>> i'm not happy with the commission. the governor filed a lawsuit against state leaders over who should maintain power of the commission. nc state political expert says it's unique. >> governor pat mccrory and president protem of the system. >> the commission has nine members. three chosen by the house, three by the senate. and three by the governor. >> the dispute was really over who can appoint people to those commissions. the state supreme court agreed saying they exerted too much control and prevented the governor from doing his constitutional duty.

to make sure the laws are faithfully executed. the majority of those commissioners should be appointed by the governor rather than the general assembly. senator phil burger issued a statement saying he's disappointed but respects the court. as for the commissioners that were appointed, still up in the air, lawmakers will make a plan soon. wncn covered the coal ash situation in our state every step of the way. find our reports right now on wncn.com. tonight a unc phd student faces charges of manufacturing and selling xanax pills. mario boone broke the story and has more late last night they raided his home, strapped him

he went from the schoolhouse to the jailhouse after deputies bront down his front door thursday night and found a pill mill operation only wncn obtained this picture. >> it's crazy. contour's neighbor. honest. >> deputies said cantor ordered ingredients for xanax online. and used a pill press to make the highly addictive tablets in the comfort of his own apartment at the hampdens where children live. >> we checked his background and found the 27-year-old only has one speeding ticket on his record. and investigators tell me they might never have stumbled on the operation if a tipster didn't alert them to a strong

>> is there any risk to the apartment? like meth? would it have blown up? >> we checked with deputies on that very question of safety, i'm told that the surrounding apartments were never in any danger because of this pill operation. i also just got off the phone with the sheriff's office and cantor posted a 5,500-dollar bond and walked free this afternoon. reporting outside the jail in downtown durham, mario boone, wncn news now. right now chapel hill police are searching for the man who assaulted a unc student at 2:00 this morning on north street near mlk boulevard. a man attacked a female student from behind. she was able to fight back and the suspect fled the scene. the university put out an alert today informing students and staff of what happened. >> it's scary. everybody walks home alone at night and that could be any of us. i'm actually in the sorority right over here. it hits close to home. >> call police with information.

coach will it is sit out the next few games. the ncaa penalized her for violating a recruiting rule. she called her actions at duke out of character and says she places a high value on sportsmanship. a former corrections officer is behind bars accused of having sex with inmates. he served at a women's prison in raleigh. back in august, four inmates claim that they had sex with him. when we went to his home, no one answered but we spoke with a neighbor. >> it's very shocking. although i mean after seeing shows like orange is the new black where that happens on there, it made me believe that's possible and people do do that. >> he's being held on 450,000- dollar bond. right now hundreds of animals rescued from a county shelter are being cared for and prepared for adoption.

shelter on wednesday. in one of the largest animal rescues in history. david hurst got an inside look at the new shelter. >> hundreds of animals saved in what's being called one of the largest rescue operations in history. >> it's considerably better than where they were. >> they started removing animals wednesday morning from this so called safe shelter after authorities served a search warrant following numerous complaints. they say hundreds of animals showed signs of neglect and were in desperate need of medical care. >> most of the animals will be taken to this shelter and given a thorough medical examination and given treatment. the goal is for them to be adopted. >> the property owners face multiple counts of animal cruelty. a look inside their home shows the conditions they and animals were living in. >> the conditions were inappropriate. and we're excited to be able to get them out of that situation and get them in the shelter.

illnesses are receiving antibiotics while other animals of critical condition are at a vet clinic off site. they're working hard to get them back to full health so none have to be put down. >> quality of life is most important. but at this time it's hard to say. we'll take every step we can to make the animals healthy. get them treated and adopted. >> david hurst, wncn news. it could be weeks before the animals are made available for adoption. a warmer and sunnier day across north carolina today. the good news, this weather will continue this weekend. wncn meteorologist bill ray has more on what we can expect. >> it's going to be a great weekend. but first we must get through a cold night tonight. it's 43 degrees now. as we take a look at temperatures, they're in the upper 30s along the virginia border. hanging tough at 49 in fayetteville. 46 in wilson. and all in all, things are looking good. because high pressure will

in control of our weather for the weekend. so if you're heading out on this friday evening, 43 degrees right now. we'll drop to 40 at 8:00. into the 30s at 9:00. and by 11:00, we'll be at 33 degrees right around the freezing mark. here's how the map will look. nice and clear. i mean compared to last week, this is looking really good and as we head over night tonight, 32 by midnight. and the over night lows by tomorrow morning, 27 in raleigh. 26 in durham. mid 20s along the virginia border and 29 in fayetteville. but that's the coldest. we'll tell you how mild it's going to get this weekend. i think you'll like it coming up in minutes. tonight the cdc says a virus that may lead to serious birth defects is spreading rapidly. >> the zika virus is spread through mosquitoes it's infecting people in south and sen tall america. there's been a few dozen cases reported in the u.s. the virus is the most dangerous for pregnant women.

birth defect that leads to abnormally small heads in infants we spoke with a local expert about the virus today. >> so it's really only spread through mosquito bites. so it's not something that i'm going to be contagious to you or vice versa. and it's not something in the middle of a north carolina winter we're likely to have issuings with. >> doctors say 80% of people who get the virus have no symptoms. >> facebook is battling the sail of guns on a social media site. the mean announced the move this afternoon. facebook sales have become a forum for private dealers who evade background checks the new york times reports president obama and gun safety groups pressured the site to stop posts offering firearms for sale. well it's a party that only the carolina panthers can throw. >> next at 7:00, the massive pep rally in charlotte as the team heads to the super bowl. plus he's one of football's biggest stars. local coaches talk about the impact cam newton is having on today's youth.

40 and i-5 40 for this friday night commute.

we're coming right back. on air, online, wherever you are, this is wncn news at 7:00. >> thousands of fans came to cheer their team on in charlotte. part of a presuper bowl rally before the team heads to santa clara, sir purr joined several players on the stage to get fans pumped up for a big game. this has been something of a dream season for the panthers to say the least. >> carolina went 15 and 1 in the regular season and will play in their second super bowl. panthers gear is flying off the shelves. >> since sunday, people have been coming to dicks to stock up on all this stuff. they've been getting 15 to 20 cases everyday of all different kinds of panthers' stuff. this is bigger than when duke won the national championship last year. and today thousands of fans converged in charlotte to wish the team the best of luck as they head west.

any one of the thousands of people at this rally. >> for the second time in the history of our franchise, the carolina panthers have come to the threshold of absolute victory. >> now, to make it happen. >> and we know what time it is next sunday. we're going to come out here, and we're going to finish the drill. >> fans filled romare bearden park friday in charlotte. just days away from watching the panthers take on the denver broncos in the super bowl. but it's not just charlotte getting in on the excitement. out home in the triangle, bars have been getting more and more packed as the weeks go on. >> do your dab, everybody kill it. you know what i mean. >> and stores have stocked and restocked panthers' gear as they try to keep up with demand. the players and you is fans, thank you. it'll be the panthers' first appearance at the super bowl in 12 years. this time, thomas davis says it'll turn out differently.

continue to work hard. we were going to keep pounding and we were going to get back to this point. and now we're here, and we have unfinished business. the panthers head west on sunday and the odds makers in vegas say they're the early favorites to be the winners on super bowl sunday. taking home potentially the title for super bowl 50. michael highland, wncn news now. crews are working around the clock to get levy stadium ready for the super bowl. officials have been planning the event for three years, including training for water based emergencies to a secret command center for federal, state, and local law enforcement. there was a misstep, yesterday crews accidentally painted both end zones in broncos colors. the mistake was quickly corrected. when it comes to super bowl sunday, panthers linebacker thomas davis says he'll be ready to go. davis broke his arm in the nfc championship game against the cardinals and under went

he talked for the first time about playing in the biggest game of his life. >> i want to go out there and play for my team. i know that i can help this team. and that's what it's all about for me. it's never been one of those situations where i looked at it selfishly, like this is a great opportunity for me. i want to compete and play with me team. >> davis, the heart and soul of the panthers' defense is the only player in history to come back from three acl tears. >> talk about tough. super bowl 50 will present a contrast when it comes to competing quarterbacks. peyton manning is all business while the panthers' cam newton likes to have fun. it's that fun that bothers some fans. todd gibson talked to high school coaches and got their view on how cam plays the game. >> in this game -- >> reporter: he makes no apologies for how he plays the game of football. >> here i am, doing exactly what i want to do. how i want to do it.

me. >> newton says he's just having fun. others feel he's showing up the opposition, and the public is divided. >> you have everybody doing it. why are we picking on cam? >> head coach clarence admits he's old school. no head coach has been in the triangle longer but when it comes to newton, he seems to have a soft spot. >> in the nfl it's allowed. he's playing within the rules and having fun and generating excitement. i have no problem with what he's doing. >> yet some coaches. >> if i was a player or coach on the other side i make take offense to it. >> he spent several decades as a coach leading this high school to the state finals. his view on how newton plays is more hard line. >> i guess it goes back to being old school a bit. but the game's changed. the league's changed. but you know, there's no doubt that he's entertaining. >> and that entertainment can seep down to the high school

kids see how newton acts on the field. emulating cam on friday nights isn't a good idea. >> i think they'll be in trouble if they get a flag and hurt the team. >> excessive celebration can't take place. he admires newton's enthusiasm but the behavior won't fly at the prep level. >> it's about teaching kids character and making them men. i don't know if we need a bunch of dancing. >> unlike the high schoolers, newton is free to have fun. he knows the critics are out there. >> people are going to judge and have their own opinion on certain things that i don't have control over. >> maybe someday he'll tone it down but you can bet there's a young player waiting in the wings to do his thing. todd gibson, wncn sports. all three of the coaches he talked to say high school rules shouldn't be loosened to allow players to be more demonstrative. read more about the panthers' road to the super bowl right now.

home page and scroll down to panthers. now the wncn weather forecast. we had a pretty nice day today. temperatures in the 40s. at the studios, 52 was the high today. fayetteville, 59. chapel hill, 52. sanford lee airport, 53 degrees. normal high is 52. what about the rays of sunshine for saturday? we start sunny and end up mostly sunny in the afternoon. nothing on the readers now. let's talk temperatures. it's getting cold all ready. it's down to 37 in roxboro. 38 in south hill virginia. the blues are over taking the map and the green's being pushed to the south. even though it's 49 in fayetteville and clinton, you'll get colder tonight. as a matter of fact, here's a look at the temperatures. by the time we head into tomorrow morning, everybody in the 20s. it'll be a cold start. but the day will finish milder than today's highs that i just showed you. we have clear skies tonight. we're cold. 35 at 9:00 a.m.

56 at 3:00. we'll see about 57 for the high. for the beaches this weekend, 60 on saturday. 64 on sunday. with no chance of any precipitation. and if you want to do any skiing or snowboarding in the mountains, looking good, 50 busy from on saturday. 56 on sunday. and they'll be able to make snow at night. at least tonight into saturday morning with a low of 27. it's looking good in the mountains. high pressure over us. the winds will be light tonight. the cold air will settle to the ground. it'll be in the 20s. as this high backs off, tomorrow we get a southerly flow, that will warm us up more than today. and then on sunday, oh man, it's going to be in the mid 60s. a little southerly breeze. we're going to see more of that on monday as we head into the mid 60s again. this front will sag towards us on tuesday. and cool us down a couple degrees. but none of this moisture should be coming our way. that's going to take until wednesday. i don't know if you can see at

a warm front. the midwest. wednesday. weather maker. we're going to see a really good chance of showers. no chance of precipitation tomorrow. mainly sunny and mild. sand hills, 57. 57 in dunn. 59 in re ford. coastal plain 57 goldsboro. in the triangle, 56 chapel hill. durham 57. raleigh and carrie, 56 henderson. 55 in south hill virginia. 57 on saturday. it'll be freezing at 8:00 a.m. bright and dry at noon, in the upper 40s. we hit 57. 52 at 5:00. and then sunday, 66 degrees. it'll be chilly but not freezing at 8:00 a.m. bright and dry and yeah that's a bucket and a hose and some soap. it's time to wash the cars. you have a great day to do it on sunday. and it won't bring you any rain. you know the old wives tale that you get rain after that.

that front approaching late in the day, 66 degrees. we'll see 63 on ground hog day. a mix of clouds and sun. and on wednesday, that's when we'll see rain. tuesday night into wednesday. showers are likely on the way to work or school wednesday. showery a cold front is coming. one with a little punch to it. we'll drop to 50 on thursday. and 47 a week from today. but sunny. i think probably we'll see a shadow. we'll have six weeks of winter. but if it's winter like this weekend, sign me up baby, i'm ready. >> that's a nice winter to have. 66. >> if you're heading out % tonight, wear winter gear. >> we're entering the final

>> the final we're entering the final weekend for presidential candidates to campaign in iowa before monday's caucuses. >> last night candidates took part in a fox news google debate in des moines. fox says last night's debate was the most watched show on tv despite the absence of donald trump. meanwhile on the democratic side, hillary clinton was back in iowa today vowing to fight any replacement to obama care. >> people who have health emergencies can't wait for us to have some theoretical debate about some better idea that

>> that statement was aimed at bernie sanders who was also in iowa today. he's backing a shift to a government-run health plan paid for by hiking taxes on the wealthy. clinton and sanders are tied in

stay with us. listen to this, there's an app that will help you pair wine with your favorite girl scout cookies. who new. it says the dosie does -- >> we'll have to do that with beers. let's take a look and see what's going on for your weekend. 57. the low tonight into tomorrow morning is 27. that's the cold. but look how the warmth, sunday, monday, tuesday, wednesday, all in the 60s. showers on wednesday. >> wash your car this weekend. >> yes, get that salt off

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