Update on Spectrum outage in Upstate area (2025)

WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR ON THIS THURSDAY MORNING. WE START WITH BREAKING NEWS IN NEW ORLEANS THIS MORNING. WE’RE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THAT STORY. THIS IS A LIVE LOOK AT BOURBON STREET RIGHT NOW, COURTESY OF EARTH CAM. THE FBI HAS IDENTIFIED THE SUSPECT WHO PLOWED THROUGH A CROWD ON BOURBON STREET EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING. THEY’RE NOW LOOKING AT WHETHER HE HAD TIES TO ISIS. WE DO KNOW AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN 30 MORE WERE INJURED, INCLUDING THE SUSPECT WHO WAS KILLED BY POLICE DURING THE INCIDENT. I DIRECTED MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE EVERY RESOURCE, EVERY RESOURCE IS MADE AVAILABLE TO FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COMPLETE THE INVESTIGATION IN NEW ORLEANS QUICKLY AND TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO REMAINING THREAT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AGENTS NOW SAY HE LIKELY HAD HELP CARRYING OUT THAT ATTACK. OUR JANE ROBELOT SPOKE WITH SECURITY EXPERT PHIL CARTER, WHO TELLS US WHAT THE PRIORITY IS RIGHT NOW FOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS. RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE MY THOUGHT WOULD BE CAMERAS. THEY HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED, AND THEY KNEW RATHER QUICKLY. SO RIGHT NOW THEY’RE EITHER IDENTIFYING THEM OR TRYING TO FIND THEM, OR THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THEM AND THEY’RE TRYING TO FIND THEM THERE IN NEW ORLEANS. AND IT’S A PROBLEM. WHILE THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES, THE SUGAR BOWL, COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF QUARTERFINAL BETWEEN NOTRE DAME AND GEORGIA IS SET TO KICK OFF TODAY AT 4:00 EASTERN, BUT THE SECURITY OF FUTURE EVENTS IN NEW ORLEANS IS NOW IN QUESTION. THE SUPER BOWL IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE THERE NEXT MONTH, AND MARDI GRAS TAKES PLACE IN MARCH. MAKE SURE TO STAY WITH WYFF NEWS FOUR ON AIR AND ONLINE AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FBI’S INVESTIGATION. WE’LL ALSO HAVE MORE LIVE REPORTS FROM NEW ORLEANS ALL THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON. IN OUR NEWSCAST. YOUR TIME NOW IS 646. AND A DRIVER HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO A CRASH THAT KILLED FOUR PEOPLE ON NEW YEAR’S EVE NIGHT. ISABELLE MARAK JOINS US LIVE THIS MORNING FROM THE GREENVILLE COUNTY DETENTION CENTER WITH THE LATEST FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT. ISABELLE. HEY, ERIN. 31 YEAR OLD NICHOLAS MEEKS WAS ARRESTED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF FELONY DUI AND FOR DRIVING UNDER A SUSPENDED LICENSE. LAW ENFORCEMENT SAYS HE HAS A CRIMINAL RECORD AND HAS DRIVEN UNDER THE INFLUENCE. BEFORE HE WAS GIVEN NO BOND. IN COURT, THE CORONER SAYS THE FOUR PEOPLE KILLED WERE HEADED TO A NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY, PULLED OUT OF A DRIVEWAY ON COOLEY BRIDGE ROAD. TROOPERS SAY THAT’S WHEN MEEKS REAR THEM AND CRASHED INTO SOME TREES. WE ALSO NOW KNOW THE NAMES OF THE TWO PEOPLE KILLED, OF TWO OF THE PEOPLE KILLED. 29 YEAR OLD AUDREY MARIE ROSS FROM DONALDS AND 30 YEAR OLD AMANDA LYNN LARUE FROM NORTH CAROLINA. THE CORONER’S OFFICE HAS STILL NOT IDENTIFIED THE OTHER TWO VICTIMS IN THE CRASH, DUE TO THE FIRE INVOLVED. REPORTING LIVE HERE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, ISABELLE MARAK. WYFF NEWS FOUR. THANK YOU. ISABELLE. AFTER SURVIVING A BRUTAL ATTACK BY SEVERAL DOGS OVER THE WEEKEND. AN UPSTATE WOMAN CONTINUES TO RECOVER IN THE HOSPITAL. NICO PINNOCK JOINS US THIS MORNING WITH AN UPDATE. TANIQUA. GOOD MORNING, AARON. TAMMY MERCURE IS STILL AT GREENVILLE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND THE FAMILY TELLS US TAMMY WAS ATTACKED OVER THE WEEKEND BY HER FRIEND’S DOG WHEN SHE WENT TO VISIT. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN ANDERSON COUNTY. THE FAMILY SAYS THE FRIEND’S DOGS JUST JUMPED OUT OF THE HOUSE UNPROVOKED AND STARTED ATTACKING TAMMY. WHEN ANDERSON COUNTY DEPUTIES ARRIVED, THEY FOUND TAMMY COVERED IN BITES AND GASHES. DEPUTIES SAY THEY WERE CONFRONTED BY THOSE SAME DOGS AND UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO EXECUTE ONE OF THEM. THIS CASE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. IN THE MEANTIME, THE FAMILY HAS SET UP A GOFUNDME TO HELP PAY FOR TAMMY’S EXPENSES. YOU CAN FIND THAT AT WYFF4.COM. TANIQUA. THANK YOU. WE’RE LEARNING NEW INFORMATION ABOUT FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER’S FINAL DAYS. THE 39TH PRESIDENT DIED ON SUNDAY AT 100 YEARS OLD. JASON CARTER IS ONE OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S 12 GRANDCHILDREN, AND HE SAYS HE AND HIS FAMILY SPENT THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH CARTER PREPARING TO SAY GOODBYE. PRESIDENT CARTER SPENT NEARLY TWO YEARS IN HOSPICE CARE. THAT TIME FOR HIM AND FOR ALL OF US, HAS BEEN A TIME OF REFLECTION. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD ARE OUT THERE CARRYING ON HIS LEGACY SO IT DOESN’T FALL TO ANY OF US IN PARTICULAR. AND THAT’S A THAT’S A HEARTENING THING, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO LIVE UP TO IF YOU TRIED. JASON WILL SPEAK AT HIS GRANDFATHER’S FUNERAL NEXT WEEK. PRESIDENT CARTER’S BODY WILL MAKE STOPS IN ATLANTA AND D.C. BEFORE HIS FUNERAL AT THE NATIONAL CATHEDRAL ON JANUARY 9TH. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. HAPPY THURSDAY AT 648. IT’S COLD OUT THERE. FREEZING. 27 DEGREES IN GAFFNEY AND IN UNION. GOOD MORNING TO YOU. LOOK AT THAT. GREENWOOD, ABBEVILLE. DUE WEST. ANDERSON, LOOK AT THAT. CASHIERS. EVERYBODY’S COLDER, 12 DEGREES COLDER IN CULLOWHEE THAN WE WERE YESTERDAY. AT THIS TIME. 16 DEGREES COLDER IN UNION OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. LIVE SUPER DOPPLER FOUR RADAR. WHAT IS OVERHEAD IS A LOT OF SUNSHINE THAT’S WAITING FOR US. WE’VE GOT BASICALLY CLEAR SKIES SO MOSTLY SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY. BUT LOOK AT THESE TEMPERATURES. WE ARE GOING TO BE IN THE 30S ALL THE WAY THROUGH MID MORNING ACROSS THE UPSTATE. THAT’S A BIG CHANGE FROM WHERE WE HAVE BEEN BARELY REACHING ABOUT 50 DEGREES FOR A DAYTIME HIGH BY 3 OR 4:00 THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE MOUNTAINS. WE’RE GOING TO BE IN THE 20S. LOOK AT THAT. A HARD FREEZE ALMOST ALL THE WAY THROUGH MID MORNING. AND THEN FINALLY ABOUT 40 FOR A DAYTIME HIGH. BUT AGAIN, THAT’S NOT UNTIL VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. SO BUNDLE UP. LAYER UP, GET OUT THERE AND ENJOY. THE WEEKEND IS GOING TO BE EVEN COLDER. BY THE WAY, WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FOUR-DAY PLUS. I’LL HAVE THE LATEST ON THAT IN ABOUT EIGHT MINUTES FROM RIGHT NOW. FIRST, LET’S GET YOU OUTSIDE. GET A CHECK ON THOSE ROADS, ERIN. WELL, WE’RE TAKING A CLOSE LOOK HERE AT I-85 AT PELHAM ROAD IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. WE’RE SEEING THAT TRAFFIC THAT’S A LITTLE BIT MORE NORMAL FOR A WEEKDAY. MORE PEOPLE HEADING BACK TO WORK AFTER THE HOLIDAY. THAT SAID, NO SLOWDOWNS, NO DELAYS. UP AND DOWN 85. FANTASTIC NEWS AS YOU HEAD TO WORK OR RUN ERRANDS. WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE THIS MORNING, TRAVEL TIMES LOOK GOOD TOO. THESE ARE IN THE GREEN 26 EASTBOUND I-240 TO ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY IS 12 MINUTES, 85 SOUTHBOUND. AIRPORT ON WOODRUFF ROAD STILL LOOKS GREAT AT SIX MINUTES AND 35 NORTHBOUND FROM FAIRVIEW ROAD ALL THE WAY INTO GREENVILLE. 13 MINUTES FOR THAT COMMUTE, A NEW LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS AIMING TO HELP EMPLOYEES IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE S.C. MANUFACTURING LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS ORGANIZED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA MANUFACTURING ALLIANCE, AND IT’S PART OF A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA. CMA SAYS THE PROGRAM GIVES PEOPLE IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND PEERS, ALONG WITH RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AS WELL, AND SOME HANDS ON PROJECTS AND A CREDENTIAL FROM THE DARLA MOORE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT USC. THE PROGRAM MEETS OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR. THEY HAVE SIX SESSIONS, AND THEY ARE HOSTED ALL ACROSS THE STATE, FROM THE UPSTATE TO THE MIDLANDS TO THE LOWCOUNTRY, AND EVEN IN THE PEEDEE. AND THEN EACH ONE OF THOSE CLASSES OR SESSIONS THAT WE HAVE, THEY’RE COVERING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT KIND OF CURRICULUM, EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE GLOBAL ECONOMY TO ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, THE SUPPLY CHAIN, CORPORATE CULTURE, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, JUST LEADERSHIP AND THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS WELL. ESTIMATE TELLS US THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS THROUGH MAY OF 2025, AND IT INCLUDES AN INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE ALONG WITH THE SIX PLANNED SESSIONS. THE TUITION IS $3,500, AND ADDITIONAL DETAILS CAN BE FOUND ON MY CMA.COM. SEVERAL AREA HOSPITALS ARE INTRODUCING US TO THE FIRST BABIES OF 2025. WELCOME TO CHLOE BACHMAN TO SAINT FRANCIS EAST SIDE AT 1201 ON NEW YEAR’S DAY. THE HOSPITAL TELLS US PARENTS PETER AND NICOLE BACHMAN OF TEXAS CANNOT WAIT TO TAKE HER HOME. MEANWHILE, MADISON AND ZACH BRUNSON FROM TAYLORS WELCOMED BABY GIRL VERA BRUNSON AT 1217 AT CHRISTMAS. GREENVILLE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. THEN OVER CHRISTMAS, WOULD HOSPITAL. CARTER CALLAHAN WAS BORN AT 220. BABY’S MOM, JENNA, WAS ALSO BORN ON A HOLIDAY. LITTLE RANDOM FACT THERE. THE 4TH OF JULY. AND THEN IN ANDERSON. IT’S A BOY AND MAN. WELCOMED ADRIAN URBINA AT 1247. A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE FAMILIES. BUT FOR ALL THOSE BABIES BORN THIS YEAR, THEY WANT TO SHARE A BIRTH DATE. THEY’LL BE THE FIRST OF A NEW GENERATION. IT’S KNOWN AS GEN BETA, AND IT INCLUDES THOSE BORN BETWEEN 2025 AND 2039. THEY’LL EXPERIENCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATION IN EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE, AND SEVERAL ARE EXPECTED