Planner in a few minutes. Youre never more than seven minutes away from weather and traffic on wbtv news this morning. Here is chris, first alert traffic. Chris al, traffic is sponsored by toyota of north charlotte. No problems early out there on thursday morning if youre getting ready start the morning commute. Looking live at i77 near the rest area coming off the South Carolina state line, volume very light. Rock hill to uptown, 21 minutes, concord to center city, 18 minute commute. Lake norman southbound, 16 at 64 miles an hour. Mapping system giving us a green light on all of the major highways. That includes providence road, independence boulevard, albermarle all running in the green this morning. That is a first check of traffic, guys, back over to you. Christine in five hours, state lawmakers will meet in raleigh for a special session to approve a redrawn map for the states Congressional Districts. Republican lawmakers releasing this proposed map yesterday, and has Significant Impact on charlotte. Wbtvs Mark Davenport live now this new map mean for voters in Mecklenburg County . Reporter christine, the biggest change this is new map will create a charlotte area district without an incumbent. I want to get you back over to the map show you a closer look what were looking at with the new district here. This map used to look different, especially in our area, the 12th district, no longer snakes through the state along 85 from charlotte to greensboro, the district more charlotte centric and compact. Mall adams would fall until a new 13th district. She sent a statement to wbtv in part saying for now im focused on doing my job and continuing to represent the people of north carolinas 12th Congressional District she will look over the map and weigh options moving forward. The deadline for lawmakers to approve the new map is friday, that is why theyre getting together today to make a final decision on the map. That we learn later this morning here on wbtv. Mark davenport, wbtv on your side. Christine governor mccrory releasing a statement says im extremely disappointed by the recent rule but hope chief Justice Roberts will issue a stay in the best interests in the people of north carolina. Im concerned that in the absence of a stay the voting for congressional representatives could be disruptive. John saturday, voters in saturday will head to the polls in South Carolina for the primary. An average shows donald trump in the lead in South Carolina with nearly 35 support. Ted cruz and marco rubio both have 17 . Followed by jeb bush, john kasich and ben carson. Wbtvs Ashton Pellom is live in rock hill this morning with more on this story and ashton, i understand two candidates will be in the area today. Reporter thats exactly right, john. Jeb bush and john kasich will make stops here in york county big stuff happening here in york county. Bush, who is the former governor of florida, will hold a town hall style event in rock hill. Scheduled for 5 30 this evening at the building behind me in the magnolia room. Ohio Governor John Kasich will also hold a town haul event in fort mill starting at 6 00 at sun city carolina lakes pavilion. You can get tickets at eventbright. Com. As for the other hopefuls, many focusing on the upstate. Donald trump will be in gaffney, marco rubio will be in greenville, ted cruz will be in easley. We will have you covered for this race for the republican president ial hopefuls. Reporting live in rourke rock hill, Ashton Pellom. Christine rubio discussed mistrust of immigrants from the carson talked about apples decision to fight the request to unlock the phone of one of the San Bernardino shooters. I think that apple and probably a lot of other people dont necessarily trust the government these days. But were going to have to get over that because right now were faced with tremendous threats. It is almost impossible to vet people from that part of the world. We dont have a database to rely on. You cant call 1800syria and ask them do you know so and so and why theyre coming. Social issues such as race relays and women in the military were also a big topic. If im elected president we will not be drafting our daughters in combat on the front lines. Daughters. Women can do anything but the idea the federal government would forcibly conscript young makes no sense at all. There is a significant number particularly of Young African americic males who feel they are rest of society. When you agree with them or not if a significant percentage of the American Family believes they are being treated differently than everyone else, we have a problem. Donald trump, jeb bush and john kasich will take part in a town hall until columbia in columbia tonight. The democratic primary is february 27th, next saturday. We have the most complete coverage on wbtv. Com. We are just Getting Started this morning at 5 00 a. M. More options for parents trying to decide dewhere to decide where to send their kids to school. Kristen a scary looking fire in oklahoma city, there is good news coming out of the area, ill tell you what it is from the alert center. John before we go to break, a quick check of first alert weather temperatures, below freezing in charlotte, 29 degrees, 29 up in boone, 26 in lancaster, 34 chester, 28 shelby, 28 albermarle and 29 wadesboro. Here is a live look at i77 near the rest area at the state line, things are moving smoothly, well keep you posted on traffic because youre never more than an closed captioning on wbtvnews is sponsored by subarusouth boulevard and subaruconcord. John 11 minutes after 5 00. Welcome back to wbtv news this morning. Christine check in with Kristen Miranda with headlines just in the alert center first. Youve got video you have your hands on of incredible fire. Where is this . Kristen oklahoma city, i got the video in, look at the efforts that firefighters there out this apartment fire. This has been happening overnight and they are still on the scene there now, i have been keeping an eye on it. Impressive flames coming from the scene. Might have been able to get so out of control because this particular building was abandoned, the good news is no one was injured overnight but firefighters still on the scene trying to make sure that this thing is completely under control, but man, that is not something you want to wake up to in your neighborhood. Christine a woman in Catawba County is safe after escaping from her mobile home that caught fire. The fire broke out around 7 30 last night on pathfinder in newton. A toaster oven started the blaze on the back porch. The home is a total loss and the owner is staying with family. One person had to be rushed to the hospital after they were badly burned while cooking at a home in matthews. This happened on Big Creek Court off margaret wallace. No word on the extent of the persons injuries. John more Charter Schools according to our News Partners at the charlotte observer, four schools plan to open new campuses. According to the charlotte observer, Cabarrus Charter academy in concord and Langtree Academy are adding high schools. They are admitting students through grade 10 next year and junior and seniors in coming year. Kip charlotte is launching an Elementary School and admitting kindergarteners for 20162017, in 2017 Lake Norman Charter School will open an Elementary School. 13 after 5 00. Youre never more than seven minutes away from weather and traffic on wbtv news this morning. Here is meteorologist al conklin. Al john, quick reminder, alleghany, ashe, avery and Watauga County operate on twohour delay. This is king street in boone from resortcams. Com, dry conditions here but again some of the back roads still could have icy spots, temperatures barely got to freezing yesterday, well below freezing this morning. 24 blowing rock, 28 in boone, 27 in fleetwood, below freezing later today we will see plenty of sunshine, there is cloud cover this morning but not too bad. Not as cold as yesterday, getting up to 37 around boone, blowing rock, west jefferson, that will melt some of the snow. Right now, 29 in charlotte, 31 hickory, just around freezing in gastonia, below freezing, 27 in salisbury, 33 monroe and 31 in rock hill. Today, look for plenty of sunshine, starting off at 34 this morning, get back to 54 this afternoon, just about where we should be this time of the year. So yes, seasonal temperatures after a cold start to the day, a nice warm up still in the weekend forecast. But rain is on the horizon. Ill talk about chances in the seven day planner in a couple minutes. Right now at 5 13, checking in with chris, first alert traffic. Chris first alert traffic is sponsored by toyota of north charlotte. Well begin with a live look independence expressway, this is from briar creek, no problems here, traffic running along smoothly and our mapping system giving us a green light on most looking aokay. Coming in on wilkinson, we have an accident just past billy graham parkway inbound, this is over near Mulberry Church road, not seeing significant delays but a heads up if you travel wilkinson this morning. Coming from matthews, 14 minutes, providence road from the arboretum area, 16 minute commute and concord to t center city, 20 minutes at 64milesperhour, that is a check of traffic, guy, back to you. Christine chris, thanks. Joist next at 5 00, hackers take over a hospital Computer System and demand ransom. How much the hospital paid to get back up and running. Christine wbtv is always on will be right back. Day with wbtv news this morning. Christine apple is expanding the Payment System apple pay to other part of the world now. John get over to Kristen Miranda, she has details on this just now coming in live to the alert center. Kristen john and christine, so many people use apple pay, but now for the first Time Starting today, people in china can also use apple pay. The mobile Payment System the digital wallet you can use using your smart phone, apple says china has the potential to be the biggest apple pay market if people jump on board. There are two Big Internet Companies in china, they offer Payment Services that a lot of people use. They have to convince people to move over from those Payment Services to apple pay. But those have been around for a long time in china, a little bit of a concern whether they will be able to do that but starting today, they get the shot, they can use apple pay in china. Christine in consumer headlines the f. B. I. Is investigating after a hospital in los angeles paid a ransom to disabled their computer network. The hospital paid 17,000 worth of bitcoins. Officials at hollywood Presbyterian Center saying it was the most efficient way to get the systems back running. Patient care was not affected and there is no evidence data was compromised. John toyota is recalling more than a million small suvs because the seat belts might fail in a crash. The recall covers r av4 from 20062012 and electric vehicle from 20122014. Toyota says it will fix the issue at no cost to car owners. Christine 20 minutes after 5 00 a. M. On this thursday morning. Chilly again to start, did our temperatures go down . Al they did, probably another degree or so before we bounce back up after the sun comes up, shortly after 7 00 now, here in charlotte area. However, as we go in the weekend, our temperatures will continue to go up as the cloud High Pressure now on top of us will build offshore tomorrow, the end result well see slightly warmer conditions tomorrow and dramatically warmer conditions going in the weekend. How do we get there . Starting off clear and cold with that High Pressure over us, this is lincolnton, dry conditions there with temperatures that are are in the upper 20s this morning but youll wind up in the 50s this afternoon. Here in charlotte, clear skies, 29 degrees right now, light breeze out of the north, a windchill if youre out there walking the dog this morning or taking that Early Morning jog, factor that in. Other readings mostly below freezing. 27 lincolnton, 27 salisbury to statesville, just below the freezing mark around jefferson and boone in the upper 20s to low 30s. Still icy patches up in the back roads, 26 in morganton, 32 lancaster and 34 right now in rockingham. Back up to the mountains this may be generous but i believe upper 30s to 40 today with a good deal of sunshine, youre seeing a little bit of cloud otherwise, 50s in the foothill and again walltowall sunshine, starting off cold this morning, obviously, will rebound nicely this afternoon unlike yesterday morning, no fog out there. 54 statesville over to lincolnton, mooresville, charlotte, monroe, 52 in albermarle and 55 in wadesboro and lylesville, mid 50s to perhaps upper 50s around chester. What about tonight . It is cold again, temperatures back down below freezing areawide then as i mentioned to more oh afternoon we rebound, mid to upper 50s, a little bit above the average for mid to late february. That sets the trend as we go in the weekend. So on the chilly side of this ridge of High Pressure now, but we will wind up getting in the warm side going toward saturday and sunday. Now, couple things to point out while we have plenty of sunshine in the forecast, a weak boundary will slide in here on saturday and so were starting with more cloud cover, ill go with the idea of partly sunny, mix of cloud and shine saturday, there elsewhere totally dry and in the 60s, more important system even in the charlotte area, we ramp up monday, monday night and tuesday, our temperatures go back down. Enjoy it. Nice warm up before the rain returns, 65 saturday, 68 sunday, still in the 60s monday, we start to tail off here tuesday into wednesday, below average again, next week looks to look cooler after we get through monday. Here is the seven day planner. Sunshine, plenty of to it day, 54, clear, cold tonight, outlying areas in the 20s. 57 mostly sunny tomorrow, partly sunny saturday, the small chance for shower is in the mountains, 20 chance late sunday but look at the temperature, be mindful, not calling for total sunshine over the weekend but it will be warm, rain monday into tuesday, out of here on wednesday. Youre never more than seven minutes away from weather and traffic on wbtv news this morning. Traffic. Chris al, thank you, rst alert traffic is sponsored by toyota of north charlotte. As we roll in your thursday morning commute, this is a live look at the independence expressway from briar creek if we check in on center city this morning, things are looking pretty good in center city. There you go the john belk over to the brookshire freeway, again, in center city. No significant problems this morning. Overall, our major highways are continuing to run in the green, that includes 77, 85, and 485. Now over to wilkinson boulevard off billy graham parkway, we do have an accident near Mulberry Church road, if wilkinson inbound is part of your commute be aware of that. That is a check of traffic guys, back to you. John the battle continues over the Student Assignment plan for charlottemecklenburg schools. In on the debate coming up. Christine big news expected from charlottebased duke energy, a look ahead to the release of the earnings report. John good morning, thanks for waking up with wbtv news this morning, now 5 30 im john carter. Christine im Christine Sperow on your side letting you know first about School Delays for this thursday morning, alleghany, ashe, avery and Watauga County schools on twohour delay. The full list is at wbtv. Com closings, these are the only districts right now reporting the delay if that changes well let you know. Go to meteorologist al conklin he has the most accurate look at the forecast. Al cold temperatures this morning, christine, probably snow and ice on the back roads in the mountains. No snow and ice in belmont, that is main street in downtown belmont, were dry this morning, Crystal Clear out there at the bottom of the hour. 29 degrees here in charlotte, belmont is 29, 33 in ballantyne, 27 around Mountain Island lake at oakdale and coulwood. 28 boone, 25 morganton, 29 shelby, 33 monroe, 28 in statesville, 28 around concord and kannapolis. Heading out the door in the 20s and 30s, sunshine this afternoon, 54 charlotte, about 40 in jefferson. Low 50s around statesville and morganton, up to 55 in lancaster, looking ahead we will see our rain chances go up dramatically as we get beyond the weekend, you can see it here, talk about that and when it looks like temperatures will be getting in the weekend, we have been promising a warmup. Ill let you know more about it in a couple minutes. 5 29, check in with chris, first alert traffic. Chris al, thank you, first alert traffic sponsored by toyota of north charlotte. Taking a look at the mapping system, this is a new accident, wt harris boulevard over at rocky river road. Went a little crazy with the telestrator. I77, clanton, no problems slightly running along smoothly. Taking a check of the charlotte area, again our majors, 77, 85, no problems. Out on wilkinson boulevard an accident near Mulberry Church road. You may find a few delays. Youre never more than seven minutes away from weather and traffic on wbtv news this morning. John were on your side investigating new possible cases mumps in the area. There are two confirmed cases but Health Officials say there are six other potential cases in the mecklenburgiredell and Cabarrus County area. Mark davenport joins us now live here in charlotte with much more on this story and mark, do Health Officials have any idea how far wide this has spread . Reporter well, john were getting a better view right now. We haveeealth officials doing their best detective impressions this morning, working to find out exactly how many people were affected and interviewing the people that have suspected have talking to them, trying to figure out who they have been with and where they have been, that is how they will stop the spread of mumps in the area. I want to get you to a map totoshow y y what were looking at the confirmed cases. We have two of them confirmed so far, one in Iredell County, one in Mecklenburg County. Now that number may be bigger. Officials are saying at least six other cases are probable, or suspected. Those cases also surfaced in mecklenburg and Iredell County but also Cabarrus County. Not every person that has been suspected, diagnosed or who is a probable cause is connected with every other case but there are some connections. Reporter here is Important Information for you to know, takes two to three weeks between the time a person is exposed and start showing signs, which is why doctors are asking you to keep your eyes out for symptoms. Hear the symptoms right now,