Elvis Menayese

Over the past six years, overdose deaths among Black and Hispanic residents have risen sharply. So has the number of trips to the emergency department because of overdoses. To tackle the crisis, the county has launched two new programs. In part three of WFAE’s series, we speak with doctors, drug users, and county staff about their plans with the nearly $75 million they expect to receive over the next 18 years to address the opioid crisis.

Overdose deaths continue to impact Mecklenburg County residents. Over the past six years, with the exception of last year, overdose deaths among Black and Hispanic residents have risen sharply each year. In part one of WFAE’s series, we explored how job loss and loss of loved ones turn some residents to drugs. In part two, we talk with researchers who test the drugs and with those who say they sold drugs to understand why.

Overdose deaths among Black and Hispanic residents have risen sharply in Mecklenburg County over the past six years. At the same time, overdose deaths among white residents have fluctuated. In part one of a three-part series, WFAE explores the crisis.

A planned protest at East Mecklenburg High School fizzled out on Monday after a principal warned family members that students could face disciplinary actions if they failed to follow CMS guidelines. The planned protest comes amidst Border Patrol arrests in Charlotte, and reported plans for more walkouts this week.

A ceremony was held in Rock Hill on Thursday night to recognize three African Americans who played a key role in integrating baseball in the South in the 1950s.

A ceremony occurred in Charlotte Wednesday that celebrated the transfer of land where newly freed slaves built a church and cemetery. The consecrated land has now returned to their descendants and others with ties to the church.

Mecklenburg County plans to host a forum on Wednesday to recruit volunteers for the upcoming annual Point-In-Time count that assesses the state of homelessness.

A new exhibit is on display at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in uptown Charlotte. It profiles iconic jazz artists who played in a period that included the Jim Crow era.

A $9 million project for a new mosque is expected to open next year in Charlotte. Pillars Mosque will serve the city’s growing population and diverse Muslim community, which includes an increasing number of converts. The project is led by John Ederer, the mosque’s imam, who is white and also a convert.

With mental health needs still high and access a challenge for many, more than 200 people attended a conference today at a Charlotte hotel in the University City area that aimed to raise awareness about the topic.