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WBTV Investigates

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News

Video of violent Lincoln Co. arrest released over objection from sheriff, DA

Updated: Aug. 12, 2022 at 3:01 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner and WBTV Web Staff
WBTV has been investigating excessive force allegations related to the arrest.

WBTV Investigates

Prosecution of NC Attorney General proceeded despite recommendation from investigators

Updated: Aug. 11, 2022 at 7:49 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
The Wake County District Attorney’s office pursued a criminal investigation into North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein despite a recommendation that the case be closed, according to a memo obtained by WBTV.

WBTV Investigates

Lincoln Co. DA requests SBI investigation after WBTV exposes excessive force allegations

Updated: Aug. 11, 2022 at 4:33 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating an arrest in which a sergeant with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office reportedly choked a man whose hands were cuffed behind his back. An SBI spokeswoman confirmed the investigation to WBTV on Thursday, days after our investigation first exposed the incident and its fallout.

WBTV Investigates

Tepper’s GT Real Estate offers $82 million to pay off Rock Hill bankruptcy

Updated: Aug. 11, 2022 at 11:32 AM EDT
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By David Hodges
In a news release, GT Real Estate said the new reorgnization plan would make $82 million available to pay off claims from contractors and York County. Another $20 million or more would be set aside for Rock Hill from the proceeds of the sale of the property.

WBTV Investigates

Charlotte homebuilder foreclosed on twice as properties continue causing problems

Updated: Aug. 9, 2022 at 5:50 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
The contractor, Chris Bradshaw and his company R-Cubed Charlotte Investment Group, which also goes by City View Terraces, were foreclosed on by the lender for the project. Court records show Bradshaw placed the winning bid at the foreclosure sale but failed to pay the money to secure the property.

WBTV Investigates

Reports show Charlotte judge got in argument, ‘slapped at’ phone of delivery truck driver in courthouse garage

Updated: Aug. 9, 2022 at 2:19 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
Judge Kimberly Best got into a heated argument with a delivery driver in the parking garage at the Mecklenburg County courthouse last month, according to multiple law enforcement narratives of the incident completed by courthouse security guards and deputies with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

WBTV Investigates

He reported his supervisor choking a handcuffed man. Then he was fired.

Updated: Aug. 8, 2022 at 4:05 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
A Lincoln County sheriff's deputy was fired after he reported a supervisor choking a suspect whose hands were cuffed behind his back. Agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation have been unable to investigate the whistleblower's report because the local district attorney will not authorize them to do so.

WBTV Investigates

Tow truck driver investigated by WBTV for years legally labeled habitual felon

Updated: Aug. 4, 2022 at 6:31 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Recently, Satterfield has even been charged with stealing money and firearms and now he’s been legally labeled as a habitual felon.

CATS Bus Investigations

Hidden Camera investigation: Half of fareboxes on Charlotte buses not working

Updated: Aug. 1, 2022 at 6:00 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
CATS buses are missing out on money, possibly millions of dollars, because of broken and malfunctioning fareboxes. A WBTV hidden-camera investigation found roughly half of the fareboxes used to punch tickets and collect money aren’t working properly. The numbers are backed up by riders and drivers who have told WBTV the problem has existed for months without a fix.

National

Growing Concern: Thousands of farms across U.S. damaged by ‘dicamba drift’ that devastates crops

Updated: Aug. 1, 2022 at 3:46 PM EDT
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By Joce Sterman and Emily Featherston
A popular herbicide ingredient some farmers say is vital to business has devastated other farms because of the chemical's ability to drift under certain conditions. Enforcing the rules is in the hands of states, but there is a growing concern over whether federal action needs to be taken.
7-Day Forecast
7-Day Forecast

WBTV Investigates

Charlotte contractor facing massive debt transfers unfinished homes to subcontractor

Updated: Jul. 28, 2022 at 5:45 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Carter Lumber sued Bradshaw’s company saying they were owed nearly a million dollars in labor and material Bradshaw never paid. But in the three months since the property was transferred, the lawsuit has stayed stagnant, and now Hughes and Longarzo are negotiating with Carter.

WBTV Investigates

Wake prosecutor was minutes away from taking NC Attorney General to a grand jury. Then a judge stopped it.

Updated: Jul. 27, 2022 at 6:38 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner and Lucille Sherman
The law at the center of a bizarre legal battle between Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman’s office and North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein was deemed virtually unenforceable several years ago by the state board of elections. Despite that, Freeman's office was minutes away from taking the case to a grand jury.

National

Don’t let back-to-school clothing costs blow your budget

Updated: Jul. 26, 2022 at 11:41 AM EDT
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By Rachel DePompa
Kids often look for the latest fashions as they head back to school, but the cost of new clothes can quickly add up. In this Watching Your Wallet Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa has suggestions for savings as you dress your child for the upcoming school year.

WBTV Investigates

CATS CEO sits down for interview after WBTV Investigations into bus problems

Updated: Jul. 25, 2022 at 6:38 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
The interview comes as focus intensifies on what CATS, the CEO and the private contractor managing day-to-day operations of CATS bus division, is doing to improve the ongoing problems.

National

Game Over: Hackers targeting online gamers and taking over accounts to access financial information

Updated: Jul. 25, 2022 at 5:21 PM EDT
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By Rachel DePompa and Daniela Molina
It’s a $60 billion a year industry that’s a relentless target for cybercriminals. According to a recent security report, web attacks against the global video game industry grew by 340 % in 2020. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa has the security advice you need before you, or your children, get hacked and it's game over.

CATS Bus Investigations

City Manager announces review of CATS “organizational structure” & “leadership team” after WBTV Investigation

Updated: Jul. 22, 2022 at 1:43 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
The July 17 memo from Jones also mentions the contractor from the WBTV Investigation, RATP Dev, several times and says they will be part of the review process. The city manager told council he directed his staff to prepare a “request for proposals” for the bus operations service contract currently held by RATP Dev.

WBTV Investigates

Charlotte woman on the hook for $40,000 in medical bills from lawsuit she didn’t know about

Updated: Jul. 21, 2022 at 5:27 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
The WBTV Investigates team is continuing to reveal how medical debt is impacting people across the Charlotte area. Durham’s situation raises new questions about hospitals’ responsibility to provide charity care for people who are stuck with years old unpaid bills.

CATS Bus Investigations

Internal records dispute CATS’ tweets with driver absence numbers

Updated: Jul. 19, 2022 at 4:41 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
For weeks, Charlotte's transit service, CATS, has claimed its bus service would be impacted by a high number of unexpected driver absences. But internal CATS records show the actual number of unplanned driver absences are far lower than what the transit service has claimed.

WBTV Investigates

Silent Threat: Gas explosions injured hundreds, killed dozens nationwide since 2010

Updated: Jul. 18, 2022 at 2:21 PM EDT
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By Joce Sterman and Bailey Williams, InvestigateTV
Gas companies say consumers are alerted to natural gas leaks, but some victims say they learn too late

CATS Bus Investigations

A private company runs CATS bus operations. Charlotte leaders didn’t know that until this story.

Updated: Jul. 14, 2022 at 3:03 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
WBTV began investigating the bus system after months of problems plagued CATS operations: two shootings, dozens of daily driver absences, buses that don’t show up on schedule and other trips that are never made at all. The lack of clarity among city leaders on who was controlling the bus system’s operations changed after WBTV started asking questions for this story in June.

WBTV Investigates

Federal judge sanctions City, CMS over failure to produce documents

Updated: Jul. 11, 2022 at 5:13 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
The City of Charlotte and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have each faced sanctions in federal court in recent months over their failure to produce documents and other evidence in ongoing civil lawsuits. In one instance, a judge ruled that the city destroyed evidence.

WBTV Investigates

“Do we need to go to the Governor?” - NC communities lose water again, fed up with lack of accountability from state regulators

Updated: Jul. 7, 2022 at 5:45 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Despite the dozens of warnings, the tale of Water Resources, Inc. highlights the consequences a slow-moving bureaucracy can have on the well-being of North Carolinians. Residents in these communities are calling on NCDEQ, NCUC, NCDOJ and, to some extent, the Office of the Governor to finally hold the utility accountable but have serious doubts because of their lack of action so far.

News

Refund issued after WBTV questions airline for telling COVID-19 positive passenger to come to airport

Updated: Jul. 4, 2022 at 5:56 PM EDT
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By Sarah Blake Morgan
When a Charlotte man tested positive for COVID-19 the morning of his flight, he didn’t think twice before making the choice to quarantine and reschedule his travels.

WBTV Investigates

Bankruptcy Audible: David Tepper’s companies could get drawn into failed Rock Hill HQ project

Updated: Jun. 30, 2022 at 7:06 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
While Judge Karen Owens indicated that she would ultimately approve a DIP plan, she opened the door for the possibility of lawsuits from the governments and various companies that claim they are owed money.

Top Story

Union Co. gas station sold tainted gas, drivers get help after WBTV investigation

Updated: Jun. 30, 2022 at 6:17 PM EDT
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By Lowell Rose
A gas station in Wingate, N.C. sold gas diluted with water that damaged drivers’ cars. WBTV started investigating the problem after a call to our tip line. A state inspector later confirmed the problem. Now the fuel distribution company is working to cover the cost of damage to drivers' cars.

WBTV Investigates

The wrong ‘Robert Jones.’ Man calls WBTV for help after DMV erroneously suspends his license

Updated: Jun. 20, 2022 at 5:45 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
A Charlotte-area man called WBTV for help after his license was suspended by the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles in a case of mistaken identity.

Medical Debt

Medical Debt and Deeds: How hospitals use homes to collect debt

Updated: Jun. 13, 2022 at 5:41 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
In 2005, Terry Belk and his wife Sandra signed a Deed of Trust with Atrium. Essentially, Atrium has a claim on part of the equity of his home, $23,311 in this case. It’s separate from the lawsuit and altogether puts his debt at about $30,000.

WBTV Investigates

Former Myers Park HS student files lawsuit over handling of reported rape, sexual assault

Updated: Jun. 8, 2022 at 4:48 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
A former Myers Park High School student has filed a lawsuit against Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools claiming the district allowed a culture of sexual harassment and failed to properly respond to her report of being raped by a fellow student on campus in 2016.

WBTV Investigates

From 28th to 2nd: New bill would make NC near best nationwide at protecting patients from medical debt collection

Updated: Jun. 7, 2022 at 3:55 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Lawmakers are taking action after a months-long WBTV investigation spotlighting the impact medical debt can have on people’s lives.

News

Single mom of three claims rental scam in Gastonia cost her thousands

Updated: Jun. 6, 2022 at 6:11 PM EDT
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By Sarah Blake Morgan
It seemed to be the perfect place for a single mother of three who was hoping for a fresh start.

Sports

Hornets Deal: Council questions naming rights, tourism fund and more

Updated: Jun. 6, 2022 at 6:03 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
The money will come from Charlotte’s Tourism Fund, which is revenue from hospitality taxes like hotels and rental cars. Councilmembers continued to bemoan the city’s lack of transparency when it comes to other projects that are counting on funds from the same source.

WBTV Investigates

Elected leaders, Tepper’s team avoid question over Rock Hill deal collapse

Updated: Jun. 2, 2022 at 7:43 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Now there are emerging questions about when local government officials and elected leaders knew about the Chapter 11 filing.

WBTV Investigates

“It needs oversight”: South Carolina law allows hospitals to garnish paychecks and tax refunds to collect medical debt

Updated: May. 27, 2022 at 5:30 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
The WBTV Investigation raises more questions about whether hospitals are complying with state law to notify patients of garnishments and their right to protest.

CATS Bus Investigations

Thousands of “ghost buses” don’t show up for CATS riders

Updated: May. 24, 2022 at 6:01 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Data shows between January 1st and March 31st, CATS buses missed nearly 98 trips per day. The consequnces to riders can be significant but CATS isn’t the only transit organization struggling with providing the service its promised.

National

Operation Profit: Some surgeons pull in millions by owning medical device companies

Updated: May. 23, 2022 at 6:34 PM EDT
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By Jamie Grey, Lee Zurik and Payton Romans
Sometimes a surgeon is the salesman. Across the country, there are physician-owned distributorships where doctors own part of a medical device company and then buy (or have their hospital buy) that hardware to use in their own surgeries.

News

Homeless Charlottean sleeps in crawl space as affordable housing crisis worsens

Updated: May. 20, 2022 at 5:05 PM EDT
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By Sarah Morgan
Will Howard, a Charlotte native, became homeless when his family home was condemned. He not only lost his house – but everything he owned.

WBTV Investigates

Electric Feeling: WBTV Investigation helps reimburse homeowners after power surge cost thousands

Updated: May. 20, 2022 at 5:04 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Homeowners in Indian Land started receiving reimbursements from Duke Energy for property damage after a WBTV Investigation exposed a pattern of power surges.

WBTV Investigates

‘Give me back my grandkids!’ Cabarrus Co. social workers took kids using illegal form

Updated: May. 16, 2022 at 2:33 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
A WBTV investigation has uncovered illegal forms being used in Cabarrus County to remove children from their parents' custody and place them in the homes of other adults. A retired judge-turned-state lawmaker calls the forms astonishing. In the span of one interview, the director of Cabarrus County's department of human services confirmed the forms were used before denying they were ever used.

WBTV Investigates

Wastewater War: How sewage space turned to secret meetings, namecalling and a battle for control in Union County

Updated: May. 12, 2022 at 5:30 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
WBTV first reported on wastewater capacity issues in July 2021 and things have only gotten more contentious since between politicians, staff, developers and anyone else trying to figure out the future of Union County, one of the fastest growing areas in North Carolina.

WBTV Investigates

‘It’s getting much worse.’ Charlotte hospitals see spike in staff assaults

Updated: May. 9, 2022 at 9:39 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
Charlotte’s two largest hospitals say they are seeing a spike in the number of assaults reported on staff.

News

CMS board releases new document about former superintendent Winston after tense meeting

Updated: May. 9, 2022 at 4:49 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner and WBTV Web Staff
The letter written by Winston’s attorney Glenn Brock, provided new details of the back-and-forth between the school board regarding former superintendent Earnest Winston prior to his termination last month.

WBTV Investigates

‘It just blows my mind.’ Kids taken from family, DSS case closed without ever going to court

Updated: May. 5, 2022 at 2:53 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
Two families called WBTV to talk about their experiences with DSS after having children taken from their home without a court order. It's a practice the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has said is limited. But stories and records from these two families suggest otherwise.

News

Tepper Sports & Entertainment CEO steps down

Updated: May. 4, 2022 at 11:15 AM EDT
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By WBTV Web Staff and David Hodges
Kelly was named the president of Charlotte FC in 2020 before accepting his role at TSE in February.

WBTV Investigates

David Tepper’s Deals: Owner dodges questions on Eastland, Rock Hill and Uptown District as hints about stadium renovations emerge

Updated: May. 3, 2022 at 6:58 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Who is driving the plan and where to are questions WBTV is trying to get answers to, since hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in both Carolinas are on the line.

Medical Debt

Meck communities of color suffer double the medical debt

Updated: Apr. 29, 2022 at 1:35 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
In Mecklenburg County, just ten percent of people in majority-white communities have medical debt in collections, while in communities of color it’s more than double.

WBTV Investigates

Sources: Top CMS staffer interfered in investigation into Hawthorne Academy HS sexual assault claims

Updated: Apr. 29, 2022 at 11:50 AM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
LaTarzja Henry, a top staffer at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, interfered in the investigation into the handling of reported sexual assaults at Hawthorne Academy High School, sources familiar with the matter tell WBTV.

Top Story

Denied again, Medicare appeal granted quickly after WBTV Investigation

Updated: Apr. 26, 2022 at 5:58 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
Shane Bare was quickly granted a victory in his appeal for coverage of a live-saving drug to treat his CIDP. It’s a far cry from his last battle against his plan sponor and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services when he had to appeal denials five times before finally winning approval from a judge.

WBTV Investigates

McCrae Dowless’s family says ‘rest of the story’ will be told on election fraud allegations

Updated: Apr. 25, 2022 at 1:21 PM EDT
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By Nick Ochsner
The family of McCrae Dowless released a new statement Monday promising that more information will come out about allegations related to election fraud that has swirled for years, stemming from the 2018 election for the 9th Congressional District. Dowless died of cancer on Sunday.

WBTV Investigates

Closed business still demanding payments for broken equipment

Updated: Apr. 22, 2022 at 5:51 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
A business owner who had to shutdown her company after the state license was surrendered is still collecting payments from customers who are stuck with broken equipment.

WBTV Investigates

Patient stuck with $28,000 hospital charge searching for billing errors and inflated costs to drive price down

Updated: Apr. 21, 2022 at 6:38 PM EDT
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By David Hodges
A new software company called Goodbill that is analyzing bills and advocating on patient’s behalf to negotiate those bills down.
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