Kenny Wortman leaves Republican Party + Ish Smith re-joins hometown Charlotte Hornets

Hey, friends! It’s Tamia.

Welcome to Wednesday. Halloween is around the corner and I still don’t have any idea what I’m dressing up as! CharlotteFive has a bunch of free and cheap things to do. Whether its Fall Crawls or a pumpkin wall, there is no short of activities.

Onto your news.

1. NC county commissioner leaves Republican Party because it’s only ‘concerned with power’

Cabarrus County Commissioner Kenny Wortman prompted criticism from the county’s Republican Party after he left the GOP.

Wortman announced that he would switch his party affiliation to unaffiliated. He expressed displeasure with the local Republican leadership and drew comments similar to Tricia Cotham.

Kendrick Marshall has the story.

2. Could Charlotte be Ish Smith’s final NBA stop? ‘It will be a great story to close out here’

Former Wake Forest star Ish Smith considered retirement after 13 seasons but has returned to the Hornets.

The Concord native was signed on Tuesday in time to join Charlotte for its regular-season opener against the Atlanta Hawks. He’s happy to be back with the Charlotte Hornets as a reserve point guard.

Roderick Boone has the details.

3. NC congresswoman tells reporter to shut up at House GOP news conference | Opinion

Rep. Virginia Foxx of NC told a reporter to shut up after a question about GOP speaker nominee Mike Johnson’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

The Republicans interrupted the reporter’s question, booing and jeering. They said things like “oh, God” and “go away!”

Paige Masten has more.

4. Can Charlotte Hornets recapture early ’90s mystique, become buzz-worthy once again?

The 2023-24 NBA season starts for the Charlotte Hornets tonight. The Hornets will host the Atlanta Hawks at the Spectrum Center. It also marks the franchise’s 35th anniversary.

The Hornets are working toward redeveloping a confidence that’s been lost since the days of Alonzo Mourning.

Roderick Boone has more on the Hornets.

5. Some more stories to read

• Daylight saving time ends soon. Here’s when to turn your clocks back in NC

• Uber will now return packages for you in these NC cities. Here’s how it works.

• Carowinds won’t be open year-round after all. 2024 season shows reopening in March

• I-77 Charlotte commute has gotten faster despite backups, more cars, toll operator says

• Charlotte FC coach’s advice: Avoid the rough stuff vs. New York Red Bulls

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This story was originally published October 25, 2023 at 3:30 PM with the headline "Kenny Wortman leaves Republican Party + Ish Smith re-joins hometown Charlotte Hornets."