WCNC Charlotte To Go

Anger and frustration is growing after a recent deadly attack on the light rail in South End. Safety advocates say Charlotte city leaders have gone "soft on crime."  It comes as Mayor Vi Lyles called for a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss transit safety and security.  Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/charlotte-transit-authority-to-hold-special-safety-meeting-on-wednesday-a...

The mayor is calling for a special meeting with Charlotte transit leaders this week to address safety and security on the light rail. It comes after a candlelight vigil for 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, the Ukrainian woman who was stabbed to death on the light rail just over a week ago.   Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/southend/charlotte-honors-victims-vigil-iryna-zarustka-aleki-...

Court documents obtained by WCNC Charlotte revealed new details in a horrific attack on a Charlotte CATS light rail train in South End. Richard DeVayne joins WCNC Charlotte To Go with the latest details on the investigation and a preview of Friday's court hearing.  READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/woman-stabbed-in-throat-on-lynx-blue-line-charlotte/275-36fe55e3-ed6c-4674-976b-a14...

A man was shot multiple times by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police after allegedly opening fire on the officers in southeast Charlotte early Thursday, investigators said.  CMPD said it was responding to a call to assist Medic along Pineborough Road, which is just off Monroe Road, around 2 a.m. Maj. Ryan Butler told WCNC Charlotte that the initial caller told dispatchers that a family member was armed o...

At Monday night's meeting, multiple Charlotte City Council members demanded action following a fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old woman on a light rail train. Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death Friday night on a LYNX Blue Line train in South End. Loved ones say Zarutska recently fled Ukraine and came to Charlotte seeking peace and new beginnings. Investigators have identified 34-year-old Decarlos Br...

Services are being held this week to remember legendary NASCAR promoter H.A. "Humpy Wheeler." He was the longtime president of Charlotte Motor Speedway, putting it on the map as one of the best venues in racing. The Wheeler family announced that the public is invited to honor his life and legacy during the following services: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/humpy-wheeler-funeral-services/2...

With school buses on the roads and hallways once again ready to echo with student chatter, Union County Public Schools officially kicks off the 2025–2026 school year Monday, welcoming back approximately 41,000 students and 5,000 staff members. Superintendent Andrew Houlihan is set to visit Weddington and Indian Trail Elementary Schools Monday morning, greeting students and teachers as they began t...

As Charlotte’s population booms, city leaders say it’s time to act or risk falling further behind.  On Friday, local officials will host an open house to outline their ambitious mobility plan that's aimed at easing traffic congestion, improving affordability and expanding transportation options in the Charlotte metro.  READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/charlotte-officials-mobility...

A new study is offering a breakthrough look at how some breast cancers grow and why weight may play a bigger role than we once thought.  Being overweight has long been linked to breast cancer, but now scientists know why.  READ MORE : https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/connect-the-dots/breast-cancer-weight-influences-study-finds/275-d8245589-1ab1-4c13-b0ef-bd3c6f4244b2 FIRST WARN FORECAST: Hi...

Charlotte is one step closer to making a major investment in its transportation future.   Wednesday night, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will vote on the proposed 2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) — a sweeping 30-year blueprint for transit and road projects across the region. At the center of the plan: four major fixed-guideway projects, including significant light rai...

Chief Deputy Christopher Allen submitted his resignation from the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office on Monday, alleging in a scathing letter that Sheriff Garry McFadden created a hostile work environment through "abusive and narcissistic behaviors." Allen, who served as chief deputy sheriff, cited a fundamental misalignment of values and morals with McFadden's leadership in his Aug. 18 resignati...

As millions of Americans take to the skies during the busiest summer travel season on record, flight attendants at PSA Airlines say they're being left behind — and they’re ready to make their voices heard. On Monday, Aug. 18, at 1 p.m., PSA Airlines flight attendants will hold a demonstration outside Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) at the Intersection of Wilkinson Boulevard and the a...

Charlotte's annual Pride festival is taking place Uptown at a new location, First Ward Park, this weekend, Aug. 16-17, rain or shine.   The weather for the weekend is forecast partly sunny, in the low 90s, with chances of isolated thunderstorms. Make sure to check WCNC's forecast for the latest updates.   Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/uptown-firstward-fourthward/charlotte-prid...

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Charlotte Field Division, along with federal prosecutors, police, and gun industry advocates, has launched a major public awareness campaign in Charlotte to crack down on illegal gun purchases, warning residents that buying firearms for someone who cannot legally purchase them could result in federal prison time. The month-long "Don't Lie fo...

Tensions ran high at Tuesday's Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board meeting as dozens of community members voiced fierce opposition to the district's policies regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on school campuses, just days before the start of the new school year. The emotionally charged meeting grew so contentious that security escorted one woman from the room during the pu...

Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) defended her use of a slur for transgender people during a town hall in Rock Hill  on Monday. After a constituent asked Mace about her position on Planned Parenthood funding, healthcare, and birth control options, the representative got into a heated exchange with her, telling the resident to "say hi to the t***** for me" as she walked out of the event. Mace was re...

WCNC Charlotte received messages from citizens that said the shots were heard toward the end of the event held at the C.W. Williams Community Health Center along Wilkinson Boulevard. Medic confirmed it did not respond to the scene, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said nobody was hurt. However, CMPD did not share details with WCNC Charlotte about any arrests made after the fact or w...

First Baptist Charlotte is welcoming mourners Friday as the city gathers to remember a trailblazer and public servant, Vicki Foster. She was the highest‑ranking female officer in Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) history when she retired. She passed away on July 25, surrounded by her family and loved ones. Foster’s journey began in 1991 when she joined CMPD as a patrol officer. Over n...

Charlotte is paying tribute on Thursday to the life and legacy of renowned civil rights attorney James E. Ferguson II, who died on July 21 at the age of 82. Known as a pioneering lawyer, mentor, and social justice advocate, Ferguson’s decades-long fight for equality left a profound impact on North Carolina and beyond. A Celebration of Life service is being held at The Park Church on Beatties Ford...

It's been more than six years since Kendal Crank, a 27-year-old mother and nursing student, was killed in the crossfire of a shootout in Charlotte while on the way to class. Earlier this year, the trial for one of the three suspects in the case - Adonis Smith - ended in a mistrial. Now, WCNC Charlotte has reviewed court documents that confirm the remaining two suspects have reached plea deals. Rea...

North Carolina's Division of Motor Vehicles is facing a worsening customer service crisis, with average wait times jumping 15.5% since 2019, according to a state audit released Monday. The audit by State Auditor Dave Boliek found that customers now wait an average of 1 hour and 15 minutes for service, with nearly 14% of visits exceeding 2.5 hours in fiscal year 2025 — a roughly 79% increase from 2...

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has approved the South Carolina Office of Resilience’s (SCOR) Action Plan for allocating more than $150 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds in response to the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. “This approval is a key step in getting much needed disaster recovery assistance to South Caroli...

U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to  federal data posted Thursday. The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.1%, up from 3.7% the year before. It's the third record-breaking year in a row for the exemption rate, and the vast majority are parents withholding shots for...

A Richmond Senior High School student is accused of shooting and killing a junior firefighter in June. The 17-year-old suspect is charged with first-degree murder for the death of Gabriel Ennis, a junior firefighter with Cordova Fire & Rescue. The suspect has not been named due to their age. Investigators said the 17-year-old turned themselves in to authorities. He is being held with no bond in ju...

A Charlotte family vacationing in Hawaii is seeking higher ground following a tsunami warning triggered by a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia's Far East. Chris Fabiano and his family were at a beach on Oahu's north shore when emergency alerts sounded on their phones around 4 p.m. local time, warning of tsunami waves expected to reach Hawaiian shores by 7 p.m. "We were literally at the be...