A statewide effort to elect teachers to the N.C. General Assembly has all eyes on the Republican primaries. Friends and family of former N.C. Gov. Jim Hunt paid their final respects. The City of Charlotte will begin collecting Christmas trees on Jan. 5. The Panthers can win the NFC South with a victory over Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Holiday travel kicks off at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. N.C.'s Christmas tree growing season was a success. The oldest bull elephant in the United States has died at the North Carolina Zoo. Hornets guard Kon Knueppel is fastest-ever to reach 100 three-pointers.

The NTSB continues to investigate Thursday's plane crash at Statesville Regional Report. The town administrator and police chief of Great Falls S.C. have been charged with criminal misconduct. Calvary Christian Academy announces it's closing its doors at the end of the school year. The Panthers now lead the NFC South.

Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and his family were killed Thursday in a Statesville plane crash. The new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority selects David Howard as its chair. Republican Michelle Morrow enters the race for U.S. Senate. A local artist has turned a school bus into a mobile art studio.

Gov. Josh Stein says he's optimistic state lawmakers will take action in 2026 to fully fund Medicaid. Duke Energy proposes steep rate hikes for residential customers starting in 2027. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden says U.S. Border Patrol agents could return to Charlotte.

N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson and 35 other attorneys general have reached a settlement with Hyundai and Kia for selling vehicles without proper anti-theft technology. The S.C. measles outbreak expands to 138 confirmed cases. Charlotte's airport says goodbye to its Sycamore Brewing retail location.

Cabarrus County welcomes new commission members. A telecommunications developer has proposed a data center near Reedy Creek Park. The latest batch of N.C. Supreme Court rulings once against didn't include a ruling in the Leandro case over school funding. Airport officials expect a busy holiday travel season.

Backlash is growing against Charlotte's Sycamore Brewery after its co-founder was arrested and charged with three felonies. A church in Optimist Park is getting mixed reaction for its nativity scene. Ahead of March's primary, Rep. Carla Cunningham is walking back some of her controversial comments about immigration.

NASCAR, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports reach a settlement in their antitrust lawsuit. The co-owner of Sycamore Brewing is arrested on statutory rape and burglary charges. Community leaders ask NCDOT not to widen I-77, and to consider burying some of the existing highway.

CMS enrollment numbers drop to the lowest since 2012. Buried asbestos is an issue again in Davidson. South Carolinians face new limitations on SNAP spending. Some Charlotte-area businesses are moving towards a return to office schedule of five days a week.