i have to be in front of the green wall. let's talk about the forecast for today. we're looking at clear skies as we start this thursday morning. as soon as the sun rises, around 7:22, that is going to mean plenty of sunshine. so get the sunglasses ready, also get a light jacket because look at this, 40s and 50s now around the area. even some 60s. that is a surprising number. 47 in raleigh. 60 durham. 58 henderson. mid-40s in lewisburg and clayton. much cooler around goldsboro at 49. in the low 50s through clinton, fayetteville and lillington. here's a look at the forecast out the door, it's cooler than where we've been the past few mornings. 69 by lunchtime today and just a cloud or two. it's not going to be overall as warm as we head into the afternoon with a high of just 77. keep in mind that is warmer than where we should be for yearior. we fall back to 73 by 6:00 p.m. this evening. cooler temperatures in the days ahead. i'll break down the details in the storm team forecast.

and check traffic. remember, games start today for the ncaa tournament. march madness kicking off in raleigh. pnc arena, first game starts 12:40 this afternoon. parking lots open two and-a- half hours before each game. cars and vans, it will cost $20 to park. i'm expecting a lot of congestion around pnc arena so if you don't have to be in that area i would avoid it at all costs. let's look outside, this is i- 440 and looks like sunnybrook road, more cars coming out if you're getting ready to head out, no accidents on the major thoroughfares. another update on traffic and weather in 10 minutes. right now we're tracking new developments in the arrest of a protester at a recent donald trump rally. >> you will remember the incident that happened last week in fayetteville after this video you see here made national headlines. the cumberland county sheriff even considered charging donald trump for the violence.

his own deputies are in trouble for the arrest. >> "cbs north carolina"'s emma wright is in studio with more details. >> reporter: the sheriff says the deputies didn't act fast enough after a trump supporter punched a protester in the face. the whole thing caught on video. we're going to show you another look at what happened here. the cumberland county sheriff's office says rakeem jones was punched by 78-year-old john mcgraw as he was walking up the stairs during the trump rally. deputies initially grabbed jones after he was punched and took him to the ground. the sheriff has disciplined five of the deputies involved, demoting three in rank and suspending them for a period of five days without pay. two other deputies were suspended for three days without pay. they will all be on probation for 12 months. trump supporters say mcdpraw's actions don't speak for everyone. >> yes, he deserved it. next time we see him we might have to kill him. >> we might all have the same destination but we're all just

ways down the same road. we're going to have collisions. it's unfortunate but it's happening. >> reporter: mcgraw was eventually charged with punching rakeem jones. coming up at 6:30 we will hear what jones has to say about what happened. >> thank you so much. a texas police officer facing murder charges this morning. authorities say farmers branch officer ken johnson was off- duty sunday when he says he spotted 16-year-old jose cruz and another teen breaking into a car. police say the officer chased them down in his personal vehicle to a gas station where the cruz family attorney says he killed jose and shot the other teen. the arrest of officer johnson brought some comfort to cruz' mother. >> she's gotten a lot of strength from the fact he's been arrested and charged. because there's going to be justice for him. >> meanwhile johnson's attorney maintains his client fears for his life. johnson posted bail overnight, now on administrative leave. to march madness.

basketball fans as round one begins in several cities including right here in raleigh. at pnc arena. lauren haviland is live now with details on what you should know if you go. and lauren, what are you hearing? >> reporter: many of you are going to be heading here to pnc arena to watch unc tar heels take on florida gulf coast. just after 7:00 this evening. but of course that is just one of four games that will be played here at pnc arena today. so what do you need to know? know that the parking lots to the arena will open two and-a- half hours before tipoff. it will cost each car about $20 to park there but if you plan on staying for more than one game you'll pay just that one time fee of $20 for parking. the first game today is at 12:40. the doors will first open at 11:10 this morning. so once you head into the game you're not allowed to have a

want that phone out and ready to take pictures, tar heel fan or not. >> the march madness has to be the greatest time in all of parts. tar heel bred. to watch the basketball here is just a great time. >> reporter: so of course to actually get inside pnc arena to watch the good games that will be played here tonight you have to have a ticket. of course it's got to be real. so coming up at 6:45 this morning, we'll tell you what you need to know before buying a ticket and how to avoid a scam. live at pnc arena, lauren haviland, "cbs north carolina." >> in the next half-hour we go behind the scenes to show you just what it takes to turn the arena into a main stage for a major television production. coming up on north carolina news at 6:30. and we're your home for march madness.

duke take on unc wilmington. check wncn.com for the full game schedule and to print your tournament bracket. bus drivers across the state took part in a one-day count to find out how often drivers illegally pass stopped school buses. yesterday they were asked to record how many times they were legally passed while their stop arm was out. last year's count revealed on any given day 3,000 drivers passed stopped school buss in our state. keeping kids safely while getting on and off the school bus is very important to north carolina news, we launched our emmy award winning brake for buses campaign two years ago to raise awareness about that very problem. millions have seen the video on youtube, never gets old. could you pass the army's physical fitness test? our very own nate rodgers paid a visit to fort bragg to see if he has what it takes. >> nate rodgers is brave. >> he's a machine. >> the test consists of push-

twice a year soldiers so v to take the test. the maximum score a soldier can receive is 300 but 180 is needed to actually pass. even after crashing after the run would nate have enough points to pass? yes. he did. scored a total of 212 points. not bad nate. but no time for rest. he had a lot of work after the shot here. so yeah -- no rest for the weary. no car? that soon may not be a problem. raleigh is work once new bike share program. the city council just approved the measure yesterday. it could take up to two years to implement, but some are optimistic it could be sooner. there will be about 300 bikes spread out at 30 locations across the downtown area. supporters say it's not just good for tourists but for future residents. >> the people who are moving to raleigh and we're growing really fast, are looking for active programs like bike share, like our greenways,

walkable and vibrant downtown and neighborhoods. >> it will be free the first 30 minutes of use and then $4 for every additional half-hour after that. >> could be good. there's lots of great places to ride your bike around here. 6:09. coming up -- are republicans turning on their own? the political firestorm erupting over president obama's nominee for supreme court justice. >> what happens when you mix march madness with st.

middle of it all. one of the cool perks of this place is you can eat as much cereal as you want. it's like i'm going to work to get some. alrighty. we just like cereal. we make it, eat it, love it, live it. (laughing) and now in delicious chocolate. welcome back to "cbs north carolina." time now 6:11 on this st. patrick's day and it's chilly this morning. 47 degrees now in the triangle. we'll be at 51 at 7:00 a.m. slowly climbing to 52 by 8:00.

back to 58 degrees. i think more of us then will be in the 60s by 10:00 this morning. overall we're still going to be warmer this afternoon than where we should be. the reason we're starting off so chilly, we're looking at pretty clear skies, also in the wake of a cold front that moved through yesterday. this is a live picture from shaw university in downtown raleigh, can't see it yet but there are clear skies. just wait, sunrise is 7:22. then we'll see those clear conditions. as far as the temperatures are concerned, 50 in lillington. 53 fayetteville and clinton. in the upper 40s around goldsboro while clayton is now at 46. here's your st. patrick's day forecast this morning -- calling it 54 if you're going to be out throughout the morning hours, sunshine and cooler, temperature this afternoon, plenty of sunshine and just not as warm as where we were yesterday, high of 77. this you're heading out this evening, we're cooling off fast after the sun sets. dropping into the mid-60s. more on the cooler temperatures that are heading our way for the weekend ahead in the

expect st. patrick's day to generate a lot of green and not just from people sporting the color. according to a survey from wallet hub americans are expected to spend about $4.4 billion on the celebration. getting into the spirit means an estimated 13 million pints of guinness will be consumed worldwide. the luck of the irish, taking a look at dublin, ireland now where the parties are getting started outside of the temple bar. it's almost 10:15 in the morning there. as folks get ready for a busy st. patrick's day. the patron saint of ireland so it makes sense. time check now 6:13. we're just talking about the billions being spent on st. patrick's day celebrations. now see what happens when you add march madness to the mix

other times, not so much. so it's good to know that mazola corn oil has 4 times more cholesterol blocking plant sterols than olive oil. and a recent study found that it can help lower cholesterol 2 times more. take care of those you love and cook deliciously.

the sheriff of cumberland county disciplines five deputies. this comes after a man sucker punked a protester -- sucker punched a protester at a donald trump rally. all deputies received suspensions without pay a and three were demoted. a victim being treated at wake med, is expected to be ok. after a shooting. >> people in person county are still skeptical after the department of health and human services told neighbors their water was safe to drink. after the department sent a letter warning not to drink the water because of nearby coal ash ponds. tensions between the white house and congressional leadership are boiling over. as capitol correspondent alex schumann explains the candidate had a lot of gop support in dc but it's changed. >> good morning, everybody please have a seat.

president announced his nominee the republican majority leader senator mcconnell quickly took to the senate floor. >> of course, of course the american people have should a say. >> reporter: mcconnell says republicans will stand their ground and refuse to consider the president's nominee. >> it's a president's constitutional right to nominate a supreme court justice and it is the senate's constitutional right to act as a check on a president and withhold its consent. >> reporter: republicans want the next president, whoever it may be to choose the person who will fill this ninth seat on the court. >> my message to the senate republicans is do your job. i think the constitution is absolutely clear. >> reporter: senate democrats plan to push back. >> america is a distinguished enough judge and distinguished enough law enforcement and legal veteran that he's entitled to be treated fairly. so i hope they will. >> reporter: so republicans are sticking to their guns on this. democrats though are still planning to put the pressure on

force republicans to at least vote on this nominee. in washington, congressional correspondent alex schumann. >> thank you. judge garland will begin to walk the senate hall starting today trying to get traction for his nomination. the senate majority leader says he will not meet with garland. your favorite teams are competing in the battle for those bragging rights but let's face it, when it comes to march madness it's all about the money especially when your talk about the -- is about the economic impact in the triangle. when you consider how much fans will shell out the triangle as a whole is expected to make out pretty well. "cbs north carolina" talked with sports commenttator glendon ross. people are willing to spend quite a bit on the ncaa tournament. they spent up to $211 on average. but $90 on brackets.

>> money is not the only thing basketball fans are willing to put on the line. bosses beware, dedicated fans are also willing to ditch work to watch the big game. >> what? no, i don't believe. that we're here. >> that's right. >> we have a lot of tv's in in this place too. >> true. we all racked our little braibz and put together our brackets for a challenge. >> which of us plus kristin ketchell, has the best picks. >> here's a look at our picks. >> stefan and i both took kansas to be the championships, beating the tar heels in the final but -- >> i switched it up. villanova taking it all, also beating the tar heels in the championship game. >> kristin is taking the tar heels to the top in fact beating the oregon ducks in the final game.

making the final game. >> i hope they win today. >> if they don't, man, our brackets will be -- the brackets will be kind of messy if they don't win at least the first game today. 47 degrees now. here's a live picture from our tower cam. looking out over the beltline. that is getting busier this morning but those temperatures are getting cooler and cooler. that is normal for this time of year. don't worry. temperatures drop until we start to see the sunrise which happens 7:22 this morning. we're at 47 but look at durham, believe it or not, i know, i'm shocked, 60 degrees now. 46 in roxboro. 45 siler city. also in the low 40s around sanford. here's what you need to know, as you plan your thursday, your st. patrick's day, plenty of sunshine this morning. 52 at 8:00 a.m. 69 at noon, our high today is going to be 77. that is not as warm as the mid- 80s we hit yesterday. we're not going to break records but it's still going to be above seasonal for this time of year. here's the setup, remember we

now it's off to our east. we're behind that, not going to be as warm. we're just going to see a few clouds, we're going to stay dry though so no worries there. here we are, 7:30, we're going to breeze through the future forecast because there's not a lot happening today, just clouds from time to time. we'll stay pretty clear overnight tonight and throughout our friday. saying partly cloudy skies. enjoy the sunshine, enjoy the milder temperatures because over the weekend it all changes and i think the 50s will return for afternoon highs. we're far from the 50s though today. here's what i'm thinking, around 80 for a high in fort bragg, raeford and towards fayetteville. staying in the upper 70s around lillington, also in the upper 70s around smithfield and benson. goldsboro later today 79. highs today 77 in raleigh. 76 durham. chapel hill closer to 75. we're pretty clear and chilly as we drop into the mid-40s. here's a look at the rest of the workweek, upper 60s tomorrow. don't forget spring officially starts this weekend, not going to feel like it though.

and sunday, 58 saturday and 52 sunday and then the dry weather returns for early next week. by next wednesday we are back to 70 degrees. 6:21 on this thursday morning. let's switch gears and check in with traffic. first, a live picture of pnc arena. we'll get you an update on that shortly. let's talk about the live drive conditions. we've been watching this all morning, an accident on nc-55 in durham county near carpenter fletcher road. here's the latest -- the accident has been cleared but police are still on the scene, actually directing traffic because that accident impacted some of the traffic lights there. you have to watch for those police to detour you around the mishap in the traffic lights. live picture outside at the scene. there's a lot of police in the area. we know that from our crews out there this morning. live picture here. more traffic and weather close to 6:30.

coming up, an answer to an interesting question. which country boasts the happiest people on the planet. the answer might surprise you. >> i have an idea. why some candy companies decided not to advertise to children as we get closer and closer to easter. >> the happiest country is going to be ireland today i suspect. >> good point. you're watching "cbs north carolina." (avo) how much protein does your dog food have? 18%? 20? nutrient-dense purina one true instinct with real turkey and venison has 30% protein. support your active dog's whole body health with purina one.

attacks three strong litter box odors, plus locks clumps tight. ... and now it's light. every home, every cat.

there's a lot of anger in american politics but across the pond one nation is on the other end of the spectrum. the united nations officially named denmark the nation with the happiest people on earth. presidential hopeful hillary clinton and bernie sanders singled out the small scandinavian country as an

the u.n. study looked at 156 countries. you may not see certain sweet ads this year before easter, plus going back to the future with footwear? krns's henna daniels have the headlines from the new york stock exchange. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. several candy makers decided to lay off advertising to children under the age of 12. some of the companies include makers of easter candy favorites like jelly belly, peat's and lemon heads. some nutritionists say it's inappropriate to target little ones who are impressionable and have a sweet tooth. if you're celebrating st. patrick's day with green beer and cocktails you'll have to think of getting home safely. maybe that means a designated driver or taxi but for people in florida, georgia and tennessee, aaa is offering a lift if you're a little tipsy. tonight through tomorrow morning, tow to go program is available for free. if you live in the states you'll call the number on the

and your car to safety. sounds like nike is getting back to the future with its sneaker. what is that about? >> remember those self-ties shoes from back to the future? the future is here. nike introduced the hyper adapt 1 on the 0 -- 1. o, no laces, you step in, your heel hits a sensor and the shoe automatically tightens. just like when marty mcfly did that. it will be available this holiday season but at first only to members of nike plus. >> i think it works for me. if you're a little kid how are you going to learn how to tie your shoes though? >> are they in green? >> probably. whatever you want to pay for. 6:27. coming up next -- it was a

pepper discovers jimmy dean delights, made with real egg whites, lean cut meats, and whole grains. excellent source of protein, it fuels her up with energy to help power through her morning. with jimmy dean delights, good mornings lead to great days. good morning. thank you for joining us at 6:30.

>> i'm stefan chase. you look fantastic in your green. >> thank you, it's st. patrick's day if you didn't know. >> happy st. patrick's day to all. march madness kicks off today. live look at pnc arena where first round play of the ncaa starts today. >> and lauren haviland is live with a warning about getting last-minute tickets. and emma wright is in the studio with new discipline for deputies after a cumberland county trump rally. first to meteorologist alyssa corfont with what we can expect today. good morning. >> good morning. plenty of sunshine for this st. patrick's day, looking at the clear skies now on our satellite and radar composite. we had a cold front move through throughout the overnight. in the wake of that cooler temperatures and clearer skies. some green on my map. that is for sure. 49 in goldsboro. 46 in clayton. we're also in the upper 40s around raleigh and lillington. still holding on to the low 50s through clinton and fayetteville while durham, hands down the mild spot at 60 degrees. here's a look at your forecast for this thursday.

door, 8:00 a.m., take that jacket. temperatures will be in the low 50s. we climb to 69, sunshine and pleasant at noon today. 77 our afternoon high. not as warm as where we were yesterday but still normal for this time of year, 64 degrees. so we're well above that mark. more details on the cooler weekend ahead coming up in the storm team forecast. right now it's time to check with traffic. we do have a few new accidents just popping up around the raleigh area, one on walnut street near buck jones road. another on i-40 westbound, we know that can get busy in the morning, this accident near 295, that is the gorman street exit. so certainly be aware as you travel through the project this morning. i have a live picture of the accident we've been watching all morning, on nc-55 near carpenter fletcher road. right now the accident has been cleared, police still directing traffic because that accident knocked out some of the street lights there. be on the lookout if you're

durham area this morning. right now deputies suspended sus -- cumberland county sheriff arrested five people. emma wright has details >> reporter: the sheriff says the deputies didn't act fast enough after a trump supporter punched a protester in the face. the whole thing caught on video. we're going to show it to you again. the cumberland county sheriff's office says rakeem jones was punched by 78-year-old john mcgraw as he was walking up the tears during the rally. the sheriff disciplined five of the deputies involved, demoting three in rank and suspended for a period of five days without pay. two other deputies were suspended for three days without pay. they will l l be on probation for 12 months. we asked rakeem jones about what happened, he says he initially went to the rally with a few friends to observe

>> the first one, they felt they heckled him so -- as my friend described they were like ferrets and they pounced. >> it's so blown out of proportion. do you think donald trump planted it? absolutely not. >> emma, this is not the first act ofin a trump rally. >> no, it's not. the day after this happened in fayetteville the trump campaign had had to cancel a rally in chicago because of threats of violence. then in ohio a man rushed the stage, tried to grab trump but the secret service stopped him. >> we'll watch this closely down in cumberland county. thank you so much. north carolina house primaries could go to a recount. in johnston county, oliver leads massengill by 44 points.

absentee ballots trickle in. candidates can request recounts if the difference is less than or equal to 1% of all votes cast. next month a man is expected in court accused of peeping in windows near large apartment complexes in fayetteville. the incidents happened near morganton road and westlake drive. these -- there are several apartments in the area there. 36-year-old chris lewis facing a list of charges and believed to have been in fayetteville for at least three years. right now raleigh police are searching for a gunman. police responded to a home on fountain drive around 5:30. last night. that's where they found the victim. he was taken to wake med and is expected to be ok. neighbors were kept away from their homes for about an hour and-a-half while police investigated. right now we are still checking in to what led up to the shooting. police in durham are still looking for leads after a 23- year-old man was found shot to death. we brought you this as breaking news yesterday morning. officers found simon syed lewis outside an apartment complex on hardy street.

three people including a state trooper are expected to be ok after several vehicles were involved in a crash on u.s. 1 and i-440. police say a motorcyclist lost control near the exit and crashed, a trooper then pulled over and that is when investigators say a person driving a mercedes hit the trooper's vehicle. charges are expected. to an update on the coal ash clean-up. the department of environmental quality had a meeting in person county last night. at least 13 peoples were there saying they received -- 13 families were there after they received bottled water. residents spoke out. >> you constantly are worrying if i brush my teeth don't open my mouth. or if i take a shower don't open my mouth. >> you believe that the water in the wells close to the facilities are safe? >> yes. the water in these -- in these private wells are similar to public well water across the nation.

human services originally sent out that letter warning certain residents to not drink the water but last week they reversed course saying the water was safe, but people do remain skeptical. time check now on this thursday morning -- 6:35. >> there's a joy on the part of the players. there's a joy on the part of the fans. >> still ahead, behind the scenes look at the hard work that goes into putting on one of the biggest sporting events in the world. >> shut down for 24 hours. what authorities found while inspecting one of the largest transportation systems in the country. >> look at the bus stop forecast. we'll show chilly temperatures as kids are heading out the door, 51 this morning, upper 70s this afternoon. no recordbreaking temperatures expected today.

weather return? want great whitening without the mess? think outside the box. colgate optic white toothbrush plus whitening pen for 5 shades whiter teeth. brush, whiten, go! no mess, no waiting, no rinsing. colgate optic white toothbrush

a chilly morning. >> 40s and 50s. you'll need your jackets. as we head into the weekend for sure you'll need it. now your drive time forecast. sun rises 7:22. that is when we'll finally start to see the temperatures rise . in the meantime, 52 at 8:00, back to 58 by 9:00. plenty of sunshine. not only a jackets but sunglasses as well. here's a live picture from shaw university in downtown raleigh. really looking beautiful now, the sky liberia all -- skyline all lit up. throughout the day it's going to be warm this afternoon. get out and enjoy the pleasant

47 in raleigh. 57 henderson. roxboro 46. here's what you need to know as you plan your day, 52 at 8:00 a.m. 69 at noon. our high today 77. we fall back to 73 by 6:00 p.m. tomorrow is going to be a cooler end to the workweek. details in the complete storm team forecast. the nation's second largest transportation system has reopened after a 24-hour shutdown for safety repairs. inspectors found at least 26 defects require replacement or repair. at least three of those are urgent. the stage is set at pnc arena. we're counting down to tipoff.

about march madness tickets. [ female announcer ] most of the time it's easy to know which option is better. other times, not so much. so it's good to know that mazola corn oil has 4 times more cholesterol blocking plant sterols than olive oil. and a recent study found that it can help lower cholesterol 2 times more. take care of those you love and cook deliciously.

president obama also hoping he made the right picks on his bracket. >> bill self owes me. i'm putting kansas in here. coach, i'm just teasing, i'm not putting pressure on you. this is going to be the year -- i started off making the right pick. i'm going to end making the right pick. >> as you can see he picked kansas to beat the tar heels in the national championship game. he also has unc beating michigan state in the final four, kansas beating texas a&m before they meet up. hopefully he's right. >> that reference to getting the first pick right. he got the bracket right in 2009, his first march madness in office. he picked the tar heels and they won it. >> that was the last time they went to the final four. a girl from our state got a response if the president after taking a jab at his bracket selection. 11-year-old amelia says you are a great president, just not the

he wrote her back -- saying he doesn't have the best record. offered words of encouragement too saying he expects big things from amelia in the coming years. today is the day many sports fans have been waiting for. the tipoff to march madness. >> it happens in raleigh at pnc arena. that is where lauren haviland is live. there's a warning for people trying to get seats to the game. >> reporter: absolutely. the north carolina attorney general wants to warn everyone just be careful in trying to avoid scams before buying a ticket at pnc arena. raleigh is hosting six first round games including unc tar heels who will play florida gulf coast later on this evening. face value for tickets, single ticket to a first round game starts around $50 but resale values have climbed up to $450. each on popular on-line ticket vendors like stub hub.

during later rounds of the tournament with some final four tickets listed at a sale for $35,000 and up >> when did you get your ticket? >> last year. once we found out it was going to be here. we got four tickets and we can't wait. >> i don't have tickets. i'm trying to get some. >> reporter: so how do you avoid a scam? avoid too good to be true prices. tickets that are promised at a discount, face value or little above may sound like a great deal. but be cautious about buying a ticket via social media, craigslist and similar sites. research ticket sellers. check ticket details, be suspicious if asked to pay cash or by money order or wire transfer. pay with a credit card when possible and of course check for refund policies. again there's going to be four games played here today at pnc,

lauren haviland, "cbs north carolina." good advice. if you prefer to watch your game from home you know a lot of that emotion you feel whether you're excited or plain angry for your team can be steered along by the announcers. aj was at pnc and has more on the voices a lot of us grew up with and look forward to hearing every march. >> reporter: stands are empty now but in a few short hours they will be packed with college basketball fans. i got the chance to speak to the voices behind the games, dan and kevin will be announcing the march madness games here and they tell me it's an honor to do this every year. and even if you're not the biggest basketball fan they think there's something you could fall in love with the next three weeks on this court. with dozens of teams playing to be the best filling out that bracket can be overwhelming. especially if you have not been following along all season but don't worry, even the pros have to study up. >> you read everything you can, then you come here and you watch the teams. >> reporter: dan bonner has been calling games for more

studying up on teams has gotten easier in that time. >> think about, 26 years ago how big was the internet? how did you get information? i couldn't get on a web site and download basketball games. i had to wait for someone to send me a vhs tape. have you ever seen one? >> reporter: he says hours of studying and time away from family are worth it. especially when the games start. >> there is a joy to this. there is a joy on the part of the players. there's a joy on the part of the fans. there's an enthusiasm that i think doesn't exist in any other sporting event. >> reporter: a dream job, felony announcer kevin harlan says the same thing. >> the responsibility of that is enormous but the emotion you feel as a broadcaster makes, i think you look at the game a little differently. >> he says knowing these games are the culmination of years of work for the student players and possibly the last time they hold a basketball in a competitive setting like this makes the next three weeks of

>> it covers the gamut of human emotion. i don't know anybody that has any kind of interest in anything that wouldn't find that somewhat compelling. >> reporter: upsets and cinderella stories all just a part of march madness. harlan says in the next three weeks you'll see storylines that anyone can fall in love with. just a few short hours you will be able to watch duke versus unc wilmington here, starts at 12:00. as well there will be games the next few weeks. >> can't wait for it to start started. duke also plays today, blue devils open up tournament play at noon against unc wilmington. watch the game here on "cbs north carolina." if you're going to the games don't worry bit. you won't miss out. david hurst is in providence for the duke/unc wilmington game and todd gibson is at home covering carolina. live reports in our newscast tonight from them. "cbs north carolina" is your home for march madness. check our web site now for

tournament and don't forget to download the north carolina news app for game updates on all of your local teams. turning to weather -- you got villanova? >> i do. i was up last night doing my last minute bracket in bed; excuse me if i'm a little sleepy. 47 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. this is a live picture from our tower cam. now looking east and we're starting to see that color spread across the horizon as we start this st. patrick's day. looks like our temperatures cooperating. 60 in durham. here in raleigh we're at 47 degrees. 47 in lillington. at 40 in sanford. mid-40s around pinehurst, raeford and siler city. message here? you're going to need a jacket this morning. and those sunglasses. plenty of sunshine as soon as the sun rises. 52 at 8:00 a.m. 64 at 10:00 a.m. still holding on to the upper 60s at noon. then we leap into the 70s. 77 our actual high this afternoon.

time of year actually around 64 degrees. we're not going to be as warm as where we were yesterday but we're still warmer than where we should be. remember this cold front we were tracking yesterday? now it's off to our east ushering in slightly cooler temperatures. high pressure starting to nudge in as well keeping us dry for today and for tomorrow. next chance of rain though arrives as we head into the upcoming weekend. let's breeze through the future forecast model. sunshine early, maybe a few clouds from time to time this afternoon. nothing to have a negative impact on the forecast. do i think we'll stay pretty clear overnight and for friday. just a nice mix of sun and clouds, nice today and tomorrow for outdoor activities. over the weekend not as enjoyable. 1 now for the high -- 81 for the high in pinehurst. upper 70s around the dunn area. upper 70s towards clinton and

builds later today 77 -- and mid-70s around henderson. 77 raleigh and 76 durham. 75 later today in chapel hill. overnight we drop into the mid- 40s. even colder tomorrow morning than what you are waking up to now. as we head into the coming days cooler whether be the trend. 69 our high on friday. the weekend ahead, well, we are looking at the chance of rain saturday, also the chance of rain on sunday and that officially starts this spring season. spring officially starts at 12:30 in the morning. that is when the sun is directly over equator. and will feel more like spring into early next week. that is the latest look at the 7-day forecast. 6:51 on this thursday. let's check with traffic. we're seeing more cars on the roadways, this is i-440 and capitol boulevard.

are cruising along at a pretty good speed. we have a few accidents we're watching. one in cary at walnut street in the intersection of buck jones road. ems on scene there. that could take a little longer to clear up. could also cause some congestion. another on i-40 westbound near exit 295, the gorman street bit. stay alert as you drive through the fortified project this morning. another check of traffic and weather just before 7:00 a.m. warning this morning from law enforcement officials across north carolina. if you drink and drive expect to get caught. in charlotte the governor's highway safety program just launched their annual booze it and lose it st. patrick's day campaign. state and local agencies tell us they plan to ramp up patrols through sunday. that includes additional checkpoints across the triangle. d.o.t says 11 people were killed statewide during last year's crackdown. four of the fatalities involved, drivers with blood alcohol levels above the legal limit. >> there will be increased

also you may encounter more checking stations or checkpoints. around the state. now it's so easy to get ride services. on your smartphone. you can download the apps and get ride services to come pick you up. >> ride sharing services like uber and lyft help in getting people home safely. the campaign started 22 years ago and in that time authorities say annual fatalities dropped from more than 600 to about 400 deaths each year. we'll be right back with a check of news to know before you head out. here's what the "cbs this morning" team is working on. >> good morning. here's a look at what we're working on. we'll talk about democratic senator elizabeth warren, republican senator jeff flake, about supreme court nominee merrick garland. plus, sea world ceo in studio 57 with the president of the huma society.

on changes to the killer whale program. also, how safe is your tap water? the surprising results of a usa today network investigation of u.s. water systems. birds used to help fight pollution problems, a closer

see you at 6:56. cumberland county sheriff's office has disciplined five deputies for inaction, in connection with the violence that erupted during a donald trump rally in fayetteville last week. those deputies are on a yearlong probation now. three deputies were demoted and suspended for five days without pay. two more suspended without pay for three days. a north carolina state trooper and two others are recovering after a nasty traffic accident along the raleigh beltline. the trooper just pulled over responding to a motorcycle crash when another vehicle slammed into his cruiser.

today's your last chance to fill out the ncaa tournament bracket. the first round kicks off around noon, duke plays unc at 12:15 rhode island. unc takes on florida gulf coast at 7:20 in raleigh. one of us lost sleep last night, completing their bracket. it was not me. it was not russ. this one here. >> i was literally laying in bed with my laptop deciding on which teams to take. it happens. i had to gill it -- fill it out. >> this is sort of the green of unc w too. not just st. patrick's. >> there you go. i like to root for the underdogs. >> root for my alma mater please. >> i'm rooting for sunshine. tower camera, 53 degrees, beautiful, yeah, not a cloud in sight as we start the morning. let's check with temperatures elsewhere, 45 in clayton. 54 lewisburg. 57 henderson. also in the mid-40s around roxboro, all morning long

still 60 degrees. lunchtime today 69, high this afternoon of 77. not as warm as yesterday. before we let you go let's look live outside of your traffic conditions. here's i-40 and u.s. 70, clayton bypass. looks like they are rotating the camera on us but still slow in that direction. >> thank you so much for being your buddy ron once said he could install your ceiling fan. he couldn't. and that one time ron said another chili dog was a good idea. yeah, it wasn't. so when ron said you'd never afford a john deere tractor, you knew better. now ron does too. the e series. legendary john deere quality. unexpected low price. now you can own a 3e series tractor

captioning funded by cbs good morning. it is thursday, march 17th, 2016. welcome to "cbs this morning." supreme court nominee merrick garland heads to capitol hill today, but the senate's gop leaders refuse to meet with him. breaking news. seaworld says it's going to end its controversial killer whale shows. the company's ceo is in studio 57. and major league baseball player gives up 13 million

son spending te in the clubhouse. we begin this morning with a look at today's "eye opener." your world in 90 seconds. the next president is going to make the decision. send us a nominee and we will deal with it then. >> the president's nomination hits the republican wall. i didn't think the president should send anybody up now because it's not going to happen. it's just more division. fighting. >> donald trump has decided not to participate in the debate this upcoming monday. >> for whatever reason, it seems that donald trump finds you a very, very terrifying person. >> kasich said if trump is not coming he is not either. a lot of overtime pay down the drain for the fox news techies. i hope they can sleep tonight. >> a victim's family calling for the death penalty to apriver. >> parts of louisiana and texas more rain on the way. >> major league baseball player is choosing his family over a