Noon News on WRAL - Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Competent to stand trial. That's the decision on the man accused of shooting a UNC professor in 2023. What we're learning from newly released court documents. Coaching search begins. The UNC Board of Trustees discusses the future of the Tar Heels basketball team after the firing of Hubert Davis. What officials are telling WRL about the next steps in the process? Sutherly winds bring back warmer temperatures for the next few days. I'll show you when we can return to the 80s and see a little bit of rain. We are in agony. Heart-wrenching words. Today's show host, Savannah Guthrie speaks with Hoda Koppi about the disappearance of her mother Nancy. When you can see that emotional interview as the search continues. Now, breaking news from WRAL, coverage you can count on. Breaking this noon hour, within the last hour, we've learned the man accused of shooting and killing a UNC professor in 2023 is competent to stand trial. Thank you for joining us. I'm Renee Chu. And I'm Chris Loving. And Tiley Chi is charged in the murder of Dr. Sishianyan. It's a story that we have followed extensively here at WRL News. Let's bring in Carly Haynes. She is live on UNC's campus right now. So, Carly, talk a little bit about what this means for his case. Well, today the state filed a notice that it does not intend to seek the death penalty in this case. We're standing outside of Cotto Labs. This is the location where Professor Yan was shot and killed in August 2023. It caused the university to go into lockdown and to reevaluate some of its security measures. So as far as his first appearance today, she was evaluated by physicians at Central Regional who determined he understands the charges against. against him and he's able to support his attorneys in his defense. That means he is mentally fit to stand trial. His attorneys inform the judge, however, that they still plan to argue that she is not guilty by reason of insanity. As a result, the judge ordered another mental evaluation to determine his mental status at the time he's accused of shooting Professor Yan in 2023. So while she was found competent to stand trial, there's still an open question of whether he was found competent at the time of the shooting. His next appearance is scheduled for June 16th. Carly Haynes, WRL News live in Chapel Hill. Also breaking this noon, an all clear was given after Ralee Police investigated a bomb threat at the federal courthouse downtown. Authorities say that threat was made around 840 this morning, and the WRL breaking news tracker was there as police investigated. The threat led to a full evacuation of the building. The court scheduled had been shifted for the day the rest of the day because of this. And no more information has been released about the nature of the threat. Now among the hearings scheduled that will be delayed is a court appearance for Eric Byrd. He's the man arrested last week on a charge of communicating threats. The FBI describes him as someone who poses a threat of mass violence. Bird was held on an involuntary mental health commitment after his arrest earlier this month. As the dust begins to settle around Hubert Davis is firing, we are hearing more from UNC leadership, including the leader of the university. W.R. Sean Gallagher joins us live from Chapel Hill right now. Sean, what did Chancellor John Roberts have to say about this?

So as you can see, John Roberts didn't take questions, but said he would be available after tomorrow's Board of Trustees meeting. So now what? Cunningham and Newmark both talked about how highly sought after this position is going to be in college basketball. And they're actually hiring a law firm to help with that process. But you may remember, the Board of Trustees had some of their power stripped after the hiring of Bill Belichick. So they will not be involved in that search process. They will have to sign off on whoever they select them. In Chapel Hill, Sean Gallagher, WRL News. Sean, thank you. Attention now turns to who will replace Coach Davis. And there are several names that people will be watching. That includes Arizona's Tommy Lloyd, Michigan's Dusty May, Iowa State's T.J. Otselberger and Chicago Bulls, Billy Donovan. On our WRL YouTube channel, Pat Welter and Brian Murphy from our WRL sports team, share their thoughts about Davis' inspiring. Plus, you can hear more reaction from players and fans. Be sure to like and subscribe for more coverage as the story develops. You can also... North Carolina football is back. Join High School OT Saturday, August 8th for the 2026 High School OT Jamboree at First Horizon Stadium at Wake Med Soccer Park. Watch some of the state's top programs hit the field. Wilson Hunt, Union Pines, J.H. Rose, Rollsville, Southeast Raleigh, Wake Forest, Cardinal Gibbons, Millbrook, Southern Durham, and Middle Creek. Bill Gates open at 3 p.m., JV kicks off at 4, varsity action starts at 5. Get your tickets now at high school OT.com. Here, 5-0. Come 5-0, who's a good girl? Did you say your dog's name is 5-0? Yeah. Ever since I opened my go-green checking at Coastal Credit Union, I'm earning up to 5% annual percentage yield. It's all I think about. So I named my dog after it. 5-0! So while she fetches sticks, your go-green checking fetches you more money? Yep, she barks better, and I bank better with Coastal Credit Union. Visit coastal24.com to start earning more. Federally insured by NCUA. Membership eligibility required.

New within the last two hours, Iran dismissed an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East and plans to issue its own counterproposal instead. This comes as the UN Secretary General calls on the U.S. and Israel to end the war. Raf Sanchez has more on the talks going on in the Middle East. President Trump continues to strike an optimistic note that a negotiation with Iran could lead to an end to this war potentially sometime soon. He says that there are many points of agreement between the two sides, including that Iran has agreed that it will never have a nuclear weapon. But here in the Middle East, it remains much less clear whether these negotiations are actually significantly progressing. We do know that Pakistan has emerged as a potential... mediator in these talks. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has said that if the Iranian and US sides want to meet, they could do it in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. At this point, there is no timetable or any schedule for those meetings, and we don't know whether those would be direct negotiations or indirect negotiations through mediators. The president says that in a slightly cryptic comment in the Oval Office, that Iran has given the United States a gift that is valuable, that is to do with oil and gas and the strait of Hormuz. And the president says that that gives him confidence that whoever it is they are talking to on the Iranian side does indeed have the authority to make a deal. Raf Sanchez, NBC News, Doha, Qatar. Those deployed include soldiers from Fort Bragg. Fox News and the Wall Street Journal are reporting the 82nd Airborne is being deployed to the region. 3,000 members of a brigade combat team are going. It's a rapid response unit that can go anywhere in the world within 18 hours. An official announcement from the Pentagon will be coming in the coming days. And I'm Laura Levine here in the WRL Live Center this noon. Meta began laying off hundreds of employees starting today. Many of them notified and more notifications will be coming in the coming weeks. This is impacting its Reality Labs virtual reality division and at least four other divisions. The job cuts are a part of a larger company reorganization. A meta spokesperson says in a statement, teams across meta regularly restructure or implement changes to ensure they're in the best position to achieve their goals. The layoffs will also impact employees across META's recruiting, sales, global operations, and Facebook social teams. So we'll have to wait and see how this will impact all of its platforms. And there are other tech companies having layoffs as well. Thanks, Laura. We are learning new information about the deadly crash between an Air Canada passenger jet and a fire truck at LaGuardia International Airport. The NTSB says they're looking at a number of potential factors that led to the crash. And part of their focus is on a ground radar system. They say it never issued an alert that the jet and fire truck were moments. away from collision. That's potentially because the fire truck did not have a transponder. Investigators are also analyzing black boxes. They're scrutinizing the last communication between the pilots and air traffic controllers. At one minute and 12 seconds, the flight crew confirmed that the landing checklist was complete. At one minute and three seconds, an airport vehicle made a radio transmission to the tower, but that transmission was stepped on by another radio transmission.

Investigators say at this time it's unclear if the air traffic controller was occupied by another situation. A potential deal is in the worst to end long TSA checkpoint lines at airports nationwide. This is according to NBC News. Under a proposal from Senate Republicans, the Department of Homeland Security, including TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA would be fully funded. Portions of ICE that combat drug trafficking would also be fully funded, but non-immigration enforcement, which would be negotiated later. A deal to end the partial government shutdown would mean TSA officers would be paid again as they are set to miss a third paycheck again this week. Earlier this week, ICE agents arrived at several major airports across the country to help alleviate those long lines at TSA. The ongoing partial government shutdown is now affecting members of Congress. Delta Airlines says it is temporarily cutting off special airport services for lawmakers. The airline cites strain on resources tied to the prolonged shutdown. Lawmakers typically have expedited screening, airport escorts to bypass long security lines, access to dedicated reservation desks for last minute travel changes. All right, swinging over to our weather forecast. Let's get to meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. Elizabeth. Yes, we started off the day cold, but that warm up is here. It is. It feels nice out. I was out just a little while ago. And look how pretty it is. We're taking a look across Wake County toward Garner. And you can see some sunshine, some blue sky there, a little bit of cloud cover. And that's what we'll see all day long. We're not going to see overcast skies for long. If you do see them, they should break up pretty quickly. It is 53. So that's still on the cool. side, you know, jacket, weather, I would say. But look at how warm we get by the middle of the afternoon, all the way up to around 64, which will feel comfortable again, probably, you know, with some long sleeves. Here's a look at where our cloud cover is right now, and you can see some of that from the triangle area northward, but some of our southern counties are actually seeing a good bit of sunshine, Fayetteville, Goldsboro, seeing a good bit of sun. At least that's the way it looks on satellite. 54 in Durham right now, 53 Holly Springs, as well as Garner and Nightdale. So still a little on the cool side, but our wind coming out of the south changes every. everything for us today. Right now, we're in a pocket where temperatures are below normal, signified by the blue. You look back to the west and you can see the reds, even the pinks. Those temperatures are way above normal. That comes zipping right in here tomorrow and Friday. And then very quickly, our front comes through and pushes that right on out of here. And wow, we are right back to some chilly temperatures, mostly just for Saturday and Sunday. Timing of that is not great, but it is what it is. 64 Raleigh, 63 in Durham and 67 in Fayetteville with partly close. body skies today. Obviously, our tree pollen is high, very high for the last two days. As a matter of fact, that trend is likely to continue for at least a couple more weeks. Still probably not time to wash the cars yet. Pine pollen is the yellow that you see, but oak and birch is what is actually the allergen. What is blooming in the gardens? I've had so much fun. I didn't get a chance to be out there today, but it's lovely out there. The tulips are blooming. We're starting to see some azaleas budding. The

This is a beautiful time to be out there. As a matter of fact, certainly next week, I would say don't miss it because at that point we'll probably see just a ton of azaleas. If you're coming to the gardens this afternoon, 60 degrees at 1 o'clock, 62 at 2 o'clock, 63 at around 3 o'clock. We don't have any more cold nights in our forecast until Sunday. So Sunday morning, our temperature will be down to 35. But tomorrow morning, heading out the door, temperatures will be right around 50. So you don't need your heavy coat, and you won't need it on Friday morning either with the temperature of 60. Our 64 today continues to climb over the next few days. A flow out of the southwest brings us to nearly 80 degrees for tomorrow. And then ahead of this front, even a warmer. 87 will tie the previous record in Raleigh. We'll have a little bit of rain that comes along with that front. And then behind it, look at that, our high on Saturday is only 58. So we go, we're going to drop it about 30 degrees from the high on Friday to the high on Saturday. On Friday, we could tie the record of 87 and Raleigh and break the record of 87. in Fayetteville with that hive around 90 degrees. Looking ahead, Friday again with that front, we do have the chance of some showers. It looks like it'll be fairly light. We'll take a look at that and how much rain we really need if we're going to get rid of the drought. Looking ahead, even though it's chilly over the weekend, we have some nice warm temperatures for next week. We could be nearly 80 degrees for the Durham Bulls home opener. Ooh. I've never heard of the Hellebores flower, but now I know instead of just, oh, look at that pretty flower. We learned a thing today. They're also called Lenton Roses. Well, coming up on our news this afternoon, UNC needs a new basketball coach. How it hired its last football coach will play a role. Today at 4, the process for getting a new leader for UNC hoops. Plus, budget stalemate. A standoff on tax cuts has hampered the state's ability to get a budget done, which is why tonight at 5. Here are the new calls to fund state programs with a multi-billion dollar deficit looming. Looks like streaming services have joined the growing list of household price hikes. Five on your side's Ashley Rowe has advice on how you can still binge your favorite shows without breaking the bank. Streaming price hikes have become so common, they've earned a nickname, streamflation. And consumer reports as those rising fees can quickly add up, especially for the roughly half of American households with three or more services. I have about five. And those who don't keep a close eye on the charges may not know how much they're currently paying. I have to look at my bill, so don't know yet. To be determined. CR tech editor Jim Wilcox was shocked when he went to tighten his budget and realized he was paying about $1,000 a year for TV. The cost is really creeped up on a lot of people, and it's probably one reason that a lot of people don't understand how much they're really paying. Start by looking at all your subscriptions. Check all your apps and scan your credit card bills and cancel any services you aren't using. If you're willing to watch ads, consider switching to a lower-priced ad-supported tier on sites like Disney Plus, HBO Max, and Netflix. Bundling is another way to save.

Two popular options include Disney Plus, and one of the newest combines Apple TV and Peacock. A lot of times cell phone companies bundling streaming as well, and so you may be able to get free Netflix with ads or another one of the services. And of course, nothing is cheaper than free. There are dozens of free-streaming options beyond original freebies, Pluto, and Tooby on many smart TVs and streaming devices, including Amazon Fire TV channels, Google TV, FreePlay, and the Roku channel. Finally, for your... must watch non-negotiable everyone will be talking about it shows there's one more strategy service hopping you sign up for service you binge everything you can for a month or so and then cancel that service and then jump to another one and maybe just put a reminder on your phone to cancel the service so you're not paying after your binge is over ashley row five on your side Trader Joe's is recalling even more products that could contain glass. Trader Joe's expanding its ongoing recall to include nearly 10 million additional pounds of food sold in its stores across 43 states. That now includes Trader Joe's vegetable fried rice with Best Buy dates ranging from February to November of this year. You should throw the products away if you have them or return them to the store for a refund. Well, excitement is gearing up for the year. UNC women's basketball send-off. So let's go ahead and check in with W. REL's Chris Lee. Right now, but right now we're going to have the send-off over for UNC women's basketball. They are going to go to the Sweet 16 in Fort Worth, Texas in just a little bit. Their bus is going to pull up. And it's going to be right here. They're going to come out of the doors here at Carmichael Arena. And the fans are a little bit excited right now. We have some fans already pulling up here with some of their stuff showing like the flag right here, Shane Women's Basketball and fans lining up. So it's going to be more coming up. They're supposed to come out at 1245. I want to speak to somebody right here. And what was your name again, my man? My name is Jack Herring, and I am a Game Day Affairs Director for Carolina Fever. I've gone to basically every single home game this season. Well, we're going to hear from him again next. And upgrades on the way, a small airport in our area getting some additions. We will show you what's new. And here's a look at your winning North Carolina Education Lottery numbers.

Shot in 4K ultra-high definition. Your number one source for local news. WRL News, coverage you can come on. Sweet 16 bound. The UNC women's basketball team will be heading to Fort Worth, Texas, for a chance to get closer to the national championship. All right, let's go ahead and bring in WRO's Chris Lee. He is live outside Carmichael Stadium right now. So Chris, you gave us a preview a little bit ago. Tell us about the energy out there right now. Yeah, now things are starting to pick up a little bit. More and more fans are starting to come out here to be a part of everything. Of course, they want to see their women's basketball team off. And a few minutes, they're going to come out of these doors of Carmichael Arena. They're going to get on the bus that's going to pull up here in just a few minutes. And then they're going to be off to the airport where they're going to head to Fort Worth, Texas, to be a part of that Sweet 16. Right here, I have a student with me. He's a junior. His name is Jack. How are you doing today, man? I'm doing good. I'm excited to see the women's basketball team. play number one overall seed Yukon in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday. Yeah, you said you've been to all of the games this season. Tell me what's your favorite thing about this UNC women's basketball team? My favorite team is seeing the players have fun on the court, but more importantly, having them go around post-game and high-five us all. Because they love us. And I especially loved how Courtney Banghart did a heart to all of us students in the bleachers right before she was interviewed post the game on WCHL on Sunday. That's awesome. So that heart meant something to you and that this team means something to you. What would it mean to you if UNC was able to beat Yukon? That's Yukon. They're a big juggernaut. What if they beat Yukon and move on to the elite eight? What would that feel like for you? It would feel like... It would feel like Duke, I mean, UNC beating Duke. Okay. Because Yukon is really good, and I don't ever call UNC women's basketball beating an undefeated team pilot. previously because I went to the South Carolina game during my freshman year, and South Carolina was very good at you, and we unfortunately did not beat them, but it was still an amazing game. Well, I know that they're going to have a good time this weekend. You're going to have a good time watching them, and in a few minutes they're going to be out there. We'll show you guys more coming up at 5 and 6 o'clock later on. We'll also have more for you on social media as well as the Tar Hills getting ready to go to the Sweet 16. All the interviews and all the action. All right, thanks, Chris. And right now, actually, on our WRO YouTube channel, Pat Welter and Brian Murphy from our WRL sports team, they'll share their thoughts about Davis's firing. Plus, you can hear more reaction from players and fans. So be sure to like and subscribe for more coverage as this story develops. Raleigh police are warning people after a man was arrested and accused of impersonating an officer. They say this man, 33-year-old Meredith Cromarty, has been charged with impersonating an officer six times. Cromarty turned himself in this week at the Orange County Sheriff's Office on outstanding charges from Wake County. The most recent charges came from an incident just last week where police say he tried to conduct a traffic stop. After that, he continued to make contact with the victim.

and force them into sexual contact. Lieutenant Davis Bradford says it's important to look for anything out of the ordinary when spotting an impersonator. Clearly, if it's somebody that's in complete plainclose, no identifiers or anything like that, that's a, that would be a red flag. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, but it is cause for concern for somebody that's that's being pulled over. Bradford says drivers should not hesitate to call 911 if they feel like something is off. He says if you feel uncomfortable, you can respectfully ask to call dispatch to make sure that the person you're talking to is a law enforcement officer. We're hearing from the parents of a teenager hit by a police cruiser in Fuqua Verena. They shared pictures with us of first responders caring for their son, Axel Henderson, after the crash. But we want to warn you that they may be hard to look at these photos. It happened around 5.30 at the intersection of Woodrow and Church Streets. The crash fractured both his eye sockets, and he has a lot of bruises. Axel's dad, Coy Henderson, says his son was walking to meet with him at a park near their home when this happened. His father says that an officer called him from his son's phone and told him that his son was hit by a car. And I was like, you hit him. Like, you're a cop. Like, what are you talking about? Like, you're supposed to start to protect. You hit my son? Just trying to focus on Axel and trying to keep him comfortable and help him through his injuries and help him with a recovery. And it's, um, just want to, um, just want accountability. The frustration in their voice. In a statement, the Fuqua Verena Police Department says its primary concern is the well-being of everyone involved. And Highway Patrol is now investigating. Upgrades are coming to a small airport in our area. The Triangle North Executive Airport in Lewisburg is pouring out a new concrete floor in the north hangar area. The site will soon be home to a new hangar. It's 12,000 square feet. The airport is already working to rent out spaces inside. Well, new at noon, two Raleigh police officers were being honored for their actions during a water rescue. And police officers Mills and Vanderhoof were honored at the annual law enforcement recognition banquet. The two helped to rescue two teens at the Falls of News River. The city of Raleigh says both exemplified courage, professionalism, and their commitment to public safety. Both also received national recognition after being featured in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. Still to come. Our teacher of the week is working on the credentials to become a school administrator, but she is still drawn to the classroom after more than two decades. Next, we'll take a trip to East Wake Magnet High School to surprise this very deserving teacher. And a step toward a cure. A new report shows progress with the latest vaccine for Lyme disease. What this could mean for people battling the disease.

The best version of you starts with a good night sleep. More energy, more patience, better focus. When sleep suffers, everything else usually does too. I'm Brandon Gill, president of Parkway Sleep Health Centers. At Parkway, we make getting answers easier with convenient home sleep studies and appointments within weeks, not months, because better sleep changes everything. Parkway Sleep, your fastest path to better sleep. Start today at ParkwaySleep.com. Sound sleep, sound sleep, sound health. Here, Fivo! Come, Fivo! Who's a good girl? Did you say your dog's name is 5-0? Yeah. Ever since I opened my go-green checking at Coastal Credit Union, I'm earning up to 5% annual percentage yield. It's all I think about. So I named my dog after it. 5-0! So while she fetches sticks, your go-green checking fetches you more money? Yep, she barks better, and I bank better with Coastal Credit Union. Visit coastal24.com to start earning more. Federally insured by NCUA. Membership eligibility required. Our teacher of the week worked in the corporate world before answering the call to the classroom. And W. REL's Ken Smith is at East Wake Magnet High School to introduce you to a teacher who makes sure her students are the center of attention in her classroom. The reason why you want to do that is so you don't get behind with today's assignment. After more than two decades, Angela McCullors is sure of one thing. The classroom is her haven. Looks like you're doing good. Good job. Okay. But it took a stint in the corporate world after college before she realized teaching is her passion. And when I first started, I was like, well, I don't know if I'm like it. And I'm going to just do it for a little while. But when I started, I loved it. And I knew that's what I wanted to do. I was an English major back at East Carolina, and I always love writing and literature and analyzing texts and things like that. Part four is your comparative thinking. As an English teacher, Ms. McCulls prides herself on meeting her students where they are. I got it, baby. Come on back. Knowing that each student learns differently and some at a different pace with the understanding that the value of education is immeasurable. I always have been a big believer in education. And I feel like, and my mom, Chrissy Dunn has always told me if you get a good education, you can do anything you want in life. You can go anywhere you want. And that's Ms. McCullough's goal for all her students, for each of them to reach their full potential. My teaching is my why. My students, they are my why. I mean, I just love it. And, you know, I have students just like, you know, my new students this semester, students from the past, they just give me something that it just, it just makes my heart smile. Ms. McCullors, you are WRL's Teacher of the Week. Give a big round of applause. Oh, my God, thank you. Congratulations.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Yay. And if you would like to nominate a teacher, you can go to W.R.L.com and enter Teacher of the Week in the search box. Check your phone. A warning this morning about a scam targeting drivers in Wake County. What you need to know about that scam. Plus, new seating changes. One airline is making sure passengers experience ultimate comfort on their flights. Next, when the new changes are expected to launch. Hey folks, Marty here with Rescue Wood Rehab and Fuqua Verena. And this is Keith, your favorite master craftsman. If you like wood, stop down and see us. We've got wood of all types. We've got longwood, short wood. Live edge slabs. We have exotics. Oldwood, new wood. We have the wood you need for your project. Visit us at RWRNC.com. Here, Fivo. Come, Fivo. Who's a good girl? Did you say your dog's name is 5-0? Yeah. Ever since I opened my go-green checking at Coastal Credit Union, I'm earning up to 5% annual percentage yield. It's all I think about. So I named my dog after it. 5-0! So while she fetches sticks, your go-green checking fetches you more money? Yep, she barks better, and I bank better with Coastal Credit Union. Visit coastal24.com to start earning more. Federally insured by NCUA. Membership eligibility required.

Happening now here in the WRA Live Center, we have a pretty disturbing update coming from the Samson County Sheriff's Office with this latest information about how deputies located an urn on the side of Pumpkin Town Road yesterday in Autryville. And inside that urn, they found out was... The best version of you starts with a good night's sleep. More energy, more patience, better focus. When sleep suffers, everything else usually does too. I'm Brandon Gill, president of Parkway Sleep Health Centers. At Parkway, we make getting answers easier with convenient home sleep studies and appointments within weeks, not months, because better sleep changes everything. Parkway Sleep, your fastest path to better sleep. Start today at ParkwaySleep.com. Sound sleep, sound sleep, sound health. Want to sell your home just like that? Snap away the stress and contact sold it in a snap.com. Why deal with the costly repairs and endless showings? Sold it in a snap offers a smarter way. Simply provide a few quick details, schedule an in-home walkthrough with a Jim Allen group expert, and get your personalized cash offer in a snap. Skip the selling hassles and reach out to sold it in a snap.com today and get your competitive cash offer. That's sold it in a snap.com. As we wrap things up, here's a look at a few of the headlines we are following today. The man accused of shooting and killing, a UNC professor on campus, is competent to stand trial. Tiley, she is charged in the murder of Dr. Istisianian at Caldo Lab back at August 2023. Today, the state filed a notice that it does not plan to seek the death penalty. Chief attorneys told the judge, they still plan to argue that he is not guilty by reason of insanity. And that's why a judge ordered another mental evaluation to determine his mental status at the time of the shooting. His next court appearance is June 16th. In all clear was given after Raleigh police investigated a bomb threat at the federal courthouse downtown. Authorities say the threat was made just after 830. The W. Royal Breaking News Tracker was there as police investigated. The threat led to a full evacuation. The court schedule has been shifted for the rest of the day. The court appearance for Eric Byrd, a man the FBI says, poses a threat of mass violence is among those delayed. Today we are hearing more from UNC leadership in the aftermath of Hubert Davis's firing. WRL spoke to Chancellor Lee John Roberts today, who had nothing but nice things to say about Davis, but declined to answer our questions about the decision. Athletics director, Bubba Cunningham, and the AD in waiting. Steve Newmark spoke in an interview with the Carolina Insider podcast, and they shared how difficult the decision this was and say they are hiring a law firm to help with next steps. The first round of March Madness this year set viewing records. Networks reported an average of 10.1 million viewers for the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. That's a 7% increase from last year, which was already at a more than 30-year high. The women's tournament is happening simultaneously. ESPN reported an average of 401,000 viewers, which is also an increase of 9%.

All right, so comedian Stephen Colbert is co-writing a new Lord of the Rings film. That's according to a video from the late night host and the franchise director, Peter Jackson. Stephen Colbert is a token super fan, and his job at CBS is set to end in May. He says that he has been getting some great advice from his son, who is a screenwriter. You'll have some more time to do some of his passion projects. The Philadelphia International Airport, lots of long lines, but it's not because of the TSA shortage, but rather cheese steaks. Yesterday was National Cheese Steak Day, and they celebrated big time. The event also broke a new Guinness World Record for the longest line of cheese steak sandwiches. Average cost for the Philly Cheese Steak at the airport, probably $13 because airport food is super expensive. All right, so that brings us to today's. Pet of the day, meet Tundra. She is an independent and shy girl. Tundra is strong-willed, but working on patients. She's also very curious. To learn more about her, you can visit catangels.org. NBC News Daily is next on WRL. Your next local news update in 30 minutes. Get your breaking news updates and weather reports with the W.R.L. News app. Hope you have a blessed day today.

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