The Tokyo Olympics officially are underway, after a year's delay because of the coronavirus pandemic. Several athletes with Charlotte-area ties are in the Games this summer. Here are a few to keep an eye on during the next two weeks, and when you might catch them on TV.

South Carolina's governor said while getting the COVID-19 vaccine was the right decision for him, other people reluctant to get the shot need to talk to friends, pastors and doctors and decide if it is best for them. Gov. Henry McMaster's comments Thursday came as statistics show both good news and bad news with the pandemic.

Art Search Charlotte's anniversary celebration will send social media followers across the Queen City in a hunt to find 10 hidden works of art. Whoever finds art gets to keep it. Smaller-scale scavenger hunts are held every week.

Older residents of the Southern Piedmont were 35% more likely to die from Alzheimer's than residents in other areas of the state with lower particulate pollution levels.

Cleveland's Major League Baseball team has changed its name from the Indians to the Guardians, ridding itself of a previous name that many found highly offensive.

College coaches are trying to get a handle on the recruiting impact of athletes' ability to profit off their fame. Athletes have been cleared to make money off the use of their name, image and likeness as of this month. Those deals are now becoming part of the recruiting pitches for schools alongside traditional selling points like facilities and TV exposure.

Viewers who woke up early in America to watch NBC's first live morning telecast of an Olympics opening ceremony Friday were greeted with a subdued presentation, where the COVID pandemic loomed large.

The fanfare and celebration unfolded in a virtually empty stadium, as Japanese protesters gathered nearby to register their discontent over the world's largest sports event.

New estimates show the U.S. is on track to see a big rise in cases and more than triple the number of deaths by October.

This weekend, international pianist Keiko Matsui will be in town. There's a Party in the Park at the Mint Museum and Novant Health is holding its Welcome Back Fest with a special performance from Charlotte native and Grammy Award winner Anthony Hamilton.

Parents who sued the North Carolina and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators over remote classes in September have been ordered to pay $11,620 to cover legal fees for the teachers' groups.

Five North Carolina hospital systems will now require all of their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. At least four had previously said they would urge their employees to get vaccinated but would not require it.