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Community Corner

🌱 Monkeypox Vaccine Now Available + 421K Gallons Wastewater Dumped

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Charlotte.

Alexis Goring, Neighbor
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Hello, everybody. I'm back in your inbox this morning with everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days.

First, today's weather:

An afternoon thunderstorm. High: 81 Low: 67.

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Here are the top seven stories in Charlotte today:

  1. The city of Charlotte is giving modern technology opportunities to neighborhoods in West Charlotte as they are helping residents connect for school, work and entertainment. According to the city government, "along with Avid Xchange, the city is now providing free, high-speed Wi-Fi to multiple areas within the Corridors of Opportunity program. The program focuses nearly $40 million on six key corridors in the crescent area of the city. ... A newly installed gigabit fiber connection beams a signal from an antenna on the roof of AvidXchange headquarters to both the Camp North End Water Tower and the water tower off Beatties Ford Road. The set-up provides free, high-speed internet access at a pocket park at The Ritz at Washington Heights." (charlottenc.gov)
  2. Ford, the famous American car manufacturer, is looking to partner on an EV pilot program in North Carolina. According to The Business Journals, "Duke Energy Carolinas has asked regulators to approve a pilot program with Ford Motor Co. to give leasing discounts for F-150 Lightning trucks to customers who let Duke tap their batteries for power during peak use periods. Harry Sideris, executive vice president of customer experience, solutions and services at Duke Energy Corp. said the incentives arranged through Ford cut leasing costs by $300 a year on a four-year lease." (The Business Journals)
  3. Good news: The monkeypox vaccine is now available in Mecklenburg County. According to WCCB Charlotte, "Mecklenburg County Public Health will begin administering the monkeypox vaccine to individuals 18-year-old and up who are determined to be high risk for infection. ... The free vaccine can prevent illness or lead to less severe symptoms if given within two weeks after exposure to monkeypox." (WCCB Charlotte)
  4. Police said that "a juvenile has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 14-year-old in northwest Charlotte last week." According to WBTV, "officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department were called to Southwest Boulevard, near Birch Townhomes, for a shooting shortly after 2 p.m. on Aug. 11. Police found the victim, identified by law enforcement as 14-year-old Gregory Lacorde Holmes, with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Atrium Main where he was pronounced dead. On Aug. 12, detectives arrested a juvenile for Holmes' murder. ... The suspect was taken to a juvenile detention facility." (WBTV)
  5. A bilingual thrift store in Charlotte, called "The WearHouse," is celebrating National Thrift Store Day! According to CL Charlotte, they are "offering a huge sale — all summer clothing will be $1. … Although the sale benefits all Charlotteans, from the average thrifter to families who are getting ready for school to start, it's the thrift store's purpose that will allow people to buy into The WearHouse's mission. The WearHouse is part of Camino, a bilingual and multicultural nonprofit in the Charlotte area and its goal is to satisfy its customers while also enriching its community." (CL Charlotte)
  6. According to Fox News, "Charlotte FC will house the club's permanent training facility and business operations headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. … The site, where the team has practiced this season, will be renovated to include a privately-financed 52,000-plus square foot facility with four fields — three natural grass and one synthetic turf. It will serve as home to Charlotte FC, plus its MLS NEXT Pro and Academy teams." The renovations to the existing structure at the site could be completed as early as Spring 2023! (Fox News)
  7. Officials told Queen City News that "over 421,000 gallons of wastewater were accidentally spilled into Irwin Creek". Crews from Charlotte Water responded to the wastewater overflow Monday near 2425 South Tryon Street. An estimated 4,600 gallons of wastewater reached Irwin Creek in the Catawba River Watershed. According to Fox 46 Charlotte, "After additional investigation on the cause of the spill, Charlotte Water increased the spill volume to 421,225 gallons and determined the discharge had likely begun on August 3. Officials said the cause of the spill was a contractor pumping wastewater around a construction site." (Fox 46 Charlotte)

Today in Charlotte:

  • Charlotte Love & Hiking Date For Couples at McDowell Nature Preserve (7 a.m.)
  • Charlotte Regional Farmers Market (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
  • Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (9 a.m.)
  • Food Trucks on Market - The Chili Man (5 p.m.)
  • Tea Time + Drop In - Time Out Youth (5 to 7:30 p.m.)
  • Trivia Night at Picture Project CLT Selfie Museum (5 to 8 p.m.)
  • Comedy Bang Bang at the Knight Theater (7:00 p.m.)
  • Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift at The Barrel Room at Triple C Brewing (7 p.m.)
  • Charlotte Speed Dating | Singles Event at All American Pub (7 to 9 p.m.)
  • Thursday Night "Sip & See" at the Real African Art Gallery (7 to 9 p.m.)
  • Brett Eldredge performance at Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre (7:30 p.m.)
  • Crossroads Cinema (free outdoor movie series): Do the Right Thing (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • Did you know starting pay for CMPD Officers increased by 9% last month and there's an added hiring bonus? Scheduled for a Job-Related Physical Abilities Test (JRPAT) with CMPD and looking for tips to prepare? (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department via Facebook)
  • HUGE SHOUT OUT to the Providence Crossing and 73 surrounding neighborhoods for donating 163 Kongs for our dogs! (CMPD Animal Care and Control via Facebook)
  • Students are still on summer break, but teachers are hard at work! We opened the Free Store for teachers to go back-to-school shopping and they even got to pick from the Back-to-School Teacher Survival Store! (Classroom Central via Facebook)
  • We thank and appreciate PetSmart Charities for providing a grant for us to purchase an x-ray machine. It's so important to us to have this machine here and are very grateful. (CMPD Animal Care and Control via Facebook)
  • CHARLOTTE PRIDE: Know before you go! This weekend is @cltpride's two day festival and parade. WHEN IS IT? Saturday, Aug. 20, noon to 10 p.m. | Sunday, Aug. 21, noon to 6 p.m. The Parade will run from 1 to 4 p.m. (Charlotte Center City via Facebook)
  • Nature at Night registration is open! Check out programs all week, Oct. 9 to Oct. 15, at the nature centers. The big event is Oct. 15 at McDowell. More info here: https://meck.co/3pnMfgB (Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Nature Centers via Facebook)
  • Whether you are a parent, caregiver, or ally of a toddler up to a teenager, having brave and honest conversations with those you care about is a critical step in preventing sexual violence. (Brave Step via Facebook)
  • Have you seen the new mini street sweeper cleaning bike lanes in uptown? It's all electric, too! This is much needed, and we're happy to see this effort from City of Charlotte Government to keep our bike lanes cleaner. (Sustain Charlotte via Facebook)
  • #WhereInTheWorld is Lynne Wiesecke! This Albemarle Road Elementary School English teacher is learning and exploring at the Island of Mallorca. Thanks to a generous PD Grant from The Arts and Science Council of Charlotte. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
  • Tortoise is one of Amos's friends and they're pretty good at racing! Watch "A Sick Day for Amos McGee" starting Aug. 25 and see who wins the race. (Children's Theatre of Charlotte via Facebook)
  • NEW CHARLOTTE BALLET II DANCER! ⁠Join us in welcoming Izonna Chaires to Charlotte Ballet II. Izonna, from Scotia, NY, began dancing at age five at Myers Ballet School in Schenectady, NY.⁠ ⁠(Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
  • My Mom was shot and killed at an ATM off of University City Blvd., right across from the university and the Faires Farm Community. If anyone recognizes this suspect, call Crime Stoppers 704-334-1600. (Nextdoor)
  • Found bunny that clearly used to be someone's pet. Dumped at the Workout Anytime parking lot. If you're interested in taking this little one in please reach out. (Nextdoor)
  • MISSING CAT! Hello my name is Ellie Atkins and I live in Sharon Woods. We cannot find our sweet cat Molly. We'd like your help in bringing her home safely. Molly is orange and white. She's about six years old. (Nextdoor)
  • These two beautiful huskies are loose and currently at Mecklenburg Community Church. Please share if anyone knows the owners! (Nextdoor)
  • I am a teacher at Hickory Grove Elementary. Teachers are going back to school to get their classrooms ready. The students return on August 29. I am posting my wish list in here if anyone is willing to donate one item to me. (Nextdoor)
  • Does anyone know of a local church or women's help group that could bring a truck for donations? I have a truck load of women's clothes bagged up in a storage building. I would like to donate them all at once. (Nextdoor)
  • Dog on loose by Seven Oaks and Fern Spray. Please call 919-337-6059 or 704-806-5690 if you see Ember (her name). She will approach strangers and is very friendly. (Nextdoor)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all 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

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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