WCNC Charlotte To Go

Charlotte FC's club academy facility will not be housed at the Eastland mall, at least for now.Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE), which owns Charlotte FC as well as the Carolina Panthers, announced they no longer had plans to be involved with the redevelopment of the Eastland Mall."After a great deal of consideration, the timeline for the Eastland project posed challenges that led us to research expedited alternatives," Tepper Sports said in a statement. "We continue to work towards a practice facility for Charlotte FC’s first team, the club’s academy and its MLS Next Pro team and will provide updates as our plans are finalized." TSE noted that while they have no plans at this time to have a presence at Eastland, they are open to discussions.Additionally, TSE added that since they took Bank of America Stadium over in 2018, they have contributed over $70 million in facility improvements and doubled events taking place all without public funding from the city of Charlotte.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/tepper-sports-plans-eastland-mall-redevelopment-charlotte-fc-panthers-north-carolina-david-tepper/275-bb809144-92c2-4349-822c-1bd68e712263Charlotte transportation officials met Wednesday to discuss the possibility of allowing more tolls on Interstate 77, stretching from Uptown to the South Carolina border. The North Carolina Department of Transportation says it received a request from an unidentified company to build toll lanes to the South Carolina state line. NCDOT said it must be formally approved by Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization before it can analyze the proposal. Any toll projects in North Carolina must be requested and approved by the local planning organization, NCDOT said citing state law. NCDOT issued a statement saying the proposal is only a concept and not anywhere close to being approved, and went further saying it's not "advocating for any particular path forward" regarding I-77 tolls.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/more-tolls-proposed-interstate-77-charlotte-south-carolina-state-border/275-b3ad3d8d-ff1e-4f4c-ba51-b2dcb50756b9

Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., was arrested Tuesday afternoon while protesting for abortion rights and reproductive justice at the Supreme Court, her staff announced on Twitter.Adams tweeted earlier in the day that she would be participating in a protest for reproductive freedom and abortion rights with fellow members of the Democratic Women's Caucus. "We will not be silent as our fundamental rights are under attack," Adams tweeted. Adams issued a statement following the incident, calling the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade "fundamentally wrong."“I took part in this protest today for all of the people who feel unheard after the decision in the Dobbs case," Adams said. "The Supreme Court’s decision was fundamentally wrong, so I will continue to put my body on the line - and record my votes in House - in defense of abortion rights.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/alma-adams-protest-nc-charlotte-abortion-rights-supreme-court/275-f6242c4e-8aa3-4e29-b93c-049fd9fa9ac2Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón's office has filed domestic violence charges against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges Bridges, 24, faces one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.According to the criminal complaint, the alleged assault on Bridges' girlfriend happened in front of their two children on or around June 27 and 28.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/los-angeles-county-district-attorney-domestic-violence-charges-miles-bridges/275-1c8b4cd3-1448-49fe-8407-48fc385d4fe0Plus, The Carolina Panthers will wear black helmets for the first time in franchise history this season, with the team announcing a new alternate uniform combo Tuesday. On this episode of #WakeUpCLT To Go, we're getting a better look at the Panthers' new alternate threads and sharing some of the fan responses on social media. Panthers fans have been clamoring for an all-black look for years but NFL rules prevented the team from having alternate helmets in recent seasons. Now, as part of the new color rush uniforms, teams are allowed to have an alternate helmet and the Panthers are making the popular switch! 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!

It’s the last week to vote early in the City of Charlotte’s general election, which is on Tuesday, July 26. There are 14 early voting locations across Charlotte that voters can pick from. When going early, voters can choose the location most convenient for them. However, on election day, voters must go to the precinct they're assigned. Charlotte has 166 precincts. Voters can check what precinct they're assigned to online.Candidates for Charlotte's mayor and city council are on the ballot, so only city residents can vote in this election. Voter Anita Shipman told WCNC Charlotte she participated in this election because "it all starts locally," so she wants to make sure her voice is heard.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/elections/vote-early-charlotte-city-election/275-abbda976-c9b6-4bee-b312-1d3d043bec15 Two former White House aides are expected to testify at the House Jan. 6 committee's prime-time hearing Thursday as the panel examines what Donald Trump was doing as his supporters broke into the Capitol, according to a person familiar with the plans.Matthew Pottinger, former deputy national security adviser, and Sarah Matthews, a former press aide, are expected to testify, according to the person, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and requested anonymity. Both Pottinger and Matthews resigned immediately after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection that interrupted the congressional certification of President Joe Biden's victory.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/former-white-house-aides-testify-next-jan-6-hearing/507-28ce563d-f140-4440-ba17-96520cd9a55cWatch 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, the Wake Up Charlotte team discusses the future of Charlotte's Epicentre. In a week the Epicentre will be auctioned off. What do you think should happen to it?

Nearly 400 law enforcement officials rushed to a mass shooting at a Uvalde elementary school, but “egregiously poor decision-making” resulted in more than an hour of chaos before the gunman who took 21 lives was finally confronted and killed, according to a damning investigative report released Sunday.The nearly 80-page report was the first to criticize both state and federal law enforcement, and not just local authorities in the South Texas town for the bewildering inaction by heavily armed officers as a gunman fired inside two fourth-grade classrooms at Robb Elementary School, killing 19 students and two teachers.Altogether, the report and more than three hours of newly released body camera footage from the May 24 tragedy amounted to the fullest account to date of one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history. Some families blasted police as cowards and demanded resignations.“At Robb Elementary, law enforcement responders failed to adhere to their active shooter training, and they failed to prioritize saving innocent lives over their own safety," the report said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/uvalde-damning-report/507-6bc43e55-00c9-407f-b6b4-f284f239da3ePolice are investigating a shooting at Greenwood Park Mall that happened around 6 p.m. Sunday.Four people are dead and police tell 13News the shooter is among those killed. Greenwood Police Chief James Ison said two others were wounded in the shooting and were being treated at area hospitals. Early Monday morning, Johnson County Coroner Michael Pruitt identified those who had died as three males and one female. That includes the shooter, who police have only identified as an adult male.Chief Ison previously stated Sunday night, before the coroner's investigation, that those shot included one male and four females.The coroner's office is working with the Marion County Coroner's Office on positive identification of those who died. Their identifies are expected to be released some time Monday morning.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/multiple-victims-reported-in-shooting-at-greenwood-park-mall/531-df15bbf5-8eca-4220-b149-7de4735fbe37Watch 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!

With continuing employment issues causing delays, CATS will be reducing the number of trips some buses will take. Richard DeVayne will have the latest on what this means for bus riders in Charlotte and which routes will be affected. A new omicron subvariant, BA.5, is now the dominant strain of coronavirus in the United States. And while it's early, experts say this could be the most contagious strain. Ben Thompson connects the dots on what this means for people who are vaccinated and why doctors are trying to get everyone's attention before it's too late. Plus, we have your morning rush with all the biggest headlines from the Carolinas. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police released its mid-year crime stats for 2022 and Ivana Trump, the former wife of former President Donald Trump, died. 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!

German automaker BMW announced it will be selling $18 monthly subscriptions for customers to use the heated seats in their cars. All vehicles will come equipped with the parts for heated seats, but only customers who pay the subscription fee will have access to use them. What do you think? Would you pay to use heated seats in your car? Text us at 704-329-3600!A new lawsuit was filed in South Carolina Tuesday challenging the state's new fetal heartbeat abortion law. Under the law, most abortions are illegal after six weeks of pregnancy, before most women even know they're pregnant. Tradesha Woodard has the latest on the lawsuit, why the plaintiffs say the abortion ban is a bad law and the push by state lawmakers to impose even stricter regulations on abortion in South Carolina. Richard DeVayne reports on the latest developments with the Eastland Mall open-air flea market site. Vendors pleaded with Charlotte City Council for help finding a new spot, then 48 hours after the meeting, Councilman Tariq Bokhari and his staff claimed to have it figured out. Vendors told WCNC Charlotte they're excited to get back out and sell. Many vendors lost thousands of dollars worth of products and revenue. And finally, gas prices are finally going down! Can we get an amen?! With drivers finally paying around $4 (and sometimes less) how long will the prices stay that low? Ben Thompson connects the dots on the price of oil, what could happen this fall and just how cheap gas industry experts say we could see fuel across the Carolinas. 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-Mecklenburg Schools will spend nearly $10 million on body scanners in all its middle and high schools. Most of the area high schools already have body scanners. At a school board meeting, interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh said middle schools will start seeing them in the first few months of the school year.There were reports of long lines, learning curves, and skeptics’ when CMS first started its pilot program of body scanners."It's been taking some time obviously," Juan Torres Muñoz, the CMS Board Student Advisor said, "because it's a new technology." Torres Munoz’s school was one of the first to have body scanners. Hattabaugh said the technology will cost $9.9 million and include a four-year service subscription, and staff training."We will begin to finish out our seven large comprehensive high schools to expedite the scanning processes," Hattabaugh said. "And then we'll go to our middle 6-8, our specialty high schools, and lastly, our K-8 schools."Board members asked for more.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-spends-nearly-10-million-body-scanners-middle-high-schools/275-e5cdebd3-cac5-4c10-82b3-1838c56892b2South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh is expected to be indicted by a grand jury on murder charges in last year's killings of his wife and son, NBC News reported Tuesday. A possible indictment is the latest twist in the sprawling scandal that's engulfed Murdaugh's legal dynasty. Three sources close to the investigation told NBC News the grand jury will indict Murdaugh later this week on double murder. The family has been notified of the indictment and so has Murdaugh. Part of the indictment is based on new evidence presented to the grand jury.Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin, Murdaugh's attorneys, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying they were unaware of a decision to indict their client. "We have not been advised by anyone associated with law enforcement or the Attorney General's office that Alex will be charged with murder. I am aware that SLED advised the family that they intend to seek murder indictments from a grand jury later this week. We won't have any comment until charges are actually brought against Alex," the statement reads.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/alex-murdaugh-indictment-murder-investigation/275-78b1043a-bd73-457d-aac4-04447ecf0460Watch 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!

Black Americans are far more likely to be denied mortgages, according to Zillow an online real-estate firm.This means homeownership may be out of reach for many people, but Charlotte programs are trying to help residents achieve the American Dream and own a home. “In Charlotte right now, homeownership among people of color has dropped," President of DreamKey Partners, Julie Porter said. “For white folks, it’s about 77%, for black and Hispanic people it’s in the low 40’s."Porter says they're working to create more opportunities for people of color to own a home by creating more affordable housing and offering down payment loan options through the House Charlotte Program.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/markets/real-estate/homeownership-among-poc-has-dropped/275-29216198-4cc5-45f0-ad32-e58f219e7d1fThe average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline plunged 19 cents over the past two weeks to $4.86 per gallon.Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the continued decline comes as crude oil costs also fall.“Assuming oil prices do not shoot up from here, motorists may see prices drop another 10-20 cents as the oil price cuts continue making their way to street level,” Lundberg said in a statement.The average price at the pump is down 24 cents over the past month, but it's $1.66 higher than it was one year ago.Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas was in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $6.14 per gallon. The lowest average was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at $4.19 per gallon.According to the survey, the average price of diesel dropped 13 cents since June 24 to $5.76 a gallon.Gas prices in much of the United States shot past the $5 a gallon mark last month before a slight drop, and Americans have responded by driving a bit less, two sets of data show. June gas sales are about 5% below pre-pandemic 2019 levels and 2.6% below a year ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/average-us-gasoline-price-plunges/507-c92fccad-9bfa-4d2d-a5eb-571556635fa3Watch 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!

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a divisive arch-conservative and one of his nation's most powerful and influential figures, has died after being shot during a campaign speech Friday in western Japan, hospital officials said.Abe, 67, was shot from behind minutes after he started his speech in Nara. He was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment but was not breathing and his heart had stopped. He was later pronounced dead despite emergency treatment that included massive blood transfusions, hospital officials said.Police arrested the suspected gunman at the scene of an attack that shocked many in Japan, which is one of the world’s safest nations and has some of the strictest gun control laws anywhere.Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Cabinet ministers hastily returned to Tokyo from campaign events around the country after the shooting, which he called “dastardly and barbaric."Nara Medical University emergency department chief Hidetada Fukushima said Abe suffered major damage to his heart in addition to two neck wounds that damaged an artery, causing extensive bleeding. He was in a state of cardio and pulmonary arrest when he arrived at the hospital and never regained his vital signs, Fukushima said.Abe was Japan’s longest-serving leader before stepping down in 2020.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/shinzo-abe-assassinated/507-7691dd2f-13f3-4705-af0c-8e1c2f1b8198South Carolina lawmakers held a public hearing Thursday to consider banning nearly all abortions in the state, following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last month to overturn Roe v. Wade.Many speakers shared personal stories.Aaron Cameron Popkin of Spartanburg told lawmakers he was a father of three children he called "survivors." “We lost three other children before they were born. All three died in my wife's body and required medical professionals to operate and save my wife’s life," said Popkin. "That procedure is not a flippant decision, it’s a live-saving procedure some legislation would ban.""My mother was shocked and possibly disappointed when I took my first breath because I survived an abortion by induction," said one woman. Outside of the packed room, demonstrators from both sides chanted for and against abortion access. Many of them waited in line for hours for the opportunity to speak their mind in front of lawmakers. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/sc-house-lawmakers-first-public-testimony-total-abortion-ban/101-2a7f0040-8f39-4995-b3c4-b2c88353e1aaWatch 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 will be facing multiple charges in connection with a police chase that resembled Grand Theft Auto more than real life Wednesday afternoon. The suspect is accused of stealing multiple vehicles, crashing at least twice and carjacking someone in Ballantyne during the incident. Richard DeVayne has the latest on the investigation and what charges the unnamed suspect will face when he's released from the hospital. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper took executive action to protection abortion access in the state, but lawmakers in South Carolina are going the other way. Tradesha Woodward has an update on the house committee meeting that will see state leaders consider even tougher restrictions against abortion, which is already illegal after 6 weeks in South Carolina. And finally, the Panthers have a new quarterback. Baker Mayfield will be coming to the Carolinas in exchange for a 2024 draft pick. He was so ready to get out of Cleveland that he gave up $3.5 million to make it happen. So what does it mean for the Panthers? Can he take the starting job from Sam Darnold or is it another move that doesn't make a splash for the organization? 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 prosecutor in suburban Chicago said Tuesday that the gunman accused of attacking an Independence Day parade has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder.Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart promised that dozens more charges would be sought. He added that the suspect, if convicted of murder, would receive a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.The gunman who attacked an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago, killing at least seven people, legally bought two high-powered rifles and three other weapons despite authorities being called to his home twice since 2019 after he threatened suicide and violence, police said Tuesday.A spokesman for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force told a news conference that the suspected shooter, who was arrested late Monday, used a high-powered rifle “similar to an AR-15" to spray more than 70 rounds from atop a commercial building into a crowd that had gathered for the parade in Highland Park, an affluent community of about 30,000 on the Lake Michigan shore.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/police-highland-park-parade-gunman-fired-more-than-70-rounds-wore-disguise/507-92739728-ca10-4435-8b89-ca8887105b47 There could be an escape from traffic in a popular Rock Hill area. A brand-new road extension behind the Galleria Mall is now open, connecting Galleria Boulevard to Red River Road. County leaders said the newly paved 2,000-foot addition will help ease congestion on Dave Lyle Blvd.Less than a week since its debut, residents are already seeing a difference.“I can actually take that backroad to get to work a lot quicker," Rock Hill resident Phillip Ingram said. "It cuts out a lot of traffic lights for those mornings that I wake up and I’m running a little bit late."The $7 million project is paid for by the Pennies for Progress tax. Patrick Hamilton, who oversees the program, said the road has been planned since the first section of Galleria Boulevard was built years ago, and it is designed with future development in mind.“We don’t want somebody to come in and tear up the road in a few years to add in driveways or turn lanes," Hamilton said. "Those features are already there so whenever it does get built out, the road will not be torn back up to make those improvements." https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/new-road-helps-rock-hill-traffic/275-d2b2c263-28fd-469f-a622-87c385a74c37Watch 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 gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said.Authorities said a man named as a person of interest in the shooting was taken into police custody Monday evening after an hourslong manhunt in and around Highland Park, an affluent community of about 30,000 on Chicago’s north shore. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/highland-park-july-4-parade-shooting/507-db5f2f84-d1c6-4442-b329-906696ab533bRight now, 38.5 cents from every gallon of gas you put in your tank goes toward road construction projects in North Carolina. However, as more drivers make the switch to electric or more fuel-efficient vehicles, the state says funding from the gas tax won't be enough to pay for future transportation projects.As state officials work to find a replacement for the gas tax, North Carolina drivers can take part in a pilot study: Making a switch from paying by the gallon to paying by the mile.It's called a mileage-based user fee.Drivers keep track of the mileage on their odometer or attach a small device to their car's on-board computer to log miles. Then, drivers get a bill to pay at the end of the month.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/gas-prices/driver-volunteers-wanted-study-new-way-pay-road-maintenance/275-ba67bc3d-cd6c-46f7-9d32-6aba1da68e5bWatch 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!

Thousands of American Airlines flights were left without pilots through the end of July after a system glitch this weekend.In a statement, the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline confirmed there was a technical issue with the company's "pilot trip trading system" that allowed pilots to drop their scheduled flights."As a result of this technical glitch, certain trip trading transactions were able to be processed when it shouldn't have been permitted," the statement read.According to a report from ABC News, the American Airlines pilots' union said the issue affected at least 12,000 flights from July 3 through the end of the month.In their statement, the airline said: "We already have restored the vast majority of the affected trips and do not anticipate any operational impact because of this issue."American did not specify how many flights were affected by the glitch.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/travel/thousands-american-airlines-flights-without-pilots-system-glitch/287-0a6ffd59-d89d-4ea8-9d8c-73049ddf31adOne man is dead after officials say he drowned on Sunday during what has been a busy day for rescue crews.According to a release, the Oak Island Water Rescue, Fire Department, and Police Department were called to a beach access location around Sunday at 2:04 p.m. in reference to a swimmer in distress.Bystanders pulled the swimmer to shore and attempted CPR before the rescue crew arrived. Life-saving measures were attempted but were unsuccessful. Kevin Whitley, a 52-year-old man from Hickory, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the release.Oak Island officials say more than half a dozen similar calls have been made in the area just on Sunday. Tropical Storm Colin's impact is causing rough conditions on the Carolina coast.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/hickory-man-drowns-at-nc-beach-north-carolina-beach-rescue-oak-island-tropical-storm-colin-kevin-whitley/275-f2af320b-ce6b-4eef-8dfa-4ebe87612e45

On Thursday, a judge sentenced a woman in connection the killing of a 20-year-old woman in Charlotte's NoDa neighborhood. Kelly Lavery, one of four people arrested in connection to the murder, was sentenced to 25-32 years in prison for the death of Mary Collins. Prosecutors say Collins was lured to an apartment and then brutally killed during the first COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. Collins' friends and family described her as sweet, kind and innocent. On March 28, 2020, authorities said Kelly Lavery and Lavi Pham sent Collins an Uber because she didn't drive and lured her to their apartmentDetectives said Lavery and Pham were in a relationship, and Collins knew the pair because she had previously briefly dated Pham. She thought she was heading to hang out with friends. Police believe Lavery, Pham and their friend Jimmy Salerno attacked Collins when she arrived.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/mary-collins-homicide-suspects-court-appearance/275-0dc80821-12c5-4d99-bfa1-c8315ed52dbfIt's a budding business. A law that makes the sale of hemp products legal in North Carolina was about to expire, but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed legislation on Thursday that keeps the state's burgeoning hemp industry operating lawfully.The General Assembly had given final approval Wednesday to language that would make hemp products for industrial use and others with personal care uses like CBD permanently exempt from the state's list of illegal drugs.Such language was required by the end of June so that North Carolina growers could keep participating in a production program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The state had run its own pilot production program for several years until recently.There are more than 1,500 licensed hemp producers in the state.“Agriculture is North Carolina’s largest industry and giving North Carolina farmers certainty that they can continue to participate in this growing market is the right thing to do for rural communities and our economy,” Cooper said in a news release announcing he had signed three bills.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/hemp-could-become-illegal-north-carolina/275-fe1d8211-dc0c-42b8-9176-74f849a408cdWatch 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!

Bruton Smith, the founder of Speedway Motorsports, the parent company of Charlotte Motor Speedway, will be laid to rest Thursday during a public funeral in Charlotte. Smith's life will be celebrated at Central Church on Sardis Road. The service, which is open to the public, will begin at 1 p.m. Charlotte Motor Speedway will provide a livestream for those who are unable to attend Smith's funeral. Smith died of natural causes on June 22. The 95-year-old visionary got his start as a promoter in the 1950s after serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He bought his first race car for $700 when he was 17 years old. During his 2016 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction speech, Smith said he gave up aspirations of being a race driver when his mother prayed for him to quit.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/motor/nascar/bruton-smith-charlotte-motor-speedway-founder-funeral-plan-stream/275-72d70226-d8ed-4a2d-8918-1b6a3781530fFallen R&B superstar R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison Wednesday for using his fame to subject young fans — some just children — to systematic sexual abuse.Through tears and anger, several of Kelly's accusers told a court, and him, that he had preyed on them and misled his fans.“You made me do things that broke my spirit. I literally wished I would die because of how low you made me feel,” said one unnamed survivor, directly addressing a Kelly who kept his hands folded and his eyes downcast.“Do you remember that?” she added.Kelly, 55, didn't speak at his sentencing, where he also was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine. The Grammy-winning, multiplatinum-selling singer and songwriter was convicted last year of racketeering and sex trafficking at a trial that gave voice to accusers who had previously wondered if their stories were being ignored because they were Black women.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/r-kelly-sentenced-sex-trafficking-case/67-4b3dd2ab-da01-4b28-a7f1-d6f4379807e5Watch 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 new bill introduced in the South Carolina Senate seeks to ban abortions with few exceptions, going even further than the new Fetal Heartbeat Act that took effect Monday. The "Equal Protection at Conception - No Exceptions" act would outlaw abortions at any stage of pregnancy unless the mother's life is at risk. It was introduced by Sen. Richard Cash of Anderson County, as some state lawmakers consider even stricter limits on abortion in South Carolina. Protesters flooded the State House Tuesday to voice their opposition to the Fetal Heartbeat Act, which outlaws most abortions to six weeks, before most women even realize they're pregnant. South Carolina previously allowed abortions from 20 weeks of pregnancy before the law, previously blocked by a federal court, took effect Monday. The law does allow exceptions due to rape and incest if the fetus is less than 20 weeks along, and in cases to save the mother's life.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/south-carolina-fetal-heartbeat-abortion-ban-protest-columbia-roe-v-wade-overturned/275-0dbf4d51-9020-4db2-9308-273379ba9f38Legal advocates in Mecklenburg County are pushing for the state to expand Medicaid sooner, rather than later.Douglas Sea, senior attorney and senior program manager at the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, said there’s currently a coverage gap in North Carolina that leaves thousands without access to health insurance. He says it's because their income is too high to qualify for Medicaid, but too low for coverage through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace.Sea said expanding Medicaid in the state would add about 600,000 people to the health care program who don’t have access to coverage.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/medicaid-expansion-north-carolina-health-law-politics-news-regional-state/275-8e9cbdff-efea-4d55-a4c8-2b738c5212afWatch 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!

Health officials confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Mecklenburg County Monday, just days after the first case of the illness was reported in North Carolina. Mecklenburg County Public Health said most monkeypox infections last 2-4 weeks. Monkeypox is a rare, but potentially serious, viral illness that typically involves flu-like symptoms, swelling of the lymph nodes and a rash that includes bumps that are initially filled with fluid before scabbing over. Mecklenburg County health leaders are working with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the patient's health care provider to notify any individuals who were in contact with the patient while they were infectious. Monkeypox is typically spread through skin-to-skin contact.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/monkeypox-mecklenburg-county-north-carolina-first-case-confirmed/275-589baedd-25bd-4420-9ac1-6cb1e7364d17 Forty-six people were found dead of heat-related injuries inside a semitruck in far southwest San Antonio on Monday evening, and federal authorities have opened an investigation. San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood said 16 others were taken to local hospitals. Of those, 12 are adults and four are "pediatric" patients. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said three people were taken into custody, but at this time it's unknown whether they're "absolutely connected to this or not."“The plight of migrants seeking refuge is always a humanitarian crisis. Tonight we’re dealing with a horrific human tragedy," San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. The nationalities and ages of the victims haven't been confirmed. If the incident is confirmed as having started as a smuggling attempt, it would be the deadliest such event in U.S. history. Hood said those transported to hospitals appeared to be suffering from heat stroke and exhaustion, adding there were "no signs of water" or working air conditioning in the truck. “We’re not supposed to open up a truck and see stacks of bodies in there," the fire chief added. "None of these people were able to extricate themselves out of the truck, so they were still in there awaiting help when we arrived. Too weak in state to actually get out and help themselves."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/san-antonio-monday-evening-south-side-law-enforcement-police/273-991af328-d8a2-4f82-a1ee-7d6e65123a17Watch 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!

President Joe Biden signed the widest ranging gun violence bill Congress has passed in decades Saturday.The bill is a measured compromise that at once illustrates progress on the long-intractable issue and the deep-seated partisan divide that persists."I was there 30 years ago the last time this nation passed meaningful gun safety laws, and I'm here today to sign the most significant law passed since then," Biden said before signing the bill.The Democratic-led chamber approved the election-year legislation on a mostly party-line 234-193 vote, capping a spurt of action prompted by voters' revulsion over last month’s mass shootings in New York and Texas. The Senate approved the measure late Thursday by a bipartisan 65-33 margin.Every House Democrat and 14 Republicans — six of whom won't be in Congress next year — voted for the measure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., underscored its significance to her party by taking the unusual step of presiding over the vote and announcing the result from the podium, to huzzahs from rank-and-file Democrats on the chamber's floor.Biden said the bill doesn't include all of the measures he wanted, but would help prevent gun violence and aid survivors. "Today, we say more than enough," he said Saturday. "This time, when it seems impossible to get anything done in Washington, we are doing something consequential."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-sign-gun-violence-bill-congress/507-1a6de230-5030-494b-a384-a15ea8c6da33As Charlotte continues to grow, there is a need to reduce the dependence on cars and trucks and other vehicles and the pollution they create. On Monday, the city council will look at mobility issues now as part of its 2040 plan. Leaders know that if not addressed directly, traffic and sprawl would only worsen. Ed McKinney, the Deputy Transportation Director of Charlotte, said we only need to look at other cities for guidance on what can be done."Cities around our country that are doing the same thing, that is achieving the same goals that we are putting in place, so we have peers that show us the way, it's possible," McKinney said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/life/automotive/charlotte-nc-money-mobility-plan/275-c506af5f-4edc-41e2-bb0d-5a0f40089555Watch 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 now has its first case of monkeypox.The state's Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced it confirmed the infection through the State Laboratory of Public Health. While the agency did not disclose where in the state the infected person lives, Atrium Health said Thursday that the case is not from Charlotte. The patient's health care providers are now reaching out to possible close contacts."Though this is the first confirmed case in North Carolina, we know there are likely other cases in the state," Dr. Zack Moore, State Epidemiologist and Epidemiology Section Chief, said. "We are encouraging doctors to consider this in people who have a rash or skin lesion that looks like monkeypox."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/nc-monkeypox-case-health-regional/275-78ac7d47-26cf-4bda-b412-e04bf77d42fbFederal health officials on Thursday ordered Juul to pull its electronic cigarettes from the U.S. market, the latest blow to the embattled company widely blamed for sparking a national surge in teen vaping.The action is part of a sweeping effort by the Food and Drug Administration to bring scientific scrutiny to the multibillion-dollar vaping industry after years of regulatory delays.The FDA said Juul must stop selling its vaping device and its tobacco and menthol flavored cartridges. Those already on the market must be removed. Consumers aren't restricted from having or using Juul’s products, the agency said.To stay on the market, companies must show that their e-cigarettes benefit public health. In practice, that means proving that adult smokers who use them are likely to quit or reduce their smoking, while teens are unlikely to get hooked on them.The FDA noted that some of the biggest sellers like Juul may have played a “disproportionate″ role in the rise in teen vaping. The agency said Thursday that Juul's application didn’t have enough evidence to show that marketing its products “would be appropriate for the protection of the public health.”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/fda-bans-juul-e-cigarettes/507-3cdfe242-14b4-473d-9ebf-94d481c762a1Watch 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 911 Communications is looking for more people to answer the call for service.The unit is currently short 20 telecommunicators, which is about a third of its total workforce.“It’s very important for us to get these positions filled with qualified applicants so that we can serve the community in the way that they should be served,” Suzanna Mauney-Smith, assistant chief of police with the Gaston County Police Department, said.Kaela Kiser has served as a 911 telecommunicator in Gaston County for nearly six years. She said it’s a high-stress job, but it’s also highly rewarding.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/gaston-county-911-telecommunicator-openings/275-b4deb7be-7b7b-474b-9a84-3a2a192d7279The Jan. 6 committee will hear from former Justice Department officials who faced down a relentless pressure campaign from Donald Trump over the 2020 presidential election results while suppressing a bizarre challenge from within their own ranks.The hearing Thursday will bring attention to a memorably turbulent stretch at the department as Trump in his final days in office sought to bend to his will a law enforcement agency that has long cherished its independence from the White House. The testimony is aimed at showing how Trump not only relied on outside advisers to press his election fraud claims but also tried to leverage the powers of federal executive branch agencies.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/jan-6-panel-thursday-hearing-trumps-pressure-on-justice-department/507-fafdaaef-dfbe-430c-9027-9bd8f5287167Watch 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!

Law enforcement authorities had enough officers on the scene of the Uvalde school massacre to stop the gunman three minutes after he entered the building, the Texas public safety chief testified Tuesday, condemning the police response as an “abject failure.”Police officers with rifles instead stood and waited in a hallway for over an hour before they finally stormed the classroom and killed the gunman, putting an end to the May 24 attack that left 19 children and two teachers dead."One hour, 14 minutes and eight seconds," DPS director Col. Steve McCraw told a state Senate hearing Tuesday.“The officers had weapons, the children had none. The officers had body armor, the children had none. The officers had training, the subject had none."McCraw said the officers never checked a classroom door to see if it was locked. The classroom door, it turned out, could not be locked from the inside. “I have great reasons to believe it was never secured,” McCraw said of the door. ”How about trying the door and seeing if it’s locked?”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/special-reports/uvalde-school-shooting/uvalde-school-shooting-texas-state-police-condemn-response/285-12e11ac9-93a2-4b88-88f3-ca43694dadf3North Carolina parents and guardians can now begin booking coronavirus vaccine appointments for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. This is the first time babies, toddlers, and children under the age of 5 have been eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.StarMed Healthcare began accepting vaccination appointments Monday at some of their Charlotte locations beginning Wednesday. Information from Novant Health and Atrium Health was expected soon.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-shots-vaccines-kids-infants-north-carolina-health/275-1f32bf14-bb5b-4cdd-a6f7-c0a50337adfd

Fundraisers are ongoing to help those recovering from a devastating crash involving a golf cart last week in Statesville. The crash, which police said was caused when a drunk driver crossed over the center line and struck the golf cart, killed three people and injured three others. One of the passengers in the golf cart, 13-year-old Jada Marlowe of Statesville, passed away on Monday, officials confirmed. One of those recovering is 16-year-old Teagan Murphy, who was riding with her friend and her friend's family in the golf cart."We are blessed to still have Teagan with us, but it will be a long, hard road to recovery," her family wrote in this GoFundMe.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/fundraisers-gofundme-statesville-golf-cart-crash-victims/275-a21936f4-7018-4cff-b645-70e820089bb0North Carolina parents and guardians can now begin booking coronavirus vaccine appointments for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. This is the first time babies, toddlers, and children under the age of 5 have been eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.StarMed Healthcare began accepting vaccination appointments Monday at some of their Charlotte locations beginning Wednesday. Information from Novant Health and Atrium Health was expected soon.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-shots-vaccines-kids-infants-north-carolina-health/275-1f32bf14-bb5b-4cdd-a6f7-c0a50337adfdWatch 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 health leaders say COVID-19 shots for the youngest children eligible to be vaccinated will be available in a matter of days.On Saturday, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky gave her endorsement of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children aged 6 months to under 5 years. This means about 18 million kids will be able to get the shots, but how many actually will is still to be seen. Less than a third of kids aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said in a news release just minutes after Walensky's endorsement vaccines for kids under 5 would be available across the Tar Heel state as early as Monday. That's when the first wave of shipments is expected, but NCDHHS urged parents and guardians to coordinate with their child's pediatrician, medical provider, or local health department for more details on availability.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-shots-vaccines-kids-infants-north-carolina-health/275-1f32bf14-bb5b-4cdd-a6f7-c0a50337adfd World swimming’s governing body has effectively banned transgender women from competing in women’s events, starting Monday.FINA members widely adopted a new “gender inclusion policy” on Sunday that only permits swimmers who transitioned before age 12 to compete in women’s events. The organization also proposed an “open competition category.”“This is not saying that people are encouraged to transition by the age of 12. It’s what the scientists are saying, that if you transition after the start of puberty, you have an advantage, which is unfair,” James Pearce, who is the spokesperson for FINA president Husain Al-Musallam, told The Associated Press.“They’re not saying everyone should transition by age 11, that’s ridiculous. You can’t transition by that age in most countries and hopefully you wouldn’t be encouraged to. Basically, what they’re saying is that it is not feasible for people who have transitioned to compete without having an advantage.”Pearce confirmed there are currently no transgender women competing in elite levels of swimming.The World Professional Association for Transgender Health just lowered its recommended minimum age for starting gender transition hormone treatment to 14 and some surgeries to 15 or 17.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/new-fina-policy-for-transgender-athletes/507-6f74161e-4cac-4f5e-ac10-9d33ea56877aWatch 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 single gunman opened fire inside a suburban Alabama church Thursday evening, killing two people and wounding a third at a small group meeting before being taken into custody, authorities said. FULL STORY: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/police-multiple-people-shot-at-alabama-church-suspect-held-birmingham/507-9dc1c3a6-b9b4-4986-b86a-d67498259c26Plus, crews in Rowan County are investigating what caused a historic black church to catch on fire and Mecklenburg County officials say they've seen a surge in people coming to shelters to get out of the dangerous heat. The heat wave has caused temperatures in the 90s and a heat index well over 100 degrees all week with another stretch of scorching weather ahead for the Carolinas. 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 Reserve on Wednesday intensified its drive to tame high inflation by raising its key interest rate by three-quarters of a point — its largest hike in nearly three decades — and signaling more large rate increases to come that would raise the risk of another recession.The move the Fed announced after its latest policy meeting will increase its benchmark short-term rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to a range of 1.5% to 1.75%.The central bank is ramping up its drive to tighten credit and slow growth with inflation having reached a four-decade high of 8.6%, spreading to more areas of the economy and showing no sign of slowing. Americans are also starting to expect high inflation to last longer than they had before. This sentiment could embed an inflationary psychology in the economy that would make it harder to bring inflation back to the Fed’s 2% target.The Fed’s three-quarter-point rate increase exceeds the half-point hike that Chair Jerome Powell had previously suggested was likely to be announced this week. The Fed’s decision to impose a rate hike as large as it did Wednesday was an acknowledgment that it's struggling to curb the pace and persistence of inflation, which has been worsened by Russia’s war against Ukraine and its effects on energy prices.Borrowing costs have already risen sharply across much of the U.S. economy in response to the Fed’s moves, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate topping 6%, its highest level since before the 2008 financial crisis, up from just 3% at the start of the year. The yield on the 2-year Treasury note, a benchmark for corporate borrowing, has jumped to 3.3%, its highest level since 2007.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/fed-rate-hike/507-712efdf8-4e15-42f6-a21e-9c5b33328ca7'An exhibit highlighting photography will be without a photo taken during a Charlotte Pride event after a decision from the Gaston County manager.The Gaston County Museum of Art and History is currently displaying Into the Darkroom, a photography exhibit aimed at showing photography's use as an art form and its place in history.The exhibit uses photos from the 20th century, showcases vintage cameras, and features work from four modern photographers in Gaston County. One of these photographers, Grant Baldwin, used a photo he took at the 2019 Charlotte Pride Parade of two men kissing. Baldwin says the photo was taken during a marriage proposal.However, shortly after opening the exhibit, this photo was removed.Gaston County officials state this decision was made after Kim Eagle, the county manager, instructed museum staff to work with Baldwin to select another photograph to highlight."The idea behind the exhibit is to document a historical event, and there are other options from the photographer’s work that more fully capture the context of the parade that was documented," the county said in a statement.The decision did not involve the museum's board of commissioners.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/lgbtq-photo-removed-from-gaton-county-museum-photographer-speaks-out-pride-men-kissing/275-f25200f5-8b5f-45a5-88ca-9da4edaf3f83Watch 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!

Two people were killed, including a 5-year-old, and several others were hurt in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver and golf cart in Iredell County, North Carolina late Monday night, police said. Multiple emergency crews responded to a crash involving a golf car on Fort Dobbs Road near Dobbs Drive in Statesville around 9:45 p.m., the North Carolina Department of Public Safety said. Officers said a 2009 Honda Accord crossed the center line, hitting the golf car head-on. The driver of the golf cart, Michael Shane Marlowe, 39, of Statesville, died at the scene. A passenger, 5-year-old Bentley Marlowe, also died from his injuries. Four passengers on the golf cart, ages 2, 13, 16, and 26, were critically injured and transported by medical helicopters to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, troopers reported.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/statesville-fatal-crash-golf-cart-nc-highway-patrol/275-409d48f5-767a-4f7d-a878-f8a13f8ec68fCharlotte Hornets forward Montrezl Harrell was cited for a felony drug charge in Richmond, Kentucky, last month, according to police records. Harrell was pulled over by a Kentucky state trooper for following too closely on May 12. When the trooper walked up to Harrell's car, he smelled marijuana and Harrell admitted to having some in his possession. The police report states Harrell pulled marijuana from his pocket before the trooper searched his vehicle, where approximately three pounds of marijuana was found in vacuum-sealed bags inside a backpack on the backseat.Harrell was cited for trafficking less than 5 pounds of marijuana, which is a felony, according to the Associated Press. During a court appearance on June 13, Harrell pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is scheduled to appear in court again next month. The Hornets traded two players and a draft pick to Washington for Harrell in February. Harrell is originally from Tarboro, North Carolina, and he played at the University of Louisville before turning pro in 2015. He joined the Wizards in 2021 as part of a trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/montrezl-harrell-marijuana-felony-drug-charge-traffic-stop-charlotte-hornets/275-9cfb20a0-8873-436b-b9c9-89d99478067cWatch 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 City Council approved a $215 million plan to upgrade Spectrum Center in Uptown. As part of the plan, the Hornets' practice facility will move out of the arena and across the street, where the Charlotte Transit Center is located. The city will now build an underground transit center where the current CATS transit center is. The new facility will be used until 2045 at least. Voters in South Carolina head to the polls today for the 2022 primary election. Tradesha Woodard has the latest on how voters can make their ballot count, and we have an update on two Charlotte homicide suspects who were arrested near Wilmington, North Carolina. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app. Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A Heat Advisory is in effect for Charlotte and much of the area from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. Heat index values could be up to 105º.Expect highs near 98º on today with heat index values of 105º and above across the Charlotte area. Temperatures and humidity levels will continue to rise on Tuesday and Wednesday. Expect heat index values near 107º on Tuesday, which meets the criteria for a heat advisory. This first wave of triple-digit heat should be taken seriously by anyone working or participating in outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day.By definition, a heat wave is traditionally defined as a prolonged stretch of hotter-than-normal temperatures. For us, skyrocketing temperatures will likely break records on several afternoons this week.FULL FORECAST: https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/forecast/charlotte-weather-forecast-update/275-50501550The nationwide average price for a gallon of gasoline has topped $5 for the first time ever.Auto club AAA said the average price on Saturday was $5.00. Motorists in some parts of the country, especially California, are paying far above that.The national average price has jumped 19 cents in just the past week, and it's up $1.93 from this time last year.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/5-dollar-gas-is-here-aaa-says/507-9429347b-10f7-4a5c-8631-9a5ad25c1b30Watch 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!

Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys spoke out for the first time since the Carolina Panthers terminated agreements to build a training facility in Rock Hill and David Tepper’s GT Real Estate subsequently filed for bankruptcy, accusing Tepper of filing bankruptcy to avoid paying contractors for their work on the project. Following a press conference announcing a new development on the south side of Rock Hill Thursday morning, Gettys addressed concerns about the future of the 200-plus acre site and the unfinished building on it, both of which are owned by Tepper’s organizations. “That site is within the city limits. The city of Rock Hill owns the water, we own the sewer, we own the electricity, we have zoning, and we have the entitlements,” said Gettys. “We’ll have what’s there that needs to be there for the people of Rock Hill’s best interest. Nothing is going to be built there or done there without the city of Rock Hill figuring out what is in our best interest going forward.” In early March, Tepper Sports and Entertainment, another one of David Tepper’s companies, said it was pausing the Rock Hill project because the city of Rock Hill did not hold up its end of the bargain in the deal. WCNC Charlotte later discovered the city failed to secure $225 million in bonds to pay for roads, sidewalks and other public infrastructure on the site.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/nfl/panthers/rock-hill-mayor-speaks-carolina-panthers-training-facility-terminated-south-carolina/275-f88509dd-c11f-4a14-8495-796b6e1251ba A gallon of gas in the U.S. costs, on average, $5 for the first time in the nation's history, according to price tracker GasBuddy. The platform tracks the price of gas at fuel stations across the U.S., and in 2022 has had increasingly alarming announcements about the national average price as the war in Ukraine and increased demand across the globe have sent prices skyrocketing. For months, drivers have felt increasing pain at the pump, with some states such as California seeing prices above $6 per gallon. And as prices reach the $5 mark, they're unlikely to drop sson. Americans, largely freed from the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, are preparing for summer road trips. The high price of oil is the main cause of the biting gasoline prices. A barrel of U.S. benchmark crude was selling for over $100 a barrel Thursday, a price tag that has been climbing throughout the year. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/gas-prices-5-dollars/507-c96e3c4f-8be0-4007-a461-74b9f211006a

A former Myers Park High School student is now launching a lawsuit against the board of education for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, claiming district leaders failed to properly address a sexual assault complaint she made during her time on campus.Serena Evans, who has previously spoken out about her experience at the school, filed the suit this week with her attorney, Christiana Graziano. The lawsuit lodges five key complaints against the district: that CMS violated Title IX of the Education Amendments Act, that the district did not protect her, that CMS was negligent, that school leaders did not do their duty to investigate, and that school leadership intentionally inflicted emotional distress on Evans.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-myers-park-high-school-charlotte-schools-sex-assault-lawsuit/275-e186c7f6-a203-4bd3-9af4-1b65dc3bc311The national average for a gallon of gas is now at the doorstep of $5, and with diesel climbing at an even faster clip, it's impacting Charlotte landscape businesses.“We're at a 146% increase since January in fuel costs alone,” Chief Operating Officer for MetroGreenscape Todd Cioppa said.MetroGreenscape has about 40 vehicles on the road every day, and dozens of other types of equipment. “The way we’re trending right now, I bet you we'll spend an extra $150,000 to $180,000 this year on fuel," Cioppa said. “We got to buckle up and get ready for the ride.” It's a ride that shows no signs of slowing down.“It’s hard, it’s hard on everybody," Cioppa said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/gas-prices/gas-prices-charlotte-company-impacts/275-33116f4e-7476-4427-bc5d-3670f514d39dWatch 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!

Legislation making it lawful to smoke marijuana or consume cannabis-infused products for medical purposes in North Carolina cleared the state Senate on Monday evening.After no debate, the measure received bipartisan support by a vote of 36-7. The margin was similar to the outcome of an initial Senate vote last week that followed floor discussion. The bill now goes to the House, where chances for passage before this year's primary work session adjourns in a few weeks appear long. Speaker Tim Moore has said the issue may have to wait until next year.The legislation creates a system whereby someone with one of more than a dozen “debilitating medical conditions” — cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder among them — can be prescribed cannabis by a trained physician. Users or their caregivers would have to receive a registration card from the state Department of Health and Human Services.A new state commission would issue 10 medical cannabis supplier licenses, each of which could open up to eight sales centers. Up to five independent testing labs would be licensed to scrutinize the pot and related-products sold. It would still be awhile before sales occur under the bill given required rule-making and licensing.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/nc-medical-marijuana-bill-house-senate-ok/275-60b786de-cd76-4782-bfce-b84fc9ccf44fAmerican adults who haven’t yet gotten vaccinated against COVID-19 may soon get another choice, as advisers to the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday backed a more traditional type of shot.Next, the FDA must decide whether to authorize the vaccine made by latecomer Novavax, a protein vaccine that's made with a more conventional technology than today's U.S. options.Novavax shots are already used in Australia, Canada, parts of Europe and dozens of other countries. But U.S. clearance is a key hurdle for the Maryland-based company.FDA's vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said another choice in the U.S. may entice at least some vaccine holdouts -- whatever their reason -- to consider rolling up their sleeves.“We do have a problem with vaccine uptake that is very serious in the United States," Marks said. "Anything we can do to get people more comfortable to accept these potentially life-saving products is something that we feel we are compelled to do.”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/fda-advisers-back-novavax-covid-19-shots/507-a2508a24-4476-4764-a52b-3465549b373aWatch 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 husband and wife serving in the U.S. Army used their positions to obtain excess military products and either re-sell them or take them for their own private use, according to charging documents recently unsealed by federal prosecutors.Court documents revealed Christopher and Heather Hammond, both stationed in Fort Bragg, illegally obtained Department of Defense equipment such as gun barrels, holsters, magazines, electric guitars, bayonets, gym equipment, and night vision goggles, among other things.Prosecutors allege Christopher Hammond used his position as a Chief Warrant Officer during the years-long scheme. Hammond, according to charging documents, would request excess military property through his unit and then "used it for his own or others' private use and/or profit."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/national/military-news/fort-bragg-officer-major-arrested-allegedly-stealing-military-equipment/275-ab718304-6aa1-42c9-b39a-ea3d3530d07fThe state Department of Health and Human Services said families participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) can use their benefits for a wider variety of formula.DHHS said the expansion will help families get formula available in stores when Gerber products are not available. As of Monday, 55 additional products are available to families. That's in addition to the eight options added last week for different sizes and types of Gerber products.North Carolina contracts with Gerber to provide families standard types of infant formulas, a press release said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/life/parenting/dhhs-expands-formula-options-wic-families/275-8cc88bd7-b138-4422-9d37-c272b7331a4aWatch 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!

Gunmen opened fire on worshippers and detonated explosives at a Catholic church in southwestern Nigeria on Sunday, leaving dozens feared dead, state lawmakers said.The attackers targeted the St. Francis Catholic Church in Ondo state just as the worshippers gathered on Pentecost Sunday, legislator Ogunmolasuyi Oluwole said. Among the dead were many children, he said.The presiding priest was abducted as well, said Adelegbe Timileyin, who represents the Owo area in Nigeria’s lower legislative chamber.“Our hearts are heavy," Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu tweeted Sunday. “Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people.”Authorities did not immediately release an official death toll. Timileyin said at least 50 people had been killed, though others put the figure higher. Videos appearing to be from the scene of the attack showed church worshippers lying in pools of blood while people around them wailed.Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said “only fiends from the nether region could have conceived and carried out such dastardly act,” according to a statement from his spokesman.“No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people, and darkness will never overcome light. Nigeria will eventually win,” said Buhari, who was elected after vowing to end Nigeria’s prolonged security crisis.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/nigeria-church-attack/507-bbf9dab2-302d-49ed-a2a1-a954a3b7abde Americans at the low end of the income rung are once again struggling to make ends meet.A confluence of factors — the expiration of federal stimulus checks and surging inflation on staples like gas and food — are driving an even bigger wedge between the haves and have-nots.While wealthier shoppers continue to splurge, low-income shoppers have pulled back faster than expected in the past two months. They're focusing on necessities while turning to cheaper items or less expensive stores. And they're buying only a little at a time.It's a reversal from a year or so ago when low-income shoppers, flush with money from the government and buoyed by wage increases, were able to spend more freely.Kisha Galvan, a 44-year-old mother of eight children from ages 9 to 27, was able to stock up on groceries for the week and buy extras like clothing and shoes at Walmart for her children last year.But without the pandemic-related government support and inflation hovering at a near 40-year high, she is buying more canned food and depending on the local food pantry several times a week instead of once a week.“I shop meal to meal," said the Rockford, Illinois, resident who has lived on disability for the past 15 years. "Before, we didn't have to worry about what we were going to get. We just go get it."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/soaring-inflation-divides-spending/507-db2d13b5-7f4a-4a75-bc3d-9e955258ea7f

North Carolina’s highest education department is urging school districts to opt-in to an anonymous reporting app called Say Something. This comes after the tragic mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Say Something is a violence prevention program from the nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise. The program allows both students and adults to submit anonymous safety concerns through an app, website, or hotline.Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is the latest school in WCNC Charlotte's viewing area to get the Say Something App. They started training students in January.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/nc-education-leaders-school-districts-anonymous-reporting-app-say-something/275-398b5b74-b94e-49eb-be76-808e246d2236Marijuana would be legalized for medical use in North Carolina with a physician's prescription and purchased through dozens of tightly regulated dispensaries in a measure receiving initial approval Thursday in the Senate.The legislation, which received strong bipartisan support, could help people facing more than a dozen different “debilitating medical conditions” in which their doctor declares the health benefits of smoking or consuming cannabis outweigh the risks.The bill's chief sponsors, however, focused on giving relief to patients with terminal illnesses that bring unbearable pain and suffering, while preventing them from having to act illegally.“It is our duty as lawmakers to pass legislation that helps people who need our help,” said Brunswick County Republican Sen. Bill Rabon, a cancer survivor who has worked on this legislation for five years. “It is not going to make them ashamed or reluctant to seek help if it is recommended to them by their physician.”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/medical-marijuana-bill-advances-north-carolina-politics-state-news/275-6c7aa57f-16bc-4a50-b5af-6c0f59058316Watch 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!

Four people were killed Wednesday in a shooting at a Tulsa medical building on a hospital campus, police said. Tulsa Police Department Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish confirmed the number of dead and said the shooter also was dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.It was unclear what prompted the deadly assault. However, the unidentified gunman carried both a handgun and a rifle during the attack, Dalgleish said.“Officers are currently going through every room in the building checking for additional threats,” police said in a Facebook post just before 6 p.m. “We know there are multiple injuries, and potentially multiple casualties.”Police responded to the call three minutes after dispatchers received the report and made contact with the gunman one minute later, Dalgleish said.Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg also said multiple people were wounded and that the medical complex was a “catastrophic scene.”Police and hospital officials said they were not ready to identify the dead.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/multiple-people-shot-at-medical-building-in-tulsa/507-4fab7980-9a07-4941-88c5-8d2fba60d94fUp to 200 people could be forced to find a new place to live as a west Charlotte motel is slated to close by the end of the month.During Tuesday evening's City Council meeting, Mayor Vi Lyles noted she received a letter dated May 26 alerting her to the closure of Southern Comfort Inn. The extended-stay motel is set to shut down on June 30 according to Lyles, and it has provided low-price rent for residents there.Lyles said the city government is making outreach to see what can be done. WCNC Charlotte has reached out to the City of Charlotte for more information.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/markets/real-estate/affordable-housing-crisis/charlotte-extended-stay-motel-closing-local-life/275-b0e5fd63-9f84-4981-a6a9-2459bbcab72eWatch 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 City Council has voted to pass the $3.24 billion 2023 fiscal year budget, which will mean no tax increase for residents and a boost in pay to city employees.While citizens won't see a bump on their taxes, there will be changes to parking in South End and uptown. Chiefly, hourly parking rates in both areas will go up by 50 cents, and drivers will now need to pay to park on Saturdays.Along with those items, the budget also includes money to electrify city vehicles.The city government's Twitter account noted the council voted unanimously to adopt the budget, and said the budget also would not lay off or furlough employees.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/wake-up-charlotte/charlotte-city-council-meeting-budget-eastland-mall-projects/275-96dc067c-560d-44e1-8490-0bf0bce8e596Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has finally confirmed clear backpacks will not go to high school students this school year, with only one week left in the school year.This comes after months of silence on the backpacks -- which cost the district nearly $500,000 -- didn’t go out as planned in March. The backpacks were supposed to be one of many tools to curb violence in CMS schools. When the plan to deploy clear backpacks in CMS high schools was first announced, the community backlash was swift.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-clear-backpacks-not-distributed-school-year/275-8580dc74-bcaa-403c-b329-c17db3d900ecWatch 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!

Two people, including a 4-month-old baby, were killed in a shooting in Monroe late Sunday night, police said. Monroe police were called to a reported shooting at a home on Morrow Avenue, near the intersection with South Church Street, around 10:30 p.m. When officers arrived, they found both victims dead at the home. The victims were identified as 25-year-old Darion McClendon and Da'mari McClendon. "This is a difficult time for our community and our officers in the face of this senseless act of violence," Chief Bryan Gilliard said. "We are committed to bringing the perpetrator of this crime to justice."READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/monroe-double-homicide-shooting-investigation/275-c0a4d437-1dfb-421d-a1f5-654d2078f7aaHealth officials in South Carolina have completed their monitoring of two people who were exposed to a person confirmed to have monkeypox during a flight. The infected person lives in the United Kingdom. Both South Carolina residents have been cleared and the state still has no confirmed cases of the virus so far. To date, the World Health Organization has identified around 250 confirmed or suspected cases of the rare disease in at least 16 countries. A handful of those cases have been in the United States. Dr. Katie Passaretti, an infectious disease expert with Atrium Health, said it wouldn't be surprising if cases pop up in the Charlotte area, but it's unlikely there will be significant monkeypox spread in the region.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/monkeypox-spread-coronavirus-covid-19-doctors-say-no/275-f13b792c-d6b8-448d-a018-17b1ecf9fbe3Watch 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 group of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools seniors is trying to undo what they say is a senior prank gone wrong. CMS officials confirmed students vandalized the Myers Park High School campus earlier this week and the students responsible were disciplined according to the code of conduct.It was all in good fun, rumors of a senior prank swirling around the Myers Park campus.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/myers-park-students-raising-money-undo-senior-prank-gone-wrong/275-de0fb24f-acdf-4bd8-9445-dc5db521f9e1The wreckage of a plane carrying 22 people that disappeared in Nepal's mountains was found Monday scattered on a mountainside, the army said. There was no word on survivors.The Tara Air turboprop Twin Otter was on a 20-minute flight Sunday when it the lost contact with the airport tower while flying in an area of deep river gorges and mountaintops just before it was scheduled to land.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/nepal-plane-wreckage/507-b4beb223-f983-4a1a-9276-b4992096cfc4Watch 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 Carolina Panthers paused work on its planned $800 million training facility in Rock Hill the day before South Carolina Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey, local leaders and the team's chief operating officer were scheduled to tour the site, newly obtained state records show.Department of Commerce emails and text messages obtained by WCNC Charlotte through a public records request suggest state economic development officials were blindsided by the Panthers' March 7 decision to bring the project to a standstill. In fact, at the city of Rock Hill's request, Lightsey had planned to spend time at the site on the morning of March 8."Lordy Lordy!" Deputy Secretary of Commerce Ashely Teasdel wrote in an email reply on the evening of March 7 about the canceled tour.Text messages reveal Gov. Henry McMaster spoke with Panthers Owner David Tepper in mid-April, six days before Tepper's GT Real Estate Holdings terminated its agreements with Rock Hill.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/south-carolina-commerce-officials-blindsided-carolina-panthers-training-camp-rock-hill-construction-stopped/275-130b0383-8ccf-407e-892d-beb13d6e5642A new pandemic program offering financial help to homeowners is delivering an average of $13,500 to families in need, but four months in, those dollars are taking longer than expected to arrive.The NC Homeowner Assistance Fund has approved roughly 1,800 applications since opening the program on Jan. 31, but more than 8,600 applications remained pending as of May 20, according to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency.The agency, tasked with managing the $273 million federally-funded program, reports an average payment turnaround of 74 days, which is higher than the goal of no more than 56 days.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/homeowner-pandemic-program-money-charlotte-nc/275-0f50cc20-eb5e-4384-a835-e8eb5b38b4a2Watch 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 Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners heard public feedback from the community on its upcoming budget. The board, which was not allowed to engage with any of the comments made about the budget, heard over 40 people provide feedback on the budget proposal.Some of the speakers were parents, concerned over staffing and resources for their children -- especially in light of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas."It was terrifying to send them to school today," Kate Murphy, a mother of three CMS students, said. "One thing you can do is fully fund CMS next year. I know you want the same thing. We want excellent education. Underfunding will not get us there."WCNC Charlotte reached out to Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio after the deadly Texas shooting to ask if more money be allocated for officers in schools. Diorio said hiring officers is not the county's job but it's up to the Charlotte Police Department.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-advocates-petition-mecklenburg-county-funding/275-053a8237-80dc-421b-b54e-d9394eddc2f9An EF0 tornado with wind speeds up to 75 mph touched down near Great Falls in Chester County, South Carolina, on Monday, the National Weather Service confirmed. The tornado touched down near Dewitt Road west of Great Falls during Monday's severe weather outbreak in the Carolinas. The storm moved northeast for about half a mile, causing damage to trees and uplifting some before lifting northeast of Dewitt Road. This is the second confirmed tornado in the Charlotte area on Monday. National Weather Service crews also confirmed a tornado touched down near Reedy Creek, along the Mecklenburg-Cabarrus county line.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/severe-weather/tornado-confirmed-chester-county-south-carolina-may-23/275-755c6f53-030e-4058-b1fa-4932ad919841Watch 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 Attorney General Josh Stein is recovering in a hospital after suffering a minor stroke Monday night, and he's thanking his wife for her quick thinking.According to a Facebook post shared on Tuesday, Stein and his wife Anna had walked their dog when he started exhibiting stroke-like symptoms. Anna Stein was able to get an ambulance, and doctors confirmed the details to them.Stein said he underwent a successful procedure to remove a small blood clot, and is now back to normal and facing no lingering effects. He thanked his wife, EMTs, and medical staff for their roles in ensuring he could be treated.Stein said Anna's recognition of the signs of stroke was critical to ensuring he got the care he needed. He shared more information from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) about what to look for if you believe someone may be facing a stroke.Neurologist Dr. Dena Little with UNC Medical Center says time lost is brain lost and the best treatments can only be given within a few hours of the symptoms.It's why she says knowing the signs and symptoms are so important.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/north-carolina-ag-josh-stein-stroke-health-politics-regional/275-10ae29c7-16ef-4770-a0d1-245c29dfcf92On Wednesday, the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners will start hearing public feedback from the community on its upcoming budget.Teachers, education advocates, and other stakeholders are expected to be at the meeting to advocate for more money for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.The district is poised to get less than half of the additional money it requested from the county government.The CMS school board and others have a few weeks to try and convince members of the Mecklenburg BOCC to give them additional dollars for the upcoming school year.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-advocates-petition-mecklenburg-county-funding/275-053a8237-80dc-421b-b54e-d9394eddc2f9Watch 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 will begin offering Pfizer's COVID-19 booster to children ages 5 to 11, beginning Monday, May 23. Mecklenburg County Public Health announced the boosters will be available to kids five months after their most recent vaccine dose. The Pfizer booster is currently the only brand available to children. “The booster for children 5 to11 years old comes at an opportune time,” said Paige Bennett, deputy director for Mecklenburg County Public Health, said. “The booster provides a significant increase in protection against serious illness, hospitalization, death and long-term complications from COVID-19 ahead of summer activities like vacations, camps and play dates.”READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/pediatric-covid-boosters-mecklenburg-county-north-carolina/275-8d645bd4-fd95-4b0f-a70e-555dabc72fa7The House Ethics Committee is investigating allegations that Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn had a conflict of interest in a cryptocurrency he promoted and engaged in an improper relationship with a member of his staff, the panel said Monday.The investigation is just the latest moment of high-profile scrutiny for the North Carolina Republican, who will be leaving Congress at the end of the year after losing his primary race last week to state Sen. Chuck Edwards. Cawthorn's defeat came despite support for his reelection bid from former President Donald Trump.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/ethics-panel-opens-investigation-madison-cawthorn/275-e5987990-a5c9-4cb3-ab23-c8ffd97db50dWatch 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 military plane carrying enough specialty infant formula for more than half a million baby bottles arrived Sunday in Indianapolis, the first of several flights expected from Europe aimed at relieving a shortage that has sent parents scrambling to find enough to feed their children.President Joe Biden authorized the use of Air Force planes for the effort, dubbed “Operation Fly Formula,” because no commercial flights were available.The formula weighed 78,000 pounds (35,380 kilograms), White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One as Biden flew from South Korea to Japan.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Indianapolis to greet the arrival of the first shipment.The flights are intended to provide “some incremental relief in the coming days” as the government works on a more lasting response to the shortage, Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, said Sunday.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/78000-pounds-of-formula-arrives/507-25134b29-5d39-4380-be5e-b352c8fd3427 Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, America’s largest Protestant denomination, stonewalled and denigrated survivors of clergy sex abuse over almost two decades while seeking to protect their own reputations, according to a scathing 288-page investigative report issued Sunday.These survivors, and other concerned Southern Baptists, repeatedly shared allegations with the SBC’s Executive Committee, “only to be met, time and time again, with resistance, stonewalling, and even outright hostility from some within the EC,” said the report.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/southern-baptists-sex-abuse-report/507-f263bab8-8bec-4bed-af85-eda042ca86c8Watch 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!

Kids ages 5 to 11 should get a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, advisers to the U.S. government said Thursday.If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees, as expected, it would open a third COVID-19 shot to healthy elementary-age kids — just like what is already recommended for everybody 12 and older.The hope is that an extra shot will shore up protection for kids ages 5 to 11 as infections once again are on the rise.Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer's kid-sized booster, to be offered at least five months after the youngsters' last shot.The CDC takes the next step of recommending who actually needs vaccinations. Its advisers debated if all otherwise healthy 5- to 11-year-olds need an extra dose, especially since so many children were infected during the huge winter surge of the omicron variant.But the U.S. now is averaging 100,000 new cases a day for the first time since February. And ultimately, the CDC's advisers pointed to growing evidence from older kids and adults that two primary vaccinations plus a booster are providing the best protection against the newest coronavirus variants.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/cdc-advisers-urge-pfizer-covid-booster-shot-children-ages-5-to-11/507-5271c368-2529-4f02-b9a5-a6bd502a21e5Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools confirmed a gun was found at a middle school Thursday morning.A district spokesperson confirmed the weapon was found at Ranson Middle School, located along Statesville Road. Students and staff are safe, and the spokesperson said that was all the information available as of writing.WCNC Charlotte has reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for additional information. We will update this article as new details are provided.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/crime-charlotte-mecklenburg-schools-cms-gun-ranson-middle-school-local-education/275-3243871f-52ae-46aa-a6fc-e38baa368b79Watch 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is looking for a man they said shot into a Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) bus early Wednesday morning.The man fired three or four rounds into a bus at the stop along Nations Ford Road near Huntsmoor Drive, according to CMPD. There were no passengers on the bus at the time. The driver was unharmed, according to officials.CMPD released a surveillance photo of the suspect. He's shown wearing a dark blue jacket, a light blue T-shirt, and blue jeans. He also had a backpack and appears to be wearing dark-colored shoes with white underlining.Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers. Tips can be called in at 704-334-1600 or submitted online.WCNC Charlotte reached out to CATS for further comment. A spokesperson for the system provided this statement:We are aware of the incident that took place last night on bus number 2150. CATS can confirm that the operator was not injured and there were no passengers on the bus. CATS takes all safety and security incidents very seriously and we work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold all parties involved accountable. As this incident is still under investigation, please reach out to CMPD for more information.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/man-shoots-into-cats-bus-transit-charlotte-nc-local-crime/275-31b30507-e01e-4287-b428-9949b76536e6 President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant.The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers. Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling “Operation Fly Formula.”Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on store shelves and increasingly anxious parents struggling to find nutrition for their children.The announcement comes two days after the Food and Drug Administration said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S.In a letter Wednesday to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture, Biden directed the agencies to work with the Pentagon to identify overseas supply of formula that meets U.S. standards over the next week, so that chartered Defense Department flights can swiftly fly it to the U.S.“Imports of baby formula will serve as a bridge to this ramped-up production,” Biden wrote.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/baby-formula-shortage-defense-production-act/507-a5d6fb4f-8560-4e01-9e45-fbc099689c72Watch 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 North Carolina race for U.S. Senate is down to two candidates, as Republican Ted Budd and Democrat Cheri Beasley won their respective primaries Tuesday. Budd, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, cruised to victory over former Gov. Pat McCrory and U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, while Beasley won in a landslide after her top competitor dropped out in December. Budd won the 14-candidate Republican primary over former Gov. Pat McCrory and U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, while Beasley had entered Tuesday as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, which 11 people sought. Current GOP U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is retiring.Their election victories came as North Carolina voters whittled down Democratic and Republican candidates seeking to serve on Capitol Hill, in the General Assembly and on the judicial bench.Trump, who narrowly won the state's electoral votes in 2016 and 2020, gave his endorsement to Budd nearly a year ago. Budd benefitted from millions of dollars spent by the Club for Growth Action super PAC that was used to praise him and brand McCrory as too liberal.Richard DeVayne and Chloe Leshner join Wake Up Charlotte To Go to break down victory speeches from both candidates and we hear from Pat McCrory after his defeat. Ben Thompson and Sarah French break down several key local races, including Patrick Cannon's unsuccessful bid to get on November's ballot. INTERACTIVE MAP: North Carolina primary election results

StarMed Healthcare announced it will be handing out baby formula this week for parents who are unable to find formula for their children due to the nationwide shortage. In a tweet, StarMed said it would be distributing formula at its Tuckaseegee and Central locations. StarMed said it keeps formula on hand for various reasons and after checking inventory, it's able to give it to families in need. No registration is required but supplies are limited. The distribution will begin at noon on Tuesday.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/starmed-health-care-free-baby-formula-giveaway-charlotte-north-carolina-similac-gerber-nestle/275-06810c28-0191-4b50-863d-98898d20cfd0South Carolina investigators believe they have solved the disappearance and murder case of Brittanee Drexel, who went missing 13 years ago while on a spring break trip to Myrtle Beach.Multiple law enforcement agencies held a press conference Monday afternoon in Georgetown County to announce two major developments: that Drexel's body had finally been recovered and positively identified and that the man they believe killed her is in custody and charged. Raymond Douglas Moody, 62, is charged with murder, kidnapping, and criminal sexual conduct first degree. "Brittanee has been found and she can be with her family and at peace," said Susan Ferensic, the FBI Special Agent in Charge. Drexel, a 17-year-old from Rochester, New York, had gone down to Myrtle Beach for spring break in April of 2009. She was reported missing on April 25.Investigators now believe Moody kidnapped Drexel and took her to Georgetown County, where he lived. Not long after they arrived, they believe he sexually assaulted her, killed her, then buried her body hours later. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/brittanee-drexel-remains-found/101-08b825b7-311f-4bff-8aec-f11293bc010cWatch 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 man opened fire during a lunch reception at a Southern California church on Sunday, killing one person and wounding five senior citizens before being stopped and hog-tied by parishioners in what a sheriff’s official called an act of “exceptional heroism and bravery.”Four of the five people wounded suffered critical gunshot injuries during the violence at Geneva Presbyterian Church in the city of Laguna Woods, Orange County Sheriff’s Department officials said.The suspect in the shooting, an Asian man in his 60s, was in custody and deputies recovered two handguns at the scene, Undersheriff Jeff Hallock said. A motive for the shooting wasn't immediately known but investigators don't believe the gunman lives in the community, he said.The majority of those inside the church at the time were believed to be of Taiwanese descent, said Carrie Braun, a sheriff’s spokesperson.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/multiple-people-shot-at-california-church/507-5bbbe95c-5c20-4009-83fb-ceb5f1c44a01Right now, the average price for a gallon of gas in North Carolina is up 42 cents over a month ago. In South Carolina, prices are up 47 cents, but AAA said there are ways to save at the pump.They say the increase in gas prices has some people a little hesitant about summer travel, but there is still a demand for travel and many families aren't changing summer plans.They say some people are making some adjustments, and doing things like making sure you maintain a constant speed and avoid traffic peak times could save you money.Oher things AAA says you can do is combine multiple errands and lighten the load in your vehicle.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/gas-prices/gas-prices-new-high-surge-expensive-nc-sc/275-7a28b789-8644-4108-ba67-143bc1d3342eWatch 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!

More than a dozen Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students were taken to the hospital Wednesday after a school bus was involved in a head-on crash in south Charlotte. On Thursday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department documentation revealed the driver of a dump truck told investigators he fell asleep while driving. The preliminary CMPD crash report said the dump truck then crossed over the center line striking the school bus and another vehicle head-on.Medic confirmed 16 total people were hurt, including 14 students. All of the students suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to Medic. Atrium Health later confirmed that all students were discharged Wednesday.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/south-charlotte-school-bus-crash-sharonbrook-drive/275-fd4f4e05-bc83-4ec3-8c35-a67f308e1b22Charlotte's Citizens Review Board ruled in favor of a teacher that was wrongfully detained by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers. During a hearing on Thursday, May 12, the board voted 8-2 and decided CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings or a designee "erred" in exonerating the officers that detained Jasmine Horne, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher. A spokesperson for the board confirmed with WCNC Charlotte that Thursday's decision and recommendations of action will be sent to the chief or designee and Charlotte's city manager. The board previously voted unanimously in favor of Horne during a hearing in April.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/citizens-review-board-rules-in-favor-of-cms-teacher-wrongfully-detained/275-94915445-ed14-4aac-9c7f-cb104331cb6eWatch 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 said his proposed state budget for fiscal year 2022-2023 has sights set on everything from early childhood education to healthcare, while still cutting down on taxes. The price tag: $29,284,765,214.Cooper was joined in a Wednesday afternoon news conference by Charlie Perusse, the state budget director, to discuss the details of the budget during an afternoon news conference. As he opened up his conference, Cooper applauded Republicans in the state General Assembly for working with Democrats and his office last year to come up with a budget and says they're doing the same thing in 2022.This year's proposed budget, themed "Building on Success", includes an expansion in Medicaid, a key goal for Cooper after 2021's approved budget ended up not including it.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/nc-budget-recommendation-cooper-government-politics/275-d4a82d27-8228-4a87-b35f-2f45ef1139d0Atrium Health announced Wednesday that it will merge with Advocate Aurora Health to provide a leading health care system for patients in the U.S. Together, the two companies will form Advocate Health. Atrium Health, which is one of Charlotte's largest employers, will nearly double in size as part of this merger. The company will serve more than 5 million patients across 1,000 sites and 67 hospitals. Advocate Health's headquarters will be based in Charlotte. It will have locations in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin. The company will employ over 7,600 doctors, 41,000 nurses and 148,000 total employees.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/business/atrium-health-advocate-aurora-health-merger-charlotte-headquarters/275-0bb988a8-6209-45e1-a3dc-1e220a03769cWatch 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!