Workers reportedly cutting metal before fire began at Richland Mall, fire department says

WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. WE START WITH SEVERAL BREAKING NEWS STORIES THIS MORNING IN THE APP STATE. OUR ISABEL MARK IS JOINING US LIVE FROM GREENVILLE, ERIN AND DESTINY. SO FAR, POLICE HAVE NOT RELEASED ANY INFORMATION SURROUNDING THIS DEATH, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE BODY WAS FOUND HERE AT THE DISTRICT WEST APARTMENTS OFF OF REEDY VIEW DRIVE. NOW TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCENE FROM LAST NIGHT. HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE AND FORENSICS OUTSIDE THIS LUXURY APARTMENT COMPLEX. NOW, THE CORONER TELLS US THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW THE PERSON DIED OR IF IT’S SUSPICIOUS. WE’RE TOLD THEY WILL KNOW MORE INFORMATION TODAY AFTER RUNNING SOME TESTS FOR THE LATEST ON THIS BREAKING NEWS STORY, STAY WITH US ON AIR AND ON OUR MOBILE APP LIVE IN GREENVILLE. ISABEL MAREK, WYFF NEWS FOUR. ALL RIGHT, ISABEL, THANK YOU. IN CHEROKEE COUNTY, THE CORONER’S OFFICE SAYS A PEDESTRIAN WAS HIT AND KILLED ON TUESDAY NIGHT. OFFICIALS SAY IT HAPPENED ON NORTH LOGAN STREET JUST BEFORE 1130. WE’RE TOLD A WOMAN WAS LYING NEAR THE CENTER LINE WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY A PICKUP TRUCK. THE CORONER SAYS MINUTES EARLIER, THE WOMAN HAD JUMPED ON THE HOOD OF ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD STOPPED BECAUSE SHE WAS STANDING IN THE ROAD, OFFICIALS SAY. VIDEO FROM A NEARBY BUSINESS CONFIRMED SHE SLID OFF THE CAR’S HOOD AND ONTO THE ROAD BEFORE BEING HIT BY THE TRUCK. WE’RE TOLD 21 YEAR OLD CARSON WOFFORD DIED ON SCENE, THE CORONER SAYS AN AUTOPSY WILL BE PERFORMED LATER THIS WEEK. FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS BACK ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN HIS HOME STATE, RALLYING THOUSANDS OF SUPPORTERS AT HIS GOLF COURSE IN DORAL, FLORIDA. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVEL IN DEMOCRATIC CALLS FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE AND CHALLENGING HIM TO ANOTHER DEBATE. A GOLF MATCH AND LAUNCHING SWIPES AT VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS. SUSPENSE IS ALSO BUILDING AHEAD OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION NEXT WEEK ABOUT WHO TRUMP WILL SELECT TO BE HIS RUNNING MATE. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ARE ALL ABOUT MEREDITH, AND RIGHT NOW THE NARRATIVE IS THAT THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS VERY OLD AND IS PERHAPS NOT UP TO THE JOB. AND SO IF DONALD TRUMP CAN HAVE A YOUNG VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SOMEBODY LIKE A VANCE WHO I BELIEVE IS 39, UH, MARCO RUBIO, WHO’S YOUNG AS IS TIM SCOTT, THAT WOULD HELP TO ROUND OUT A TICKET WHERE HE IS RATHER OLD. AND HIS VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WOULD BE YOUNG AND DYNAMIC. AND THAT, I THINK, WOULD HELP TO COUNTER THIS NARRATIVE COMING OUT OF THE POST-DEBATE FALLOUT WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN, AN UPSTATE POLITICAL SCIENCE EXPERT SAYS THE FALLOUT FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE LAST MONTH COULD CHANGE WHO THE FORMER PRESIDENT ULTIMATELY CHOOSES FOR THE TICKET. SEVERAL CONTENDERS ARE IN THE MIX AND ARE IN THE VETTING PROCESS. THE FORMER PRESIDENT COULD MAKE A DECISION ANY TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION, WHICH BEGINS ON MONDAY, AN UPSTATE NEWSPAPER THAT’S BEEN IN CIRCULATION FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN AT THE END OF THE MONTH. THE GREER CITIZEN STARTED PUBLISHING BACK IN 1918, BUT AN ISSUE FROM LAST WEEK SAYS THE PAPER’S RUN WILL END AND IT WILL SOON COME TO AN END. THE PAPER’S OWNER, PHIL BUCHHEIT, SAYS IT’S NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE DUE TO A LACK OF ADVERTISING. HE SAYS ADVERTISING HAS SHIFTED AWAY FROM PHYSICAL COPIES TO ONLINE SITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA. IN A TREND IMPACTING SMALL NEWSPAPERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THERE’S NO ADVERTISING. WHEN I SAY REVENUE ADVERTISING, THAT’S ALL ON, YOU KNOW, YOU GET REVENUE THROUGH SUBSCRIPTIONS, BUT THAT’S THAT’S NOT REAL REVENUE. THAT REVENUE IS NOT GOING TO PAY PAYROLL. THE OWNER SAYS THE SYSTEM’S CLOSING MEANS ITS STAFF WILL BE OUT OF WORK AND ALSO CLOSES ON THREE GENERATIONS OF NEWSPAPER OWNERSHIP IN THE CAROLINAS, GREER MAYOR RICK DANNER SAYS THE PAPER’S CLOSING CAUGHT HIM BY SURPRISE AND SAYS IT’S A SIGN OF THE TIMES. THE PAPER’S LAST ISSUE WILL BE ON JULY 31ST, BEGINNING ON JULY 19TH. PEOPLE IN GREENVILLE WILL HAVE TO START DIALING TEN NUMBERS INSTEAD OF SEVEN, AND THAT’S BECAUSE THE UPSTATE IS ADDING 8 TO 1 TO ITS LIST OF AREA CODES. NOW, YOUR CURRENT TELEPHONE NUMBER AND YOUR AREA CODE WON’T CHANGE. BUT IF YOU DO GET A NEW NUMBER AFTER AUGUST 19TH, YOUR PROVIDER COULD ASSIGN YOU THE NEW 821 AREA CODE TO PREPARE FOR ALL OF THIS, THE TECH EXPERT SAYS TO UPDATE YOUR CONTACTS TO INCLUDE THE AREA CODE. ALSO, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR ALARM SYSTEMS AND ANY OTHER AUTO DIAL SYSTEMS YOU HAVE ARE UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE AREA CODE. AS WELL. IT’S 649 AND LATER THIS MORNING, DUKE ENERGY AND OCONEE COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE SET TO TEST THE SIRENS AROUND THE OCONEE NUCLEAR STATION, SCHEDULED. BETWEEN 11 A.M. AND 1 P.M. THE TEST WILL LAST FIVE TO 30S. WE’RE TOLD NO PUBLIC ACTION IS REQUIRED. DUKE ENERGY SAYS THERE ARE 65 SIRENS WITHIN TEN MILES OF THE OCONEE NUCLEAR STATION. THE TESTS ARE TO ENSURE THEY’RE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, AND IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO TEST SOME SIRENS MORE THAN ONCE. WELL, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. 649 LET’S TAKE A LIVE LOOK AT LAKE HARTWELL. TALK ABOUT BEAUTIFUL LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. LOOKING AT THIS CAMERA IN THE SKIES IN THE BACKGROUND. JUST GORGEOUS. HEY, HOW ABOUT ASHEVILLE? LOOK AT THAT GORGEOUS. TO SEE THE MOUNTAINS. WE’RE NOT DEALING WITH TOO MUCH IN THE WAY OF CLOUDS OR ANY FOG OUT THERE. 71 IN FRANKLIN, 73 IN SPARTANBURG, 74 DEGREES IN HARTWELL. BY THE WAY, 76 IN GREENVILLE AND 73 IN ASHEVILLE. HERE ARE THE REMNANTS OF BERYL. THIS AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING AWAY FROM US, BUT ATTACHED TO IT IS A VERY WEAK, COOL FRONT. THIS COOL FRONT IS GOING TO BE FORCED THROUGH OUR AREA AND SHIFT OUR WINDS. LOOK AT THAT FROM SOUTH WINDS, WHICH IS VERY STEAMY, VERY SWELTERING TO NORTH WINDS WHICH IS DRY AND A LITTLE LESS HUMID. WE’LL GET INTO THE MID 90S TODAY. IT’S GOING TO BE A HOT, HUMID DAY, BUT A LITTLE LESS HUMID THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE MOUNTAINS. MID 80S A LITTLE LESS HUMID FOR THE UPSTATE LATE TONIGHT AND CERTAINLY TOMORROW. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FOUR DAY PLUS, WHICH LETS YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW LONG THAT WILL LAST. THE LATEST ON THAT COMING UP IN JUST A LITTLE WHILE RIGHT NOW. LET’S GET YOU OUTSIDE, GET A CHECK ON THOSE ROADS. HOW’S IT LOOKING? AREA. WELL, FOR ANYBODY GOING INTO DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE RIGHT NOW, THINGS LOOK GOOD. I-35 SOUTH AT STONE AVENUE IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, SMOOTH SAILING INTO AND OUT OF THE CITY. AND OUR TRAVEL TIMES HAVE LOOKED GOOD TO I-240 TO ASHEVILLE, HIGHWAY 12 MINUTES, AIRPORT TO WOODRUFF ROAD SIX MINUTES 35. NORTHBOUND FROM SIMPSONVILLE ALL THE WAY INTO GREENVILLE 13 MINUTES. THERE, A JURY DUTY SCAM CIRCLING THE UPSTATE HAS NOW HIT GREENVILLE COUNTY. DEPUTIES SAY SOMEONE IS CALLING PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY SAYING THEY HAVE A WARRANT DUE TO MISS JURY DUTY OR OWED MONEY TO AVOID GETTING ARRESTED. THEY SAY THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE WILL NEVER CALL FOR THESE THINGS, AND DEPUTIES ALSO REMIND PEOPLE TO NEVER GIVE OUT PERSONAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION. WELL, THE GREENVILLE ZOO RECEIVED POSITIVE POSITIVE INITIAL ACCREDITATION FINDINGS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS AND AZA TEAM VISITED AT THE END OF JUNE AND WAS IMPRESSED BY THE ANIMAL CARE STAFF AND THEIR EFFORTS TO REPOPULATE ENDANGERED SPECIES. FEWER THAN 10% OF THE 2800 LICENSED ZOO IN THE US ARE ACCREDITED. THE GREENVILLE ZOO HAS RETAINED THE DESIGNATION FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. THE FINAL REPORT IS EXPECTED IN SEPTEMBER. THE FIRST WHATABURGER IN SOUTH CAROLINA IS OPENING IN JUST A FEW DAYS. THE RESTAURANT, WHICH WILL BE IN BOILING SPRINGS, WILL OPEN AT 11 A.M. THIS MONDAY, JULY 15TH. IT’S LOCATED OVER ON BOILING SPRINGS ROAD, AND IT’S JUST THE FIRST OF MANY WHATABURGER LOCATIONS TO OPEN IN THE AREA. YOU CAN FIND THE FULL LIST OF RESTAURANTS HEADED TO THE UPSTATE RIGHT NOW. OVER ON WIFE 4.COM. DEFINITELY SOMETHING AARON AND I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT BECAUSE SPICY KETCHUP. SPICY KETCHUP. WELL, THE ROAD TO PARIS IS UNDERWAY WITH LESS THAN THREE WEEKS TO GO BEFORE THE OLYMPIC GAMES, TODAY’S CRAIG MELVIN GOT TO VISIT WITH THE U.S. MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM OVER THE WEEKEND AT THEIR TRAINING CAMP IN LAS VEGAS, AND THEY LOOK TO CONTINUE THEIR DOMINANCE AND WIN ANOTHER GOLD MEDAL FOR TEAM USA. CRAIG TALKED TO THE WHOLE TEAM, INCLUDING SUPERSTAR LEBRON JAMES, AND DURING THEIR CONVERSATION, CRAIG AND LEBRON TALKED ABOUT HIS LEGACY BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURT. WE CAN’T TALK ABOUT LEGACY WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE PLAYER THAT THE LAKERS JUST DRAFTED IN THE SECOND ROUND. THAT WILL UNDENIABLY BE A PART OF LEBRON’S LEGACY. PLAYING WITH HIS SON. HOW HOW COOL IS THAT GOING TO BE NEXT SEASON? UH, IT’S PROBABLY BE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO BASKETBALL, IT’S THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT I’VE EVER HAD DONE IT ALL AS AN INDIVIDUAL. BUT THERE’S NO GREATER ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT I’VE, THAT I, THAT WILL BE OVER TO OVERTAKE ME BEING ON THE SAME FLOOR AS MY SON. SO IT’S THE GREATEST THING THAT’S EVER HAPPENED. WOW. BE SURE TO TUNE IN TOMORROW MORNING FOR MORE OF CRAIG’S CONVERSATION WITH LEBRON JAMES, INCLUDING HIS LASTING IMPACT ON THE G