🌱 Dress For Success Makes A Difference + Local Man Faces $6M Bond

Hi all. I'm back with your fresh copy of the Charlotte Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening locally. In today's issue, you'll find news about these stories and more...

• Dress for Success Charlotte is one of the many chapters around the country working to make a difference.
• The Made True Capital Campaign will transform Belmont Abbey College into a national presence that will positively impact our culture and the world.
• A Charlotte man is now facing a bond of more than $6 million after allegedly stealing 12 motorcycles and seven battery-operated bicycles in Iredell County.

But first, today's weather:

Cooler with clouds and sun. High: 62 Low: 42.

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Here are the top five stories in Charlotte today:

1. "A helping hand for women working to gain economic independence, Dress for Success Charlotte is one of the many chapters around the country working to make a difference. We were joined by Kerry Barr O’Conner, executive director for Dress for Success Charlotte, to find out more about its mission. Plus, keep your eyes out this month for billboards across the area featuring 31 fabulous women," WBTV reports. (WBTV)
2. “The Made True Capital Campaign will transform Belmont Abbey College into a national presence that will positively impact our culture and the world. The campaign will bring about impacts to our local community, with new quality academic programs and a new 1000-seat performing arts center. Belmont Abbey College is also seeking to set a financial foundation that will enable them to provide college to their students debt-free," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
3. "A Charlotte man is now facing a bond of more than $6 million after allegedly stealing 12 motorcycles and seven battery-operated bicycles in Iredell County in November. Terrell Joseph Williams was recently arrested by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office. Carolina KTM reported a breaking and entering on Nov. 2 for the motorcycles and bicycles with losses of almost $127,000. Two weeks later, deputies say they responded to an alarm at KTM and prevented another breaking and entering," WBTV reports. (WBTV)
4. "There’s never a time where people shouldn’t be weary of scammers hoping to take advantage of them but there are several times throughout the year that certain scams become a bigger threat. As the April 18 tax deadline approaches NC Attorney General Josh Stein wants North Carolinians to be on the lookout for tax-related scams. ... Filing taxes can be challenging and when it comes to the IRS ensuring your taxes are properly prepared can save you from a cumbersome audit," WBTV reports. (WBTV)
5. "James Ford said his heartbeat was racing and his stomach churning as the North Carolina Board of Education reviewed a report on school crime, violence and discipline last week. Ford is a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher who now serves on the state board. He’s also a Black man, and he was looking at the state’s data on racial disparities in discipline. In 2021-22, the short-term suspension rate for North Carolina’s Black students was roughly 304 per 1,000 — compared with 82 per 1,000 white students. It’s a trend that has played out for years and happens across the country," WFAE reports. (WFAE)

Today in Charlotte:

• Charlotte Regional Farmers Market (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Food Truck: Cousins Maine Lobster at The Brixham Tent (11:00 a.m.)
• Savor Charlotte Tasting and Tour Special at Free Range Brewing (5:00 p.m.)
• Music & Poetry at the Mint Museum of Art (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• A celebration of life has been announced for Panthers founder Jerry Richardson. (WBTV)
• New safety feature: How to record audio during an Uber ride (WBTV)
• Did Fuel Pizza close in South End Charlotte? (WCNC.com)
• Today we remember the life of Charlotte Fire firefighter Josh Earley who also served with the Harrisburg Volunteer Fire Department. We are forever grateful for his ultimate sacrifice of protecting others. (Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC via Facebook)
• Congratulations to our Mallard Creek High School student, Aria Lane, for receiving the Maverick Award and a $1,000 scholarship from Spectrum, presented by Representative Cummingham! (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• #WomensHistoryMonth Spotlight: CSO flutists Amy Orsinger Whitehead and Erinn Frechette, and principal oboist Hollis Ulaky. As passionate educators and chamber musicians, you can see Hollis ... (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• CONGRATULATIONS our 2023 Dancing with the Stars of Charlotte Pairs for an incredible performance Saturday evening! Special shout out to the winners for the evening! Posey Mealy and Luke Csordas are our 2023 People’s Choice Award. (Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
• Thank you again to all who attended our Women in Law Enforcement recruitment event on Saturday. More than 100 people came out to learn more about the opportunities within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department via Facebook)
• The award-winning book "The Night Diary" comes to life on our stage for its world premiere on March 10. Broadway World Charlotte has featured our press release. Read what the creatives of the show have to say by visiting...(Children's Theatre of Charlotte via Facebook)
• THIS WEEKEND: Be inspired by Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite, Satie’s Parade and more! Pablo + Igor features works by composers the cubist artist worked with and admired, in collaboration with The Mint Museum’s special exhibition. (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• Thanks to the amazing efforts of Butler High School’s Student Government Association (SGA), $10,000 was raised for Make-A-Wish recipient, Lucan, sending him on a magical adventure to Disney! (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• SAVE THE DATE! March 11, the annual Charlotte St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns! This year’s parade will feature various marching bands, drill teams, and a pack of Irish Wolfhounds making their way down Tryon Street ... (Charlotte Center City via Facebook)
• This Saturday, 3/11, is National 311 Day. Celebrate by downloading the CLT+ app! City services at your fingertips. It's easy to schedule bulky trash pickup, report a pothole, check your trash pickup day...(City of Charlotte Government via Facebook)
• Congratulations to the Hidden Valley Community Association for finishing their little libraries project. The neighborhood organization installed five Little Free Libraries around their neighborhood...(City of Charlotte Housing & Neighborhood Services via Facebook)
• We are so excited to welcome Allie Larkin as our signature author for Community Read 2023. Join us for a virtual discussion with her on March 21 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss her book "The People We Keep" ... (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• We’re so excited to celebrate the grand opening of Sundale Flats – the newest, affordable housing community in town! Everyone deserves a place to call home and this is one you won’t want to miss! (City of Charlotte Housing & Neighborhood Services via Facebook)
• Experience an inspiring performance with the CSO and JCSU Choir! Enjoy works like Daniel Bernard Roumain’s La La La La and ‘Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit’ on March 21 at Johnson C. Smith University. Get tickets >> bit.ly/cso-jcsu (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• Council Member James Mitchell's town hall, originally scheduled for March 9, has been rescheduled to March 29. RSVP today and join Council Member Mitchell at Camp North End. (City of Charlotte Government via Facebook)
• Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones concedes her large, published work, "The 1619 Project: a new origin story" is an intimidating book for some readers. At nearly 600 pages, she acknowledges many more would take time...(Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• #TeacherTalks is back! The theme is Spark, and we’re sure this year’s messages will ignite something special in you! Join us on Mar. 9 at the Dale F. Halton Theatre at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC)...(Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• I’m a pet portrait artist, I do commissions as my side-gig if you’re interested in a painting of a furry friend, please message me for details! I work in oils and turnaround time is typically six weeks. (Nextdoor)
• Found this dog on our back porch. It has a harness but no collar with ID tag. Took to vet, not chipped. We drove around our neighborhood and the neighborhood behind us. Knocked on doors and spoke to a few people but no one was missing this...(Nextdoor)
• Found this little girl scratching at our door at 2:00 a.m. Please let us know if she’s yours! Call this number: 910-200-1781. (Nextdoor)

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That's it for today! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with a new update.

— 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.

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