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A plane crash into Lake Hickory left two people dead on Sunday, the Hickory Fire Department says.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

Authorities were called to a plane crash on Lake Hickory near Selkirk Drive in Catwaba County on Sunday around 11:30 a.m. A single-engine Super Petrel Amphibious Plane struck power lines and crashed just after departing the Hickory Regional Airport.

A power line was also knocked down due to the crash, initially causing over 18,000 outages shortly before noon. Duke Energy told WCNC Charlotte that they rerouted power in order to restore it quickly. Power was fully restored by around 1:30 p.m.

The crash happened in the part of Lake Hickory that is inside Caldwell County, but all of the power outages are inside the City of Hickory in Catawba County. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/plane-crashes-into-lake-hickory/275-ba6d38b3-0573-4daf-ab5e-243dbbc3806a

A man is dead after being shot and killed by a Hickory police officer overnight. 

Shortly after midnight on Sunday, the Hickory Police Department responded to a call about a home being shot into on the 800 block of 5th Avenue SW in Hickory.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Timothy Craig Setzer, Jr. Setzer ran from the police after they tried to make contact with him. 

Police chased Setzer, telling him to stop, but Setzer continued to flee and then turned and pulled a gun from his waistband. At that point, officers shot at Setzer.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/man-killed-officer-involved-shooting-hickory-nc/275-70f6ffbe-940d-4759-b741-151e9e624a30

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! 

After being shut down for a month, Carowinds' Fury 325 roller coaster officially reopened Thursday. It's been a lengthy repair procedure for the ride, which was closed all of last month after a guest recorded a video showing a huge crack on one of the coaster's support beams. Now, Carowinds has confirmed repairs, testing and final inspection by the North Carolina Department of Labor's Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau have been completed. By 3 p.m. Thursday, riders had returned to the coaster.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/fury-325-reopened-repair-testing-carowinds/275-01fb9797-a583-45ff-8e1a-d51dc7461367

Plus, Taylor Swift made a big announced this week when she told fans at a Los Angeles concert that she'll be releasing the "Taylor's Version" of her "1989" album. If you aren't a Swiftie, you may not realize why that's a big deal. It actually has to do with a yearslong legal fight over who actually owns her music as Swift tries to earn her art.

And finally there's a new debate taking over social media. Do you shower at night or in the morning? A popular TikTok user shared a video explaining his choice and we can't help but weigh in ourselves. What's your preference and why? Text us at 704-329-3600!

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! 

County officials are mourning the loss of a long-serving commissioner who they say was passionate about the community.

Stony Rushing, the Union County Board of Commissioners Chairman, died after battling health issues over the past year, Union County officials said on Tuesday.

Rushing was a county commissioner for 13 years. He was first elected in 2002 and served until 2006 before joining the board again in 2014 where he served to the present. Rushing served as the chairman of the board during his second stint.

"Chairman Rushing loved Union County and was passionate about serving this community," county officials said in a statement. "His contributions to Union County have been immeasurable and will leave a lasting impact."

In 2019, Rushing made an unsuccessful bid for North Carolina's 9th congressional district in a special election that was held after voting fraud allegations prevented certification of the 2018 election's winner, Mark Harris, a Charlotte area pastor. Harris chose not to run in the special election and endorsed Rushing.

Rushing is survived by his wife, Anne-Marie, and their two children.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/union-county-commissioner-chairman-dies-after-health-complications-stony-rushing/275-7aad7ab4-359a-4b21-b7e1-427bb434b12a

A single winning ticket sold in Florida has taken the $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot, the largest in the game's history.

Seven tickets that matched five white balls but not the gold Mega Ball were sold, with $1 million winners in California, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia and $2 million winners in Florida and North Carolina. 

The jackpot now resets to a measly $20 million. 

It was a long stretch of jackpot futility, but Tuesday night's 32nd straight drawing since the last winner still didn't set a record. The longest run for a Mega Millions jackpot was 36 drawings that ended on Jan. 22, 2021, with someone winning a $1.05 billion jackpot.

"There’s always an air of excitement around the country when Mega Millions jackpots soar," said Gretchen Corbin, the Mega Millions Consortium lead director and Georgia Lottery CEO, in a release. "The growing jackpot is a source of entertainment and winnings for players while generating important dollars for the good causes supported by each lottery."

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/mega-millions-winning-numbers-tuesday-aug-8-2023/507-acb114bf-90f7-4321-8490-8830e4a66aec

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!

Mega Millions is soaring to record heights after nobody won the $1.35 billion jackpot Friday, with a new estimated jackpot of $1.55 billion, the largest Mega Millions prize ever and the third-largest lottery prize overall.

Nine tickets matched all five white balls but not the gold Mega Ball; tickets in Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas won $1 million, and two tickets in Michigan and Tennessee are worth $2 million with the Megaplier. 

A ticket sold in downtown Los Angeles won the $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot last month. 

"There’s always an air of excitement around the country when Mega Millions jackpots soar," said Gretchen Corbin, the Mega Millions Consortium lead director and Georgia Lottery CEO, in a release. "The growing jackpot is a source of entertainment and winnings for players while generating important dollars for the good causes supported by each lottery."

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/mega-millions-winning-numbers-friday-aug-4-2023/507-de7d8974-000f-45b5-84cb-5faf8ffd91e0

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 assistant superintendent for Union County Public Schools was arrested and charged with driving while impaired (DWI) and stop sign violation early Sunday morning and has now been placed on paid administrative leave.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

Bashawn Harris, 48, was arrested at Marie Garris Dr. and Guion Ln. in Stallings shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday.

Harris is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Union County Public Schools. He was appointed to this position in July 2020 after serving as the School Performance Officer for two years. He has been put on administrative leave for an unknown amount of time.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/assistant-superintendent-arrested-dwi-union-county/275-3ea12fb0-fe68-463d-a94d-e10ba9da48ad

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!

 Donald Trump is due in federal court Thursday to answer to charges that he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election, facing a judge just blocks from the U.S. Capitol that his supporters stormed to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

In what's by now become a familiar but nonetheless stunning ritual, Trump is expected to be processed by law enforcement, be officially taken into custody and enter a not guilty plea in front of a judge before being released, so he can rejoin the campaign trail as he seeks to reclaim the White House in 2024.

An indictment Tuesday from Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo the presidential election in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-arraignment-jan-6-charges/507-290433e7-49c2-420b-9b2a-d4410e13c6cb

Police say a man was arrested after he rammed into six migrant farm workers outside a Walmart in Lincolnton on Sunday afternoon. 

Lincolnton police responded to a reported crash at the Walmart on North Generals Boulevard around 1:15 p.m. Sunday. 

Detectives said a man driving a black SUV turned as if he was going to park near a bus, but instead of parking, the driver plowed into a group of migrant workers who were standing outside the store. Six people were taken to the hospital for their injuries and have now been released, according to police. Police said 20 to 30 people were on a grocery run when the six were hit, though it's not clear how many people were standing outside the store at the time of the incident. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/police-searching-for-driver-who-intentionally-hit-six-workers-at-walmart-in-lincolnton-north-carolina/275-e1c9e868-95a3-4039-bcac-4642ef7c02c6

A South Carolina judge denied bond for the woman charged with driving drunk and killing a Charlotte bride on her wedding night in Folly Beach earlier this year. Tuesday's hearing was the second time Komoroski asked a judge for bond, according to WCBD. 

Jamie Komoroski, 25, is facing multiple charges including reckless homicide. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Forensic Services Laboratory report, obtained by WCNC Charlotte, shows Komoroski had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.261%.

It's illegal in South Carolina to operate a motor vehicle with a BAC of 0.08% or higher. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/wake-up-charlotte/alleged-drunk-driver-folly-beach-crime-bride-killed-golf-cart/275-e306bfb7-b802-43f8-8f64-264fea9ac81f

Starting Aug. 1, several benefits and exceptions that were made available through the WIC and SNAP food assistance programs during the pandemic will come to an end.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 1.6 million people in North Carolina receive SNAP benefits and 260,000 North Carolinians are enrolled in WIC, a supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children.

Although the public health emergency ended in May 2023, families tell WCNC Charlotte’s Jesse Pierre that people are still facing higher costs of living, inflation, and other financial expenses and those benefits provided them with relief.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

“Food has risen in cost just like a lot of things have and it’s def been helpful to focus my money, what money I do have on other things instead of having to think am I going to be able to feed my family tonight,” said Alyssa Herrholz, the mother of a two-year-old.

Herrholz is enrolled in both programs.

“It is something I look forward to every month because it saves us every month in lots of ways,” said Herrholz.

For WIC, the changes mean fewer options for families. For example, loosened restrictions are ending that allowed families to make brand substitutions.

Crisis Assistance Ministry CEO, Carol Hardison, said the flexibility allowed families to make healthier choices.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/regional/expanded-benefits-wic-snap-programs-pandemic-end-aug/275-b7fb9b0c-fe55-4161-be43-006274a05b52

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!

Three people were treated for injuries after a shooting following a domestic dispute on Sunday. 

Matthews police say a man was shot by his girlfriend's ex-husband and shot at by his girlfriend's ex-husband's brother at Windsor Park on Sunday around 12:15 p.m. The shooting happened after a domestic dispute regarding a child exchange in the parking lot of the park.

The victim and his girlfriend drove toward a local hospital as the suspects followed them before leaving the area. Police say both victims were treated for injuries and released from the hospital. 

The shooting suspect was found driving near the 7-Eleven gas station on E. Independence Boulevard near Matthews-Mint Hill Road, where he was treated for injuries to his arm. The suspect's brother and two children were also in the car at the time of the shooting, police said.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/shooting-matthews-gas-station-injures-one-person/275-2ea212cd-4d5c-4d44-900a-012fa8bbd661

Police are looking to identify three people after a break-in at a jewelry store on early Thursday morning.

Officers responded to Fink's Jewelers in Huntersville around 3:25 a.m. on Thursday after a break-in was reported. A witness told police they saw a blue van parked outside of the store, broken glass, and several people inside.

The suspects left the store and attempted to drive away in the van, but it broke down so they ran from the area where police believe they were picked up by another car.

 The three suspects are described as:

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/police-investigation-underway-birkdale-village-huntersville/275-71d732ca-8e20-493e-98d1-9af32fa5a89a