A winter storm will bring the threat of sleet, snow and ice to the Charlotte region this weekend. Larry Sprinkle explains why the forecast has changed and why we still aren't exactly sure what will happen this weekend. Click here to learn more about the storm's threats. 

Richard DeVayne has an update on how Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is dealing with COVID-related absences for teachers, with up to 1,000 teachers missing school each day. The district is using its guest teacher program and other administrative employees to help cover classes so kids won't have to learn at home. 

Tradesha Woodard joins this morning's show with a warning about fake COVID-19 test sites that are being reported. Health officials say there are some things you should look for in a testing location so you know it's legit. 

And finally, are you sticking with your New Year's resolution? If so, your hard work will be rewarded in another week ... or will it? Meghan Bragg went to some experts to find out if it's really true that it takes 21 days to create lasting habits in your life. 

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

A panel of North Carolina judges on Tuesday voted to let the Republican-drawn legislative and congressional maps stand, dealing a blow to voting rights groups who had argued the boundaries were unlawfully created for pure partisan gain and to dilute the voting power of racial minorities.

The decennial redistricting process strongly influences the future political direction of the state. Tuesday’s decision from a three-judge panel increases the chances for Republicans to sizably expand their political power, as the GOP had been looking to reclaim a veto-proof majority in the legislature and help national Republicans regain control of the U.S. House.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/voting-maps-north-carolina-judge-rules/275-c02a49ad-5c26-4488-92fa-7aa01f13cfb5

COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Carolina are now on the threshold of setting a new pandemic high that was established nearly one year ago. 

The Department of Health and Human Services reported 3,991 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 Tuesday, just one short of the all-time record that was set on Jan. 13, 2021. 

To give that number some context, and perhaps a silver lining, the severity of those hospitalizations is down from previous COVID-19 surges. The number of peak ventilated patients (a measure of disease severity) is about 85% of last winter's surge and 62% of peak ventilators during the delta variant surge over this past summer, according to analysis from WCNC Charlotte's Vanessa Ruffes.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-numbers/north-carolina-covid-omicron-variant-hospitalizations-pandemic-record/275-397c0688-bfcb-41df-a8f1-60eba055d355

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!

More than 2,600 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students and teachers are in quarantine due to COVID-19, district officials announced Monday.

CMS updated its COVID-19 dashboard, and for the week of Jan. 3 through Jan. 9, the district saw over 1,800 positive cases. CMS reported that 1,249 students and 615 staff members tested positive for the virus. 

CMS reported two clusters in the district: Five cases at Palisades Park Elementary, and 10 cases at Garinger High School. South Mecklenburg High School has the most student positives in the district with 51, followed by Rocky River High School (47) and Mallard Creek High School (36).

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/charlotte-mecklenburg-schools-covid-19-omicron-variant-case-update-quarantine/275-03c66589-389f-4652-a3f4-ea570c08008b

Violent crime in Charlotte decreased by 7% last year with homicides falling nearly 20%, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police stats showed Monday. 

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings credited the hard work his officers did in 2021 but said the goal remains the same for his department: Reduce violent crime in the Queen City. 

"Addressing violent crime is continued and will continue to be my top priority for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department," Jennings said. "You've seen trends of violent crime across the country go up. In the Charlotte-Mecklenburg jurisdiction, we've had violent crime go down 7% overall in 2021."

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/violent-crime-stats-2021-charlotte-north-carolina-chief-johnny-jennings/275-70515c93-4de2-4c2b-9569-87921c7dc178

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!  

The man accused in the death of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Mia Goodwin is expected to face a judge Monday.

Goodwin was hit and killed along Interstate 85 in northeast Charlotte around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 22. Goodwin, a six-year veteran with CMPD, had recently returned to the force following the birth of her third child. Three other officers were taken to the hospital after the crash.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/man-charged-in-death-of-cmpd-officer-due-in-court-monday/275-1274174d-da71-4aa2-8604-948bf51f63c6

Bob Saget, an iconic actor and comedian best known for his role on "Full House," died Sunday at the age of 65. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Office confirmed Sunday night that Saget was found unresponsive in a hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando earlier in the day Sunday, where he was pronounced dead at the scene. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/bob-saget-full-house-dies-at-65/507-6bbe28a0-9aff-471b-861d-53cf0db91313

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!  

Students who haven’t received a COVID-19 booster shot — but who have otherwise been vaccinated against the virus — won’t need to quarantine under some conditions, according to the new advisory toolkit for schools.

The North Carolina State Board of Education approved updates Thursday to the StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit, at the request of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Typically, DHHS makes updates on its own and, days later, the state board updates its guidance for schools to mirror the DHHS toolkit.

It wasn’t clear Thursday why DHHS asked the board to approve the changes. Betsey Tilson, the state health director and chief medical officer, told the board via videoconferencing that DHHS wanted to run the changes by the board before sending out a new toolkit to schools.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/vaccinated-students-k12-covid-no-longer-quaratine/275-8955e78e-cb10-4dd2-9838-9ebb37706d05

Services have been announced to honor the life of fallen North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) Trooper John S. Horton, 42. 

According to a release from the department, services will take place Friday, Jan. 7, on the campus of Isothermal Community College (ICC) in Rutherford County. Visitation is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Foundation Auditorium. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/regional/north-carolina-trooper-john-horton-funeral-arrangements/275-6d06184e-f7bb-42a5-b527-42a5e178056f

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!  

Mecklenburg County is cutting hours at ABC retail stores due to COVID-19.

The Mecklenburg County ABC Board said the move comes in light of COVID-19 exposures resulting in labor shortages.

Effective Monday, Jan. 10, the 29 retail locations in Mecklenburg County will open at 12:30 p.m. and close at 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. These hours are in effect until further notice. 

This will not impact hours for permitted businesses such as bars and clubs.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/mecklenburg-abc-stores-hours-changing-covid-labor-shortage/275-02f528af-376f-4303-b89c-fe089170210e

With COVID-19 cases rising in North Carolina, the Mecklenburg EMS Agency (MEDIC) is getting staffing support from the federal government. 

The agency confirmed Wednesday night that FEMA approved a partial fulfillment of MEDIC's strike team request, including four fully staffed ambulances for a 14-day period. This also includes a possible extension. 

MEDIC says the crews will be deploying Thursday, Jan. 6.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/medic-mecklenburgcounty-covid-striketeam-covid-staffing/275-9d22becd-523b-440a-ab5d-19b583edbbda

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

A North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper has died during a traffic stop just before 9 p.m. Monday evening.

Officials say Trooper John Horton died after his brother and fellow officer Trooper James Horton lost control of his car and hit him.

The crash happened in Rutherford County, which is just west of Cleveland County in North Carolina. Investigators said James Horton was responding to assist with the traffic stop at the time, and John Horton and the detained driver were standing along the roadside.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/our-hearts-are-broken-nc-state-highway-patrol-trooper-dies-during-a-traffic-stop/275-58f6ada1-700e-4554-986a-6d97b5358eae

The Rowan-Salisbury Schools (RSS) Board of Education is looking at security measures as students, staff and faculty return from winter break. The board voted on safety measures on Tuesday, Jan. 4, after a shooting during a high school basketball tournament on the campus of Catawba College on Wednesday, Dec. 29. 

The shooting injured two children. 

Officials also heard an update about a cyber incident that also happened on Wednesday.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/rowan-county-schools-shooting-security-cyberattack/275-d15fc624-41f5-4446-8d78-78f05e500756

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

According to data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina has set a new COVID-19 case record over the holiday weekend, reporting nearly 20,000 new infections on New Year's Day.

The two-week average daily case rise is nearing 10,000, marking a new record surge in cases for the state.

With new positive COVID-19 cases rising in the state, so are the hospitalizations. Data from NCDHHS shows hospitalizations topping 2,700 on Monday with patient counts up nearly 750 from one week ago.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid19-ncdhhs-testing-positive/275-154fe5ed-3478-4aa3-b17a-c5cc5a0fa9a8

North Carolina's busiest EMS agency is now calling on help from the state and FEMA. Mecklenburg EMS (Medic) has been struggling with a staffing shortage, and once again is changing operations to try to stretch their thin staff to respond to the most severe calls first. 

As a result, some 911 callers in the city will now need to wait even longer for an ambulance to arrive.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/mecklenburg-ems-staffing-shortages-covid-response-time/275-e3ef4770-b1cb-4619-a0f6-a8d2cf62dc57

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

No upset was in the cards for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. 

New Orleans shutout the Panthers in the second half to beat the Panthers 18-10. The loss is Carolina's sixth straight and the team is now 5-11 this season. 

Sam Darnold got the starting nod behind center for the Panthers. He finished 17-of-26 for 132 yards with an interception. The offense finished with 178 total yards in the game. Running back Chuba Hubbard had Carolina's lone touchdown of the game. Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu also booted a field goal for the Panthers.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/carolina-panthers-nfl-matt-rhule-cam-newton-sam-darnold/275-fbad32c0-09cc-4445-b8d2-0d7d92f666da

Mecklenburg County health officials say even with a rise in COVID-19 cases in the area and the state, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will welcome back students in-person this week. 

"There are no plans at this point to delay the start of school," said former Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris during a press conference before the first of the year. 

She and other health officials said the new year won't mean a big change in precautions in school buildings.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/north-carolina-public-schools-covid-return-to-class/275-2258fe40-e203-4b6b-9af6-ac9966815e1c

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! 

Happy almost New Year! We're counting down to the end of 2021 and gearing up for 2022 on Wake Up Charlotte To Go. 

First, Hunter Saenz tells us how Mecklenburg County is upping its COVID-19 testing amid a surge in new cases. North Carolina set a new single-day record for cases Thursday, and as a result, health officials say this isn't the year to ring in the new year with a hug and kiss. Plus, the CDC has new guidance on when you should get tested if you were exposed to the virus. 

The fight for $15 minimum wage has been going for years, and as Sarah French explains, workers in 26 states are celebrating the small victories on Jan. 1. 

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!