Starting with a weather expo, Weather Radio expo from 8 a. M. Until 8 p. M. At the kroger located at the corner of two knots and sparkle berry in northeast columbia. You will be able to buy a new Weather Radio for as little as 30 at the event, and people will be on hand to help you set it up. The news 19 Weather Radio displays are up at all walgreens, kroger and Academy Sports stores. And efran afante is tracking the storm. Lets check in with him now good morning, in fact its already affecting parts of the midland, a lot of rain has been moving through, and now we actually have a severe set Severe Thunderstorm Warning for edgefield and aiken county, moving at the northnortheast at 45 miles an hour. In effect until 6 30. This cell right over here in southern Edgefield County. For you folks in Saluda County i would keep a heads up right now i would not be surprised if we get a new Severe Thunderstorm Warning in the next few minutes for that so. Temperatures are starting off 65 soluna, 62 lexington, sumter 61, columbia 60, camden 59, when the kids head out to the bus stop they will need the rain jacket and boots. Forget the umbrella, it will be too windy. We are expecting significant storms today, a high of 73 degrees today, with a high dusty windy day. Degrees. Tomorrow, clearing skies, 55 degrees but still very windy. Throughout the morning and mid day, torrential downpours will continue. A very good chance for very strong damaging winds in excess of 65 Miles Per Hour. Hail is possible, and even though it is a lowend chance we have to remember that we could see an isolatete tornado as we go throughout the morning into the mid afternoon. We will be watching very carefully. As far as the roads right now, the roads in the western wet, i 26, the lefthand side eastbound heading towards i 20 and malfunction junction, it is pouring down there right now. Give yourself a lot of extra time. Only one accident right now, i 26 west on as you are trying to get on the i 77, an accident happen 40 minutes ago. If you are traveling along harvest and boulevard and i 26 and eight minute commute, for my 77 and blithe wood for jackson boulevard a 40 minute commute. We are constantly tracking and monitoring conditions as we go throughout the morning. I will show that in the 70 forecast in just a few minutes. If you guys are heading out there be very careful with this rain, and the wet roads. And also you can stay up to date with all of the weather by following the weather to weather team on twitter. You can download our weather up to your iphone or down android you can get the latest updates. We have more information circus solicitor donnie myers after being charged with a dui. Myers crashed her car the car at 8 p. M. On monday evening. The trooper wrote in his incident report that there was a strong odor of alcohol coming from the car. Troopers then visited myers at his home, where he allegedly told them he had one drink at unos before the crash. He told them he had nothing else to drink, since that happened, the trooper says during a field sobriety test, myers was unable to recite his abcs twice, and failed the finger dexterity test but he was taken to the Richland County jail nearly two and a half hours after the crash. Myers did bond out of jail. If formerly indicted by a grand jury, he can be suspended from office by governor haley. And Richland County, deputies are looking for a man n and a woman wanted for shoplifting at target. Deputies say this man and woman you see here on your screen now enter the target on two notch road earlier this month, and stole numerous items off of the the store. If you know these people are call crimestoppers at 888crime sc. Out of Richland County deputies need your help to case. At the walmart on two notch road, two suspects were seen on surveillance camera stealing baby clothes, and baby formula. If you know who those people are, in these pictures, you are asked to call crimestoppers at 888crimesc. When you go to Traffic Court in Richland County or take care of any county Court Business you might soon be going to the new Decker Center. News 19s Mary Stargell looks into Richland County progress to improve services and amenities. The project is not quite but almost 2 million under budget and it is on time. Reporter words you do not often hear about a government construction project. The Decker Center is one of several projects Richland County has underway that should be finished by the end project manager, chad explains. Where the 2 million is from we estimated a 25 Million Dollar construction contract, we did a competitive bid for this construction part of this project it came in about 2 million under the estimated cost. That is where we are saving our 2 million. Reporter note located on the international corridor, the place where you used to shop has been transformed into a space for a Richland CountyCentral Court with a courtrooms and some Sheriffs Department offices. Richland County District eight councilman jim manning explains how it will help in efficiency. By having some of those divisions together for the Sheriffs Department, particularly some of the warrants divisions it will help them to be housed together reporter to 31 milliondollar project will also feature a Community Meeting space and a parking lot fit for festivals. We are very particularly excited about having International Festivals out here in the parking lot friendly Housing Assistance to collect water from the roof that will be used for landscaping. One of the other sustainable features will be permeable pavement in the parking also we do not have a huge expanse of asphalt, we will have some permeable concrete that will collect that storm runoff as well. Reporter mary sturgill, news 19 wltx the Decker Center visit renovations are scheduled to be completed in november. And everyone should move into that facility them up before december. County administrator say sumpter is growing, using their 2030 of element plan they hope to have expect expanded commercial and residential growth in the last five years the county has seen Continental Tire facility, an increase of Dollar General stores, local a Buffalo Wild Wings and a popeyes on broad street. And the highest hotel on main street breaking ground soon. Desiree lowery is one of the very excited about the growth. If you are from sumpter, you know most of the time you really want something, something different, you have to go to the surrounding counties, its nice to come straight here, we can eat, enjoy ourselves and just go home without having to travel an hour there and back. J davis a member of the county Development Board says the thing he hears people wanting most, is a highend Grocery Store like a publix. Parents now heading back to class so that they can help with homework. Its not just High Schoolers needing help. As jamie eucharist found out even parents of kindergartners need a refresher. Reporter these moms and dads are learning computer reading skills at parent university. Joann is back in class, with her kindergartner, nicole we now have the being taught, so we can help them better and not get frustrated Reporter School districts across the country offer the classes for free. Teachers say they are very popular. This one on long island and more than 60 parents eager to participate. Did you ever think you would have to go back to school to help your kids with school . No. I finished my masters degree five years ago and i figure that was it reporter its not just learning the technology, parents need a refresher because reading and math is being taught so differently now. Number bonds reporter the School Started classes to help parents learn more about the common core curriculum which set National Standards for english and math, but now they touch on a variety of topics. We are trying to reach out to parents and say the standard way that we learned is no longer that way, so we need to bring to bring you into the fault so that you are supporting your child. Shut reporter that is why parents are prepared to continue their education. If they are moving at the pace they are moving now in kindergarten, i can only imagine what its going to be like by second through fourth grade. Reporter their children are meeting the challenge, these parents are determined to as well. Jamie eucharist, cbs news, north biltmore, new york. At for those parents. They are all learning together. Thats awesome. I was think and it was around fifth grade when i lost my mom on the homework assignments. [laughter] once you get the multiples of things, thats enough. [ laughter] i dont think i would remember that either. Speaking of monster. Yeah, our mom of the day is shanda, she is the mother of five and was nominated by her cousin, tamika, she says her cousin has a huge heart, a always helping others while raising her children. Congratulations. If you would like to nominate a mom for mom of the day head over to wltx. Com and click on the banner to send in your nomination. Todays word is we back, its a noun that means a bread toasted until dry and crisp. We look this because i needed more information. That is an interesting word. Hear every day. It is a scandinavian german snack like a biscotti typing. It says they use it for teething children a lot. Interesting. I am hungry now. That is our word of the day. Let us smell what you think about it. You can tweet us. With some threats of Severe Weather in the midlands today, we are on your side with what you need to know to make sure you are prepared. Next we are going to break down what should be in your emergency kit and the difference between a weather watch and a weather warning. The showers and storms already moving through the but behind it is Severe Weather can happen anytime of the year here in the midlands. As we look towards the potential for some Severe Weather today there are some things you can do now to prepare yourself and your family. Daniel bonds explains for us. Reporter emergencies happen more often than you think and that is why that preparedness reporter crystal overmyer is a communication organizer for the red cross she says being ready before an emergency is important. We want families to have an emergency kit ready to go, have a plan and then be informed. Reporter even if you do not have a kid, its better to be prepared for the storm according to overmyer. We recommend that you have food, water and basic supplies for family members for as many as three days. Its important to think about medications, copies of Important Documents as well as special items you might have for your kids and pets, too. According to the red cross, flashlights, cell phones with the chargers some extra cash, and a Weather Radio is important, too. The red cross also suggest people understand the difference between a watch and a warning. A warning is issued for conditions posing an immediate threat to life or property. A watch is issued to make sure everyone is ready to act in but communication is key. All through that process, develop a plan, and then share that information with all of the members of the family. Its important that everyone is informed about what to do. Reporter we know here in the midlands, our weather conditions can change rapidly when an emergency strikes of things happen very quickly, it could be a matter of minutes that you are needing to take an action to help keep your family safe. Reporter in columbia, daniel bonds, news 19 wltx. That was a good piece of advice there, the extra cash, because if the power goes out you cannot get to an atm machine, the atms run on power so you have that extra cash ahead in case you need to spend it on something. Another thing, if you actually have it, if youve got a charger, a portable charger, start charging it now. Get ready, because we could be losing power as the storms come through. You do not want to panic, but at the same time you want to make sure that we know what exactly is coming through. We also want to talk about thth difference between watching and warnings. Are favorable, that a specific type of storm depending on how severe it may be, may occur at any time. A warning is whenever the watch was indicating its eminent that would happen. Conditions are favorable. We could see some strong storms that would contain very strong winds as well as possibly help. A warning means it is imminent that that storm so could potentially have wins winds in excess of 58 Miles Per Hour plus with the potential of hail. The criteria does not include the amount of heavy rainfall that would be a flood watch or warning. Right now we have quite a bit of activity that is moving through the midlands, a very, very heavy concentration of rain has been moving through the midlands over the last several hours. You can see just a wall of water has been moving through. But as it pushes through to the eastern half of the midlands and has been slowing down quite a bit. Moving through, in fact we do have a Severe Thunderstorm Warning this is in effect for another 11 minutes. Covers portions of edgefield and aiken county. It was a very strong storm that was moving through there. Right now it is located just through areas of soluna county. As it moves through it is starting to weaken. But just be prepared, soluna county you are not under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning. But do expect a lot of rain as it moves through. Temperatures right now are starting off warm and very buggy. 55 newberry, 61 winnsboro, s t. Matthew 63, 63 as well as and aiken. There is the entire line of showers and storms right now. The activity of shower watches down into northern florida for the cold front is still way out in alabama and that still continues to move through. We are not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination. We are still under a slight risk for Severe Weather in the midlands. And an enhanced risk for the piedmont all the way down to the grand strand and even a central and eastern portions of north carolina. What we are expecting is very heavy rainfall the rainfall we are ready have now we are expecting even more hfavy rainfall. Winds in excess of 70 55 65 Miles Per Hour associated with storms. Even though it is a very low in chance we have to talk about the possibility of an isolated tornado as we go throughout the morning. Our weather computer model shows as we go throughout the morning we will continue with the showers and storms, intensification by mid to late morning as we go through the midday, some of the storms could act intensify two severe levels especially from colombia to the eastern half of the midlands and then by t wo3 oclock its out in piedmont we would be dealing with the shower activity. Highs today and the upper 60s down to the lower 70s. And that overnight tonight it will be windy as guys start to clear out, those will be in the middle to upper 40s. Then we will continue with windy conditions for tomorrow, a high of 55 degrees, a lot of sunshine. Weekend. We are watching very carefully for the storm activity for today. As far as the roads right now, as you are getting ready to head out the door, no issues other than the fact that the roads are very wet , as we take a look at i 20 eastbound over mile marker 66. Give yourself plenty of time because not only are the roads wet but the windy conditions are starting up this morning. Outside of that the only issue we have of an accident is i 20 west down over by i 77. Traveling from Shaw Air Force base to the fort jackson gate 33 minutes. From i 77 and 26 at about 11 minutes. We will be watching very carefully, because the rain and midlands. Lets check daniels weather fact now, he tweets out weather state. Today, in 2012 a number of weak tornadoes touched down in the state including one in sumter county. He also has something helpful difference between a watch and a warning. If you need more clarity on that. Go check that out. Still more to come this concern in multiple held the news this morning the cdc hell for news this morning, the cdc says it is researching the virus the zika virus with it being sexually transmitted reporter angelica who asked not to be seen, and her husband dustin were living in brazil diagnosed with zika virus but angelica was pregnant, earlier this month doctors told them to practice safe sex the doctor suggests to use protection. Reporter the advice to abstain from sex or use latex condoms during sex is now being given by the cdc to all pregnant women whose partners have been too zika virus affected countries. On february 2, the first known case of sexual transmission of zika virus dudung the rrent outbreakakas reported in dallas. With todays 14 suspected cases, the cdc is rethinking how the disease is spread. Jennifer studies zika virus at the cdc with these new suspected cases that we are investigating, we are really becoming more aware that sexual transmission may happen more often than we previously thought.