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C-K Rider transit system avoids service cuts, fare increase under negotiation

Jonathan Lowe — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 01:56:45 +0000

Concord and Kannapolis city leaders announced Tuesday an agreement to maintain current bus routes and schedules for the C-K Rider transit system.

The agreement averts earlier proposed cuts to service, but includes a potential future fare increase currently under negotiation.

The agreement follows proposals made earlier this year by Kannapolis officials to eliminate or reduce some bus routes and weekend service.

These reductions were considered by Kannapolis officials in an effort to reduce rising costs, even as both cities contribute millions annually to fund the C-K Rider.

ALSO READ: Concord seeks commuter input on proposed Kannapolis transit changes

The C-K Rider transit system provides a vital service to approximately 400,000 residents annually across both Concord and Kannapolis.

Public transit riders in Concord and Kannapolis had expressed significant concern about the potential service reductions.

One rider emphasized the necessity of the service, stating, “I really need it, just to go to the store, I gotta get on the brown line.”

Another rider highlighted a personal reliance on the bus system, noting, “My old lady is in the hospital, I gotta go see her every day. That’s a need right there.”

Kannapolis City Councilman Darrell Jackson acknowledged the impact of public feedback on the leaders’ decision.

“Once we heard from the public and found out how significant it really is, I think it opened our eyes,” Jackson said.

The recent agreement resulted from a year-long negotiation between the cities to keep bus services running.

Jackson noted that the negotiation “will give us time” to address the transit system’s future.

As part of the new agreement, a system-wide fare increase is being discussed, though the particulars of the exact amount are still being worked on. The current one-way fare for passengers is $1.25.

Jackson believes the increase will not be substantial, stating, “I don’t think it would be a whole lot, because fares are not a big part of the revenue.”

Riders had varied perspectives on a potential fare hike. One rider expressed indifference, saying, “a lot of people would, but not me.”

Another rider, originally from Chicago, viewed the local fare as already inexpensive, stating, “Where I’m from, it’s three dollars. I’m from Chicago, so this is cheap, man.”

Jackson affirmed the decision to maintain services. “We just have to look at the numbers and make a decision, but I think what we’re doing right now is definitely the right move,” Jackson said.

A Kannapolis councilmember credited the Kannapolis mayor with developing this temporary resolution.

During the next fiscal year, transit officials from both cities will examine the current system.

The goal is to identify ways to ensure an efficient, reliable, and financially sustainable transit service for both Concord and Kannapolis.

Family grieves at wrong gravesite for 19 years in cemetery mix-up

Ken Lemon — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:34:37 +0000

A family says they have been grieving at the wrong gravesite for 19 years at Gaston Memorial Park after cemetery operators reportedly buried their relatives, Francis Langford and Francis Howell, in an incorrect location.

The cemetery has informed the family they must pay $10,000 per casket to verify or correct the burial sites. Cemetery operators at Gaston Memorial Park recently discovered the error during a survey of graves.

The family was informed last week that the mother and daughter, Langford and Howell, whom they believed were buried side-by-side, were unintentionally placed head-to-head.

ALSO READ: Families seek justice as Charlotte cemetery faces lawsuit over burial record mix-ups

Jaunita Lewis, a relative, described the emotional impact of the discovery. “We have been visiting another man’s grave thinking it’s my sister for 19 years,” Lewis said.

Stephanie Hughes, another relative, was 18 years old when her grandmother died, and she reflected on the prolonged grief. “Why is it 19 years we have to relive this grief?” Hughes said.

Hughes acknowledged that human errors occur, but she and the family stated their trust was broken. Bobbie Carter, a relative, expressed this lack of confidence. “I can’t trust what they are telling me now,” Carter said.

The family asked operators to dig up the dirt enough to see the outside of the caskets to confirm their family members’ locations.

Cemetery operators reportedly told the family they would have to pay $10,000 for each casket to perform this verification.

Lewis adamantly opposed this demand. “There is no reason on God’s green earth we should pay for their mistake,” Lewis said.

The family believes the cemetery should cover the costs for correcting its own errors.

In response to the family’s claims, Gaston Memorial Park operators stated they notified next of kin immediately and are working with the family to resolve the matter.

The cemetery wrote, “Out of respect for the privacy of the families we serve, we do not discuss specific client matters publicly. Instead, it is our policy to work to resolve any possible concerns directly with client families.”

Nonprofit, community help veteran transition from shed to new home

Dave Faherty — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:03:50 +0000

Months after a local Vietnam War veteran was forced to leave the storage building he had called home for seven years, a nonprofit and community supporters helped him move into a new home in Catawba County. Jon Eller said he feared he would end up living in a tent before local organizations stepped in to help.

One of the nonprofits, Love Our Veterans Thrift Store (L.O.V.), worked for months to find Eller a place he could call home. At one point, he told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty that he thought he was going to have to move into a tent.

Eller now has everything he needs from a kitchen to his own bedroom, which is a big difference from the storage building.

“I’m just amazed,” the veteran said. “At one point, I had no idea where my life was going to go. Where my life was going to be.”

That changed earlier this year when Gini Popko from L.O.V. reached out to Eller after learning that he was being forced out of the shed. The nonprofit said customers at its thrift store in southern Catawba County, along with other organizations and businesses in the area, helped out.

“Thanks to everyone, all working together, he’s got his own house,” Popko said. “The day he signed the lease and got the keys and everything, just the smile on his face.”

The nonprofit is helping with Eller’s rent for the next six months. He’s also getting assistance from a veterans program run by HUD. Sweet Dreams in Denver donated a bed.

Eller appreciates everyone who helped.

“I was sweating bullets,” Eller said. “I didn’t know what to do, where to turn, or who to talk to. And these people showed up and basically saved my life.”

L.O.V. said it has helped more than 175 veterans in our area, with much of the proceeds coming from its thrift store along Business 16 and community help.

Same ride, different price: How Uber & Lyft use AI to set what you pay

WSOCTV.com News Staff, Consumer Reports — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:56:56 +0000

Ever order an Uber or a Lyft and wonder how the app landed on your price? A new Consumer Reports investigation found that someone standing right next to you, requesting the same ride at the same time, could be shown a very different price—and most riders would never know.

Consumer Reports spent months testing Uber and Lyft prices nationwide. The investigation used riders who requested a trip from the same starting point to the same destination at almost the same time—generally within a few minutes of one another and, in many cases, within the same minute.

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The result? Many riders saw very different prices.

“We had about 175 people from across the country look at different prices for the same ride at the same time,” said Derek Kravitz, Consumer Reports investigative reporter. “People do get different prices for essentially the same ride.”

In one test near Florida’s Gulf Coast, two riders looked up the same ride between two towns at the same time. One was quoted nearly $95. The other would have paid about $66 for the same trip, at the same time, on the same app—a difference of almost $30.

The investigation also raised concerns about discounts and crossed-out prices. Consumer Reports found that in some cases, the higher “original” price did not appear to be a real starting price, meaning riders may think they’re getting a deal when they’re not.

“Where you might see a ride discounted from $80 down to $60—that’s not a real discount,” Kravitz said. “That’s fictitious pricing.”

Uber and Lyft strongly dispute Consumer Reports’ findings and deny setting prices based on who a rider is. The companies say fare differences reflect a live marketplace influenced by supply, demand, traffic, weather, and other factors that can change by the second. Both companies also deny offering discounts that weren’t real.

Consumer Reports also found that the companies may be keeping a larger share of each fare, between 43 and nearly 50 percent. Drivers interviewed by CR said they feel squeezed by the growing gap.

“They know they can manipulate us, and they basically take advantage of that,” said Portland, Oregon, Lyft driver Mario Antunez.

So what can riders do? Consumer Reports says there are limited options, but recommends comparing prices between Uber and Lyft before booking, being skeptical of crossed-out “discount” prices, and considering taxis, public transit, or other transportation options when available.

Uber says some crossed-out prices are “historical” comparisons rather than discounts. Both Uber and Lyft maintain that the share of fares they keep is significantly lower than Consumer Reports found.

ALSO READ >> ‘Don’t shoot me’: Woman traumatized after carjacking in west Charlotte, family says

Meanwhile, some states are beginning to address concerns about pricing practices. Maryland and Connecticut have enacted restrictions on surveillance pricing, while California, Pennsylvania, and New York are considering broader bans on the practice.

Consumer Reports says that until there is more transparency around ride-share pricing, comparison shopping may be one of the best tools riders have to avoid paying more than necessary.

Uber & Lyft Response to the Investigation

Lyft challenged CR’s findings, citing an “observer effect,” meaning that by having dozens of people checking prices for the same route at the same time, CR may have artificially inflated demand for that ride and influenced the final prices our volunteers saw. Uber said that because its ride prices change “nearly every second,” it was “impossible” for us to ensure that trip requests happened at exactly the same time.

In short, Uber and Lyft argue that no two trips on their platforms—no matter how seemingly close in time and location they are to each other—can ever truly be the same.

“In an open, dynamic marketplace like ours, with nearly 1.7 million mobility and delivery trips per hour, a trip is defined just as much by when it is requested and what’s happening nearby as where it is going,” Uber said in a statement to CR.

But several experts we shared our findings with dispute that argument. On nearly every route we tested, they noted, we found that at least some of our volunteers converged on the same price for the same ride at almost the same time. And it would be difficult for CR’s tests alone to create artificial spikes in demand, given the relatively small number of volunteers we used and the mostly large and densely populated places we chose for our test rides, experts said.

“You’re saying that a few dozen people caused such a dramatic effect? Maybe if it was the heat of rush hour, from the airport to downtown, a truly hot surge area, but that doesn’t apply here,” says Christo Wilson, a computer science professor and associate dean at Northeastern University in Boston who previously audited Uber and Lyft’s pricing models for the city of San Francisco.

So what explains the different prices our volunteers saw, according to the companies? Uber and Lyft said that a wide variety of factors—rider demand, the supply of available drivers, location, time, estimated trip time and distance, weather, promotional offers, and traffic patterns, among them—all play a part in both original and final prices.

“Price differences reflect real marketplace dynamics,” Lyft’s Sid Patil, executive vice president of the company’s marketplace division, said in a statement. “At any given moment, more drivers may be available in a specific area, different demand levels, or different promotional activity. All in all, our marketplace ebbs and flows, depending on locations, times, events, weather, and other factors.”

Uber and Lyft said the only truly personalized pricing on their platforms is through their promotional offers, such as new-rider discounts and “re-engagement offers,” which they use to entice back customers who haven’t used the app in a while. Neither company provided a complete list of all the factors they use to personalize promotional offerings.

But elsewhere, both Uber and Lyft have detailed the types of data they collect and how it could be used, in their U.S. patent filings and company privacy policies.

Lyft said in a statement that it doesn’t group, or “segment,” its customers or use behavioral data to set base prices. But the company acknowledged that it uses a “broad set of signals” for its promotions and discounts. Lyft’s privacy policy goes into detail about some of the customer data it collects: how you interact with the Lyft app; your address book and calendar, if you consent; and the creation of inferences about who you are. Lyft provides two examples in its privacy policy: If you frequently ride to and from airports, you may be identified as a frequent traveler. Lyft says it may also infer your gender based on your first name.

Lyft’s patents go much further, outlining “sensitivity” scores and models, which can be used to predict the “importance” or “priority” of a given trip, arrival, or drop-off location; an “intent” model, which is capable of using your demographic info to predict a ride before it is even requested; and a willingness-to-pay score, defined as the “willingness by the mobile requestor device to pay a higher transportation service amount.”

Uber said in a statement that it, too, doesn’t use “protected characteristics,” such as race, gender, ethnicity, and disability status, for base prices or promotions; nor does it use “rider-specific behavioral characteristics.” But that did not address the use of behavioral data of larger customer groups. Uber did acknowledge that it uses personal data for promotions and discounts. Uber’s patents show it can use a phone’s sensor data and your past behavior for its models. That data can include how quickly and accurately you type an address; your gait and walking speed, which can be used to infer your height, weight, and body type; and even the precise angle at which you hold your phone, to spot any deviation from the norm. Your ride history is also a powerful predictor of both who you are and where you’re likely to go. Uber outlines one such example in one of its advertising patents: If someone routinely requests an Uber to a day care center or school before going to a workplace or university, they could be identified as a single working parent. From there, the age, gender, and sex of the rider, and the rough ages of the rider’s children, can be determined through the ride history alone, Uber says.

“Earlier generations of these pricing systems really focused on time, supply and demand, and price elasticities and efficiencies. But now, many companies actively use behavioral and context data to inform their models. They don’t even necessarily need your personal data,” says M. Keith Chen, a behavioral economist and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who previously worked as Uber’s head of economic research and helped create its surge pricing algorithm.

Both Uber and Lyft also denied offering their customers fictitious discounts. Lyft attributed our findings on these discounts to the fact that “prices change constantly based on real-time marketplace conditions.” Uber called our testing “fundamentally flawed” because, in its view, you can’t establish a true baseline price on its platform.

“If one user’s undiscounted price matches another user’s discounted price, that’s simply because these prices were different to start with, due to changes in real-time marketplace conditions,” Uber said in its statement.

Experts also dispute those arguments, saying the fact that many volunteers saw exactly the same final price for many of the routes we chose suggested that there was, in at least some cases, a true algorithmically determined starting price.

“I don’t agree that there is no baseline price, even with ride-share,” says Chen at UCLA. “What you’re seeing with your data is indeed a baseline.”

Uber also took issue with our fake discount analysis. We counted fares as discounted when what appeared to be an original price had a strikethrough and a lower price was displayed. Uber said in a statement that when these prices are accompanied by labels such as “Fares lower than usual,” they are not meant to suggest a discount but instead a “historical” or “informational” comparison.

Lastly, Uber and Lyft said the percentage of each fare they take is much lower than what CR calculated. They put their U.S. “take rates” at “around 20%” and “significantly lower than 30%,” respectively.

The disagreement largely comes down to different accounting practices: Uber and Lyft say our calculations don’t acknowledge the large and growing amounts they spend on auto insurance to cover drivers when they’re en route to and during rides.

But experts we spoke to say the companies’ insurance expenses are simply a cost of doing business that, under standard accounting practices, shouldn’t be excluded. (Sherman at Columbia says excluding them is “very misleading.”) And they note that both companies have created their own in-house insurance subsidiaries, with billions in reserves available for claims.

Technical accounting issues aside, Uber and Lyft drivers we spoke to say their take-home pay is an ever-shrinking portion of what their riders actually pay—and far less than what they’ve been led to believe they would make. In 2024, for example, Lyft announced it would guarantee drivers 70 percent or more of rider payments each week, “after external fees.” (Later that year, the company settled with the Federal Trade Commission and paid a $2.1 million fine for what the agency described as “deceptive earnings claims” about how much drivers could expect to make, and this year announced it would cap its fee at 30 percent.)

Before Uber changed how it pays drivers, its drivers expected to keep 80 percent of their fares, according to lawsuits filed against the company.

Mohamed Drissi, a 43-year-old driver in Portland, Ore., who is originally from Morocco, says his take-home pay has gradually decreased over the six years he’s driven for Uber. “There’s the insurance fee, the city fees, the Uber fee, whatever that is. And after all that, it’s not $70 [out of $100]. It’s a lot, lot less,” he says.

Indeed, on Mohamed’s six test trips with us, his passengers paid about $126 in fares, not counting tips. Of that amount, $66.73 went to Mohamed, $58.41 went to Uber, and $16.66 went to city and airport fees. Not including government fees, then, about 53 percent went to Mohamed and 46 percent went to Uber. (Again, Uber says a lot of that 46 percent goes to insurance.)

>>Get a look at Consumer Reports’ methodology and data in this investigation at this link.

How a nine-month data center moratorium in SC impacts projects under construction

Tina Terry — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:27:17 +0000

Some leaders in South Carolina are pumping the brakes on data centers.

In a first vote Monday night, York County Council supported a nine-month moratorium.

But some want clarity on if the pause will impact a major data center project already under construction in the county.

QTS Data Center is currently under construction.

We’re told they’ll build a total of nine buildings on the site.

On Tuesday, neighbors told Channel 9’s Tina Terry they want to know if that data center moratorium will impact work there.

“There’s no safeguards at the moment,” said Shawn Donahue.

That’s how he feels about data centers popping up all over town. He lives near the QTS Data Center that’s under construction in the Lake Wylie area.

Donahue was happy to see York County Council vote in favor of a nine-month moratorium on data centers on Monday night, giving council more time to study their impact on things like resources, infrastructure, and nearby properties.

“Taking a pause at this time to regroup and find ways to protect the citizens and also benefit the companies,” one speaker said Monday night. “It’s a benefit to all of us.”

But Donahue left the meeting wondering if the halt would apply to QTS.

“Yes, all of us really do, would like clarification because we’d like to deal with facts,” said Donahue.

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In the meeting, Councilman William “Bump” Roddey also asked for clarification.

“When people say put a moratorium in place, they think it’s going to shut down the existing approval we already have,” Roddey said. “Where does that fall? ‘Cause I don’t think it’s going to apply to the existing QTS at this time, correct?”

“Councilman Roddey that is a difficult question to answer with specificity,” Deputy County Attorney Laura Dover said during the meeting. “We are working on getting legal advice.”

On Tuesday, Channel 9 reached out to York County Government asking for clarification.

A spokesperson said in part:

“...If approved, the moratorium would apply to all projects except those which have established vested rights. The County will provide additional details prior to the second reading of the moratorium.”

QTS has said a total of nine buildings will go up on the site, but only a few are under construction right now.

So some are wondering if the buildings that have not come out of the ground have those vested rights.

That second reading is June 29 and the final reading is on July 13. Some leaders said they expect more clarity at those meetings.

Channel 9 got the following response from QTS on Tuesday:

QTS continues to advance its York County data center campus in accordance with applicable local requirements and in close coordination with York County leaders and community partners. The project is planned to be developed in phases and represents a significant long-term investment expected to support local jobs and economic growth.

Our commitment is to be a long-term partner in York County. We value our strong working relationship with county leadership and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to support the county’s priorities, address community concerns and ensure the project delivers lasting benefits for York County.

Traffic changes around Bank of America Stadium for Chris Stapleton show

WSOCTV.com News Staff — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:49:12 +0000

Tepper Sports & Entertainment is implementing new traffic patterns around Bank of America Stadium, effective this Saturday, for Chris Stapleton’s “All-American Road Show” tour stop. These changes are the result of an ongoing traffic study aimed at enhancing the overall fan experience.

The new patterns are a joint effort between Tepper Sports & Entertainment and various city and community partners.

>>LINK: Stay updated on live traffic conditions

This initiative specifically targets congestion points identified around the stadium on event days to improve the flow of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Morehead

Following the concert, vehicular traffic will be directed away from the stadium on both sides of Morehead Street. Traffic will not be permitted to travel toward the stadium between Clarkson Street (west of Bank of America Stadium) and South Tryon Street (east of the stadium).
If you parked west of the stadium, you will be directed to exit west; if you parked east of the stadium, you will be directed to exit east or south.
Those not attending the event are encouraged to avoid the area around the stadium along Morehead Street immediately following the concert, as detours will be in place.

Church & Third

Vehicular traffic from the north on Church Street will be diverted left onto 3rd Street to provide quick access to I-277 and Providence Road. Traffic will not be permitted to continue straight in order to prioritize pedestrian flow along Brooklyn Village Avenue.

Graham & Mint

If you park north of the stadium along Graham or Mint streets (including Lot 1), you will be directed to exit and continue north along Graham or Mint to access I-277 or travel west toward I-77. Traffic will not be permitted to turn east (right) until north of Trade Street.

Tepper Sports & Entertainment collaborated closely with key stakeholders, including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT), Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and Charlotte Center City Partners. This collaboration focused on understanding how pedestrian movement, vehicle traffic, public transportation and ride share services interact in real time. Updated traffic patterns are available via online maps for further details.

‘Part of something bigger’: Young leaders build home for family in need in Belize

Miana Massey — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:25:06 +0000

Nyla Martin is one of 50 students trading the first days of summer break for a trip to Belize and a chance to change someone’s life.

The trip is made possible through the Young Black Leadership Alliance, a Charlotte-based organization celebrating 20 years of developing young leaders through service, education and mentorship. The cohort will help build a home for a family in need.

“This is my first time going somewhere abroad,” Martin told Channel 9’s Miana Massey. “Knowing that it’s going to be not for me but for the good of others makes it much more meaningful.”

Jayden Petrus, a YBLA alum, says the long days and hard work will be worth it. After taking part in back-to-back service trips, he says the experience changed the way he thinks about leadership.

“I didn’t think that you could lead people by serving them,” he said. “YBLA showed me that I can love and serve people and be a leader in that way, and that’s how I can guide and help to build other people up.”

The impact doesn’t end when the trip is over. Petrus says the lessons he learned continue to shape his future.

“It showed me how to network, build my career how to be a professional and literally turned the trajectory of my college experience and even my life could have been from there,” Petrus said.

As for Nyla, she may be helping build a home for someone else, but she says she’s already found something of her own — a community committed to serving others.

“It feels like I’m a part of something bigger,” she said. “It feels like I’m part of a real community.”

YBLA students will spend the next several days in Belize. Organizers say the goal isn’t just to build a house, but to help shape the next generation of leaders through service.

New buyers eye townhomes in Charlotte’s most popular neighborhoods

Erika Jackson — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:21:19 +0000

For the last three years, Mecklenburg County has built more townhouses than single-family homes, and that trend is on track to continue this year.

For people like Colby Zamek, it’s expanding access to neighborhoods across the county. He just bought a new townhome in west Charlotte.

“Everywhere you go, you see townhouses poppin up on every piece of land available,” Zamek told Channel 9.

That’s because they’re getting two big benefits, according to local realtors.

“They’re able to get in at a better price point and not sacrifice on location,” said Jaime Gomez with EXP Realty.

SPECIAL SECTION >> Priced Out of Charlotte

Gomez says he’s not surprised by the trend in Mecklenburg County. He says townhomes are a more affordable option for Charlotte’s popular neighborhoods.

“Those are the locations where people want to be, just can’t afford it,” Gomez said. “It’s a good way to get in the door and start owning something in those neighborhoods that you do want to be in.”

Experts say townhomes can be appealing with a lower price tag and less maintenance. Meanwhile, single-family homes can offer more outdoor space and more privacy.

“The upkeep of the outside of the home is all covered by the HOA, so that’s one less thing to worry about and having to pay for,” Zamek said of his new home.

Zamek says he can use those savings for decor instead of renovations. He believes all buyers should shop with an open mind.

“I’m really happy with the decision. It’s a perfect size, it’s in a perfect area, we’re really close to everything we like to do here,” Zamek said.

The price point of townhomes is a major selling point for buyers. According to Mecklenburg County’s 2025 State of Housing Instability and Homelessness report, half of all renters in the county now struggle to pay their rent.

Since 2015, officials say more than 77% of low-cost housing has disappeared. The loss is attributed to things like redevelopment and the focus on high-end housing.

Gastonia Police seek witnesses in fatal hit-and-run crash

Evan Donovan — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:22:49 +0000

Gastonia Police are seeking public assistance to identify additional witnesses to a fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of 46-year-old Christopher McAllister.

The collision occurred on June 9, at approximately 8:45 p.m., at the intersection of West Walnut Avenue and North Ransom Street in Gastonia.

McAllister was riding a moped when he was struck by a gray or dark SUV, which investigators said may be a Jeep Compass or Jeep Cherokee, police said.

Neighbor Miguel Sanchez told Channel 9 the crash happened right outside his home.

He didn’t see any lights except for the brakes on the SUV.

Sanchez also said that drivers tend to speed and is worried because he has two children.

The suspect vehicle is believed to have sustained light-to-moderate front-end damage from the incident.

Gastonia Police traffic investigators are actively reviewing surveillance footage through the Gastonia Police Real Time Crime Center.

They are also examining camera footage from surrounding streets to identify the vehicle involved in the crash.

Anyone with information regarding the crash or the vehicle is urged to contact Officer Eichelberger at 704-866-6702.

Investigators state that even the smallest detail could help move the investigation forward.

FORECAST: Heat and humidity return tomorrow; storms arrive Friday

WSOCTV.com News Staff — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:17:13 +0000

ABOVE: The latest forecast update from Severe Weather Center 9. To stay on top of changing weather conditions, be sure to download our free WSOC-TV weather app.

FORECAST:

Heat and humidity make a strong return starting tomorrow as sunshine increases and winds shift out of the south.
Highs will climb back to around 90 degrees, with the heat index reaching the low 90s.
Rain chances stay low until Friday, when storms are expected on and off throughout the day.
Anyone planning Juneteenth events should prepare indoor backup options due to the unsettled weather.

>> Channel 9’s Weather 24/7 stream has the latest local weather all day, every day. Watch wherever you stream — on our website, or through your mobile app or smart TV.

WEATHER RESOURCES:

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Monroe to reconsider I-77 toll vote over funding threat

Joe Bruno — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:14:08 +0000

State lawmakers are threatening to make communities opposed to the Interstate 77 project pay, and at least one city is having second thoughts.

Monroe will meet on Wednesday to discuss whether to support the tolls project after all. If Monroe reverses its position, it will raise questions about whether the toll lane project will come back.

State lawmakers are considering requiring opposed communities to pay back nearly $60 million that has already been spent on the project, with key funding for street maintenance and future projects on hold until they do so.

“It doesn’t matter if it was $20,000 or $30,000 or if it was $300 million,” Monroe Mayor Robert Burns said. “It’s still money that’s coming out of our taxpayers’ pockets, and so genuinely, it’s a huge concern for me.”

Monroe’s Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization representative, Surluta Anthony, surprisingly voted to kill the I-77 toll lane project despite Monroe not being near the interstate.

That move puts $1.3 million of road funding that Monroe gets from the state in jeopardy. That Powell Bill funding would be released when Monroe pays back its share for voting to kill the project. A Channel 9 estimate projects Monroe would be on the hook for more than $2 million.

Burns said Monroe will discuss directing its CRTPO representative to, once again, change her vote. Anthony and the town of Monroe voted in October 2024 in support of the project.

“This is just one of those things that I think that we really need to consider as a council moving forward, because this financial hit like this really could affect the city,” Burns said.

Whether there are now enough votes to bring back the toll lane project remains to be seen. It will depend on which communities show up and whether any others change their vote.

Shannon Binns with Sustain Charlotte said the state’s threat isn’t legal, and he wants communities to hold strong.

“If the state does move forward with passing a law that punishes Charlotte and the region in this way, it would face a potential lawsuit,” Binns said.

The Monroe City Council is scheduled to discuss the matter at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, Mecklenburg County Commissioners will also discuss the state’s threat to withhold money.

The CRTPO meets on Wednesday. This is when a possible revote on I-77 could take place.

Watch: Universal drops trailer for ‘Shrek 5′

Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:49:42 +0000

Shrek is back. So are Fiona and Donkey. And somehow, they all land in jail.

SUV hits, kills 78-year-old woman in parking lot of busy Concord shopping center

WSOCTV.com News Staff — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:11:24 +0000

A 78-year-old woman was hit and killed while walking in a parking lot on Tuesday afternoon, Concord police said.

Chopper 9 Skyzoom was over the scene of the shopping center across from Concord Mills shortly after 1 p.m. Emergency crews were in front of the Total Wine & More at 8054 Concord Mills Blvd.

The woman was in a crosswalk when a Toyota Rav4 hit her, police said. She died at the scene.

The driver of the Toyota, a 77-year-old woman, had a medical emergency after officers got there. Paramedics took her to Atrium Health Cabarrus, police said.

Police do not know if the driver was having a medical emergency when she struck the pedestrian.

The investigation is ongoing.

2 hurt in serious crash near Huntersville

WSOCTV.com News Staff — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:16:17 +0000

Two people were injured in a crash on Tuesday afternoon near Huntersville, MEDIC said.

>>LINK: Stay updated on live traffic conditions

Davidson Fire and Huntersville Police were called to Davidson-Concord Road and Stanley McElrath Road. Expect heavy traffic in the area, officials said at about 3:55 p.m.

Chopper 9 Skyzoom was over the crash. Davidson-Concord Road was closed, and a car was on its roof.

One lane opened up for vehicles.

No additional details have been made available.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates.

‘Putney Pusher’ arrested 9 years after shoving woman in front of London bus

Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:15:16 +0000

Police on Monday arrested a man they believe is the “Putney Pusher,” a jogger who shoved a woman into the path of a London bus crossing the Putney Bridge nine years ago.