WCNC Charlotte To Go

On Tuesday morning part of Interstate 485 outer loop in Matthews was closed due to a crash that left one person dead. More than 1,700 people were killed in car crashes in 2021. The 5% increase from 2020 made 2021 the deadliest on North Carolina streets in two decades. Officials say so far this year, the trend seems to be leveling out.“The roads have not changed significantly since 2020. Driver behavior has changed significantly,” Mark Ezzell, the director of the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program, said.That includes distractions behind the wheel. State data shows over the last five years, there has been a 15% increase in distracted driving-related accidents and fatalities. So far this year 117 people have died in distracted driving accidents, one more than this time last year.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/north-carolina-deadliest-roads-drivers-death-data/275-674f8ee8-720b-423b-bf0a-3b8643d9e3a7The Epicentre has a new name: Queen City Quarter.Global Commercial Real Estate Services announced Tuesday it will lead marketing, property management and renovations at the 302,324-square-foot Epicentre mixed-use development in Uptown Charlotte. CBRE said its renovation project will "enhance the visitor experience." The property has been renamed Queen City Quarter, inspired by Charlotte’s nickname, “The Queen City.”“It’s a chance to bring a fresh approach, a new vision to the property,” Compie Newman, managing director of CBRE, said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/epicentre-queen-city-quarter-charlotte-uptown-new-name-branding/275-e056161d-633a-4893-8db6-a81beb305c0aWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! Plus, on this edition of #WakeUpCLT To Go, forecaster Larry Sprinkle and Chris Mulcahy have the latest update on Hurricane Ian. The powerful Category 4 storm is approaching landfall along the Florida coast with sustained winds of 140 mph, as well as heavy rain and life-threatening storm surge.

An eighth grader was arrested by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for reportedly making threats of "mass violence" against Southwest Middle School in Charlotte, CMPD said.According to police, on Sept. 19, school staff alerted a school resource officer at Southwest Middle School that a massing shooting threat had been posted on Instagram.Officers were able to track the Instagram account to an eighth-grade student. They talked to the student at their home, and the student reportedly admitted to making the threat and was arrested."Making a school threat is not a prank - it's a crime," CMPD tweeted after announcing the arrest.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/14-year-old-arrested-making-mass-violence-threats/275-18bfa96e-bcb4-45aa-b857-4fb427d8bcc7 The South Carolina House of Representatives returns Tuesday to vote on an abortion bill passed earlier this month by the state Senate.The Senate's proposal would ban abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy and reduce the exceptions included in the state’s current “fetal heartbeat” law.House Republicans like Melissa Oremus (R-Aiken) and her Freedom Caucus colleagues are expressing disappointment over the changes. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/amended-abortion-bill-back-south-carolina-house/101-e6e4cdb9-7229-4a17-acb7-30e9932de050Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

It took until Week 3, but the Carolina Panthers have their first win of the season.The Panthers took control of the game early using a strong defense, commendable offense, and undeniable determination to defeat the New Orleans Saints 22-7 at home on Sunday.Both teams traded punts to open the first three possessions but things changed quickly with five minutes left in the 1st Quarter. Alvin Kamara fumbled and Marquis Haynes Sr. recovered the ball for Carolina and took it back 44 yards for a touchdown.Both offenses struggled during the first half with only the Panthers adding points. Carolina added two Eddy Piñeiro field goals to go up 13-0 at the half. The Saints' best chance to score came on an 11-play 70-yard drive in the closing minutes of the 2nd Quarter that took them into the red zone before the Panthers blocked a 30-yard field goal that would have given New Orleans their first points of the game.The Saints drove back into scoring territory to open the 3rd Quarter but another field goal attempt failed when Will Lutz sailed his kick wide right.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/nfl/panthers/carolina-panthers-look-to-continue-to-fluster-winston-get-first-win-of-the-season-vs-saints/275-89c1e7ae-dfd1-4884-95fa-c2d91a38f1caThe Conover Police Department is investigating after remains were found in the shallow grave behind a home in Conover.On Friday, officers received word about a body possibly being buried in the backyard of a home on Fourth Avenue SW in Conover. Conover officers, the Catawba County Sheriff's Office and NC State Bureau of Investigation officials found what appeared to be a shallow grave behind the home.Remains were found in the grave, although they did not appear to be recent, police said.The remains were taken to Wake Forest Baptist Hospital to determine if they were human remains or other remains, police said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/police-investigating-remains-found-behind-conover-home-sbi/275-40dcbe7a-651d-4333-86b4-d479567abe2fWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Emails released between state officials show that Gaston County Schools administrators were advised to not transition to a payroll system that has led to missing paychecks and retirement funds.North Carolina Representative Kelly Hastings (R-110) revealed emails between him and Eric Moore, North Carolina General Assembly Fiscal Analyst, that show partially what led to payroll issues impacting Gaston County Schools.The email chain begins on Thursday, Sept. 8 when a concerned employee reached out to Hastings asking for help with the payroll issues at the school district.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/gaston-county-shools-were-advised-to-delay-use-of-system-causing-payroll-issues-state-officials-confirm-north-carolina-kelly-hastings/275-caf8720e-d1a6-4440-b1dc-2df96a3de9e0In a stark repudiation of Donald Trump's legal arguments, a federal appeals court on Wednesday permitted the Justice Department to resume its use of classified records seized from the former president's Florida estate as part of its ongoing criminal investigation.The ruling from a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit amounts to an overwhelming victory for the Justice Department, clearing the way for investigators to continue scrutinizing the documents as they consider whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of of top-secret records at Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House. In lifting a hold on a core aspect of the department's probe, the court removed an obstacle that could have delayed the investigation by weeks.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/court-lifts-hold-mar-a-lago-documents-trump/507-63875e8c-f22c-4c39-a7ad-57049f392756Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company for fraud on Wednesday, alleging they padded his net worth by billions of dollars by lying about the value of prized assets including golf courses, hotels and his homes at Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago.Attorney General Letitia James dubbed it: “The art of the steal.”James' lawsuit, filed in state court in New York, is the culmination of a three-year civil investigation of Trump and the Trump Organization. Trump’s three eldest children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump, were also named as defendants, along with two longtime company executives, Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney.The lawsuit strikes at the core of what made Trump famous, taking a blacklight to the image of wealth and opulence he’s embraced throughout his career — first as a real estate developer, then as a reality TV host on “The Apprentice” and “Celebrity Apprentice,” and later as president.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/new-york-attorney-general-sues-donald-trump-donald-junior-ivanka-trump-eric-trump/507-c0ef0bec-c459-4707-8b26-1dfc01159004More than half of all bomb threats against the United States were reported against schools, according to data from the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).Two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were put on lockdown after bomb threats were reported Wednesday morning. Cox Mill High School was evacuated again Wednesday following another bomb threat.The threats are the latest in a series of threats this week, including threats Tuesday against multiple schools in Cabarrus County.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/school-bomb-threats-increasing-data-review/275-d16debd3-974b-42f3-a225-da7c66ad4776Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

The Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners has voted to approve guidelines by which all property values in the county are assessed. It's one of the final steps in the reappraisal process of all 400,000 properties in the county. The county has been working on reassessing property values for the past two years, which could lead to property taxes going up for thousands of homeowners. The new values will be released to homeowners in January 2023.The last time there was a county-wide reappraisal was in 2019. In the commissioners' Sept. 20 meeting, they passed the "Uniform schedules of values, standards and rules for the 2023 county-wide reappraisal," which lays out how the value adjustments are made.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/mecklenburg-county-board-commissioners-county-reappraisal-process/275-fff0c872-da96-44fb-a7c2-2e16edcb5048Carowinds announced a new chaperone policy Tuesday following an incident Saturday that set off a panic among guests. The new policy requires all guests under the age of 17 to be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old during SCarowinds hours. "We are implementing additional security protocols, including a new chaperone policy that will be introduced tomorrow," a spokesperson for the amusement park said Monday in a released statement.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/carowinds-introduce-chaperone-policy/275-f4167b99-5dbf-407e-925b-c55463ee1411Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Gaston County school employees made their voices heard at the Gaston County Board of Education meeting on Monday.In a post on social media, NCAE President Pam Miller called for students, parents and concerned citizens to participate in a rally and walk-in at the BOE meeting Monday evening. The rally began at 5 p.m., just outside the school district headquarters, with several educators joining together to demand a solution to these payroll problems, including a hardship bonus.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/gason-co-ncae-rally-board-of-education-meeting/275-d0f8561e-2683-4326-a91a-94afbed7e31aHouse Democrats are voting this week on changes to a 19th century law for certifying presidential elections, their strongest legislative response yet to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.The vote to overhaul the Electoral Count Act, expected Wednesday, comes as a bipartisan group of senators is moving forward with a similar bill. Lawmakers in both parties have said they want to change the arcane law before it is challenged again.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/house-democrats-electoral-count-act/507-32e34fac-097f-413a-9c57-54ed64dbee49Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

The Carowinds theme park closed early Saturday night, but park officials said unruly guest behavior led to panic inside.The amusement park kicked off the spooky season with Scarowind this weekend. However, a night of thrills turned into a night of horror for families.“We were walking normally then out of nowhere a massive crowd of probably like, between 50 and 100 people running towards us screaming. So, we ducked over and got out of the way. It was chaotic,” said Bethany Bloomer.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/unruly-behavior-carowinds-charlotte-nc-crime-local/275-922b00d9-ea24-493d-bab0-c183df3cc4afIn the past few years there’s been plenty of change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and experts say with that change can come stress and trauma. "A lot of people have physically lost family members to death, there’s been lost some sense of safety and innocence that we once had," Victor Armstrong with Recovering Innovations International said.North Carolina ranks 12th in the US for states dealing with mental health struggles.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/nc-students-dealing-with-added-stress-from-pandemic/275-dad3017c-b790-40ee-b9eb-04994c7da3ddWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Mecklenburg County is expanding access to monkeypox vaccination appointments as cases continue to climb in the Charlotte area. Richard DeVayne has details on who is eligible for walk-in appointments as health officials in Charlotte attempt to contain the virus before it spreads even further. Tens of thousands of people are waiting in miles-long lines to pay their final respects to Queen Elizabeth II. Jay Gray joins Wake Up Charlotte To Go from London, where the royal family is preparing for the Queen's funeral with thousands of mourners saying goodbye to the beloved ruler. Plus, Starbucks is making big changes. Ben Thompson connects the dots on what you can expect when it comes to getting your morning coffee faster and why the company believes these changes will raise employee morale. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation that would exempt those who have their student loans forgiven from paying state income tax. Under current North Carolina law, forgiven loans are considered income, thus making anyone whose loans are forgiven responsible for around $500 for every $10,000. Wake Up Charlotte's Richard DeVayne has the details on Cooper's plan and how it could affect those hoping to have their debt erased. State regulators have begun weeks of testimony over how Duke Energy can reduce carbon emissions. But the cost of going green may be passed down to customers through higher utility bills, critics say. Ben Thompson connects the dots on Duke's proposed measures and how state leaders will make a decision on the best way to move forward without hurting consumers. Plus, we have details on the ongoing legal battle between David Tepper's real estate firm and local governments in South Carolina over the Panthers' failed training facility, Larry Sprinkle has your complete forecast and more on #WakeUpCLT To Go! Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Upending the political debate, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham introduced a nationwide abortion ban Tuesday, sending shockwaves through both parties and igniting fresh debate on a fraught issue weeks before the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.Graham's own Republican Party leaders did not immediately embrace his abortion ban bill, which would prohibit the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy with rare exceptions, and has almost no chance of becoming law in the Democratic-held Congress. Democrats torched it as an alarming signal of where “MAGA” Republicans are headed if they win control of the House and Senate in November.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/lindsey-graham-nationwide-abortion-ban/507-5f623200-497a-44ea-9a28-62b556529e37Black and Hispanic Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students saw progress on their English test scores at the end of last school year, but are still behind. CMS says between September 2021 and May 2022, students testing at college and career levels went from 3.1% of students to 15.9%.The school board wants at least 36% of all Black and Hispanic CMS students to test at the highest levels of end-of-year exams this school year.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-college-and-career-ready-black-and-hispanic-students/275-7e36e965-bd32-41c0-83ef-48462e8fc6b4Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

The Gaston County Schools Superintendent apologized to staff members with incorrect or missing paychecks during a town hall meeting Monday night. "I have great regrets that all this is done to different people," Jeffrey Booker, Gaston County Schools Superintendent said. For months now some employees received incorrect or no paychecks due to a new payroll system. The payroll system, currently a pilot at Gaston County Schools, is a step to modernize the outdated system they previously had.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/gaston-county-schools-employees-no-timeline-payroll-issues/275-8c88780d-cbcf-47ba-9352-0b8cb1ca0eb6 Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather is requesting assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation into a Charlotte city councilman, the district attorney's office confirmed. James "Smuggie" Mitchell was recently elected to city council and holds one of the four at-large seats. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/mecklenburg-county-da-sbi-councilman-stake-james-smuggie-mitchell/275-01284608-1f4a-4b90-83cb-61a466a16062Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Efforts to curb the violence in Mecklenburg County continue with a community event in the Beatties Ford Road community, Saturday afternoon.The Alternatives to Violence Teams (ATV) are getting to know the people they are serving through its meet-and-greet event. More importantly, the organization wants the residents to know their faces as they push to stop violence in the area. There was a DJ playing music to keep the atmosphere fun and inviting.“It’s about us -- meeting the people where they are, finding out what the needs are because once you find out what their needs are then you can better serve them," said Leondra Garrett, a violence interrupter. She’s on the frontlines, has lived in the neighborhood, and said that has helped her build relationships with residents.“It makes the connection easier because they trust you.”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/seeking-solutions-alternatives-to-violence-charlotte-nc-local/275-2c80788a-8676-4068-b8b2-ca5d9d3965abQueen Elizabeth II's grandson Prince Harry hailed her Monday as a “guiding compass” and praised her “unwavering grace and dignity," as members of the public were to get the chance to pay their respects to the monarch when her coffin lies at rest at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.The personal statement, posted on Harry and his wife Meghan’s Archwell website, said he cherished their times together “from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved greatgrandchildren.”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/queens-coffin/507-76b5d259-e377-4753-be80-55bb8a7d3206Plus, a tough loss for the Carolina Panthers to start the season. Despite a near-comeback in the fourth quarter, the Panthers fell to the Cleveland Browns 26 to 24. The loss means Carolina will go over a calendar year without winning a game at home.Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

South Carolina senators rejected a ban on almost all abortions Thursday in a special session called in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.Although Republicans had a majority of votes to pass the ban, Republican Sen. Tom Davis threatened to filibuster and proponents of the ban could not get the extra votes to stop him.Davis, the chief of staff for former Gov. Mark Sanford before being elected to the Senate in 2009, was joined by the three Republican women in the Senate, a fifth GOP colleague and all the chamber’s Democrats to oppose the proposed ban.Davis opposes a blanket ban on abortions in South Carolina and said he would argue against the bill until the 46-member Senate mustered the 26 votes required to end the filibuster. That appeared unlikely to happen, as only after 24 senators voted for an amended bill that included exceptions for pregnancies cause by rape or incest up to 12 weeks after conception. Twenty senators were opposed and two were absent.After a recess to work through their options, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey conceded the abortion ban likely couldn't pass, although a vote to end debate had not been taken.”This is a math question, you have to have the votes to pass it - and we do not,” Massey said.Davis said he promised his daughters he would not vote to make South Carolina’s current six-week abortion ban stricter because women have rights, too.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/south-carolina-senate-abortion-ban/101-04933ad1-2515-401e-80a4-0dab42decb7a The Concord Police Department has released body camera footage from a deadly police shooting in Concord; the shooting happened in February at the Modern Nissan Dealership in Concord.The Concord Police Department said former Concord police officer Timothy Larson was on routine patrol when he says he saw 29-year-old Brandon Combs trying to steal a vehicle from the dealership. Police said during their interaction, Combs jumped into the driver's seat of the police SUV.The body camera video shows the moments before Larson pulled the trigger. Police said Larson shot Combs after Combs ignored several commands to stop. The State Bureau of Investigation found that Larson did not use excessive force in the deadly shooting because Combs was driving a vehicle pointed at Larson.For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app. The Concord Police Department and SBI looked into the shooting and questioned Larson about his actions. Larson was effectively terminated in May. According to a notice of dismissal, the officer gave investigators false information in regards to the shooting.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/investigations/body-camera-video-police-shooting-concord-timothy-larson-brandon-combs/275-daf24959-cf6e-4288-907a-0cc2426ff600Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday, Sept 8 after 70 years on the throne. She was 96.The palace announced she died at Balmoral Castle, her summer residence in Scotland, where members of the royal family had rushed to her side after her health took a turn for the worse.A link to the almost-vanished generation that fought World War II, she was the only monarch most Britons have ever known.Her 73-year-old son Prince Charles automatically becomes king, though the coronation might not take place for months. It was not immediately known whether he will call himself King Charles III or some other name.The BBC played the national anthem, “God Save the Queen,” over a portrait of her in full regalia as her death was announced, and the flag over Buckingham Palace was lowered to half-staff as the second Elizabethan age came to a close.The impact of her loss will be huge and unpredictable, both for the nation and for the monarchy, an institution she helped stabilize and modernize across decades of huge social change and family scandals.

A woman walking along the McAlpine Creek Greenway in Charlotte Thursday morning was assaulted by a suspect who also attempted to rape her, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.Around 11 a.m., the woman was walking on the greenway near Margaret Wallace Road, which is located near Independence Boulevard and north of McAlpine Creek Park. "A male suspect assaulted her and attempted to rape her," CMPD said in a tweet later in the day. "The victim was able to fight off the suspect."The suspect may have injuries to his face or hands as a result of the victim fighting him off, police believe. The suspect is described as a 5 foot 6 inches tall Black man, with a heavy build, dreadlocks, and was wearing all black clothing at the time of the attack, according to police.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/mcalpine-creek-greenway-attempted-assault-rape-charlotte-police/275-b3ee2f6d-b525-49c3-a141-1ffe788979ceLegislation that would have authorized sports betting across all of North Carolina fell apart late Wednesday as the House narrowly rejected a key measure amid warnings about the dangers of gambling from an unusual coalition of social conservatives and liberal Democrats.The House voted 51-50 not to approve one of two measures that, when combined, would have established the rules to authorize and regulate gambling on professional sporting events and out-of-state horse racing.Prospects already looked shaky earlier Wednesday when the House voted by a similar 51-50 margin for a supplemental measure that would have mostly made changes to a separate, comprehensive bill unveiled last year that laid out the structure of how sports betting would be conducted. The supplemental measure focused on how gambling license operators would have been taxed and where the proceeds would have gone.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/north-carolina-sports-betting-legislation-falters-house/275-c2f714c5-4b4e-4354-bada-95382f01a8c9Plus, Apple’s latest line-up of iPhones will boast better cameras, faster processors, and a longer-lasting battery — all at the same prices as last year’s models, despite inflationary pressure that has driven up the cost of many other everyday items.Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

On Wednesday The South Carolina Senate will debate a near-total abortion ban that right now, does not include exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. Abortion exceptions for rape and incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy were removed by a 7-3 vote from a Senate committee Tuesday.Democrats abstained from voting in an effort to prevent the bill from passing through the legislature. “This is an awful bill. I just can’t say that enough,” said Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto, (D-Orangeburg). “What we've witnessed here is the Republican majority’s attempt to impose an extreme total ban on abortion on women in South Carolina."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/senate-committee-removes-rape-incest-exceptions-abortion-bill-south-carolina/101-87e8e3df-740c-4a1e-a7b3-5bbdf7491872In a legal victory for former President Donald Trump, a federal judge on Monday granted his request for a special master to review documents seized by the FBI from his Florida home and also temporarily halted the Justice Department’s own use of the records for investigative purposes.The decision by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon authorizes an outside legal expert to review the records taken during the Aug. 8 search and to weed out from the rest of the investigation any that might be protected by claims of attorney-client privilege or executive privilege. Some of those records may ultimately be returned to Trump, but the judge put off a ruling on that question.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-special-master/507-a4b919b1-b31e-4fb3-9ec2-0330f17e891ePlus, turns out Charlotte is one of the most polite cities in the US, at least according to people who live here. A new survey asked residents around the country to rank their city's politeness. Charlotte tied with Dallas, Texas at number 15 for more polite. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Charlotte welcomes a new city council on Tuesday, September 6 during a swearing-in ceremony. The new council includes mostly familiar faces with a few new names. "The priority should be 'let's get back to basics.' We've had a lot of self-inflicted wounds, we really need to go back and think about regular infrastructure, potholes, the job of the city," Tariq Bokhari, district six councilman, said.In recent years, council tackled a number of controversial issues including the Unified Development Ordinance, the Charlotte 2040 comprehensive plan, pandemic response, and transit. "This last council was able to put a bow on a lot of big things before this term ended... it's got to be back to the basics of housing, community safety, transportation," Larken Egleston, outgoing district one councilman, said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/charlotte-city-council-swears-in-new-members-on-tuesday-september-6-flashpoint/275-96188c90-5a54-4785-8bd8-765ecdd0275fIn a legal victory for former President Donald Trump, a federal judge on Monday granted his request for a special master to review documents seized by the FBI from his Florida home and also temporarily halted the Justice Department’s own use of the records for investigative purposes.The decision by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon authorizes an outside legal expert to review the records taken during the Aug. 8 search and to weed out from the rest of the investigation any that might be protected by claims of attorney-client privilege or executive privilege. Some of those records may ultimately be returned to Trump, but the judge put off a ruling on that question.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-special-master/507-a4b919b1-b31e-4fb3-9ec2-0330f17e891ePlus, have you ever had a boss treat you so badly that you were forced to quit your job? Welcome to "quiet firing."Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Authorities say a man shot at police on Sunday when they approached him about an assault report.On Sunday, the Gaston County Police Department released details about a shooting between officers and Matthew Curtis Buford, 33, on Stoney Oaks Drive. The situation began on Sunday when a resident on Stoney Oaks Drive told police they found a vehicle on their property. Officers arrived and found an assault rifle in the vehicle and confiscated it along with the vehicle.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/man-shot-by-police-after-shooting-at-officers-in-gaston-county-officials-say-matthew-buford-north-carolina-shooting-investigation/275-7fd2682e-9452-4130-ac85-73996bd44a82Legislation banning nearly all abortions with few exceptions is heading to the Senate for consideration after a third and final vote from House Lawmakers Wednesday. "It's a sad day for women across this state," said Rep. Beth Bernstein (D- Richland). "A person’s a person, no matter how small. Today is a great day in south Carolina," said Rep. Adam Morgan.https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/sc-house-passes-abortion-ban-with-exceptions/101-d3a8f4d2-b70b-44e2-81c7-7d9f5485b5dcWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A suspect is hospitalized in critical condition after being shot by Concord police officers at Concord Mills Mall Wednesday. Two other suspects, who weren't injured during the incident, were also arrested. Concord police responded to the mall after a shopper called 911 saying her credit cards were stolen. The caller gave the dispatcher a description of the suspects, according to Concord police. Responding officers confronted the suspects outside the mall, triggering a foot chase. Maj. Todd McGhee said officers chased the suspects into the mall before they led officers outside to a construction area on the property. During the chase, one of the three suspects fired a shot at the pursuing officers, according to McGhee. The bullet struck the ground in front of the officers, police said.The two officers returned fire striking the suspect, who was airlifted by helicopter to Atrium Health's Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte. The suspect remains in critical condition.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/concord-mills-mall-closed-due-to-police-activity/275-27c3c1e9-3d4c-4606-b0ab-5fc1ac7bbf78A federal judge on Thursday ruled that constitutional protections don't shield U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham from testifying before a special grand jury investigating possible illegal efforts to overturn then-President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia.The ruling from U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May rejected Graham’s argument that all his calls with Georgia's secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, were protected under the U.S. Constitution’s “speech or debate” clause, which shields members of Congress from questioning about official legislative acts.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/lindsey-graham-trump-election-probe-fulton-county-georgia/85-067515b9-cb47-4f9c-80f0-5ecbfa15f778Plus, Happy Friday! What are your Labor Day weekend plans? Larry Sprinkle and Chris Mulcahy have your full forecast on #wakeupCLT To Go. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Fittingly, Davidson College honored its most famous alumnus with a "Curry for 3" ceremony.Steph Curry, who has the most made three-point shots in NBA history, was given a three-part event to celebrate three big accomplishments on Wednesday.Curry, who famously led the Wildcats to the Elite 8 in 2008 and is the school's second all-time leading scorer, had his No. 30 jersey retired and entered Davidson's athletics hall of fame.But all of that was predicated on the other portion of the ceremony: his graduation.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/steph-curry-graduates-from-davidson-as-part-of-three-point-ceremony/275-17d0f034-2747-47e9-b867-375c89a82fba A suspect is hospitalized in critical condition after being shot by Concord police officers at Concord Mills Mall Wednesday. Two other suspects, who were not injured, have also been arrested.Police officers responded to the mall after a shopper called 911 to say her credit cards had been stolen. The caller provided police with a description of the suspects, according to officials. Responding officers attempted to question three individuals outside the mall when the three ran from officers, Concord Police Department Chief Major Todd McGhee said in a briefing later Wednesday. Officers chased after the suspects, who reentered the mall.The chase exited the mall and entered a construction area on the mall property, officials said. During the chase, one of the three suspects fired a shot at the pursuing officers, according to McGhee. The bullet struck the ground in front of the officers, police said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/concord-mills-mall-closed-due-to-police-activity/275-27c3c1e9-3d4c-4606-b0ab-5fc1ac7bbf78Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A 14-year-old student is now in juvenile custody after the Rock Hill Police Department said the teen aimed a gun at other students during a fight Tuesday morning. This is now the second time within a week a gun was found on a Rock Hill campus.The department said a School Resource Officer was watching students during class transitions just before 9 a.m. when students in the electives hallway yelled someone had a gun while running away. The officer reported going to the area and found a school staff member with the student. The department said the staff member reported the teen was involved in the fight and took the student to the office.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/gun-dutchman-creek-middle-school-rock-hill-sc-crime-education/275-9cae44e9-3ca3-4869-87ea-9774b73ab8acNASCAR announced it is moving its NASCAR Productions operations to a new state-of-the-art facility in Concord. The new 58,000-square foot studio will be built on the land adjacent to the NASCAR R&D Center, which is across Derita Road from the airport in Concord. The move comes months after Cabarrus County officials approved an incentives package designed to bring NASCAR Productions to Concord. NASCAR confirmed the new facility will house 125 NASCAR Productions and Motor Racing Network employees with room to expand further in the future. NASCAR said it will also keep a large presence in Uptown Charlotte with a contingent of employees remaining at Fifty Five South (formerly NASCAR Plaza) for the foreseeable future. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/motor/nascar/nascar-productions-concord-north-carolina-facility-cabarrus-county-relocation/275-ca5bcb4d-fade-46a8-9401-00d7e3e3a2ddWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

House Lawmakers are preparing to debate legislation Tuesday that would outlaw nearly all abortions in South Carolina except for those needed to save a mother's life.This comes two months after the U.S. Supreme Court Overturned Roe v. Wade, which left the legality of abortions to state lawmakers to decide. House Democrats and Republicans are gearing up for a possible two day debate they say will be like any other. "A lot of women, a lot of men who will be affected by this bill are standing up and saying no we do not want this," said Rep. Beth Bernstein (D-Richland). "With the Dobbs decision we know that what we do here this week is likely to be the law in South Carolina," said Rep. Micah Caskey (R-Lexington).READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/south-carolina-house-abortion-bill/101-7cb269b1-31df-4bf6-a0ed-a18ef825fc8bA parent attempted to bring a gun onto the campus of Butler High School in Matthews last week, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools confirmed Monday. A CMS spokesperson said the incident happened during an open house at Butler last week and the district has launched an investigation. No further information was made available by CMS. The district gave the following statement to WCNC Charlotte:"We are aware that a parent attempted to bring a firearm into Butler. We are conducting an investigation into the incident. We want to remind people that firearms are not permitted on CMS campuses with the exception of law enforcement."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/butler-high-school-matthews-north-carolina-parent-firearm-gun-investigation/275-2a61986c-1aa7-4538-9ea9-62247051a942Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A Raleigh mother told WCNC Charlotte her three-year-old was enrolled at Tutor Time's Steele Creek branch last week. "My daughter is living with her grandmother right now in Charlotte. My son, her brother, is having some health issues," Alyssa Stillwell explained. "They don't know what's going on, but he has severe neutropenia. He cannot get sick. Because he's also in kidney failure, he's at risk of another kidney injury. So we decided that my daughter should stay with her grandma for a couple of weeks to a month until we figure out what's going on."Stillwell was able to log onto the daycare's live stream last Tuesday and said she was disturbed by what she was watching."The first thing that happened was the ruler thing," Stillwell said of the teacher. "I can't really tell if she hit that kid. It looked like it."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/life/parenting/i-thought-she-was-gonna-slam-him-hard-mothers-tiktok-video-of-charlotte-day-care-alarms-area-parents-children-cps-police/275-7a2c6069-6cb9-4780-8052-6157735cd22c A suspect is in custody following a shooting at Lancaster Motor Speedway that left one person dead Saturday night, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office.Just before 11 p.m., deputies responded to a shooting during the last event of the Steven Johnson Memorial Race, just inside the front gate near the ticket office. A 53-year-old man was found with multiple gunshot wounds and began receiving aid from deputies working extra duty at the track, deputies said.The man was later taken to MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center where was pronounced dead, according to deputies. The Lancaster County Coroner's Office later identified the victim as 53-year-old Rodney Cunningham of Heath Springs, SC.An autopsy will be scheduled by the Lancaster County Coroner who will identify the victim at a later time.Lancaster County deputies named 37-year-old Bryan Terrell Mitchell as a suspect shortly after arriving at the speedway. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/1-person-killed-during-race-lancaster-motor-speedway-saturday-night-deputies-say/275-ef3a125d-c296-4b80-b627-ccc7540e236bWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo, one of two brothers charged in the Aug. 11 murder of a Wake County deputy, was transferred Thursday to a Wake County jail and appeared in court the same afternoon.On Thursday, Marin-Sotelo was appointed a court-appointed attorney.Marin-Sotelo will remain in a Wake County jail without parole. An arraignment or trial date have yet to be scheduled.Before Thursday's court appearance, WRAL News was filming while Marin-Sotelo was walked into the jail.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/no-bond-second-murder-suspect-wake-county-deputy-ned-byrd/275-07170fa9-8463-48c2-afaa-b104fe3a49a2 South Carolina state employees are now eligible for up to 6 weeks of paid family leave thanks to a bipartisan effort by members of the General Assembly.Governor Henry McMaster signed bill S.11 Thursday morning at the State House. The bill will give employees of the state of South Carolina paid family leave for the birth of a child, adoption of a child and for fostering a child.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/life/family/southcarolina-governor-mcmaster-signs-paid-family-leave-act-for-state-employees/101-335d9dcf-a604-4bb4-a9db-a6e35fbf4773Plus, it's going to be warm in the Carolinas this weekend with the threat of storms on Saturday and Sunday. Larry Sprinkle has your complete forecast on #wakeupCLT To Go.Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Another stop will be added on the CATS light rail in South End.On Wednesday, the Charlotte Metropolitan Transit Commission voted to approve a stop on the rail to be constructed near the Publix on South Blvd. A pedestrian crossway will also be built at the stop. The stop will not only give riders more options for transit but will serve as an easy and safe way to cross the light rail tracks. The light rail station project stems from the partnership between CATS, Center City Partners, and various residential and retail stakeholders in South End.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/south-end-light-rail-station-approved-by-cats-charlotte-train-transportation-north-carolina-city-travel/275-0c735bda-d2fc-480d-a48b-3a1ea0642542A former Belk CEO is facing a federal lawsuit from the department chain's corporate office after they say he violated the terms of his contract by taking company documents and employees to GameStop, where he now works as COO.The lawsuit was filed on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Nir Patel, a former Belk CEO, GameStop, and Tim May, a former senior member of Belk who now works for GameStop, are named as defendants in the lawsuit.Patel began working with Belk as an executive vice president in 2016 and was promoted to CEO in July 2021. In less than a year, he left this position to become the COO of GameStop.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/belk-sues-former-ceo-gamestop-for-stealing-employees-documents-lawsuit-company-nir-patel-ceo-coo-north-carolina/275-b3519252-6b5a-4fe2-b463-cabcc3c27078And finally, on our extended live chat, Larry Sprinkle, Sarah French and Ben Thompson break down President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. Do you support debt forgiveness? Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Mecklenburg County health officials expressed confidence that they can work through the monkeypox vaccine waiting list in the coming days after administering hundreds of doses during Charlotte Pride weekend. Dr. Raynard Washington said Mecklenburg County is down to about 660 people on the list. The health department anticipates getting those folks set with appointments by the end of the week. Washington called vaccine distribution during Pride weekend a "success," praising staff workers for meeting at-risk individuals in public settings. Washington said the county vaccinated roughly 540 people who meet North Carolina's criteria for high risk. As of Tuesday afternoon, 3,300 people have been vaccinated in Mecklenburg County.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/monkeypox/monkeypox-vaccine-mecklenburg-county-update-charlotte-pride-raynard-washington/275-0ae1f8f5-a8d2-4435-b4c1-5033724d394e Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Monday to authorize its combination COVID-19 vaccine that adds protection against the newest omicron relatives — a key step toward opening a fall booster campaign.The Food and Drug Administration ordered vaccine makers to tweak their shots to target BA.4 and BA.5 that are better than ever at dodging immunity from earlier vaccination or infection.Pfizer and its partner BioNTech aim to offer updated boosters to people 12 and older, and shots could begin within weeks if the FDA quickly clears the modified vaccine — a step not expected to require waiting on new studies.Moderna is expected to file a similar application soon for updated boosters for adults. The U.S. has a contract to buy 105 million of the Pfizer doses and 66 million Moderna ones, assuming FDA gives the green light.“It’s going to be really important that people this fall and winter get the new shots. It’s designed for the virus that’s out there,” White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said last week.For now at least. BA.5 currently is causing nearly all COVID-19 infections in the U.S. and much of the world. There’s no way to know if it still will be a threat this winter -- or if another mutant will have replaced it.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/pfizer-updated-covid-vaccine-booster-fall/507-be2be25f-8daf-4c92-b516-78d59ce1eb5fWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Some schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district are going into the new school year with the same problem facing thousands of other schools in the United States — not having enough teachers. A week before classes are set to start CMS still has 360 open teacher positions. Despite the teacher vacancies the district — which employs around 9,000 teachers — said 96% of classroom positions are filled.When there’s not a teacher to cover a class the quality of education suffers, and so do the teachers who must pick up the workload.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-360-teacher-vacancies-week-before-school-starts/275-95229deb-076c-4424-ae32-99a837613775The debate continues over how to reduce carbon emissions from energy production in the state.The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) is weighing comments and proposals for a carbon-reduction plan with the final two public hearings set to take place on Tuesday. The commission must craft its plan by the year’s end, as required by a 2021 energy reform law with climate goals of curbing carbon emissions by 70% by 2030 as compared to 2005 levels and reaching net-zero carbon by 2050.Plus, Baker Mayfield is the Panthers' new starting QB. How do you think they'll do this season? READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/tech/science/environment/carbon-plan-development-public-hearing-nc/275-c580891c-936f-4ee5-8f04-89ad5e6dc7c9

U.S. adults who haven’t gotten any COVID-19 shots yet should consider a new option from Novavax -- a more traditional kind of vaccine, health officials said Tuesday.Regulators authorized the nation’s first so-called protein vaccine against COVID-19 last week, but the final hurdle was a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“If you have been waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine built on a different technology than those previously available, now is the time to join the millions of Americans who have been vaccinated,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC's director, said in a statement, endorsing an earlier decision from an influential advisory panel.Most Americans have gotten at least their primary COVID-19 vaccinations by now, but CDC officials said between 26 million and 37 million adults haven’t had a single dose -- the population that Novavax, for now, will be targeting.“We really need to focus on that population,” said CDC adviser Dr. Oliver Brooks, past president of the National Medical Association. Hopefully, the vaccine "will change them over from being unvaccinated to vaccinated.”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/cdc-advisers-endorse-novavax-covid-vaccine/507-5cf10985-355d-4a0e-97ca-46495cc961aeIt was a jampacked weekend in Charlotte. Charlotte Pride just wrapped up and a whole bunch of sporting events kicked off. Thousands were in the streets of Uptown. The quiet and dead Uptown we all came to understand had some life breathed back into it. Whether you were here for an event two years in the making, preparing for the big Charlotte FC game, or headed out to the ballpark -- Energy was felt. Jada Nelsen, Manager of Day and Night Cereal Bar in the French Quarter said sales skyrocketed. “It’s been packed everyone been in the ally," Nelsen said. "Double the amount of people have come in from out of town for this.”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/people-flock-to-uptown-businesses-see-the-impact-charlotte-economy-business-north-carolina/275-e2d92c93-4652-4a22-ac01-d74cff3ea394Plus, shelters in the Charlotte area have reached critical levels. Here's how you can help WCNC Charlotte find forever homes for these sweet animals.Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

The Mecklenburg County Health Department made changes to the way the monkeypox vaccine is given on Thursday. Following the Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization last week, the shots can now be given intradermally, or under the skin.Doctors say the shots are just as effective when given this way, but this change allows providers to get five times as many doses out of each vial, which will be a big help given the high demand for the vaccine.Plus, the federal government is ramping up its response to the outbreak. Starting on Monday, 1.8 million more doses of vaccine will be made available for states to order. There are just under 200 cases of monkeypox in North Carolina and Mecklenburg County is still the epicenter of the outbreak, with more than 90 of those cases.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/monkeypox/extra-monkeypox-doses-charlotte-pride-mecklenburg-county/275-e86cc214-6d0e-49ab-9b3c-e6fcb6e206d9One of two men arrested by federal agents in Burke County earlier in the week has now been charged with the murder of a Wake County deputy.On Tuesday, the U.S. Marshals assisted with taking two people into custody along Interstate 40 in Burke County. The Marshals said they could not comment on what the investigation pertains to. The Wake County Sheriff's Office initially said these arrests are unrelated to the shooting death of Deputy Ned Byrd, despite reports circulating that said otherwise. However, during a news conference on Thursday, Aug. 18, Sheriff Gerald M. Baker said one of the two men arrested along Interstate 40 was now formally accused of killing Byrd.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/two-arrested-in-burke-county-for-federal-warrants-north-carolina-deputy-arrest-investigation/275-4b67c724-38f5-41d6-afbf-bd281e9eff62Plus, Happy Friday! Larry Sprinkle & KJ Jacobs have your weekend forecast as Charlotte gears up for Pride weekend.Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

The head of the nation's top public health agency on Wednesday announced a shake-up of the organization, saying it fell short responding to COVID-19 and needs to become more nimble.The planned changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — CDC leaders call it a “reset”— come amid ongoing criticism of the agency's response to COVID-19, monkeypox and other public health threats. The changes include internal staffing moves and steps to speed up data releases.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/cdc-walensky-changes/507-8f94be91-5a61-4eee-85b1-cabb10362095The South Carolina Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the state's fetal heartbeat abortion law which only went into effect weeks ago.The justices Wednesday unanimously voted in favor of a temporary injunction against the measure, which stops it from taking effect for now while they consider the legality of the measure. That ruling likely will take several more weeks to come down.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/south-carolina-supreme-court-abortion-law/101-b326a2f1-e11a-4618-8b4e-4b63bd5e5651Plus, is going out cheaper than buying groceries?Food prices continue to rise. Is it actually more affordable to dine out with the family instead of cooking?Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A bill that would ban nearly all abortions without exceptions for rape or incest in South Carolina is heading to the full House floor after a 13-7 vote from the House Judiciary Committee. It's the latest move as some lawmakers move to outlaw the procedure following the decision to overturn Roe V. Wade earlier this summer.The vote fell along party lines, with all yes votes coming from Republicans and all votes against the bill from Democrats. Five members did not vote. Rep. Weston Newton (R-Beaufort) hinted that exceptions for rape or incest could be added back. "Exceptions including rape and incest of minors are not now included in this bill, but are no less significant today, than they were when we passed the heart beat bill and celebrated that as being pro life," said Newton.The proposed legislation does provide protections for the life of the mother and includes a limited number of health conditions that would allow doctors to perform abortions. The bill does not criminalize South Carolinian's seeking an abortion, but does include penalties for those who perform the procedure. It also includes banning the selling and buying of drugs that induce abortions. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/near-abortion-ban-south-carolina-full-south-carolina-house-representatives/101-42635f32-94ba-43e3-b008-6c1c927e0b19Less than two weeks after her husband's COVID-19 isolation ended, first lady Jill Biden has tested positive for the virus. The White House said Jill Biden tested negative for COVID-19 Monday as part of regular testing, but then developed cold-like symptoms in the evening. A rapid antigen test came back negative, but she tested positive on a PCR test. "The First Lady is double-vaccinated, twice boosted, and only experiencing mild symptoms," the White House said in a Tuesday morning statement. Like her husband, Jill Biden was prescribed the anti-viral drug Paxlovid. She will isolate from others for at least the next five days and is currently in South Carolina, where she and Biden were on vacation. She will return home after two negative COVID tests in a row.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/jill-biden-tests-positive-for-covid-19/507-5ef9f695-2a80-4af0-8470-92bcad6d13dcPlus, When should school start? As students across the Carolinas return to the classroom, when do you think the school year should start?Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

After receiving a tip, administrators at South Middle School in Lancaster, South Carolina, found a gun in a student's book bag on Monday, the Lancaster County School District confirmed Monday afternoon. This comes as students in Lancaster County head back to school Monday.According to a news release from the district, after receiving the tip from another person who saw the pistol, the student was taken out of class and detained, then the pistol was recovered.The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the student had a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol with a loaded magazine; a round was not chambered. The student did not point the pistol at anyone or make any threats, according to the sheriff's office.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/gun-found-students-book-bag-south-middle-school-lancaster-south-carolina/275-999da6a3-b541-42f4-9192-306d1f331616A federal judge on Monday said U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham must testify before a special grand jury in Atlanta that is investigating whether former President Donald Trump and his allies broke any laws while trying to overturn his narrow 2020 general election loss in the state.Attorneys for Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, had argued that his position as a U.S. senator provided him immunity from having to appear before the investigative panel and asked the judge to quash his subpoena. But U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May wrote in an order Monday that immunities related to his role as a senator do not protect him in this case.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/lindsey-graham-georgia-election-probe-donald-trump/101-b7e55f90-a7ad-483d-adde-1ad3c87b6a8bAnd on this morning's edition of #WakeUpCLT To Go, we're discussing the new social media trend that's taking over the workplace: Quiet quitting! It sounds bad, but is it? Workers say they're taking back their lives by no longer going above and beyond what they're paid to do. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Happy first day of school, South Carolina! Thousands of students in our area will wake up Monday morning and head back to the classroom for the new school year. Indira Eskieva joins Wake Up Charlotte To Go from Rock Hill, where pay raises and better incentives led to the hiring of nearly 200 new teachers. We hear from some of those teachers, who discuss why Rock Hill offers a lot to educators who were considering a major change in life. Tradesha Woodard is in Lancaster, where district leaders are preparing for heavy traffic on the first day of school. To help prevent major backups, schools in Lancaster have made some changes to schedules and are asking for parents to be patient in student pick-up and drop-off lines Monday. Ben Thompson connects the dots on North Carolina's COVID-19 State of Emergency, which ends Monday. You may not notice an immediate change, but the state of emergency did so much more than simply enforce COVID-19 safety measures and protocols. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m., and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

GT Real Estate, one of multiple companies owned by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, submitted a plan to pay back creditors in the failed Rock Hill Panthers HQ project. Under a reorganization plan submitted in court on Thursday morning, Tepper's other company, DT Sports Holding, will make $82 million available in cash under a Plan Sponsor Agreement with GT Real Estate. The plan includes paying contractors who worked on the site $60.5 million, as well as paying York County $21.165 million.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/rock-hill/gt-real-estate-bankruptcy-panthers-rock-hill-project-money/275-6031ce02-fd4c-4c0b-b61e-c7fddea5b9e3Carowinds will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year with an all-new area that pays tribute to the Carolinas' spirit of invention and the history of flight. Carowinds first opened on March 31, 1973, to 6,000 guests and great fanfare. Now, 50 years later, the beloved theme park will celebrate "50 years of Carolina fun" with new rides and attractions, including Aeronautica Landing. “I am proud to be celebrating the golden anniversary of Carowinds as well as the amazing associates who have delivered on our goal to make our guests happy,” Manny Gonzalez, Carowinds vice president and general manager, said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/carowinds-aeronautica-landing-50th-anniversary-celebration/275-d7685647-6c25-4b0b-b1ae-43de36c967b0Plus, Friday will start wet but things will quickly improve as we have the most pleasant weather since early summer! Larry Sprinkle has your full forecast.Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

NASCAR announced it is moving its NASCAR Productions operations to a new state-of-the-art facility in Concord. The new 58,000-square foot studio will be built on the land adjacent to the NASCAR R&D Center, which is across Derita Road from the airport in Concord. The move comes months after Cabarrus County officials approved an incentives package designed to bring NASCAR Productions to Concord. NASCAR confirmed the new facility will house 125 NASCAR Productions and Motor Racing Network employees with room to expand further in the future. NASCAR said it will also keep a large presence in Uptown Charlotte with a contingent of employees remaining at Fifty Five South (formerly NASCAR Plaza) for the foreseeable future.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/motor/nascar/nascar-productions-concord-north-carolina-facility-cabarrus-county-relocation/275-ca5bcb4d-fade-46a8-9401-00d7e3e3a2ddAn elaborate scam in Charlotte is swindling families out of money and their homes, according to police and a large rental company.FirstKey Homes owns hundreds of houses across the Charlotte area and rents them out to residents. The company told WCNC Charlotte scammers are pretending to own some of its properties and are renting them out to victims to collect rent money.India Green said she is a victim of this scam, after moving to Charlotte from Virginia with her two sons. She moved into a house at the beginning of August, only to find out she doesn’t have permission to be there.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/consumer/charlotte-rental-scam/275-6ac0539a-8a74-41f6-87cf-ee290e1e24d5Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

There's a new development in the battle over abortion in our state.The procedure is legal in North Carolina but a lawsuit seeks to reinstate a 1973 ban after 20 weeks of pregnancy.The State Attorney General's Office asked a federal judge Monday not to reinstate the ban. Last month, Judge William Osteen with the Middle District of North Carolina said his previous injunction on the 20-week ban "may now be contrary to law" after the Supreme Court struck down Roe V. Wade.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/court-battle-over-nc-abortion-rules-continues-as-state-ags-staff-asks-judge-not-to-restore-20-week-ban/83-1d7dc1d6-dfe9-498d-ac33-22645c522f04Former President Donald Trump will be questioned under oath Wednesday in the New York attorney general’s long-running civil investigation into his dealings as a real estate mogul, he confirmed in a post on his Truth Social account.Trump’s testimony comes amid a flurry of legal activity surrounding him, taking place just days after FBI agents searched his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as part of an unrelated federal probe into whether he took classified records when he left the White House.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-testifying-investigation/507-3d0e1fe2-1b96-4525-ab66-a896cb30d15fPlus, You're probably a good parent to your kids, and even your pets. But what about plants? On this episode of #WakeUpCLT To Go, we're showing our green thumbs (or lack thereof) and our ability to take care of houseplants! A new poll shows nearly 25% of Americans can't keep a houseplant alive for six months. For some, they don't even try. One-third of people surveyed said they don't have any living plants in their house. But there are a lot of success stories of people taking care of plants and letting them thrive indoors. On this episode, we're showing some of the photos people have sent of their houseplants. Whether it's a basic fern or an exotic plant that isn't native to the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, plant lovers and gardeners love to nurture their babies. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Months after they were sentenced to life in prison for murder, the three white men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery in a Georgia neighborhood faced a second round of criminal penalties Monday for federal hate crimes committed in the deadly pursuit of the 25-year-old Black man.U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood scheduled back-to-back hearings to individually sentence each of the defendants, starting with Travis McMichael, who shot Arbery with a shotgun after the street chase initiated by his father and joined by a neighbor.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/ahmaud-arbery/ahmaud-arbery-sentencing-greg-travis-mcmichael-william-roddie-bryan-federal-hate-crime/85-99e3a176-5358-4a6b-ad5d-fc1c1ce52f03With monkeypox cases on the rise in the United States, the federal government has declared a public health emergency to bolster the response to the outbreak that has infected more than 7,500 Americans as of Aug. 5. Online searches show many people are wondering how monkeypox spreads. Several VERIFY viewers, including Becki and Rob, have asked us whether the virus can be transmitted by touching surfaces that have come in contact with a person who has monkeypox. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/monkeypox-verify/monkeypox-transmission-spread-touching-contaminated-surfaces-risk-level-fact-check/536-a793bb82-adac-43ab-8df9-dad4c7f17a06Plus, Olivia Newton-John, the British-Australian actress and singer who became everyone's sweetheart with her portrayal of Sandy in "Grease," died Monday morning, according to an announcement posted on her official social media accounts. She was 73. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Police are searching for at least two suspects after nine people were injured in a shooting in Cincinnati’s Over-The-Rhine neighborhood early Sunday morning. Officers were called to the 1300 block of Main Street near downtown shortly before 1:40 a.m. following reports of a disorderly crowd. Police said two groups started fighting while officers were clearing the crowd from the street. At least two individuals involved in the altercation pulled out firearms and exchanged multiple rounds of gunfire into the crowd. In a press briefing, Cincinnati police said eight men and one woman were hurt and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening. The victims’ ages range from 23 to 47. An officer fired one shot at an unidentified suspect who was leaving the scene, but it’s unclear whether the suspect was struck by gunfire, according to police. "Today's events are completely and totally unacceptable. The use of guns to solve disputes cannot become a normal part of our culture. I want to express the city's gratitude to the officers on the scene. Their quick response likely saved many more from injury and prevented the loss of life," Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval said in a statement. If anyone witnessed the shooting or has additional information, they are asked to contact the Cincinnati Police Department Criminal Investigations Section at 513-352-3542.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/ohio/cincinnati-shooting-9-injured-2-gunmen-sought/530-7f2cf5bd-099b-4025-8177-94558179ab62Over 400 flights have been delayed and dozens more are canceled at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Sunday, according to Flight Aware.About 245 of these are American Airlines flights, with another 88 of the flights being run by PSA Airlines, an American Airlines subsidiary. American Airlines told WCNC Charlotte that the delays are cancellations are due to storms expected Sunday afternoon and evening.This comes after over 600 flights were delayed and 50 were canceled at the airport on Saturday, and another 1,100 flights were canceled across the U.S. on Friday.Last weekend, weather conditions left hundreds of flights delayed or canceled at the Charlotte Douglas Airport.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/travel/hundreds-of-flights-delayed-dozen-canceled-at-charlotte-douglas-airport-over-weekend/275-280d5397-5b78-4d1c-ac9e-c1742e65c6c8Plus, a sheriff in western North Carolina is proposing a new way to help keep students and teachers safe in the classroom: By putting AR-15s in schools for school resource officer access. The Madison County Sheriff says the guns will be locked in safes so only officers can access them. In a Facebook post announcing the plan, the sheriff went on to say "we've got to be prepared - Even in our rural counties -- for the enemy when he tries to come in and deter our children." Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

The Federal Bureau of Investigations has arrested four current and former Louisville Metro Police officers in relation to Breonna Taylor's death. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday charges include violating Taylor's civil rights, unlawful conspiracies, unconstitutional use of force, and obstruction offenses.The officers charged include former LMPD detectives Joshua Jaynes and Brett Hankison, and current LMPD Sgt. Kyle Meany and detective Kelly Goodlett.LMPD Police Chief Erika Shields says termination procedures for Meany and Goodlett have begun.Jaynes, who was the lead investigator in the case, was the officer who signed the search warrant that lead to Taylor's death on March 13, 2020.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/investigations/breonna-taylor-case-lmpd-officers-arrested-charged-doj-fbi-investigation/417-dc411eda-4a7c-460c-a0c3-2f8a8f8218c6Robinhood, a popular app that allows users to buy and sell stock without paying commission or account minimums, is closing its Charlotte office as company layoffs continue. The Uptown office opened last year, promising to bring hundreds of jobs to Mecklenburg County. Charlotte-based employees will begin working under Robinhood's "work from anywhere" remote model, company spokesperson Casey Becker told WCNC Charlotte. It's unclear how many Robinhood workers are based in Charlotte or when the office will be closed.The fintech firm's move to Uptown was seen as a revival of sorts, with Charlotte's center being mostly empty due to the COVID-19 pandemic after years of growth and a thriving corporate environment. Robinhood stock made its Wall Street debut in July of 2021. The company introduced millions of people to investing and went viral for the Gamestop saga of 2021 which saw stock prices rise rapidly and cause volatility in the market. CEO Vlad Tenev announced another round of layoffs and corporate reorganization on Aug. 2. Tenev said Robinhood would be letting go of 23% of its workforce, after cutting 9% of employees earlier this year.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/robinhood-uptown-charlotte-office-closing/275-e07d97cf-9fec-46ae-a965-d03c87bbfec7Plus, Duke Energy is offering customers a $75 gift card to adjust their smart thermostats. Would you sign up for the program?Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, North Carolina is one of few states in the South where abortions are legal for up to 20 weeks, but in a press conference with fellow Democrats, Attorney General Josh Stein says that could change depending on which party leads the state after the November elections.Stein said more than 30% of people making appointments at abortion facilities in North Carolina are from out of state. Wednesday, the attorney general vowed to continue fighting to protect laws allowing them to do so.“I have a message for the woman of North Carolina -- no matter what the Supreme Court said in the DOBS case, you have a legal right to an abortion here in this state," Stein said.Stein was joined by two other elected leaders and a doctor in Wednesday's news conference as he voiced concerns abortion rights could be at stake come November elections. North Carolina is one of a few states in the region with the least restrictive abortion laws. “North Carolina currently stands as a safe haven in the South, but we need to fight to keep it that way," U.S. Congresswoman Deborah Ross said. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/democratic-leaders-nc-vow-fight-abortion-rights/275-b4c22bd9-0951-4807-8eaf-aa7aaf3197dcRobinhood, a popular app that allows users to buy and sell stock without paying commission or account minimums, is closing its Charlotte office as company layoffs continue. The Uptown office opened last year, promising to bring hundreds of jobs to Mecklenburg County. Charlotte-based employees will begin working under Robinhood's "work from anywhere" remote model, company spokesperson Casey Becker told WCNC Charlotte. It's unclear how many Robinhood workers are based in Charlotte or when the office will be closed.The fintech firm's move to Uptown was seen as a revival of sorts, with Charlotte's center being mostly empty due to the COVID-19 pandemic after years of growth and a thriving corporate environment. Robinhood stock made its Wall Street debut in July of 2021. The company introduced millions of people to investing and went viral for the Gamestop saga of 2021 which saw stock prices rise rapidly and cause volatility in the market. CEO Vlad Tenev announced another round of layoffs and corporate reorganization on Aug. 2. Tenev said Robinhood would be letting go of 23% of its workforce, after cutting 9% of employees earlier this year.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/robinhood-uptown-charlotte-office-closing/275-e07d97cf-9fec-46ae-a965-d03c87bbfec7Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

The city of Rock Hill is asking a judge to dismiss it as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by York County earlier this summer over the Panthers' failed training camp and headquarters. In the lawsuit, York County says it lost millions of dollars when the project collapsed after Rock Hill failed to issue bonds for the construction. The county is seeking damages from David Tepper's companies and the city of Rock Hill, blaming them for the project's demise. Rock Hill failed to issue $225 million in bonds to pay for public infrastructure, like roads and sidewalks, related to the Panthers' headquarters construction. The lawsuit states, "Rock Hill failed to issue required bonds, the development project collapsed, and the City and the Tepper Defendants were left blaming each other."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/nfl/panthers/rock-hill-york-county-lawsuit-dismissal-motion-carolina-panthers-headquarters-project-collapse/275-aa31c3ca-a018-4970-b945-25971c51acefCharlotte FC was set to host the Columbus Crew at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday for a long-awaited rematch. But instead of seeing which team would rain on the other's parade, it turned out Mother Nature would rain on it - literally.Before kickoff, lightning near the stadium forced a weather delay that spanned more than three hours. Then the match finally got started just after 10 p.m., but just mere minutes in, the storms rolled back around.It would be nearly two hours before Charlotte FC shared the official news: the rematch with Columbus was postponed to a later date. On Tuesday, Charlotte FC announced the match was rescheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. The game will recommence in the 16th minute.Plus, a new study found that 39% of college graduates would choose a different field of study if they could go back. Would you pick the same thing if you could do it over?READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/soccer/charlotte-fc/charlotte-fc-faces-off-against-columbus-crew-at-bank-of-america-stadium/275-445a08d6-c6fd-4ae7-8176-c066d308daed

Health officials announced there are now 33 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Mecklenburg County, nearly doubling last week's case count of 18. During a news conference Monday, county health leaders said the Mecklenburg County Health Department will receive an extra 2,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine. There are approximately 1,800 people on the waiting list to be vaccinated. Monday's update also revealed there has been local transmission of monkeypox in Mecklenburg County. Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington said there previously was no evidence of local spread in the county. Washington said Mecklenburg is seeing the doubling of monkeypox cases every three to four days. The health department is working "with urgency" to stem this trend with vaccines and education.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/monkeypox-mecklenburg-county-case-update-vaccine-waiting-list-public-health-department/275-03331034-47b8-4f16-b075-3d14d401cb43The Clover School District Board of Trustees held a special meeting Monday to vote on a bond resolution for the November ballot, ultimately giving the green light to a $156 million bond referendum. This comes after voters failed to pass last year’s proposed $196 million bond request. The district met up weeks ago to build consensus around the resolution, with some board members expressing interest in constructing a new high school. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/clover-school-meeting-bond-nov-ballot/275-3ae3bdf5-2dae-4203-8ec5-be03f53141e9Plus, What is the best part of your morning routine? Do you like hopping in the shower to start your day or is reaching for your phone to get caught up the first thing you do after rolling out of bed? Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Days after ending his COVID-19 isolation, President Joe Biden has tested positive for the virus again, his physician said Saturday. Biden's treatment included a five-day course of Paxlovid, an antiviral drug used to treat COVID-19 that has helped prevent more severe illness. His physician said Biden is one of a small percentage of Paxlovid patients who "rebound" and test positive again. "After testing negative on Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning, Thursday morning and Friday morning, the President tested positive late Saturday morning, by antigen testing," wrote Dr. Kevin O'Connor in a letter. "This in fact represents 'rebound' positivity."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-positive-covid-test-paxlovid-rebound/507-4977ebee-0147-4ab4-8caf-820728ddc680Will all school districts offer free lunch for all students? No, not all school districts will offer free lunch for all students.WHAT WE FOUNDScreen says a balanced will offmeal can make all the difference in a kid's day, which is why lunch is so important. During the height of the pandemic, federal waivers were put in place that allowed all schools to offer free meals for all students, regardless of family income status. "In March of 2020 everyone across the country got free lunch and that extended all last year," says Marshall.However, those waivers have now expired. "This year it's going back to the way it was before. We need to apply in order to receive lunch," says Marshall.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/school-districts-free-lunch-waivers/275-e4fbce79-cc93-40b3-9f92-d1a4d959e361Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Republican lawmakers in the North Carolina General Assembly are calling on a federal judge to reinstate North Carolina's 20-week abortion ban. It's the latest decision from conservatives to restrict abortion access in North Carolina, which is one of the only states in the South to allow abortion. Meanwhile, Democrats have pledged to fight for women's right to choose. Tradesha Woodard will have the latest on the motion to reinstate the ban and what could be next ahead of midterm elections. A Charlotte mother filed a lawsuit against Abbott, the maker of Similac baby formula, saying the company misled parents and doctors that its products are safe for premature babies. The lawsuit comes after the woman's daughter died after drinking a cow-based formula, which led to a deadly condition in premature babies. Richard DeVayne has the details on the lawsuit and why attorneys in the case say Abbott's comments against the lawsuit don't add up. Plus, if you're still unable to smell after having COVID-19, you're not alone. In fact, new research shows roughly 27 million people haven't regained their senses despite an otherwise full recovery. Ben Thompson connects the dots on the long-term impacts of losing your sense of smell and why you shouldn't panic just yet. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. and join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A hearing Wednesday ended with a key decision to release the body camera video of Joshua Rohrer's October 2021 arrest by Gastonia Police.In North Carolina, a judge has the power to tell the police to share the video with the public. Months after the arrest went viral, the video will now be released to the public.Joshua Rohrer was arrested on charges of panhandling and resisting arrest in October. According to Rohrer, his service dog Sunshine Rae was shot with a stun gun during the encounter. While she was in the care of Rohrer's veteran advocate, she ran away and later died after being struck by a car.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/gastonia-hearing-court-homeless-veteran-arrest/275-e6525b42-3cc5-4ce5-b4a1-509a7d67e700COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the Carolinas are crawling back up once again.In South Carolina, state COVID-19 numbers are up 13% and in North Carolina data shows numbers are up 17%, reaching the highest level it’s seen since last February.That’s why health officials on both sides of the Carolinas are working to increase the lagging vaccination rate among children. They’re encouraging parents to take action to combat the unwanted trend.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-19-hospital-data-trend-charlotte-sc-nc/275-87ff6067-6614-4089-a94e-4d6225c2a004Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A construction worker at Charlotte Douglas International Airport died when they were electrocuted over the weekend, officials said. The North Carolina Department of Labor confirmed the incident happened around midnight Sunday. A spokesperson for the NCDOL said the worker was an employee of Rosendin Electric. An investigation surrounding the incident is underway by the Occupational Safety and Health Division. NCDOL officials said it may take several months to complete the investigation. The worker who died has not been identified.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/charlotte-douglas-international-airport-worker-electrocuted-investigation/275-e06d043e-ba70-4029-8950-68d8778697f8Part of the new lobby at Charlotte Douglas International Airport is finally opening up.After years of construction and frustration at the airport, this marks the first phase of the $3 billion terminal expansion projectConstruction will continue on the east side of the terminal lobby, and renovations of the existing departures/ticketing and arrivals/baggage claim areas will kick off at the end of the month. "It is still under construction. So while this phase is opening, there are still things that you'll see that aren't quite finished yet," Christine said. "Some of those will be finished by next week. Some of it will actually take us a little bit more time."Eventually, the current five security checkpoints will be consolidated into three larger ones, with one more lane than the airport has today and additional technology to increase capacity.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/travel/charlotte-douglas-international-airport-terminal-lobby-expansion/275-e3ff113b-e8b5-4085-974e-a06056ac95a7Plus, because of the gun violence in Durham, North Carolina, some residents – including children – are learning how to treat gunshot victims.The training was requested by the resident council president at the McDougald Terrace public housing complex. On this episode of #WakeUpCLT To Go, we're discussing whether children should be trained to treat gunshot victims or if it should be left to first responders. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, Greenville Women’s Clinic, and two physicians have filed suit against the state of South Carolina, Attorney General Alan Wilson and others who would impose the six-week abortion ban that comes in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Rove vs. Wade.The new six-week abortion ban prohibits abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat and carries felony criminal penalties and civil liability for those performing an abortion.The lawsuit also states “In particular, the Act is an attack on families with low incomes, South Carolinians of color, and rural South Carolinians, who already face inequities in access to medical care and who will bear the brunt of the law’s cruelties. South Carolinians face a critical shortage of reproductive health care providers, including obstetrician-gynecologists, and the rate at which South Carolinians, particularly Black South Carolinians, die from pregnancy-related causes is shockingly high.”In response to this lawsuit, SC Attorney General Alan Wilson counters the state's Constitution's Section 10 dealing with privacy issues -- and adopted in 1971 -- dealt with protecting citizens from improper surveillance of electronic devices and computer data banks. He said, ""The committee simply did not intend or understand the provision to extend any further. It certainly did not intend to confer a state constitutional right to abortion." READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/restraining-order-sought-for-south-carolinas-6-week-abortion-ban-richland-county-court-planned-parenthood/101-f04fd3d6-2056-4560-a6b1-5f56882e88e9A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spokesperson confirms that the school district has approved the clear backpack sale last Friday for $85,000.It's about a fifth of what the district spent to buy the bags, close to half a million dollars.A spokesperson for CMS told WCNC that the decision to accept the bid was a "cabinet-level decision."District leaders opted to put the approximately 46,000 backpacks up for auction after it was discovered they came with a Proposition 65 cancer warning from the state of California.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-clear-backpacks-bid-auction-sale/275-fd8549d0-5b4d-4537-88c4-f23257b0cd61Plus, there is an election Tuesday in places including the cities of Charlotte, Hickory, Statesville and Mooresville. Voters will decide who holds political offices including the mayor and other city officials. FULL ELECTION GUIDE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/what-you-need-to-know-election-day-tuesday-july-26-charlotte-hickory-statesville-mooresville/275-19a27265-e180-4a8c-89a3-61c4acb16150Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

The company behind a natural gas odor that was reported all across Charlotte on July 14 said it violated Mecklenburg County's 'objectionable odor rule.'In a statement, Legacy Environmental Services said it was "informed of a Notice of Objectionable Odor from Mecklenburg County Air Quality."The company said it is cooperating with the county to complete its investigation.The natural gas odor was reported in NoDa, Uptown and South End, among other parts of Charlotte. Multiple buildings in Uptown Charlotte were evacuated due to the possibility of a gas leak. Wells Fargo notified employees that they would be allowed to work from home for the remainder of the day.Charlotte city officials received so many 911 calls that an emergency alert was issued to cellphones in the area advising people to not report the smell.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/company-behind-charlotte-odor-violated-meck-countys-objectionable-odor-rule-natural-gas-legacy-environmental-services-july-smell/275-f046d078-f7ca-4f67-9e6f-1ae5e7a24c85Emergency workers have recovered a person that drowned in Lake Norman.On Sunday, the Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue said they were searching for a drowning victim in the area of the Peninsula Yacht Club on Lake Norman.Several agencies were at the scene attempting to locate the person.Around 11 p.m., workers stated they had located the body of the deceased person.WCNC is attempting to learn more about this incident. More information will be provided when it is available.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/one-person-drowns-at-lake-norman-officials-say-north-carolina-death/275-c323c760-a40c-42a0-a66a-ab57502f3c99Plus, Ben, Larry and Ruby discuss first dates and drinking. How important is drinking in your dating life? How many times have you said "Let's meet up for a drink," or have been invited for a cocktail by a potential date? Is dating and drinking a good mix? Well, post-pandemic some people being more intentional about their alcohol intake or are ditching the liquor altogether and adopting the "sober" title. And dating app Bumble is helping it's members wear it as a badge of honor. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

Many are in search of their dream home -- a place to plant roots with a street to raise their children on. But that dream could become a nightmare for some. In just a few months, the Mecklenburg County Assessor's Office will lay out the new property taxes after revaluation. In short, you will find out how much you'll pay just to live there. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app.In 2019, we saw a big hike in property taxes. When this happened, many community members were outraged and said lower-income families couldn't afford the increase and were forced out due to gentrification.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/markets/real-estate/mecklenburg-county-property-taxes-revaluation/275-4b32ef50-a970-49ed-9f72-4665e30bcb18Vice President Kamala Harris advocated for affordable access to high-speed internet during a visit to Charlotte Thursday. She spoke of the Biden administration's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which was part of the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Harris continued her trip to North Carolina despite President Joe Biden testing positive for COVID-19. Harris told the crowd at Carole Hoefener Center in Uptown Charlotte Thursday that said she spoke to Biden by phone Thursday morning and he is "doing well."Biden, who was not scheduled to travel with the vice president, remains in Washington where he is said to be experiencing "mild symptoms" from COVID-19.Harris and Biden last saw each other in person Tuesday.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/national-politics/vp-harris-charlotte-nc-visit-politics-internet/275-57ab7a66-b6d8-4367-8e8a-98eb40f86537Plus, as a front lingers south of the Piedmont, expect a few showers and storms Friday afternoon, especially south of Charlotte. It'll still be a hot and humid day regardless with highs in the low-mid 90s. Heat Index temperatures will be over 100 degrees.On this episode of #WakeUpCLT To Go, forecaster Larry Sprinkle is joined by Ben Thompson to have a full weekend forecast for the Charlotte, North Carolina area. In this video, Larry Sprinkle will have the weekend forecast for North Carolina and South Carolina for Friday July 22 through Sunday, July 24. From the heat dome causing extreme heat to our chances of storms, Larry will break down what you can expect before making plans in the Charlotte metro area. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!