Novant Health has received the green light from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to build a new community hospital in Kannapolis. The 50-bed hospital could open as soon as 2030.

Duke Energy has asked state and federal regulators for permission to combine its two electric utilities in the Carolinas.

Jonathan Thomas has been named the new chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Police Department.

MeckEd, an area nonprofit that advocated for public schools and tried to connect students to jobs, is closing its doors.

A South Carolina Republican lawmaker arrested on charges of distributing child sexual abuse material has resigned from the state House.

No one was hurt after shots were fired Saturday at a back-to-school health fair in west Charlotte. CMPD has not released information about any arrests.

On Thursday, The Park Church on Beatties Ford Road held a funeral for Charlotte civil rights attorney James Ferguson, known as Fergie.

North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is launching an initiative he’s calling “Operation Robocall Roundup.” As part of the multi-state effort with other attorneys general, Jackson is taking enforcement action against 37 voice service providers for not following F-C-C rules to prevent robocalls from entering their networks. Jackson is giving the companies three weeks to comply.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Thursday that they arrested a Kennedy Middle School volunteer football coach for taking indecent liberties with a student. Court records say 22-year-old Shy’mere Kavon Leroy Simms was arrested Wednesday after allegedly forcing a 13-year-old boy’s hand down his pants. The affidavit alleges Simms contacted the boy over social media. Police say the boy immediately told his family. A police affidavit states Simms was previously a behavioral technician at the boy’s school, Alexander Graham Middle School.

Students in the Rowan-Salisbury school system get back to class Thursday. Cabarrus County students return Monday (Aug. 11). Kannapolis City Schools start Tuesday (Aug. 12), Gaston County goes back to class Wednesday (Aug. 13). Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools start back on Aug. 25.