sponsored by one of the newest members of the chamber of commerce. >> transportation secretary is heading to texas monday to meet about sentra's performance in building and operating a bankrupt highway. before he left he spent time mingling with sentra executives and others as part of a chamber of commerce forum sponsored by the spanish company. >> there is -- it is a reach even for the most intense investigative reporter to claim that there's some connection between a sponsorship of this and anything about anything i said. >> chairman were on hand to discuss a range of transportation issues including the leeun toll lanes. -- leeun toll lanes. >> the dot said sentra has a track record of success and this is the third road in 18 months

or sold is this a track record of success? >> sentra has a track record of success. >> in the united states sentra has not had a track record of success. would you say the dot misspoke? >> no, i think sentra has a track record of success. >> can asked why he was going to texas he says because the governor asked him to. >> that is a good reason to go, by the way. the governor asked me to, that is sufficient right there. >> why did you not ask these questions years ago? >> which questions? >> you are going to texas for the first time and starting to explore this. i'm wondering why you did not look at sentra's business model years ago? >> i think it has been looked at and it's been reviewed and approved by the folks that are on this project. >> they have reiterated that taxpayers will be protected in

to happen on the i-77 project but there are provisions in the contract that call for taxpayers to compensate sentra in the event of a loss. back to you. >> thank you. and we can tell you that nick ochsner will be going to texas. look for coverage beginning monday. >> we are following breakings news. charlie sane a cornelius businessman accused of shooting at police was found not guilty on all counts. >> do you find the defendant not guilty. >> sane was accused of shooting at officers when they came to his home two years ago after sane's wife called 9-1-1 saying he had hit her. defense lawyers argued he was not conscious of what he was doing because he had a few drinks and was taking the insomnia drug ambien. he showed no emotion but his wife hugged the lawyers thanking them and some police in the

we have more right now head to wbtv.com. >> right now police are investigating a shooting in uptown charlotte. it and had at the intersection -- it happened at 8th and tryon streets after 4:00 p.m. medic tells us they took a man to the hospital. he is expected to survive. you see them loading him on to the ambulance. and the victim was not cooperating. they do not have anyone in custody. >> state regulators are citing violations. duke has allowed wastewater to leak from coal ash basins at 12 facilities including three near charlotte. regulators are ordering duke to take corrective action and respond. duke said the notices are nothing new and seeps are bound to happen and the seeps are not impacting any water quality. >> we are looking to a rise in crime at charlotte-mecklenburg schools.

almost 1200 crimes on cms campuses last year. that is about a 9% increase over the previous year. at the same time, suspend senses are -- suspensions are down. dedrick russell is live. how is the school district responding to the numbers tonight? >> well, maureen, the school district says it's going to confront these issues head on while parents tell me more needs to be done before it's too late. we are taking cms' crime numbers to the parents. what is parent shawna's reaction to four guns found on the campus last year. >> that is scary. >> and 41 times a student committed a criminal act. >> a lot of this has to do with anger and fear of not succeeding. >> check out the numbers across the school district. assault on school personnel 258 times. possession of a controlled substance more than 500 times. kids bringing weapons to school

and students with a gun on campus, seven times. cms explains the increase in crime on campuses. >> it's not just a school-based issue it is a municipal and national issue and some has shown up in our schools. >> while cms deals with campus crime it is pleased to know their work when it comes to suspensions is paying off. there has been a decrease. suspended. last year more than 22000. cms has instituted special programs. >> how do you make that student whole so he or she can reenter the environment? >> one thing that has not changed is the black male students getting suspended. last year 12,000 got suspended compared to 1200 white male students. he has a son and thinks cms can

>> they can do better. give them the same opportunities as the white kids. >> it claims it will only get better if the school district had more resources. >> our students deserve more and our community needs more. >> cms tells me it needs more social workers in the classrooms. the school district is responding to that parent's claim that white students get more resources than black students and cms tells me that resources are distributed based on the needs of each school. meanwhile parents hope things get better soon so all kids can succeed. live in west charlotte, dedrick russell wbtv on your side. >> all right thank you. the district's dropout rate increased a little bit last year 996 students dropped out of school. the year before 947 dropped out. >> and we learned that a shooting victim at a mcdonald's in hickory has died.

alert center. >> paul we knew about that shooting that happened this week. 22-year-old rachelle lyle was the first victim that passed away and we know that 28-year-old cody watts died. and steve ohnesorge has confirmed that and we learned it 10 minutes ago. 22-year-old eric yount from granite falls is charged for the crimes. i imagine that the charges will change for him now that the second victim in the shooting has died. investigators say they thought it was a domestic dispute that spurred that shooting in hickory. back to you. >> thank you. protestors gathering right now in uptown to demand answers about how police use fore: the rally is partly in response to the arrest of a man in east charlotte. a neighbor recorded video of 'officer appearing to strike glen while he was on the ground. they say glen was resisting arrest.

tonight at marshall park. >> north carolina is shaping its response to the zika virus. we have learned the state is hiring two medical experts to monitor mosquitoes that can carry the disease and consult how to control the mosquitoes. and the state is asking you to pay attention to travel advisories and cdc is warning pregnant women to avoid the countries where zika virus is a problem. it's believed to be cause birth defects in kids. >> that is nice. the skies are clear and clouds out there but we have had sunshine. chief meterologist, eric thomas in the first alert weather center. viewers might be noticing is that skycam ra is getting brighter and brighter and the days are getting longer. and warmer weather is coming, too. hey it's friday evening! temperatures in the low 50s. around the piedmont and down to

we will drop during the evening hours into the low 40s at 11:00 p.m. if you are out late make sure you have the jacket. and in terms of disruptive weather. here it is through the evening, the hornets are playing enjoy that. take you to 46 at 9:00 p.m. and 43 through 11:00 p.m. and the weekend now is here. there are showers on the way. i will let you know if you need to plan around those. part of your seven-day first-alert forecast. >> still acome all new... >> they maybe getting a second chance we are talking about people with criminal records soon hoping to enter the job market. >> and new on primetime hear from the trooper who pulled a woman from a burning car 90 seconds before it exploded. it was all caught on camera. >> and we are helping you get free legal information. the number is on your screen...

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for you new at 11:00 we have

searching the pond but what they are looking for is a mystery. it's connected to a homicide and how this could impact the investigation for you on wbtv news at 11:00. >> thank you. when you apply for a job you expect questions about your criminal background on the application. well, tonight there is a push to change that for people applying for jobs in mecklenberg county. the movement is called ban the box. steve crump live. why wouldn't you ask about a job applicant's criminal record on the application? >> well, you know, paul, the thing that people say they are running into is the fact that fear generates the attitudes that are seen in the job market. applications would be tossed out. and what this does it puts someone in front of a potential employer with an opportunity to state their case. >> give us a chance to show you our character. give us a chance to show you our skills and what we can do.

employed after spending three years in the mecklenberg county jail on drug charges. >> yes. i've done those things but is that who i am today? th no. >> she was convicted and in need of a job and now commissioners in mecklenberg county are taking steps to ban the so-called box. in other words, eliminating questions regarding criminal history on job applications. >> so that means someone who is applying for a job at the county, will have a level playing field and can demonstrate his or her skills that the they would offer for employment. >> pat has bipartisan support for the measure and has enlisted the help of community action groups. >> when we don't have opportunities for people who have made mistakes it is a public safety issue. >> the goal is to give individuals a chance to meet face-to-face with employers. corey simpson runs an employment agency that caters to those who have been arrested.

they are aware the people may have a background but companies specialize in helping people. >> she offers a living example. >> that people do change. everybody doesn't remain the same. >> now, keep in mind, this is not do away with criminal background checks but as we keep hearing throughout the whole issue it levels the playing field. commissioners will take it up on march 16th and the city of charlotte has a similar program in place. steve crump wbtv on your side. >> thank you. >> we are on your side connecting you with attorneys for free legal information. 7:00 p.m. the number is on your screen. maureen moved over and is by with the attorneys in our studio. is there anything people should phone and call? >> there is. you can make it more productive if you have any legal documents maybe you have legal questions

answered about paperwork that you have. maybe there is a question a family member has. make sure they are in the room with you when you make that call that will make that call more productive. we have all of these licensed attorneys from the north carolina bar association they have been answering phone calls all day long and this is something that wbtv is proud to have been a part of for nine years and they are waiting for your call. have any paperwork necessary handy so you can get to it right away. that you will be answering the phones until 7:00 p.m. tonight. back to you guys in the studio. >> thank you. eric mentioned it's so bright out and we are 10 days away from daylight saving time. and weather-wise we are warming up and getting into that tournament time. and i equate it with warmth. >> the march madness? >> that is a good parallel there.

you will see the trend in the seven-day first-alert forecast. the hd towercam. what paul was saying it's nice. it's getting brighter and brighter. love it. 53 if you are heading out this is what you will be running into. calm winds and nothing disruptive you will be fine take your jacket with it. low 50s in the piedmont and 40s across the 40 corridor. your forecast we will drop you through the 40s through 11:00 p.m. and midnight tonight if you are out late. already flirting with the 30s by the time on the midnight hour. overnight no disruptive weather partly cloudy skies. this is what the map looks like in the morning. how does that translate? not bad, partly cloudy skies. should be quiet and chilly. 38 in the piedmont and up into the high country a cloud here and there otherwise a cold

and the map again let's move it through the day. things will get interesting later. look what happens. we have a disturbance making its way into the high country. would not be shocked to see wet snowflakesment and the showers at 6:00 p.m. contained up in the mountains. outside of the mountains it is a dry saturday coming up. the 30% chance but remember now this is 4:00. so the rain better chance at 5 or 6 in the evening. temperatures in the mid-40s. bring you down into the foothills. mid-50s and notice we have dropped the chance of rain now down at 4:00 p.m. again, the vast majority of the day through the piedmont should be dry with sunny skies and look at this. near 60 . not bad in the upstate of south carolina. let's continue to roll. we'll pick it up. saturday 6:00 p.m. stop it here. at 11. this time the showers do eject

across the rest of the wbtv viewing area. showers are a better bet and this is after dark and most of you have outdoor plans you will not be disrupted by that and sunday at 8:00 p.m. it is in and out of the picture and look at the skies, the way they clear out during the day on sunday. i think you will like that. your seven-day first-alert forecast, yes, we have showers over the weekend. but i think they will stay ot your of way saturday night. and sunday we are breaking back into the sunshine and 60 for a high. and mid-60s monday. and 70 on tuesday. and then we are into the low and mid-70s early next week. not much rain perhaps a shower or two getting in here by the end of the week on friday. again, let's talk about that temperature trend and sometimes it's easier to visionualize visualize it. look at this. we are going straight up and level off in the 70s.

safe and a super weekend. and here is the latest on the roads with tonya rivens. >> your first alert traffic is sponsored by people's bank. as we check in on the expressway of independence boulevard it is a nice ride until around north sharon amity as well as albemarle road. problems in that area as we continue to check on the mapping system. albemarle road eastbound an exr and another at albemarle eastbound by farm pond lane. idlewild is a great alternate route and notice lane partially blocked at independence boulevard by north sharon amity that is the result of an earlier accident as well. again all of this runs into albemarle road. so maybe allowing extra time to avoid the area. around center city uptown to time warner cable arena tonight for the hornets they are at home tonight we have partially blocked lane also at mcdowell by fifth street. use caution.

northbound and southbound but overall not so bad. back to you. >> you mentioned it the hornets in the middle of a playoff push

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phoenix and philadelphia. tougher tonight at time warner cable arena as they host indiana sitting in 7th place a half game behind the hornets. and the hornets are half game out of the fifth spot held by atlanta. and the top 8 make post season play. highlights on wbtv news at 11:00. now, college basketball limited evening on the hardwood tonight before a busy weekend wrap up of conference regular seasons. big south tournament will wrap up. presbyterian is taking on winthrop. gardner-webb will take on coastal carolina tonight. inside the prep zone, last year east rowan's government team finished in second place and this year they are making a run at the title. the team is led by a junior who claimed the 2015 individual state championship he is the number one men's high school

carolina and is committed to playing for greensboro. he credits his success to the support of his family, coach and teammates. >> good to have them back there. i probably would not be where i am without their support they have been a big help in supporting me. and doing all kinds of things to help me get to where i am. it feels great all the hard work i put in paid off for me. >> great looking swing. for the latest high school, nascar and vegas go to the

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>> and cbs evening news is next. >> pelley: a party in chaos. >> this little guy has lied so much. >> here we go! >> about my record. >> reporter: mr. chairman, is your party coming apart at the seams. >> pelley: also tonight. >> back on the record in the simpson matter. >> pelley: nearly a quarter of a century later, a new mystery surfaces in a notorious double murder. a red flag at the top of the world. the mercury's rising, the ice disappearing. >> it's completely unprecedented. >> pelley: and steve hartman with a stock tip-- beware of singing to it. who's going next in the red trailer captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: today, donald trump retreated from his pledge to