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.

Charlotte City Council approves a $3.4 million marketing contract to improve the image of its public transit. State regulators will hold a public meeting on Duke Energy's proposal to combine its two Carolina utility companies. The CMS Board of Education extends the contract of Superintendent Crystal Hill.

The man accused of stabbing a passenger Friday on Charlotte's light rail has been held without bond. A new task force is redesigning how the state measures school performance. Matthews appoints Melia James as Town Manager. Evacuees of the 2022 Winston Weaver Fertilizer plan could soon get compensation.

A suspect has been arrested in Friday's rush hour stabbing on Charlotte's Blue Line light rail. The Lovin' Life Music Festival will not return in 2026. Union County officials are investigating an incident at Parkwood High School in which a student attacked a teacher. N.C.'s hemp industry is under threat as a result of the new federal government spending bill.

Testimony continued Thursday in the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR by local racing teams 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. New CMPD Chief Estella Patterson will be sworn in today. A State Board of Education advisory committee is recommending a master’s degree for all school social workers in the state.

Gov. Josh Stein gives a positive outlook on the state's economic development. Duke Energy asks to withdraw a proposed renewable energy certificate program. State officials urge Congress to help Outer Banks homeowners before more houses fall into the ocean. A look at how area officials plan to spend nearly $75 million to address the opioid crisis.

Mecklenburg County Commissioners appoint six new members to the Metro. Public Transit Authority board. NCDMV announces changes to prevent noncitizens from registering to vote. The family story of a 27-year-old Honduran man detained during the "Charlotte's Web" immigration operation.

The Charlotte City Council swears in three new members. Mecklenburg County Commissioner Elaine Powell says she will not file for a fifth term. K&W Cafeterias closes all eight remaining locations. Overdose deaths among Black and Hispanic residents in Mecklenburg County are on the rise.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and new city council members will be sworn in this evening. Local leaders say they're prepared for today's implementation of Iryna's Law. Family members of some of those detained by Border Patrol's Charlotte operation are struggling to locate their loved ones. McAdenville lights up for Christmas.

Iryna's Law goes into effect on Monday. A proposed data center in eastern N.C. would be one of the largest in the southeast. Area farmers say Trump Administration tariffs will increase the cost of food this holiday season. Charlotte's Thanksgiving Eve Parade begins at 5:30 in uptown.

Charlotte City Council approves $25 million in upgrades to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. A jury finds two men guilty of killing Brooks Sandwich House co-owner Scott Brooks. The Cornelius Police Dept. says it's still actively searching for Madalina Cojocari three years after her disappearance.