The North Carolina Department of Transportation is advancing an elevated design for the I-77 South Express Lanes project after a yearlong community engagement effort that reached nearly 2,000 people.

The elevated express lanes design option in the uptown area will construct express lanes over the existing interstate or to the side of it, reducing property impacts to the McCrorey Heights and Wesley Heights neighborhoods, minimizing effects on Frazier Park, and avoiding impacts to Pinewood Cemetery, according to NCDOT.

The project would add express toll lanes along about 11 miles of I-77 from Uptown Charlotte to South Carolina. 

But some tempers are still hot after a discussion on road projects on Feb. 5, 2026. Charlotte city councilman Malcom Graham wrapped up a town hall, which included the highly debated proposal.

While the meeting was supposed to provide more answers, that did not go according to plan.

The conversation got so heated that Graham had to end the meeting early. People who came out said they felt like their voices were not heard.

“As a resident of Charlotte, we should not have to take this,” said one resident.

Even after the meeting ended early at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, that didn’t stop Charlotte residents from remaining vocal with their pushback, especially because of possible impacts in historically African-American neighborhoods.

“Make no mistake, families will still lose their homes, communities will still be torn apart, even if there is reduction; building upward doesn’t erase the impact,” said Charlotte resident Taylor Marshall.

The crowd got louder after the meeting ended.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/ncdot-77-south-express-lanes-design-2-4-2026/275-1b54e65c-acdb-4c52-b048-6ebb6865b974

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After an emergency meeting on Wednesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has adjusted the 2025-26 calendar to accommodate hours lost to the back-to-back weekend storms.

The two winter storms knocked out CMS for almost two weeks. Classes are resuming regular instruction on Thursday, Feb. 5. The last nine school days have either been delayed by two hours, closed in-person with remote learning, or fully closed. 

The last full day of class was Thursday, Jan. 22, right before the winter ice storm that brought freezing rain and sleet. 

CMS has made slight modifications to the 2025-26 calendar to meet instructional hour minimums. Wednesday, Feb. 11, and Wednesday, April 29, will extend to become full instructional days. Previously, those days were scheduled to be early release days. 

District leaders said the move is aimed at maximizing in-person learning while minimizing additional disruption for students and families.

“We want to ensure our students have as much learning time in school as possible,” said Beth Thompson, CMS chief strategy and innovation officer.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-back-to-regular-instruction-thursday/275-75457e2b-d77c-4af5-987e-b27a97ae34d3

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WCNC Charlotte continues to monitor hazardous road conditions as black ice and dangerously cold temperatures affect the Charlotte area.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/forecast/charlotte-weather-forecast-update/275-50501550

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Christian Sturdivant, 18, is due in federal court Thursday after being indicted for allegedly plotting a New Year's Eve terror attack at Mint Hill locations.

The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that a Charlotte grand jury indicted Sturdivant for reportedly trying to aid ISIS. He was arrested and charged on Dec. 31, 2025, after the FBI reportedly learned he planned to use knives and hammers at a grocery store and fast food restaurant in a deadly attack. Prosecutors said he intended to kill as many people as possible until he was killed by law enforcement.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/mint-hill-isis-terror-plot-suspect-1-27-2026/275-aed9b71c-0ba7-4351-8564-4659ad75c277

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Cold weather can turn small car problems into big emergencies. Mechanics recommend checking batteries, tires, fluids, and packing emergency supplies now.

Weather Impact Alert: https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/looking-ahead-to-potential-weekend-winter-weather/275-a2d04685-3055-47ae-b3ec-f413d810630a

How to protect your pipes: https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/weather-impact/charlotte-water-urges-residents-to-protect-pipes/275-ff868eef-1766-4b38-a822-2573772ba971

How to drive in the snow and on ice: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/how-to-drive-snow-ice-winter-season/507-658d1e89-9ffc-48c9-8cf2-98370f49fd9a

WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with news that impacts you from the team at WCNC 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.

Shoppers flood hardware stores for ice melt, batteries and heaters as Charlotte braces for a severe winter storm. Officials urge residents to prepare now.

How to conserve power during winter weather: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/duke-energy-urges-customers-to-conserve-energy/275-032156fb-df9d-4fc5-88fb-a54e4c4efc45

Duke Energy urges home readiness ahead of winter weather: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/major-winter-storm-threatens-carolinas/275-a346d1f0-4d03-46f7-8d2d-8c6faebe8f8d

NCDOT gears up for potential record-breaking winter storm: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/ncdot-gears-up-for-potential-record-breaking-winter-storm/275-5d5a823b-582f-4c2f-9d41-d6f2fea698ce

Winter weather report: https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/forecast/charlotte-weather-forecast-update/275-50501550

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A Charlotte family is demanding answers from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools after they say a vice principal attacked their 13-year-old son at Renaissance West STEAM Academy in October.

Ashley Bolton said her son, Karter Bolton, was confronted by a teacher for having headphones around his neck. When he didn't want to remove them, worried they would be confiscated, vice principal Sanders Fairley was called in.

What happened next, the family says, was captured on school security cameras.

"As a parent, I was just devastated to see my child manhandled like that, especially for something so small," Ashley said. "He was tossed around like a rag doll."

According to the family's attorney, Mary Frances Parker, the security footage shows Fairley grabbing Karter, attempting to punch him, then throwing him to the ground.

"Mr. Fairley takes two hands on this child's shoulders and slams him into the concrete floor of the school, face first," Parker said.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/family-demands-answers-after-alleged-assault-by-cms-vice-principal/275-827617f0-50ea-487b-846b-551a2f89a33b

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The Panthers' playoff run ended with a close loss to the Rams, but their first postseason appearance in 8 years has fans optimistic about the future.

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/local-sports/panthers-set-for-playoff-return/275-25b74a3c-5869-44d9-9aa2-ed5123b937e3

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The Portland Police Bureau confirmed to KGW that a man and woman were shot in an incident involving federal law enforcement agents Thursday afternoon in East Portland, Oregon.

The Department of Homeland Security said Border Patrol agents were "conducting a targeted vehicle stop" and when agents identified themselves, the driver in the car allegedly "weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents." 

The statement said an agent fired one shot after "fearing for his life and safety" and the car drove off. 

Two people, a 33-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman, were shot, according to KGW. Both people were taken to the hospital where their conditions are unknown. 

In a now deleted post, the FBI Portland office said the shooting happened about 2:15 p.m. in the 10000 block of Main Street, involving "Customs and Border Patrol Agents" and the investigation, led by the FBI, is active and ongoing. It's unclear why the post was deleted. 

Read more on Portland: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/2-hurt-federal-agents-shooting-portland-oregon/507-fcd1f080-6033-4f68-9ef4-96a36d719878

Read more on Charlotte protests after Minneapolis shooting: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/protesters-demand-justice-after-ice-agent-kills-woman/275-a0b3e84c-c1d1-4af3-af4f-fb48a47b2487

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A 37-year-old woman was fatally shot in Minneapolis Wednesday morning by an ICE agent as federal immigration officials conducted a sweeping operation in the city, Minnesota officials confirmed.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said at a press conference that he was "angry" at the presence of immigration officials in the city, but promised justice for the woman whom the Minneapolis City Council identified as Renee Nicole Good.

"We collectively are going to do everything possible to get to the bottom of this, to get justice, and make sure there is an investigation that is conducted in full," he said. 

Frey blamed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for escalating the situation in the city. 

"We dreaded this moment since the early stages of this ICE presence in Minneapolis," he said. "Not only is this a concern we've had internally, but we've been talking about it. They are not here to cause safety in this city. What they are doing is not to provide safety in America. What they are doing is causing chaos and distrust. They're ripping families apart, sowing distrust, and in this case, quite literally, killing people."

Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/ice-agent-shooting-minneapolis/507-3f4a500c-1400-4584-8bf0-4d7368c7b335

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