WFAE staff and wire reports

Cabarrus County needs a new county manager, again. County commissioners have fired Sean Newton. Newton was hired by Cabarrus County in March to replace longtime County Manager Mike Downs, who was fired by commissioners in January. Newton was hired after the application period was held open for 13 days.

SouthPark After 5, a free evening entertainment series that has attracted nearly 65,000 attendees since it began in 2023, will return to the SouthPark neighborhood six times this fall.The events feature live music, interactive family-friendly experiences, food trucks, and mobile bars.The event is presented by SouthPark Community Partners and produced by Southern Entertainment.It’s scheduled for every Thursday from Sept. 5th through Oct. 10th at Symphony Park at the corner of Barclay Downs Drive and Carnegie Boulevard, adjacent to SouthPark Mall.

Morganton will launch a social district next month, joining a growing number of North Carolina communities that allow people to drink alcoholic beverages outdoors within designated areas.

A second top deputy has resigned from the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office in less than a year, accusing Sheriff Garry McFadden of fostering what he called a “toxic and abusive environment.”

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has begun mailing notices to more than 82,000 voters whose registration records are missing required identification numbers.

Charlotte FC is the hottest team in Major League Soccer. The Crown won its sixth straight MLS match Saturday night in Charlotte, downing Real Salt Lake 1-nil. Midfielder Ashley Westwood says the team has found its footing again after a rough stretch of road games earlier in the season.

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster said that he approved of sending members of his state’s National Guard to Washington, D.C. to help enforce President Trump’s executive order. McMaster authorized the deployment of 200 South Carolina National Guardsmen to the nation’s capital.McMaster included a provision saying the guardsmen are subject to immediate recall if a hurricane or other natural disaster affects the Palmetto State. Hurricane Erin is currently churning in the Atlantic Ocean.

Neighbors in Enderly Park are hoping Mecklenburg County leaders will help address safety concerns at their neighborhood park after a mobile surveillance camera that kept crime in check was removed.WCNC reports the county installed the temporary camera earlier this summer in response to complaints about drug activity in the park.Residents say it made the space off Freedom Drive in West Charlotte feel safer and more family-friendly.

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.

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