NEWS UPDATES FOR FEBRUARY 2024

Republican Mark Walker is ending his bid to win the GOP primary for North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District.

Walker had initially said he’d ask for a run-off against Addison McDowell, who finished first in the March 5 primary.

But former President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday that Walker has agreed to join his campaign and do outreach to faith groups and minority communities. Walker tweeted that he’s “delighted” to accept the position.

Trump had endorsed McDowell in the primary.

The heavily-Republican 6th district runs from Cabarrus County to Greensboro. There is no Democrat in the race.

Walker is a former Congressman who represented a seat in the Triad.

The Charlotte Fire Department said a portion of Old Dowd Road was closed Tuesday afternoon after a Norfolk Southern train collided with a tractor trailer. CFD said there were no injuries from the collision and no hazmat concerns. The truck became stuck on the tracks, firefighters said.

The Charlotte Hornets have hired Jeff Peterson as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. The 35-year-old comes to Charlotte after more than four seasons as assistant general manager with the Brooklyn Nets. Before that, he spent seven years with the Atlanta Hawks. He’ll be introduced at a press conference Wednesday morning.

Get ready to settle in for a longer wait tonight to see who wins Tuesday's primary elections. The reason? A change in state law.

In years past, county boards of election were allowed to start tabulating ballots from in-person, early voters a few hours before the polls closed. That head-start meant they could release early voting results a few minutes after voting ended at 7:30 pm.

Poll-watchers are used to early results popping up almost immediately. But the Republican-led General Assembly’s changes to election law last year require county boards to wait until polls close to total up those votes. The state board of elections says that process takes 30 to 60 minutes, and maybe more in large counties, like Mecklenburg and Wake. 

North Carolina elections director Karen Brinson Bell warned that since this is the first election under the new law, there’s no way to say exactly how long the results will be delayed. But she said one thing is certain: Candidates, reporters and the public will all be waiting longer tonight to see who wins. 

NC Medicaid will now cover an additional treatment for syphilis and congenital syphilis, Extencilline. This new coverage is being added to address the ongoing national shortage of Penicillin G, the first-line treatment for syphilis. State Health Director and Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson said on Monday that congenital syphilis infections are at the highest levels in almost 20 years nationwide.

A woman was fatally stabbed early Monday in uptown, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

Officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call just after 6 a.m. near 400 North Tryon Street, and found 46-year-old Susan Dillehay suffering from a stab wound.

Dillehay was transported to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

CMPD said the suspect, 32-year-old Jessica Robinson, was arrested and charged with murder. She was found near the scene by detectives.

The Charlotte Area Transit System said Monday it still plans to rebuild the main bus station uptown underground as part of a new mixed-use office tower, even though the Charlotte Hornets are no longer part of the plan.

The Hornets had considered building a new practice facility inside a proposed new tower across from the Spectrum Center.

But the team now plans to build its practice facility on a city-owned gravel lot that’s next to the arena.

Even without the Hornets, CATS Interim CEO Brent Cagle said plans to move the main bus station on Trade Street underground are moving forward.

“We are working with the developer as they start to narrow down on 30% design,” he said. “(Then) they start to think about what their overbuild looks like.”

Cagle said the developer, White Point Partners, could submit a rezoning for the new tower in a few weeks. The total cost to the city isn't yet clear.

Charlotte FC is still undefeated after the first two games of the Major League Soccer Season. The Crown jumped out to a 1-nil lead over Vancouver but couldn’t hold it and left with a 1-1 draw. Coach Dean Smith said he felt Charlotte let one get away.

"I'm a bit disappointed to be honest, because I felt that we should have won the game in the first half. I thought we could have taken the game away from from Vancouver. I thought we were good for probably 35 minutes of that first half, scored a good goal. (I) thought we were a better team by far the first half. So I thought it became a little bit scrappy in the second half," he said.

Charlotte has four points on the season, tied for second with six other teams. They’ll be back home this weekend hosting Toronto.

As the injury bug returns, the Charlotte Hornets have now lost five of their last six games after falling to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night, 111-106. Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 26 points and 10 rebounds, but said defense – or the lack of it - was the key to the game.

"I mean, like I said, just transition, I feel like. I think just, just a few transition stops and the game would have been different, as far as the outcome," he said. "But, you know, got to, prepare for our next game, just really prepare for that and give it a win."

Six-foot six-inch Grant Williams started at center since Nick Richards missed the game with injury. Williams had 18 points and 13 rebounds. The Hornets are back home Tuesday night against the Orlando Magic.

The State Law Enforcement Division in South Carolina is investigating after a York County deputy shot and killed a suspect over the weekend. The Rock Hill Herald reports the incident happened at about 2 am Sunday on Alexander Love Highway near Lincoln Road and Highway 321. The York County SWAT team had been called to the scene, but other details – including the name of the person who died and what led up to the shooting – have not been released.

Republican state legislators grilled the head of the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles and his staff for three hours Thursday as lawmakers consider whether to privatize some or all of the division’s work, which has come under scrutiny for customer service complaints. WRAL reports DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin acknowledged "a few hiccups along the way," but said the agency is making progress in some areas, especially staffing shortages. The panel also had several questions about third-party license plate agencies or LPAs, which are small businesses that contract with the state to handle license plate purchases and replacements.

Four of those were shut down by the DMV over the past two years due to contract or legal violations: one each in Huntersville and Holly Springs in 2022, and one each in Southport and Jacksonville last year. The General Assembly is expected to continue the scrutiny when it officially convenes next month.

The Charlotte Hornets lost again to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night, but it wasn’t as bad as the previous two beat downs. Charlotte fell behind early and fell to the Bucks 111-99. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 21 points.

"I think, like coach said, I think that's just a great team, playing at a high clip. Just, you know, I think they're, you know, getting ready for the playoffs. So, of course, this is a great team," he said. 

Miles Bridges added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Charlotte is back on the road Friday. They’ll take on the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 o’clock.

ESPN is reporting the Charlotte Hornets plan to hire Brooklyn Nets executive Jeff Peterson as the new head of basketball operations. The 35-year-old previously worked with new Hornets owner Rich Schnall in Atlanta and coach Steve Clifford in Brooklyn.

Applications for 2024-25 Opportunity Scholarships, which provide public money to help North Carolina families pay private-school tuition, close Friday.

This year North Carolina General Assembly opened the voucher program to families at all income levels and to students who started in private schools without the public money. That means all students are eligible if their schools participate. More than 32,000 students are getting the scholarships this year.

For 2024-25, scholarship amounts will range from about $3,000 to $7,000 a year, based on family income. Lower-income families will also get priority if the $191.5 million allocated for the coming year isn’t enough to cover everyone.

The agency that administers the money is providing extended call center hours Thursday and Friday for anyone who needs help with the application. Get a list of eligible schools and application information at www.ncseaa.edu.

The Carolina Panthers are looking to replace their existing training field bubble near Bank of America Stadium. According to WSOC, the Panthers have filed documents to build a new fieldhouse and training facilities on Cedar Street. Rezoning documents show that the team wants to develop a practice facility with indoor seating for events that can hold 5,000 spectators.

With Super Tuesday primaries in several states next week and early voting wrapping up in North Carolina Saturday, the presidential race is descending on the state with several campaign events.

On the Republican side, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley will be in Charlotte on Friday night at Suffolk Punch Brewing. That event starts at 7:30. Haley will also visit Raleigh Saturday. Former President Donald Trump will be in Greensboro Saturday at 2pm for an event at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

For Democrats, Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled for a visit to Durham tomorrow with Governor Roy Cooper.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections said some primary election results will be delayed on Super Tuesday next week. That’s due to a recent change in state law that says county boards will have to wait until 7:30 p.m. to begin counting ballots that were cast during early voting.

Usually, early voting results are released right after the polls close, but results could take between 30-60 minutes in most counties and possibly longer in large counties, like Mecklenburg.

The Charlotte Hornets crashed back to earth Tuesday night in a 123-85 drubbing by the Milwaukee Bucks. Charlotte scored just 26 points in the first half, the lowest total in a half by any NBA team this season. After the game, though, coach Steve Clifford said defense was also an issue.

"You know, our defense until tonight had been really good. You know, we've got to get back to being more inside-out offensively. That's when we've been good. That's when most teams are good. And, you know, that's what we struggled with these past couple of games," he said.

Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 17 points and Tre Mann added 16. The Hornets are back home Thursday night against those same Milwaukee Bucks, who have beaten Charlotte by 36 and 38 in the last two meetings.

The mayor of Matthews is weighing in after the Town Board meeting this week was disrupted by people on a Zoom comment session with antisemitic and homophobic rants. The meeting was recessed, and board members argued about cutting off speakers.

Mayor John Higdon released a statement yesterday, saying, “While I support the protection of free speech under the First amendment, I also condemn the hateful and offensive words used. They are completely at odds with the welcoming, inclusive community we wish to have in Matthews.”

The mayor said the board will hold a special meeting in the coming days to discuss methods for public participation during future Town Board meetings.

The Matthews Town Commissioners meeting ran off the tracks Tuesday night as council members allowed public comments on Zoom that devolved into anti-Semitic and homophobic rants unrelated to the agenda items. Commissioner Mark Tofano objected when one speaker’s volume was turned down and Commissioner Renee Garner said the comments didn’t reflect the values of Matthews.

"No, I refuse to step down on this," Tofano said. "This man, although we may not agree with him and we find it, maybe some of us find it repulsive. You have no right to turn down the volume on this man. No right.

Garner replied: "Mr. Tofano, I do not need to hear from anybody about putting their mouth on the, on a child's genitals, whether I agree with him or not, the language that he used was offensive on every level."

Garner walked out and commissioners took a five-minute recess and later resumed the regular meeting agenda.

Charlotte City Council is considering shifting more money to the Hornets’ Spectrum Center renovations.

Under a plan presented Monday night, the city would still give the Hornets $275 million total, but $245 million of that would now go toward Spectrum Center, which the city owns. The remaining $30 million would go to a new Hornets training center, with the Hornets covering the rest of that facility’s cost.

That money would come from tourism taxes, rather than selling naming rights to the performance center.

Economic Development Director Tracy Dodson told City Council that the Hornets’ new owners now want to build their training center on a gravel lot near the arena, not in a new development where the transit center is now.

"They had a bigger vision for a bigger world-class facility. They wanted to actually invest more and they desired to control the development so that they could get an earlier delivery," she said.

Council member Dimple Ajmera said she hopes Charlotte won’t lose sight of its goal to replace the 30-year-old transit center.

"We have to figure out a way to ensure that we have, we have a plan for our transit station renovation," she said.

City Council is expected to hear more details on the proposed changes next week and vote on a new plan by the end of March.

Charlotte City Council on Monday night approved $4.8 million to build the next segment of the Cross Charlotte Trail.

The 1.4-mile segment will go through the Hidden Valley neighborhood, from North Tryon Street to Orr Road. The greenway is planned to cross Mecklenburg County and total about 30 miles.

City Council also voted to spend $1.3 million to buy vehicles for a team of 16 civilian crash investigators. They’ll investigate vehicle wrecks in which no one is hurt but property is damaged, replacing sworn Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers who have been tasked with those crashes.

Both items passed with no discussion.

North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger said Monday he’s not in favor of any “wholesale changes” to the state’s ban last year on most abortions after 12 weeks.

The previous cutoff for abortions had been 20 weeks.

Berger, a Republican, said in Charlotte on Monday that he doesn’t expect any new abortion legislation in the upcoming short session that begins in April.

“I don’t see us making any substantial changes to that,” he said. “(There would be no changes) in the short session and I personally would not be in favor of any wholesale changes long-term.”

Berger was responding to a question about whether the General Assembly should restrict or protect access to in vitro fertilization.

The Alabama State Supreme Court recently ruled that frozen embryos could be considered children under state law. That has prompted some fertility clinics to close.

The Republican leaders of the General Assembly on Monday cast further doubt on Charlotte’s proposed $13.5 billion transportation plan, which would spend most of that money on rail transit.

Both Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said they are skeptical of Charlotte’s plan.

Moore, who is running for Congress in a district that includes part of Mecklenburg County, said he doesn’t think Charlotte is big enough to warrant more rail transit.

“Most of us have traveled to either other countries or cities where you have the density to support mass transit in a very significant way,” Moore said after an event at the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. “And I don’t know if Charlotte is there yet. But I think it’s appropriate to plan for it in a lot of ways.”

He said the city needs to spend most of any new money on roads.

“But the most pressing issue right now is the way 95% of the people get to and from work, and that is in a car,” he said.

The city needs legislators to approve placing a penny sales tax referendum on the ballot. That’s something they can’t do without support from Republican leaders in Raleigh.

A sexual assault in north Charlotte this weekend stands out because it involved a stranger and a home invasion — and the survivor is 86.

A man broke into a home on Hucks Road near West Sugar Creek Road about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.

According to CMPD, he physically and sexually assaulted the woman before he fled on foot.

CMPD Deputy Chief Tonya Arrington said the case is a priority for the department.

“As a female and then, you know, as a person that has — God rest their soul, grandparents — I can only imagine what she's going through at this time mentally, physically, emotionally,” said Arrington. “Eighty-six years old … just don't make any sense.”

Arrington said officers canvassed the area for witnesses and camera footage, but haven’t come up with anything so far.

They described the suspect as a heavy-set man in his mid-20s wearing jeans, a jacket, and hat. CMPD is asking anyone who may have noticed something odd in the area at that time to contact police.

The new-look Charlotte Hornets finally lost a game over the weekend but bounced back Sunday night and won in Portland for the first time in 16 years, beating the Trailblazers 93-80 with five players reaching double figures in scoring. After the game, coach Steve Clifford praised his team’s defense but said he’s concerned about turnovers.

"I think the offensive part is harder to get to, than the defense. Offense is harder, you know, no training camp. It's not like we're playing two new guys, you know, we're playing five of them. So it's gonna take a little time but the turnover stuff, you know, that's, as they say, in football, that's a personal responsibility and we've got to cut it out with the turnovers or we're not gonna win consistently," he said.

Center Nick Richards had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Miles Bridges had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Rookie Brandon Miller added 17 points. Charlotte wraps up its road trip Tuesday night in Milwaukee against the Bucks.

The Hornets are now 15-42.

Gastonia police are investigating a deadly weekend crash involving a Gaston County police officer.

It happened Saturday night when the officer was responding to a call about a shooting outside Bessemer City.

The patrol car's blue lights and siren were activated when it collided with another vehicle at the intersection of West Franklin Boulevard and Webb Street just after 10 p.m., according to the department.

One person died, and the officer was hospitalized after the crash.

The Gastonia Police Department is investigating because the incident occurred in its jurisdiction. The identities of the victim and the officer have not been released.

Charlotte FC got a lead, didn’t lose it, and got a win in their Major League Soccer opener over the weekend at Bank of America Stadium, downing New York City FC 1-nil and giving new coach Dean Smith his first victory with The Crown.

"I feel really good. Yeah, it was, you know, I thought the lads worked extremely hard, restricted them to very few chances. They had a little bit more to the ball. So in the first half, before we fix that, but yeah, I'm feeling really good. It's nice to win your first game," he said.

Charlotte plays Vancouver on Saturday.

The Charlotte Hornets have now won four straight games after Thursday night’s 115-107 win over the Utah Jazz on the road. The Hornets have been a different team since acquiring five new players just before the NBA’s trade deadline two weeks ago. Charlotte native Grant Williams is one of those players and he scored 24 points last night. After the game, coach Steve Clifford said he’s making a difference.

"Well, I mean, in these four games when he's been on the floor, I mean, we've been really good, you know, he plays well at both ends of the floor and that's what you need, two-way players. He creates a lot of offense for his teammates with his space shooting and the way he plays on offense and then he's very much, you know, he's like the middle linebacker back there that organizes your defense and he also plays with great physicality. So now he's playing at a great level," he said.

Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 26 points and 14 rebounds.

The Lovin' Life music festival scheduled for uptown Charlotte in early May announced its full lineup of musical acts Friday. In addition to previously announced headliners Post Malone, Stevie Nicks, Noah Kahan, and Maggie Rogers, 13 additional artists have been announced, including The Avett Brothers, Allen Stone, The Fray, and Lily Fitts.

There will also be a dedicated “QC Local Stage”, featuring a lineup of homegrown talent like Sweet Spine, Modern Alibi, Late Night Special, Laura Vinson and many others. Lovin' Life Music Fest takes place May 3 through 5.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say a 3-year-old boy has died after an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Wednesday evening in east Charlotte. Police say it happened at about 5:30 pm when officers responded to a call and found the boy, who was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. WSOC reports police believe the child found an unsecured handgun and shot himself, according to CMPD Major Bret Balamucki.

"Wherever you think you may have hidden that weapon, if it's loaded and it doesn't have a lock on it that the child can't defeat, then potentially they could gain access to it," he said.

Police said the investigation is continuing and charges are possible.

There are reports of cell phone outages in many areas of the country Thursday. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says it’s aware of a nationwide outage impacting AT&T cell phone customers. Callers were briefly unable to contact 911, but there are no disruptions to the call center’s ability to receive 911 calls currently.

Meanwhile Midland Fire and Rescue in Cabarrus County says it’s been getting 911 calls from people just trying to test the system to see if their emergency service works. They’re asking people to stop, saying if you can successfully place a non-emergency call to another number via your cell service then your 911 service will also work.

Mecklenburg County heard Wednesday that they may be facing tighter budgets over the next few years. County Manager Dena Diorio told the board that Mecklenburg will see higher costs to pay for a record $2.5 billion school bond voters approved last year. Property tax increases are already planned over the next several budgets.

"There are annual tax increases that are built into our budget from fiscal year 2024, which is the fiscal year we’re in...through fiscal 2029," she said.

At the same time, office buildings and other commercial properties continue to struggle post-pandemic, while home prices shoot up.

"Valuations for residential properties increased at a faster rate than commercial properties during the revaluation. So what that means is that the tax burden has shifted to residential property owners," she said.

Diorio cautioned county commissioners to keep that dynamic in mind as they plan how to cover increased costs for schools, parks, the health department and more. The county's new fiscal year starts in July.

Tega Cay officials have released more information about efforts to control the deer population in the South Carolina community just north Rock Hill.

WSOC reports the city said it has culled more than 30 deer over a two-week period.

In January, South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources approved a plan to kill a total of 160 deer. However, USDA sharpshooters were unable to cull as many deer as they hoped due to the work being limited to golf courses. WCNC reports the effort has cost more than $42,000.

The council said it is now considering other options to control the population.

North Carolina health officials are expanding their mental health resources with a hotline that allows people in crisis to talk with someone who has been through a similar experience.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said the Peer Warmline will work with the North Carolina 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by giving callers the option to speak with a Peer Support Specialist.

They said Peer Support Specialists (or “peers”) are people living in recovery with mental illness and/or substance use disorder who provide support to others who can benefit from their lived experience.

People in crisis who want to speak with a peer can call 1-855-PEERS NC (1-855-733-7762), and people who call 988 will have the option to connect with the Peer Warmline.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are investigating a deadly late-night shooting in the University City area.

Police were called to Berkeley Hill Drive, off West Mallard Creek Church Road, at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, where they found a man shot dead.

CMPD is investigating the death as a homicide , but saidthey’re not looking for any suspects. No arrests were reported, and police have not released the name of the victim.

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed North Carolina Republican House Speaker Tim Moore in his bid to win the redrawn 14th Congressional District.

The heavily Republican district includes western and northern parts of Mecklenburg County and stretches west to Rutherford and Polk counties.

Moore is facing two Republicans in the March 5 primary: Jeffrey Gregory and Lilian Joseph.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that Moore is a proven conservative and has his "complete and total endorsement."

Trump has also endorsed two Republican congressional incumbents, Virginia Foxx and Richard Hudson, and newcomer Addison McDowell in the 6th District.

Donald Trump Jr. is in North Carolina this week to stump for McDowell.

One of Charlotte's most popular breweries, Wooden Robot, said Tuesday that its co-founder died in an accidental fall at its South End location.

Dan Wade died at the building on West Summit Avenue near South Tryon Street. MEDIC, Mecklenburg's paramedic agency, confirmed that one person died in a fall.

Wade was one of Wooden Robot's co-founders and its director of operations. Wooden Robot said Tuesday that its South End and NoDa taprooms are closed until further notice.

"It is with an extremely sad and heavy heart that we share this news. Due to an accident that occurred today, we lost one of our founders, co-owners, and friend, Dan. We ask that you respect the privacy of his loved ones in this incredibly difficult time. We are all still in shock and need time to process everything, but we will do our best to keep everyone in the loop for when we open up our taprooms again. Your thoughts and prayers for Dan’s family, his wife, and his son are much appreciated at this time," co-founder Josh Patton wrote in a statement.

If you’re booking a flight on American Airlines, you may notice a fee increase.

The airline says it’s upping checked bag fees by up to $10.

American will now charge $35 for the first checked bag if you book it online and $40 if you pay at the airport. A second checked bag now costs $45 online or at the airport. The company says it’s the first baggage fee increase since 2018.

American Airlines is Charlotte Douglas International Airport's largest carrier, accounting for about 90% of daily flights.

The York County Sheriff’s Office said a 40-year-old male inmate died Monday night at the county detention center.

In a press release, the sheriff’s office said staff members observed an inmate in medical distress and had him transferred to a local hospital, where he died just after 9 p.m.

The inmate had been at the York County Detention Center since Dec. 27, charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and being a fugitive from justice on a charge from Virginia.

The man’s identity has not yet been released.

The state Law Enforcement Division is investigating.

Charlotte native William Byron won the Daytona 500 for the first time Monday night, surviving a big crash with eight laps to go and another just as the white flag for the final lap came out.

"I just thought to myself, man, I know what just happened, like huge wreck ... I just had to block that out and then think about, man, this might be my only shot to ever win this race. Like, literally. There's a lot of people that never get a chance to line up on the front row with two laps to go. So I feel like that motivated me," he said.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend.

The Charlotte City Council voted Monday to approve a rezoning request to allow Wells Fargo to place its name on top of the old Duke Energy building in uptown, which is now the bank’s headquarters.

The bank’s sign will have 14-foot letters. That’s similar to the size of the Truist letters that that bank placed on the old Hearst Tower. The Wells Fargo sign will be 1,800 square feet in size and will be placed on top of the “handlebar” of the skyscraper.

Union County commissioners voted 3-2 Monday night to ban the use of fluoride in the county's water system.

Commissioners Brian Helms, David Williams and Melissa Merrell voted for the motion, while Commission Chair J.R. Rowel and Commissioner Richard Helms voted against it.

Fluoride has been safely added to public water systems in the U.S. since the 1940s, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention find no risk to humans when it is added to drinking water in controlled levels.

The vote Monday came after a group of concerned citizens, who call themselves the "Fluoride Fighters," said they worried about fluoride's potential harms such as lowering children's IQ, and said the county was violating their medical freedoms by fluoridating its water.

Speaking before the vote, Williams said he agreed people should have the right to choose what goes in their water.

"Let's stop putting something in the water that's meant to treat us, and give people the freedom to choose. What an extraordinary idea, you know?" he said.

Brian Helms, who also voted for the measure, said he didn't believe the board should overrule the medical wishes of residents.

"Should this board ignore consent by putting a substance in the water that is for dental or medicinal benefit? Are we not at least in a sense mandating medication for the public?" he asked.

Before the vote, the commission heard from dentists and other supporters of fluoridation who pointed out that other chemicals like chlorine are often added to water to keep people healthy.

Richard Helms, who voted against the measure said he grew up on well water and had a history of dental issues, but that his children avoided that by growing up with fluoridated water.

"My children had the blessing of growing up with fluoride in their water and it has done that. They have very little dental issues," he said.

Only a very small number of U.S. cities don't fluoridate their water, including Wichita, Kansas; Portland, Oregon; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

The vote Monday night affects the Yadkin Water Treatment Plant, which opened in December 2023.

The South Carolina Republican Party is condemning what it says are attempts to get Democrats to vote in Saturday’s GOP primary between former president Trump and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.

In South Carolina, voters do not register by political party.

That means that anyone can vote in Saturday’s Republican primary — so long as they didn't already vote in the Democratic primary earlier this month.

Haley is down by about 30 percentage points, polls show. Her best chance is for Democrats to back her in a longshot bid to stop Trump.

The state Republican Party said there have been “several outrageous calls by a third-party organization” to encourage Democrats to vote Saturday.

South Carolina Republican Party chair Drew McKissick said he “won’t sit back and let Democrats tarnish our reputation,” and he called on the state to enact official party registration and closed primaries.

No charges will be filed in a domestic incident involving the Greensboro city manager last December and members of his family, according to WFDD.

In a statement, the Greensboro Police Department also said there’s no evidence that City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba received preferential treatment when officers were called to his home Dec. 28 for a domestic disturbance.

Jaiyeoba formerly worked for the city of Charlotte as an assistant city manager and planning director, overseeing the new Unified Development Ordinance and plans driving Charlotte's growth.

In a statement, he said, “Parents often have disagreements with their adult kids.” He was later seen wearing a sling.

Greensboro City Council reviewed body-camera footage of the Dec. 28 police response and concluded the incident was thoroughly investigated.

A Charlotte native and former NFL player is advancing in this season of the reality singing competition "American Idol."

Blake Proehl, 24, impressed judges in his audition broadcast Sunday night in which he played piano and sang a cover of "In Case You Didn't Know" by Brett Young — all while his grandmother, "Nana," stood by his side.

Proehl was a standout football player at Providence High School and later played wide receiver at East Carolina University.

He signed with the Minnesota Vikings before suffering a torn ACL, causing him to miss his entire rookie season.

His father, Ricky Proehl, played 17 years in the NFL, including three for the Carolina Panthers.

The younger Proehl will advance to the next round of "American Idol," known as "Hollywood Week." The ABC reality series airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.

Union County commissioners are set to take a final vote Monday night on whether to prohibit fluoride from the county's water supply.

At a meeting last month, some residents said they didn't want the chemical in their water, because they hadn't consented and feared its health effects. Dental professionals spoke at the same meeting and said fluoridation has safely and dramatically lowered the incidence of cavities in recent decades.

Commissioners voted 3-2 to prohibit fluoride. Under the county commission's rules, a vote that isn't unanimous must be brought back for a second vote. The fluoride ban can pass with a simple majority Monday.

Former President Donald Trump will visit Rock Hill and speak at Winthrop University the day before the South Carolina Republican primary, his campaign said this weekend.

Trump will speak at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, at the Winthrop Coliseum. It's a venue that seats about 6,000. His campaign said the event will be a get-out-the-vote rally.

Trump is heavily favored to win the South Carolina GOP primary, with polls consistently showing him leading former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley — his only remaining rival — by about 30 percentage points.

Haley spoke in Rock Hill Sunday night, holding a rally at the Magnolia Room event venue. She vowed not to drop out of the race, according to media reports.

Eight people were arrested after a protest Saturday afternoon that shut down Monroe Road and led to a 10-hour standoff with police. Charges include impeding traffic and failure to disperse.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg officers said the protest near McAlway Road occurred outside an Eritrean cultural festival, between supporters and opponents of Eritrea’s authoritarian government. That’s from a video of the protest posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Police said the protesters were on private property, blocked part of the road and refused to disperse. Officers used pepper spray on the crowd and said they were hit with sticks and rocks. Police said they also confiscated two guns, and a truck was set on fire.

The protest started about 11:30 a.m. Riot police were called in nearly eight hours later.

CMPD’s Civil Emergency Unit arrived a little after 7 p.m. and helped attendees leave the event, police said. Protesters dispersed shortly after 9 p.m.

Charlotte wasn't the only city to see Eritrea-linked clashes on Saturday; in The Hague, Netherlands, rival groups of Eritreans torched cars and injured several people.

Nikki Haley has scheduled a Sunday night campaign stop in Rock Hill in her attempt to overcome former President Donald Trump’s lead in the polls just a week before South Carolina’s GOP presidential primary. The Rock Hill Herald reports Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, is set to speak at 7 p.m. at the Magnolia Room on Laurel Creek Drive, according to her campaign staff and candidate website.

Representative Ralph Norman, the Republican congressman from Rock Hill who’s become a prominent Haley campaign surrogate, will introduce her, his office confirmed. The event is open to the public. Details are at the Haley campaign website.

The Biden administration eased some of the restrictions on Wells Fargo as of Thursday, saying the bank has sufficiently repaired its culture after years of scandals.

The Washington Post reports that news sent Wells Fargo’s stock up sharply yesterday as investors speculated that the bank, which has been kept on a tight leash by regulators for years, can rebuild its reputation and start growing again. The bank’s shares closed up more than 7% yesterday to its highest level since March 2022. Wells Fargo has about 25,000 employees in Charlotte.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Charlotte Douglas Airport Thursday, where he announced the airport is receiving a $27 million grant.

The money will help the airport pay for 16 new jetways, which are the bridges that bring passengers from the terminal to their planes. The money will also pay for new equipment to power and air condition the jetways.

The Federal Aviation Administration is awarding $970 million to airports across the country. That money is part of President Biden’s 2021 infrastructure law that passed with bipartisan support..

North Carolina is expected to be a swing state in November and administration officials are starting to visit regularly. In addition to Buttigieg’s visit Thursday, vice president Kamala Harris and Biden were in North Carolina last month.

Charlotte-based lithium supplier and chemical company Albemarle Corporation said Thursday that its profits fell even as sales rose, and that it plans to slow-walk some major new projects until lithium prices increase.

Albemarle has been working for years to reopen a major lithium mine in Kings Mountain, as well as create a huge lithium processing plant in South Carolina. But company officials say lithium prices are too low to complete those projects as of now. CEO Kent Masters told investors on an earnings call that Albemarle will keep moving forward with preliminary steps like permitting, with the expectation that prices for the metal used in rechargeable batteries will rebound.

"We have access to a great resource in Kings Mountain, but where prices are today the economics aren’t there for those projects," he said.

Albemarle said its profits for the full year fell 41%, to just under $1.7 billion. The company previously said that it is trying to cut costs by $750 million over the next few years.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is appealing a decision that allows Duke Energy to raise electricity rates in central and western North Carolina.

The decision by the North Carolina Utilities Commission allows Duke to raise rates by about 15% over three years. The utility estimates that could work out to around $18 more a month for a typical consumer.  In a statement, Stein says the rate increase is too high, and he’s asking a court to reject the increase.

A spokesperson for Duke Energy says the decision was issued after extensive evaluation and public input, and the increase will help fund critical investments in the state’s power grid. Stein is running for the Democratic nomination for North Carolina governor, and is considered the frontrunner in the Democratic primary.

The Charlotte Hornets have their first three-game winning streak of the season after blowing out the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night 122-99. Rookie Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 26 points and said after the game the Spectrum Center was rocking.

"I loved it tonight. You know, I heard that the fans, you know, the let's go Hornets chant. I've heard that three games in a row, so I think that's, you know, kind of a big key for us because just going in, you know, having our home fans cheering us on. I think that can bring us a lot of energy and momentum," he said.

The Hornets don’t play again until next Thursday as the league takes a break for the NBA All Star game.

The latest poll of South Carolina voters from Winthrop University shows 65% of likely primary voters in the state support the nomination of former president Donald Trump.

He has a 36-point lead over his opponent, former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, according to the new poll.

Trump is the top pick for the Republican presidential nomination among all likely voters in South Carolina, but independents are more evenly split between the two candidates. Among independents who are likely to vote in the upcoming primary, 42.3% support Haley while 42.6% support Trump.

Among GOP voters only, Trump maintains a stronghold at 72%. Early voting for the Feb. 24 South Carolina primary is underway.

Feb. 14 marks 24 years since a 9-year-old girl went missing from Cleveland County.

Asha Degree’s disappearance remains one of the biggest unsolved mysteries in the Charlotte region.

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said despite it being nearly a quarter century since anyone saw Asha, investigators are still searching.

"No one’s forgotten about Asha. Not myself, not the sheriff’s office, not the community," he said.

Asha was last seen walking along Highway 18 near her home in Shelby in the early morning hours on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 2000.

Police have received more than 700 tips, but despite finding some of her belongings nearby, Asha was never located.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at 704-484-2822, or contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.

There’s a $45,000 reward for information on the case.

Domestic violence charges against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges have been dropped.

Documents from Mecklenburg Superior Court show the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

Prosecutors say the victim, Bridges' ex-girlfriend, initially told investigators another female at her home had caused damage to her windshield during a custody exchange in October, but told police a few days later that Bridges had broken her windshield.

In preparation for trial, prosecutors said she told them she was unsure how the damage was caused.

Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday that Siemens Energy will invest $150 million in North Carolina, in part to expand its manufacturing operations and build electrical transformers in Charlotte.

The company said the project will create up to 475 direct operating and 285 construction jobs in Charlotte.

In addition, Siemens' Raleigh facility will add an additional 84 jobs. This will be the first Siemens Energy Transformer production facility in the U.S. and will help address a national shortage of transformers.

The Charlotte jobs will pay an average wage of about $87,000, slightly over Mecklenburg County's average wage.

The company is eligible to receive almost $7 million in state tax breaks over the next 12 years.

Charlotte City Council heard Monday that rapidly rising costs for salaries and materials could require a tax increase to cover the bill. The city’s lowest-paid hourly employees have seen their wages rise nearly 40% since 2021 to about $22 an hour, while firefighter and police salaries are up 17% and 21% respectively.

City staff said they had to raise salaries to attract more applicants and deal with high vacancy rates. Meanwhile, the costs for key building materials have also jumped — for example, concrete pipe is now $138 a linear foot, up from $100 in 2020.

"So a 38% increase over that time period — we use a lot of concrete pipe in our projects," said City of Charlotte engineer Jennifer Smith.

Hannah Bromberger, with the city’s strategy and budget department, said the rate of inflation has eased, but prices are stuck at higher points.

"Even though inflation in the construction industry has normalized to those traditional levels of growth, prices are not returning to those prior year prices," she said.

All of that means the city is facing higher costs across the board. Charlotte City Council will work on its budget over the next few months and vote on a final budget, with a new property tax rate, before the next fiscal year starts July 1.

City Council member Tariq Bokhari said the costs are starting to pile up.

"We're being teed up for an M. Night Shyamalan twist at the end of this, which is we have to raise taxes," he said.

Donald Trump has endorsed North Carolina Republican Party chairman Michael Whatley to be the new head of the Republican National Committee.

Trump named his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, co-chair of the RNC.

The former president is the front-runner for the Republican nomination this year.

Early voting is underway in the Feb. 24 South Carolina primary, where Trump is squaring off against the state’s former Gov. Nikki Haley.

The Charlotte Hornets did something last night they haven’t done since before Thanksgiving. They won back-to-back games by downing the Indiana Pacers, 111-102.

Newcomer Grant Williams led the team with 21 points. Miles Bridges had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Charlotte hosts the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night at the Spectrum Center.

The team is meshing five new players into the lineup after making several moves before the NBA trade deadline last week. Charlotte native Seth Curry is one of them. He scored 18 points last night.

"I felt good. Gotta give coach some credit, he put me in good situations. Kind of switched up the sets he ran for me early in the game and got me a little bit more of ... a rhythm tonight touching the ball, being aggressive, moving the ball," Curry said.

The Greensboro City Council will be able to view body camera footage taken by police during a family disorder call to Greensboro City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba’s home. He’s also a former Charlotte assistant city manager and planning director.

On Monday, a superior court judge gave a consent order to release the video footage to council members only. Officials say their request was made to verify that best practices were followed by the four police officers who responded to multiple domestic disturbance 911 calls on the evening of Dec. 28 made from Jaiyeoba’s home.

The police report from the incident stated that three family members — Jaiyeoba included — were victims of physical assault. Monday’s body cam release is to the city council only.

Amiel Rossabi is a lawyer representing the Greensboro Police Officers Association. He says he feels the city manager may have been treated differently than other citizens. Rossabi says he’s joining in a legal effort to obtain a full and unedited release of the body cam footage that could be made available to the public. That hearing will be held on Feb. 19.

The Charlotte Hornets said Monday that the team will search for a new head of basketball operations as general manager Mitch Kupchak shifts to an advisory role.

Kupchak joined the Hornets in 2018 after 17 years as the Los Angeles Lakers lead basketball executive, where he tallied four NBA championships. His first organizational move with the team was during the 2018 NBA draft where he selected point guard Shai-Gilgeous Alexander who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for current forward Miles Bridges.

Kupchak’s contract is set to expire at the end of the year.

The Hornets have a new ownership group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rich Schnall, and they're expected to shake up the front office and coaching staff.

The Charlotte Hornets notched their eleventh win of the season this weekend. They beat the Memphis Grizzlies, 115-106, on Saturday.

Miles Bridges led the team with 25 points. The win comes after the Hornets traded Gordon Hayward and PJ Washington last week, as well as sending veteran Terry Rozier to Miami last month.

The Hornets are now 11-41.

A man was killed in a shooting early Sunday morning in south Charlotte. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police found 26-year-old Anthony Smith along South Boulevard not far from the intersection with Woodlawn Road around 1 am. WSOC reports it happened outside the Bowlero bowling alley. No arrests have been reported as of Monday morning.

First lady Jill Biden was in Charlotte Friday to highlight the administration’s efforts regarding cancer treatment, as election season is already in full swing.

She visited Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute to hear how the hospital uses navigators to guide people through their treatment — and panels aimed at reducing costs for individual patients.

Biden said steps like those help make treatment more affordable and reliable.

"It’s so that we find a way to help families afford their cancer treatments and everything else that is involved," said Biden.

 She did not take any questions or remark on Thursday's special counsel report on President Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.

Concord approved a new social district at its city council meeting last night. Social districts allow customers to consume alcohol on sidewalks in the designated areas.

The move comes as the city’s downtown area is undergoing extensive renovations that have hampered local businesses during construction. City leaders say businesses will have to register if they want to participate.

The downtown construction is scheduled to be complete by July and the social district is set to open in August.

The NFL announced Thursday night that former Carolina Panthers star defensive lineman Julius Peppers will be inducted into the league’s 2024 class for the hall of fame. He's the second Panthers legend in three years to be inducted, after Sam Mills was honored in 2022 and the first player drafted by the Panthers to be inducted into the Hall.

In his 17 years, he had 159.5 sacks -fourth all-time - 52 forced fumbles (second all-time). He's also the only player in league history with more than 100 sacks and also 10 interceptions. When he was inducted into the Panthers Hall of Honor last Summer, he said even though he played for other team’s late in his career, he always wanted to come back to Carolina.

"Everything worked out. So, I was happy to be back here. I was happy to come home and I was happy to finish it out here where I should have been the whole time," he said.

Peppers rejoined the Panthers in 2017 as a 37-year-old. He played two more seasons and racked up 16 more sacks.

The Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, which is considered the most influential endorsing organization in Mecklenburg County, has released its endorsements ahead of the March 5 primary on Super Tuesday.

The BPC often works to promote African-American candidates.

But in two of the state’s biggest races, the BPC backed Attorney General Josh Stein over former state Supreme Court justice Michael Morgan in the Democratic primary for governor.

In the Democratic primary for attorney general, it backed Charlotte Congressman Jeff Jackson over Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry.

Stein and Jackson are white. They’re favored to win. Morgan and Deberry are Black.

In Mecklenburg County Commission races, the BPC declined to endorse two longtime incumbents: at-large member Pat Cotham and District 2 representative Vilma Leake.

The group is backing Charles Obsborne over Leake. Its picks for the three at-large seats are incumbents Leigh Altman and Arthur Griffin, and challenger Yvette Townsend Ingram.

Mecklenburg County has the most African-American voters of any North Carolina county.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are investigating an officer involved shooting Thursday morning on Beatties Ford Road. CMPD said officers noticed "potential drug activity" involving two people in a parking lot. When officers approached them, one of the men ran away. The person who ran showed that he had a gun while he was running away from officers.

One officer shot at the person, who was hit and transported to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries. No officers were injured in the shooting. Both officers involved will be placed under paid administrative leave during the internal investigation.

The Charlotte Hornets have traded veteran forward Gordon Hayward to the Oklahoma City Thunder. According to ESPN the Hornets will receive forward Davis Bertans and guards Tre Mann and

Hayward joined the Hornets with a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics in 2020. In his four years with the Hornets, Hayward played in 168 games and averaged 16.3 points per game.

The Hornets take on the the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday at 8pm.

The Charlotte Hornets losing streak now stands at nine games after a fourth quarter collapse Wednesday night sunk them against the Toronto Raptors, 123-117. Cody Martin, who started at point guard again last night, said it was a tale of two halves.

"I think just not having carry-over from the first half. I think we did a pretty good job of just taking away their strengths, getting back in transition, knowing that they want to find gaps and get easy buckets, quick buckets, get to the rim. And I think we did a pretty good job of that in the first half," he said. "I think we kind of took our foot, foot off the gas when it came to that. I think we didn't put ourselves in a position, you know, at the beginning of the third quarter to take away from some of those easy baskets. So they took advantage of those."

The Hornets go on the road to face the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night.

Charlotte Area Transit System ridership grew by nearly 11% in 2023 compared to 2022 as more people returned to the office.

CATS carried 14.7 million passenger trips for the year.

While more people are riding trains and buses, ridership is only 60% of what it was in 2019, the year before the pandemic.

And CATS is only carrying half as many passengers as it did in 2013, its peak year for ridership.

First lady Jill Biden will travel to Charlotte on Friday to visit the Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute.

She’ll highlight the Biden administration's efforts to expand access to patient navigation services and address the financial burden of cancer care.

Jill Biden is expected to arrive at Charlotte Douglas International Airport at 1:30 p.m.

Gaston County Police are asking for help in identifying the body of a man found along Highway 321 just north of Dallas on Tuesday. In a press release, police say the man was found on the northbound side of the highway near Ratchford Drive just after 4 pm. He’s estimated to be in his mid-50s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall with graying hair and a small mustache and goatee with a pre-existing injury to his lower left leg. Anyone with information is asked to call Gaston County Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000.

Union County commissioners are set to prohibit fluoride in the county’s water system.

WSOC-TV reports the move would only apply to water treatment plants and systems that Union County owns and operates, like the Yadkin River Water Treatment plant, which is expected to come online in the next few months. It would not apply to systems Union County doesn’t have complete control over, including the Catawba River Water Supply Project, which is used by two-thirds of county residents.

Despite the testimony of medical professionals, a group of concerned residents asked county commissioners to go against the science.

Since Monday night’s vote wasn’t unanimous, commissioners will have to vote again at the next meeting in two weeks.

The N.C. Local Government Commission voted Tuesday afternoon to approve Mecklenburg County issuing $2.5 billion worth of bonds for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools projects.

The Commission gives the final go-ahead for local governments to sell bonds. Mecklenburg voters approved the school bonds last year. It's the largest bond issue in state history.

CMS plans to use the bonds to fund 30 school facility renovation, expansion, and replacement projects.

To repay the bonds, Mecklenburg County will have to increase property taxes in the coming years.

The Charlotte Hornets losing streak moved to eight games Monday night after a 124-118 loss to the L.A. Lakers. Charlotte battled back from 21 points down in the second half but came up short despite a career-high 41 points from Miles Bridges, who’s been the subject of trade rumors for weeks. The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.

"Just worry about our next game," Bridges said after the game. "If you’re worried about outside noise, it’s going cloud our game, you know, and we're doing our best to, to, to get a win, you know, we're trying to be competitive and everybody's locked in, man. It's just like coach said, we're just kind of underhanded right now, but that's no excuse, you know, everybody's coming in, coming in ready to play. We're all NBA players so we've got to come and compete every night."

The Hornets will wrap up their homestand Wednesday night against Toronto. The team is 10-39.