🌱 Famous Singer Adopts Local Puppy + Sheriff Sued For Inmate Death

Morning, neighbors. I'm here right on time with your fresh copy of the Charlotte Patch newsletter, filled with all the things you need to know about what's going on locally. Including updates on:

• Not all speed detection devices used by CMPD are properly tested, a report finds.
• Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry L. McFadden is being sued in connection with an inmate taking his own life in the Mecklenburg County Detention Center.
• Eight-time Grammy-award-winning singer Carrie Underwood just adopted a puppy during her concert stop in Charlotte.

But first, today's weather:

Cloudy, breezy and very warm. High: 75 Low: 62.

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Here are the top five stories in Charlotte today:

1. "Some electronic speed monitoring devices used by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department were not tested by technicians with proper certifications, according to an announcement from representatives with the city of Charlotte. The city has been doing radar certifications since 2008 and LiDAR certifications since 2018. The LiDAR certifications are done by the Public Safety Communications Division, which is part of the Innovation and Technology Department," WBTV reports. (WBTV)
2. "Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry L. McFadden is being sued in connection with an inmate taking his own life in the Mecklenburg County Detention Center back in 2021. In it, the family of John Devin Haley says the facility had poor medical oversight and Haley did not receive proper medication throughout his time at the detention center, April 3-May 21. The family also said Haley was not watched like he should have been given his known mental health issues," WBTV reports. (WBTV)
3. "College baseball is returning to Truist Field in uptown Charlotte. On Wednesday morning, the Charlotte Knights announced a schedule that has several area colleges playing each other beginning next month. Eight teams will be playing in the collegiate series, which gets underway March 21 as the University of South Carolina takes on the UNC Charlotte 49ers. The Gamecocks and the 49ers will actually be playing two games during the series while the other six teams have one game each," WBTV reports. (WBTV)
4. "Eight-time Grammy-award-winning singer Carrie Underwood just adopted a puppy during her concert stop in Charlotte. The country singer, who is currently on her Denim & Rhinestones Tour, shared a photo on Instagram of her new puppy, Charlotte “Charlie” Nilla Fisher. Underwood said she met her when the people at Pawsitive Impact NC Dog Rescue brought some puppies to the venue to brighten everyone's day," WCNC reports. (WCNC)
5. "The Hercules Tires Big South Championships are coming to the Queen City. With the tournament just two weeks away, organizers and teams have been getting ready to bring college hoops back to Bojangles Coliseum. Senior Associate Commissioner James Holland shares the exciting things fans can expect this year including an Esports tournament," WCCB Charlotte reports. (WCCB Charlotte)

Today in Charlotte:

• Charlotte Regional Farmers Market (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Charlotte Pride Job Fair at Central Piedmont Parr Center (1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Fred Heintz Live at Seaboard Brewing, Taproom, & Wine Bar (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
• Russell Dickerson performance at The Fillmore Charlotte (8:00 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Good Feet Waverly: Free Back Care Day (WCNC.com)
• Join in the fight against blood disorder (WCNC.com)
• Help in the fight against Pediatric Cancer (WCNC.com)
• Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte ranked in Top 10 'boomtowns' in the US (WRAL News)
• #BlackHistoryMonth spotlight: William Grant Still, known as The Dean of African American Composers, was a composer, arranger, conductor, and pioneer of early 20th-century classical music. Learn more >>bit.ly/csoblogstill (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• DigiLit will be hosting an online class today (Feb. 16) for "Getting Started with Microsoft Excel." Learn more and register at our event page: https://fb.me/e/2mEBKNCpU (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• This week in the #CMLibrary BE Interview Series, we interview Johnny Walker, a commercial real estate broker. Find out about his road to success.(Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)

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That's it for today! I'll see you soon.

— 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at charlotte@patch.com