Traffic fatalities in North Carolina stabilizing compared to 2021: Wednesday, Sept. 28.

 On Tuesday morning part of Interstate 485 outer loop in Matthews was closed due to a crash that left one person dead. More than 1,700 people were killed in car crashes in 2021. The 5% increase from 2020 made 2021 the deadliest on North Carolina streets in two decades. Officials say so far this year, the trend seems to be leveling out.“The roads have not changed significantly since 2020. Driver behavior has changed significantly,” Mark Ezzell, the director of the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program, said.That includes distractions behind the wheel. State data shows over the last five years, there has been a 15% increase in distracted driving-related accidents and fatalities. So far this year 117 people have died in distracted driving accidents, one more than this time last year.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/north-carolina-deadliest-roads-drivers-death-data/275-674f8ee8-720b-423b-bf0a-3b8643d9e3a7The Epicentre has a new name: Queen City Quarter.Global Commercial Real Estate Services announced Tuesday it will lead marketing, property management and renovations at the 302,324-square-foot Epicentre mixed-use development in Uptown Charlotte. CBRE said its renovation project will "enhance the visitor experience." The property has been renamed Queen City Quarter, inspired by Charlotte’s nickname, “The Queen City.”“It’s a chance to bring a fresh approach, a new vision to the property,” Compie Newman, managing director of CBRE, said.READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/epicentre-queen-city-quarter-charlotte-uptown-new-name-branding/275-e056161d-633a-4893-8db6-a81beb305c0aWatch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT! Plus, on this edition of #WakeUpCLT To Go, forecaster Larry Sprinkle and Chris Mulcahy have the latest update on Hurricane Ian. The powerful Category 4 storm is approaching landfall along the Florida coast with sustained winds of 140 mph, as well as heavy rain and life-threatening storm surge.