Armed Teachers, Russian Plots: Top News Of The Week

CHARLOTTE, NC — This has been a huge week for news, and Patch readers have clearly wanted to know more about security, from arming teachers in classrooms to learning which school districts are the safest in North Carolina. You’ve also wanted to know about the role Charlotte played in recent Russian indictments, local restaurants downgraded in recent health inspections, and so much more.

Here are the articles that Patch readers were most interested in this past week:

Charlotte Vet Shot In Combat Says Arming Teachers ‘Asinine’
As the national debate over school safety and gun restrictions continues in the aftermath of the Feb. 14 school shootings that killed 17 students and teachers in Parkland, Florida, some gun rights enthusiasts are widely advocating hardening schools and protecting classrooms by putting more guns in them. Lawmakers, parents and students have shared their take on whether arming teachers is a deterrent, but one North Carolina military veteran who was wounded twice in Afghanistan calls that "an asinine idea."

The Best Fried Chicken In North Carolina: List
Here in the South, few foods stir up the emotions quite like fried chicken. Arguing about who serves up the best yard bird can get pretty heated based on your own personal preferences — much less when you factor in hot chicken, chicken wings and all the other permutations on the classic dish we've come up with over the years.

Charlotte Anti-Trump Rally Part Of Russian Plot: FBI Indictment
Thirteen Russians, including a businessman close to Vladimir Putin, were charged Friday in an elaborate plot to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election through social media propaganda, aimed in part at helping Republican Donald Trump and harming the prospects of his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. The plot included organizing an anti-Trump rally in Charlotte in November 2016, the FBI documents show.

These NC Cities Make America’s Most Dangerous Cities List
When it comes to the most dangerous cities in America, North Carolina has two, according to a new analysis of crime data. Charlotte ranked the 23rd most dangerous out of the nation's 50 biggest big cities in the country with Raleigh, ranking much safer by comparison, coming in 45th.

Out-Of-Date Food, Dirty Nozzles: Charlotte Restaurant Inspections
Five Charlotte-area restaurants received health score downgrades recently after health inspections found a range of infractions, from an employee handling raw chicken before touching clean utensils, to open beverages perched atop raw meat and knives stored as clean with stuck-on food.

These Are The Top Safest School Districts In NC: New Report
As the nation continues to collectively grapple with the issue of school safety in the United States in the wake of last week's shooting in Florida, parents and communities are looking at what works when it comes to keeping kids safe in the classroom. Quality of life website Niche.com, which specializes in all different types of rankings, including schools, has created a new list tackling this issue, based on education data and other factors, ranking what it says are the top safest school districts in North Carolina.

Missing Charlotte Teen Found Safe: CMPD
Hours after Charlotte police asked for the public's help in located a missing 14-year-old Charlotte teen with cognitive issues who walked away from his home in the early morning hours Tuesday, the teen was found safe.

Hidden Torture: Murder Victim Erica Parsons Homeschooled
This week's indictment of a Rowan County couple charged with the brutal abuse, murder and dismembering of the young disabled girl they adopted has something in common with other starvation and torture cases in the country: The victim's precarious situation may have gone unnoticed in part because she was homeschooled.

NC's 2017 James Beard Award Semifinalists: Full List
The food world is gearing up for its version of the Oscars. The James Beard Foundation released its list of semifinalists Wednesday for national and regional chef and restaurant awards and, as expected, several North Carolina restaurants and chefs are up for awards this year, including Chef Joe Kindred of Kindred in Davidson.

Mooresville WOW House: $2M Buys Waterfront Stunner
A gorgeous five-bedroom estate home is on the market in Mooresville for $1,995,000. This three-level home on the shore of Lake Norman comes with heaps of luxurious features, from a bar and entertainment area, great room, media room, exercise rooms, and a gourmet kitchen. Enjoy the lakefront scenery from a covered terrace or the paver patio with a built-in grill. This open floorplan home has hardwoods throughout, tons of natural lighting, more than 7,600-square-feet of living space, a four-car garage and more.