in NCAA games in their home state, including 13-1 in Charlotte. Notably, the lone loss came in their last tournament game here: a second-round loss as a 2-seed to Texas A&M.
Tar Heel fans excited about team’s chances in NCAA tournament
Looking ahead, Izzo’s Spartans have lost all four meetings with UNC in the NCAA tournament. The time of the game and the channel on which it will air have not yet been announced.
Back in Chapel Hill, Maggie Casey was celebrating her 17th birthday this weekend, and a UNC victory was just what she wanted to start the party. She and her friends cheered on the Heels from Top of the Hill on Franklin Street.
“I’m thrilled for everything. Go Heels all day,” she said.
HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — A Harnett County man is out of prison after his murder conviction was overturned.
Quincy Amerson was behind bars for nearly 25 years.
His lawyers said it ultimately came down to there not being enough evidence to hold the conviction and a new analysis of the evidence and case at the time.
In 2001, a judge convicted a then 24- year old Amerson of murdering 7-year-old Sharita Rivera by running her over with his car multiple times.
However when professor Jim Coleman and his law students at Duke University got a hold of his case they found many inconsistencies with the evidence and story.
Coleman and his team then brought in a reconstruction expert to review the case again.
They agreed the original findings could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt Amerson was guilty.
That’s when they started the paperwork to free the now 49-year-old.
“It’s a lot no I just, like, right now, I’m just trying to focus on the future, man. You know, try to forget about it. You can’t forget about it. But for the time being, I’m just focused on the future, you know, doing the right thing, you know, being with the right people. And cherishing what I have,” said Amerson.
ABC11 has reached to the district attorney but have not heard back.
