"LET US CONTINUE WORKI NG TOGETHER. LET'S KEEP WINNING. I BELIEVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND I BELIEVE IN AMERICA." RIGHT NOW ON WJCL2 2 MORNING NEWS ... WE'RE LEARNING THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. FROM ROADS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ... TO EDUCATION AND MENTAL HEALTH ... GOVERNOR HEY NR MCMASTER LAYS OUT HIS PRIORITIES FOR THE NEW YE. AR COVID CLASSROOM CONCERNS. SCHOOL DISTRIS CTACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DEALING WITH MAJOR TEACHER SHORTAGES. PLUS ... THE POTENTL IA NEW TIMELINE ... FOR WN HE KIDS UNDER FIVE ... CAN ROLL TUPHEIR SLEEVES ... TO GET VACCINAT. ED ONE YEAR MARK - I'M AIXA DZ IA IN WASHINGTON - WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS ABO UT THE CHALLENGES AHEAD - AS HE ENTERS HIS SECOND YEAR IN OFFI. CE PLUS.. . I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE LOCAL EXPERTS ... TO FIND OUT HOW PRESIDENT BIDEN'S LOW APPROVAL RATING ... WILL IMPACT GEORGIA'S CRUCIAL POLITICAL RACES THIS YEAR. HERE'S A LIVE LOOK FROM OUR SKYVIEW 22 CAMERA AT T HE HOMEWOOD SUITES ON THE SAVANNAH RIVER. THANKS FOR STARTING YO UR DAY WITH WJC22. L GOOD MORNING - - I'M EMMA HA MILTON. AND I'M FRANK SULKOWS. KI METEROLOGIST JONAANTH MYERS IS JOINING US NOW.. NOW, HERE'S YOUR STORM TRACKER RADAR. .. TODAY INCREASING CLOUD S, WITH HIGHS 66- 70. CALM WI ND BECOMING SOUTHWEST 5 TO 9 MPH IN THE MORNING. TONIGHT RAIN LIKELY, MAINLY AFTER 8PM. CLOUDY, WITH A W AROUND 42. NORTH WIND 5 TO 11 MPH. CHAE NCOF PRECIPITATION IS 70%. NEW PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS BETWEEN A TENTH AND QUARTER OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. FRIY DA RAIN LIKELY. CLOUDY, WITH A HIGH NEAR 44. NORTH WIND AROUND 11 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS 70%. NEW PRECIPITATION AMOUS BETWEEN A TENTH AND QUARTER OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. FRIY DA NIGHT RAIN LIKELY BEFORE 1AM, THEN A CHANCE OF RAINR O FREEZING RAIN BETWEEN M 1A AND 3AM, THEN A CHANCE OF FREEZING RAIN AFTER 3AM. MOSTLY CLOUDY, WITH A LOW AROUND 32. NORTH WIND AROUND 10 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS 60%. LITTLE OR NO ICE ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. SATURDAY INLAND ICY SPOTS. PALYRT SUNNY, WITH A HIGH NEAR 44 PIERCE COUNTY, MAIN STREET IN BLASHR CK TODAY MARKS ONE YEAR SINCE PRESIDENT JOE BIN DE ... AND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS ... WERE OFFICIALLY SWORN INTO OFFICE. LOOKING BACK ... THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS ... HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THE ENTIRE NATION. YEAH ... WITH A RAGING PANDEMIC ... RISING INFLATION ... AND A CHARGED POLITICAL DIVIDE ... ESPECIALLY RIGHT HERE IN OUR PART OF THE COUNTRY. WE WANT TO CHECK IN WITH OUR AIXA DIAZ INAS WHINGN TO ... AS THE PRESIDENT FACES ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE SETBACK. PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS HE'S "DISAPPOINTED BUT NOT DETERRED" AFTER THE SENATE BLOCKED VOTING RIGHTS LEGISLATION LAST NIG. HT THE PRESIDENT NOT RULING OUT TAKING EXECUTIVE ACTION ON THE ISSUE - AS HE LOOKS AHEAD TO HIS SECOND YEAR OF HIS PRESIDENCY. <> AT A WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE - PRESIDENT BIDEN ANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE - AND WHAT LIES AHEAD. <> THE PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGING THE FRUSTRATION AND EXHAUSTION AMERICANS A RE FEELING OVER COVID - AND INFLATION. <> THE PRESIDENT POINTING TO THE BIPARTIS AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AS A FIRST- YEAR ACCOMPLISHMENT ... AND ADMITS HIS BIGGER PROPOSALS - LIKE BUILD BACK BETTER - WILL NEED TBEO PARED DOWN - IN ORDER TO PASS. <> (FLASH) (REPORTER LI T: VE THE PRESIDENT ALSO POINTING THE FINGER AT REPUBLICANS FOR BLOCKING HIS AGENDA BUT TWO MEMBE RS OF HIS OWN PARTY ARE THE ONES STANDING IN THE WAY OF PASSING VOTING RIGHTS - AND THE SOCIAL SPENDING PACKAGE. IN WASHINGTON, I'M AIXA DIAZ. GEORGIA SENATOR RAPHAEL WARNOCK TWEETED OVERNIGHT ... I WILL NOT GIVE UP. WE WILL NOT GIVE . UP HE ALSO TWEETED ... DESPITE TONIGHT'S VOTE ... WE CANNOT TURN AWAY. THIS WILL NOT BE THE LAST OPPORTUNITY WE GET TO FIGHT FOR VOTING RIGHTS. WE WILL MEET THE MOME NT AGAIN ... TO TRY AGAIN. AND AGAIN. UNTIL WE SUCCEE D. ACCORDING TO A QUINNIPIAC POLL ... PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S APPROVAL RATING HAS HIT AN ALL-TIME LOW OF 33 PERCE. NT I SAT DOWN WITH GEORGIA SOUTHERN PITOLICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR, DOCTOR KIMBER MLYARTIN TO GET HER THOUGHTS ON WHY BIDES N' APPROVAL RATING IS SO LOW .. AND ... HOW IT COULD AFFT EC THE POLITICAL RACES IN GEORGIA THIS YEAR. KM: AT THIS POINT, THE DEMOCRATS DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A UNIFIED MESSAGE. GEGIORA SOUTHERN POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR CTDOOR KIMBERLY MARTIN SAYS THAT PLAYS INTO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S APPROVAL RATING ... BUT THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL OTHER FACTORS. KM: WHETHER IT'S SOME COMBINATION OF A LACK OF SALEANSMSHIP ON HIS PART OR IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PANDEMIC FATIGUE TT HA WE ARE SEEING FROM AMERICAN CI TIZENS WITH THE PANDEMIC, IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE AMERICANARS GIVING HIM CREDIT FOR A LOT OF THE POLICIES HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO PASS. MARTIN SAYS FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TOUTED HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS ... WHICH MADE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FAVOR HIM WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE. SHE SAYS BIDEN SULHOD CONSIDER DOING THE SAM E. KM: HE NEEDS TO START BEING A LITTLE BIT BETTER AOF SALESMAN ((BUDDED)) HE NEEDS TO SHOW PEOPLE WHY THEY VOTED FOR HIM AND WHY THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO VOTE FOR HIM AND DEMOCRATS IN THE FUTURE EH ASKS QUESTION- HODOW YOU THINK HIS LOW APPROVAL RATING COULD EFFECT THE BIG RACES WE HAVE HERE IN GEORGIBEA TWEEN THE GOVERNORS RACE AND THE SENATE RACE THIS YEAR? THE GOVERNORS RACE IS PRETTY INTERESTING RIG HT NOW BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS BIDEN HAS SUCH A LOW APPROVAL RATING IS AMO NG SOME OF THOSE VOTERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE W HO PUSHED HIM OVER THE EDGE AND GAVE HIM THE WIN IN GEORGIA INHE T 2020 ELECTION, A LOT OF THEM ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON VOTING RIGHTS (( BUDDED)) THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE VOTING RIGHTS IS STACY ABRAMS BIG POLY IC ISSUE. IT REALLY REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER VOTERS WILL HOLD THAT AGAINST HER OR NOT SINCE SHE DIDN 'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FAILED VOTING RIGHTS BILLS IN CONGRESS. WITH RAPHAEL WARNOCK UP FOR RE-ELECTION ... MARTIN SAYS IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR HIM TO KEEP HIS SE. AT KM: REALLY WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO IS HONE IN ON THE MESSA. GE MAKE SURE THE MESSAGE ISN'T SO DISJOINTED BECAUSE AT THIS POINT THE DEMOCRATS AREN'T REALLY EXPLAINING WHAT THEIR LEGISLATION CAN DO FOR THE AVERA AMERICANS SO IT WILL BE AN UPHILL BATTLE AT THIS POIN T. I ASKED MARTIN IF SHE BELIEVES IT WILL BE A GOVERNOR KEMANP D STACY ABRAMS REMAT. CH SHE SAYS KEMP HAS THE ADVANTAGE ING BETHE INCUMBENT BUT THAT PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL LIKELVOY TE FOR DAVID PERDUE IN THE PRIMAR Y. OUR GREG COY SPO KE ONE-ON- ONE WITH DAVID PERDUE JUST YESTERDAY ... AND STACEY ABRAMS A FEW WEEKS BA. CK YOU CAN WATCH BOTH INTERVIEWS ... RIGHT NOW ... ON OUR WEBSITE WJCL T DO COM ... AS WELL AS OUR BROOKE BUTLER'S INTERVIEW WITH GOVEORRN BRIAN KEMP. WE'VE REQUESTED INTERVIEWS WITH THE OTHER CANDIDATES ... AND HAVE NOT YET HEARD BA. CK RIGHT NOW ... GARDEN CITY POLICE NEED YOUR HELP FINDING A RUNWAY TEE N. POLICE SAY DY'KENYA "DIAMOND" JOHNSON WAS LAST SEEN .... LAST FRIDAY .... IN THE LEON VILLAGE AREA. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONTACT GARDEN CITY POLICE. THIS MORNING ...ORE M SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE BEING FORCED TO TAKE ACTION ... TO ADDRESS A TEACHER SHORTA. GE A-B-C'S IKE EJIOCHI H AS MORE ON THE CONCERNS ITHE N CLASSROOM ... AS WE LEARN ... VACCINATING CHILDR UNDER THE AGE OF 5 COULD TAKE LONGER THAN WE THOUGHT. THIS MORNING, STATES NOW TAKING NEW ACTION GO V. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM// (D) NEW MEXICO SOT - WE HAVE TO LITERALLY HAVE AN ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH. AS COVID-RELATED STAFFING SHORTAGES THREATEN TO CLOSE MORE CLASSROOMS. IN NEW MEXICO, THE GOVERNOR NOW CALLING ON *THE NATIONAL GUARD* TO TEACH KIDS.. BECAUSE OA F SHORTAGE OF NEARLY *ONE- THOUSAND* SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. GOV. MICHELLE LUN JA GRISHAM// (D) NEW MEXICO SOT - THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE QUICKLY ADAPTABLE BECAUSE OF THEIR SPECIFIC TRAINING TO MT EETHE NEEDS IN ANY COMMUNITY ISSUE, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT IT IS. IN OKLAHOMA, OFF- DUTY - *POLICE OFFICERS* ARE NOW STEPPING IN TO TEACH.. AFTER AN EXECUTIVE ORD ER FROM THE GOVERNOR CLEARED THE WAY FOR STATE EMPLOYS EE TO STAFF CLASSROOM S. BUT SOME GOOD NEWS FOR PARENTS IN THE RACE TO VACCINATE MORE CHILDN RE THE F-D-A IS EXPECTED TO REVIEW VACCINES FOR KIDS UNDER AGE FIVE AS EARLY AS NEXT MONTH.. PRELIMINA RY DATA SHOWS KIDS TWO TO FOUR-YEARS- OLD WI LL LIKELY NEED THREE? DOSES FOR FULL PROTECTIO N. SOT - DR. ANTHONY FAI UC IT IS LIKELY THAT IT WILL BE A THREE DOSE VACCINE. AND THAT BEING THE CASE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO GET THOSE DATA TO THE FDA AND APPROVED. MEANWHILE THIS MORNING, NEW GUIDELINES FROM E TH NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.. RECOMMEND HOSPITALS *AVOID* USING MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS FROM REGERONEN AND ELI LILLY.. DUE TO THEIR INEFFECTIVENESS IN FIGHTING THE OMICR ON VARIANT.. THE UPDATED GUIDELINES .. COME JUST ONE WEEK AFTER THE GOVERNMENT SPENT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS STOPILICKNG BOTH TREATMENT S. SOT - DR. YVONNE MALDONADO // PROF. OF PEDIATRICS (INFECTIOUS DISEASES), STANFORD UNIV. WE STILLAV HE OPTIONS, BUT WE NEED TO WORK TO DEVELOPED MORE THERAPIES FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHOIL WL T GE INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS. IKE EJIOCHI, ABC NEWS, WASHINGTON WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND PROSPER IN SOUTH CAROLINA RIGHT NOW ... WEE 'R LEARNING THE ACHIEVEMENTS ... AND NEW PRIORITIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA THIS YEAR ... AFTER GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRS ES MCMASTER SPOKE ON THE FUNDING FOR HIS BUDGET TO FURTHER EDUCATION, IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. MY EXECUTIVE BUDGET AGAIN PROPOSES 21 LLN MI DOLLARS FOR THE GRANTSO T LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCI ES FOR ADDITIONAL BY OD CAMERAS AND BULLET PROOF VEST" S. MCMASTER ALSO REM