Tonight, the Charlotte City Council will consider how much to spend on upgrades to Time Warner Cable Arena. The city owns the arena, which is home to the Charlotte Hornets. Under an agreement with the team the city is obliged to keep the arena one of the most modern in the NBA.
The Hornets have requested more than $40 million in upgrades to video boards, luxury boxes, locker-rooms and lights.
Pastor Of Calvary Church Placed On Leave
The Charlotte Observer reports the senior pastor of Charlotte's Calvary Church has been placed on paid leave while the mega-church investigates what they call an "H.R. complaint" filed earlier this month.
No details of the complaint have been released but last week - according to the Observer - Senior Pastor John Munro was dropped by a radio ministry due to a "similar complaint."
Police Shut Down Columbia, SC Drug Lab
Police in Columbia, South Carolina have shut down the city's drug lab because they say an analyst wasn't properly trained and the lab's handling of evidence was likely flawed.
The State newspaper reports that Solicitor Dan Johnson sent a letter to defense attorneys Friday about the problems. Johnson says he hasn't determined how many cases overseen by drug analyst Brenda Frazier may be compromised. A report found the lab was not keeping samples at proper temperatures or using quality controls when weighing evidence.
The department says it will now send its drug cases to the South Carolina's Law Enforcement Division's drug lab.
First Day Of School For CMS
For more than 143,000 students in area public schools, summer is officially over. Today is the first day of class.
Besides new teachers and different classrooms, Charlotte-Mecklenburg students are also looking at a new grading system. CMS is rolling out a new system that lets students who earn below an 84 - considered a high C - to retake tests or redo homework to get a higher score. The district says it will encourage students to better learn concepts. Opponents say teaches students the wrong lesson about the need to finish their work on time.
Boone Contractor's License Suspended Over CO2 Deaths
The Charlotte Observer is reporting a state board has decided to suspend the license of a contractor who did work at a Boone motel room after two people died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Dale Winkler was called to the Best Western motel to check for a gas leak in April of 2013. Winkler found nothing and an 11-year-old boy died in the same room two months later.
Winkler is appealing the ruling.
American Legion National Convention In Charlotte Addresses Veterans Health Care
The American Legion's national convention is underway in uptown Charlotte. Tonight, the largest veteran group is hosting a town hall meeting to discuss the quality of health care provided by VA medical facilities. That meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. Tomorrow, the group will be addressed by both Robert McDonald, the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and President Barack Obama.
The president's speech is closed to the public but we'll have coverage of his remarks on WFAE.
Newton Out For Panthers' Final Pre-Season Game
Carolina quarterback Cam Newton is out for the Panthers' final pre-season game against the Pittsburg Steelers. Newton suffered a hairline fracture in one of his ribs after a hit during the team's loss to the New England Patriots.
It's not clear if Newton will be able to start the Panthers' first regular season game against Tampa Bay on September 7.
Largest Amateur Golf Tournament Taking Place In Myrtle Beach
The largest amateur golf tournament in the world gets underway today in Myrtle Beach. The World Amateur Golf Tournament attracts more than 3,000 golfers from across the nation and from 20 countries to golf courses along the Grand Strand.
The tournament, which runs through Friday, features 72 holes of competition as well as an 18-hole championship playoff.