TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- As we wrap up the first month of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center is keeping a close eye on Potential Tropical Cyclone Five, which is expected to form in the coming days.
As of the 5 p.m. advisory, the system is about 1,195 miles east of the Windward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. It's moving to the northwest and is forecast to pass near or over parts of the Windward Island or southern Leeward Islands by Friday. It's then expected to move into the Caribbean Sea and move near the southern coast of Hispaniola on Saturday.
The NHC says environmental conditions seem "generally favorable" for development and the disturbance could become a tropical storm Wednesday night or Thursday.
A tropical storm watch has been issued for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Barbados and Martinique. Forecasters say rainfall totals will be between 3 to 6 inches with maximum totals of 8 inches.
The second area being monitored by the NHC is a tropical wave just east of the Lesser Antilles producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. While the NHC says significant development of the system is unlikely, it still could bring heavy rainfall to parts of the Lesser Antilles in the next few days.
The second system has been given a low near zero percent chance of formation both in the next 48 hours and the next five days.
The next storm to develop and get a name will be Elsa.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) -- There's a new push to get answers in a string of suspicious fires in Norfolk's West Ghent neighborhood.
The McGee family is now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person residents have dubbed the "West Ghent Arsonist."
The McGee family's cars and home caught fire on June 11. They were inside on a Friday night watching a movie with their two young children at the time. Everyone got out safely.
A witness saw what they described as a man-made burning box under the gas tank of one of their cars. Moments later, the car went up in flames. The fire quickly spread. The McGees believe they were the victims of an arson attack.
West Ghent car fire (WAVY photo)
West Ghent car fire (WAVY photo)
West Ghent car fire (WAVY photo)
They aren't the only ones.
Over the past 16 months, there have been five suspicious fires on or near the corner of Redgate Avenue and Claremont Avenue.
The Norfolk Fire Marshal's Office is still investigating. Officials told us they are working "around the clock" to find answers.
The McGees want to help.
"Our family is going to offer a $10,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist that lives in West Ghent," said Pat McGee. "I know from speaking to the investigators that every little bit of information helps."
"We want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to help the fire investigators solve this crime," said Pat's wife, Tiffany McGee.
The suspicious fires began in February 2020. After three suspicious fires, the Norfolk Fire Marshal's Office posted a "person of interest" on the Nextdoor app on June 1, 2020. Officials wanted residents to help identify a person caught on surveillance camera just moments before one of the fires broke out.
No luck.
From speaking with neighbors and combing through old news articles, the McGees recently learned of another string of fires in Larchmont from a decade ago. They believe all the fires could be connected.
"We encourage every single person that has seen suspicious activity for the last year in this part of West Ghent or in 2011 in Larchmont, please we beg you, reach out to Norfolk fire and Norfolk police. Tell them what you know," said Pat McGee.
"Anything. Any information, you never know what that thing is that might be the missing piece. So whatever it is it's not too small," said Tiffany McGee.
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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach REC Centers are updating membership options.
Beginning July 1, 2021, adult members will pay an annual rate of $110 (Virginia Beach residents) which include group fitness classes and drop-in childcare. Children ages 3 and up may join for $40 per year.
For those who don't want an annual commitment, the REC Center is offering a 30-day membership option. Day passes are also available again beginning July 1.
Previously, annual memberships did not include group fitness or drop-in childcare and required an additional fee or a more costly membership level.
The city has 7 recreation center locations which offer indoor pools, gymnasiums, state of the art weight rooms, and more.
Wells’ parents reported her missing the evening of Tuesday, June 15 when she disappeared without a trace from their Hawkins County home in rural Northeast Tennessee. An endangered child alert was issued by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation that evening; by the next morning, TBI escalated it to an AMBER alert based on still undisclosed “new information and growing concern.”
Summer’s parents believe she was abducted, but TBI maintains the circumstances surrounding the girl’s disappearance remain unclear and investigators have not ruled out foul play. A massive ground search operation was deployed to find Summer if she had wandered off, but no trace has been found. The ground search efforts through the densely forested and hilly terrain that surrounds the Wells’ home, nearby Beech Creek community and adjoining areas were recently scaled back.
TBI shared images of the ground search crews combing through the area surrounding the Wells’ home in Rogersville, Tennessee, on June 17, 2021. (Photo courtesy: TBI)
Summer’s story has captured national attention, and rescue teams from several states have responded to assist with the treacherous ground search. The FBI is assisting TBI and the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation and search.
Summer Wells’ mother Candus Bly spoke for the first time on camera on Monday, describing the last time she saw Summer and what happened in the hours before. Read on to learn everything known so far about the search for Summer and the investigation into her disappearance.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said a family member reported her missing to the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office around 6:30 p.m. EST that night.
Emergency scanner audio from June 15, obtained through Broadcastify, captured the moment when authorities were called to the home.
“The parents have called in advised that the mother had went for a walk, came home and now they can’t find her, they have been yelling for her, she has been gone for about ten minutes now.”
An Endangered Child Alert was issued for her later than night.
“This incident is currently still an active investigation. I am unable to release the requested information at this time,” Lynn Campbell, Executive Director of the Hawkins County Emergency Communications District, told News Channel 11.
On the same day, TBI issued updated photos of Summer that the agency said best represented the 5-year-old’s current appearance, revealing a much shorter haircut for the Rogersville girl than seen in the initial AMBER Alert.
Photos: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
The family of Summer Wells
Donald Wells: Summer’s father
Donald Wells first spoke with reporters on June 18. Summer’s father said he was at work late Tuesday afternoon, but his wife, Candus Bly, told him their daughter was planting flowers just before her disappearance.
“She was planting flowers with her mother and her grandmother and she wanted to go into the house, so my wife watched her go into the door and she went into the house,” Wells said. “And the boys were on the internet of course, and she wanted to go downstairs and play with her toys. So when her mother [came] in and she says, ‘Summer’ and she went down into the basement and she didn’t answer. So she went down there and she was gone.”
“Some bad person grabbed her, but we have no idea,” said Wells. “The FBI and the police have covered every single place, everything that anybody can think of, they’ve covered.”
“Me and my mother and her were planting flowers, and we went in after we got done washing our hands, and [Summer] got a piece of candy from grandma,” Bly said. “[Summer] wanted to go back over and see her brothers, and I said, ‘OK,’ and I walked her all the way over to the porch, and I watched her walking into the kitchen where the boys were watching TV."
Bly said she asked the boys to watch their sister and that she would be right back.
"Within two minutes, I came back, and I asked the boys where their sister was, and they said, ‘She went downstairs, mom, to play with her toys in the play room."
Summer's mother recalled yelling downstairs for the 5-year-old a few times but never heard back from her, which Bly said was unusual for her daughter. "I went down there to check, and she was nowhere in sight.”
When asked about the reports of her coming back from a walk, heard from dispatch on the scanner call, Bly said she didn’t go on walks around that area. “I don't go on walks around here, or runs, because I'm scared of the bears and snakes, and even the coyotes ... around here.”
Candus Bly and Don Wells, Summer Wells' parents (Source: WJHL)
She added that they then returned home in the afternoon but was not certain how many hours passed from the time they returned home and when Summer disappeared.
“You know, I really can’t tell you all the time details, because time gets away from you when you’re trying to enjoy yourself,” Bly said.
Candus Harer: Summer’s grandmother
Summer’s grandmother, Candus Harer, was there the night the young girl disappeared, according to Bly. Harer stays in a camper on the property. In a written statement released on June 25, Harer commented on the night of Summer’s disappearance.
“Bring my grandbaby home. She is a lovely baby, and we’re so thankful for everyone looking for her. We yelled and looked for her as much as we could. She’s just gone. It’s devastating.”
Josie, Wyatt, and Waylon:Summer’s brothers
Summer’s three brothers (12-year-old Josie, 11-year-old Wyatt, and 9-year-old Waylon) were also home the night of her disappearance, according to their mother.
Her parents spoke about the relationship between the siblings, saying the 5-year-old Summer would give her older brothers a run for their money.
“Summer was the boss of the family,” said Bly. “When they’d get out of line, she’d put them in line.”
Bly said she played with her brothers all the time, especially 9-year-old Waylon. “He misses his sister so much because he played with her all the time,” said Bly. “He was, I think, one of her favorites.”
In an interview with WJHL, David Dotson, a friend of the family, said Summer’s brothers were having a difficult time coping with the negativity from other people online and in person.
“[June 24], I took them to the putt-putt golf course here in Kingsport, just to try to let them have a peaceful day away from the search and rescue teams going on their property and the agents coming up,” Dotson said. “There was someone that made a comment that wasn’t very polite.”
Bly filed for a protective order against Donald Wells in 2020
An arrest warrant obtained by WKRN states that a Hawkins County deputy had responded Oct. 14, 2020, to the home where Donald Wells lived with his wife and four children, including Summer, on Ben Hill Road in Rogersville for a report of a domestic assault.
Wells was arrested and booked into the Hawkins County jail on multiple charges, including domestic assault, possession of a handgun while under the influence, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
The Hawkins County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office confirmed Wells pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of a handgun while under the influence but added the domestic assault and unlawful possession of a weapon charges were dropped in April 2021.
Wells spoke with WJHL about the charges and protective order, saying that he had been in Utah and that he and Bly “weren’t on the same page” due to lack of communication.
“We worked it out, she’s apologized to me. She went to the district attorney, she even talked to the judge and told him that she made a serious mistake and, you know, that’s the end of it,” Wells said. “She didn’t get hurt and I never hurt nobody, so.”
Bly’s family is dealing with another disappearance
According to the FBI, Rose Marie was last seen leaving her residence in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, on Aug. 21, 2009. Five days later, her vehicle was found in a tractor-trailer parking lot 30 miles from her home.
Bly said she was between Arkansas and Tennessee at the time of her sister’s disappearance, “I don’t know all of what happened or what did happen. But I hope that they find her too and bring her home safely, too.”
The search for Summer Wells
The search has utilized over 120 agencies from Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina and covered 4.6 square miles, or over 3,000 acres, since it began.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is one of the agencies involved in the search. FBI Public Affairs Officer Darrell DeBusk said the FBI Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) Team had been deployed to assist in the search for Summer.
“FBI CARD Teams consist of highly trained and experienced subject-matter experts, including FBI agents, intelligence analysts, and behavioral analysis profilers,” said DeBusk in a June 24 statement.
A physically and mentally exhausting search
During a June 17 press conference, Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson said crews had faced issues communicating in the field, “We can hardly communicate at all on our radios, and cell phones are out of the question.”
AT&T and Verizon have brought cell signal boosters to help increase reception, but Incident Commander of Ground Search Captain Tim Coup said service was “still spotty.”
Another issue crews have had to deal with is the area itself. The rough terrain presented a challenge in the search efforts early on. It’s also why, as Coup explained, investigators had not asked for volunteers to help in the search.
“Due to the extreme terrain, the nature of this, trying to locate her, trained professionals [are] what we need at this time to make sure that these residents don’t become endangered … and expand this issue with having to search for somebody else,” Coup said on June 17.
The extreme conditions from the terrain and heat are making things harder as the search continues, exhausting crews both mentally and physically. Additional resources from the local, state, and federal levels are being used to bring in fresh eyes and rested bodies to the search.
“Everyone now is getting mentally, physically, emotionally, just drained,” said Sheriff Lawson on June 24. “We’re going to rehab and start back again, but we’re not going to stop. We’re gonna find Summer.”
Coup said the search efforts would continue on a more specialized team basis as needed and directed from local, state and federal agencies.
In addition, officials are continuously urging people to search for a child hiding on their property. Coup said Wells, “could hide in an area that a legal size piece of paper or folded-up laptop could go.”
The ‘outside the norm’ investigation
TBI: Summer Wells case is ‘definitely outside the norm’
“While every case is different, this one is definitely outside of the norm,” she said during a June 24 media briefing.
During that same briefing, Earhart said they couldn’t discuss everything in the case. “In order to preserve the integrity of the investigation, we can’t discuss everything we are doing, and have done, to find Summer.”
When asked about lie detector tests during their June 24 briefing, Earhart said it’s “no secret” that the TBI has a polygraph unit but didn’t discuss specifics. “I can tell you that we use that as an investigative tool. In a situation like this, we’re going to use every resource and tool available to us.”
“The pickup is possibly a 1998-2000 maroon or red Toyota Tacoma, with a full bed ladder rack along with white buckets in the truck bed,” the release states.
“It’s really strange that I’ve never seen this truck, and I’ve never heard of it until just recently,” Bly said. “But I wish they would come forward and explain themselves. If you’re not a suspect, at least come forward and say what you’ve seen.”
Rumors and speculation
The TBI has stated on multiple occasions for the public to avoid social media rumors, speculation, and conspiracies, as these further complicate efforts in bringing Summer home.
Earhart said dealing with rumors and speculation is a constant battle. “We find that we’re receiving a lot of tips that is a screenshot from Facebook; it’s an opinion or speculation — that’s not a credible tip, and it just bogs down the system.”
At the June 24 briefing, Sheriff Lawson stressed reaching out to officials with important information, rather than relying on social media, “I know there’s a lot of social media [posts] going on out there — but they are absolutely useless unless these people, that are 100% positive, call 1-800-TBI-FIND, that means nothing.”
“Once this money is placed in there it will stay there for six months if there are no tips and/or leads that result in the location/recovery of Summer Wells those funds will be donated to the Child Advocacy Center,” stated Coup in the release.
Who to contact if you have information on Summer Wells
Summer Moon-Utah Wells is 3 feet tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was reported to be barefoot and wearing a pink shirt and gray shorts before she went missing.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office at 423-272-7121 or the TBI at 800-TBI-FIND.
"I feel like more police, the better, because every sheriff can't get to each case," added resident Linda Hall.
A couple of months ago, Hertford Town Council voted to disband the police department to save money. The mayor says it will save more than $300,000 a year, but some council members feel like it didn't have to happen.
"How is it a money issue when our fund balance has been amongst the highest in North Carolina?" Jackson asked.
The Perquimans County Sheriff's Office will now have coverage of the town streets. Sheriff Shelby White says four deputies will be always assigned to the town.
"We are going to be there," White added. "We are going to be answering calls and do the best we can for the community and provide for the community.
Some council members are concerned what would happen should there be a deputy-involved shooting. They want to know if the council will get updates on what happened.
"He doesn't have answer any questions that the town deems necessary," Jackson said.
White says he plans to work with council members. In the meantime, he is focused on hiring new deputies to make sure the area is covered.
"I know there are reasons why the town needed to do it or wanted to do it and I'm here in support," White added.
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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Allen Nichols has spent the past five years battling stage 4 cancer. First head and neck cancer, then lung cancer in 2018.
"I just went numb for a long time," said Allen Nichols.
The chemotherapy has taken a toll on his body, but he takes everything day by day.
However, when life's surprises pop up, like a car breakdown on Monday -- it's not as easy to deal with.
"I pulled over in the left turn lane," Allen Nichols said.
Stranded on Witchduck Road in 90-degree weather, he called his wife Mitzi Nichols for help.
"I called I don't know how many tow truck drivers. They all said the same thing. 'It's going to be an hour and a half. Maybe two before we could get to him,'" said Mitzi Nichols.
That was two hours too long. Allen Nichols says nausea already started to set in.
"I was thinking 'Oh boy this is going to be a rough afternoon because this is something my body can't take,'" said Allen Nichols.
In a last-ditch effort, his wife called the Virginia Beach Police Department's non-emergency number.
"It was not quite life or death but the longer he sits there, it could become a serious situation," Mitzi Nichols explained.
Within 10 minutes, Allen Nichols says an officer had him in the back seat of his car with some water and the air conditioner blowing strong.
"Oh man it was like waking up all over again that day. It felt so good. I just sat there and soaked it up," said Allen Nichols.
As if that wasn't enough relief, the responding officer called for backup in the form of community service officer Chuck Reich.
A few minutes later, the tow truck arrived, and Allen Nichols was able to hop in and make it home in record time.
Reich, who's been helping community members for 15 years, says he didn't do anything out of the ordinary.
"All I did was do my job I do every day," said Reich.
Allen and Mitzi Nichols don't see it that way. They have dubbed him a hero.
"I could not thank you enough. He blessed my afternoon," said Allen Nichols.
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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer's commission for an $8 billion windfarm will include several international partners.
The $8 billion windfarm, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, is slated to have up to 180 turbines that will generate 2,640 megawatts of energy, enough to power up to 660,000 homes.
The commission, chaired by Vice Mayor Jim Wood, will include a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including representatives from Dominion Energy, Virginia Beach, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Tidewater Community College, and more.
Currently, Dominion Energy has constructed two test turbines 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.
Vice Mayor Wood says the commission was designed to "bring together a diverse group of people who represent the areas needed to maximize the economic, infrastructure and job creation potential of this project.”
“We are beginning with an event in August that will bring 40 European supply chain manufacturing companies here to explore ways they can be a part of this effort,” said Wood.
The commission includes:
Jim Wood, Commission Chair, Virginia Beach City Council
George Alcaraz, East Coast Surfing Championship
Lisa Baehre, Sandler Center Foundation
Diana Burke, Virginia Beach Hotel Association
Walter Camp, Attorney and Community Volunteer
Claudell Clark, Hampton Roads Sports Commission
Tim Cole, Virginia Beach City Public Schools
Ann Crenshaw, Virginia Beach Vision/Kaufman & Canoles
Will Fediw, Virginia Maritime Association
Karen Forget, Lynnhaven River Now
Laura Habr, Croc’s Restaurant
Kia Hardy, Ph.D., Tidewater Community College
Thomas Leahy, City of Virginia Beach (retired)
Harry Lester, business and environmental leader
Ashley McLeod, Avangrid
Bobby Melatti, IMGoing
Craig Moeller, WVEC TV
William Murray, Dominion Energy
Chris Price, City of Chesapeake
Worth Remick, Colliers International
Season Roberts, public relations consultant
Rear Admiral Charles Rock, United States Navy Mid-Atlantic
Joel Rubin, Rubin Communications Group
Stacey Shiflet, Virginia Beach Restaurant Association
Doug Smith, Hampton Roads Alliance
Captain Jennifer Stockwell, United States Coast Guard - Virginia
For 17 days, Reshma Begum survived under heaps of rubble after an eight-story garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh eight years ago. A few years earlier, Darlene Etienne held on for 15 days before rescuers in Haiti found her, thirsty and near death, in a house crumpled by an earthquake.
Stories of endurance and survival under the direst circumstances continue to kindle hopes that rescuers may find more people alive within the tons of debris that was once the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo tower near Miami.
The search stretched into a seventh day Wednesday, with more than 900 workers from 50 federal, state and local agencies working on the effort. At least 16 people are confirmed dead and more than 140 still unaccounted for.
“No one is giving up hope here,” Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett proclaimed.
He cited the case of Begum, who subsisted on dried food and a scant supply of water while trapped in the ruins of the fallen factory. Rescuers had already abandoned hope of finding more survivors when they heard banging noises — the 19-year-old seamstress was clanging sticks against the fallen structure. Questions later arose whether the incident was a hoax, but the government insisted there truly was a “miracle.”
No one has been pulled out alive from Champlain Towers South since shortly after the collapse. Finding survivors is especially critical in the early days of a disaster, experts say.
"After that the survivability drops off pretty quickly — but it doesn’t go to zero,” said Dr. Hernando Garzon, an emergency room physician in Sacramento, California, who has been deployed to disasters around the globe as part of humanitarian missions and search-and-rescue operations. “It’s too early to call it a body-recovery phase at this point."
Garzon, who rushed to Haiti in 2010 to aid rescue efforts, recalled the cheers when Etienne, a Port-au-Prince teenager, emerged from the mangled house after being trapped for 16 days by shattered concrete and twisted metal. She was dehydrated, and her left leg was broken, but she was alive. Rescuers said she would not have lasted much longer had they not heard her faint cries for help.
Over the years there have been a number of similar, seemingly impossible rescues:
Evans Monsignac said he survived by sipping sewage while awaiting to be rescued from a collapsed flea market nearly a month after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Park Sung-hyun, a 19-year-old salesclerk in South Korea, credited luck — and rainwater seeping through the ruins — for allowing her to survive 16 days in a collapsed shopping mall in 1995.
Pedrito Dy was rescued after 14 days in 1990 from the basement of a quake-devastated Hyatt Hotel in the Philippines resort of Baguio, surviving on drips of rain, he said, and his own urine.
And Jesus Antonio Castillo was among the last of the “miracle babies” — more than a dozen of them — rescued from a Mexico City hospital nine days after a 1985 earthquake. Bulldozers were being sent to clear the rubble when he was discovered.
“There’s hope. I really believe miracles do happen,” said Martin Langesfeld, whose sister Nicole is believed to be among the missing in Florida. “Things like this have happened around the world.”
Many factors determine how long people can live through extremely fraught conditions, such as the availability of water, the severity of injuries and the degree to which their movement is impaired.
Experts say the key to finding survivors will depend on so-called voids within the rubble — sizeable pockets of space that allow for life. A rightly positioned beam, for example, even if collapsed, could have created a kind of structural tent where someone could await rescue.
However, the pancake collapse of the Champlain Towers South left layer upon layer of dense and intertwined debris that structural engineers say could frustrate efforts to reach anyone in such a pocket of space.
Long-term survivors have endured entrapment in considerably smaller buildings, or were trapped in structures that contained sizeable voids.
Many were young, and most had access to water or some other form of sustenance — so the downpours that have sometimes hampered the search in Surfside might be a blessing to someone trapped inside the wreckage.
South Florida's warm climate could also help, as they're not exposed to overnight cold.
“There are those who have survived despite all the odds, and I have no doubt that part of it is just that will to survive" that even science cannot explain, said Dr. David Shatz, a trauma surgeon who for 12 years was assistant medical director of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department.
Now a professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, Shatz has been closely monitoring the rescue effort from afar. For years he worked shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the rescuers now toiling at the fallen condo tower.
He also recalled being part of the bucket brigade at the federal building in Oklahoma City, which was brought down by a truck filled with explosives. And he was at the World Trade Center digging through concrete, glass and metal after the 9/11 terror attacks.
With every bit of debris he cleared away, he hoped that underneath would be a person to rescue. But for all its efforts, his team never found anyone alive.
Still, the search must go on, he said. If nothing else, to recover bodies and bring closure to grieving families — and just maybe, for that singular, miraculous rescue.
“I wish it could all be the 150 or so people still missing," Shatz said. “Even if there’s just one, that would be wonderful.”
_____
AP investigative researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- Former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has died, his family announced on Wednesday. He was 88.
Rumsfeld, who served under George W. Bush, was surrounded by family at his home in New Mexico.
"History may remember him for his extraordinary accomplishments over six decades of public service, but for those who knew him best and whose lives were forever changed as a result, we will remember his unwavering love for his wife Joyce, his family and friends, and the integrity he brought to a life dedicated to country," the family said in the statement.
Regarded by former colleagues as equally smart and combative, patriotic and politically cunning, Rumsfeld had a storied career under four presidents and nearly a quarter century in corporate America.
Rumsfeld served as Secretary of Defense under President Gerald Ford from 1975 to 1977. In 2001 he began his second tour as Pentagon chief under President George W. Bush, but his plan to “transform” the armed forces was overshadowed by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
He oversaw the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, where he was blamed for setbacks including the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal and for being slow to recognize a violent insurgency.
He leaves behind a wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Officials with the Suffolk Fire and Rescue evacuated the Suffolk Tower Apartments following a major water leak.
Team were called the complex, located in the 180 block of North Main Street, shortly after noon on Wednesday. When crews arrived at the scene, they discovered a water leak on the 5th floor that affected all of the floors below.
Although the leak has been secured, teams have discovered significant electrical hazards.
Building officials say all 118 individuals in the building have evacuated and temporarily displaced.
The Suffolk Office of Emergency Management will be coordinating the opening of the Emergency Shelter at King’s Fork High School, located at 351 Kings Fork Road, to assist those that have been displaced effective at 5:00 p.m. Residents or family members of the building occupants can contact Non-Emergency Dispatch at 923-2350, option 8, for further information.
It's expected to fly an average of 250 miles a day from June 24 through July 1.
The blimp started in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 24. The next day, it flew into Atlanta, and on Saturday, it made its way from Anderson, South Carolina, to Spartanburg, South Carolina, and ended the day in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Tuesday, the blimp will be overhead in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham.
The blimp will make its way over the Outer Banks beaches Wednesday and fly toward Virginia beaches Thursday.
Discovery is inviting the public to keep up with the Shark Week blimp's journey using the hashtag #SharkWeek.
The event is to promote Shark Week on Discovery and discovery+ which starts on July 11.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) -- The walls can't go up fast enough on the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD) 14-story mental health hospital. To give you an idea of how great the need is for such a facility, experts say one in every five kids has a mental health condition and there are currently 1,600 kids on the waiting list for care in Hampton Roads.
"This is going to change the care in Hampton Roads. We need it so badly; we need it now," said Dr. Mary Margaret Gleason, Vice Chief of the CHKD mental health program.
10 On Your Side was invited on a tour of the construction site Wednesday morning.
The tour started with the rooftop recreation area, which is as long as two and half basketball courts and will have a hoop, soccer turf, and a gardening area. It will sit on an elevated floor so kids can get fresh air and take in a spectacular view.
"Brings in all that natural light, hope and a natural uplifting environment,"said CHKD Chief of Psychiatry, Dr. Carl Petersen.
Every space is specifically designed with safety in mind. Each patient's private room will have comfortable furniture, but it will be weighted so it can't be tossed to break a window.
The bathroom, which we were told is the highest source of risk in a mental health facility, will have a light on the outside so nurses know if a patient has been inside too long. Even the simplest bathroom hook has been scrutinized. They are made of malleable rubber. "So you can't hang something from it," said Vice President Amy Sampson.
With 60 private rooms they expect to treat 2,500 inpatients a year and more than 40,000 outpatients.
The medical team is also building. Dr. Gleason said they will have 10 child psychologists here this summer.
The pieces are finally coming together for a scheduled opening in August of 2022.
CHKD is asking the community to open its hearts and wallets to help push the hospital to its fundraising goal. They need $10 million more to reach $60 million. They've already raised $50 million through donations from individuals, charitable foundations and other organizations.
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The use of cannabis and other marijuana-related products will still be prohibited at Norfolk Naval Shipyard after July 1, officials say.
In a post on social media Wednesday afternoon, on the Eve of marijuana legalization in Virginia, officials from Norfolk Naval Shipyards say federal employees are still required to "refrain from use of any federally illegal drugs, whether on-duty or off."
NNYS says possession or use of the drug is still not allowed for federal employees as marijuana remains a controlled substance under Schedule I of the Controlled Substance Act.
Come July 1, Virginia is set to be the 16 state to legalize small amounts of marijuana and allow adults ages 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana.
"Individuals who use illegal drugs are not suitable for federal employment," says the post on social media. NNSY employees who test positive for marijuana in the Federal workplace are subject to a full range of consequences, including loss of security clearance and removal from federal service, regardless of state law.
This includes hemp products containing over 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC.
"If there’s any doubt about the THC content in any hemp products, it’s best not to use them at all," officials say.
As for Cannabinol (CBD) products, it still remains on the list of marijuana products that are classified as Schedule I controlled substances under the Controlled Substance Act which makes them illegal under federal law.
Many CBD oils and similar products are not regulated by the FDA for content and could be contaminated with THC.
Starting July 1, people 21 and older across the commonwealth will be allowed to have up to an ounce of marijuana on them and grow up to four cannabis plants in their homes, but those hoping to go into a dispensary to pick some up will have to wait until 2024.
Adults caught with more than an ounce on them in a public place will face a $25 civil penalty. Those with more than a pound of marijuana in their possession can be convicted of a felony that comes with at least a year in prison and up to a 10-year sentence and a $250,000 fine.
LENOIR, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) - Four people have been found dead following a home explosion Wednesday morning in Lenoir, according to City of Lenoir Fire Chief Kenneth Hair.
The incident happened Wednesday at a residence located on Laurel Place.
Fire Chief Kenneth Hair told FOX 46 there appears to have been some sort of an explosion due to the damage emergency personnel discovered at the scene. Firefighters found four people dead at the home.
Their official cause of death remains under investigation at this time. The Lenoir Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigations are assisting with this investigation.
The pastor of the family involved told Fox 46 the yet-to-be-identified husband had taken his wife for infusion treatments, came back home, and the house exploded, killing him, his two daughters, and his son.
#BREAKING City of Lenoir Fire Chief tells @FOX46News four people are dead after what appears to be a house explosion in #Lenoir Chief does not know cause of death. I’m on the way to Lenior, @TerranceFOX46 and I will bring you more details starting at 4 on @FOX46News
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk is mourning the loss of one of their male watusi cattle.
Officials from the Zoo say Khari passed away on exhibit after he got caught in a section of the exhibit fence. Members of the Zoo's Veterinarian and Animal Care Team responded to the scene, however, Khari was unable to be resuscitated.
Khari came to the Virginia Zoo back in January 2018 for his exhibit in the Africa Okavango Delta which he shared with two other male watusi, Kamau and Gamba, and four female Hartmann’s mountain zebra.
In a social media post Wednesday afternoon, the Zoo says animals will remain off exhibit while the perimeter fence gets modified.
NEW YORK CITY (AP) — Donald Trump’s company and his longtime finance chief are expected to be charged Thursday with tax-related crimes stemming from a New York investigation into the former president’s business dealings, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
The charges against the Trump Organization and the company’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, appear to involve non-monetary benefits the company gave to top executives, possibly including use of apartments, cars and school tuition.
The people were not authorized to speak about an ongoing investigation and did so on condition of anonymity. The Wall Street Journal was first to report that charges were expected Thursday.
Prosecutors have been scrutinizing Trump’s tax records, subpoenaing documents and interviewing witnesses, including Trump insiders and company executives.
A grand jury was recent empaneled to weigh evidence and New York Attorney General Letitia James said she was assigning two of her lawyers to work with Vance on the criminal probe while she continues a civil investigation of Trump.
Messages seeking comment were left with a spokesperson and lawyers for the Trump Organization. Messages were also left with lawyers for Weisselberg and other company executives. The Manhattan district attorney's office declined to comment.
Trump’s spokesperson did not immediately response to a request for comment, but Jason Miller, a longtime former senior adviser to the Republican, spun the looming charges as “politically terrible for the Democrats.”
“They told their crazies and their supplicants in the mainstream media this was about President Trump. Instead, their Witch Hunt is persecuting an innocent 80 year-old man for maybe taking free parking!” Miller tweeted, apparently referring to Weisselberg, who is 73.
Trump had blasted the investigation in a statement Monday, deriding Vance’s office as “rude, nasty, and totally biased” in their treatment of Trump company lawyers, representatives, and long-term employees.
Trump, in the statement, said the company’s actions were “things that are standard practice throughout the U.S. business community, and in no way a crime” and that Vance’s probe was an investigation was “in search of a crime.”
Trump, who’s been critical of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, was scheduled to travel Thursday to Texas to visit the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump Organization lawyers met virtually with Manhattan prosecutors last week in a last-ditch attempt to dissuade them from charging the company. Prosecutors gave the lawyers a Monday deadline to make the case that criminal charges shouldn’t be filed.
Ron Fischetti, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, told the AP this week that there was no indication Trump himself was included in the first batch of charges.
“There is no indictment coming down this week against the former president,” Fischetti said. “I can’t say he’s out of the woods yet completely.”
Weisselberg, a loyal lieutenant to Trump and his real estate-developer father, Fred, came under scrutiny, in part, because of questions about his son’s use of a Trump apartment at little or no cost.
Barry Weisselberg managed a Trump-operated ice rink in Central Park.
Barry’s ex-wife, Jen Weisselberg, has been cooperating with the investigation and turned over reams of tax records and other documents to investigators.
Allen Weisselberg has worked for the Trump Organization since 1973.
Prosecutors subpoenaed another long-time Trump finance executive, senior vice president and controller Jeffrey McConney, to testify in front of the grand jury in the spring. Under New York law, grand jury witnesses are granted immunity and can not be charged for conduct they testify about.
Prosecutors probing untaxed benefits to Trump executives have also been looking at Matthew Calamari, a former Trump bodyguard turned chief operating officer, and his son, the company’s corporate director of security. However, a lawyer for the Calamaris said Wednesday that he didn’t expect them to be charged.
“Although the D.A.’s investigation obviously is ongoing, I do not expect charges to be filed against either of my clients at this time,” said the lawyer, Nicholas Gravante.
Vance's investigation is among at least 18 open probes and lawsuits that Trump faces. These include a criminal probe into whether tried to improperly influence the 2020 election results in Georgia, and defamation lawsuits by two women who said Trump lied when he denied having sexually assaulted them.
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The new laws taking effect Thursday include major, unforeseen shifts that make Virginia the first Southern state to abolish the death penalty and allow simple possession of marijuana.
While those changes have garnered much attention, a slew of other new laws will also go into effect in Virginia starting in July. There will be updates on rules for voters, changes for K-12 teachers, a ban on so-called skill games and new places where guns won't be permitted.
Here's a glimpse at some of the new Virginia laws coming in July:
Alcohol-related laws
The Virginia General Assembly approved a bill allowing restaurants to sell to-go cocktails for another year. The measure, passed during the height of the pandemic, is set to end July 2022.
Legislation giving businesses with wine or beer licenses the authority to sell wine or beer for consumption off-premise was also extended. The bill, which also allows those businesses to deliver wine and beer without a permit, delays the effective date of the 2020 alcoholic beverage control license and fee reform from July to Jan. 1, 2022.
A new law banning the release of balloons in Virginia goes into effect July 1. Anyone 16 and over caught intentionally releasing or discarding balloons can face a $25 fine per balloon.
Under the law, adults who direct people under 16 to release a balloon will be liable for the fine.
Bicycles
Starting Thursday, drivers will be required to change lanes when trying to pass a bicyclist if the lane of travel is not wide enough to give the motor vehicle at least three feet to the left of the bicycle.
Virginians who apply for an absentee ballot can vote at their polling place instead if they wish -- they may have to use a provisional ballot and will have to turn in the absentee ballot they receive -- and "a ballot marking tool with screen reader assistive technology" will be available for absentee voters with a print disability.
Local election officials will also be allowed to open polling places (a general registrar's office or voter satellite locations) for in-person early voting on Sundays.
Death penalty
The Virginia General Assembly approved legislation earlier this year to end capital punishment, a move that makes life without parole the harshest penalty that can be handed down in the commonwealth. Virginia has conducted the second most executions, behind only Texas, since the U.S. Supreme Court let states resume the death penalty in 1976.
Education
Starting July 1, all local public school districts must offer in-person instruction, the minimum requirement of lockdown drills per year goes from three down to two and school boards won't be allowed to file lawsuits against students or their parents for not being able to afford a meal at school or for having a school meal debt.
Those seeking a license or license renewal from the Virginia Board of Education will need to complete cultural competency instruction or training and "with an endorsement in history and social sciences to complete instruction in African American history.”
Virginia school boards must implement policies requiring teachers and other school board employees with licenses issued by the state’s Board of Education to finish cultural competency training “at least every two years.” The evaluations for teachers, principals and division superintendents will start including evaluations of cultural competency.
Guns
On July 1, guns won't be allowed within Capitol Square or in any building owned or leased by the state. Firearms also won't be permitted 40 feet from a polling place, including an hour before and an hour after it's used as one.
Those who are not exempt from these rules and violate them could face a Class 1 misdemeanor, which comes with up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine in Virginia.
One new law permits school boards to designate any building or property it owns or leases -- where school board employees are regularly present performing their duties -- as gun-free zones.
Adults 21 and over will be allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and use cannabis in private on July 1. Several provisions within the legislation, including whether retail sales will come in 2024, will require another vote in the 2022 General Assembly session.
The slot machine-like devices found in convenience stores and certain other businesses throughout Virginia, commonly referred to as “skill games,” will be banned starting in July.
Despite being money-makers for small businesses and the state, Gov. Ralph Northam amended legislation to prohibit unregulated locations from owning such gambling devices. Violators could face a $25,000 fine and the state or locality can also seek the money within the devices.
