Changes could be on the way for the Mecklenburg County mask mandate. 

The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 3, to discuss making amendments to the mandate. 

Right now, masks are required indoors until the county's percent-positive rate drops below 5% and stays that way for 30 days. 

Leaders are considering changing the timeframe from a month to two weeks below 5%. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/mecklenburg-county-mask-mandate-talk-changes/275-78a02edb-ce31-464e-bfce-a9fb97154b1b

Mecklenburg County leaders unanimously OK'd a nondiscrimination ordinance at the beginning of October, but it's not a done deal yet and many are worried about how long it's taking. 

On Oct. 5, Mecklenburg County Commissioners and public speakers could be seen clapping and cheering while on mute during the virtual board meeting. Their individual squares united together just as leaders were around the NDO. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/concerns-mecklenburg-county-nondiscrimination-ordinance-not-done-deal/275-f2a965a2-6434-41e4-9f8b-7069640bf6ec

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! 

Anticipating a green light from vaccine advisers, the Biden administration is assembling and shipping millions of COVID-19 shots for children ages 5-11, the White House said Monday. The first could go into kids' arms by midweek.

"We are not waiting on the operations and logistics," said coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients.

By vaccinating children, the U.S. hopes to head off another coronavirus wave during the cold-weather months when people spend more time indoors and respiratory illnesses can spread more easily. Cases have been declining for weeks, but the virus has repeatedly shown its ability to stage a comeback and more easily transmissible mutations are a persistent threat.

On Tuesday, a special advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet to consider detailed recommendations for administering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to younger children. The Food and Drug Administration already cleared the shots, which deliver about one-third of the vaccine given to adults. After CDC advisers make their recommendations, agency director Dr. Rochelle Walensky will give the final order.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/covid-vaccine-for-younger-kids-already-being-packed-shipped-moderna-pfizer/507-98158193-07f3-4dc7-924a-24fe1ff145ae

Several bus drivers in Stanly County protested Monday, advocating for better pay. They're calling for minimum pay to be raised to $16 an hour and would like COVID-19 hazard pay, as well as bus monitors on every bus. 

Bus drivers gathered Monday morning and again Monday afternoon to protest. Bus drivers attended the protest instead of going on their usual routes transporting students to and from school -- all to make a point that Stanly County Schools needs its bus drivers. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/stanly-county-bus-drivers-protest-better-pay/275-f0c3a74f-6147-4966-9fdd-4c4215f5bef3

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 now offering at-home COVID-19 test kits for free at 4 Charlotte-Mecklenburg libraries. Health officials say these free kits are part of an effort to make testing more accessible to people who have had a hard time getting to a testing site in Charlotte. Richard DeVayne breaks down where you can find these tests and how to use them. 

Ben Thompson connects the dots on President Joe Biden's Build Back Better plan, which has new programs for child care, climate change and health care but lost a few key services. Among them? Paid family leave, which was scrapped to get enough votes from Democrats in the Senate to pass the proposal. 

And we take a look at some of the biggest headlines from across North Carolina and South Carolina. 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!

Halloween is right around the corner! And the streets will be filled with little goblins and ghouls hoping to score a jack-o'-lantern full of candy. But how did trick-or-treating become associated with Halloween? Ben Thompson explains the ancient origins of celebrating Halloween with sweets and why pumpkins are the unofficial sign of the season. 

Richard DeVayne has an update from Mecklenburg County health leaders, who say despite a slight drop in cases and hospitalizations, the mask mandate is remaining in place. We'll tell you the metrics health leaders want to see before making masks optional in Charlotte. 

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!

Masks may be staying on in North Carolina schools for a little while longer. The Department of Health and Human Services issued new guidance, explaining which metrics should be met for schools to consider making face coverings optional. Richard DeVayne joins Wake Up Charlotte To Go with a breakdown of that data and what Dr. Mandy Cohen had to say when asked about schools dropping mask requirements too soon. 

Thursday is National First Responder Day. Ruby Durham shares some freebies and discounts our front-line workers can get, plus Larry Sprinkle has a heartfelt thank you for the people who saved his life after a terrifying car accident a few years ago. 

And finally, we look at some of the biggest headlines from the Carolinas, including a former Novant Health executive being awarded $10 million in a discrimination lawsuit after claiming he was fired for being a white man. 

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!

Can you believe it? We're just 100 days away from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Ruby Durham has a preview of the games as we gear up for another round of Olympic competition. 

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education voted 8-1 to give students an additional day off next week. Richard DeVayne explains why school leaders say an extra day off is good for students and teachers. Meanwhile, there was a protest outside the board meeting with teachers asking for more resources as they're fighting burnout and stress from the staff shortages plaguing CMS. 

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

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education will meet Tuesday night to consider an additional day off for students next week. Richard DeVayne joins #WakeUpCLT To Go for an explanation on the potential four-day weekend and why district leaders believe giving students the day off is a good decision in the long run. 

The FDA is scheduled to meet today to discuss Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids age 5 to 11. If the advisory panel gives the vaccine the green light, it will then head to the CDC for final authorization. Last week, Pfizer said the vaccine is extremely effective in kids at both preventing hospitalizations and severe illness. 

Dozens of McDonald's workers in North Carolina, including some in Charlotte, are planning to join the nationwide #Striketober walkouts. Ruby Durham says workers are fighting for more than just higher pay. Plus, McDonald's issued a statement with another high-profile protest planned by employees across the country. 

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, use #WakeUpCLT to join our conversation online! 

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are still on the scene of an hours-long standoff in southwest Charlotte. Richard DeVayne has an update from the scene and details why the SWAT unit was called in. 

Monday will be another unseasonably warm day but that's going to change soon. Larry Sprinkle explains when storms will move in and how cool things will get as we head toward Halloween. And speaking of that spooky celebration, if you haven't gotten a costume yet ... good luck. Ben Thompson connects the dots on supply shortages leading to an increase in do-it-yourself costumes this year. 

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. 

Millions more Americans can get a COVID-19 booster and choose a different company’s vaccine for that next shot, federal health officials said Thursday.

Certain people who received Pfizer vaccinations months ago already are eligible for a booster and now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says specific Moderna and Johnson & Johnson recipients qualify, too. And in a bigger change, the agency is allowing the flexibility of “mixing and matching" that extra dose regardless of which type people received first.

The Food and Drug Administration had already authorized such an expansion of the nation's booster campaign on Wednesday, and it was also endorsed Thursday by a CDC advisory panel. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky had the final word on who gets the extra doses.

“These past 20 months have taught us many things, but mostly to have humility," she told the panel. "We are constantly learning about this virus, growing the evidence base and accumulating more data.”

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/cdc-panel-mixing-matching-covid-vaccines-moderna-johnson-and-johnson/507-c01adb49-1349-4c99-b8db-1b20caad6537

Atrium Health is moving the deadline for its employee vaccine mandate, according to an email sent to employees on Oct. 20. 

Originally, Atrium Health stated it would require all employees to have completed the COVID-19 vaccine series, meaning two doses of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson, by Oct. 31. 

"All teammates must complete their COVID-19 vaccine series or have an approved medical or religious exemption by Sunday, October 31, 2021," Atrium said in July. "Teammates who do not follow this policy will receive counseling for failing to receive required vaccinations. This could result in consequences up to and including end of employment. We value our teammates who have medical or religious reasons for not receiving the vaccine and will evaluate these requests through a multidisciplinary committee."

READ  MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/vaccine/atrium-health-moves-vaccine-mandate-deadline/275-6a9106f1-abaf-4ecf-af92-e5b2abc0bd37

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! 

Suspected human remains were found Wednesday in a section of the vast Carlton Reserve not far from where some of Brian Laundrie's belongings were located, the FBI confirmed during an afternoon news conference.

Those items included a backpack and a notebook, all in an area that had been underwater until recently, FBI special agent in charge Michael McPherson said.

The announcement is the biggest development in the search for Gabby Petito's fiancé, Laundrie, who has been missing for more than a month and not long after he returned from a cross-country road trip without her.

Laundrie is considered a person of interest in her murder, McPherson said. 

"Our evidence response team is on scene using all available forensic resources to process the area," he added. "It's likely the team will be on scene for several days. I know you have a lot of questions, but we don't have all the answers yet."

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/brian-laundrie-parents-return-to-carlton-reserve/67-29f707f5-afc0-448e-9f6f-6b3e0c649776

The Biden administration is threatening to revoke the authority for three Republican-controlled states to handle their own workplace safety regulations because they have refused to adopt rules to protect health care workers from COVID-19. 

The threats were sent to Arizona, South Carolina and Utah as the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) prepares to adopt much more far-reaching vaccination and testing rules affecting 80 million Americans.

 OSHA officials say Arizona, South Carolina and Utah are not complying with their promises to enforce labor standards that are at least as good as those adopted by the federal government.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster tweeted out Wednesday morning, "This is clearly a preemptive strike by the federal government. With no state regulators in the way, the federal Labor Department will be free to penalize employers who do not comply with President Biden's unconstitutional vaccine mandate."