WFAE Local Content

A $100,000 fee attached to new H1-B visa applications by the Trump administration is causing concerns for international students in Charlotte and employers looking to hire foreign workers.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis pushes back on Attorney General Pam Bondi, telling her he’s struggling to make sense of National Guard Deployments. Charlotte hires a new city attorney. Charlotte City Council’s Transportation and Planning Committee opts not to advance part of the process for forming a new transit authority. And a big proposal from Tepper Sports.

Duke Energy has released its projections for future energy demands. But energy policy experts disagree on what those projections mean for North Carolina’s grid infrastructure.

Shannon Binns of Sustain Charlotte discusses why he believes raising Mecklenburg's sales tax for transit and transportation is a good idea.

The stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail renewed conversations about the need for mental health treatment and led some leaders to examine the involuntary commitment process for people who pose a danger to themselves and others. A crime bill recently passed by the legislature takes steps in that direction and we examine how the involuntary commitment process works and where it might go wrong.

The Brooklyn Nightclub and Lounge in uptown Charlotte has surrendered its alcohol permits following two deadly shootouts at the club in recent months. In July, two people were killed in a shooting outside the club on Caldwell Street, and in September, another person was killed in a shootout between two groups. The club has been closed since Oct. 3.

Lancaster County Schools Superintendent Raashad Fitzpatrick is stepping down after two years on the job. In a letter to staff, Fitzpatrick says he needs to spend time with his aging parents in Spartanburg who are facing health challenges. The Rock Hill Herald reports the district’s first black superintendent since integration is leaving at the end of 2025 to become Cherokee County schools superintendent. Lancaster County Schools plans to hire a search firm to help pick Fitzpatrick’s replacement.

South Carolina's measles outbreak is now confirmed to be in Spartanburg County as the state's public health department reported two new cases of the highly-contagious virus.

South Carolina's measles outbreak is confirmed to be in Spartanburg County. Proposed environmental rollbacks may be key to Duke Energy's plans to delay retirements at three coal-fired powerplants. A new street outreach program in Charlotte aims to break barriers to mental health care. The Brooklyn Nightclub and Lounge surrenders its alcohol permits.

Developers are rethinking a proposed data center in Matthews amid strong local opposition.

A new street outreach program in Mecklenburg County is up and running with the goal of breaking barriers to mental health care.

We’re just over a week into the government shutdown with no end in sight. Officials with Mecklenburg County and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have said so far the impacts have been minimal on their organizations. But what about businesses in Charlotte? To talk more about it and other business news of the week, Tony Mecia of the Charlotte Ledger Business Newsletter joined WFAE’s Marshall Terry for our segment, BizWorthy.