WFAE staff and wire reports

Seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty will receive North Carolina’s highest civilian honor later this year.Gov. Josh Stein announced Thursday that Petty will receive the North Carolina Award for public service.Petty, a longtime North Carolina resident and one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, will be honored at a ceremony in Raleigh in November.

Early voting ends Friday in South Carolina's Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff between Darline Graham and Ralph Norman.

The Carolina Panthers practiced with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday ahead of Friday's preseason matchup.

A former acting headmaster whose appointment helped fuel a parent revolt at a York County charter school last year has been charged with felony embezzlement and elder exploitation.

UNC Charlotte is launching a new School of Energy. In a news release, the university says it will be the first school in the country dedicated to interdisciplinary challenges of expanding and upgrading the nation’s electrical infrastructure. It comes as the nation sees energy demand surge from new AI data centers. The school will offer engineering and energy-related degree programs.

Mecklenburg County visitors spent a record $6.47 billion in 2025, bringing more outside dollars into the local economy than any other county in North Carolina, according to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

The board that oversees alcohol sales in North Carolina has delayed plans to establish a minimum price for mixed drinks containing liquor.

The Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority Board voted Wednesday night to move forward with 10 stations on the proposed Red Line commuter rail project to Lake Norman.

Ramsey Creek Beach on Lake Norman will remain closed through the end of the summer because of drought conditions and low water levels.

Mooresville Commissioner Dana Tucker is urging the town board to address a no-confidence vote directed at Mayor Chris Carney earlier this year.