Month: October 2018

By Matthew Burns, WRAL.com senior producer/politics editor Raleigh, N.C. — Hurricane Florence caused an estimated $16.7 billion in damage in North Carolina, up from initial estimates of $13 billion, state officials said Wednesday. The original figure was based on projections from aerial surveys of flood damage, officials said, while the updated figure is based on actual inspections on the ground. Damage to business, housing and agriculture accounts for about 80 percent of the total, according…

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) — Halloween is the time where many of us are on the lookout for the gouls and goblins but Robbie Page has been dealing with a pesky poultry-giest that’s been running afoul for weeks now. “You don’t normally see a hen by themselves,” said Page Page says the wild turkey trotted in during Hurricane Florence, likely separated from her flock during the floods. “She’s a survivor,” said Page The turkey took shelter…

The state now estimates that Hurricane Florence did nearly $17 billion in damage to homes, businesses, farms and governments in North Carolina, and that as much as half of that may not be covered by private insurance or government aid. The state had initially estimated $13 billion in damages as a result of the storm, which made landfall the morning of Sept. 14 and dumped record amounts of rain during a six-day slog across the…

The man accused of killing two law enforcement officers in Florence County and wounding five others asked to be “excused” from a preliminary hearing Wednesday morning. Fred Hopkins Jr., 74, told Magistrate Mia Weaver of Marlboro County that his rights were violated and he objected to the hearing because it wasn’t held within the 10 days required by law, 12th Circuit Solicitor Ed Clements said. Preliminary hearings are intended to establish probable cause for an…

In what has turned out to become a recurring theme across the Triangle, several teams have decided to move up their football games a day early because of the threat of severe weather. Storms are expected to make their way across the area, with winds topping out between 35-45 miles per hour. There is a 70 percent chance of rain on Friday. Here is a list of games that have already been rescheduled to Thursday…

The food at Carolina Hurricanes games already surpasses the nacho and corndog expectations for concessions. Hello, prime rib sandwich carved to order. But this is a new level. This season, the Hurricanes will host a monthly chef series during six home games, appealing to the intersection of foodies and hockey fans. Dubbed the All Star Chef Series, the dinners have drawn some of North Carolina’s top culinary talent, including James Beard nominees and owners of…

Hurricanes fall to Bruins on home ice By October 31, 2018 08:52 AM Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who scored one of the Canes’ two power-play goals, said even-strength problems factored into the 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Oct. 30, 2018.

Scott Darling wasn’t the reason the Carolina Hurricanes lost, even if he admitted he’d like the first goal back and maybe could have done more to stop the second. From where he was last year, that’s progress. There was a lot to like in the goalie’s injury-delayed debut and just as much that was concerning. Still, Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins can be a building block for Darling, if not for the team,…

By Debra Morgan, WRAL anchor/reporter Hundreds of people are calling a national hotline to complain about being scammed as they rebuild after the recent hurricanes. A public service announcement recently released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in eastern North Carolina aims to help people know where to turn if they think they are victims of fraud during a national disaster. As of Tuesday morning, the National Center for Disaster Fraud has received 380 complaints, including…

Brad Marchand scored the tying and go-ahead goals and the Boston Bruins continued their dominance of the Carolina Hurricanes with a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night. Marchand scored the tying goal with 18 seconds left in the second period and the eventual game-winner just over five minutes into the third period as Boston improved to 11-0-5 in its last 16 meetings with Carolina. The Hurricanes haven’t beaten the Bruins in regulation since April 2013. David…

The suspect in the Florence shooting where two law enforcement officers died and five more were killed will appear in court on Wednesday. Frederick T. Hopkins Jr. will have a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Halloween morning, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. The 74-year-old Hopkins has been charged with with five counts of attempted murder and two counts of murder, The State reported after his charges were amended Oct. 23, following the death…

By Janine Bowen, WRAL.com editor Raleigh, N.C. — The skies will be clear for trick-or-treaters on Wednesday, but strong storms are possible by the end of the week. Wednesday and Thursday will be warmer than usual before a line of storms that are expected to bring severe weather to the Southern Plains move into North Carolina. The rain that moves in would stick around through Friday and, although WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said it’s too…

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — The family of a baby who spent his first night out of the hospital in a Walmart parking lot after Hurricane Michael just got a surprise baby shower. The happy event happened at a Walmart near the store where the family hunkered down in those dark days following the Category 4 storm. Wilmer Capps, his wife Lorrainda Smith and their baby Luke were surprised on Tuesday after they were told to…

Daniel Brandt found himself huddling inside an Econo Lodge Tuesday with his cats Snowball and Miss Pretty — bound to a wheelchair and technically homeless six weeks after Hurricane Florence. He took up these temporary digs on Monday after the Red Cross shelter closed in Morehead City, sending him and roughly 20 storm victims scrambling for housing. He felt grateful for a short-term roof over his head, but he stood no closer to home than…

Hurricane Florence was a catastrophe for Eastern North Carolina, and recovery is going to take years. The Avett Brothers are chipping in with a hurricane-relief show on Nov. 13 at East Carolina University’s Minges Coliseum in Greenville. While the group is from Concord, Greenville is Scott Avett’s old stomping grounds from his time at ECU, where he earned an art degree while playing in bands. Proceeds will go to organizations contributing to Hurricane Relief efforts,…

Supply, N.C. — A neighborhood has canceled trick or treating this Halloween. Lisa Hildebrand, secretary of the Lakes of Lockwood property owners association, said hundreds of trick-or-treaters typically flock to the Supply neighborhood because it is safe and well lit. After a community meeting, neighbors agreed the sinkholes pose too large a risk to allow children to trick or treat there this year. “We just don’t want any children hurt,” Hildebrand said. “We have regrets…

By Natalie Matthews, WRAL.com editor Union County, North Carolina — A Charlotte mom has been charged in the death of her 1-year-old son after she allegedly drove around a barricade before her car was overcome with floodwaters during Hurricane Florence, authorities said. HELPFUL LINKS: Videos, images by city Get help, give help | Lives claimed by Florence Dazia Ideah Lee, 20, faces one count of involuntary manslaughter and a misdemeanor charge of driving on a…

Wildfires tearing through the Western U.S. in recent years have burned whole communities to the ground, claimed countless lives and busted government firefighting budgets. The destruction looks and feels unprecedented — and compared to the last several decades, today’s fires are extremely destructive and expansive, according to satellite data and other measures cited by Utah State University researchers. But in a new study published by the American Geophysical Union journal Earth’s Future, those researchers argue…

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) — Governor Roy Cooper signed an Executive Order on Monday taking aim at the effects of climate change, and vowing to “kickstart” a statewide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “A strong clean energy economy combats climate change while creating good jobs and a healthy environment,” Cooper asserted at a news conference on the SAS Software Campus in Cary. “With historic storms lashing our state, we must combat climate change, make our…

UNION COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — A mother in Union County has been charged in the drowning death of her 1-year-old son after she drove around a barricaded road during Hurricane Florence and her child was swept away in floodwaters. Dazia Ideah Lee, 20, of Charlotte has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and misdemeanor driving on a closed or unopened highway. Union County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tony Underwood said Lee and her child, Kaiden Lee-Welch, were…

PENDER CO., N.C. (WTVD) — More than a month after Hurricane Florence devastated North Carolina, a major highway remains closed. Water from Florence turned US-421 near Wilmington into more of a river than a road. In addition to covering the pavement, the flood water caused significant damage to the area. North Carolina Department of Transportation is building a temporary bridge that will allow traffic to once again use US-421. Crews hope to open the temporary…

As Hurricane Florence charged toward the Carolinas in September, people and pets were evacuated in an effort to save their lives. Two of the dogs that safely escaped the deadly storm were supposed to return to South Carolina, but they never made it back. Whiskey and Humphrey were killed. The Blount County Sheriff’s Office said the dogs were shot and killed after they got into a fight with another dog on Oct. 19, the Knoxville…