Boulevard for pothole repairs. That lane will be closed until 3 this afternoon. We are enjoying a warming trend across the state as we take a live look over columbia through the wis skycam. Tim miller is following some great days ahead before some changes next week. Great stretch of weather over the next few days. Mostly sunny with highs in the upper 50s today then warmer through the weekend friday sunday partly cloudy, highs in the upper 60s to middle 70s by sunday. Changes coming as it looks wet and cooler starting monday and much of the next week. Great stretch of weather over the next few days. Mostly sunny with highs in the upper 50s today then warmer through the weekend friday sunday partly cloudy, highs in the upper 60s to middle 70s by sunday. Changes coming as it looks wet and cooler starting monday and much of the next week. Great stretch of weather over mostly sunny with highs in the upper 50s today then warmer through the weekend friday sunday partly cloudy, highs in the upper 60s to middle 70s by sunday. Changes coming as it looks wet and cooler starting monday and much of the next week. We can now start counting down to the start of the republican primary in the palmetto state in hours instead of days with the polls opening at 7 am this saturday. Right now, gop hopefuls are pushing their messages all over the state. In columbia, jeb bush is talking to voters at the convention center. This morning, he was in florence. This afternoon, bush will make a stop in rock hill. Hell be at the magnolia room on laurel creek drive for a town hall. Another Campaign Stop happening right now is at South Carolina state university. There ben carson is talking to student voters. Its a part of the bridging the gap town hall to talk about education, poverty and Economic Opportunity in South Carolina. We have a crew down in orangeburg and will bring you ted cruz is touting his new lead in the new nbc wall street journal poll as he talks to voters at multiple stops across the state today. We are awaiting the start of a rally for him in greenville that should start any minute. This afternoon cruz will continue to make his way across the upstate. Hell be campaigning with senator mike lee in easley. The event will be on powdersville road this afternoon at 3. Down in the lowcountry, donald trump just started speaking at an event in kiawah. Trump is down playing the results of that nbc wall street journal poll, sighting other major polls just released saying he still has a big lead in the he and cruz have been in a war of words after trump threatened a lawsuit over a recently released ad. Later today trump will be in gaffney for an event at the Broad River Electric cooperative. Thats at 5 30 pm. Three big republican names took to the stage this morning to support marco rubio. Fresh off her endorsement, governor nikki haley joined rubio, senator tim scott, and Representative Trey Gowdy at a town hall event in greenville. Conservative as the other republican candidates. With the exception being that hes the only one who can win and unite the party. Governor haley says rubio will lead a new generation of conservatives. Ive gotta say this get a picture of this. The new face of conservatives sweeping the nation looks like a bennetton commercial in less than 30 minutes the Rubio Campaign will host an event at the Hilton Garden Inn in anderson. Ohio Governor John Kasich has already made one stop in South Carolina and has two more planned stops. He was in Mount Pleasant this morning. He is now headed to clemson for a town hall just after 2 this after the event in york, kasich will head to the capital city to join two other candidates for a cnn town hall. Kasich will take the stage with donald trump and jeb bush at the usc school of law on main street. The candidates will take questions from 8 to 11 tonight. If you are looking to cast your vote in this saturdays first in the south republican primary there are a few thing to keep in mind. Polls are open from 7to7 you must have one of the forms of photo id you see on your screen. Once youve been checked in, a polling manager will take you to the voting booth. And if youre planning on casting your vote early tomorrow is the deadline for you to get those absentee ballots in. If youre voting absentee in the democratic primary youll have until next friday. You can find even more decision 2016 coverage on our website wistv dotcom. We have all the latest on the primary in our special election section. A Kershaw County judge says he will soon decide whether to grant bond to a camden man accused of fatally shooting a teenager. 49yearold jimmy methe is still in jail after his Court Appearance wednesday. Methe is accused of shooting 17yearold brandon spencer, after methe claimed he caught him stealing from his truck saturday morning. The prosecution is asking for a high surety bond until investigators are looking into a crash on highway 277 last night that sent two people to the hospital. Columbia police say it happenene on the north bound entry ramp from sunset boulevard. One vehicle was left in pretty bad shape on the side of the road. Work is underway to figure out what caused a fire that nearly destroyed a columbia home. The home on Redwood Court was nearly enenlfed in flames when firefighters arrived. Video taken by fire crews show flames shooting up out of the roof. Fire Officials Say no one was hurt but two people inside were taken to a hospital to be checked out as a precaution. Today the Dot Commission is meeting to look at plans for a statewide transportation improvement program. This comes just a day after the state senates debate on how to get more money for roads started with a filibuster, which is the same way it ended last year. Senator tom davis took t t floor wednesday, saying he isnt ready to give hundreds of millions of dollars in new money to the agency is changed. Governor haley has also called for reforms to the dot. The director of the States Department of Public Safety is heading for another four years at the helm. The Senate Unanimously approved leroy smith for a second term at the dps. The agency oversees highway patrol, transport police, and the bureau of protective services. Smith took over the agency in 2011. He says he hopes to address concerns over low pay to help retain troopers. Iraq is searching for potentially deadly Radioactive Material that was stolen late last year. Its disappearance has raised fears the material could fall into the hands of isis fighters who control parts of the country plus, president obama will soon be making a trip overseas next month. Where and why hes making the trip is up next. Break one iraq is searching for Radioactive Material th she spent a lifetime making a difference for people. Winning healthcare for 8 million children. Benefits for families of reservists and the national guard. Standing strong around the world for human rights and womens rights. Hillary clinton. Shell raise the minimum wage. Take on the Drug Companies to lower the cost of prescription drugs. And give everyone the opportunity to go to College Without going into debt. For us. Im Hillary Clinton and i approve this message. Jeb bushs super pac continues to throw mud, this time about john kasich. Newt gingrich responded, any suggestion that john kasich is antidefense is simply false. I served with him for sixteen years and he consistently fought for a better, more effective military. Any ad attacking kasich on defense should be pulled as false and misleading. That was stolen late last year. Its disappearance has raised ars the material could fall into the hands of isis fighters who control parts of the country. Nbcs Kelly Cobiella reports. 45 58 1 101 23 its a nightmare scenario. Isis packing Radioactive Material in explosives. Making a socalled dirty bomb. Now, a key ingredient used by the oil industry to check for leaks in pipes, has vanished in material. Iridium 192. Was stolen from a Storage Facility linked to Weatherford Oil company in november. Us based Weatherford Oil told nbc news we do not own, operate or control sources or the bunker where the sources are stored. And that a Different Company held the merial. Bc news has not been able to reach them for comment. That the material in question is being acquired by daesh or any other terrorist groups in the region. But obviously we continue to take these reports very seriously. The state Department Said there is no evidence that isis. Which holds mosul in Northern Iraq but no territory in shiite dominated basra. Pulled off the theft. S Kelly Cobiella nbc news london, england 1 101 23 but at this point, the iraqis dont know who did. Security forces told Reuters News Agency it looked like an inside job, no broken locks or signs of forces new at noon. President obama announced on twitter today he will be heading to cuba next month. During the trip the president will meet with the cuban president raul castro and cuban entrepreneurs. He emphasized that even though relations have thawed, there are still differences between the two governments. And he says hes not turning a blind eye to human rights concerns, and plans directly. President obama will be the first sitting president to visit the island since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. Also new at noon. The number of people looking for jobless benefits hit its lowest level since november. The Labor Department reports Weekly Applications for unemployment assistance fell by seventhousand. Analysts say the latest numbers indicate the recent stock market volatility and Slower Growth have not caused us businesses to cut jobs. Last months rise in applications for Unemployment Benefits fueled fear of more layoffs to come. But recent reports show a growth in Consumer Spending and manufacturing, indicating a growing economy. Still to come on the news at noon from the anchor desk. To the classroom. How people across the city, including yours truly, are making sure 3rd graders know the importance of picking up a book. Great stretch of weather over the next few days. Mostly sunny with highs in the upr 50s today then warmer through the weekend highs in the upper break two great stretch of weather over the next few days. Mostly sunny with highs in the over the next few days. Mostly sunny with highs in the upper 50s today then warmer through the friday sunday partly cloudy, highs in the upper 60s to middle 70s by sunday. Changes coming as it looks wet and cooler starting monday and much of the next week. Great stretch of weather over the next few days. Mostly sunny with highs in the then warmer through the weekend friday sunday partly cloudy, highs in the upper 60s to middle 70s by sunday. Changes coming as it looks wet and cooler starting monday and much of the next week. Great stretch of weather over mostly sunny with highs in the upper 50s today speechless. While many of those rescues were caught on camera, there were things we didnt see. Memories that survivors live with every day. That includes columbia woman erika wright. Erika says she was driving home on decker boulevard the morning of october fourth when her car got caught in raging flood waters and was tossed up a tree. Trapped in her car, erika was forced to find a way to escape and kicked out her windshield. 05 12 51 thats when i kicked the windshield out but i couldnt get out that way because of the current and because there was so much debris at that time. And i was like i dont want to die in my car, i dont want my mom to find me in my car. Erikas car during the flood, but now were hearing her story of survival. Tonight at 11 erika walks with us to the very place she clung to life for hours in raging flood waters. In her first visit back since the floods, she shares about her rescue, and her struggle to recover both physically and mentally. Plus what we found unexpectedly in our walk along decker that brought erika to tears. The news at noon will be right back. There are those who say we cannot defeat a corrupt political system and fix a rigged economy. But i believe we need to lift our vision above the obstacles in place and look the american horizon. To a nation where every child can not only dream of going to college, but attend one. Where quality healthcare will be a birthright of every citizen. Where a good job is not a wish, but a reality. And a living wage is paid to all. An america where after a lifetime of labor, there is time for rest and grandchildren. A nation that defends our people and our values, but no longer carries so much of that burden alone. I know we can create that america if we listen to our conscience and our hearts and not to the pundits and the naysayers. Im bernie sanders. I approve this message, the primaries. On the democratic side, recent Hillary Clinton with a bernie sanders. But that doesnt mean clinton will stay on top. We know that senator sanders has been on the front lines with dr. King and when they mention secretary clintons 40 years of experience i wonder does that include her harsh stance on federal sentencing or the sentencing of our young people. Our black and brown people. I wonder does that legacy factor in on claims that shes been staunch on civil rights because quite frankly i think it rings hollow. Can we also find a president who can live up to the promises debt related to you being educated is going to gone. Thats just not the way it golden retruever was reported missing in State College on monday. The missing dog on facebook and those photos were shared thousands of times, but there reported. On wednesday, skyes owner found his beloved pooch at the bottom of a 15 foot hole where she had been for two days. Emergency crews were called and with a little help, pulled the dog out of the deep hole. Skye was taken to a local vet where she was checked out and eventually sent home. Tonight, the usc Womens Basketball team are looking to cinch the outright sec regular season title the team is welcoming the georgia bulldogs into Colonial Life arena. They clinched at least a share of the title monday by beating tennessee. Game time i i7 oclock. Hundreds of people will come together this saturday to lace up their shoes and show their support for homeless families in columbia. The race for the place 5k for st. Lawrence place is particularly meaningful l kershaw loynes. Kershaw and her four sons are lawrence place a 30 Home Community in columbia that helps homeless families get back on their feet through specialized programs. Kershaw and her youngest son cephius will be walking and running in the race saturday as a way to give back and encourage other families who are currently at st. Lawrence. Kershaw loynes former slp resident 08 04 47 you cant just wake up one morning and there it is there is a process, there needs to be accountability. There needs to be a network of people that help you and your family 08 06 44 im just a small part of the success that comes out of st. Lawrence place. There are many other families like me it really makes a difference the race for the place 5k will start this saturday at 8am behind st. Josephs catholic church, with a kids fun run starting at 9am. All of the money raised will help support programs for the families of st. Lawrence place. There is still time to sign up. Weve put a link under the big red 10. The importance of reading is the focus across the district and city of columbia have teamed up for the 8th year of the together we can read initiative. More than 8 dozen celebrity and guest readers are spending part of their day at richland one elementary schools. I had the pleasure of reading to two groups at caughman Road Elementary School this morning miss maurice and miss tooles 3rd grade classes. The goal of the oneday program is to of course encourage children to read. And they get to hear that Important Message from member of the community. Great stretch of weather over the next few days. Mostly sunny with highs in the upper 50s today then warmer through the weekend friday sunday partly cloudy, highs in the upper 60s to middle 70s by sunday. Changes coming as it looks wet and cooler starting monday and thanks for joining us for the news at noon. Well be back here again at four. You can get breaking news on the paid presentation for lifelock, the best identitytheft protection available. Identity theft is the Fastest Growing crime in america. I started getting phone calls from credit collection companies. Youve opened an account here and here and here. They wanted payment. And it was payment for things that i did not do. I was hit with 12 Different Cases of Identity Theft within three days. How did somebody get ahold of my identity and become me . 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