let's start with ken smith spending the evening with roy cooper's campaign at the marriott city center in downtown raleigh. >> it is quiet here. >> reporter: the energy will start to build as supporters an surrogates start truckling in here. with less than an hour and a half away from the polls closing. democratic candidate for at polling place as cross the triangle. he started in raleigh and eventually ended up in durham. by late this afternoon, he visited nine polling places. he and his wife have three daughters. he was in the state house and the state senate. he also was our state attorney general elected in 2000. with this gubernatorial race a dead heat, a democratic party spokesman tells us this race was about contrasts. between roy cooper and pat mccorey is mccrory has been pushing the divisive social agenda with hb2 which has cost the state more than $600,000 and thousands of jobs. roy cooper wants to build an economy in north carolina that works for everyone. >> reporter: cooper will be watching the returns with his family. he will make his way here to the ballroom. the type of

there is our ken smith. the awards going on right now. we will keep you posted if we bring home anymore of that hardware. >>> and a personal milestone i wanted to share with you. you know i had twin girls. here they are a year later. ellie on the left. abby on the right. fun. >> it was. it was so fun. they were loving all the attention. and max is such a good big brother to the cutiesful it was a great day. >> they are fat and we love it. >> you survived! >> and we have a new member to the wral family. one of our editors alex and his wife stephny blessed with a beautiful baby girl. oh she is so sweet. meet alaina. this is their first child and we of course want to offer them a special congratulaons. >>hewi make it through first year. >> will make it. you might not sleep much, you you will make it. >> true. coffee. right? >> right. [ laughter ] exactly. >>> well it was pretty today, kind of cool. a lot of sun. lit be warmer tomorrow, we will lit be another cold night tonight. this morning, we woke up to some teens and 20s . it was chilly o

kbak's ken smith viewed that and joins us in the newsroom with what the director had to say say. >> when we first saw this cell phone video it was startling and unsettling. the daycare worker who turned it over to florida's child protective services said she was uncomfortable with the director's behavior. we must warn you some of this might be difficult to watch. this is the video line forfeits officers used to eventually charge 41-year-old board of supervisors,. the daycare employee is captured on phone hitting a boy several times, lifting him up then dropping him. in the video from the children's palace learning center the little boy appears to be resting when reid is the thing and dropping him. >> it's difficult to view the video as a parent. we want to get it out there so if there is any other >> police got wind of the incident after another daycare worker notified florida's department of children and families. they then called police. training defended her accidents -- actions say she was only playing but investigators are eyeing her account. >> once you be the video is disturbing i

ken smith, live in charlotte. i love it. >> reporter: exactly. >> thanks ken. >>> pregame programming begins tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. with super bowl 50, before they were pros, then at noon, road to the super bowl. at 1:00, phil sims' all-iron team super bowl edition. at 2:00 the super bowl today. all that leads up to the championship game in santa clara. coverage begins at 6:00. >>> and you can't miss our special one-hour edition of wral news. we air right after the game. we will have live reports from the bay area and charlotte, plus post-game news conferences and much more. it will be fun. >>> just ahead, how the u.s. and other nations are condemning north korea's launch of a long-range rocket. >>> plus -- >> apartheid is not the way for our representatives to be elected. throwing our state's primary elections into turmoil. hear from people for and against the ruling and what it means for next month's primary. >>> and here's another look at your winning powerball numbers. 13, 4, 36, 31, 52, the koou wpo c

ken smith looks at resources to help us get through the first winter storm.>> reporter: as the sun sets, what's beyond the horizon may not have this look of calm especially when it comes to traffic. state duty alerted drivers any cars left on the shoulder will be told towed. -- dot crews treated major roads.>> there will be patches to have a car go off the road. >> reporter: danny saffron works with pete telling and knows what can happen when icy roads and vehicles mix. he pulled several cars out of the ditch along aviation parkway. >> the schools are already close which is good. i think we will be out on the ice one morning -- all morning want to stores. >> reporter: people are making the best of it stocking up on winter supplies like ice melts. people in this case hardware store are stocking up. >> we've sold approximately 23 pounds. >>> 150,000 gallons of brian -- brine has been sprayed on the roads. the roads are clear.>> wake county have already switched to spreaders once the precipitation falls. >>> crews are working 112 hour shifts through sunday and fayetteville using 19 trucks.

ken smith continues our live coverage. >> ken, would you think conditions are getting worse or better? >> well, we have been around the wa coty area for the most part major roads, things are getting a little better on the problem, secondary roads. some parts have been without power for several hours here. right there, that's the culprit. ice accumulating on these power lines. that's really the problem and here's something else that can happen when ice builds up on power lines. this is the scene on -- where a tree limb came crashing down on top of a transit bus. the tree limb got lodged in the windshield wiper. no one got hurt. crews arrived and removed the trees started falling around the try tri-angle. one neighbor said it sounded like fire crackers. again, no one was hurt but the falling tree did damage part of a fence and came dangerously close to some nearby homes. a short time later we got another call about a tree falling on centennial campus. not far from centennial parkway. it appears the weight of the ice on the limbs uprooted this tree. but you can see the tree fell in the w

. >> i'm ken smith in for gerald owens. the accident happened at 8:00 on top of the pines court. the child got out of the car and the driver unknowingly backed up and hit the child. according to the county, the child was alert and conscious and was transported as a precaution. two florida children are safe tonight after their father ditched them and their mother on the side of the road on i-95 in north carolina. >> the man drove the family 600 miles from florida to wade, which is in cumberland county where they were told to get out of the car and then the father took off. wral adam owens is live now to pick up the story. adam? >> reporter: debra, ken for about a week that mother and children were considered missing. of course that all changed very early this morning at the spot here behind me. here they are. year-old and 10-month old as all three were dropped off from the side of interstate 95. the mother we are told walked about a mile with the kids to get to this convenience store and the gas station is on golds -- goldsboro road. from this store they would call family members

i am ken smith. >> i am lynda loveland. we find adam owens on the scene. >> we have seen them gathering evidence. officers arrived here a long unity drive this afternoon. here's video from earlier. as you mentioned, two people were found dead. family members tell us there we believe the toddler is uninjured. family members also told us who the victims are in this case but that has not been confirmed right investigators. at the moment, johnson county deputies have not said much about what happened out here. we have not been told how the victims died that we have been told to expect a statement from johnson county sheriff, steve rizal, at some point tonight. it's at that time that we hope to learn a lot more about exactly what happened here. >> a vigil tonight. raleigh parking lot. friends and family gathered to remember joe riaz. he and margaret had been shot in a parking lot. police found the bodies in the car -- after someone had called 911. >>> new tonight, deputies filed a communicating threats charge against a man who a

ken smith has the night off. the latest warnings include franklin and nash counties. we want to get right over to the weather center where amy wilmoth is tracking. >> both those counties under a severe thunderstorm warning. wake county was under that warning, they dropped it early. the storm has moved out of wake county, but look at all of the lightning with this storm. it has been quite the lightning show. we had one of our traffic cams and some of our cameras showing this incredible lightning show. i don't have any that i can show it right now. but take a look at the radar right now. we'll zoom on into the storm that's moving into franklin and nash county right now. it is a very loud storm as it continues to move to the east at about 35 miles per hour. so these are still very fast-moving storms. also, i want to point out to you portions of the viewing area. but first i want to track this one storm that's over the lieu -- lewisburg area. that would put it -- if you're in the castalia area get ready for a heavy downpour. all right. now we'll go ahead and zoom on to th

wral ken smith joins us with else we know. >> reporter: the investigators are trying to get to the source of this threat. the threat was set and around what time. all of this coming as the da gets the results of a preliminary autopsy report and the body was released to his family. >> reporter: copies of the search warrant indicate that an e male was sent to a raleigh police officer from an unknown gmale account. in the court papers the police labeled it a threat against lives of law enforcement officers but did not list exactly what the threats were -- gmail account. in the court papers it was labeled as a threat towards all lives of law enforcement officers but did not list exactly what the threats were. >> his mother sounded strong. >> reporter: the bishop visited with his family. he says the family is comforted by the outpouring of support by the community. >> there are people who are supporting her, community of course, with food and water and what have you. >> reporter: the bishop and other pastors of churches in or morning to talk about ways to make sure tensions do not boil over in

new tonight at 6:00, ken smith is live with a look at the anticipation building in this crowd. >> an an update we just can't wait to share with you new at 6:00. find out why this teenager's mother is crying tears of joy all of thi wendy hates dirty lawn furniture. that's why she uses scotts outdoor cleaner plus oxi-clean. it cleans all of wendy's lawn furniture without damaging any of wendy's lawn. in un thiphein s hior ng around faliaroo c muon e walls suey unreerand pledearl >> 1 >>t iten idownount a uerdres. it then >>nd tted mi, f e t th>> thout woong come w ruwa. >> waled 1937. inwrwi sll w rorte the d ifaof ditaalitcann at >> th mus th m iomo watoept trion goin yo almt goling se t behe geon >> iaspathra t onweliving in ita pidatecity e la0se, rtime rts raedid >> $10,omhi tilngtoye sabu >> ouilding >>epr: old but new n. me ryry proud o a py veroud we s nder ny e students hevep grife ngaty' bou kd quti. >> ther thth meound. and ss. erisalot for ing th m und. y sardthe o iobroateliadnal c ome rle. t she coest ruvedcasin is c ops rs. chk isvenow heerizonr. ouragefr shington, oninju

that's where ken smith was on the prowl searching for broncos fans in panther country. ken, did you find any? >> reporter: you know, it all, this is home to the nfc champion carolina panthers but we accomplished it. our quest to find broncos fans in panther country took us to this sports bar on the south side of charlotte. dee dee peckers is listed as the local place for broncos fans. we caught up with a couple that's telling me the trash talking and the fact that the panthers are so confident that they will win the super bowl. the webers believe they've got the team that can stand up to the panthers. we will see come tomorrow. coming up on our late news we talk to this other bronco fan. she's actually a peyton manning fan. she reveals the toughest thing about pulling for the orange in that's tonight at 10:00 on fox 50 and right back here on wral. >> i assume you probably found some wings. >> wings are flying. >> ken smith, thank you. >>> pregame programming begins tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. with super bowl 50 before they were pros, then at noon, road to the super b

ken smith reports the triangle community is now rallying around her. >> i think that they have known in the back of my head something, because there was a >> and annie dice is still battered, bruised, and a bit shaken by an assault that happened near her downtown raleigh home tuesday night. she had just gotten home when she says three member attacked her in this apartment. they says they took everything including family pictures and momentos of her young sons, both of whom are deceased. guys in front of me. was going on, you know. it was just shock. pure shock. >>reporter: well hoff known if her years of charity work from the irish community. for years she walked a few blocks from the pub without fear. the attacks stole her sense of security. >> and that is the thing i feel. and that we did to know. that was nine. enough. this city has rallied and come around me and wrapped me in a blanket. and i am so grateful. we certainly wish her a speedy recovery. smith reports her recovery will take some time. she's expected to remain in that neck brace for at least six to eight weeks. and ther

i'm ken smith. >> i'm debra morgan. we have live team coverage. and brain slade ser with the unc fans in chapel hill. cameron indoor stadium. >> we're noticing some new security measures, julia. >> reporter: that's right, ken, these metal detectors were put in place last month, and because of the big crowd today they opened cameron indoor stadium 30 minutes early to get those crowds through the metal detectors and into the stadium. tip-off is 30 minutes away. boy, these folks have been ready for weeks. >> reporter: it's the games they wait for, for months. >> i love game day on saturday. >> to get to come to duke and get to be a part of this experience, it's unbelievable. >> let's go duke! >> reporter: welcome to krzyzewskiville. it started in 1986. back then students camped out for just two to three nights. it now it's more like six to seven weeks. >> reporter: the game faces are put on early. the evening wear is decidedly a darker shade of blue. duke walked out of chapel hill last month with a win. dye-hard blue devil fans are hoping for a repea

. >> that was ken smith reporting. statewide hearings are planned for monday and lawmakers will use feedback to help them redraw the state's congressional district lines. if a special session is required, they will convene thursday. >>> for the first time, unc president-elect addresses the criticism she faced after her hiring. >> much has been said of the selection and about me personally. i must say that after spending most of my career in service to the public, working on behalf of all students and with people of all points of view, i've been surprised at the intensity of the reaction. >> spellings was referring to meetings. some took aim at her connection companies. friday she laid out her vision for 17 campuses at a board of governors retreat. she wants to create a system that's accessible, affordable and accountable. spellings officially takes over march 1st. >>> a fayetteville man is being held on $1 million bond after charges of sexual assault involving an 11-year-old. police say it happened last month and he kn

check out live reports from jeff gravley and ken smith tonight from bank of america stadium. >>> the afc title game is up first. it features the broncos and patriots. winner of that game goes to the super bowl. that kicks off at 3:00 and you can see that right here on wral. >>> college basketball now. duke used some lights out shooting in the second half to beat nc state saturday. the blue devils shot 70% from the field to erase a seven- point first-half deficit. grayson allen scoring 28 points as duke wins 88-78. >>> today's north carolina basketball game will tip off earlier than scheduled. the game with virginia tech has been moved up from 6:30 to 3:00 because of weather. that's a look at sports. enjoy the football and your >>> ahead, a unique view of the winter storm that has crippled much of the east coast. >> and here is a live look at conditions and wake county. adam owens is cruising along and wake county. a good bit of ice and white on the side of the street. but this history looks fairly decent all things considered. many roads still very self -- take it easy if you're mopl

that's why they call it gambling. >> that was ken smith reporting. some fans got tickets three months ago. >> good gracious. >> the lucky ones were among more than 18,000 fans, pnc arena sold out. of course, duke also go into the sweet 16 so we will follow we will see, maybe one of them will go to the end. >>> we've got you covered this march madness, for sure. >>> 12 people from the raleigh area had a microphone, stage, and 18 minutes to inspire a crowd. they were selected to present a ted talk in raleigh. you have probably heard of these, videos of people around the world sharing great ideas that have become an internet phenomenon. i had a chance to listen in. >> him him a round of applause. >> reporter: we all love a big story and a big idea. and for our jaded eyes to be opened. >> we all hope to be awed. >> what was the big idea? >> reporter: what motivational speaker jason goldsborough is doing is quit thrillseeking, alcohol drinking and job seeking to find stimulation. that as a moment by moment choice? waiting to be sparks for something outsid