704 Unfiltered

Rider safety will be front and center as Mecklenburg County commissioners prepare for a pivotal decision on the region's transportation future. County commissioners will hear directly from residents on a proposal that could reshape how transit and transportation projects are funded and managed across the county.

The Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing and vote Tuesday night on whether to authorize the creation of a Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA). 

The authority would only take effect if voters approve a one-percent countywide sales tax increase on the November ballot.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/safety-concerns-loom-mecklenburg-county-transit-vote/275-718a672c-6843-4df2-9b97-d1b627af04af

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.  
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Public transit safety is back in the spotlight this week in Charlotte. Monday, State Rep. Laura Budd is planning to address how Democrats are responding to the deadly light rail stabbing. Tuesday, Mecklenburg County Commissioners are following up with the vote on a possible new transit authority.

We're breaking down the latest developments.

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.  
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Republican leaders at the North Carolina Capitol announced new legislation Thursday in response to the killing of Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte light rail, with plans to unveil the bill package later this month.

The proposed legislation could potentially include restarting the death penalty and ending cashless bail, according to Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall.

They were joined by Michael Whatley, who recently left his post as RNC Chairman to run for North Carolina's open Senate seat against former Gov. Roy Cooper. Whatley's comments criticized Democratic leaders' "soft-on crime" policies. 

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/republicans-propose-reinstating-death-penalty-charlotte-light-rail-murder-case/275-0568c4ee-e5aa-4111-ac7e-a154e43b0e47

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.  
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All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

Today, marks 24 years since the devastating attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. People across the nation and in Charlotte will come together to remember the many lives lost in the tragedy. WCNC Charlotte's Richard DeVayne shares how the city is coming together in remembrance.

MORE HEADLINES ON WCNC CHARLOTTE:

• Police continue hunt for shooter a day after 'political assassination' of conservative activist Charlie Kirk
• Riders question Charlotte's light rail security amid recent tragedy
• US businesses brace for over 9% health insurance premium rise in 2026

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.  
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

Decarlos Brown, the man accused of stabbing and killing a Ukrainian refugee on a LYNX Blue Line train in August 2025, now faces a federal charge tied to the incident.

On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi shared that federal prosecutors officially charged the 34-year-old Brown with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. Brown is accused of killing Iryna Zarutska on the train.

"Iryna Zarutska was a young woman living the American dream — her horrific murder is a direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people,” said Bondi in a statement. “I have directed my attorneys to federally prosecute DeCarlos Brown Jr., a repeat violent offender with a history of violent crime, for murder. We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man.”

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/federal-charge-deadly-blue-line-stabbing-charlotte-nc-9-9-2025/275-e5038d8d-228e-45c4-b572-bf25f2b5a8b8 

Also on WCNC Charlotte: 2 incumbents lose Charlotte's Democratic primaries, Krista Bokhari wins Republican District 6

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.  
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All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

Polls open in Charlotte for the municipal primary election on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. 

This year’s ballot features several high-profile contests, including the mayor’s office, four at-large Charlotte City Council seats, and multiple district races.

What voters see on their ballot depends on their party registration or if they’re unaffiliated. 

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/primary-day-charlotte-what-voters-need-know/275-0351e418-a322-43b4-aa5d-dc3678898f3e

ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:

US Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday the federal government will investigate Charlotte's public transit system following the August stabbing death of a Ukrainian woman on the city's light rail, threatening to withhold federal funding from cities that cannot keep their transit systems safe.  

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/dot-investigate-charlotte-transit-safety-deadly-stabbing-iryna-zarutska/275-ecf6ffb7-e08c-4da8-93e0-372ef768a9e0

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.  
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

President Donald Trump is expected to look into the killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska. The Ukrainian woman was brutally stabbed while riding the light rail in Charlotte's South End last month. Trump's comments after surveillance video of the assault was released, sparking a national conversation about public safety and violent crime in major cities. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/deadly-cats-stabbing-surveillance-video-to-be-released/275-347a6496-4a0c-4049-a87d-72533fce7e71

Water shortages are disrupting supply chains, cutting crop yields, and pushing up feed costs—especially in water-stressed regions like India and the U.S. Now, experts say these water shortages are becoming bigger than environmental, with tech leaders pressing for new solutions. 

Farmers are looking to solutions like drip irrigation, which can cut water use by up to 40%, and humidity-sensing tech that delivers water precisely where it's needed. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/connect-the-dots/global-droughts-puts-pressure-on-meat-dairy-production-connect-the-dots/275-e7a2aee3-86af-49bf-a800-dd77d72b201e

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.  
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

Former Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari is out of his position with the Federal Transit Administration just five months after joining the agency.

Bokhari confirmed his departure on Thursday on social media. No reason was given for the decision. It's not clear if Bokhari left on his own terms or if he was pushed out by the Trump administration; however, Bokhari stated that it was time to "hand the baton to the next wave of leaders." 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/tariq-bokhari-leaves-federal-transit-administration/275-9a5fff21-5cbe-4b26-a038-6452fe43c7d8

Student loan payments are back on, but new research shows a growing number of borrowers can't keep up with their payments. We connect the dots on why forbearance applications have more than doubled since this time last year and where things stand when it comes to former President Joe Biden's goal of eliminating student debt for millions of Americans. 

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.  
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools achieved what officials are calling historic academic progress in the 2024-25 school year, with newly released state accountability data showing the district outperformed North Carolina averages and set multiple records for student achievement.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction results show tangible improvements across numerous metrics, including school performance and academic growth, with CMS celebrating unprecedented gains across the district's nearly 180 schools.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-2024-25-academic-gains-9-3-2025/275-00b79d9b-6a74-4135-a5af-9f959522bbe0

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.  
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

CATS now says the man accused of killing a woman on the light rail did not have a ticket to be on the Blue Line. It comes just hours before city leaders to meet to address transit safety in Charlotte.

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.  
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.