lieutenant governor, leader corman, leader reid, members of the general assembly. members of the judiciary, members of the cabinet, recognized the auditor general, the attorney-general, the treasurer, and my wife frances. [applause] >> most importantly, my fellow pennsylvanian its. this will not be an ordinary governor's budget address. usually this speech is an opportunity to lay out and the bishops agenda for the year ahead. under ordinary circumstances i outlined my 2 cousins 16-17 budget proposal, a proposal full of ideas to move forward. new measures to impose every child in pennsylvania, it starts before kindergarten and goes all the way through college. in public and private sectors to create jobs and grow our economy. i talked about the new innovation that can build on the progress we have already made to modernizing our state government so it works better and costs bless. i talked about long overdue steps we can take to lead the commonwealth fulfills promise of equal opportunity. the legalization of medical marijuana. raise the minimum wage, criminal justi

that's what two bills in the general assembly are aiming to do it a new vision for high schools across the commonwealth students would take four classes in their first two years of high school then in their junior and senior years they can choose to take courses that prepare them for college or they can take a pack paper piercing for the work force by getting an internship or apprenticeship and maybe some big changes may local educators are praising the phils virginia beach education association told the bill is intended to put her high school students on a solid path to work or college with a focus on real skills not just test scores in virginia beach school board chairman dan edwards said we are delighted and supportive of the inclusion of workforce credentials and industry certifications as potential offset to some current as the well requirements i definitely think that would be a lot better because there's a lot of students as as me myself i didn't test very well. if the bill passes the new requirements would begin for the freshman class that starts in the fall of twenty eighteen.

the general assembly passed a bill allowing daily fantasy sports—at a price. companies like fan duel and draft kings must pay 50-thousand dollars to the state up front. but thats chump change in the multi-billion dollar fantasy sports business. and the law doesnt include a tax. gambling experts estimate americans gamble 95 billion dollars on pro and college football alone —most of it illegally. fantasy sports companies have long claimed their businesses are not gambling at all, but a game based on skill. people who treat gambling addiction predict fantasy sports betting will only lead to more addiction. 1:43 its not like alcohol. problem also. my wife knew i drank a lot, okay? i could literally lose ten thousand dollars and she wouldnt have a clue that i had even gambled. not a clue ) 1:57 it )s not clear yet if governor mcauliffe will sign the bill into law. and there s a chance it could be challenged in federal court. a federal law prohibits gambling on sports in all but a couple of states. les smith, newschannel three. this week, we lost lou gunn, you

now being discussed in the general assembly. senate bill 763 would require a school division to put cameras in special education classrooms. cameras would be installed if a parent or school board employee requested them. however this bill is getting mixed emotions. twila brown/special education director - 0:35 23:25:04 i think cameras in the classroom would be a good thing if an incident were reported because then you have footage to look at but i think there are pros and lots of cons with that. twila brown is the special education director for rockbridge county public schools. she says her big concern is confidentiality. according to specifics of the bill .... the recordings would be released to certain people like a parent following a documented incident. but some question ... why only special education classrooms? twila brown/special education director - 23:26:13 the classrooms or we don't put them in any. i think we work really hard in special education to be included with our general education peers both as teachers and stu

if all goes as planned the general assembly will approve the new maps. john: developing this morning a texas state trooper faces a wrongful death lawsuit and criminal trial. a judge must decide whether to delay the lawsuit. the family of sandra bland sued him after she was found dead three days after her arrest. attorneys for the trooper said he wouldn't be able to defend hrpls against the lawsuit while fighting the criminal kills. a judge heard arguments yesterday. the trials for five baltimore police officers accused in the death of freddie gray are on will hear appeal cgray died after a violent ride in a police van. barbara: to the srgs into san bernardino terrorist attacks. f.b.i. searched the home of the brother of the gunman syed farook. acts spent about four -- agents were seen taking a computer and the brother was not a back door to access other iphones and i-pads feel john: troubling report finds one in 10 bridges are 21 repairs to, did barbara: a after devastation. john: a 10-minute tantrum? i'm just getting started. steve: just getting warmed

barbara: right now the general assembly hours from sealing a deal on new congressional maps and primary election date. gloria rodriguez is live in raleigh with what you need to know. john: today the final farewell to antonin scalia and what the vice president says about the possibility of being nominated as has replacement. barbara: new travel warning about the zika virus, locations on alert and pope francis dealing with the crisis. good morning, carolina, welcome on friday, february 19. 31 degrees at 4:30. i'm barbara gibbs. john: i'm john clark. another morning with freezing steve stewart is in for done. steve. we are looking at a cool day, low 50's but everyone is excited about this weekend. last sunday we started at 15. this sunday we will start in the 40's and be up to the 60's. 31 wake county a popular number. you see 20's in roxboro, oxford 27. southern pines 28. colder start, a few clouds moving by, should be mostly sunny today and temperature trend will get up to around 50 to 51 so a little below arrangeverage. the normal is 56. in connection week become, did direction. john: t

a measure going through the general assembly aims to put cameras in special education classrooms. the pushback its getting from people in our community. plus ... national guard soldiers will soon be heading overseas. the mission in the middle east they've been training for. and ... a major layoff in the hill city. the impact losing 200 jobs could have on lynchburgs economy. good evening, and thanks for joining us for wsls 10 at seven. i'm lindsey ward. and i'm dawn jefferies. a bill being discussed in the general assembly aims to put cameras in special education classrooms. it's a push to give students who can't speak ... a voice. but not everyone thinks it's a good idea. wsls 10's ananda rochita explains. ananda rochita/roanok e - "a bill discussed in the general assembly is getting a lot of attention here. the bill would require a school division to put cameras classrooms." senate bill 763 would require a school division to put cameras in special education classrooms. cameras would be installed if a parent or school board employee requested them. however this bill is getting mix

the general assembly assembly is into keep focused linthe carpet and the penalty? $100 line. some cannot be put over just for smoking. but if you are caught a lot that has little cigarette, it could cost elicitation period tell and pushing the cost of your life. the danger of keyless cars tomorrow at 11:00. simple once a super once a politician, always a politician. he is smooth and he has his suit on. in the vase in california, here is the president ready is looking like he was ready to divide the cost of constitution and wait for a third term. so it is one of the west coast. we are looking at the closed air of the season on saturday. make sure the pets are inside. i thought we did okay today. you are doing all right. 31 is the forecast type. actual high of 30. a high of 32 degrees tomorrow. 22 degrees right now, the point is 1 degree lower. the point will subside after midnight. stop the draft, that is the key to arctic. closer curtains after sunset. it is going to be very dry. current space is off for the i have the steps out for you. your heavy coats, bustout temperatures

the court denied the general assembly's request for a stay of the court's order requiring the general assembly to redraw congressional map in a constitutional manner. one of the districts does affect parts of charlotte and this order means the elections cannot the general assembly can appeal this denial to the u.s. supreme court. >> and the story continues. thank you. >> right now time to check our traffic here is tonya rivens. >> and your first alert traffic is sponsored by people's bank. let's check in on tryon street by shopton an accident. and farther down south we have an injury accident at south boulevard. arrowood is a great alternate creek road. we see the red switching over which means stop-and-go traffic here is the scene. a one-lane is blocked in the intersection for sure. the drive time highway 49 southbound to 160, about an hour at the moment. slow-moving traffic and here is the scene at 485 by south tryon and arrowood road. >> thank you. when i got off the plane and got to charlotte the temperatures california. it was burr chilly. >> and today is colder than yesterday. a

he looks forward to working with the general assembly to finalize the agreement. police in northern virginia are looking for a woman who has been missing for two days. 22-year-old sarah waye was last seen in fairfax wednesday afternoon. she was driving a black 2009 toyota police say the girl has been treated for mental health conditions and her family is concerned for her welfare. she's been entered into the national crime information center as a missing person. anyone with information is asked to call police. almost 500 local soldiers in the virginia national guard are preparing for a year long deployment in the middle east. the lynchburg based national guard, made up of men and women from across the area will deploy to qatar in may. they will provide security detail and will relieve another winchester based national guard unit who will return home from their year long deployment. specialist douglas harris / army national guard "it's a good feeling. i know that i am actually doing something, being a part of something that is bigger than myself is a great, great f

. >> the naacp does not think the general assembly should be the responsible party for drawing districts. >> this is what the ncaacp would like to see. >> the replacement of the legislature with people who have a respect for the constitution. >> the judges ordered lawmakers to come up with new boundaries by february 19th. the state could seek a delay with an appeals court. north carolina primaries are set for march 15th. maggie, back to you. >>> folks from across the area are coming together to help collect water for people in lee county where 15 wells are con department discovered elevated levels of chromium in the counties wells. the department of environmental

a bill in the general assembly could have a huge impact for the hampton roads region lawmakers are trying to figure out how to regulate air the indy its own website that allows people to rent out rooms apartments and houses and resort area like ours that has thousands of hotel rooms. it could be bad news. this is for j co is light at the oceanfront where many of those hotels are to explain what this could mean for our resort cord or lawmakers in both the house and the senate passed their own versions of the bill that would allow any home owner in virginia to open up their own air b and b of course the hotels are concerned because they think this is going to tap into their business to local governments will have a few concerns of their own hundreds of homeowners are ready to open their doors to strangers letting them rent the whole house or even just a room it's a real business happening over the country plenty of hampton roads homes are advertised as well it's a great way to make money and share house with people i'm sure the neighborhood with people carol jackson all for it her family ow

a strong majority say the general assembly should mix of virginia hospitals offer to cover the state's ten percent share of medicaid expansion costs but they worry whether washington is good for the rest you can read all the results on our website presumably thirteen years now. speaking of health care in the commonwealth more than four hundred and twenty thousand virginia signed up for health insurance through the federal marketplace governor terry mcauliffe released a new total today it includes numbers from the most recent enrollment period that ended last month nationally twelve point seven million people signed up for coverage under the president's plan and that's four million new sign ups this year general assembly also working on cracking down on sex trafficking said to be a big problem here in hampton roads today man pled guilty to pimping out a young girl in only thirteen news now was in to touching a low so i started. if you think it's cold now just wait temperatures are going to go even lower this weekend. a man admits to tricking a girl into prostitution this is one piece of

this increases the chances that the general assembly will reconvene before the supreme court rules. they say the case could create

and how will the general assembly react? bo minnick, wncn news now. >>> the air lift wing at fort braggs pope airfield looks to be over tonight. a letter was sent to congress informing them of the de activation today. it needs to reallocate resources in the most efficient manner the decision to shut down the unit unit would have an impact on the nation's readiness for battle. the armed services committee have 90 days to approve the letter. if approved, it's set to take place in september. >>> testimony continued in the a series of prosecution witnesses placed travion smith near the scene of after the killing of melissa huggins jones. the manager of the bone fish grill testified that the suspects left a messy pile of unusual suspects on an outside dining table. and a ben and jerrys store remember an argument they had over filling out the criminal history section of an employment application. >> arguing in the store, i can hear what you're saying. you might as well not fill out the application. i'm the manager. you're not goin

. >>> the general assembly set up a referendum on whether the right to work laws should be in the state constitution. virginia is already a right to worker state, meaning that workers do not have to join a union in order to work in the commonwealth. democrats called the measure purely political. >>> opposition in the general assembly today over whether or not virginia should say where they get the drugs used in executions. senator scott summerville introduced that bill after the state used drugs in texas in the execution of alfredo preetoe. was from. a subcommittee rejected the bill. >>> an inheritance for cats. >> we deserve some of that. are just throwing their >> danner: a lady in maine is fighting to get money she says that she's owed to help stay cats. brenda jarvis said a woman used to give money to help stray animals. after thorpe died, she left her money to the cats. she says that trustees have >>> the clooney's date >>> all hail to clooney. george and take "e.t" inside their old ho date night. >>> arriving in style, amal's recycled wedding look. >>> plus co-star's channing tatu

the shawsville democrat represented western virginia for almost three decades in the general assembly. wdbj7's joe dashiell covered marye for many years, and he's in the studio tonight with colorful career. jean, madison marye was one of a kind, known for his length of service, his determination to represent his rural constituents, and above all for his sense of humor. senator madison marye: no longer will i be known as mad madison marye, but perhaps landslide marye is more like it. laughter. marye relished his victory in 1979, when he won re-election by fewer than ten votes. he persevered as a politician, introducing his bottle bill requiring a deposit on all beverage containers, more than a dozen times. but it was his stories, many about his uncle billy, that many will remember most. senator madison marye: in fact, my uncle billy once said that if you want to be a leader, you've got to find a bunch of people going somewhere, and get in front of 'em. laughter. marye had friends on both sides of the aisle. today, the news of his death brought tributes from republicans. 9th district co

the problem is not that republicans in the general assembly and i don't see eye to eye. after all, pennsylvanians are used to seeing political leaders disagree, and even strongly. and in 2014 in that election the people of pennsylvania chose divided government. the democratic governor, republican legislature. and i doubt anybody was surprised when it turned out that we have different priorities. no, this crisis is not about politics at all. this is about math. pennsylvania now faces a $2 billion budget deficit. that is not a democratic fact. and that is not a republican fact. it's just a fact. it's a fact supported by standard & poors, an independent rating agency. they have done the math and they agree that pennsylvania faces a massive structural budget deficit that will only continue to grow if we fail to address it responsibly. this is not just a cloud hanging over pennsylvania's long-term future, it's a time bomb. and it's ticking away right now even as i speak. if it explodes, the people in this chamber, if you allow it to explode then pennsylvania will experience a

the governor may have to call the general assembly, or would have redraw the maps." another possible option - move forward, but delay voting for u-s house candidates until everything is sorted out. 18:14:45 "now, that is very expensive for the state, some estimates are over 9- miillion dollars to run a special primary. but it could allow time for the process to carry out." still to come on rewind.... 15:27:12 - 27 standup tease "wondering what's going on with all this water sitting all over the place? it's because there's something in the caps that will likely gross you out! i'm 5 on your side's monica laliberte, just ahead what the issue is with one of the most bizarre complaints

the republican-led general assembly is under a court order to redraw the lines by friday. >> it gives a great deal of stress in this legislative building. there's a great deal of stress across the state. there are people that have cast their vote for congress. that they now don't know if it's going to count. >> 1500 people statewide returned absentee ballots. the districts at issue are one and twelve. twelve is toward winston salem. and one includes spots east of wilson and also to durham. the general assembly is asking a delay in the order as they say changing the districts now would impact the congressionallal primary elections on march 5th. without a delay, lawmakers would hold a special session. >> although it might cost a few dollars to resend absentee ballots, the value of the constitution and adhering to other concerns. >> there's also the question of how the supreme court vacancy left by the death of justice skalia would impact the redistricting case. a single justice could grant a delay. but an appeal on the case would go before the entire court. skalia was an influential sup

what was it like tok at the united nations general assembly in new york city? >> sruthi: definitely an empowering experience, something i'll take with me forever. i know i have the capability to make a difference when i speak passionatelily about issues that impact people my age. it's a great opportunity for me people that -- my voice for other people that may not be able to do that. >> ron: sruthi palaniappan, senior at linn-mar high school, i know they don't just let anybody out there, so i know you're toog a great job. i really appreciate you staying the time for coming to be a part of this week's program, the steele report. >> sruthi: thank you for having me. >> ron: that's our program this week. thanks for watching. we're also online on kwwl.com we'll see you next week. >> announcer: this program is a paid presentation for omega xl

new at eleven, the fight to save catawba hospital appears to be gaining ground in the general assembly. local lawmakers say it now appears that both the house and senate money committees favor keeping the mental health facility open. tonight senator john edwards told wdbj7 he doesn't assembly has any intention of establishing a plan to close catawba at the present time. delegate joseph yost agreed, saying the news is "a great success" for consumers, their families, hospital staff and the community as a whole. the campaign trail to the white house continues for presidential hopefuls. five g-o-p hopefuls are trying to steal some of the spotlight away from front- runner donald trump, as they gear up for tomorrow night's cbs news republican debate. trump skipped campaigning in south carolina while his opponents are working to woo evangelical voters at a faith forum. on the democratic side, hillary clinton continued the attack she started against bernie sanders during last night's debate. she says sanders made false claims about president obama's legacy. this evening, former virginia govern

and a new bill affecting police officers makes it way through the general assembly. we'll tell you about the debate over privacy and public records. in our house, imagination runs wild. but at my table, i keep the food real. like country crock's recipe and no artificial flavors or preservatives. real country fresh taste from real ingredients. welcome to crock country. this winter, you have the power to heal. because your purchase of vaseline intensive care lotion, supports the vaseline healing project. join us to help millions in crisis this morning a virginia beach couple is recovering after a weekend fire at their home. blount were both seriously hurt when flames ripped through their home on victoria drive. that's off south plaza trail. alerted by their dogs barking - marsha escaped. firefighters later rescued her husband, darnell. since then, doctors released marsha from the hospital, but darnell is still in the icu. their daughters spoke only to ten on your side saying - both employees. c1 19:12:22 - she had just retired. and the plan was for her and my seeing yo

the map was passed in the general assembly. but it will still have to be approved by the court. >> larry: lots of sunshine. >> jason: the sunshine is going to be i think far and few between in terms of peaks of sunshine. leicester carpet sales news13 sky cam network. here we are at the top of mount mitchell state park, 6600 feet. clouds in the distance. these will be rolling in overnight. 39, at that elevation this time of year, that's pretty good for the temperature right now. 53 in burnsville. 50 in hendersonville. 50 in franklin. 58 in clemson. and up in to watauga county, a chilly 48 degrees. clouds increase. by 7 o'clock. changes that include some rain for your weekend. find out when. >> larry: an update tonight on a new recycling program in asheville. the latest campaign is showing some real results. the city partnered with the housing authority and asheville greenworks to pilot the program last october. it provided nearly 300 homes in public housing communities. now a month later, homes have cut waste by roughly 2,000 po

a decision made by the republican led general assembly in 2011, was struck down friday by federal judges so changes are coming to congressional districts across the state. districts that historically elected african americans and they raise the rate of minority voters in the district. >> two in particular. the first which serves voters in the coastal plains. the board of commissioners chair says it will also have an effect on people in the mountains. >> it'll affect us because the 12th district, which counts like a snake, impacts the sent district. if they have the redistribute there will be presum bli more in the tenth district that does touch part of asheville. >> justin: it's nothing new. >> the democratics over did it in 2004. and the federal court said you can't do that. >> justin: that's something that will have to be fixed calling it if win for everyone. >> you want your vote to matter. the way they drew the district they purposefully made people's vote not matter because it made it such a high minority voter representation in the districts. you have to spread everything out and g

. >>> law that would allow security officers to carry guns its way through the general assembly, but not everyone is in favor. opponents say the bill is bringing more guns to school. >> reporter: for years, a bill aiming school staff to arm themselves at public or private schools have failed. now, a proposal to allow security guards at schools is making his way to the general assembly passing the education committee today. the security guards would have to be retired police officer and get permission from the local school board.>> this is at least a small step in the right direction. >> reporter: philip vancleave with the virginia defense league still thinks permit holder should be able to carry on school grounds, but believes the bill is a steppingstone in that direction. >> everywhere they allow permit holders to carry whether that be in school, churches, anywhere else >> reporter: he said it is already working in higher education in virginia. >> liberty university is a good example of this. they never had any problems >> chipping away every year. >> reporter: andy goddard with vir

john: happening today a special session of the general assembly that could change how we vote in north carolina. governor mccrory summoning lawmakers to west jones street to approve a new congressional map. gloria rodriguez is there with gloria: there is still some controversy over the new maps. it passed with a 24-11 vote. the committee decided on criteria to follow in the new map. they include creating districts of equal population and not using race as a deciding factor as they were used of in 2011. reaction to the new map was mixed. >> the way they have created the districts they have carved out 10 districts for republicans and three for democrats. >> i will take issue with those that say you cannot elect democratic members in these districts. gloria: lawmakers are waiting on the supreme court to see if the new map will be used to see who will be on your ballot on march 15 15. >> i think it is very unfortunate. i think we have said all along the election into chaos. it is an historic thing. it is easy to document by making us create a separate primary turnout will be lower than it

the general assembly, hoping to have these maps approved by 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. tisha: of course, we will stay on top of this and let voters know everything they need to know. joel, thank you. breaking news in raleigh, police investigating the report of a shooting at capital boulevard and homestead drive. -- on the scene working to learn if anyone got hit. you can always look for any new developments on this story at abc11.com. steve: new tonight, a pedestrian hit by a car in raleigh to the intersection of garner road and rush street. police say the woman was into detail. police have detained the driver. we are working to find out the victim's condition. tisha: raleigh police are searching for a shooter. officers roped off the area with yellow crime scene tape. they say a man was found in the middle of the street with a gunshot wound. police are still investigating. steve: durham police are looking for clues in a shooting that happened this afternoon near the intersection of berlin avenue and prudent street. when police arrived, they found a car with a blown out

how a bill that's making its way through the general assembly could change your child's an abingdon man will spend the next year-and-a- half in federal prison for not paying taxes. according to u-s attorney john fishwick ... thomas watson ... the former owner of wat-co ... previously pled guilty to one count of failing to collect and pay taxes. the 58-year-old didn't pay payroll taxes for his employees between 20-10 and the first quarter watson has also been ordered to pay over 110- thousand dollars in restitution. a bill to lower the emphasis high schools throughout the commonwealth put on standardized testing is advancing through the general assembly. the legislation requires the state board of education to prioritize critical thinking over standardized testing.. like the s-o-l's. a house committee approved the bill 19-to-three on wednesday. the measure also encourages the emphasis of internships and technical training. new numbers show more people visited national park sites last year -- than ever before -- with a record 307-million visits. 57 of the 59 sites officially classified as

the political minute joins us live at the general. assembly where lawmakers wrapped up putting finishing touches on the map. >>> tonight governor. mccrery has called for a special session on redistricting , this will take and republican lawmakers have matter from the us supreme court but without the delay they need to move forward with the new map. >>> they have repeatedly told me that this will not impact the presidential primary, but with all the changes that are happening to the congressional district it almost assuredly will impact the congressional one. >>> i need a clear understanding of what it is. >>> with the debate over the north carolina congressional district voters are wondering how this will impact them and they are not the only ones. >>> there is a cascading effect and we are in communication. >>> this is a proposed map they are considering and many would have some parts that would see changes. the state board of elections has waited to see the number of voters whose districts would change. >>> this came in on the morning run.>>

a1a proposal before the general assembly could change the definition of resisting arrest. some police officers say it would make their jobs easier -- but there are concerns over constitutional rights. newschannel 3 s brendan ponton has the story. nats -- get out of the car cell phone video of this traffic stop in virginia beach shows a police officer and teenager in a dispute over getting out of a car. subtitle vehicle"but by law -- the teenager isn )t resisting arrest. it )s cases like that some police officers around the commonwealth want to change. including here locally. where members of the virginia beach police benevolent association local 34 recently went to richmond to advocate for a bill that would address the issue. the president sent me this statement saying "a better understanding of the elements could decrease the number of physical corontations between suspects and officers. the fraternal order of police also supports the idea. sot unless you run from the police you cannot be charged with resisting arrest. kevin carroll -- the president of the state fraternal

the general assembly is currently considering a bill to allow the state to use the electric chair as an alternative to legal-injection drugs. we want to get you caught up on developing news out of kansas where authorities say 4 people died and more than a dozen were hurt in a workplace shooting yesterday. the victim's families identified the shooter as cedric ford. they say he was a coworker of the victims. investigators say say the shooter himself is also dead. officers held a press conference within the last two hours about the deadly shooting that happened the city of hesston, which is about 20 miles north of wichita. investigators say there were four separate crime scenes - they also say the gunman was upset when he received protection order at work an hour and a half before the shootings. officials say the gunman worked at excel industries plant, a company that makes lawn care products and riding lawn- mowers. virginia beach police an armed robbery at at&t. it happened at the store on virginia beach boulevard just after 8:30 last night. police say two men went into the store wit

the north carolina education association says funding from the general. assembly are not helping. >> the lack of value, respect that the state of north carolina and the general. assembly are showing for the public teachers is pushing people out of the profession. >> we are doing a lot of things to make it better can't blame the legislature for all of these things. >> reporter: publicans -- republican coach points to recent raises for teachers upping it to $35,000 a year starting. he says there needs to be a better teaching training program for more, she tells us she is just going to focus on her dream. to work hard.>> reporter: bowman wncn news now. >> they are sending enrollment rose -- growth roles. they have also set up a new website to help in those efforts. have a link to that on our website thedenverchannel.com. -- tran3.com. >>> this is video of him appearing behind the magistrate this morning the show investigators took a laptop and several usb flash drives from his home in october. the war also shows that he raised his class ring from 67th to seventh if c

says he loves democracy but told state lawmakers he's concerned about what he's seeing at the general assembly. >> yesterday i declared myself an unaffiliated voter because i'm disappointed in the system. >> he told lawmakers from both parties the debate he's seen has been nasty. he was the only person who spoke during a public comment period at the house redistricting committee. >> people don't feel like their voice matters. >> the republican led general assembly changed the districts and moved the primary to june 7th. they made the changes after 3 federal judges ruled state lawmakers used race as the main factor in drawing the congressional lines in 2011 and >> there's got to be a way to have a non-partisan committee to draw these maps. >> we asked lawmakers from both parties their take. >> he drives that level of dissolution because it makes the parties go into their respective corners. we need an independent redistricting that takes the politicses out of it. >> i understand that folks often get frustrated with a lot of things that happened in government. that's why i ran for the legislatur

john: today a special session in the general assembly that could chang how we vote in -- change how we vote. give mccrory summoning laurels to approve a new congressional map. gloria rodriguez is live in downtown raleigh with what the newly redrawn districts mean to us. gloria: the new map still not pleasing everybody. it sis passed with a it 24-11 vote. the committee decided on criteria to follow in the new map including creating districts of equal population and not race as a deciding factor as accused of in 2011. reaction was mixed. >> the way they created the districts permanently carved out 10 districts republicans and three democrats. that would say you cannot elect democratic members in these districts. gloria: we are waiting on the supreme court find out if the new map will be used to decide who will be on your ballot on march 15. >> i think it is very unfortunate. we have said this is a thing that throws the election into chaos. it is an historic -- it is easy to document in the research by making us create a separate primary turnout will be lower than it would have been on ma

and feels the districts are fair and others see an imbalance of power. >> i urge the general assembly to unpack the improperly packed districts and restore fair representation to the citizens of the districts. >> time is a critical issue because the federal courts wanted state lawmakers to redraw the districts to friday. >> we will go back because we the only thing that would prevent that is if the supreme court issues a stay. >> now, that hearing was teleconferenced around north carolina. something else to consider is the fact that the mecklenberg county board of elections office have sent out roughly 1,000 absentee ballots. and the bigger issue is will the votes be counted? or will they be thrown out? live at the board of elections office, steve crump. >> not much time to solve the problem. >> 1500 people had to return their ballots state-wide. >> we have 30 in charlotte and seeing freezing rain in some parts. let's check in with tonya rivens. we know lots of accidents are popping up in the first alert traffic center. >> maureen, and looks like the eight-vehicle crash at 485 outer b

how his roles on the christiansburg and riner rescue squads earned him general assembly recognition. plus .. how a unique charity event will make a difference for the a christiansburg man is honored for his 52 years of service as a rescue squad worker. 80-year-old kelly walters was presented with a resolution of appreciation from the general assembly thursday. walters served on the christiansburg rescue squad.. and helped start the riner rescue squad. he still aides on calls when he can. while it was an honor.. walters says he is content with hearing a thank you frh hundreds of peoples community. kelly walters, christiansburg/ riner rescue squad: "that really pleases me, when they can tell me in person, i was there when something happened. i'd rather hear that from them than all this other." walters says he didn't know he was receiving an award and that his family and friends had to trick him into going to richmond to accept it. no wimps and no whiners .. that's the motto of a unique charity event this weekend called the ice bowl. it's a disc golf tournament. the sport is growing in

so again, this was approved in committee today, it now has to be voted on by the full general assembly, which lick lie will take place over the next two days. this change would impact the congressional primary, which happens in less than a month. >> the reality is we're having an election on march 15. we're making sure that we tell people, request your absentee. we're moving forward until we receive any other direction. >> reporter: statewide more than 1900 absentee ballots have already been returned. what you're looking at is more than 200 ballots that have already been returned in wake county. now republican lawmakers have repeatedly told me that this is not going to impact the presidential primary, which is allegation on march 15. take a look at why this would likely mean two separate elections. two primaries, including a later one that would take place for the congressional primary. live in raleigh, wncn news now. >>> life or death, those are the options for a jury in a north hills murder case. the sentencing case started this morning for travion smith in the death of melissa huggi

now a bill to reduce that emphasis is moving forward in the general assembly. editor: use school file please the bill would board of education to stress critical thinking over standardized test results. it passed the senate on unanimously -- and cleared a house committee in a 19 to 3 vote. the bill will also emphasize internships and technical training -- a move that has been on governor mcauliffe's agenda. taking advice from a total stranger-- paid off for one virginia beach woman. chanel skinner won the top prize in a virginia lottery scratcher game. now, she's 200-thousand-dollars richer. she was at the circle d food mart on virginia beach boulevard when a man pointed to a jewel 7s in the display case, and told her to trust him and buy that ticket - lucky she listened. the odds of winning the top prize in jewel 7's are 1 in 734-thousand. skinner says she plans to donate some of her winnings to her church, and possibly buy a new car. coming up on wavy news 10 - new york city police arrested two people after a tourist is hit so hard he has a skull fracture. ho

use of lethal injection drugs for executions right now there is a shortage of the drugs the general assembly that would bring back the electric chair if it passes it will go into effect in time for convicted killer ricky gray's execution he killed the richmond family in the execution is scheduled for march sixteen today a court canceled the bail hearing for nineteen year old natalie keeper she's the virginia tech student charged as an accessory in the stabbing death of thirteen year old nicole of love. police say the teen's body was found saturday in north carolina keepers classmate attack david eisenhower is charged with murder in the case keepers is set to appear in court tomorrow morning. a ruling is expected soon in a hearing over whether a judge will dismiss comedian bill cosby is sexual assault case. today the district attorney in montgomery county county pennsylvania said cause me cannot buy his way out of a criminal case but a former da testified he promise cause me that he would be in the clear of criminal charges after a causeway is charged with drugging and violating former temple

general assembly set up the working group on disarmament late last year. but the u.s. and other nuclear powers refuse to take part. japan abstained from the vote. but japanese atomic bombing survivors have been pushing for leaders to take part in the discussions. >> translator: the government's stance is to maintain security under the protection of the u.s. nuclear umbrella. but that on its own will not gain the support of the japanese people. >> the talks will last for five days, and negotiators will hold two more meetings by the end of august. then they'll submit a report to the u.n. general assembly. >>> the international atomic energy agency is hosting a conference in vienna on the safe use of nuclear power. iaea director general opened the panel for experts from across the globe. he talked about the 2011 fukushima daiichi nuclear accident. he said a large-scale accident was unthinkable in japan. he said the widespread assumption that the country's nuclear power plants were safe was a major contributing factor in the disaster. >> a strong safety culture is vital. n

a lower court ruled that the general assembly could cut off so-called career status for deal with veteran teachers. >>> days after supreme court justice scalia's death a battle is brewing. is a vacancy hasn't happened in decades and those who want to be the next president weighing in on weather president obama so try to nominate a successor. democrats say senate republicans need to act responsibly and vote on a nominee. >> we will see unlimited abortion on demand throughout this country, partial birth abortion, taxpayer funding. >> apparently they believe that the constitution does not allow a democratic president to bring forth a nominee who replace justice scalia. >> the top elected official in the texas county where he was found dead said he died of natural causes adding no autopsy >>> today a few town leaders going to discuss a debate surrounding food trucks. a ban was proposed on the trucks in commercial areas. well the town drafted the ban after some restaurants expressed concerns. >>> throughout our viewing area we've got complete coverage of the winter weather. our crews out there

the general assembly cut funding for the area in this year's budget. >> the general assembly public construction to cut $2.5 million out of its operation budget. we are doing that. and we will provide the necessary documentation as to the positions that we are cutting. >> doctor atkinson says the money is being used required by the budget. >>> some students are taking design skills to space. they launched weather balloons in hillsborough. wncn meteorologist kristen has the story. >> three, two, one. >> we launched two other balloons into the lower atmosphere. >> a huge accomplishment for one group of engineering students who began with one goal, to collect weather data from high altitudes while learning to work as a team. >> the whole purpose of the class was to have different subgroups and our team of twelve people working on different parts of the project. >> the team work paid off and >> the launch itself went smoothly. one of our balloons popped below 100,000-foot. and the other reached over 120,000 feet. >> these students built much of the equipment launched by the weather balloons themselv

a rare compromise on gun policy advanced today in the general assembly. but a leading group that is targeting gun violence stepped up its criticism of the legislation and the governor today. wdbj7's joe dashiell is in the studio with that story. jean, the compromise would reverse the policy that invalidated concealed handgun permits in virginia issued by two dozen other states. supporters of the package said it also promised more protections, by expanding voluntary background checks at gun shows, and prohibiting a person subject to a permanent protective order from firearm. but not everyone is on board. less than a month ago, governor mcauliffe and supporters of everytown for gun safety were standing together. but no longer. with the gun compromise headed for votes on the house floor, the gun control group backed by former new york mayor michael bloomberg purchased a full- page ad in the richmond times- dispatch. it carried the headline: terry mcauliffe is wrong, and it challenged the governor's claim that the compromise legislation will make virginia saf

john: 6:52 and special session called for the general assembly today. barbara: ahead in the morning rush the redistricting dilemma taking cente enamel is your teeth's first line of defense. but daily eating and drinking can make it weak. try colgate enamel health. it replenishes weak spots with natural calcium to strengthen enamel four times better. colgate enamel health. john: the morning rush all the news, weather and traffic you need before you head out. barbara: an apparent murder confession and to be road showdown. john: governor mccrory calling for a special session of the general assembly to discuss redistricting today. lawmakers have been going over new maps because two districts were declared unconstitutional and had to be redrawn. the session will be at 10:00 a.m. barbara: students and parents will notice extra security at a johnston county high in response to a facebook post with a threat to cleveland high school. the shiver office says it -- the sheriff says it doesn't appear to be credible. his wife reportedly confessed. lanson stalf has be

discrimination against gay couples who want to get married and about to unveil has died in the general assembly vote law would require virginia students to use bathrooms based on their biological sex and not how they identified but a house subcommittee voted the bill down comes as gloucester county high school student gavin graham appeals a ruling that keeps him from using was born female claim when city leaders explained today why the family of a twelve year old shot and killed by police received a bill for his ambulance ride to the hospital. the city's mayor says a family of tamara rice will not have to pay the bill and should have never gotten it. officials say medicaid originally paid a portion of the bill the city absorb the rest of the cost and consider the bill paid in full but earlier this week the executor of the two mirrors est ask for a billing statement and that triggered an automatic process that filed the five hundred dollar claim to be a state known to man. we even tea into click money on this type of deal the mayor says the claim should have been flagged and apologize to the ric