704 Unfiltered

Two schools in Stanly County will be closed the rest of the week due to an increase in respiratory illnesses, administrators said. Richard DeVayne joins Wake Up Charlotte To Go with the latest update on why district leaders felt it was necessary to keep students home and how they plan to use the next few days to keep everyone healthy.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced it won't defy North Carolina state law by starting the school year early and the decision has board members divided. Tradesha Woodard breaks down why some education officials want to get a head start on learning, what CMS wants to hear from parents and how families can impact the new school year calendar.

Plus, it might sound like a Halloween attraction, but so-called "ghost forests" and popping up all over North Carolina. Scientists say the state's beautiful coastal communities and wetlands are turning gray due to rising sea levels brought on by climate change. Sarah French connects the dots on how this could have a lasting, drastic impact on North Carolina's wildlife moving forward.

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

 Two victims were killed and several others were injured after a shooting at a St. Louis high school Monday morning. The suspect was killed.

The victims were identified by family members as a teenage girl who was a student at the school and a grandmother who was a teacher at the school.

At 9:11 a.m., St. Louis police were called to Central VPA High School at Kingshighway Boulevard and Arsenal Street for an active shooter.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/st-louis-school-shooting/63-64842130-cbbb-4731-9536-7cb66f0e2ae3

Millions of Americans will submit their ballots or head to the polls for the 2022 midterm elections in November. While presidential candidates won't be on the ballot, there are plenty of races worth your attention. The midterms typically don't draw as large of a turnout as presidential election years, but the races can make a big impact on national and local politics.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/2022-midterm-elections/507-8cf0e358-e3a4-420b-9c26-6ebe3b5ad167

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 Charlotte 49ers have fired head football coach Will Healy.

The move comes one day after the team lost is homecoming game to FIU, 34-15, to fall to 1-7 on the season.

"We are grateful to Will Healy for the incredible energy and enthusiasm he brought to our program," Director of Athletics Mike Hill said. "Sadly, however, our on-field results have not met expectations."

Healy was 15-24 as the second coach in program history.

The 37-year-old was hired ahead of the 2019 season to replace Brad Lambert.

Healy enjoyed immediate success at Charlotte, finishing 7-6 in 2019 and guiding the team to the first bowl appearance in its history.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team only played six games in 2020, finishing 2-4.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/unc-charlotte-fires-football-coach-will-healy/275-3df8b9dd-0e8f-42aa-84d1-ffbdcb466cc3

A man is facing a first-degree murder charge for the death of a woman who was shot and killed at an ATM in July.

On Sunday, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced that J'wuan Horton, 24, was arrested for the death of Karen Baker, 48. Horton is charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Baker was shot on July 13 at University Plaza on University City Boulevard, near America's Best Wings and Toppers Pizza near Old Concord Road. 

Police believe it was a random incident.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/cmpd-man-arrested-for-murder-accused-of-shooting-woman-at-atm-charlotte-north-carolina/275-65cb80e9-c077-4899-b9ce-c74ae1d64c01

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! 

Christian McCaffrey's career with the Carolina Panthers is over. After weeks of speculation about McCaffrey's future with the team, the do-everything running back was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for multiple draft picks. NFL sources said the Panthers will receive three picks in the upcoming draft and one in 2024 in exchange for CMC. Tradesha Woodard has the latest on CMC and the Panthers' future ahead of a difficult stretch of games.

Richard DeVayne joins the show from the North Carolina High Country, where falling leaves aren't just a change of seasons: they're big business. Richard explains how the fall foliage is a huge industry with so many small businesses relying on fall tourism to float their bottom lines out of the pandemic.

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

Charlotte transportation leaders held a meeting Wednesday night to discuss a proposal to add more tolls to Interstate 77, stretching from Uptown to the South Carolina border. 

The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization said the proposal would add two express lanes in each direction from I-277 to I-485. Cintra, the company behind the existing tolls on I-77, sent an unsolicited proposal to North Carolina and Charlotte transportation officials earlier this year. 

NCDOT said any tolls projects in North Carolina must be requested and approved by the local planning organization, per state law.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/interstate-77-toll-lane-proposal-transportation-meeting-uptown-charlotte-north-carolina/275-318ebb75-31f6-421c-ba50-46116c1cd4c1

Early Wednesday was a terrifying night for a family living in northwest Charlotte.

Around 1:30 a.m., someone started shooting into the home where a 15-year-old, 5-year-old, and 3-year-old were sleeping along with two others. 

The family told WCNC Charlotte they now plan to leave the home. They had been renting for the past few months. 

From top to bottom, there were at least 20 visible bullet holes visible in the home off of Coy Court. Several vehicles were damaged as well.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/shooting-into-northwest-charlotte-home-crime-investigation/275-b4ed9153-54e7-4357-93b7-e5bd40eca142

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! 

Gun violence is increasing in Mecklenburg County, and according to county data, homicides doubled in a five-year span. A comprehensive plan has been unveiled by the Office of Violence Prevention in an attempt to address some of the violence.

The data gathered by the office shows that there were 64 homicides in Mecklenburg County in 2015 and 126 in 2020. Gun-related assaults also doubled during the same time period.

"The way forward" is a multi-faceted strategy by the OVP to create safer communities by offering support for families, community engagement, and economic opportunities. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/mecklenburg-county-gun-violence-reduction-plan/275-1ea3c3d7-6d93-4855-88ca-0dd357f8042b

Police are investigating a shooting that occurred in front of a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus on Tuesday.

According to a release, the shooting took place on West Blvd near Remount Road around 6 p.m. on Tuesday. A CMS school bus was behind the vehicles when the shooting occurred.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says a road rage incident led to the shooting. A person in a black Dodge Charger fired shots into an occupied vehicle, however, no injuries occurred. Five people were found along with the Dodge Charger around 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Police arrested all five people.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/shooting-happens-in-front-of-cms-bus-charlotte-shots-fired-school-bus-cmpd-police-investigation-education/275-820f131b-c42d-4f1e-b1af-d647371f7d1d

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! 

Just over 20% of South Carolina schools received an overall rating of excellent as state education officials monitor the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, report cards issued by the SC Department of Education said. 

Statewide, 20.6% percent of schools received an overall excellent grade, which is in line with 2019 data. Despite seeing success in many schools, the Education Oversight Committee (EOC) and SCDE stressed there is much work ahead for students to reach college and career readiness. 

"I commend the effort of South Carolina educators and students," EOC Executive Director Matthew Ferguson said. "These results beat all expectations of what was thought possible while living through the COVID disruptions."

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/south-carolina-schools-report-cards-released/275-d62d80f6-b16f-4f54-b1fb-13db37118fc9

Hornets guard James Bouknight was arrested Sunday on suspicion of DUI, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office confirms.

Officials report Bouknight was released early Monday morning from the county jail in Charlotte, North Carolina on an unsecured bond. WCNC sports anchor Nick Carboni confirmed Bouknight was at practice Monday.

A search of public records shows Bouknight has other upcoming court appearances for other driving-related offenses, including charges of speeding and reckless driving in both Mecklenburg and neighboring Cabarrus counties.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/nba/hornets/hornets-guard-sports-baskeball-arrest-james-bouknight/275-95be489c-378b-4e4e-9b14-1185c87c0576

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! 

President Joe Biden first announced the program, which will impact millions of Americans, this summer. 

It's expected to provide relief for up to $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 a year or as much as $20,000 for eligible borrowers who were also Pell Grant recipients.

We have a huge first round victory," Said Melissa Byrnes, with 'We the 45 Million.'

Byrnes, who is also a student loan borrower, says this is a historic first step.

"I'm partly holding my breath, but I'm glad to see the administration moving forward," she said.

Applications won't be processed until the website officially opens, but those who apply during the beta testing phase will not need to reapply.

This comes as the Department of Education is facing several lawsuits challenging the policy, but along with those challenges - many are left wondering if any money forgiven would be considered taxable income by the state.

"In those states, you'll have a tax burden that may be the equivalent of a few months. Some of those states are trying to change the laws to make it tax-free, but it seems unlikely it will happen this year," said Mark Kantrowitz, a student loan expert with Cerebly.com.

He says people living in certain states, like Minnesota, may want to weigh their options first. "You may want to wait until next year, hoping it becomes tax-free at the state level, however, there's also a reason to apply immediately, there are several legal challenges, and if any are successful, they may block the president's plan," he said.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/what-you-need-to-know-student-loan-relief-applications-now-open/89-2abbdbaf-b481-49ce-8b5f-ff1779a385a8

A fired head coach, multiple rough losses in a row, and now an embattled receiver are on the list of problems for the Carolina Panthers this season.

In another disappointing performance, the Panthers lost 24-10 to the Los Angeles Rams on the road in Steve Wilks's first game as head coach.

The Panthers led 10-7 at halftime thanks to a Donte Jackson interception touchdown, but Carolina failed to muster any offensive production in the second half and let the Rams run away with the game.

To make matters worse, wide receiver Robbie Anderson was seen visibly arguing with coaches and asked to leave the field by his own team. Anderson headed to the locker room possibly for the last time as a Panther as rumors swirl about the team's trading ventures heading in the coming days.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/nfl/panthers/panthers-game-sunday-carolina-rams-la/275-71484d71-9501-4616-9ef2-fa19c3ae866b

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! 

Five people were killed, including an off-duty police officer, in a mass shooting in Raleigh Thursday. The suspect, only identified as a minor, was taken into custody late Thursday night, police said. We have an update from NBC News in Raleigh, plus reaction from Gov. Roy Cooper, who said "terror has come to our doorstep" while addressing the tragic event.

Richard DeVayne joins the show to break down the upcoming midterm elections. Friday, Oct. 14, is the deadline to register to vote in person on Election Day for North Carolina. If you don't meet the deadline, don't worry. North Carolina still has options available for people who aren't registered to vote. Click here for our 2022 midterm election voter guide, which includes information for both North Carolina and South Carolina.

Sarah French connects the dots on why CATS is shutting down the light rail and streetcar this weekend. It's nothing bad, just maintenance. City officials say the maintenance will help keep the system efficient and will improve rider experience going forward.

And of course we have our Morning Rush, with all of the top headlines across the Carolinas and in the Charlotte area! We preview the Panthers game against the Rams, a major shakeup at CATS and more.

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

Help is on the way for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools with overloaded classrooms. District leaders approved $1.3 million for mobile units during Wednesday's board meeting. Tradesha Woodard joins Wake Up Charlotte To Go with details on the funding, as well as the schools that will see relief first. CMS leaders are also seeking input from parents as the district deals with growing pains in a growing metro area.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police released third-quarter crime data Wednesday that showed overall crime is up in Charlotte. If you're looking for a silver lining, CMPD's data shows that aggravated assaults involving guns were down nearly 10% and violent crime is also decreasing from where it was a year ago. Richard DeVayne joins our show to break down this data and we hear from CMPD officials on their efforts to reduce the Queen City's crime numbers.

Ben Thompson connects the dots on why school lunches could get a facelift in North Carolina through a new partnership that not only benefits students with tastier meals, but helps small businesses across the state.

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!