Western NC’s economy has rebounded well by some measures. But one year after Helene, limited access to food, housing and good jobs persists.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced a settlement Friday with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, after a Muslim woman was forced to remove her hijab for a booking photo.

Solar energy can reduce utility bills, cut carbon pollution and decrease a business's reliance on grid power. A new solar panel purchase program in Mecklenburg County aims to help businesses and nonprofits hit the moving target of federal tax credits.

Just a few miles from the center of uptown Charlotte, Camp North End sprawls across 76 acres. It’s a mix of historic brick, steel, natural wood, and wildflowers. Before it became home to bakeries, co-working spaces and indoor pickleball courts, this site played a critical role in America’s burgeoning car industry and World War II-era military supply chains.

It’s been a year since Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina and destroyed communities. Although most of the focus has been on devastated places in the mountains, the hurricane also severely impacted parts of Gaston County — a place where people are now trying to get their lives back on track after the storm. Helene impacted residents in Gaston County, but it also spotlighted the county's business and local emergency departments' efforts to respond to a natural disaster.

All this week, WHQR has been airing episodes of our series, “CAFO Country,” taking a look at concentrated animal feeding operations. WHQR’s Ben Schachtman sat down with environmental journalist David Boraks, who reported and produced the series, to recap the big takeaways.

One year on from Helene, Gov. Josh Stein takes stock of the state's recovery. CMS experiments with AI. CMPD charge two men after a bullet strikes a MEDIC ambulance. Mortgage rates fall in Charlotte. Mecklenburg County launches a new solar panel program for businesses and non-profits.