NCDOT says it will work with community partners to address food deserts on Charlotte’s west side in an effort to get support for toll lanes. The North Carolina General Assembly is back in session and making changes to the recently passed budget bill, and honeybee-killing yellow-legged hornets are spotted near Matthews. What you should keep an eye out for.

Nationwide, animal shelters have been overcrowded and overwhelmed. Much of the burden may stem from the rising costs of pet ownership. We look at the issues shelters are facing, the many financial challenges pet owners are dealing with, and how major advances in veterinary medicine also come with a price.