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All charges have been dropped against Christina Pierre, the woman seen in a video being punched by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers. When the video was recorded earlier this month, at least four CMPD officers were restraining Pierre on the ground while a fifth officer punched her multiple times. A second video obtained by WCNC Charlotte showed Pierre being searched before she was put inside a patrol car. Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/charlotte-viral-arrest-charges-dropped-cmpd/275-3b7b3fb4-5bdf-476c-835d-706040613c13 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.

The Carolina Panthers have fired first-year head coach Frank Reich after the team fell to 1-10, losing to the Tennessee Titans 17-10. The Carolina Panthers defense forced the Tennessee Titans to punt on every single drive of the second half, but Bryce Young and the Panthers were unable to put together a game-tying drive. With three minutes remaining in the game, the Panthers had one final chance to tie the game after a big defensive stop. On the would-be clutch drive the Panthers completed three passes without gaining a first down because of a sack that killed any momentum the drive had. Game over. Just last year, Carolina fell to 1-4, had a home stadium takeover by visiting fans and experienced a blowout loss in the not-so-friendly confines of Bank of America Stadium. That loss was the final straw for the Matt Rhule era and he was promptly fired by owner David Tepper. Fast forward one year, and the Panthers went 1-9 after a 33-10 loss to the Cowboys in front of a very pro-Dallas crowd. With fan apathy and rookie quarterback Bryce Young's struggles squarely in the spotlight, it was only a matter of time until Frank Reich was let go. Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/sports/nfl/panthers/frank-reich-fired-carolina-panthers-head-coach/275-148ed95a-6523-49ff-bfd5-603fd9011a5c 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.

Casey Parsons, the Salisbury, North Carolina woman who pleaded guilty to killing adoptive daughter Erica Parsons, has been transferred from federal custody. She will now begin serving her life sentence in a North Carolina state prison. Records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons show Parsons was taken out of federal custody on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. However, it's not clear which state prison in North Carolina she is being transferred to; as of publication on Saturday, Nov. 25, records for Parsons were not available from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/erica-parsons/erica-parsons-case-casey-parsons-crime-local-regional/275-11f54ba0-ae28-4103-91a4-2e4f872a6d7d 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.

Mecklenburg County will be getting more money to tackle the problem of teen violence. The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners recently unanimously approved thousands of dollars to fund violence prevention programs. Across the Charlotte region, more kids and teens are involved in shootings this year. City and county leaders are working to combat the issue, and there's hope the new federal funding will help. Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/violence-prevention-program-funding/275-053554ab-9266-424a-808a-3ef0aec995c7 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.

A vehicle speeding toward a U.S.-Canada bridge from the American side crashed and exploded at a checkpoint in Niagara Falls on Wednesday, killing two people and prompting the closing of multiple border crossings for hours. Authorities weren't sure what spurred the wreck but said there were no signs it was a terror attack. The FBI's Buffalo office said late Wednesday that it had concluded its investigation: “A search of the scene revealed no explosive materials, and no terrorism nexus was identified,” it said in a statement. “The matter has been turned over to the Niagara Falls Police Department as a traffic investigation.” Much remained unclear about the incident at the Rainbow Bridge, which prompted concerns on both sides of the border as the U.S. headed into the Thanksgiving holiday. Both U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were briefed soon afterward, and Trudeau excused himself from Question Period in the House of Commons to get further information, saying officials were “taking this extraordinarily seriously.” READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/border-crossing-closed-us-canada-bridge-explosion/507-8a6f7a1c-4586-4188-809b-96463d63fcf5

An effort to seek solutions for those facing substance abuse took shape Tuesday at the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. The agency announced a new, free Narcan vending machine will be in its arrest processing center in collaboration with the group Carolinas CARE Partnership, which is providing the products. The goal is to stop opioid overdoses for those recently released from jail before it's too late. “The leading cause of anyone that is being released from incarceration is overdose," Patrice Brown with Carolinas CARE Partnership said. "And so this vending machine will hopefully help, just a little, it'll help that problem." Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/mecklenburg-county-sheriffs-office-unveils-new-narcan-vending-machine/275-c76990f3-6325-4d09-b8e8-36abdb3f6a31 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.

On Nov. 21, 2022, then-11-year-old Madalina Cojocari was last seen at Bailey Middle School in Cornelius, North Carolina, leaving her school bus just before 5 p.m. She has not been seen since. It's been one year since Madalina disappeared. There are no new leads on her whereabouts, and the case remains relatively stagnant. Here's a rundown of what led up to this: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/cornelius-madalina-cojocari-missing-diana-cojocari-christopher-palmiter-1-year/275-fb443e04-cd7f-4db1-942c-90322ad9c364 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.

A suspect is in custody after investigators determined an apartment fire in west Charlotte was intentionally set, officials said. The Charlotte Fire Department responded to a fire at the Little Rock apartments just off West Boulevard around 6:30 p.m. When fire crews arrived, they found smoke and flames coming from a first-story apartment home. The fire was controlled by a team of firefighters in about 10 minutes, according to Charlotte Fire. Investigators say evidence they gathered at the scene indicated the fire was intentionally set. The suspect was taken into custody. WCNC Charlotte has reached out to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police for more information. As of 11:30 p.m. Sunday, the suspect has not been identified. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/apartment-fire-arson-investigation-suspect-arrested/275-d44ff1b8-06d0-4ed1-820d-25364043f9da

More and more people in Mecklenburg County are having to move out of homes they can't afford. After a lull during the pandemic, eviction filings by landlords have come flooding back. Experts say it's driven by several factors, like high rents, and a lack of affordable housing. “We have got to do something as a county, as a city, to combat this issue," Jessica Gibson, executive director for the Just Do It Movement, said. Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/markets/real-estate/affordable-housing-crisis/mecklenburg-county-rising-evictions-affordable-housing/275-8e2398a1-d161-46c4-8a52-ffa1486fe91a 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.

Another person has died from flu complications in North Carolina this week, bringing the state to four deaths this flu season. But it’s not the only respiratory virus to be wary of as we head into the holidays. COVID, the flu and RSV have all been on the rise, according to new state data. 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.

Questions have been raised after a video showing a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer repeatedly punching a woman in south Charlotte Monday surfaced. The video, posted and shared on Instagram, shows at least four CMPD officers Monday restraining a woman on the ground while a fifth officer can be seen punching the woman multiple times. In the video, another officer can be seen escorting a man away from the woman. In the video, a small crowd can be seen yelling toward officers, who eventually grab the woman by each of her arms and escort her toward a patrol car. "It was triggering it reminded me of George Floyd and immediately I began to weep," said Corine Mack, the president of Charlotte Mecklenburg NAAC Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/charlotte-cmpd-punch-restrain-resisting-arrest-woman/275-bbbe29fb-ac82-4f17-ba83-d4f486c44022 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.

Five projects to widen a section of NC-73 into four lanes will soon affect the daily commutes of drivers in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Lincoln counties. The North Carolina Department of Transportation is hosting two public meetings in Huntersville on Tuesday, Nov. 14 to answer questions and provide updates on the multi-million dollar projects. Jen Goodwin, communications officer with NCDOT, said Huntersville is just one community that has been vocal about a need for traffic improvements. Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/wake-up-charlotte/ncdot-public-meetings-huntersville-nc-73-improvements/275-b1c343d3-ab63-478d-a937-f36cf35aedbb 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.

Parking violations in Charlotte may soon get more expensive. Right now, if you park illegally at certain spots you can be fined $25. On Monday, the city council could raise it to $100. “We are trying to find ways to keep our pedestrians safe,” Dimple Ajmera, a Charlotte City Councilwoman said. This would affect people who park illegally on a sidewalk. Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/clt-city-council-to-consider-higher-fines-for-parking-violators-charlotte-north-carolina/275-53670bf4-38ad-4510-a900-b2f7be71a79f 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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