The team traded their 51st and 159th picks in the draft in exchange for the Vikings’ 49th and 196th picks.

And with the 49th pick the Panthers selected Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter.

Nicknamed “The Fridge” Hunter showed some initiative to rush the QB in college but mainly he is known as a run stopper.

Have you ever tried moving a fridge?!@TexasTechFB | #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/UeYVVBAtIf

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 25, 2026

The 6′4, 330-pound DT has accolades including an All-Big 12 First team selection in 2025.

Hunter started his career at Auburn in 2021 and then played three seasons at UCF before spending his final season as a Red Raider.

Hunter will join a defensive front of Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III who were additions at last year’s trade deadline.

The Panthers next pick will be late Friday night in the third round at pick No. 83 pending anymore trades.

ALSO READ: Panthers select OT Monroe Freeling in first round of 2026 NFL Draft

Cunningham represents the 106th District, which is in northern Mecklenburg County. She was first elected in 2012.

Since her first election, Cunningham has run on the Democratic Party ticket. This past legislative session, she made headlines for voting with the Republican Party to override vetoes by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein on several issues, including immigration.

After those override votes, Cunningham told Channel 9 earlier this year that she stood by her decisions while she faced two challengers in the Democratic Party primary.

In March, Cunningham was soundly defeated in the Democratic primary election. Rodney Sadler won the Democratic Party nomination with 70% of the vote, while 22% of voters in District 106 voted for Cunningham.

RELATED >> North Carolina Primary Election Results

According to the North Carolina voter registry, Cunningham is now listed as unaffiliated.

On Friday, the Mecklenburg County Republican Party said it strongly supported Cunningham for her decision.

We’re reaching out to the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party for a comment.

Property managers announced Friday that anyone under 18 must now be accompanied by an adult after 6 p.m.

The move comes as the destination has seen an influx of teenagers in recent weeks, many of them showing up after Birkdale Village in Huntersville enacted a similar curfew earlier this year.

ALSO READ: Birkdale Village enacts curfew for minors after weekend incidents

Some visitors say teens should still have a place to go, especially as summer approaches.

“I think they should be able to come and hang out somewhere like here,” said shopper Mary Fuller.

But business owners told Channel 9 the crowds have created challenges.

Joel Lutuangu, co‑owner of Shurefire Market, supports the curfew.

“The curfew is needed,” Lutuangu explained. “Kids have fun here, but a big group comes with its challenges.”

Lutuangu said he’s watched the crowds grow since Birkdale tightened its rules, and while many teens are well‑behaved, others have caused disruptions.

“For the parents who know their kids are in trouble, keep them home,” he added.

Property management said private security and off‑duty officers will enforce the curfew. During Channel 9’s visit on Friday, only private security was visible on site.

Some shoppers believe the curfew is a reasonable step.

“Kids can get in trouble when the sun goes down,” said Kristin Danko.

Parents like Angela Ambroise said the issue starts at home.

“It all goes to parenting,” Ambroise said. “You want to talk to kids about their behavior. What are they doing when they are out?”

Camp North End is not the first local destination to impose restrictions on minors.

In February, Channel 9 reported that Birkdale Village implemented its own 6 p.m. curfew for teens after similar concerns.

Because of the contamination, health officials suspended operations for all restaurants and food service establishments that served the affected water system on Friday evening.

They also issued safety guidance to hospitals, nursing homes, long‑term care facilities, tattoo establishments, and other regulated sites to ensure proper precautions are in place.

Kannapolis City Schools dismissed students early after the advisory was issued for the area.

ALSO READ: Vandalism leads to sanitary sewer overflow in Monroe

Later, city leaders announced that some neighborhoods using Concord‑supplied water have been confirmed safe, and residents in those blue‑shaded areas on the city’s map may resume normal water use immediately.

The boil water notice, however, remains in effect for all other Kannapolis customers still connected to the affected system.

In downtown Kannapolis, signs taped to storefronts told customers the same thing: closed until further notice. For small businesses, the sudden shutdown is a major blow.

At Old Armor Beer Company, owner Stefan Perrine kept his doors open, but only because his brewery has access to sanitized, scalding hot water used in the brewing process.

“Small towns rely on our Friday and Saturday night crowds,” Perrine said. “Anybody with a kitchen or bar had to shut down. That’s really going to hurt them.”

Perrine shut down his food truck but continued serving beer. He showed Channel 9 the massive tank of near‑boiling water his team uses for sanitation water that’s now being used nonstop. He’s even sharing it with neighboring businesses trying to stay afloat.

While businesses scrambled, residents lined up at the Kannapolis Fire Department on Floyd Street, where the city handed out free bottled water.

“We use water every single day for every single thing,” said Billizah Connor, who picked up several cases. “I had just gotten out of the shower when I saw the post on Facebook.”

Others rushed to grocery stores, filling carts with bottled water as shelves emptied.

Even the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers had to adjust. Friday night’s game went on as scheduled, but no hot food could be served.

Drinks had to be pre‑bottled or canned, and portable hand‑washing stations were brought in from Charlotte to keep fans safe.

Perrine said the community is tight‑knit and the impact is widespread.

“Everyone who owns the restaurants around here is our family and friends,” he said. “I’m hoping they can figure this out.”

For anyone still affected by the boil water advisory, the city will hold another bottled water distribution event Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Kannapolis Public Works Facility, 1401 Bethpage Road.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

FORECAST:

• Scattered showers and a few isolated thunderstorms are expected Saturday afternoon as a weak system moves through the area.
• The rain won’t be widespread or long‑lasting, but even light precipitation should help improve air quality and give firefighters a brief break from ongoing smoke concerns.
• Conditions clear out again on Sunday, with additional chances for rain returning next week.

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They hope sharing their story will renew interest in the case and finally lead investigators to her killer.

A cherished photo from the 1990s is one of the few memories Amber Johnson still has of her mother.

Her sister, Laura Prymock, said the fragments they do remember are filled with warmth.

ALSO READ: Five years later, family still searching for missing Kannapolis mother

“I remember her running down the hills… she was always fun and playful,” Prymock said. “Don’t have many memories outside of that.”

Laura was 10, Amber was 8, and their younger brother, Allen Johnson, was just 6 when their mother was killed.

Cabarrus County investigators say Doster was last seen on Christmas Eve 1998, leaving an apartment complex on Corban Avenue SE in Concord with an unidentified man.

Four days later, her body was discovered in a wooded area off Pleasant Grove Church Road in Kannapolis.

Allen remembers the moment their father told them the devastating news, and seeing the story on Channel 9.

Despite extensive investigation, no one has ever been charged in Doster’s murder.

Amber Johnson has taken an active role in pushing the case forward. Earlier this year, she obtained her mother’s autopsy report from the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office.

The report revealed disturbing details: Doster was found with her pants down, paper bags over her hands, cocaine in her system, and used condoms nearby.

It also showed she was approximately 20 weeks pregnant with a baby boy, a fact her children never knew.

The autopsy also confirms that investigators collected clothing, nail clippings, and a sexual assault kit, evidence the family hopes can now be re‑examined using modern forensic technology.

“They did an outstanding job with the collection of evidence,” Prymock said. “I feel 100% confident something is there.”

The siblings believe someone knows what happened that night.

“Somebody can come forward and say, ‘I was scared back then, but this is what happened,’” Amber said. “Because somebody knows.”

In a statement, the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office said:

“Although the case is classified as a cold case, homicide investigations are never considered closed. The Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to following up on all viable leads.

Our Criminal Investigations Division oversees cold cases, and as technology advances, previously collected evidence is periodically reviewed to determine whether it may benefit from newly developed forensic testing or investigative techniques.

We appreciate the continued interest and support from the community. Anyone with information related to this case or any criminal investigation is encouraged to contact the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office. Even small details may prove valuable as technology and investigative methods evolve.”

Investigators urge anyone with information, no matter how minor it may seem, to contact the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office gave Channel 9’s Gina Esposito a tour of the facility where the crew could see structural damage, rusty pipes, and peeling paint.

Lt. Matthew Winfrey says these, and a growing crack in the wall, is just one of many issues.

The current jail was built in 1994 following a lawsuit over overcrowding. Winfrey said he doesn’t want to see history repeat itself.

“We are busting at the seams, honestly,” he said. “And we are need of that jail.”

The jail’s max capacity is 264. When Esposito visited on Friday, there were 261 inmates with six more at other facilities due to overcrowding.

Winfrey said they are often at or near capacity due to how many inmates need to be classified.

“The sheriff’s office is having to put three inmates in one cell just because the jail is so full... so that third person is sleeping on these mats on the ground – because there is no bed for them," he said.

If voters approve the bond request, the sheriff’s office could build a 500 bed facility with the potential to expand to 600, doubling their current capacity.

Winfrey said that the building itself is deteriorating too.

He showed Channel 9 multiple water leaks and pipe issues.

“We had to dig all the way down into the concrete down to the hard mud,” he said. “Had contractors come in. That’s where they found that cast iron pipe underneath had eroded out so it literally... just sewage going down just floating underneath this building.”

He said the jail’s future is in the voters’ hands.

Union County commissioners voted to put the $200 million bond referendum on November’s ballot. The money would cover building the new jail. The current building would be reused.

Powell’s son Ben was diagnosed with autism at 2-years-old and they didn’t know where to start.

“When we went through the diagnosis process with Ben, we were alone,” he said. “We didn’t know anything about autism.”

But Powell said it has been a process filled with love, learning, patience, and incredible progress.

“Ben was nonverbal for a very long time,” Powell said. “He didn’t start talking until probably five, maybe a little bit before five. In therapy, he had an AAC device, which was an iPad with a program on it, and it had pictures, words, and you’d hit it, it would talk...but Ben has since learned to talk, spell, read, all off of that device.”

Powell said Ben is incredible, through his progress and in his spirit.

“[He’s] just your average, crazy, wild, high energy, always on-the-go, seven year old,” Powell said.

Now, as the Powells navigate their own journey, they are hoping to help others who are walking the same path.

“We want to let people know that it’s going to be okay, and that there are resources out there,” Powell said.

And that is why the Fire Department is rallying behind his efforts and selling t-shirts to raise money for therapeutic devices for other families.

“Therapy really is the best thing for for children on the spectrum, whether, whether it’s OT, it’s speech, it’s ABA, it’s physical therapy, they need that to thrive,” Powell said.

As the family continues to support the community, Powell is encouraging for everyone to give a little grace because sometimes the challenged they face are public.

“Benjamin does get overstimulated, and that can cause meltdowns,” Powell said. “He doesn’t quite have the ability to regulate it... I would love if people would just be a little more open minded.”

He says his goal is to spread awareness to all.

“Some days we have great days,” Powell said. “Some days we have not so great days, but we take it all in stride.”

Anyone hoping to buy one of the fire department’s t-shirts can do so at this link. All proceeds go to Ignited Minds ABA, a local clinic in Gaston County.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Mother of murdered 6-year-old seeks justice, blames system failure in abuse case

Police said the child endured severe abuse and unsafe living conditions before her death.

Dominique’s aunt, Tonya McKnight, who had legal custody, and two other women are charged with felony child abuse. Dominique’s mother has publicly said the system failed her, and her attorney claims CMPD visited the home five times in the four years leading up to the child’s death.

A state House oversight committee is now demanding all CMPD emails, videos, and reports related to Dominique or the suspects during the child’s lifetime.

CMPD has until May 7 to turn over the records. A department spokesperson told Channel 9 they are working to fulfill the request.

‘Disappointing’

Rep. Allen Chesser (R) of Nash County, a key member of the House Oversight Committee, confirms he met with Mecklenburg County DSS and says County Manager Mike Bryant has since told him there will be no more meetings.

“This development is disappointing and does not reflect the cooperative approach demonstrated by his staff in our prior engagement,” Rep. Chesser said in a statement.

Rep. Chesser and the House Oversight Committee are probing the death of 6-year-old Dominique Moody. The Moody family attorney says at least 5 DSS reports were made. The home she was living in was in disarray. Moody was found dead in a dog cage and only weighed 27 pounds. Mecklenburg County is refusing to say when DSS last visited the home.

Rep. Chesser says he is not able to share his findings yet, but he says he will do so when he is able.

“I remain committed to ensuring that our child welfare system effectively protects the most vulnerable children in North Carolina,” he said. “Preventing future tragedies like this must be a top priority, and I will continue to pursue responsible oversight on behalf of the children and families we serve.”

A spokesperson for Mecklenburg County did not immediately respond to a request for comment asking if the county is cooperating with the probe.

Chesser’s Full statement: "I am deeply saddened by the tragic death of six-year-old Dominique Moody. No child should ever endure the level of neglect and abuse reported in this case. My thoughts remain with her family and all those who loved her.

On April 17, 2026, I visited the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services to review the processes and procedures surrounding this heartbreaking incident. I appreciated the cooperation shown by county staff during that meeting.

Unfortunately, the County Manager has since stated that the county will not facilitate any additional meetings. This development is disappointing and does not reflect the cooperative approach demonstrated by his staff in our prior engagement.

At this time, I am not in a position to release any details or findings from my assessment, as the criminal case remains ongoing and my review is still underway. I will provide further information to the public when it is appropriate to do so.

As a state representative, I remain committed to ensuring that our child welfare system effectively protects the most vulnerable children in North Carolina. Preventing future tragedies like this must be a top priority, and I will continue to pursue responsible oversight on behalf of the children and families we serve."

Channel 9 Sports Reporter DaShawn Brown met with former Rocky River High School standout Jevon McIver Jr about his years of hard work.

“Everybody told me I was crazy for hopping in the transfer portal. Coming out of Lenoir-Rhyne University, I didn’t even start,” McIver told Brown.

It’s only crazy until it works, and McIver put in the work.

“Since I was such a late bloomer, I always thought it was a talent thing, but it was more of a repetition thing, so I was like, ‘OK bet, I know what I can do.’ That was really a confirmation,” McIver said.

With zero college offers coming out of Rocky River High School and during the COVID-19 pandemic, McIver borrowed the money for tuition and walked on at Lenoir Rhyne.

His freshman year, the defensive back didn’t play. After his first full season, he transferred to Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. Then he led the conference and ranked 12th in the country.

“You know, he had positive affirmations all over his room. It was like gold, posters, and vision boards, and everything that was related to football,” said Dr. Lakertisha Slade McIver, Jevon’s mother.

McIver says he planned to return to Austin Peay, but the coaching staff changed. So he entered the portal again.

“It’s crazy because this is real life. I scheduled a meeting with the new Austin Peay coach, I was going to go back, we were going to talk [name, image, likeness licensing], had the flight books and everything, and I just prayed super hard one night, super hard. I just talked to God and asked God like, if you give me any Power Five opportunity, I’m not going to question it, I will just go,” McIver said.

In comes Texas Christian University. They offered him a full-ride scholarship the next day.

“Support your children, whatever you can do. We talk about breaking generational curses in our family so he was the second McIver male to earn a degree -- I’m like that’s legendary son,” Slade McIver said.

“If you have a dream, I would say just chase it man, chase it, really attract it,” McIver said. “For real, give it to God, give it to the higher power and just make it bigger than you and fully submit, you know?”

And even in the midst of traveling and training before the NFL Draft, McIver actually came back to Rocky River High School to host his first football camp.

Jackson Silver loves to laugh and ride his tractor almost as much as he loves being around fire trucks. The little boy in Gaston County adores the crew that brought him into the world last year.

“I can’t express how much I appreciate them,” said Amber Silver, Jackson’s mother.

A year ago, Amber was surprised when she went into labor at her home in Stanley. Silver’s husband thought he might have to deliver their child.

“He was very excited to finally see us walk through the door,” Jennifer Hilton told Channel 9’s Ken Lemon.

Hilton and her crew of Stanley firefighters got there before medics.

“I started blacking out, and I don’t know if it was my body trying to protect the pain,” Amber said.

Hilton had always wanted to deliver a child. She was the first to bond with Jackson.

“I held him until we cut the cord, and then I gave him to her. [It was] incredible, because my kids, I didn’t get to hold them when they were first born,” Hilton said. “I was going on vacation the next day after [Jackson] was born, and I never thought I would see him again.”

She and the two other firefighters couldn’t stay away.

“They have loved him afterwards and checked up on him,” Amber said.

They became regulars at the Silver family home, and the department even made Jackson an honorary firefighter. There are pictures of him in baby-sized fire gear in front of a truck.

The crew and a Stanley Fire Department truck will come by on Saturday for Jackson’s first birthday party.

“Exciting, I can’t wait to experience that with him,” Hilton said.

They need a place big enough for the fire truck, so Jackson’s party is being held at First Presbyterian Church.

And it doesn’t stop there. Amber told us that Hilton’s crew now attends Jackson’s older sister’s events. She says they consider the crew to be the kids’ aunts and uncles.

Channel 9’s Tina Terry went to Chesterfield County after talking to Lashaunda Spurlock’s sister and detectives on Friday. It’s unclear who the remains belong to right now, but they hope to know more soon.

“It’s been a roller coaster ride for sure, because we have days when we are OK even in knowing we’re OK, and then there are other days when at any random moment,e we can just start crying and just freak out at the thought of all the various possibilities,” said Shauntia Bloomfield, Lashaunda’s sister.

Bloomfield says that’s what life has been like for the last two years. She says her sister has a learning disability that makes her vulnerable in certain situations.

Spurlock was last seen in 2024, getting into a red car with a man near Coit Chapman Lane in Society Hill. She never returned home.

RELATED >> Deputies ask for help finding missing woman from Chesterfield County

“We need to know. We want to know, and I’ve been praying that God will just give us an answer, no matter what the answer is. So when we got that phone call yesterday, it was more bitter than sweet,” Bloomfield told Terry on Friday.

On Thursday, Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office deputies called to notify the family about remains found in a trash can outside of an apartment complex in Bennetsville, which is about 45 minutes from Chesterfield County.

“It’s very disturbing, actually, I mean [that] anybody could treat a human being that way,” said Detective Brittany Robinson.

Robinson says the Bennetsville Police Department contacted them about the body.

“[They let us know] due to the fact that we have an active missing person here in Chesterfield County,” Robinson said.

Detectives say a crime lab is now testing the remains to determine who they belong to.

Bloomfield says she’s bracing for any answer.

“I pray for an answer, but sometimes you just can’t help but think of that, like, that you would do that to another human being like she’s trash,” Bloomfield said.

It’s still unclear who the remains belong to or how the person may have died. There should be some identification late next week.

A large fire could be seen on the horizon near North College Avenue early Friday morning.

Several crews responded to the scene of the commercial fire around 3 a.m.

Billy Spears told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty that he could see the fire from the porch of his home. He said the old buildings along his property have been broken into recently.

“We try to keep an eye on things down there,” Spears said. “I’ve had to build a fence down there to keep them out of our yard. I’ve been broken into too. Tools stolen and stuff. I’m just glad no one got hurt.”

Officials said that when fire crews arrived, flames could be seen shooting high above the building which was previously home to Specialty Welding and Machines.

The call originally came in as a grass and woods fire, authorities said, but investigators have ruled that out as a cause.

Channel 9 has confirmed with investigators that there was power running to the property at the time. They are looking in to reports of previous break-ins.

Dennis Hefner owns the property and he said there used to be an old furniture factory at the location. But he was using the property to support one of his passions — restoring old cars. He has six cars stored in the building.

Hefner told Faherty that he has hoped to work on the cars in retirement. He said he had taken precautions earlier this week after items were stolen out of the buildings.

“They’re less than rogues,” he said. “They are people who don’t care about anything but what they want to do and we gotta get them off the streets.”

No additional details have been made available.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

“My mom asked me to come,” he said. “My dad had died and she felt safer with someone else.”

She added him to the deed in 2007 and passed away a few years later. He thought the home was paid off.

“She was a wonderful woman, wonderful person, but that generation,” he said. “You didn’t discuss any of that with your kids.”

Here’s what they hadn’t discussed: he says his mother had a reverse mortgage. Basically, she borrowed money against the house — around $70,000 — and he says, now, the federal government is calling in the loan. More specifically: HUD — the Department of Housing and Urban Development — sued him to take his home.

“I was in shock for a couple of weeks,” he said.

He filed bankruptcy, so plans to sell his house are off for now.

“Am I going to survive this? I don’t know,” he said. “My dog and I are going to be homeless. That’s what I’m staring at.”

Channel 9’s sister station in Orlando reached out to HUD to ask about the communication issue and if there’s anything it can do to hold off on the auction. It didn’t answer those questions in time for this report.

Action 9 attorney Jason Stoogenke says always do a title search when you transfer property, even if it’s between relatives. That can turn up concerns like a reverse mortgage. They cost a few hundred dollars, but can prevent major problems. And — if you take out a reverse mortgage — you may want to make sure your family knows.

Want to know more about reverse mortgages?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says:

A Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), the most common type of reverse mortgage, is a special type of home loan only for homeowners who are 62 and older.

This information only applies to Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs), which are the most common type of reverse mortgage loans.

A reverse mortgage loan, like a traditional mortgage, allows homeowners to borrow money using their home as security for the loan. Also like a traditional mortgage, when you take out a reverse mortgage loan, the title to your home remains in your name. However, unlike a traditional mortgage, with a reverse mortgage loan, borrowers don’t make monthly mortgage payments. The loan is repaid when the borrower no longer lives in the home. Interest and fees are added to the loan balance each month and the balance grows. With a reverse mortgage loan, homeowners are required to pay property taxes and homeowners insurance, use the property as their principal residence, and keep their house in good condition.

How does a reverse mortgage get paid back?

With a reverse mortgage loan, the amount the homeowner owes to the lender goes up–not down–over time. This is because interest and fees are added to the loan balance each month. As your loan balance increases, your home equity decreases.

A reverse mortgage loan is not free money. It is a loan where borrowed money + interest + fees each month = rising loan balance. The homeowners or their heirs will eventually have to pay back the loan, usually by selling the home.

>>CLICK HERE for more Action 9 reports

Now, the teachers will rally again to advocate for their two biggest concerns they are facing now: spending per student and salaries of long time teachers.

At an emergency Board of Education meeting, board members voted to allocate Friday, May 1 as a teacher workday. This way, CMS teachers can attend the rally in Raleigh.

Officials with CMS said the vote was unanimous. Based on the number of already reported staff absences, district officials said they would not be able to safely support classrooms.

The work day still places CMS above the state’s required instructional time.

Josh Nixon is an English teacher at Challenger High in Catawba County. He said he loves what he does and he hopes that the rally will bring more attention to how much is being spent on each student in his classroom.

“Right now we are in an education crisis in the state of NC,” he said. “We don’t have a budget that has been passed. We are ranked very low as far as education funding efforts. There are a lot of reasons but the message is our students are most important.”

In 2018, more than 20,000 educators across the state traveled to Raleigh wearing red shirts to protest. They demanded higher wages, increased school funding, and better benefits.

Deanna Minetola teaches Patton High in Burke. She attended the last rally. She said she has been in the classroom for nearly 30 years.

“Veteran teachers who are literally not getting any steps or raises at this point,” she said. “They’ve raised our healthcare premiums. I effectively took a pay cut this year”

Channel 9 reached out to Catawba, Burke, and Caldwell Counties who all said that they are monitoring the absenteeism rate of teachers for next Friday and said that, as of now, it is not high enough that they would have to cancel school.