News

Charlotte Police Chief favors ban on assault weapons

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013, 6:00pm

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Under his watch, murder in Charlotte plummeted to a 30 year low, but Chief Rodney Monroe says there is still a great risk to the city as it relates to guns and gun violence.

"We recover an awful amount of guns every year," Monroe said.

On average, more than 1,500 a year.

"2008, 24 hundred guns, "he said." 2012 over 18 hundred guns, and many of these guns we recover are your guns."

Chief Monroe points to stolen guns. "We've over the last five years, over 13 hundred guns stolen just stolen out of people's cars."

There is also the questions of firearms on local school campuses?

"We've recovered of 144 guns over the last five years from our schools."

Monroe says curbing violence means tougher back ground checks, and stronger rules at local gun shows.

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Duke Energy board elects new president, CEO

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013, 8:48am

Duke Energy announced that the board of directors has unanimously elected Lynn Good as its next president and chief executive officer, succeeding Jim Rogers.

Rogers will continue to serve as chairman of the board until his retirement on Dec. 31, 2013.

Good will also serve as a director on the Duke Energy board. She will assume her new role on July 1.

Good, 54, has served as Duke Energy's executive vice president and chief financial officer since July 2009. She joined Cinergy, a Duke Energy predecessor company, in 2003 following 20 years working in senior management roles and as a partner for Deloitte & Touche and Arthur Andersen.

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Mecklenburg County Flood Mitigation Program Facing Challenges

Submitted by Steve Crump

Friday, June 14th, 2013, 7:32pm

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Gripping electronic images stored on Tim Trautman's desk top offer a compelling visual narrative into the hardship that high water brings to some of Charlotte's most flood-prone neighborhoods.

The pictures reveal standing water at many homes.

He works with Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services.

Many vulnerable houses may remain in harm's way, because federal dollars normally used to demolish them are dwindling.

"What we've been able to do is take 25 cents and what we've been able to do is take 75 cents from the federal government to make that a dollar," Trautman said.

Remember the Doral and Caviler apartments?

The mix of federal dollars combined with local storm water fees allowed parts of the complex to be bulldozed.

Eloise McClary lives on Seldon Avenue it is a place with a history of flooding. She said, "If it gets too high. I know that I have to leave."

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Charlotte park reopens after man found dead

Submitted by Nick Needham on Thursday, June 13th, 12:56 pm

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Police have reopened a Charlotte park after a missing man was found dead Thursday morning.

Police closed Reedy Creek Park around 9:30 a.m.

A 61-year-old man committed suicide, police say. He was reported missing by family members on Wednesday night.

The park is heavily wooded and lies off of Rocky River Road in northeast Charlotte.

Park officials say the park was reopened by 12:30 p.m.

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Extension of unemployment benefits to expire June 30

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013, 7:48pm

Extension of unemployment benefits to expire June 30

The North Carolina Division of Employment Security is reminding people that the Federal extension of benefits, better known as the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, will expire at the end of the month.

The unemployment measure was designed to help the State repay $2.5 billion owed to the federal government for paying jobless benefits more quickly by cutting future maximum weekly jobless benefits from $535 to $350. Recipients will only receive benefits for 20 weeks, instead of 26.

Because of this change, thousands of people are expected to turn to human services for help.

"Anyone in human services is concerned.

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg School to start summer schedule

Submitted by Chris Dyches

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013, 1:49pm

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is moving to its summer schedule starting next week.

Beginning Monday, June 17, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will follow its four-day work week schedule through Friday, Aug. 9.

The auxiliary services department reported $439,000 in savings last year due to limited use of utilities on Fridays.

Most district offices and departments will be open 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the summer.

There will be some exceptions to ensure support for Project Leadership and Investment for Transformation (L.I.F.T.) schools which will operate on a continuous learning calendar beginning in July.

During the week of July 1-5, CMS offices will operate on an 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. schedule, with July 4 as a holiday. In addition, specific school sites will be operating throughout the summer for various programs.

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Police: Man robbed five businesses in less than 24 hours

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013, 1:48pm

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Police in Charlotte say they have arrested a man who committed at least five armed robberies in less than 24 hours.

According to detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, 31-year-old Moussa Moctar Diallo was arrested and connected to a robbery spree that lasted approximately 17 hours.

Police say Diallo entered the Hollywood Beauty Supply on Little Rock Road on May 23 around 4:45 p.m. with a knife. He allegedly took money from the business and drove away in a gray Jeep Cherokee.

Later that evening, Diallo is accused of hitting the 99 Cent and Up Store on Sharon Amity Road and took money. He then hit the Silver Express Food Mart on Albemarle Road just hours later.

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