US Safety Commission Recalling 1.4 Million Flushing Systems After Reports of Exploding Toilets

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US Safety Commission Recalling 1.4 Million Flushing Systems After Reports of Exploding Toilets

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has just issued a national recall on roughly 1.4 million toilet flushing systems after receiving reports of exploding toilets, including 1,446 explosions and at least 23 serious injuries (including 1 foot surgery).

According to the recall notice, “The system can burst at or near the vessel weld seam releasing stored pressure. This pressure can lift the tank lid and shatter the tank, posing impact and laceration hazards to consumers and property damage.”

The specific product name is the Flushmate II 501-B pressure-assisted flushing systems with date code ranges of  090396 (September 3, 1996) through 120713 (December 7, 2013).

The recalled units were sold individually and installed in toilets manufactured by American Standard, Corona, Crane, Kohler and Mansfield. They were sold in all Charlotte-area Lowes and Home Depot stores, and online on Flushmate’s Amazon store.

Consumers should immediately stop using their Flushmate systems, turn off the water supply to the unit, flush the toilet to release the internal pressure, and contact the company for a replacement (which will be installed by a technician).

Flushmate’s toll-free is 844-621-7538, or they can be reached online at www.flushmate.com (click 501-B Recall in the blue box at the top of the page).

Panthers Achieve Historic Comeback After Being Down 17-0 In The 4th Against The Eagles

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Panthers Achieve Historic Comeback After Being Down 17-0 In The 4th Against The Eagles

Yesterday in Philadelphia, the Panthers put together one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history, beating the Eagles 21-17.

The Eagles dominated most of the game and held a commanding 17-0 lead at the start of the 4th quarter.

Early in the 4th, the Cardiac Cats came alive, ending an 11-play 80-yard run up the field with a 14-yard rushing touchdown by Curtis Samuel. A few plays later, Kuechly sacked QB Carson Wentz to force a punt from the Eagles. Cam then put up 5-straight completions, ending with an 18-yard TD pass to Funchess for our second score of the game, and after a 2 point conversion, we were just 3 points down.

With 2:17 left in the game, on 4th down, Cam Newton threw a laser pass to Torrey Smith along the right side of the field that resulted in a 35-yard pass play.

Just 6 plays later, we had the lead – a strip-sack by Peppers then ended the Eagles’ last hope on 4th and 2.

The game is now going down in history books as the largest 4th-quarter comeback in Carolina history, and the first time since 1985 that a road team didn’t score by the 4th quarter and came back by over 17 points to win the game (the last time this happened was Minnesota vs Philadelphia on Dec. 1, 1985).

Here are the highlights from yesterday’s historic game;

The Panthers will return home this weekend to Bank of America Stadium to take on the Ravens on October 28 starting at 1pm – tickets are now on sale here.

President Trump Is Coming To Charlotte This Week

Steve
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President Trump Is Coming To Charlotte This Week

This week, the President of the United States will be coming to Charlotte to perform a midterm campaign rally.

President Donald Trump will be holding his rally at the Bojangles Coliseum starting at 4pm on Friday, Oct. 26th.

You can now register for free tickets on his website here.

“We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And we will Make America Great Again,” the president noted on the rally website.

Expect heavy traffic delays Friday afternoon between the Charlotte Douglas Airport and the Bojangles Colosseum. The exact route of the president’s motorcade has not yet been announced.

What do you think about his upcoming Charlotte rally? 

Police Looking For The Couple Who Threw Glass At Bartender At Pinky’s Westside Grill

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Police Looking For The Couple Who Threw Glass At Bartender At Pinky’s Westside Grill

This past weekend, a man and woman walked into Pinky’s Westside Grill on Morehead St, ordered some food, then threw a glass cup at the bartender’s face, resulting in a massive cut that required stitches.

Here is the shocking moment at the restaurant;

According to police, the couple paid their bill, but they also wrote offensive messages on the tip line demanded a refund, then started hurling insults at the bartender and the man eventually threw a glass at him, cutting his face;

If you have any information about the couple’s whereabouts, please call crimestoppers at (704) 334-1600 or 911.

Top 10 Events Happening Around Charlotte This Weekend – 10/19/18

Steve
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Top 10 Events Happening Around Charlotte This Weekend – 10/19/18

The weekend is finally here!

There will be tons of concerts, festivals, shows – including several Octoberfests!

Here are the top 10 things happening around the Charlotte region this weekend:

#1 The Charlotte Fair

The Charlotte Fair is back at 5650 Sandusky Blvd, in Concord, running October 12 – 21.

Admission: Adults: $8.00
Ages 5-11: $5.00
Ages 4 & Under: FREE
Unlimited Ride Wristbands: $25

Shows and Attractions include:
-Aguiar Circus and Thrill Show – Featuring the Globe of Death!
https://www.facebook.com/Aguiar-Bro…
-Rattlesnake Dave Richardson & the West Texas Rattlesnake Show
-Rockin A Ranch Friendly Petting Zoo
-Carnival Attractions provided by Amusements of America!

Enjoy the stunning sights, sounds and tastes, including items like: Funnel Cakes, Corn Dogs, BBQ, Authentic Mexican Food, Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Ice cream, Pizza, Turkey Legs, Elephant Ears, Caramel Apples, Candied Apples, Cotton Candy, Tacos, Churros, Pizza, and more!

For more information or tickets click here.

#2 Carolina BalloonFest 2018

The Carolina BalloonFest is held every 3rd weekend in October. Bring your cameras, lawn chairs and blankets to experience a family-friendly festival featuring over 50 hot air balloons, live music, tasty food, wine and craft beer tasting, kids zone, and creative and intriguing artisan and marketplace vendors. A proceed of ticket sales benefit local non-profits and charities in the surrounding area.

For more info click here.

#3 Blues Travelers

During the ’90s Blues Traveler became one of the most popular bands around. Their blues influenced rock music was all over the airwaves and saw them develop a large fan base. They’re sure to put on a show that no one in Charlotte will want to miss.

They’ll be performing live at the Filmore starting tomorrow night at 8pm.

For tickets or more info click here.

#4 Charlotte Checkers

The Charlotte Checkers will be taking on the Hershey Bears this coming Friday and Saturday night at the Spectrum Center.

For tickets or more info click here.

#5 Charlotte Justice Conference

Join together this Saturday morning with us in community as we listen to national and local speakers cover actionable steps we can take to assist with efforts over topics of public safety reform, human trafficking, immigrant and refuge mental health, educational success, foster care, affordable housing, social enterprise, and building social capital.

For more info click here.

#6 SOJA

SOJA will be performing live at the Filmore this coming Friday night starting at 8pm.

The critically acclaimed reggae band SOJA (Soldiers Of Jah Army) hopes their music will “speak for people who don’t have microphones.” SOJA’s musical style blends reggae, go-go, D.C. Hardcore, Latin, rock and hip-hop genres together. Their positivity, upbeat lyrics and Grateful Dead-like cult following has skyrocketed them to the top.

For tickets or more info click here.

#7 Belmont Oktoberfest

Come celebrate fall and Gaston Beer at the first Belmont Oktoberfest!

Activities and Events will include:
Starting at 1pm:
~Local Craft Beer
~German Food
~Live music from The Menders, Carolina Smoke, and more: Starting at 1pm
~Vendor Fair
~Family Friendly Activities and Games

For more info click here.

#8 Halloween In Huntersville

On Saturday, starting at 4pm, join the Huntersville Parks and Rec Dept. for Halloween in Huntersville at Rural Hill with free entertainment including live music, balloon twisters, airbrush tattoos, bounce houses, & local craft vendors. Food trucks and beverages will be available for purchase.

For more info click here.

#9 6th Annual Laketoberfest Music & Brew Festival

Join the Cornelius PARC Department on Saturday, October 20, 2018, from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Bailey Road Park for the return of Laketoberfest! This annual family-friendly event is one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in Lake Norman and attracts thousands of guests each year. This year’s Laketoberfest will feature a dozen local craft breweries, food trucks, vendors, kid’s zone, and live music! Admission and parking are free.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists.

For more info click here.

#10 Metallica

After more than three decades on the road, Metallica tour dates continue to deliver crowd favorites, such as “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “One” and “Enter Sandman,” mixed with songs from more recent releases, such as Death Magnetic and Hardwired… to Self-Destruct. The November 2016 release of Hardwired…to Self-Destruct marks the group’s long-awaited return with new music and their upcoming concert in Charlotte.

For tickets or more info click here.

If you think other events should be on this list or future lists, let us know – Scott@CharlotteStories.com

Charlotte SWAT Deployed After Armed Man Barricaded Himself Inside Home

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Charlotte SWAT Deployed After Armed Man Barricaded Himself Inside Home

The CMPD SWAT Team was deployed this morning at 9am after an armed man barricaded himself inside a home in SouthEast Charlotte following a helicopter chase, according to police.

The stand-off occurred at 7719 Krefeld Glen Dr, just off Independence Blvd;

Here’s a video that a neighbor recorded of the standoff after they were forced to stay in their home;

CMPD just released a statement which reads;

“On Thursday, October 18, 2018, at approximately 9:07 a.m., detectives from the Targeted Response and Apprehension (TRAP) Unit located Todd O’Brien Houston, DOB: 05/19/1988 at an apartment complex in the South Division and were attempting to serve 32 felony arrest warrants on him. Before detectives could apprehend him, Houston fled in a stolen vehicle. The Helicopter Units followed Houston until he pulled into an apartment complex on Krefeld Glen Drive. Houston exited the stolen vehicle, and the Helicopter Unit directed TRAP detectives to Houston’s location. TRAP detectives located Houston in a stairway armed with a handgun.

TRAP detectives set up a perimeter and began securing the scene. Residents were relocated as a precaution, and the members of the SWAT Team and Negotiators were notified and responded to the scene. Independence and South Division patrol officers also responded to the scene to assist.

After a standoff with SWAT and speaking with Negotiators, the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody without incident. Houston, who is a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number at the time of his arrest. Houston is currently being transported to police headquarters where he will be interviewed by detectives. Upon completion of the interview he will be transferred to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office for charges related to this incident.”

Charlotte Giving Residents $50,000 In Grants For Community Enhancement Projects

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Charlotte Giving Residents $50,000 In Grants For Community Enhancement Projects

Apply for grants of up to $10,000 for placemaking projects in celebration of the City’s 250th Anniversary. We are challenged to complete 250 placemaking projects during our 250th year. A total of $50,000 has been dedicated to the Placemaking Grant Program, which will provide funding and technical support to residents to create and enhance community vibrancy, safety, and creative identity.

Eligible project categories include:

• Painted traffic circles & crosswalks
• Community and urban gardens
• Wall or street murals
• Sidewalk dining (for businesses)
• Street furniture
• Parklets
• Large format games
• Decorative lighting
• Decorative signal cabinet wraps
• Pocket parks
• Bike parking
• Other projects will be considered

To apply, applicants must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by October 22. Applicants whose letters of intent are selected will be invited to submit a formal application for the grant program by December 17. Grants will be awarded mid-January.

For more information on Charlotte’s Placemaking Grant including guidelines, select project ideas and how-to-guides, visit charlottenc.gov/placemaking or call 704-336-4594. Funded projects must be free and open to all members of the public, be visible within the community and be achievable by December 31, 2019.

Drug-Resistant Salmonella Outbreak Spreads To North Carolina

Steve
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Drug-Resistant Salmonella Outbreak Spreads To North Carolina

Four North Carolinians are among the 92 people in the US who’ve now been confirmed to have salmonella after coming in contact with raw chicken, CDC officials said Wednesday.

North Carolina is one of 29 states to report cases of a powerful multidrug-resistant strain of salmonella, which has now led to 21 hospitalizations.

Symptoms of the outbreak now include diarrhea, fever, and severe stomach cramps. Most victims start to experience symptoms 12 to 72 hours after being exposed to the contaminated chicken.

According to the CDC, “ill people reported preparing or eating chicken products that were purchased raw, including ground chicken, chicken pieces, and whole chicken. Ill people reported buying many different brands of raw chicken products from multiple stores. Also, one person got sick after pets in their home ate raw ground chicken pet food. Another ill person lived with someone who works in a facility that raises or processes chickens.

The outbreak strain of Salmonella Infantis has been identified in samples from raw chicken pet food, from raw chicken products from 58 slaughter and/or processing establishments, and from live chickens.”

Double Dare Live Coming To Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte

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Double Dare Live Coming To Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte

Nickelodeon, in partnership with Red Tail Productions, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Red Tail Entertainment, and CB Entertainment, announced today Nickelodeon’s Double Dare Live, the multi-city live stage tour inspired by the iconic TV game show Double Dare. Double Dare Live will play Charlotte’s Ovens Auditorium on Friday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Featuring original host Marc Summers and his beloved sidekick Robin Russo, the live stage show will debut in Fayetteville, NC, on October 30 and will tour North America through November. Tickets go on sale to the general public today starting at 10am.

“Hosting the Double Dare Live tour couldn’t be any more exciting, and I look forward to bringing the fun and messiness of Double Dare to audiences across the country,” said Marc Summers. “Doing the show again with my sidekick Robin will fulfill childhood dreams of the generation that grew up with us and introduce this classic show to the next generation.”

Double Dare Live will feature two teams comprised of selected audience members competing to win prizes by answering brain-bending trivia questions, completing messy physical challenges and ultimately facing the legendary obstacle course.

The brand-new Double Dare series premiered this summer and was ranked as one of the top three shows with K6-11 on all TV. Double Dare is hosted by digital creator and actress Liza Koshy, with original host Marc Summers providing color commentary on the challenges and lending his vast knowledge of the game and expertise to each episode.

Double Dare premiered on Oct. 6, 1986, on Nickelodeon, and ran from 1986-1993, making it the network’s longest running game show. Marc Summers served as the show’s original host from 1986-1993. Shortly after its debut, Double Dare became one of the most popular original daily programs on cable television. The series went into syndication in 1988, and was later revived as Super Sloppy Double Dare in 1989. The show also ran on broadcast television as Family Double Dare in 1988, followed by new versions on Nick, including Double Dare 2000.

Tickets for Double Dare Live at Ovens Auditorium are now available here at TicketNetwork.com. 

 

North Carolina’s DPI Giving $60 Million to Hurricane-Damaged Schools 

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North Carolina’s DPI Giving $60 Million to Hurricane-Damaged Schools 

State Superintendent Mark Johnson announced today that the N.C. Department of Public Instruction is disbursing $60 million in emergency capital funding for the public schools damaged by Hurricane Florence: $25 million from the N.C. Education Lottery fund and $35 million appropriated by the General Assembly Monday from the state’s rainy-day fund. The funds will go toward emergency capital needs for damaged schools in the 28 counties designated in President Donald Trump’s disaster declaration following the storm and flooding in September.

“I am pleased that the legislature and the governor agreed on the funds so quickly,” Johnson said. “We know the need is great, and we are wasting no time getting these funds to the schools that need them.”

Johnson alerted school districts Friday of funding from the $25 million transfer the governor approved last week, awarding the funds to five districts based on the directive to the department to use the funding to help reopen public schools that are still closed. The funding was distributed as noted below.

The funding was distributed on a pro-rata basis according to the districts’ stated need for funds to reopen closed schools. It represents neither the total amount of damage from the storm, the total amount the districts above (or other districts) have already spent on school damage, nor the amount of net state aid the districts will ultimately receive due to the storm. Jones County, for instance, has chosen not to reopen two damaged schools, partly because the state awarded the county $15 million a year ago under the state’s Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund program to begin construction of a new K-12 school building that will incorporate students from both closed schools. Likewise, Columbus County will receive $10.6 million for Columbus County Schools and $4.3 million for Whiteville City Schools in Needs-Based grants this year.

Following the unanimous passage of the 2018 Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Act on Monday evening, DPI will receive an additional $35 million in capital recovery funds to distribute to schools in the affected counties.

“Our school leaders have spent millions on remediation, repair, and other capital outlays because of damage from Florence,” Johnson said. “These funds will help fill the crucial gap between the needs we know are out there and what federal disaster aid, insurance proceeds, local ability to pay, and other sources will cover. Our goal is to get these remaining funds out of Raleigh as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence as these communities struggle to get back to normal.”

The emergency legislation also changed the way DPI will calculate student membership numbers, which determine how much of the $10 billion in normal funding for the operation of the state’s public schools is calculated. Any decreases in the average daily membership figure for each affected school district and charter school will be calculated based on the highest student population of the first four months rather than just the first two months of school. This change will assist districts and charters that experienced reduced membership due to student displacement from the storms.

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