Chris Jones

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards ended his reelection bid last week following a House ethics investigation confirming he “violated House Rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces.” Now, Republicans are left to replace him. We check in with our roundtable of reporters on the latest from Washington and how it could impact North Carolina.

Thousands of students returned to school for the first day of classes in South Carolina, including those near the controversial Silfab Solar manufacturing plant. Meanwhile, state officials have confirmed for the first time an invasive bee-killing hornet entering the region. We’ll get an update on both.

As e-bikes become more common on Charlotte’s streets, concerns are growing over how some people are riding them and the safety risks they pose. Injury rates involving e-bikes among children and adolescents surged 7.5-fold between January 2023 and May 2026, with nearly 7% of those visits involving traumatic brain injuries. We look at how e-bikes are regulated and what the city of Charlotte may do about them.

Nationwide, animal shelters have been overcrowded and overwhelmed. Much of the burden may stem from the rising costs of pet ownership. We look at the issues shelters are facing, the many financial challenges pet owners are dealing with, and how major advances in veterinary medicine also come with a price.

Cases of cyclosporiasis are ticking up in our region as the state cites more than 500 cases across North Carolina. We’ll discuss what you need to know and how to protect yourself. We’ll also discuss why, despite major advances in treatment and prevention, HIV continues to disproportionately affect Black residents in Mecklenburg County.

Pat McCrory is one of the most consequential and polarizing political figures in North Carolina history. From mayor of Charlotte to governor of North Carolina, McCrory spent nearly two decades shaping the city before a turbulent term as governor that transformed his career and public image. Journalist and columnist Andrew Dunn focuses on McCrory’s rise, reckoning and legacy in a new book, “The Change Agent.”

‘Teen takeovers’ have become a nuisance in cities like Charlotte and Raleigh, with large groups of teenagers gathering in public spaces, causing disruption and sometimes engaging in destructive behavior. CMPD now recommends a 9 p.m. curfew for all minors. We look at how that curfew would be enforced, what is contributing to the gatherings, and possible solutions for providing safe spaces for minors.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died Saturday following what his office said was a brief and sudden illness. We’ll discuss Graham’s leadership in the state and what’s next for filling his seat and his reelection bid. We also get an update on where North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race stands and what it could mean for the balance of power in Congress.

We take a political vibe check on North Carolina by examining what the latest Catawba-YouGov poll shows. We’ll separate signal from noise while discussing what these polls really tell us about the state’s electorate as another consequential election season gets underway.

Charlotte now experiences nearly a month of additional dangerous heat days compared to 50 years ago. By the 2060s, state officials expect nearly 40 more days each year when the heat index exceeds 95 degrees. Extreme heat is now considered the top climate-related threat for residents. We explore how that heat is changing daily life for Charlotteans.