704 Unfiltered

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police launched a new fentanyl awareness campaign Thursday called, "No Cap, Those Pills are Sus," designed to reduce overdose deaths that have been labeled a crisis in the Charlotte area. 

The campaign's name uses slang in an effort to target young people and their families, according to CMPD. The main goal of this campaign is to prevent overdose deaths through education with younger people who are unaware of the risks of fentanyl. CMPD says it has seen a 20% increase in confirmed fentanyl overdoses this year compared to 2022. The majority of those deaths (60%) are people who were younger than 40. 

Officers say the message of the campaign is simple: street pills kill. 

"Our approach of using popular slang is intentional," a CMPD spokesperson said. "Let's be honest, some are more familiar than others about the dangers of using pills purchased on the street. The message is twofold. Any pill not purchased directly from a pharmacy could be a fake and has the potential to kill you. Fentanyl often hides in plain sight and if you buy a street pill, there is a very high probability that it will contain fentanyl. Second, proper disposal of pills is essential." 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/fentanyl-awareness-campaign-charlotte-north-carolina-cmpd-opioids-drug-abuse/275-bcba123c-293b-4af9-8864-a01151530a03

Nearly 300 retired Mecklenburg County employees burdened by a budget mistake they say the county made are now finally being heard. 

"When I got that letter in the mail, my heart sank," Karen Hefner, a former Mecklenburg County employee who retired in 2015, said.

Back in April of this year, retirees were notified that their dependents’ monthly premiums on medical insurance were never meant to be covered by the county. Now the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners is reversing course so retirees don't have to come up with money for the premiums that had been taken care of for years. 

A motion was passed Wednesday night that allows eligible retirees to pay the same amount for dependent coverage as current employees for the 2024 plan year. 

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/wake-up-charlotte/retired-mecklenburg-county-employees-relief-medical-benefits/275-7b22ea2e-5fbd-42ae-add5-a1c94650ee9e

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!

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.   

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Naming rights opportunities highlighting betting companies wouldn't be allowed under proposed rules put forth Tuesday by the North Carolina Lottery Commission's sports betting committee. The latest set of rules are now open for public comment.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/sports-betting-companies-naming-rights-north-carolina-arenas/275-40c23954-fcd6-475a-b182-18ef475bcff4

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!

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up 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. 

Election Day in North Carolina is Tuesday, and voters will be asked to consider a $2.5 billion bond referendum for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district.

As WCNC Charlotte previously reported, this bond referendum marks the largest ask by a school district in North Carolina. But if approved, will taxpayers have to pay more money in the upcoming years? 

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/cms-bond-money-referendum-charlotte-nc-verify/275-25897724-8573-4cd5-9099-360304f7e35b

Voter guide to local elections in North Carolina and South Carolina: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/municipal-elections-voter-guide-north-carolina-south-carolina/275-781b94d2-d026-4ba7-a1b0-92e3d339744e

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!

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up 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. 

You can cast your vote in North Carolina on Nov. 7, but what do you need to know before you go? The VERIFY team breaks down what you need to know before you head to the polls.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/dos-donts-voting-north-carolina-south-carolina/275-2e3b6c9c-4613-4bae-b364-23038c0a85cc

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! 

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up 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. 

Public officials say they want to redesign a busy interstate interchange in west Charlotte calling it "the most problematic" of any such interchange in all of North Carolina.

“All of us who live west of here, we really get to sit in this traffic a lot,” NC House Speaker Tim Moore said. “We see the wrecks that happen, we see the wasted energy that happens and frankly, the encumbrance that it causes people trying to get back and forth.”

Speaker Moore was joined by Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, North Carolina Department of Transportation and other state and local leaders in West Charlotte to announce a new project to improve the interchange Thursday.

For the price tag of $45,000,000, the ramp carrying southbound traffic toward Interstate 85 southbound would be redesigned. The ramp is used daily by commuters from Gaston County - and others traveling from I-85 or US-321.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/charlotte-transportation-announcement/275-031f9c4d-38a6-4d4b-ae30-3d2e315ad9a3

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!

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up 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. 

A 12-year-old cyclist was taken to the hospital after being hit by a truck in Belmont Wednesday morning, police said. 

The crash happened around 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of McKee Farm Road and Middleton Farm Road, near Belmont Middle School and South Point Road. 

Police said the driver of a pickup truck was driving on McKee Farm Road toward South Point Road when the child rode into the intersection. The bike's brakes failed, which caused the child to crash into the door of the truck, according to police. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/child-riding-bike-crash-belmont-north-carolina/275-f0a58d79-62e8-453f-8d73-5d75cc53c60b

Last Christmas, about 85 residents at the Magnolia Senior Apartments in north Charlotte were displaced after a pipe burst in their building. For the last 11 months, many of them have been living in hotels. Now, they’re finally moving back home. 

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/magnolia-apartments-seniors-return-local-housing/275-ecccd1d8-8184-45e9-9640-c4e129c89226

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! 

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.   

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Little ghouls and goblins will fill the streets on Halloween night, hoping to score a jack-o'-lantern full of candy. 

Kids dressing up and going door for sweet treats is a Halloween staple but why do they do it? How did trick-or-treating become a Halloween tradition? 

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/connect-the-dots/halloween-trick-or-treating-history-origins-connect-the-dots/275-fa8cb327-658f-4e38-a22c-44d7d81e16f4

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!

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up 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. 

Whether you love it or hate it, everyone has a strong opinion on candy corn.

Love it or hate it, candy corn is a staple of Halloween. The tri-color triangles bring strong responses from its fans and even stronger reaction from the haters. But whether you can't get enough candy corn or can't wait to throw it in the trash, you probably have a strong take about the iconic sweet.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/connect-the-dots/candy-corn-haters-lovers-strong-opinions-iconic-halloween-treat/275-2ee4ac4b-61f5-440f-9015-a4dba3f95bc2

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! 

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up 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.