🌱 NC Senator Runs For Lt. Governor Seat + County Economy Recovering

Hello, everybody! I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through everything you need to know about what's happening these days in Charlotte. Today's briefing includes:

• North Carolina state Sen. Rachel Hunt, the daughter of former four-term Gov. Jim Hunt, announced that she'll be a candidate for lieutenant governor next year.
• After attacks on electrical substations that caused a power outage in North Carolina, a new bill will create a new statute to make it a high-grade felony to deliberately destroy or damage an energy facility.
• Mecklenburg County commissioners heard on Tuesday that the region’s economy is recovering, but it remains challenged.

But first, today's weather:

Cloudy, a shower in the p.m.. High: 73 Low: 59.

Are you a business owner or marketer in Charlotte who wants to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales? If that's you, then I invite you to see how our newsletter sponsorships combine our local audience reach with your expertise to attract new customers. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in Charlotte today:

1. "North Carolina state Sen. Rachel Hunt, the daughter of former four-term Gov. Jim Hunt, announced Wednesday that she'll be a candidate for lieutenant governor next year. Hunt, a Charlotte Democrat, said she's running for lieutenant governor to bring "honor and integrity back to the office” since current Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson ascended to the post in 2021," WRAL News reports. (WRAL News)
2. "Nearly three months after attacks on electrical substations caused a dayslong power outage in central North Carolina, a state Senate committee advanced legislation Tuesday that would stiffen penalties for intentionally damaging utility equipment. The bill would create a new statute making it a high-grade felony to deliberately destroy or damage an energy facility — such as those involved in the transmission or distribution of electricity, fuel or another energy source — or attempt to do so. It passed the Senate Agriculture, Energy and Environment Committee on Tuesday and heads to the Judiciary Committee," WFAE reports. (WFAE)
3. "Mecklenburg County commissioners heard on Tuesday that the region’s economy is recovering, but it remains challenged, especially as lower-wage workers leave fields like hospitality for better-paying jobs in places like distribution centers. The economy has seen both downturns and unexpected resilience since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Some industries have seen major growth while others have seen declines. County commissioners received a presentation from Laura Ullrich, an economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The bank’s territory includes North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and West Virginia. Among those states, the Carolinas have shown the strongest signs of recovery," WFAE reports. (WFAE)

Today in Charlotte:

• Charlotte Regional Farmers Market (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Write Like You Mean It - Charlotte Mecklenburg Virtual Programming (10:00 a.m.)
• Love & Hiking Date For Couples (Self-Guided) at McDowell Nature Preserve (10:00 a.m.)
• Pop Up Picnic Park Date for Couples at Mallard Creek Park (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Charlotte Career Fair hosted by Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Ayrsley (11:00 a.m.)
• Nerd Night: Movie Music Bingo at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library - Mountain Island (5:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.)
• Charlotte Black Love Matchmaking & Networking hosted by Invitation Homes Carolinas (6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
• Shen Yun performance at Belk Theater (7:30 p.m.)
• Alan Doyle show at Neighborhood Theatre (8:00 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• 5 Charlotte North Carolina Restaurants With Open Reservations For ... (V101.9)
• Zack's Hamburgers returns with an Olde Mecklenburg Brewery collab (WCNC.com)
• Charlotte FC's Copetti welcomes daughter into the world (WCNC.com)
• How gas prices have changed in Charlotte in the last week (WBTV)
• A second alarm fire at an apartment complex on the 1800 block of Beacon Ridge Dr. originated on the second-floor balcony and was most likely caused by discarded smoking material. 40 residents are now ... (Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC via Facebook)
• Excited to announce ANOTHER employment opportunity here at ALARM. We are looking to hire part-time Telecommunicators to supplement our full time members! We’re looking to hire former ALARM...(Charlotte Fire Communications "Fire Alarm" via Facebook)
• When the "Captain" is on deck, we pay attention! Our furr-iend came to meet some of us for the first time today, and we had a blast. We played a little, loved a LOT, and learned some about him, too. (Charlotte Fire Communications "Fire Alarm" via Facebook)
• Students and staff brought Black History Month to an unforgettable close at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School! The audience was blown away by their incredible talents showcased through visual arts, music...(Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• Congratulations, Ericia Turner! We are proud to have you as our director of athletics and appreciate the positive impact you have had on our coaches, students and beyond. #PublicSchoolProud (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• CONGRATULATIONS to Charlotte Fire educators for being honored as North Carolina SAFETY PROGRAM OF THE YEAR! The team of four Charlotte Fire delivers a free third-grade fire and life safety program designed...(Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC via Facebook)
• Don’t be late for the #9PM ROUTINE! REMOVE key fobs and spare keys from your vehicles. REMOVE ALL valuables from your vehicle. LOCK your vehicle. LOCK your residential doors. TURN ON your exterior lights. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department via Facebook)
• Sharon Elementary School's 110th anniversary was a success! Students enjoyed Kona Ice and met Sonic, and our community came together to celebrate the milestone. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• Let your imagination soar on a magical journey to Neverland with Peter, Wendy, Tinker Bell and the rest of your favorite Neverland characters. This never-before-seen version of Peter Pan with new choreography... (Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
• Andrea Brinkley, aka Andy, aka @oandystudio creates wool embroidery art inspired by her love of flowers and colors. Having grown up on a sheep farm in South Africa, Andy developed an appreciation for natural wool fibers and textures. (ArtPop Street Gallery via Instagram)
• During Women’s History Month, Charlotte Fire honors the extraordinary legacy of trailblazing American women and girls who have built, shaped, and improved our country and Charlotte. (Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC via Facebook)
• That’s a wrap on Innovative Works! Thank you to all who joined us this past month for this inspiring series at the Center for Dance. We love bringing new works to Charlotte and having the opportunity to collaborate with new choreographer...(Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
• NEW BUSINESS ALERT @pottschocolate’s first brick and mortar location is now open in Brevard Court! Potts Chocolate uses raw cacao beans from places like Madagascar, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Peru. (Charlotte Center City via Facebook)
• Niagara Machine, Inc. sponsors 2023 Sport A Shirt, Share A Night for RMHC of GC families. Thank you for your generous contribution to #KeepingFamiliesClose. Learn more about how to sponsor...(Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte via Facebook)
• Can Darth Vader convince Luke Skywalker to join the Dark side? Find out at Return of the Jedi in Concert when the CSO performs the score LIVE with the film, March 17 and March 18 at Belk Theater. >> bit.ly/csojedi (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, we’re recognizing the outstanding women of your Charlotte Symphony! Follow along this month as we spotlight their amazing contributions as performers, educators, and community members. (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• The Library's Community Read program officially kicks off tomorrow! Did you see our article on Storied Charlotte from UNC Charlotte? If you missed it you can check it out here and earn more about this year's program...(Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• City of Charlotte Government and CharMeck311 has launched “311 on the Go” in partnership with the Library. A customer service representative is available at the Sugar Creek and South Boulevard branches to answer questions...(Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• Today marks the beginning of Community Read 2023! Did you know that in addition to reading the books, you can join in fun reading challenges for the entire family? Getting started is simple. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• As a community, we choose who we commemorate. We're pleased to share a trailer for a new documentary by Loyd Visuals that exhibits the year-long effort to rename nine streets in Charlotte that honored slave owners...(City of Charlotte Government via Facebook)
• With one month until the Brave Step Virtual Walk/Run presented by Uwharrie Bank and Illuminate Salon, our friends at Roper Physical Therapy created a video guide on pre walk/run stretches you should know. Don't miss this helpful video. (Brave Step via Facebook)
• We are in URGENT need of paper towels and parchment paper! Visit our House #Amazon link below to help or drop off donations at the House 7 days a week between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte via Facebook)
• March is Women's History Month! We'd like to celebrate the many female urbanists, urban policymakers, urban planners, urban designers, activists, economists, politicians, and social workers who have blazed remarkable trails...(Sustain Charlotte via Facebook)
• On March 7, the Carolina Room and Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library are proud to present Dr. Sonya Ramsey who will discuss her new book, "Bertha Maxwell-Roddey: A Modern-Day Race Woman and the Power of Black Leadership." (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• Missing Dog. Please contact me at this phone number: 917-334-5219. (Nextdoor)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• MickeyTravels — (Visit website)
• CyberMax iPhone Repair — (Visit Website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Lake Norman Philharmonic - Free Concert! (April 1)
• Add your event

You're all caught up 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