WFAE

06/03/2026

Mallard Creek High School has been declared co-champion of the 2026 NCHSAA 8A men’s track and field state championship, after a state appeals board overturned a controversial disqualification that went viral and cost the school the title.

06/03/2026

Naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, can prevent overdoses by temporarily blocking the effects of opioids on the body.

The Mecklenburg County Public Health Department says naloxone distribution has more than quadrupled since 2023. The result? A 22% decrease in opioid overdose–related medic calls since 2024.

Increased naloxone distribution is part of Mecklenburg’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A), a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that helps local jurisdictions combat the opioid crisis.

The Mecklenburg County website identifies OD2A prevention strategies, including linkage to and retention in care, harm reduction, and enhancing clinician and health system best practices.

Full story: WFAE.org or link in bio.
📄: Clara Ottati
📷: WFAE
#704

06/03/2026

Proposed plans to reduce toxic chemicals in North Carolina’s waterways face pushback from the public because some argue they don’t do enough to stop pollution or hold polluters accountable. Meanwhile, the EPA is in the process of weakening federal chemical regulations.

06/03/2026

A forum held in Charlotte on Tuesday aimed to give community members insight into the New Generation of African American Philanthropists and its future plans to support Black communities.

A forum held in Charlotte on Tuesday aimed to give community members insight into the New Generations of African American Philanthropists and their future plans to support Black communities.

06/03/2026

State regulators are hosting the final public hearing on Duke Energy Carolinas’ proposed rate hikes Wednesday evening in Durham. The utility says it needs higher returns to attract future investment and reduce financial risk. Not everyone agrees.

06/03/2026

At a committee meeting Monday afternoon, Deputy City Manager Alyson Craig clarified that a proposed 150-day moratorium would stop new data center applications from being submitted, but would not pause every project already lined up.

06/02/2026

Naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, can prevent overdoses by temporarily blocking the effects of opioids on the body.

The Mecklenburg County government said this week that naloxone distribution efforts helped drive the region’s largest drop in overdoses in more than five years.

06/02/2026

At a committee meeting Monday afternoon, Deputy City Manager Alyson Craig clarified that a proposed 150-day moratorium would stop new data center applications from being submitted, but would not pause every project already lined up.

“Anything that submits a full set of construction plans before a moratorium went into effect would be exempt. Anything that once that moratorium goes into place, we will not be accepting any more applications,” Craig said.

In those 150 days, an interdisciplinary team led by Charlotte’s Office of Sustainability will research the impacts and possible regulations of data centers alongside environmental consultants. The team would include city planners, Charlotte Water, the city attorney’s office and Mecklenburg County Public Health.

Full story: WFAE.org or link in bio.
📄: David Anderson Montes Lara
📷: David Anderson Montes Lara
#704

06/02/2026

State regulators are hosting the final public hearing on Duke Energy Carolinas’ proposed rate hikes Wednesday evening in Durham. The utility says it needs higher returns to attract future investment and reduce financial risk. Not everyone agrees.

“Duke is allowed to earn a profit, but only as much as it needs to meet the growth and demand for energy,” Jackson said in a videostatement. “And we think they overshot the mark.”

Jackson’s office argues Duke Energy is seeking too high a return on equity — nearly 11% — and that a lower rate of 7.4% would save residential customers about $435 each while still allowing the company to attract investment and maintain reliable service.

The current proposal would raise average monthly bills by more than $20 by 2028 while increasing Duke’s returns.

Full story: WFAE.org or link in bio.
📄: Zachary Turner and Woody Cain
📷: WFAE
#704

06/02/2026

Mallard Creek High School has been declared co-champion of the 2026 NCHSAA 8A men’s track and field state championship, after a state appeals board overturned a controversial disqualification that went viral and cost the school the title.

Runner Nyan Brown crossed the finish line first on May 16 with a sizable lead. He raised his hand and held up five fingers — a gesture his coach told media outlets represented five combined indoor and outdoor championships for Mallard Creek.

But officials immediately disqualified Brown for the celebration, claiming he’d been warned against taunting after celebrating earlier in the competition. Mallard Creek officials say they never received that warning. C.E. Jordan High School in Durham was declared the champion instead.

The incident went viral, drawing reactions online from former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III and generating national headlines.

Full story: WFAE.org or link in bio.
📄: James Farrell
📷: Trxkmade.nyan / Instagram
#704