🌱 Local Mom Makes $3M From Health Business + Special Dunkin' Donut

Hello all. I'm back with your new edition of the Charlotte Daily. Keep reading for everything you need to know about what's happening around town, including updates on...

• Volunteers are needed to help the county accurately calculate the homeless population.
• A Charlotte mother grew a business out of her kitchen and now makes $3 million in revenue.
• Dunkin' is offering a special Hornets doughnut at its locations in the Charlotte area.

But first, today's weather:

Intervals of clouds and sun. High: 56 Low: 31.

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Here are the top five stories in Charlotte today:

1. "Mecklenburg County officials are seeking volunteers to help the county accurately calculate the homeless population as part of the annual Everyone Counts Char-Meck survey. Volunteers are needed to span out across Mecklenburg County to identify people who are living without homes for the count, which takes place on Thursday, Jan. 26. The volunteers will survey individuals who were living unsheltered on the night of Jan. 25 and sharing winter weather assistance items," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
2. "Seven years after social media helped a Charlotte mother grow a business out of her kitchen, her followers are playing a bigger role in the company's future. Stephanie Rickenbacker was just trying to take care of her family when she started Sweet's Elderberry back in 2016 ... Elderberry is said to boost your immune system. So, Rickenbacker, a mother of two, started making it in her kitchen. She spread the word about her new product in a Facebook group for moms in the Charlotte area. From there, Rickenbacker's business took off and kept growing. That side hustle landed her product in 270 stores. So far, she's sold more than 200,000 bottles and made more than $3 million in revenue," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
3. "Dunkin' announced Monday that it will begin offering a special Hornets doughnut at its locations in the Charlotte area as part of a new multi-year sponsorship of the team. Dunkin' is now the official coffee of the Hornets and will now be offering the "Go Hornets" doughnut at its shops in the Charlotte area through the NBA All-Star break. The doughnut has dark purple icing with white and purple sprinkles on top. The limited-edition doughnut will be available at Dunkin' locations through Feb. 21 while supplies last," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
4. "You’d expect VIVA Chicken, a fast-casual Peruvian chicken chain, to be based in an urban center with a large Latino population such as Miami, or maybe Los Angeles or New York, but not Charlotte, N.C. But you’d be mistaken since VIVA Chicken launched in Charlotte, whose Latino population is about 10%. Co-founder Bruno Machiavello, a native of Peru, arrived in Charlotte because his brother resided there. Machiavello got a job as a chef in 1985 at George Couchell’s Showmars, a fast-casual fried chicken eatery. Couchell took Machiavello under his wing, showed him how to lead a restaurant team and prepare outstanding food. Machiavello and partner Randy Garcia launched VIVA Chicken in Charlotte in 2013, taking out a $150,000 loan from Garcia’s father to capitalize it. It did so well that they repaid it in six months. Both are still involved in running the restaurants," Forbes reports. (Forbes)
5. "A bicyclist hit by a car last week off The Plaza has died. ... Kristie Nicole Crowder, 30, died Friday afternoon, almost 24 hours after being struck close to the intersection of Hamorton Place. ... Officers say their initial investigation indicates that as the Honda was approaching the intersection, Crowder entered the intersection and the driver was unable to stop in time," WBTV reports. (WBTV)

Today in Charlotte:

• Charlotte Regional Farmers Market (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Independence Regional English Conversation Club (12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.)
• Technology Tutor: 1-on-1 Support Session (2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
• Charlotte Ski & Snowboard Club Happy Hour at Sugar Creek Brewing Company (5:30 p.m.)
• Watercolor Cake Decorating at Chef Alyssa's Kitchen (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
• A Soldier’s Play performance at Knight Theater (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Why iPhone batteries should be replaced now (WCNC.com)
• No, sleeping with a potato in your sock will not fight off viruses (WCNC.com)
• 5 Things to do after being terminated (WCNC.com)
• Handling your finances in the New Year (WCNC.com)
• Report: CLT Airport 10th most on-time global airport (WBTV)
• We’re having a fun and productive day at our Sustain Charlotte board retreat at the @carolinaraptor Center and Quest! We’ve got lots of good stuff cooking for 2023! #nonprofitsofinstagram #charlottenc (Sustain Charlotte via Facebook)
• Solid Waste Services will NOT collect garbage, recycling, yard or scheduled bulky waste on Monday, Jan. 16, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Solid Waste Services will operate on a one-day delay following the holiday. (City of Charlotte Government via Facebook)
• On December 31 we celebrated a Rockin' NOON Year's Eve at ImaginOn with over 600 people in attendance for storytime, shaker crafts, a family concert, and a homemade balloon drop of 500 balloons right at noon! (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• UNC Charlotte's J. Murrey Atkins Library is at the heart of the campus, welcoming approximately 1.5 million students, researchers and visitors each year. Take a look at what we have to offer. #CLTAtkins #AtkinsLibrary (UNC Charlotte Atkins Library via Facebook)
• Join us on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. for the Unknown Universes Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club! This brand-new science fiction & fantasy book club at University City Regional Library will focus on. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• Year of Love 2023 is here! YOL is an ongoing opportunity that volunteers can join at any point in the year. We have determined our greatest needs and designated a different activity or donation every month. (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte via Facebook)
• Experience your favorite movies with epic power couples Han & Leia, Indy & Marion, and Westley & Buttercup on the big screen, with the score performed LIVE! Subscribe now! bit.ly/csomovieseries (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• Come meet our certified therapy dogs! We'll have a number of our Paws for Exam Therapy dogs here this week, so stop by to say hi. (UNC Charlotte Atkins Library via Facebook)
• Lost dog! I’ve seen this guy running around Campbell Drive in the Sheffield Park neighborhood in East Charlotte twice this week. Try to catch them but haven’t had any luck. Doesn’t have a collar, do you recognize them? (Nextdoor)

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Events:

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That's it for today! See you tomorrow morning for another 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.

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