ReportWire

Tag: coastal

  • Former Raleigh top cop will be Charlotte’s first female police chief

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    Estella Patterson, who formerly led Raleigh’s force, will be the next Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department chief, making her the first woman to hold the title in the Queen City’s history.  

    She will replace Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Chief Johnny Jennings, who announced his retirement at the end of the year in May.

    “The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has a long history of incredible leaders, who have collectively led CMPD to be one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the country and Chief Patterson will continue that tradition,” City of Charlotte Manager Marcus D. Jones said in a news release Friday. “Chief Patterson’s deep experience with CMPD in addition to her recent experience leading the Raleigh Police Department made her an ideal candidate to continue CMPD’s successes but also bring new ideas to further the agency’s growth.”

    Patterson served with Raleigh’s police department from August 2021 to March 2025, and she led the department through big changes, the release states. During her time as Raleigh’s chief, she created a recruitment plan that upped the department’s manpower, taking their vacancy rate from 150 to 40 over three years.

    “I am deeply humbled and honored to return to Charlotte to serve the community and lead CMPD into its next chapter,” Patterson said in the release. “Reducing violent crime and disorder, enhancing community engagement, and increasing employee morale and wellness are among my top priorities. I look forward to working collaboratively with law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to make Charlotte one of the safest cities in the nation.” 

    Patterson also started the Raleigh Police Foundation, and that organization raised $4 million over two years for special projects.  

    Jones said the city included “significant input” from the public during the hiring process. 

    “Charlotte City Council members, as well as leaders from civil rights organizations, community groups and faith-based organizations provided input as part of the search process,” the news release says. 

    Patterson has an extensive history in law enforcement, as well as a military background, serving combat tours in Kosovo and Iraq. She was also twice awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service. She rose to the rank of captain in the armed forces and is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy.  

    She is set to step into her new role when Jennings retires at the year’s end. Jennings served as the department’s chief since 2020 after becoming with the department since 1992, according to Jones. 

    “It has been an honor and sincere pleasure to serve as Chief of Police for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department,” Jennings said. “I’d like to congratulate Chief Patterson and proudly welcome her back to CMPD as the next Chief of Police. She accomplished great things during her previous tenure here and I’m thrilled that she is returning to lead the department. As an internal candidate with external experience, she brings familiarity with the agency and already-established, strong relationships in the community. I look forward to supporting her and seeing all that she will accomplish for the department and for the City of Charlotte.”  

    Jennings departure comes after he faced controversy last spring over a six-figure settlement from the city after a former city council member sent threatening messages to the chief.  

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    Elizabeth Townsend

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  • Panthers QB Young returns to practice after missing game with ankle injury

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and the team is optimistic he might be able to play on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

    Young sat out Carolina’s 40-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday with an ankle injury, the first game he has missed this season.

    “Bryce had a really good day and we are going to take it each day,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “We are going to push it a little more. We had a little bit of a modified mode at practice today, but he handled the load. Tomorrow we will push it again and we will make a decision in the next couple of days. But he looked good.”

    Andy Dalton, who started for Young on Sunday, did not practice because of a sprained thumb.

    Young had won three straight starts before missing the Bills game.

    Canales said that right tackle Taylor Moton got a good report on his injured knee and there is optimism he might play against the Packers after leaving last week’s game.

    Moton did not practice, but the plan is to amp up his load this week at practice and make a determination on his status later in the week.

    Outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen (ankle) missed practice and is not expected to play this week. Center Cade Mays (ankle), linebacker Trevin Wallace (shoulder) and safety Nick Scott (groin) did not practice either.

    Canales also confirmed that guard Brady Christensen’s season is over after he underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn Achilles tendon sustained in the loss to the Bills.

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    Associated Press

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  • When will it snow? It depends where you live

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    The days are getting shorter, and temperatures are falling. Now that we’re heading toward winter, many parts of the country are going to begin to see snow in the forecast for the first time in months.

    Even though winter doesn’t begin until December, the first snow can arrive much earlier depending on where you live.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Mountain West usually gets snow before anywhere else

    • Interior New England and the Great Lakes also see snowfall earlier than most areas

    • If it snows in the Southeast, it normally comes after New Year’s



    The primary factors that influence your local snowfall climatology are elevation and latitude. High elevations, like the Rockies, are much more favorable environments for wintry weather than anywhere else in the continental U.S. Some parts of the Rockies could receive snow in all 12 months of the year.

    Of course, that’s not the case for everyone else. Aside from elevation, how far north do you live? Do you live off the eastern shores of the Great Lakes and get lake-effect snow? Do you see a milder maritime air mass from the Pacific, or a continental polar air mass from Canada? 

    The map below gives a good idea of when you can expect the first measurable (>0.1″) snow where you live based on the 1981-2020 U.S. climate normals.

    The map shows the ‘median,’ or average date of the first snowfall. This is when you could expect the first snow to arrive during a ‘normal’ year. Of course, every year is different, but this should give you a good idea of when to get the winter clothes ready. For an even better idea, you can check your local forecast.

    Snow in the Northeast usually arrives before winter does on the calendar, especially in the mountains. Interior New England the Adirondacks, usually sees the first snowflakes falling around early November, with the rest of New England seeing snow before Thanksgiving.

    Coastal areas might lag a little behind the rest of the Northeast since the temperatures run a bit warmer, but it only takes one Nor’easter to deliver the first snow for everybody.

    Great Lakes

    Aside from the Rockies and some other high elevations, the Great Lakes are among the earlier areas to see snow, especially near Lake Superior. When you combine arctic air and moisture over the warm Great Lakes early in the season, the lake-effect machine can pump some big snow totals onto the southern and eastern shores of the Great Lakes.

    Parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, Upstate New York and northwest Pennsylvania are the lucky recipients of lake-effect snow that can arrive as early as October or November.

    Midwest

    The Upper Midwest and Northern Plains see strong cold fronts move in from Canada during the late fall and winter with bitter cold Arctic air that can dump feet of snow, but that’s not usually until later in the season. The first snow? The Dakotas and Minnesota usually get some snowfall in early November.

    Further south, in states like Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Missouri, it can be a bit later, around or after Thanksgiving as we get into December.

    Northwest/Rockies

    The Rocky Mountains, Cascades and other high elevations across the Mountain West are the snowiest places in the U.S., some of which could see snow year-round. This is why some of the best ski resorts in the world are in states like Colorado, Utah and Montana. Snow usually starts falling by October, with the foothills and lower elevations seeing snow by November.

    The coastal parts of Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest don’t see much snow until later, usually by December. The Pacific Ocean keeps areas west of the mountains much warmer, and much wetter with rain lasting into winter.

    Southwest

    If you’re expecting snow in the Southwest, elevation is an important factor. There are parts of Southern California, northern Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada where the high elevations and mountains see plenty of snowfall, some as early as late November or December. But a lot of the Southwest doesn’t see any, especially in California outside of the mountains.

    In Texas, the Panhandle could get some wild weather by late November or December, but further south into central Texas and the Gulf Coast, the snow chances are few and far between.

    Southeast

    Parts of the Southeast, especially in the Appalachians, could get snow in late November or December. States like Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia and North Carolina usually get a few good snows per winter, maybe even before changing your calendar.

    If you live anywhere else in the Southeast, especially Florida and along the Gulf Coast, the first time you see snow depends on when you buy a plane ticket! Big snows are much rarer once you get south of I-10. Other parts of the Deep South are lucky to see one or two snows per year, but it usually arrives in January or February.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • Halloween Forecast: Is it a trick or a treat?

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    A chill will be in the air across much of the country for this year’s Halloween trick-or-treaters. The good news is we will see mostly dry conditions in time, but a few spots could still see rain lingering into the night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Below-average temperatures are expected from the Plains to the East Coast

    • Most of the country should be dry around sunset

    • Rain and wind will linger in the Northeast


    Northeast

    For much of Halloween, it will be a wet and windy day across the Northeast. Thankfully, much of the rain will clear in time for trick-or-treaters by sunset with only a few showers across Upstate New York and the northern parts of New England.

    For those heading out, be sure to bring an extra layer and hold on to those witches’ hats! A gusty northwest wind will bring temperatures down into the 40s and 50s along the coast with even colder temperatures farther inland (30s) after sunset. Winds could even reach 30-40 mph at times closer to the coast.

    Southeast

    The forecast is a lot less frightening for the Southeast, which will see clear skies and no chance of rain. However, it will be cool with temperatures slipping into the 50s in areas as far south as Central Florida.


    Central U.S.

    Most of the Central U.S. will also see dry and cool weather Halloween evening. The only exception will be parts of the Northern Plains, where some scattered showers may continue.

    Temperatures will range from the 30s and 40s in the Northern Plains to the 50s and 60s across Texas and the Mid-South.


    West

    Dry weather is likely for almost the entire West with high pressure in control. The only region that may be wet will be the coastal parts of Washington, where another atmospheric river is expected to move onshore.

    It will also be cool in the Pacific Northwest with temperatures falling into the 40s and 50s. Milder weather is expected in the Southwest.


    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Ian Cassette

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  • See some of this year’s Halloween house displays

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    It’s looking a little spooky around North Carolina. Some people like Christmas lights, but others go all out celebrating the Halloween season by setting up their scariest decor displays.

    From skeletons and spiders, front yard graveyards, witches, warlocks and all sorts of monsters are decorating theirs homes for the season.

    In Apex, 15 miles from Raleigh, many houses have stepped it up this year to enter in the town’s annual Tour of Frights, which features homes and businesses with the best Halloween or fall-themed decorations.

    The town created two routes marking spots people can drive by to see these outdoor exhibits. The maps are available online here.

    Check out this photo gallery to see some of the stops and other houses decked out for the holiday.

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    Caroline King

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  • NYCFC beats Charlotte 1-0 to begin best-of-3 series

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Alonso Martínez scored in the 34th minute to end a three-match scoreless run and New York City FC beat Charlotte 1-0 on Tuesday night to begin a best-of-three series.

    New York City became the first away team to win in the 2025 MLS playoffs after the first eight squads lost. NYCFC will host Charlotte on Saturday in Game 2.

    Martínez, who had 17 goals during the regular season, collected a headed pass from Andrés Perea and dribbled to the top of the 18-yard box before slicing through Charlotte’s backline for a calm shot under Kristijan Kahlina.

    Matt Freese, who had eight clean sheets during the regular season, made four saves.

    Charlotte was without forward Wilfried Zaha due to a red card suspension.

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    Associated Press

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  • 4 sexual assaults reported on ECU campus in under a month, crime log shows

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    Crime reports at East Carolina University show four reported incidents of second degree forcible rape on campus in under a month. The ECU Police Department is investigating.

    What You Need To Know

    •  East Carolina University police are investigating four reported sexual assaults on campus in under a month

    • The crimes occurred on Oct. 3, 5, 8 and 14, according to the department log

    •  Police logs show each case remains an open investigation


    The crimes occurred on Oct. 3, 5, 8 and 14, according to the department’s crime log.

    The victims and suspects knew each other in the crimes that happened on Oct. 3 and 5, police said. No information has been released about the Oct. 8 and 14 crimes.

    “To be clear, sexual assault under any circumstance is unacceptable and is never the fault of the victim,” ECU police wrote in a statement posted to Facebook earlier this month when the first two cases were reported.

    “Reports of this nature commonly involve individuals known to each other. We want to emphasize the importance of clear, ongoing and enthusiastic consent in all intimate interactions. Consent can be revoked at any time, for any reason and that decision must be respected,” police said.

    The investigation into each case remains open, according to the department’s crime log.

    Police have issued the following reminders to help keep students safe:

    • Consent: permission or agreement to do something
    • Bystander intervention: stepping in to stop or prevent harm without putting yourself in harm’s way, and/or notifying the appropriate authorities
    • Healthy relationship: characterized by mutual respect, trust, open communication and shared power with voluntary consent for all intimate activity

    Anyone wishing to report a crime can do so by calling the ECU Police Department at 252-328-6787 or 911 in the event of an emergency.

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    Justin Pryor

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  • Jeff Jackson announces lawsuit against Trump over SNAP benefits

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    RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina and more than 20 other states are suing the Trump administration for pausing federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Food Assistance Program.

    Democratic N.C Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced the lawsuit in a press conference in Raleigh on Tuesday.

    “It’s unlawful, and we’re going to do everything we can to fight it,” Jackson said of funds not being released. 

    There are 1.4 million North Carolina residents rely on the program to put food on the table, but the Trump Administration said the program will run out of money Saturday unless the federal shutdown ends.

    The program still has reserve funds, but Republicans say that money is not legally available because it is reserved for emergencies, like disasters.

    On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson added there “has to be a preexisting appropriation for the contingency funding to be used, and Democrats blocked that contingency.”

    But Democrats say the Trump Administration should use the roughly $6 billion that are in the contingency funds for SNAP.

    “The department is choosing not to use the emergency money that they’ve been given. I believe the reason they’re doing that is to play shutdown politics. They are looking to ratchet up the pain in a already painful moment. This is wrong and it’s against the law,” Jackson said.

    Responding to the lawsuit, Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on CNN, “I find it very rich that they are suing the Trump Administration because their friends on the Hill won’t vote yes to keep the government.”

    On Monday, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein posted on X: “The administration’s refusal to use these available funds as temperatures cool and the Thanksgiving holiday approaches is a cruel abdication of the responsibility to support families and communities.”

    Last week Jackson signed onto a letter with other state attorneys general asking why reserve funding can’t be used and they laid out a series of questions asking for the agency to respond by Monday.

    “We are asking the court to act with emergency speed to meet this emergency. i think there is a very good chance that we get a favorable ruling that puts this on hold relatively soon. I hope that it happens before November 1, there is some chance of this theoretically, but we are asking the court to act as quickly as possible given the circumstances,” he said.

     

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    Reuben Jones

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  • WATCH: Hurricane Hunters fly into Category 5 Hurricane Melissa

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    Hurricane Melissa is a powerful Category 5 hurricane in the Caribbean Sea set to make landfall in Jamaica Tuesday morning.

    A U.S. Air Force Reserve crew from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, known as the “Hurricane Hunters,” flew through Hurricane Melissa on Oct. 27, 2025, collecting valuable data to help improve the forecast, and took video from inside the eye.

    Watch the Hurricane Hunters video of Hurricane Melissa’s “stadium effect” inside the eye as it was a Category 5 hurricane on Monday, Oct. 27.


    Before making landfall on Tuesday, Oct. 28, the turbulence was so strong inside Hurricane Melissa that the Hurricane Hunters had to abandon the mission and return to its operating location.

    You can check the latest updates on Hurricane Melissa here.

    More Storm Season Resources


    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • Attendance dips at N.C. State Fair. A look at the numbers

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    Food vendors and carnival workers are packing up their candied apples, cotton candy, games and giant stuffed prizes, marking the end of the 2025 North Carolina State Fair season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Less than 950,000 people went to the N.C. State Fair this year 

    • Last year, there were nearly 1 million fairgoers

    • Historically, attendance is most impacted by weather 

    • But weather this year was fairly similar to 2024 


    This year, there were 946,811 total fairgoers during the fair’s 11-day run, according to figures from the state’s Department of Agriculture.

    That is nearly 8,000 fewer than the past 10-year average and more than 50,000 less than last year.

    “It’s been a very strong year, and we are happy with that,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a statement. “A lot of attention gets focused on attendance figures, and we do want to see strong numbers, but that is not the only barometer we use to measure success. Across the fairgrounds and throughout the fair we saw a lot of smiles and a lot of happy people. And that’s what makes all the hard work worthwhile – every day and every year!”

    Fair attendance has not seen a linear recovery since it returned after missing 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

    In 2019, attendance was 938,029. In 2021, fewer than 825,000 people went. The following year saw a bounce back with more than 960,000 people, but then numbers dipped in 2023.

    Last year, attendance almost reached more than a million fairgoers, which would have been the first time it had hit seven figures since 2017, but it was just shy by a little over 1,000.

    The record for the highest number of total fairgoers in a single North Carolina State Fair season is still held by 2010, which saw 1,091,887.

    Attendance per day ranged from 41,287 to 116,426, the latter being attendance on the last Saturday and the former on the first Thursday of the fair. This stayed consistent with trends that the first day typically sees the fewest and the last Saturday the most fairgoers.

    Often, the culprit for low attendance levels is the weather. In 2023 when the total number of fairgoers was nearly 30,000 less than the year before, it rained on Oct. 14, which was the first Saturday of the fair season. 

    That day, 62,501 people went to the fair compared to 115,586 on Oct. 15 in 2022, which was the first Saturday that year and saw sunny weather with temperatures in the mid 70s.

    This year’s discrepancy between attendance numbers cannot be as easily explained away by the weather, though since temperatures and conditions were largely similar to last year.

    The Department of Agriculture’s highlights from this year’s fair:

    • The Junior Livestock Sale of Champions drew $214,830 for champions and the junior livestock scholarship program

    • There were more than 27,000 general and livestock entries registered in competitions

    • This year’s pumpkin contest brought a site-record with the winner weighing in at 2,244.5 pounds

    • The equivalent of 150,000 meals was collected through donations on Smithfield Hunger Relief Day

    North Carolina’s State Fair will return next year Oct. 15-25, 2026.

     

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    Caroline King

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  • Salibury chief says bystander likely saved officer’s life during assault

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    A bystander likely saved an officer’s life during a knife-wielding assault at a Cookout Sunday evening, the Salisbury Police Department said.

    What You Need To Know

    • Salisbury Police Chief Patrick Smith is praising a bystander’s courageous actions that he says likely saved an officer’s life during an assault Sunday evening

    • The officer and bystander were injured by a knife-wielding suspect at a Cookout on East Innes Street, police said

    • The suspect faces multiple charges


    Officers responded to the restaurant on East Innes Street around 8:15 p.m. for a disturbance call.

    When officers arrived, police said they found the suspect, identified as Jamie Hunt, 44, armed with a knife.

    “A struggle ensued,” according to a release. That’s when Hunt began swinging the knife, injuring one officer.

    “During the altercation, a bystander intervened to assist the officers and sustained several lacerations to his left hand while preventing the officer from suffering further stab wounds,” the department said. “His actions likely saved the officer’s life.”

    An officer used a Taser to subdue Hunt, who was then taken into custody.

    Everyone involved was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The officer and bystander were treated and released.

    The suspect is in custody but is expected to remain at the hospital for several days, police said.

    Once released, Hunt faces several charges that include two felony counts of assault on a government official with a dangerous weapon, one felony count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of resisting, obstructing and delaying a public officer.

    “I am thankful for the citizen who stepped in to help. His act of bravery likely saved an officer’s life,” Salisbury Police Chief Patrick Smith said in a release. “We are relieved that both our officer and this Good Samaritan are recovering.”

    The investigation is ongoing.

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    Justin Pryor

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  • LIVE CAMERAS: Watch Category 5 Hurricane Melissa move into Jamaica

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    It will make landfall Tuesday.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • Second victim dies after Thursday’s Charlotte home invasion, kidnapping

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    A second person has died, police say, after a home invasion and kidnapping Thursday afternoon in north Charlotte.

    Both victims’ identities were made public over the weekend.

    What You Need To Know

    • Two people were found shot at the intersection of Hoskins Road and Black Avenue around 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23

    • One victim, Justin Carlton, died shortly after being taken to the hospital. Police said the second victim, Shabazz Grant, died Sunday

    • The suspect in the shooting and a connected kidnapping, according to CMPD, died in a shootout with police

    Justin Carlton, 38, and Shabazz Grant, 34, were found shot around 4 p.m. at the intersection of Hoskins Road and Black Avenue on Oct. 23, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

    Both victims were taken to the hospital, but Carlton died from injuries a short time later.

    Grant died from his injuries on Sunday, police said in a release.

    The shooting, according to police, was connected to a kidnapping reported in the same area.

    Officials said Joseph Andrade, 28, the suspect in the shooting, forced his way into a home, kidnapped a woman and drove away with her.

    Police began chasing Andrade’s vehicle after seeing him driving with the woman in the passenger seat. During the chase, police said Andrade started shooting at police before crashing at the intersection of Freedom and Morehead.

    Andrade then jumped out of the car, police said, and started a foot chase with officers.

    “He approached additional officers on Morehead Street where he pointed a firearm at at least one of the officers and the officers then returned fire,” CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said in a video statement posted to X Thursday evening.

    Andrade died at the scene, and police said a gun was recovered.

    None of the officers were injured, Jennings said. The woman was also found uninjured near the area of the crash.

    The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting, which is standard practice in a police shooting.

    CMPD will handle the investigation of the assault with a deadly weapon, the homicide and the kidnapping, Jennings said.

    “We’re still piecing a lot of different things together, so I can’t really say what the motive was for the home invasion, what the motive was for the shooting in the homicide and the assault with a deadly weapon at this point,” Jennings said Thursday evening. “So we’re going to try to work through that and piece it together,”

    “Lives were lost, but we have a lot of lives that were saved because of officers’ response time,” he said. 

     

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    Jordan Kudisch, Charles Duncan, Justin Pryor

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  • Mecklenburg helped ICE make an arrest at the courthouse, sheriff said

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    Mecklenburg County deputies helped federal immigration officials arrest a person at the courthouse Wednesday morning, according to Sheriff Garry McFadden.

    What You Need To Know

    • ICE arrested a person at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse Wednesday with the help of county staff, according to  Sheriff Garry McFadden 

    • This came after a meeting between McFadden and ICE officials last week that he said he set up with the aim of improving communication with the agency  

    • McFadden criticized ICE earlier this year for their lack of timeliness picking up undocumented detainees 

    • McFadden was first elected in 2018 after running on a promise to end the county’s formal agreement with ICE, which he did within hours of being sworn in 


    McFadden met with Immigration and Customs Enforcement last week.

    He requested the meeting and sat down with the agency’s regional representatives on Oct. 17 with a goal of “establishing a better working relationship and improve communication,” he said in a statement Friday.

    “I made it clear that I do not want to stop ICE from doing their job, but I do want them to do it safely, responsibly, and with proper coordination by notifying our agency ahead of time,” he said. “I’m proud to say that the meeting was productive.”  

    On Tuesday night, he said ICE officials reached out to the courthouse major and said they planned to arrest two people the following morning.

    “Our staff provided directions and access to ensure the arrests could take place safely and efficiently,” McFadden said. “The operation went smoothly and was well-coordinated, incident-free, and demonstrated exactly the kind of partnership we’ve been requesting for years.”

    ICE ended up only making one arrest because the other person did not show up for court, McFadden’s statement said.  

    Since North Carolina’s lawmakers passed House Bill 318, local law enforcement agencies are officially required to reestablish relationships with ICE. It requires them to tell immigration authorities when they are holding someone sought on an ICE detainer or administrative warrant.   

    But in May, McFadden said he had been doing that, and the bill would fail to fix the issue of transferring undocumented people with pending state charges to ICE custody for civil immigration proceedings.

    McFadden criticized ICE in February for not picking up people Mecklenburg police identified as undocumented within the legal timeframe, which led him to release many from detention.

    He also raised concern about the ICE operations happening within the county without his knowledge.

    In April, an attorney said he saw a person arrested at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse by people in plain clothes who identified themselves as ICE.

    Mecklenburg County had a partnership with ICE for many years when it signed a 287(g) agreement in 2006 when the program started, which gives local agencies funding to assist federal immigration enforcement. In the 12 years that agreement was in place,15,000 Mecklenburg residents were deported, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

    McFadden signed a letter ending the partnership with ICE hours after he was sworn into office in December of 2018.

    “And so now we have to show Charlotte that this is a step in the right direction and I need everybody’s help [to show] Charlotte and the nation that we are doing the right thing,” said McFadden said at the time.

     

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    Caroline King

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  • Josh Allen looks to snap Bills’ 2-game skid vs. Panthers

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Josh Allen will put his 7-0 record following a bye week on the line Sunday when the Buffalo Bills visit the surging Carolina Panthers.

    What You Need To Know

    • Josh Allen aims to maintain his perfect post-bye record when the Buffalo Bills face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday

    • The Bills started strong this season but stumbled with two consecutive losses before their week off

    • The Panthers have turned their season around with three straight wins

    • Andy Dalton might start for Carolina because Bryce Young is dealing with a sprained ankle



    Allen and the Bills appeared in prime position to gain a stranglehold on the No. 1 seed in the AFC — and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs — after racing to a 4-0 start, including a come-from-behind win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

    But the Bills have suddenly looked average, losing back-to-back games to the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons before the bye.

    Allen said it was difficult to go into the week off on a sour note, but added it has given the Bills time to hit the reset button.

    “Listen, we got a lot of work to do,” Allen said. “But this is a team that has a lot of guys that want to do that work, that care for each other. And we’re just excited for another opportunity this week.”

    The Panthers (4-3) looked as if they might be headed toward an eighth straight season without a trip to the postseason after starting the season 1-3. But they’ve found a running game and have reeled off three straight wins. It’s the first time they have been above .500 this late in the season since starting 5-3 in 2019.

    They are just one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South with two games still to play against Baker Mayfield and company.

    The Panthers appear focused, even avoiding the traditional time-off rewards that come with “victory Mondays.”

    “I love that our leadership is focused that way,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “They certainly understand that we haven’t seen our best football. … We’ve seen glimpses of it. We’ve seen excellent play in areas, but there’s so much more out there for us, and we should just continue to be trying to improve our processes all the way through the end of the season.”

    Dalton ready

    Andy Dalton will make his seventh start in three seasons with the Panthers. Bryce Young is hobbled by an ankle sprain after leaving in the second half last week against the New York Jets.

    Dalton is 1-5 as a starter for Carolina, but has plenty of experience.

    He has thrown for more than 39,000 yards and 254 touchdowns — most of that production coming during his nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.

    “If Andy does have to play, have full confidence being able to just call the game the same way I would normally call it and have the balance and be attacking and aggressive in our spots,” Canales said. “So he gives us an opportunity to keep pushing our football forward, which I love.”

    Bills reinforcements

    The Bills are in position to have two offseason free-agent additions make their defensive debuts on Sunday. Edge rusher Michael Hoecht and tackle Larry Ogunjobi both resumed practicing this week after serving their respective six-game NFL suspensions for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers.

    Just don’t consider it the calvary arriving, said Ogunjobi, who’s entering his ninth season.

    “I think it’s just me and Mike coming back, being able to just help how we can,” said Ogunjobi, who spent the previous three years with Pittsburgh. “You want to rally, you want to get this thing going in the right direction.”

    More pony package?

    The Panthers have found something with their running game over the last three weeks and will look to take advantage of a Buffalo defense that is ranked 31st in the NFL against the rush, allowing an average of 156.3 yards per game.

    Carolina is third in the league in rushing, averaging 140.1 yards per game.

    Canales said the Panthers will continue to employ a two-back system with Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle. Last week, with Hubbard returning from a calf injury, the Panthers alternated possessions with the two backs.

    The Panthers have even flirted with the idea of using the “pony package” with both Hubbard and Dowdle on the field at the same time.

    “Anytime you get both those backs on the field, it’s a great threat to the defense just as it is with our other personnel,” offensive coordinator Brad Idzik said.

    Shaq is back

    Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson is in for a homecoming after spending his first 11 seasons with Carolina. He signed with Buffalo and reunited with coach Sean McDermott, who previously served as the Panthers’ defensive coordinator.

    “A winner. He’s here for a reason,” McDermott said, referring to the 2015 first-round draft pick. “You could tell right away the impact he made in our locker room, on our team. … And part of it is that they can learn from watching a player like that, how he handles himself on the field and off the field.”

    Signed as a backup, Thompson could have an increased role with starters Matt Milano (pectoral) and Terrel Bernard (ankle) both listed as questionable. The Bills have ruled out defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (calf) and safety Taylor Rapp (knee), who was placed on injured reserve.

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    Associated Press

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  • Suspected kidnapper killed in shootout with Charlotte police, officials say

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    A suspect in a home invasion and kidnapping is dead after a chase and shootout with police, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. 

    Shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, officials said police officers went to a shots fired call in north Charlotte at the intersection of Hoskins Road and Black Avenue and found two people shot. Both were taken to the hospital and one died, police said. 

    Officials said the shooting suspect forced his way into a home, kidnapped a resident and made them drive him from the scene. Police found the car and started chasing the suspect, officials said. The suspect started shooting at police during the chase, police said. 

    “After a short pursuit, the suspect exited the vehicle and continued to shoot in the direction of CMPD officers,” according to police. Officers shot back and hit the suspect, who died at the scene.

    “Multiple CMPD vehicles were shot into during this incident,” police said in a news release. “Neither the kidnapped victim nor any officers were injured during this incident.”

    Police said they found a gun at the scene. The State Bureau of Investigations is investigating the shooting, which is standard practice in a police shooting.

    “We’re still piecing a lot of different things together, so I can’t really say what the motive was for the home invasion? What the motive was for the shooting in the homicide and the assault with a deadly weapon at this point. So we’re going to try to work through that and piece it together,” CMPD Chief Johnning Jennings said in a news conference Thursday evening. 

    “Lives were lost, but we have a lot of lives that were saved because of officers’ response time,” he said. 

     

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    Jordan Kudisch, Charles Duncan

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  • Southport bar, restaurant workers receive checks as businesses remain closed

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    SOUTHPORT, N.C. — The Southport community continues to rally behind restaurant and bar employees who have been out of work since last month’s deadly mass shooting.

    What You Need To Know

    • Southport Cares raised money for employees who have been out of work since the deadly mass shooting in late September
    • The American Fish Company said it received checks for its employees from the nonprofit Southport Cares
    • Three people were killed and  six others were injured when a gunman opened fire at the American Fish Company 


    The management team for the American Fish Company said they have received checks from the local nonprofit Southport Cares, which have been distributed to employees at American Fish Company and Frying Pan.

    “Words can’t accurately express our gratitude for the continued support,” the management team said in a statement.

    Three people were killed and six others were wounded when a gunman opened fire at the American Fish Company on Sept. 27.

    The American Fish Company and Frying Pan have been closed since the shooting. 

    “Although it will take time, we are planning to return to our rightful place — serving our Southport friends and visitors to our town,” the management team said. “Every act of care and every prayer is a step in the right direction.”

     

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    Chloe Salsameda

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  • Tropical Storm Melissa forms in the Caribbean Sea

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    Tropical Storm Melissa has formed in the Caribbean Sea. It’s the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tropical Storm Melissa has formed in the Caribbean Sea
    • It could become a hurricane
    • It will bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds to parts of the Caribbean

    Melissa has maximum winds of 50 mph and is moving westward at 14 mph. It’s slowing down over warm water and a favorable environment in the Caribbean Sea, and it should strengthen more in the next couple days as it stalls, or moves extremely slowly, in the central Caribbean Sea.

    Regardless of intensity, it’s going to bring heavy rainfall, gusty winds and rough surf over portions of Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and other parts of the western Caribbean this week and weekend.

    The cone of uncertainty displays where the center of a storm could be located. It does not predict what areas may feel the storm’s impact. Anyone outside, but near the cone, should be on alert and make storm preparations. Read more about what the cone will display.

    A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:

    • The southern coast and Tiburon peninsula of Haiti

    A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:


    Most models show Melissa meandering in the Caribbean Sea throughout the weekend, and eventually turning northeast toward the western Atlantic. It’s unlikely that it directly impacts the U.S. thanks to some strong cold fronts pushing into the Southeast.

    More Storm Season Resources

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • State lawmakers to vote on Republican redrawn district map

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    North Carolina state senators say they will vote Tuesday on a redrawn congressional map that would give Republicans an opportunity to gain an extra seat in the U.S. House.

    What You Need To Know

    • North Carolina lawmakers are considering a redrawn congressional map intended to help Republicans unseat a Democrat

    • The map would change the state’s 1st District, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Don Davis, by adding more conservative counties and removing liberal-leaning ones

    • Congressional maps are typically only redrawn once every 10 years after the census 

    • Texas started the national redistricting battle and approved its own new map and California responded with its own gerrymandered map proposal 


    State Senate leader Phil Berger, a Republican, said his chamber gave the new map tentative approval Monday and will take a final vote Tuesday before sending it to the state House. 

    The state Senate was divided along party lines over new boundaries for two eastern North Carolina districts in a move aimed to thwart the reelection of Democratic Rep. Don Davis, one of the state’s three Black members of Congress. The vote followed a committee meeting in which dozens of speakers from the public sharply accused Republican lawmakers in the ninth-largest state of bowing to Republican President Donald Trump.

    The plan’s chief author was direct about the map’s intent to help his party in the 2026 midterm elections.

    “The motivation behind this redraw is simple and singular — draw a new map that will bring an additional Republican seat to the North Carolina congressional delegation,” said GOP Sen. Ralph Hise, who shepherded it through his chamber. If Democrats take back the House, Hise said, they will “torpedo President Trump’s agenda.”

    The proposed map reconfigures the 1st District, which is currently represented by Davis, by adding more Republican-leaning counties along the coast and removing more liberal-leaning ones inland. Greene County, Davis’ home county, is among several that would be removed from the 1st District and instead become part of the 3rd District. 

    The new map would help Republicans flip Davis’ seat in next year’s elections. That would mean 11 of the state’s 14 House representatives would be Republicans, up from the current 10-4 split. Under a map used in 2022, the state had a 7-7 seat split.

    If the map is approved, Davis would run in the 1st or 3rd District, according to a spokesperson.  

    After a Senate procedural vote Tuesday, the proposed map will head to the House, which is expected to give it final General Assembly approval later this week.

    The state Democratic Party plans an outdoor rally Tuesday to oppose it. But Democrats are the minority in both chambers, and state law prevents Democratic Gov. Josh Stein from using his veto stamp on redistricting action. 

    “This is an attack on Black voters,” Sen. Kandie Smith, an African American legislator who represents a county in Davis’ current district, said during Senate floor debate. “It’s about stealing elections by design, so that the outcomes are predetermined and accountability becomes optional.”

    Redrawing the districts is typically only done every 10 years after the census, but North Carolina is not the first state to propose a new map five years earlier than usual.

    Texas led the trend when its governor, Greg Abbott, signed a new map into law in August that could add five Republican seats. California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by announcing his own redistricting plan, which California residents will vote on whether to approve.

    The practice of redrawing maps to favor a political party is known as gerrymandering. The term dates back to the early 1800s when Massachusetts’ state Senate election districts were redrawn under Gov. Elbridge Gerry. An article in the Boston Gazette compared the shape of one district to a salamander, and the “Gerry-mander” was born.

    Gerrymandering has long been a feature of North Carolina’s politics. The Supreme Court case Rucho v. Common Cause in 2019 was a result of the state’s congressional map redrawn to favor Republicans after the 2010 census. The court’s decision effectively ended federal oversight of the redistricting process, opening the door nationally for more gerrymandering.

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    Caroline King, Associated Press

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  • Performing arts teacher donates kidney to assistant principal

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    FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. — A Wake County assistant principal now has a new kidney, all thanks to one of the teachers at his school.

    What You Need To Know

    • Assistant Principal Ernest Devane has suffered from kidney disease for a couple of years and was in need of a kidney transplant

    • Kristin Lundberg, a teacher at the same school, matched with Devane and was able to be a donor

    • The surgery was a success, and both are now recovering


    Ernest Devane, the assistant principal at Fuquay-Varina Middle School, received a kidney last month from Kristin Lundberg, the school’s performing arts teacher.

    Devane has suffered from kidney disease for the last couple of years and was looking for a donor.

    Lundberg decided to test to see if she was a match and, luckily, she was. 

    “I was blessed to have a person with a kidney match, my kidney, a direct match, right down the hall from me,” Devane said. 

    “It’s all just kind of meant to be,” said Lundberg, who also shares a birthday with Devane. 

    The successful surgery took place at the end of September. They are both recovering well. 

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    Amy Elliott

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