Author: Admin Staff - Connor Leighton

Check out the Mecklenburg County Mugshots from Monday, September 21st.

Ella Langley’s song “Choosin’ Texas” is officially the longest-running No. 1 single in the U.S., spending 23 weeks at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also 2026's biggest hit. Since its release in October, the song has achieved 911 million on-demand streams in the U.S. and 1.26 billion globally. Senior editor at Spotify Claire Heinichen says the song’s growth has been explosive. Musicologist Nate Sloan and “Country Soul” editor Charles L. Hughes say the bright song’s ability to pull from traditional and contemporary genres in and outside of country music speaks to its success. They also cite its lyrics, which tell a specific story about the universal experience of heartbreak.

A coroner has determined that actor Hayden Panettiere died from an accidental overdose of several drugs including fentanyl. The 36-year-old Panettiere was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug 16. Her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson were at the home. According to a statement from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office, a combination of fentanyl and its chemical byproduct, as well as the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, was found in Panettiere’s system. The office did not release further details from the autopsy report of the onetime child star.

A new book by the late Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, has made headlines with damning allegations about King Charles III. In “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” Spencer claims he argued with Charles over plans for Prince William and Prince Harry to walk behind Diana's coffin in 1997. Spencer says Charles dismissed concerns. He claims the prince “went ballistic” during the argument, and told him: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” Buckingham Palace responded with a rare statement, suggesting grief can cloud judgment. Spencer insists he's telling the truth. The book revives tensions between the palace and the Spencer family, highlighting Diana's enduring impact on the royals.

An amateur archaeologist has discovered a significant hoard of Roman silver coins in western Germany. Oliver Riedl found 934 Roman silver denarii in a field near Wesseling, south of Cologne. The local archaeological office confirmed Tuesday that it's the largest coin treasure from the time of Roman Emperor Hadrian found in Germany. The coins, weighing 3.1 kilograms, are now on display at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn. Experts believe the coins were buried deliberately in the second century A.D. The pay of Roman legionaries provides a reference for the hoard's value, though its exact worth remains unclear.

Brad Pitt plays a military veteran on a trip through Alaska with his retired combat dog in “Heart of the Beast.” After his plane crashes in the middle of nowhere, the two face a 58-mile hike through the wilderness and all the perils it has to offer. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr writes that “the movie is best when it’s at its simplest, showing the bond between Odin and James, and how worried they are about each other,” calling it predictable but effective. Directed by David Ayer, “Heart of the Beast” is rated PG-13 and in theaters Friday.

Ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers, is a form of expression that dates back more than 500 years. The elements used by ikebana artists are flowers, and it's a bit like solving a puzzle. Except there’s no fixed answer. Because each flower, and human individual, is different, there can be multiple solutions. Adherents say ikebana encourages mindfulness and creativity. They also cite its connection to nature as calming. Ikenobo is the oldest of three major ikebana schools and began with priests at a Buddhist temple. It now has chapters around the world.