🌱 Addressing West Charlotte Housing Crisis + House Fire No Accident

Good morning, everybody! I'm back with your fresh copy of the Charlotte Daily. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town. In today's Daily, we have these stories and more:

• Work has begun on a special project in west Charlotte to address the housing crisis.
• Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer.
• Local house fire determined to be intentionally set.

But first, today's weather:

Nice with plenty of sunshine. High: 68 Low: 39.

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Here are the top seven stories today in Charlotte:

1. Dr. Matthew CiRullo, internist at Atrium Health, says that flu season is known to increase during the months of November and December. But now there is a new trend that causing concern: He's had flu cases reported to his office quite often over the past few weeks. "Experts say your best protection against the virus is still the flu shot. And research shows it's safe to get your flu and COVID-19 shots at the same time ... Dr. CiRullo also says it's important to remember COVID-19 is still spreading, too. He says many people downplay their symptoms or think it's just seasonal allergies but if you have any symptoms, you should get a COVID-19 test," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
2. Work has begun on "a special project in west Charlotte that leaders hope will have a positive impact on the area’s housing crisis. The future housing development called The Meadows at Plato Price is part of a partnership involving the City of Charlotte, several local businesses and Habitat for Humanity and is meant to provide more affordable housing. It’s named after the Plato Price School, an all-Black school founded in 1915 that served grades first through 12th and was part of a historically African-American neighborhood," WBTV reports (WBTV)
3. "This year, the number of folks turning out to vote early could break records. ... Nationwide, more than 3.5 million people have already cast their ballots. And that's ahead of early voting numbers compared to this time during the last midterm election cycle in 2018. Experts say they expect turnout to be similar to the last midterm elections in 2018. But this time, more people are expected to vote early. ... So why are people deciding to vote now? It's simply more convenient. Early voting happens over the course of several weeks. It also offers voting over the weekend for folks who can't take off from work," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
4. Shortly after 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 18, "officers responded to a shooting into an occupied vehicle call for service without injuries in the 1600 block of West Boulevard. The preliminary investigation revealed that shots were fired from a black Dodge Charger as a result of a road rage incident. The shooting occurred near a CMS bus traveling in the same direction on West Boulevard near Remount Road. The bus was not struck and no injuries were reported. One vehicle that was occupied by a single victim was struck by gunfire. The victim was not injured and there was no return gunfire," City of Charlotte reports. (City of Charlotte Government)
5. "There’s now more information about what crews have been working on at a site on the outskirts of Uptown Charlotte. A developer has submitted plans to the City of Charlotte for the Silver Hills at NoDa apartment complex at 900 North Tryon Street. The development is directly next to Roof Above, a nonprofit that provides services to Charlotte’s homeless population. A spokesperson for the City of Charlotte says the approved use for the site is 323 apartments," WSOC-TV reports. (WSOC-TV)
6. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know that Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with an aggressive and challenging form of breast cancer? "Reporter Almiya White spoke to a survivor about her health journey and how she has gone on to help others. ... Mable Hemphill was diagnosed with triple-negative stage two breast cancer in 2019. The cancer eventually progressed to stage three. After several rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and a complete mastectomy, Hemphill became a breast cancer survivor in 2020. But throughout her journey, she said she noticed a fear of cancer within the Black community that can get in the way of early treatment," WSOC-TV reports. (WSOC-TV)
7. "A house fire that displaced two children, two adults and a puppy has been determined to be intentionally set. ... The single-story fire broke out Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the 1100 block of East 35th Street. ... It took 30 firefighters about 30 minutes to get the blaze under control. Firefighters were able to rescue a little puppy, named Ice, from the burning home," according to Queen City News. (Queen City News)

Today in Charlotte:

• FREE Friday Fall Festival at Bette Rae Thomas Recreation (4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)
• Fall Festival at Metro School (6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
• A Night of Dave Matthews at The Music Yard (7:00 p.m.)
• Sara Kelly performance at Midnight Mulligan Brewing (7:00 p.m.)
• Charlotte Hornets vs. New Orleans Pelicans at Spectrum Center (7:00 p.m.)
• Queens of Soul performance by Charlotte Symphony Orchestra at Knight Theater (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Thank you to all of the many artists who applied to our #ArtPopCLT Class of 2023 Open Call! We received a record number of applications, and our judges are ready to dive in! They certainly have their work cut out for them. ... (ArtPop Street Gallery via Instagram)
• USPS is hosting Charlotte Job Fair today. (WCNC.com)
• Thank you to everyone who joined us this weekend for Fall Works! We loved being back on the Knight Theater stage to kick off our 2022/2023 Season. Here’s one last behind-the-scenes video from Christopher Stuart’s “Under of Lights.” (Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
• National Principals Month is an opportunity to celebrate our principals for their visionary leadership and tireless pursuit of success for their students, staff and community. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• We are in urgent need of dryer sheets! We need a variety of free and clear/gentle and regular. Visit our #Amazon link below to help or drop off donations at the House seven days a week between 8 and 8. (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte via Facebook)
• Join us for our Comprehensive Review Sessions focused on CMS programs, boundaries and facilities. General feedback is encouraged and all are welcome. View the full calendar and agenda at https://bit.ly/cmscompreview. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• CMS Superintendent Search: Your input is important to us! Take the online survey to guide our search for a new CMS superintendent>> bit.ly/Superintendent_Search Translations are available. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• Meet Catherine Tingelstad, Instruction and Curriculum Engagement Librarian. Access her Research Guides ➡➡ https://bit.ly/3ft1frO (UNC Charlotte Atkins Library via Facebook)
• Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center has extended basketball sign-ups until Oct. 27 at 3:00 p.m. for ages 5-16. Cheerleading signups are till Oct. 27 at 3:00 p.m. for ages 5-11. (Nextdoor)
• FOUND: Pit Bull on Oct. 16 off Prosperity Church Road. It's a brown and white female dog. If she's yours then please send proof of ownership. (Nextdoor)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll see you around!

— Alexis Goring

About me: My name is Alexis A. Goring. I'm an East Coast Girl with a pulse for people, news and feature stories! I've worked as a freelance writer/editor/proofreader in the media industry for 15 years. I'm also a published author, experienced blogger, and founder of Writer at Heart Editorial Services. Visit my website for more details about me and my work. Here's the link: https://alexisagoring.jimdofree.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Charlotte Daily? Contact me at charlotte@patch.com