The Iowa Caucuses where trump holds a steady lead. Whether or not it will affect the results in iowa. Theres a small amount. Risk him 0 not being on the stage. It gives the other candidates an opportunity to kind of attack him and him not respond, but given the balance of power, its another savvy move on his part. Jennifer the first 20 minutes of the debate will set the tone. Will trumps absence dominate the conversation or will moderates and candidates focus on real issues. If it gets more to substance and how people contrast how they would attack the immigration problem or the economy or dealing with terrorism, and what their record is, then i think it provides them with an opportunity. Jennifer trailing trump in a tight rice between ted cruz and marco rubio, oldendick predicts the two will battle it out its been a standoff, neither one has been able to win it. Yes, sir. The debate with or without trump serving as one final push before iowa voters hit the polls. Ben as for jeb bush, chris christie, john kasich and ben ben carson, he said that theyll, hopefully, Gain Momentum there in weeks to come. Jennifer ready, abc columbia. Ben thanks, volunteers took to the streets of columbia to get a better understanding of our Homeless Population. Ben abc columbia rule reuse joins us live from main street with more on how counting the homeless can help better care for their needs. Beth volunteers out and about on on sumter street in finley park, counting and surveying the homeless. Something that happens annually to give the nation a better idea of what the homeless is like on a specific area at a specific date. The numbers from the point in time count are used by the department of housing and urban development to determine how much federal funding will be allocated. Last years count showed South Carolinas Homeless Population at more than 5300. Thats a 6 increase from the previous year. But the united way of midlandses who cooperates the count say those numbers are important to know. This helps us understand the pulation and what their needs are so we can offer Better Services and its required for us, force our application to hud for annual funding and to help with homeless programs. There are a group of folks out on the streets not in the shelters and theyre not getting those are the people we ran into last night. None of this is easy and it takes a group of agencies to really come alongside people and try to help them. Beth some are hesitant to speak with the volunteers and theyve recruited those who are living at transition, a Recovery Center for the homeless, talking to the people on the street, and having that rapport, and theyll be counting throughout the weekend. Reporting live, rural reuse, abc columbia. Ben thank you, beth. Westwood high school in blythewood was evacuated today due it a suspicious odor. Students were asked to exit the school around 11 30 this morning and allowed to return to the schools gym and cafeteria 45 minutes later after the fire determined there was no danger. Ben Richland County investigators are looking for a system. The man in surveillances, yakiem breeland. They say that on december 26th, he shot a man and wanted for attempted murder. Grace Richland County deputies are looking for two suspects who they say were trying to cash in on a 100 off sale. If you recognize these people, please call the Richland CountySheriffs Office or cpr. Ben a year long investigation in newberry led to three arrests and a carb of drugs, money and guns. Sheriff lee foster says yesterday his officers served a search warrant at a home on taylor street. Inside they say they found several handguns. Deputies say theyve made undercover drug buys from the residence over the last few months, building their case. Ben one person killed in an officerinvolved shooting in Dillon County wednesday. Officials have not released thename of the deceased or the information about what led up to the shooting. Incident. Ben more Details Behind the problems of Human Trafficking in our state. Polalas, a Nonprofit Organization that work to combat and prevent modern day slavery, released its statistics. There were 61 cases of Human Trafficking from South Carolina reported to the national Human Trafficking resource center. Of those cases, the majority were related to cases of sex trafficking. Carolina department of Consumer Affairs received 700 reports of irs tax scams in 2015 alone. Nationally, the irs says these scams have cost consumers 23 million in losses since 2013. Tomorrow at 6 00, tune in because youll hear from experts and how to protect your money from becoming a victim. Ben parts of alpine drive, youre under a boil water advisory. The affected area is 1300 block of alpine drive. Due to a water line break, you are asked to boil your water for at least a minute before cookingng or drinking. One of the days in history if you were alive at the time, you remember where you were. Ben i look back at the loss of the Space Shuttle. Today tragedy y struck the shuttle alicia 30 years ago today tragedy struck the United States when the Space Shuttle challenger lifted off and exploded. Ben it was a live worldwide audience and president Reagan Reagan announced to the nation the loss of seven of our heroes. Remembering. Ben it was this day when the challenger Space Shuttle burst into flames. Only 73 seconds after it was launched. All seven of the crew members lost their lives, including South Carolina native ron mctheyre. Alicia ron mcnair, a lake city native was the second African American to fly into space. His memory live honest at the Mcnair Center for Aerospace Innovation and research. Its housed on the usc campus, the center will ensure the universitys role in Space Exploration for years to come. Ben state senator have made Christie Hall the permanent director of the department of transportation today. The governors selection was unanimously approved earlier this afternoon. Through the flood as i i interim director. Alicia nearly 200 people have committed to participate in a Statehouse Program that includes healthier eating options. More physical activity and health screenings. While youre healthy, you need to grab your coat. Were getting a mix of rain and breezy. Ben well have to check in with chief meteorologist john forecast when we come back. John check this out, this is time lapse photography of the low clouds continuing from the northeast and they were with us all day. It was gloomy out there but things are changing. Lets talk about what we had for a high. Look at this. It didnt get 51 today during the day. This happened after midnight last night and the temperatures kept coming down as we went into the morning. Most of us never got out of 40s at least during the day. The record, it could get colder. Nine, were nowhere close to that. Now in terms of how much rain we got today. The lions share. Manning. 7, orangeburg,. 7 and the rest the us a lot less. Over the next several hours, the whole thing will give up the fight. The second half the weekend. Going to feel like spring. Lets look at it. Here are the showers, continuing to push to the east. And what ill show you, the back edge of this thing is really pushing everything of the coast so the clouds and rain, theyre going to continue to exit the stage atlantic, shall we say . And out lipid it, a good bit of clearing and the clearing will be with us tonight and tomorrow, but many days to come. Now, lets look at what is going on in terms of the temperatures tonight. As the skies clear, the temperatures in the mid 30s, when you wake up tomorrow morning, and tomorrow afternoon, how about this . Were around 60 or so with a lot of sunshine, wind out of west. Should be a lovely day. Tomorrow night will be chilly. Down around freezing. But that will be the last of the cold nights for a while. Look at sunday, well into the into the 60s and sunday, monday and tuesday, these could be conservative numbers. Pushing to even the mid 70s. By the time we get to wednesday, youll see we have showers in the forecast and then things knock deduct been. But saturday through wednesday where temperatures are in the rage of if not well north of 70 degrees. Ben thanks, john. Coming not long after a incriminating video popped up on the web, an sec quarterback gets kicked off his team. Ben and one carolina panther is confident a broken arm wont stop him from playing in the super bowl. Minor inconveniences when it comes to the super bowl. Hi, im tim hill. Tim major injuries, a minor inconvenience when it come to the super bowl hi, im tim hill. Panthers linebacker thomas davis says his newly surgically lot better and hes completely confident he can play in the super bowl. Not sure exactly what that guy was trying to do. Maybe jump over him. Doctors put in a plate and about a dozen screws. He was second on the accident in tackle. Its his 11th year in the nfl, last year, he was named the leagues man of the year and the only professional athlete thought to come back from three torn acls. Former gamecock darrenian stewart says a knee sprain wont keep him out of super bowl either. Tom brady had a couple of big hits in the afc championship game helping the broncos defense, before he sprained his knee and did not return to the ballgame. Maty mauk wont be back on the field for the tigers for off the field issues. Earlier this week, a video surfaced that appeared to be mauk sniffing cocaine. But the coach says he believes that the video is from a long time ago. Usc Womens Basketball hoping to continue its trend of being unbeatable at home. Dawn staley and Company Going for a win 44. Tonight, theyll host ole miss, Tiffany Mitchell and company are coming offer a close win at number 10 mississippi state. 24 in sec play, the gamecocks looking to make it a perfect 20 and 0. Comment now in sophomore star a gentleman wilson. Game, its good to be back home. Even though we have to jet back out. I think were prepared for ole miss. Tim today, usc south ball, alainy page leading the gamecocks last year in virtually all offensive categories, setting multiple records including 15 home runs. Carolina opposite the softball season february 12th at a tournament in tampa. Carolina baseball season isnt too far away. The coaches Preseason Top 25, the gamecocks looking to bounce back from their first season of the century, not making the ncaa tournament. Finished 32 and 25 last season overall. Its an interesting time with the Basketball Team doing well and spring sports about to get going to get busy around here for sure. Alicia gamecock nation tim yes. Alicia all right, up next, ben well be right back. John the showers are about over for tonight, the skies will clear and there it is, sunny friday, 60 degrees and chilly after that, but beautiful. 70ish from saturday to next wednesday. Alicia 70ish, loving that. Donald trump the Republican Party establishment. Ben well let you know about this, trump skipping out on the gop debate. And tonight at 11 00, well have a report on his rival event for veterans. Alicia and the candidates, how they handled his noticeable absence. Ben thank you for making us your choice for local news. Alicia if you miss any part of this newscast, you can check us out online, its abccolumbia. Com. See you tonight at 11 00, have a