🌱 North Charlotte House Fire + Food Delivery Service Reduces Waste

Hey, neighbors! It's me, Alexis Goring, your host of the Daily. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town, including...

• CFD is investigating a house fire in north Charlotte it said was intentionally set.
• A gun was found in a student's possession at West Mecklenburg High School.
• A new food delivery service is aiming to help reduce food waste.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 52 Low: 33.

Here are the top five stories today in Charlotte:

1. "The Charlotte Fire Department is investigating a house fire they said was intentionally set in north Charlotte. Roughly 30 firefighters battled the blaze for 20 minutes along Hewitt Drive, not far from West Sugar Creek Road, officials said. ... A medic confirmed no one was taken to the hospital following the fire. WCNC Charlotte has reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for more information," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
2. "A gun was found in a student's possession at West Mecklenburg High School Thursday morning. ... The weapon was detected by body scanners at the school's entrance and was not loaded. ... Police were called to the school and are investigating the incident. All students and staff at West Meck are safe and there were no disruptions to classes. No further information was released by CMS regarding the incident. The student has not been identified," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
3. "A new food delivery service is aiming to help reduce food waste. Food Rocket is a new rapid grocery delivery service that also delivers holiday essentials like Christmas trees. Orders are delivered within 10 to 30 minutes on each placement. The company also aims to improve purchasing habits by reducing bulk shopping and replacing it with zero waste purchases. Food Rocket delivers 7,000 items 7 days a week," WCCB Charlotte reports. (WCCB Charlotte)
4. "Robbers recently stole 12 dirt bikes and five ATVs from Nuggets Powersports located in Gaston County, North Carolina. ... The suspects likely knew the area well or studied it enough to know when to act. ... Surveillance cameras caught footage of the suspects cutting a lock on the fence before breaking into the building. They wore masks and gloves according to the footage, and spent a total of six hours in and out of the dealership stealing dirt bikes and ATVs. Four suspects were caught on camera, including a U-Haul truck and a one or two possible assisting vehicles," Powersports Business reports. (Powersports Business)
5. "Thousands of families across the state rely on Toys for Tots to help make their Christmas bright, but in Halifax County about four hours northeast of Charlotte, two-thirds of the toys donated this year have been stolen. Now, organizers are scrambling to re-evaluate who will get gifts this Christmas. Halifax County Toys for Tots is now asking for new toy donations at the warehouse in Enfield," WCCB Charlotte reports. (WCCB Charlotte)

Today in Charlotte:

• Gingerbread Lane at the Ballantyne Benefitting Levine Childrens Hospital (11:00 a.m.)
• Charlotte Christmas Village at Truist Field (5:00 p.m.)
• The "Where Should We Vegan?" Dinner Tour at Camp North End (6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)
• Clara's Trip: A Cirque & Dance Nutcracker Story at Stage Door Theater (7:00 p.m.)
• Kirk Whalum show at Middle C Jazz (7:00 p.m.)
• The Nutcracker at Belk Theater (7:30 p.m.)
• Charlotte Symphony: Holiday Pops at Knight Theater (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• 7 Amazing Charlotte Thrift Store Finds (kiss951.com)
• Delicious salmon and fried rice from DTR SouthPark (WCNC.com)
• Setting achievable goals in the New Year (WCNC.com)
• Today is the last day to donate to The Magical Toy Drive (WCNC.com)
• CMPD is honoring victims of domestic violence with the 18th Annual Domestic Violence Memorial Tree Lighting Ceremony. Each ribbon on the tree represents a life lost to domestic violence in Mecklenburg County. ... (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department via Facebook)
• Winter Break Reminder: Schools will be closed to students beginning Dec. 20 through Jan. 2. However, Jan. 2 is a teacher workday. Students will return to class on Tuesday, Jan. 3. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• Charlotte Fire firefighters are helping Santa get ready for Christmas by collecting toys for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Explorers Christmas Project. You can donate new, unwrapped toys at ANY Charlotte firehouse. (Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC via Facebook)
• It's beginning to look very "holly jolly" here at the Library! Check out our favorite lady, Queen Charlotte, who recently visited our West Boulevard and Mint Hill branches in her festive attire. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• Charlotte City Council is holding its Housing and Jobs Summit on Jan. 9, 2023. We want your input on several key topic areas under the focus of housing and jobs. Your responses here will help the Council. (City of Charlotte Government via Facebook)
• Our Pineville Branch grand opening celebration last weekend was a success. Thank you to all of our patrons and the Pineville community for welcoming the Library with open arms and celebrating with us. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• The winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together. It’s fun to decorate for the winter holidays and cook special meals, but holiday decorations and cooking can increase your risk of a home fire. (Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC via Facebook)
• We’re looking forward to welcoming audience members to the Land of Sweets for our second week of Nutcracker performances! Experience the magic with us at Belk Theater until Dec. 23! https://bit.ly/NutcrackerCLTBa...(Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
• THIS WEEKEND: Santa Claus helps make the concert hall merry & bright at Holiday Pops! Plus, holiday favorites with Charlotte Master Chorale, falling snow, and more at Knight Theater. Great seats still available! (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• Oakdale Elementary School's 1st Grade Scholars were taught essential lessons and skills while building a gingerbread village. Enhancing their knowledge about community helpers, goods and services. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• Corporate Champion Jackrabbit Online Class Management Software held a small gathering today and circulated our wish list to attendees with a challenge to fill our pantry. (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte via Facebook)
• For the person who has everything, give the gift of music! A CSO gift certificate makes a great gift for your boss, teacher, friend, or anyone else on your list. >> bit.ly/csogiftcard (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• Ready to learn more about Classroom Central? We're still going with our FAQ series, and we're here to help all new educators and teachers who are now eligible to shop at Classroom Central. (Classroom Central via Facebook)
• We've got some amazing news! To create a stronger, more supportive community, we are launching Brave Space, an online community that will create beautiful relationships and bring all Changemakers together in one place. https://brave-step...(Brave Step via Facebook)
• Big news: Your donation will have DOUBLE the impact this month! We have a generous donor who will match the next $10,000 we receive in donations through the end of the year. The impact of your gift will be DOUBLED by giving now! (Sustain Charlotte via Facebook)
• Lost dog that has recently been spotted in Biddleville. Please contact K-9 search and rescue. If you have seen the dog, call this number: 704-400-0110. (Nextdoor)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. 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