FOR NEWS TO GO. WE’VE GOT A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. WE’RE STARTING WITH CONGRESS’S ATTEMPT TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. I HOPE OUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN US TO AVOID A SHUTDOWN ON FRIDAY. WE ARE ON THE BRINK OF A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, WHICH WILL BE ENTIRELY OF THE DEMOCRATS MAKING. TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY FOR CONGRESS TO PASS A SPENDING BILL TO KEEP IT OPEN. SENATE DEMOCRATS DON’T LIKE A CONTINUING RESOLUTION FROM REPUBLICANS AND THE GOP ISN’T SUPPORTING THEIR ALTERNATIVE. THE STALEMATE COMES AT A TRICKY MOMENT FOR THE U.S. EXPERTS WORRY NEW TARIFFS WILL CAUSE INFLATION. A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN COULD BE ANOTHER BLOW TO THE ECONOMY. ANOTHER COMPLICATION IS THAT THE HOUSE IS NOT IN SESSION TODAY OR TOMORROW, WITH SOME LAWMAKERS OUT OF TOWN, IT COULD BE A HARD PASS TO AN ALTERNATIVE SPENDING PLAN BEFORE THE DEADLINE. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD THE NATION’S TOP PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY WILL FACE QUESTIONS FROM SENATORS ON CAPITOL HILL TODAY. WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT JACKIE DEFUSCO JOINS US NOW WITH WHAT’S AT STAKE DURING THIS CONFIRMATION HEARING. DOCTOR DAVE WELDON WILL BE PRESSED ON HIS PLANS TO LEAD THE CDC AS THE AGENCY FACES SIGNIFICANT INTERNAL CHALLENGES ON TOP OF PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES. MORE THAN 500 EMPLOYEES AT THE CDC HAVE BEEN FIRED RECENTLY AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DIRECTS SWEEPING CUTS ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT COMES AS THE AGENCY IS WORKING TO CONTAIN BIRD FLU AND A GROWING OUTBREAK OF MEASLES, A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VIRUS THAT IS PREVENTABLE THROUGH VACCINES. DOCTOR WELDON’S PAST CRITICISM OF VACCINE SAFETY AND THE CDC ITSELF ARE LIKELY TO BE A FOCUS OF HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING TODAY. IN ADDITION TO HIS QUALIFICATIONS, WELDON IS A RETIRED FLORIDA CONGRESSMAN, AN ARMY VETERAN AND AN INTERNAL MEDICINE DOCTOR WITH NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH. SPECIFICALLY. ALSO TODAY, A SENATE COMMITTEE IS EXPECTED TO ADVANCE PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PICKS FOR TWO OTHER KEY HEALTH POSITIONS. THAT’S DOCTOR JAY BHATTACHARYA FOR NIH DIRECTOR AND DOCTOR MARTY MCCARRY FOR FDA COMMISSIONER REPORTING IN WASHINGTON. I’M JACKIE DEFUSCO. IT’S 647 AND THE GREENVILLE TRIUMPH AND LIBERTY SOCCER CLUBS WILL HAVE A NEW HOME SOON. OUR ISABELLE MARAK IS JOINING US LIVE FROM MAULDIN WITH THE DETAILS ON THE NEW STADIUM. ISABELLE. HEY, DESTINY. GOOD MORNING. THE PLAN IS FOR THE GREENVILLE TRIUMPH AND LIBERTY TO START PLAYING HERE BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR. THE NEW STADIUM, IT WILL SEAT 10,000 AND ALSO SERVE AS A HUB FOR YOUTH SPORTS AND A VENUE FOR CONCERTS, FESTIVALS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. SWARMS OF SOCCER FANS GATHERED IN GATHERED HERE YESTERDAY FOR THE CEREMONY, AND A LOT OF THEM WERE HERE TO SEE SOCCER STAR AND WORLD CUP CHAMPION RONALDINHO, WHO IS PART OF THE GREENVILLE TRIUMPH OWNERSHIP GROUP. NOW THE CLUBS HAVE HAD TWO DIFFERENT SOCCER FIELDS THAT THEY’VE BEEN PLAYING ON SINCE THEIR START HERE IN GREENVILLE. AND NOW BOTH CLUBS SAY THAT THEY’RE HAPPY TO HAVE A MORE PERMANENT LOCATION WHERE THEY CAN START TO MAKE NEW MEMORIES. REPORTING LIVE IN MAULDIN, ISABELLE MARAK WYFF NEWS FOUR ISABELLE. THANK YOU. THE CLEMSON MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM PLAYS ITS FIRST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT GAME TONIGHT. THE TIGERS RECEIVED A DOUBLE BYE IN THE ACC TOURNAMENT. TONIGHT’S QUARTERFINAL GAME IS AGAINST SMU. TIPOFF IS SET FOR 930 IN CHARLOTTE. AND WE’RE TAKING A LIVE LOOK FROM NOMA SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE. PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS DOWNTOWN ALIVE RETURNS TONIGHT FROM 530 TO 830. SOME CHAIRS ARE AVAILABLE, BUT IF YOU CAN’T GRAB A SPOT EARLY, YOU’LL WANT TO BRING YOUR OWN. THE EVENT IS FREE TO ATTEND. AND A REMINDER SMOKING IS NOT ALLOWED. NEITHER ARE PETS, SKATEBOARDS, BICYCLES, OR COOLERS. OUR SYDNEY SHADRIX WILL BE LIVE TONIGHT AT DOWNTOWN ALIVE’S KICKOFF. YOU CAN ALSO FIND MORE INFORMATION ON GREENVILLE, SC.GOV. CHECK THIS OUT. MARCH IS FULL MOON IS CALLED THE WARM WARM MOON. I CAN’T SAY IT. WORM. MOON. THERE WE GO. AND IT’S EXTRA SPECIAL BECAUSE IT WILL BE A TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE. THE FIRST NEARLY THREE YEARS TO BE VISIBLE ACROSS THE U.S. TOMORROW, THE MOON WILL LOOK LIKE A STRIKING RED COLOR. THE TOTAL ECLIPSE HAPPENS WHEN THE MOON IS FULL AND ALIGNS PERFECTLY WITH THE EARTH AND THE SUN. YEAH. BY THE WAY, IF YOU STEP OUT, YOU KNOW, 1:00 TOMORROW MORNING, IT WILL BEGIN. BUT IT WILL BE START ITS TOTALITY AROUND 230 TO 330 IN THE MORNING. AND SKIES SHOULD BE CLEAR TO SEE THAT. I’M GOING TO BE OUT IN OUR PARKING LOT TAKING A PEEK, BY THE WAY. HOPEFULLY YOU’LL BE ABLE TO GET OUTSIDE AND SEE THAT AS WELL. 44 DEGREES IN HENDERSONVILLE, 52 IN SPARTANBURG. GOOD MORNING TO YOU. HOW ARE YOU? GREENWOOD. WE’VE GOT A FEW EXTRA CLOUDS RIGHT NOW SPEWING UP. AND THAT WILL BE THE CASE AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SO THE MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES ARE DONE. AT LEAST THAT WALL TO WALL SUN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHARE THE SKIES WITH SOME CLOUDS, BUT STILL VERY MILD OUT THERE. WE’RE STILL GOING TO GET INTO THE MID 70S FOR GREENVILLE AND THE UPSTATE. LOW 70S FOR ASHEVILLE AND THE MOUNTAINS. RELATIVELY CALM WINDS WITH A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ALTHOUGH MOST OF US STAY DRY. COMING UP, WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR WEEKEND FORECAST AND A FOUR-DAY PLUS THAT’S IN LESS THAN EIGHT MINUTES FROM RIGHT NOW. BUT FIRST, LET’S GET YOU OUTSIDE. GET A CHECK ON THOSE ROADS. HOW’S IT LOOKING TODAY? HEY, WE’RE STILL WORKING ON THAT BREAKING TRAFFIC NEWS PARELLA. RIGHT NOW THERE IS A CRASH ON I-85 SOUTH NEAR EXIT 66. WE’RE WORKING ON MORE DETAILS TO SEE IF THE CRASH IS CLEARING OUT, BUT WE CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE BACKUPS, AND WE’VE SEEN SEVERAL CRASHES IN THE SAME AREA THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. WE’RE ALSO HEARING THAT THERE ARE BACKUPS ALL THE WAY TO BUSINESS 85. SO AGAIN, IF YOU ARE HEADED TOWARDS GREENVILLE. THIS IS I-85 SOUTH NEAR EXIT 66. I WOULD AVOID THIS AREA OR PACK ON SOME EXTRA TIME TO YOUR MORNING COMMUTE. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE TRAVEL TIMES. I-26 EASTBOUND I-240 TO ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY SHOULD TAKE YOU 12 MINUTES. EIGHT MINUTES FOR I-85 SOUTHBOUND AIRPORT TO WOODRUFF ROAD, AND THEN 13 MINUTES FOR I-385 NORTHBOUND FAIRVIEW ROAD TO DOWNTOWN. MEANWHILE, OCONEE COUNTY DRIVERS THE SCDOT IS HOLDING A DROP IN MEETING TONIGHT ABOUT AN INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, WHICH IS AT CLEMSON BOULEVARD AND SC 130. THE MEETING WILL BE HELD FROM 5 TO 7 P.M. AT SENECA CITY HALL. THERE WILL BE NO FORMAL PRESENTATION YOU CAN ATTEND, AND IF YOU CAN’T, SCDOT WILL BE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENTS UNTIL MARCH 28TH. 651 IS YOUR TIME AND A MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS HAPPENING NEXT MONTH ON THE CHURCH STREET BRIDGE. THE SCDOT SAYS THE $30 MILLION PROJECT WILL REPAIR THE ROAD AND EXPAND SIDEWALKS AS ONE OF THE MAIN TRAFFIC ROUTES INTO DOWNTOWN. THE BRIDGE HAS FOUR TRAVEL LANES WITH A CONCRETE MEDIAN AND PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALKS ON EACH SIDE. IT WAS BUILT IN 1959. DISTRICT ONE. COUNCILMAN JOHN DAWKINS SAYS PARTIAL LANE CLOSURES WILL HAPPEN BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS. ALL THAT HISTORY IS FOUND IN ALL THE POTHOLES AND DIVOTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT’S IN THAT BRIDGE. SO REPAIR IS LONG OVERDUE. WELL, OTHER IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE UPGRADED LIGHTING AND A NEW STAIRWAY LEADING TO MCBEE STREET. THE CITY SAYS THE AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUME OVER THE BRIDGE IN 2021 WAS MORE THAN 26,300 BY 2039, THAT NUMBER COULD BE MORE THAN 38,000. WELL, CHECK THIS OUT. CRYSTAL LIGHT HAS A NEW DRINK THAT MAY MAKE SOME FEEL NOSTALGIC. IT’S LAUNCHING NEW VODKA REFRESHERS, WHICH WILL BE A LOWER CALORIE ALTERNATIVE TO HARD SELTZERS WITH LESS ALCOHOL CONTENT. CRYSTAL LIGHT VODKA REFRESHERS WILL HAVE 3.8% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME AND 77 CALORIES. THE TWO FLAVORS, LAUNCHING FIRST ARE WILD STRAWBERRY AND LEMONADE, WITH SOME CARBONATION. THEY HIT STORE SHELVES STARTING THIS MONTH. DISNEY’S LILO AND STITCH IS RETURNING TO THE BIG SCREEN, AND THIS TIME THINGS ARE WAY MORE REAL. THE FIRST FULL LENGTH TRAILER FOR THE LIVE ACTION REBOOT CAME OUT YESTERDAY. JUST LIKE THE ORIGINAL 2002 ANIMATED FILM, THE PLOT FOLLOWS LILO, A YOUNG GIRL BEING RAISED BY HER TEENAGE SISTER WHO BONDS WITH A DOG LIKE ALIEN, STITCH. THE NEW MOVIE WILL BE IN THEATERS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. WE HAVE A REMINDER FOR YOU. MAKE SURE YOU’RE MINDFUL OF TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE TONIGHT, ALONG WITH DOWNTOWN ALIVE, BLAKE SHELTON WILL BE PERFORMING DOWN THE STREET. THE BON SECOURS WELLNESS ARENA. THE SHOW STARTS AT SEVEN. HIS FRIENDS AND HEROES TOUR FEATURES CRAIG MORGAN, DEANA, OR DEANA CARTER. THAT IS, TRACE ADKINS AND EMILY
North Carolina man convicted for ‘violent crime spree,’ shooting postal worker in the face
A Weaverville, North Carolina, man has been sentenced to prison for what can be described as a “violent crime spree.”According to court documents and court proceedings, on Sept. 5, 2023, Jaden Isaiah Garay stole a loaded semiautomatic handgun and several loaded ammunition magazines from his relatives’ home following an argument with them.More News: SCDOR charges Upstate man with 7 counts of tax evasionCourt records show that, at approximately 11:50 a.m. the same day, while driving his car on Interstate 26 near Mars Hill, Garay used the stolen gun to fire a shot into a passing vehicle with an underage passenger inside. The bullet shattered the front passenger window and was lodged in the vehicle. The bullet did not hit any of the vehicle’s occupants.According to court documents, Garay then drove into the town of Mars Hill, where he abandoned his vehicle, taking the stolen firearm with him. Garay walked through a residential neighborhood, breaking and entering into a home while the homeowner was inside. Garay confronted the homeowner, threatened to shoot her dog, and ordered her to get on her knees. The homeowner refused to do so and told Garay that if he was going to shoot her, he would have to do it while she was standing. Garay then went to the garage, where he tried to start one of the vehicles. He was unsuccessful, so he left the home and continued walking through the neighborhood.More News: Man torches Tesla chargers in South Carolina parking lot, police sayAs Garay was walking around the neighborhood, he encountered a rural postal carrier for the United States Postal Service who was delivering mail into a mailbox, while in her Jeep Wrangler. Garay approached the postal worker told her he needed her car, and pointed the handgun at her. The postal worker attempted to comply with Garay’s demand but had to pull forward slightly to exit the vehicle because her door was blocked by the mailbox. Garay then shot the postal worker in the face, and she fell out of the vehicle to the ground. Garay got in the vehicle and drove off, leaving the worker lying on the ground with a serious gunshot wound to her head.According to filed court documents, sometime later, Garay drove the stolen vehicle onto I-40, where he was spotted by law enforcement. Police officers began a pursuit of the vehicle with lights and sirens activated. Garay refused to stop and instead fled at a high rate of speed. Officers deployed “stop sticks” on the interstate, but Garay did not stop even after he drove over the stop sticks. Garay eventually exited the interstate, and continued to elude officers, driving three more miles on backroads. He eventually came to a dead end where he ditched the postal worker’s Jeep and fled on foot into a wooded area, still armed with the stolen firearm.More News: Suspect’s girlfriend arrested for involvement in murder of Upstate manDozens of law enforcement officers searched for Garay, who spent the night hiding in the woods. Early the next morning, Garay was taken into custody and the stolen firearm was recovered.The postal worker sustained life-threatening injuries from the gunshot wound. Officials said some of her injuries are permanent and that she faces a lengthy recovery.On April 15, 2024, Garay pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.On Thursday, the now 25-year-old of Weaverville was sentenced to 24 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Russ Ferguson.More News: SC home of US Supreme Court Justice’s sister targeted by bomb threatIn addition to prison term imposed, Garay was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $640,582 to the victim and $73,868 to the Office of Worker’s Compensation Program.”Garay’s violent crime spree was a blatant disregard for the law and human life,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “His rampage put innocent lives at risk and ended with the near-fatal shooting of a postal worker simply doing her job.”
A Weaverville, North Carolina, man has been sentenced to prison for what can be described as a “violent crime spree.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, on Sept. 5, 2023, Jaden Isaiah Garay stole a loaded semiautomatic handgun and several loaded ammunition magazines from his relatives’ home following an argument with them.
More News: SCDOR charges Upstate man with 7 counts of tax evasion
Court records show that, at approximately 11:50 a.m. the same day, while driving his car on Interstate 26 near Mars Hill, Garay used the stolen gun to fire a shot into a passing vehicle with an underage passenger inside. The bullet shattered the front passenger window and was lodged in the vehicle. The bullet did not hit any of the vehicle’s occupants.
According to court documents, Garay then drove into the town of Mars Hill, where he abandoned his vehicle, taking the stolen firearm with him. Garay walked through a residential neighborhood, breaking and entering into a home while the homeowner was inside. Garay confronted the homeowner, threatened to shoot her dog, and ordered her to get on her knees. The homeowner refused to do so and told Garay that if he was going to shoot her, he would have to do it while she was standing. Garay then went to the garage, where he tried to start one of the vehicles. He was unsuccessful, so he left the home and continued walking through the neighborhood.
More News: Man torches Tesla chargers in South Carolina parking lot, police say
As Garay was walking around the neighborhood, he encountered a rural postal carrier for the United States Postal Service who was delivering mail into a mailbox, while in her Jeep Wrangler. Garay approached the postal worker told her he needed her car, and pointed the handgun at her. The postal worker attempted to comply with Garay’s demand but had to pull forward slightly to exit the vehicle because her door was blocked by the mailbox. Garay then shot the postal worker in the face, and she fell out of the vehicle to the ground. Garay got in the vehicle and drove off, leaving the worker lying on the ground with a serious gunshot wound to her head.
According to filed court documents, sometime later, Garay drove the stolen vehicle onto I-40, where he was spotted by law enforcement. Police officers began a pursuit of the vehicle with lights and sirens activated. Garay refused to stop and instead fled at a high rate of speed. Officers deployed “stop sticks” on the interstate, but Garay did not stop even after he drove over the stop sticks. Garay eventually exited the interstate, and continued to elude officers, driving three more miles on backroads. He eventually came to a dead end where he ditched the postal worker’s Jeep and fled on foot into a wooded area, still armed with the stolen firearm.
More News: Suspect’s girlfriend arrested for involvement in murder of Upstate man
Dozens of law enforcement officers searched for Garay, who spent the night hiding in the woods. Early the next morning, Garay was taken into custody and the stolen firearm was recovered.
The postal worker sustained life-threatening injuries from the gunshot wound. Officials said some of her injuries are permanent and that she faces a lengthy recovery.
On April 15, 2024, Garay pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On Thursday, the now 25-year-old of Weaverville was sentenced to 24 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Russ Ferguson.
More News: SC home of US Supreme Court Justice’s sister targeted by bomb threat
In addition to prison term imposed, Garay was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $640,582 to the victim and $73,868 to the Office of Worker’s Compensation Program.
“Garay’s violent crime spree was a blatant disregard for the law and human life,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “His rampage put innocent lives at risk and ended with the near-fatal shooting of a postal worker simply doing her job.”
