WSOC-TV (Charlotte, NC)

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Hornets are one win away from ending a decade-long playoff drought as they prepare to face the Orlando Magic for the final spot on Friday night in the Eastern Conference. The team that continues to gain confidence, especially after the battle against the Miami Heat. The Hornets survived a win-or-go-home scenario on Tuesday with the 127-126 victory over Miami, and their reward? To do it again. However, this is for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Local April 17, 2026 at 2:13 pm EDT Enter Fullscreen Expand FILE - Rock Hill Police Department April 17, 2026 at 2:13 pm EDT ROCK HILL, S.C. — One person was killed in a shooting in Rock Hill on Friday afternoon, police said. Rock Hill police responded to the 1400 block of Flint Hill Street to investigate the shooting around 11 a.m. on Friday. Officers said that when they arrived, they found a 33-year-old man outside the home with multiple gunshot wounds. The man died as a result of the injuries.

Local April 17, 2026 at 2:25 pm EDT Enter Fullscreen Expand Charlotte city councilmember says city could pull support for I-77 toll lane project April 17, 2026 at 2:25 pm EDT CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte city councilmember is saying the city could pull its support of the Interstate 77 toll lane project. Councilmember Victoria Watlington told Channel 9’s Joe Bruno that the city is paying close attention to how the NCDOT adjusts the project in reaction to resident feedback.

Local April 17, 2026 at 3:05 pm EDT Enter Fullscreen Expand Multiple agencies respond to water rescue on Lake Norman April 17, 2026 at 3:05 pm EDT LAKE NORMAN, N.C. — Multiple Iredell County agencies responded to a water rescue on Lake Norman on Friday afternoon. A response could be seen on the lake near Shortleaf Drive before 2:30 p.m. The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office said lake patrol units are on scene, attempting to locate a person.

Local April 17, 2026 at 3:03 pm EDT Enter Fullscreen Expand Union County Sheriff's Office April 17, 2026 at 3:03 pm EDT WINGATE, N.C. — A Wingate man has been charged with attempted murder after a domestic assault led to his wife being airlifted to a hospital. The Union County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home for an active disturbance on Wednesday night around 8 p.m. Officials said a man was physically assaulting his wife.

Local April 17, 2026 at 1:28 pm EDT Enter Fullscreen Expand FILE - Union County Sheriff's Office April 17, 2026 at 1:28 pm EDT UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A mother and her boyfriend are in custody after a Union County toddler was found to have drugs in her system. Union County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call about a 15-month-old having a medical emergency on Thursday morning. The child was sent to a local hospital for treatment.

Local April 17, 2026 at 1:59 pm EDT Enter Fullscreen Expand FILE — MEDIC April 17, 2026 at 1:59 pm EDT CHARLOTTE — One person was injured in a shooting in west Charlotte on Friday afternoon. MEDIC responded to the scene at the 400 block of Benjamin Street around 1:40 p.m. There, they found one person was suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was sent to a nearby hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries. No additional details have been made available. This is a developing story.

BEIRUT — U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s foreign minister said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the strait “is declared completely open” in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon and would remain open for the remaining period of the ceasefire. Trump affirmed the strait is “ready for full passage” in a social media post minutes later.

Local April 17, 2026 at 11:53 am EDT Enter Fullscreen Expand Marion Elementary School in Shelby April 17, 2026 at 11:53 am EDT CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — The Cleveland County Board of Education accepted a bid of $253,000 for the purchase of the former Marion Elementary School. In 2023, the neighborhood school on Forest Hill Drive was declared surplus. Bidding opened in March after non-profit One More One Less attempted to buy the property for $140,000, the Shelby Star reports.

LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — Lancaster County Sheriff’s deputies arrested three people in Kershaw on drug and firearm charges after executing a search warrant on Thursday. Agents with the Lancaster County Multijurisdictional Narcotics Task Force purchased suspected fentanyl from 46-year-old Jarvis Mandrell Anthony at his home on Fork Hill Road earlier in April, officials said.