🌱 'Sober October' Challenges Alcohol Drinkers + Visit Pumpkin Patches

Hi all. It's me, Alexis Goring, your host of the Charlotte Daily — here to tell you all the most important things happening in town. Today's briefing includes...

• "Sober October" challenges people to stop drinking alcohol
• Leaf-peeping while viewing fall foliage in the North Carolina mountains
• Local and nearby pumpkin patches for adults and kids to enjoy

But first, today's weather:

Mainly cloudy. High: 68 Low: 45.

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Here are the top five stories today in Charlotte:

1. Carl Izzard from of Pineville, "bought a ticket in the July 29 Mega Millions drawing and won a $1 million prize, according to an NC Education Lottery news release. Izzard bought his winning $2 Mega Millions ticket from Adam’s Mart on Elm Lane in Charlotte. He matched all five white balls to win the $1 million prize. The odds of matching all five white balls are 1 in 12.6 million," WBTW reports. (WBTW)
2. It's "Sober October" and alcohol drinkers everywhere are presented with this challenge of giving up their drinks for a while. "For one quarter of a year, these campaigns provide a motivation for people to come together and challenge themselves to go without alcohol...The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention classifies moderate drinking as two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less for women. ... Studies show that alcohol isn’t good for healthy living. There is no safe amount when it comes to heart health, according to the World Heart Federation," CNN reports. (CNN)
3. Last Friday evening, a huge tree fell down and crushed a car in Northeast Charlotte. "The fallen tree brought the surrounding power lines along the way causing residents to lose power. Utility line servicemen responded to the damage on the corner of Rutgers Avenue and West Sugar Creek Road. ... One of the homeowners, known as 64-year-old Angelo Brown, said he chose to tough out the storm. ... Brown among other neighbors spent their day spectating the damages caused by Hurricane Ian," WCCB Charlotte reports. (WCCB Charlotte)
4. The fall season has arrived and many Carolinians are planning to enjoy leaf-peeping while viewing fall foliage in the North Carolina mountains. "WCNC Charlotte chief meteorologist Brad Panovich is already counting down to peak color, sharing some graphics Wednesday showing the average peak fall color dates in the mountains and foothills of western North Carolina," WCNC reports. (WCNC)
5. It's the perfect time of year for kids and adults to visit pumpkin patches around the Charlotte area and select a jack-o-lantern. "Hours change based on weather and day of the week at some of these, so check before heading out. Many also offer hours and prices for schools and other groups during the week," WBTV reports. One local place to visit is the Truist Field Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 15. (WBTV)

Today in Charlotte:

• French for Beginners Conversation Club (11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)
• SouthPark Toastmasters Club - Charlotte Mecklenburg Virtual Programming (12:00 p.m.)
• Reading for Change: The Sum of Us | Charlotte Mecklenburg Virtual Programming (5:30 p.m.)
• Fuel the Vote: Charlotte (5:30 p.m.)
• Independence Regional English Learners Book Club (6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• REMINDER: October 5 is a teacher workday for CMS and there is no school for students. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools via Facebook)
• Our goal is to empower adults impacted by sexual violence and welcome them into our community. Kinship is leveraging the power of unlikely relationships to create unimaginable outcomes. (Brave Step via Facebook)

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• 24hourgutters.com — (Visit website)
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Events:

• Top 10 Divorce Mistakes & How to Avoid Them ~ Vesta's Charlotte, NC Hub (October 5)
• ACT Master Strategies In-Person Class (October 30)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday off right! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with a new 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