🌱 Nerdy Night Out For Adults + Call For Safer Infrastructure

Morning, neighbors. It's me, Alexis Goring, your host of the Charlotte Daily — back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in our community. In this issue, you'll learn about:

• The Nerdy Night Out: The Shark Appreciation Show offers a fun night out for adults.
• Charlotte foster parent opens his home time after time to kids in need.
• Transportation advocates sound the alarm and call for safer infrastructure.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 48 Low: 30.

🏠 If you're a real estate agent in Charlotte, of course you're looking for a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. We can help you do that with an exclusive sponsorship in the Charlotte Patch newsletter. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top four stories in Charlotte today:

1. "If you’re looking for a fun adult night out ... look no further than The Nerdy Night Out: The Shark Appreciation Show! Here with more is The Nerdy Night Out host, Blayr Nias, and comedians April Kirby and Jenn Bianchi. Come join the fun for a spectacular night of comedy and improv. Host and comedian Blayr Nias plus Solid Dad Improv Troupe will dazzle you and keep you laughing with their comedy for this special Shark Appreciation Show during Kiss A Shark week," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
2. "In 2022, over 10,000 children were in the foster care system in North Carolina. ... But there are only about half as many homes that are licensed to take these children, which is why one Charlotte foster parent, Peter Mutabazi, is bringing the problem front and center. ... He is a foster dad and over the years he’s opened his home time after time to kids in need," Spectrum News reports. (Spectrum News)
3. "On Thursday, dozens of volunteers fanned out across the county trying to get a one-day count of how many people don’t have a home. It’s the annual Point-in-Time count here in Mecklenburg County. The goal is to get a count of the unsheltered population here in Charlotte. It’s a one-night estimate, but it helps the county get critical resources. The Point-in-Time Count is required annually by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development," WBTV reports. (WBTV)
4. "Pedestrian and cyclist deaths in North Carolina have transportation advocates sounding the alarm and calling for safer infrastructure. There's no easy solution to decreasing these deaths to zero, but several measures are being taken to try to get there. While pedestrian deaths continue to climb in cities like Raleigh and Greensboro, Charlotte saw a 17% decrease between 2021 and 2022," Spectrum News reports. (Spectrum News)

Today in Charlotte:

• Meat Soup Day at Charlotte Regional Farmers Market (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.)
• Charlotte RV Show at The Park Expo & Conference Center (10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
• Weekend Live Music and Food Trucks at Blue Blaze Brewing (12:00 p.m.)
• Level Up Your Latte Art at Undercurrent Coffee (1:30 p.m.)
• City Sip & Paint: Painting, Pottery, and Karaoke at City Art Room (5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.)
• Dan Forrest Festival at Queens University of Charlotte (7:00 p.m.)
• Felipe Esparza show at The Comedy Zone (7:00 p.m.)
• Friday Night Improv Show at VAPA Center (8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• We're hiring telecommunicators to join the Charlotte Fire family. Entry level positions starting at over $50K annually with a $4K signing bonus. Benefits include paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave. (Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC via Facebook)
• NCRVDA is coming to the Queen-City area (WCNC.com)
• Garinger High School English teacher, Greg Asciutto, has been named the City of Charlotte's 2023 Educator Mentor of the Year! The award, given by the Mayor's Mentoring Alliance and Mayor Lyles. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• Want to learn about the various Black-owned business in our city? The Black Entrepreneur Series (BE Series) highlights Black Businesses and business owners in the Charlotte area. Find out how these entrepreneurs got their start. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• Innovate your plans this February with tickets to Innovative Works! Our Dancers have been in the studios with three empowering choreographers over the past few weeks and we are excited to bring this performance. (Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
• Introduce little ones to the joy of live orchestral music at The Emperor’s New Clothes! Enjoy music by Ravel, Debussy and Rossini, as well as a special appearance by Grey Seal Puppets. Feb. 18 at Knight Theater. (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• Our Mobile Library (MoLi - pronounced "Molly") celebrates its one-year anniversary this month! With more than 10,000 items borrowed, 5,500+ miles traveled, over 4,500 patrons served and nearly 700 hours on the road. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• This is Bernie! He's a beautiful Australian shepherd puppy with dual-colored eyes and a beautiful blue merle coat. We are looking to re-home him. (Nextdoor)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• 24hourgutters.com — (Visit website)
• Rosensteel Fleishman, PLLC — (Visit Website)
• CyberMax iPhone Repair — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• SAT Master Strategies In-Person Class (January 29)
• Top 10 Divorce Mistakes & How to Avoid Them – Vesta's Charlotte, NC Hub (February 1)
• Add your event

Announcements:

• Senior Assisted Living listings!!! NEW LISTINGS NEARBY (Details)
• Add your announcement

Alrighty, you're all good for today. See you all tomorrow 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