WCNC Charlotte To Go

Fire crews in McDowell County are working to contain two fires early Friday morning. As of the 5:30 a.m. update Friday, officials confirmed fire crews had made good progress on the Crooked Creek fire and North Fork fire.  In a previous update, the McDowell County Emergency Management Administration said the Crooked Creek near Old Fort had spread to 200 acres and was 15% contained. The 5:30 a.m. up...

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education leaders voted to raise the district's minimum wage for staff.   With the board's approval on Tuesday, some of the changes will start in February. The vote comes after the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district worked with the firm Hurd Isenhour Lopes (HIL) Consultants in fall of 2023, having a compensation review for classified pay grades 1 through 9. This...

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders are set to vote on Tuesday on whether to raise the district's minimum wage for staff.   With board approval, some of the changes will start in February. The vote comes after CMS worked with the firm Hurd Isenhour Lopes (HIL) Consultants in fall of 2023, having a compensation review for classified pay grades 1 through 9. This review looked at pay for both hourl...

Republican candidate, Jefferson Griffin, is still seeking to reverse the outcome in the race for a seat on the state Supreme Court, even after two recounts showed Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs narrowly winning the election. Riggs remains on the court while the legal battles play out. Litigation in state and federal court should decide the outcome of Griffin's efforts to have roughly 6...

President Donald Trump is expected to visit western North Carolina on Friday in his first visit to the area during his second term as president, according to Buncombe County officials.   The area was devastated by Hurricane Helene in late September, killing more than 100 people in the state and leaving thousands without shelter.   Details on the presidential visit are limited, but Buncombe County...

Newly obtained search warrants connected to the disappearance of Madalina Cojocari reveal that, at least early on, the investigation centered around "believed sexual exploitation" of a minor child victim. Further warrants also unveiled more information about what investigators found as they began digging. The warrants, obtained by WCNC Charlotte, also reveal, that in the days after Madalina Cojoca...

It's a snowy and icy Wednesday in the Charlotte area, after winter weather moved through on Tuesday. Now, the focus shifts to the chilly temperatures and road conditions during the morning commute. Several school districts in the area are closed or operating under remote learning Wednesday, but despite the road conditions, many people still have to head into work. The WCNC Charlotte team is tracki...

A cold front moved into the Carolinas Sunday night, delivering the coldest air of the season, including some of the coldest air we've felt in two years. However, the chances of seeing snow in the Queen City are pretty much gone.   Despite the lack of snow, the Weather Impact team wants everyone to be Weather Aware due to the extremely cold weather impacting the region.  Here are the impacts: https...

Donald Trump, who overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, will be sworn in as the 47th president on Monday, taking charge as Republicans assume unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country's institutions. Trump is expected to act swiftly after the ceremony, with executive orders already prepared fo...

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department shared the city's crime data in a briefing on its 2024 End of Year Public Safety Report on Wednesday.   The report gives an overview of public safety trends and police activities throughout last year.   Charlotte saw a 3% decrease in overall crime in 2024, CMPD said.  Chief Johnny Jennings attributed the overall decrease to the department's focus on juve...

An audit of South Carolina's state finances finds that the puzzling $1.8 billion account mostly never existed in the first place. The lengthy report, independently done by consulting firm AlixPartners, was released Wednesday afternoon, and says: "We determined that approximately $1.6 billion of the $1.8 billion did not represent real cash." It also found the remaining $245 million did exist but wa...

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is aiming to raise the minimum wage its staff makes, the district confirmed. With board approval, changes will start next month. It comes after CMS worked with the firm Hurd Isenhour Lopes (HIL) Consultants in fall of 2023, having a compensation review for classified pay grades 1 through 9. This review looked at pay for both hourly and salaried employees across 390 di...

South Carolina lawmakers return to the State House on Tuesday to kick off the 2025-2026 legislative session, and Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday unveiled his $41.6 billion executive budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The Governor's spending plan includes raises for teachers, an accelerated income tax cut, and substantial disaster relief funding for those impacted by Hurricane Helene. “If we're goi...

After years of delays, Charlotte city leaders are expected to vote on funding for a long-awaited pedestrian bridge on the Rail Trail. The city is taking another step toward making it easier to walk or bike safely from South End to Uptown.  WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with news that impacts you from the team at WCNC Charlotte...

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein declared a statewide state of emergency ahead of a winter storm that's expected to bring the first measurable snowfall to Charlotte in three years, warning residents of freezing temperatures and dangerous travel conditions.   "This storm will likely bring significant impacts from snow, sleet and freezing rain in different parts of the state," Stein said. "North Carol...

Many groups in the Charlotte area are taking extra precautions to brace for freezing temperatures that those unhoused are left having to endure. Warming centers in Mecklenburg County say they’re waiting for the greenlight from the county to expand hours and resources for those people. County officials say there’s a checklist they have to go through before giving that approval. Read more: https://w...

City leaders in Hickory discussed a proposal Tuesday night to abolish the board overseeing the Hickory Public Housing Authority. The move comes in response to years of complaints about inefficiencies in the organization, which Mayor Hank Guess says has left much-needed affordable housing resources underutilized. "There’s a tremendous need for affordable housing, and 40% of it’s not being utilized,...

During a Tuesday meeting, Rock Hill leaders will consider rules that would prevent those experiencing homelessness from living in local hotels. The hope is that this will help cut down on service calls and safety concerns, but the new recommendations are already getting pushback. MORE NEWS: wcnc.com WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your da...

The Matthews Board of Commissioners voted last week to withdraw from a state highway project that would have expanded E. John Street to four lanes through the historic downtown area. The decision halts the North Carolina Department of Transportation's planned expansion, which has faced opposition from many residents.  Town officials are instead pursuing a three-lane alternative they say better ali...

A shooting in east Charlotte left four people hurt on Thursday. The shooting happened on Purple Thistle Lane near Tiger Lily Lane, according to Medic. Three people suffered life-threatening injuries and one suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has not released any information on this shooting. It's unknown if any suspects were arrested or are wanted....

More details about the man suspected of intentionally plowing a pickup truck into crowds along Bourbon Street in New Orleans are coming to light, including about his previous service in the U.S. Army. The suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who was born in the U.S. and was from Texas. Officials said he killed 15 people and injured dozens more before New Orleans police of...

Two people were seriously injured in separate shootings early Wednesday, Medic said.  The first shooting happened near the intersection of Remount Road and West Boulevard around 1 a.m. on New Year's Day. Medic confirmed one person was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.  STORY: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/new-years-day-shootings-charlotte-north-carolina-investigation/...

A homicide is under investigation in Charlotte's University City area, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. The incident happened on Dave McKinney Avenue near North Tryon Street. CMPD put an alert out about the homicide shortly after 9:15 p.m. on Monday. When police arrived to the scene, they found a man who had been shot. Medic confirmed he died at the scene. Read more: https...

Former President Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, whose post-presidential work as a humanitarian set a modern standard for the kind of legacy presidents can craft after their time in the White House, has died at 100 years old. "Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia," the Carter Center announced Sunday in a social media...

People living in a homeless encampment in the city of Lancaster are expected to be moved from their current encampment on Friday. This notice is an extension from an original deadline originally set for a week earlier. Currently, those living in the encampment can be seen under the bridge along the Catawba River heading into the city. County officials say there is a warming center that’s been open...