You're still grooving, still connecting, still loving, still turning up, still thriving. You still got it, but your immune system, it weakens as you age. That's where vaccines come in. They help train and strengthen your immune response to fight off respiratory illnesses like flu, pneumococcal pneumonia, RSV, or COVID-19. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which vaccines you need.
Book in minutes at vaccassist.com. Sponsored by Pfizer. It's 5.05 and welcome in to a Thursday edition of the Carolina Journal News Hour on Charlotte's FM News Talk 107.9 FM WBT. I'm Nick Craig. Good morning to you.
A new federal safety audit has found widespread non-compliance within the Charlotte area transportation system, which is also known as CATS, citing serious deficiencies in how the agency manages safety risks, protects transit workers, and oversees rising violence across its system. The report is officially titled A Focused Agency Safety Plan Audit. It comes directly from the Federal Transit Administration, and they identified a staggering 18 findings of non-compliance with federal safety regulations, primarily related to assaults on transit workers and passengers, as well as overall system safety. Katz has faced increasing scrutiny since the summer of 2025, when the murder of 23-year-old Irina Zarutska drew national attention. Zarutska was riding the Charlotte Lynx Blue Line when she was brutally attacked, according to surveillance footage that was released in the days following.
Following that gruesome and brutal attack by cats. FTA data, that's the Federal Transit Administration, shows assaults on the Charlotte area transportation system and their workers has surged to five times the national average in 2025, while crimes against passengers, those the public riding various pieces of public transit across the Charlotte Metro, that reached a whopping three times the national average. The audit highlighted that in the past two years, however, Katz was below the national average. All of those swings, however, changed in 2025. Federal officials conducted the audit in the latter parts of last year through using document reviews, virtual interviews, and on-site inspections.
CATS operating as a federal transit system and receiving federal money is required to follow what is called its agency safety plan or ASP that all federal transit, all transit systems that receive federal funds are required to have in place and follow across the country. Reading directly from the report, it says currently CATS is not implementing the safety risk assessment process established in its ASP, for example, safety risk assessment metrics to assist the safety risk associated with assaults on transit workers and to support the prioritization of associated safety risk mitigations. To achieve compliance, Katz must follow the safety risk assessment process documented in its ASP when assessing the risk. Associated with assaults on transit workers. The Federal Transit Authority also found that Katz lacks sufficient systems to monitor whether safety measures being implemented are actually doing anything, whether they are working.
Although the agency has taken steps such as increasing police patrols, expanding fair enforcement, and updating exclusion policies for violent offenders, the auditors from the federal government at the end of the day concluded that Katz does not formally track the effectiveness of those measures over any significant period of time.
Some other issues highlighted in the report include lack of compliance with federal requirements for de-escalation training, which is mandatory for transit workers who regularly interact with the public, failure to maintain a joint labor safety committee with equal representation from both frontline workers and management, not conducting required annual safety performance assessments, and a failure to establish a comprehensive safety performance target across all modes of service, not just the light rail. The feds have given the Charlotte Area Transportation System and its leaders 30 days to address the findings in the report and develop a plan to address all 18 of the outlined issues. If that deadline is not met, the Charlotte Area Transportation System and public transit across the region risks losing federal funding. That would be a possibility, or some more increased scrutiny from the FTA if that does not come to fruition. Charlotte officials.
Are expected to appear in front of the North Carolina General Assembly's House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform coming up on Monday. That is February the 9th. From that hearing, they will be asked questions about rising crime and public safety concerns, which remain a major point of topic and discussion across the Charlotte Metro. We will follow that hearing as it rolls through Monday morning. You can also read more on this FTA audit coming out from the Federal Transit Administration, those details over on our website, CarolinaJournal.com.
The story's headline, Federal Audit Flags Safety Risks on Charlotte Public Transit. In some other statewide news this morning, more than $233 million in federal public assistant grant reimbursements have been approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security towards Hurricane Helene recovery in western North Carolina, creeping very close to that nearly $1 quarter billion dollars. The funding is distributed through various entities, including FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other federal programs, all of that to reimburse local governments, state agencies, and utilities for costs already assumed during hurricane response and recovery efforts. A recent statement released by U.S.
Senator Ted Budd, he is one of our two Republican senators here in North Carolina, said that communities across the region were forced to move forward with millions of dollars. for things like debris removal, emergency response and infrastructure repair, all while waiting for additional federal funding. The senator said, communities across western North Carolina have fronted millions of dollars to clear and repair damage caused by Hurricane Helene. I've continued to engage with the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to expedite the release of federal aid for recovery and repairs that have been stalled. And I am proud to announce that another $233 million is on the way.
I am grateful to President Trump for his consistent support for Western North Carolina and his administration for helping get these funds out of the door. According to a funding chart provided by Bud's office, several projects across Western North Carolina are set to be doled out, dollar amounts set to be doled out to assist with both emergency measures and permanent repairs. We've got a link to that PDF over on our website, CarolinaJournal.com. The largest amount of funding, over $200 million, is directed towards the North Carolina Emergency Management Department. For that, it is set for protective measures taken in response to Helene.
This funding covers things that were in place, temporary facilities. Facilities, camps, generators, food, as well as water distribution, as well as supporting staff and sanitary services. That spending qualified for a 100% federal cost share, meaning that the state is not required to match any funds. And while in many cases, they had to put the money out immediately to get things up and running, they would receive 100% of that money back from the federal government. Funding will be reimbursed for infrastructure projects across western North Carolina.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will receive funding for bridge, roads, and canal repairs after flooding and heavy rains during the storm back almost two years ago caused heavy erosion and damage on hundreds of roadways across western North Carolina. Restoration projects for utilities are also included in some of these new federal monies coming to the state. The Blue Ridge Electric Membership Cooperation or Co-op is going to receive more than $8.8 million to repair damaged electrical infrastructure and replace thousands of feet of cable. The town of Lake Lur is also receiving funding to repair damaged docks during the storm. This will include measures to reduce storm impacts in the future.
So not only are the recovery efforts continuing and the repair efforts continuing, but trying to make portions of western North Carolina as far as possible, making it future-proof for potential storms in the future. Most repair projects are funded at a 90% federal cost share, with the remaining costs being covered by a mix of either state or local dollars. The announcement comes as state and local officials continue to raise concerns of FEMA funding, especially in rural communities with very limited budgets. Hurricane Helena is still estimated to have caused nearly $60 billion worth of damage, making the storm one of the most costliest hurricanes to impact the state of North Carolina. And in some cases, depending on the metrics, one of the most costly storms in the nation.
Recovery efforts continue more. Than a year later, as counties and communities rebuild infrastructure and critical services. You can read more on this. We have been tracking this very diligently now for going on more than a year. Every time federal money is approved, we're letting you know how much money that is, where it is going, and what the impact is.
You can follow that over on our website, CarolinaJournal.com. The story's headline: 200 million plus in Helene funds. Where the money goes. Those details at CarolinaJournal.com. Let's go!
You're still grooving, still connecting, still loving, still turning up, still thriving. You still got it. But your immune system, it weakens as you age. That's where vaccines come in. They help train and strengthen your immune response to fight off respiratory illnesses like flu, pneumococcal pneumonia, RSV, or COVID-19.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist which vaccines you need. Book in minutes at vaxassist.com. Sponsored by Pfizer. It's 521. Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News Hour.
Charlotte's FM News Talk 107.9. WBT at a lengthy hearing that took place Wednesday. The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted 3 to 1 that a candidate in the state's March 3rd primary election cannot run on the Republican ticket as a candidate for the U.S. Senate race. Republican board member Bob Rucho, Republican board member and secretary Stacey Foragers, and Democrat board member Jeff Carmen voted 3 to 1 that a candidate by the name of Margot DuPree did not have a valid voter registration because it did not provide a physical residential address and only listed a UPS store as the address.
It was also argued that a person couldn't reside there with Democrat board member Millen being The lone descending vote. The Republican board member and chair, Francis DeLuca, was traveling and absent. Typically, you see these votes. It's a five-member board.
However, only four members were in attendance. The remaining votes were the same from each member, three to one on Dupree not carrying her burden of proof to show that she was compliant with the state's registration and party affiliation requirements. To challenge her registration, a voter from Fayetteville, known as Jerry Runnell, challenged that and said that there is no intent to make a permanent domicile or permanent residence in North Carolina.
However, political chances for Dupree are not completely closed out. She can still run as a write-in candidate or as an unaffiliated candidate, according to the state board of elections. Jason Tyson, who is a spokesman for the North Carolina State Board, told the Carolina Journal that anyone who voted for Dupree will still have their vote counted since ballots have already been. Been printed and in some cases have already been mailed, or people have already voted during an in-person early voting period. If Dupree were to win the primary, again, she's running as a Republican for the U.S.
Senate, she would be vacated as the candidate, and the Republican Party, the state's GOP, would have to fill the position with a different candidate. If this sounds vaguely familiar to you, we covered this back in January. Carolina Journal received a tip from one of our wonderful readers and alerted to Dupree's voter registration address being that of a UPS store in Charlotte, which was in fact confirmed by the North Carolina State Board of Elections voter search tool. At the time, Dupree stated in an email to Carolina Journal that, as required by law, she had a valid state-recognized street address and is, in fact, a registered voter in North Carolina and was following all applicable and state federal laws. At the time, she emailed Carolina Journal and said, I do not appreciate someone trying to smear me and my campaign efforts by suggesting otherwise.
As a former law enforcement officer, I take the safety of myself and my family very seriously and do not share personal information unless absolutely necessary. The voter from Fayetteville, Jerry Renelle, claimed that Dupree's North Carolina voter registration was invalid because she did not satisfy the register of the residency requirements as they are laid out in state law, and that her residency cannot be determined, therefore making her candidacy invalid. The challenge form from Rinnell indicated that her. Her North Carolina residence is that UPS store in Charlotte, and that she also has a residence in Florida, and that she is also registered to vote in Marion County and voted in the state's April the 1st primary elections in Florida. She told the state board of elections on Wednesday that although she doesn't have a permanent home in the state, she considered herself a resident because she lives in what she called a Glamper or an upgraded version of a camper, hotel rooms, and Airbnbs while she's been campaigning in the state.
Dupree also admitted that she has a Florida driver's license. All of her vehicles are registered in the state of Florida, and the Glamper that she claimed was her residence is also currently located in Florida because it is currently too cold in North Carolina. Michael Dickerson, who is the director of the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, told Carolina Journal last month that Dupree's previous voter registration was actually in the state of Idaho. And according to Ballotopedia, which is a Wikipedia equivalent, for elections and candidates. A Margot Dupree also ran as a write-in candidate as an independent in the 2024 U.S.
House race in Idaho's first congressional district. And having lost that race, she only received seven votes. Right now questioned Dupree on Wednesday about her candidacy in Idaho, to which she said, quote, I threw my name on the ballot and didn't campaign there, end quote. He also asked how she voted in that election, to which she responded, she voted by mail from the state of Florida and didn't see how her address was relevant at the time. The board deliberated the question of intent and whether Dupree actually abandoned her home or domicile in Florida and intended not to return to it.
One of the other board members and Jeff Cameron said that it was a sticky issue and referred to when he was the lone member comprised of a different board back in 2019 to vote no in a similar situation involving a candidate known as Jody Green, who was running for Columbus County Sheriff. The Columbus County Board of Elections voted 3-2 that Green wasn't a domiciled resident of the county because he lived in an RV and didn't intend to make a Sarro Gordo address, which is a town in Columbus County, his permanent home. The North Carolina State Board of Elections overturned that ruling, leaving Cameron as the only board member in agreement with the county board. In reference to Dupree, Stacey Foragers said that it doesn't appear that her glamper has been an any of the particular locations long enough to acquire what would be considered a new domicile. In discussion with his fellow board members, he said, which is, I think, troubling and problematic.
If you can just pick up and choose where you want your mailbox to be, I could vote in my local town election, or I could change my school board district, or I could change my county commission districts quite easily, depending upon what race I want to vote in. Eggers, who is the secretary of the North Carolina State Board, also questioned her intent to abandon her home in Florida, given the fact that her husband and two of her adult children are all there and currently living on that property. And it's, as I mentioned, where her glamper is currently parked. Millen argued that Dupree's decision to stay in hotels, Airbnbs, and other sorts of short stays in North Carolina does, in fact, show an intent for her to stay in the state.
However, Eggers and Rucho disagreed with Eggers stating that if she were up at a KOA campground or if she had rented a home or apartment, according to Rucho, the hearing wouldn't be taking place on her candidacy. With board member Rucho saying, being nomadic and voting is one thing, being nomadic and a candidate in a party is another. Dupree has publicly stated that she plans on appealing the board's decision, which means that the case would have to go to the state court of appeals next. That would be the next rung-up, the next ladder for her. She is one of seven Republicans on the ticket looking to fill a seat that U.S.
Senator Tom Tillis is leaving after he chose not to run for re-election last year. Michael Watley, who is the former chairman of the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party, is currently considered the frontrunner in that race and is most likely to face former Democrat North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, who is one of six Democrats running in their primary for the Democrat Senate seat coming up here in early March. This was a very dense and interesting hearing, having listened to it in its entirety. A very interesting hearing and a lot of interesting arguments from. The North Carolina State Board of Elections and from all of the witnesses.
You can read some additional coverage by visiting our website, CarolinaJournal.com. The story's headline: North Carolina Board Rules Dupree ineligible for GOP Senate ballot. Let's go! You're still grooving, still connecting, still loving, still turning up, still thriving. You still got it, but your immune system, it weakens as you age.
That's where vaccines come in. They help train and strengthen your immune response to fight off respiratory illnesses like flu, pneumococcal pneumonia, RSV, or COVID-19. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which vaccines you need. Book in minutes at vaxassist.com. Sponsored by Pfizer.
Yeah. It's 5:37. Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Charlotte's FM News Talk 107.9 FM, WBT. I'm Nick Craig. Good Thursday morning to you.
Over the last couple of months, we've talked a couple of times about the concept known as lapsed salaries here across the state of North Carolina. We've got a brand new 661-page audit from Dave Bollock and the North Carolina State Auditor's Office about those lapsed salaries. To walk us through that report, Teresa Opaca, CarolinaJournal.com, joins us on the news hour. Teresa, before we get into the details on this report, I was hoping you could explain to me and our audience this morning, what is a lapsed salary and why should we care about it? Sure.
Thanks so much for having me this morning, Nick. Elapsed salary is defined, this is according to the press release put up by state editor Dave Bollick and the definition by state, by the Office of State Budget and Management as the amount not expended for salary during the entire period in which the position was vacant. In other words, it's just basically the salary or how much money was budgeted. And it's just, you know, the position is empty at this point. The long-term vacant positions are funded by state appropriations, specific agency-generated receipts.
and federal funding and grants.
So, Teresa, a state employee leaves their job and the position sits vacant for 14 months. Whether there's no good candidates forward or the state doesn't do a good job at advertising the position, the agency, as I understand it, is still essentially collecting that money as if that person was working full-time and collecting a salary and benefits. Is that the case? Yeah. That is correct.
Yeah. So yeah, they're still getting that money. That money is still coming in. They can maybe temporarily use some of that money to do something else with it. But yeah, they are still getting that funding.
So that's been a large sum of money. And as I go through the details of this press report, am I reading this correctly? $1.04 billion in lapsed salaries here in North Carolina? Yeah. You are correct.
That's a the big B, one point zero four billion. Yeah, that's a lot of money. And some of these positions, they've been empty for a number of years when you take a look at that. And so what's the relevance in all this? Obviously, $1.04 billion is a large amount of money.
These state agencies, whether we're talking about DHS or any other agency that is receiving appropriations from the General Assembly to have employees, when this money sits essentially vacant and dormant, Teresa, what's the relevance here to the taxpayer across North Carolina? Why should they care? Yeah, because it's, you know, the big question comes down to about the transparency of state agency spending.
So your taxpayer dollars are sitting there and they're wondering, okay, as we just mentioned, what are they doing with those dollars that are coming in? And that really should mean a lot to the taxpayer that's out there because it's your money, right? And it should be going toward what it should be going toward instead of just sitting there, maybe I. They're using it for another purpose.
So that is what state Auditor Bolick, you know, why he and his staff took the time to put out this report and go through all that. And just having that many positions sitting dormant for that length of time, you know, raises a lot of questions. And it's, you know, maybe for the taxpayer as well, when obviously they didn't know about this until this report came out. I hate to use the term, but I feel like it might be accurate. It seems like it can turn into somewhat of a slush fund for various agencies across the state of North Carolina.
That money cannot be used to pay for bonuses and raises for already existing employees within the agency.
So it seems like, Teresa, there could be a lot of discretion with what that money is used for. And we're not just talking about finding a $20 bill on the floor. We're talking about hundreds of millions, billions of dollars here across the state. Yeah. Right, right.
And, you know, going back a few months earlier, back in November, the state auditor did release a report on the Department of Health and Human Services, DHHS, with their vacancies. At the time, he reported over 3,000 vacancies or 375 million in lapsed salary.
Now, in this report, he corrected it. Actually, I'll take that back. That is in the new report. The figure is down from 386 million from the November report.
So it may be slightly adjusted, but that's still a lot of money. But the health department said, you know, wait a minute, he's taking things out of context. The proper, you know, the reporting requirements weren't really given to us or whatever the case may be. But he did raise that question back in November. And in this new report that came out last week, you do see the health department is at the top of the list, is having the most six months or more.
the most empty positions with the most lapsed salaries. And, you know, I remember back, we discussed that back in November, and there's been some other coverage of this since the auditor earlier this month was in front of a committee at the North Carolina General Assembly talking about this as well. And Teresa, one of the things he noted is that, yes, sometimes it can take a while to hire a good person, the right candidate for the right position. But there's other cases that the auditors noted where these positions aren't even posted, meaning there's no conceivable way that you would hire somebody for that position, yet that state agency is still collecting that salary month in and month out. Correct, correct.
Yeah, like that, that's exactly what he said. You know, and he also said long-term vacancies muddy the waters of government expenditures. And that's what he was saying. You know, in some agencies, you have those tax dollars, meaning to go to a person serving a valuable state need, but that spot sits empty for a number of years. Money goes elsewhere.
And, you know, again, Shit mentioned this is all from the Dave Act that was put into place by the General Assembly, kind of like the North Carolina version of Doge from the federal government. That they had that put in. It was the Division of Accountability, Value, and Efficiency that was created in August.
So, what that does, it enables legislation requiring each state agency to report to the Dave on how the agency spends taxpayer funds. And instructs the Bollocks Department to put together a report at the end of the year and see how state agencies are spending the money and what jobs can be cut, positions can be eliminated. Yeah, so it's like you said, it monies the waters, right? Because you don't have a clear picture as to what's going on or how the money is being spent.
Well, and I guess kind of taking my news hat off, thinking about this as a taxpayer in North Carolina, Teresa, maybe this is a little bit of a cynical comment, but agency budgets traditionally do never go down, right? They're always increasing, always looking for more. And then you see some of these figures coming out again, not poking at DHHS, but they were at the top of the list. They've got $375 million a year that are sitting in lapsed salaries, yet you would suspect them and many other, if not every other state agency, is asking for some level of increase. The money's there, they just seemingly don't have it allocated correctly.
Right, right, yeah. Definitely the request doesn't go down, just like taxes don't go down normally, right? Maybe for the state income tax, that did go down, and I did see that in my paycheck.
So, kudos to the GA for that. But yeah, normally you see the agencies asking for more money. And, you know, coincidentally, in a way, when I attended the council state meeting earlier this month, you did have Secretary of State Elaine Marshall saying, you know, her agency. Has double the work since 2017, but yet they have the same level of staffing. There's a staffing shortage.
So I'm not sure what's going on there. I guess they can't attract the same people. They need maybe to raise salaries in some respects.
So that was ongoing, but she did agree with the Dave report. She said so at the meeting. But on the flip side, you did have the artist Watkins, who is the executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina. She did send a letter to all the state officials, including the governor, Josh Stein, and Dustin Hall and Phil Berger, saying she had some real concerns with Otter Bullock's report. Basically, saying that what went unsaid for nearly seven months, almost 3,000 state positions have been frozen under state law because there hasn't been a new budget in place.
And agencies have been unable to fill these jobs, no matter how critical the public need. And that reality alone skews the vacancy totals and distorts the narrative.
So you have that side as well arguing that, well, wait a minute.
Okay, you're saying all these positions are empty and they're spending money, but yeah, the state budget isn't in place. We're the last state in the country to not pass a budget last year. You tell the whole story. I mean, that's basically what the other side is saying. Yeah, and I mean, there's no question about it.
We've thrown a lot of criticism, and I think justifiably at the General Assembly for not being able to get together on a budget. But Teresa, as you mentioned earlier on in the interview, I mean, some of these positions have been vacant for years. This is not a problem that popped up July the 1st when the new fiscal year started. This would appear to be some sort of long-term problem across North Carolina. Most definitely.
Yeah. When you look through this report, like you say, this didn't happen overnight. Going back to, there's been positions that you say five years. That would cut, he recommended, and Auditor Bullock cut 140 job vacancies. That would result in an estimated $1.9 million in direct state appropriation savings and allow potential reallocation of $4.5 million in receipts.
That's for those jobs that have been vacant for five years or more. Go through it more. He has more of a breakdown for positions for three years, for a year or more, and we have more of those figures. But you're right, this didn't happen overnight, didn't happen since July. This has been going on for a number of years.
So there's different questions to ask on this scale: like, why are they vacant for so long? And okay, you get it. Maybe you can't fill a position detailed, tailored to the exact person that you want for it.
Well, then maybe you need to start combining some positions and then maybe just eliminating that. But there's a lot of different questions, lots of layers in this story. Yeah, the ideal, Teresa, here, that you could have a critical position not filled for five years. I think anybody with common sense would argue, obviously, that's not a critical position if it could sit vacant for that period of time. This is a very lengthy report, but we have seen pretty consistently now with Dave Bollock, the state auditor here in North Carolina.
He always makes recommendations to the various agencies. He's not just putting them on blast and calling them out. He provides some work that can be done to rectify some of these problems. What is he recommending with these lapsed salaries? Sure.
So, some of those recommendations, he obviously says state agency budgets should accurately reflect the actual expenditures necessary to deliver the services and fulfill the statutory responsibilities to North Carolina. Also, tracking and reporting lap salary usage should be improved. That's a big one. Any position that meets certain criteria should be eliminated, as we just mentioned. North Carolina salary should be competitive with those offered to similar positions in surrounding states.
There's been lots of criticism, especially when it comes to teachers' salaries, that North Carolina has the worst or one of the worst for teachers' salaries across the United States. Also, administrative delays in the hiring process can be reduced by increasing accountability and streamlining workflows. And the last is many state agencies should improve their tracking of hiring and vacancies.
So, they're all really valid points that he has for recommendations. Teresa, this has been a pretty dense interview. A lot of information we've gone through. You've got a link to the full report from the auditor's office if our listeners want to sift through the 600-plus page report. But you've got everything laid out, the quotes from the auditor, the recommendations, and some of the pushback.
Where can folks get those details this morning? Sure, if you need to fall asleep, fall back to sleep, and read that report. The CarolinaJournal.com. We appreciate the update this morning. Teresa Opeka joins us on the Carolina Journal News Hour.
Uh oh. You're still grooving, still connecting, still loving, still turning up, still thriving. You still got it, but your immune system, it weakens as you age. That's where vaccines come in. They help train and strengthen your immune response to fight off respiratory illnesses like flu, pneumococcal pneumonia, RSV, or COVID-19.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist which vaccines you need. Book in minutes at vaxassist.com. Sponsored by Pfizer. 555. Welcome back to the Carolina Journal News Hour, Charlotte's FM News Talk 107.9.
WBT, a federal safety audit, has found some pretty big problems within the Charlotte area transportation system. This, of course, builds on a lot of controversy and scrutiny that Katz has faced going all the way back to the summer of 2025 when Charlotte and the light rail system and Katz as a whole received an incredible amount of negative attention. This was due to the murder of Irina Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian immigrant who was minding her own business riding the Charlotte light rail when she was brutally attacked, stabbed in the neck, and left for dead on one of the Charlotte Lynx blue-line cars. With that, this a new report out from the Federal Transit Administration, the FTA, has found 18 findings of non-compliance with federal safety regulations, primarily related to assaults on. Transit workers and passengers, as well as overall system safety.
The FTA data shows a grim picture moving forward for Katz. Transit workers surged, the assaults on them surged to five times the national average in 2025, while crimes against passengers reached three times the national average. It is highlighted in the report that in the previous two years, so 24 and 23, Katz was below the national average for violence for both workers and the public.
However, those numbers soared in 2025. This new report is likely to be more ammunition for members of the North Carolina House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform. Members of the General Assembly are set to grill Charlotte lawmakers coming up on Monday, February the 9th. They are going to be asked some pretty pointed questions about rising crime and public safety concerns. We'll have continued coverage of that, plus this audit from the feds.
over on our website, CarolinaJournal.com. That's going to do it for a Thursday edition. WBT News is next. Followed by Good Morning BT. We're back with you tomorrow morning, 5 to 6, right here on Charlotte's FM News Talk 107.9 WBT.
You're still grooving, still connecting, still loving, still turning up, still thriving. You still got it. But your immune system, it weakens as you age. That's where vaccines come in. They help train and strengthen your immune response to fight off respiratory illnesses like flu, pneumococcal pneumonia, RSV, or COVID-19.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist which vaccines you need. Book in minutes at vaxassist.com. Sponsored by Pfizer. Mm-hmm.
