Yesterday afternoon, a scrap yard in North East Charlotte experienced a sudden flash flood, damaging property and stranding all the workers inside the building.

According to employees, the entire business and parking lot flooded in less than 5 minutes. The waters rushed in so fast that even cars, equipment, and supplies were flooded in a moments notice;

VIDEO: Employee at a flooded business on Atando Ave. sent me this video from the door of the recycling shop. @wsoctv is live NOW w/ breaking coverage. pic.twitter.com/BQO04rhp0w

— Liz Foster (@lizfosterWSOC9) July 24, 2018

A rescue crew with the Charlotte Fire Department used a small boat to get across the flood waters and onto the property to rescue the stranded workers.

CFD, assisting occupants from a business in the 100 block of Atando Ave; flooding has prevented them from being able to evacuate. No injuries reported pic.twitter.com/CB4505eE8N

— Charlotte Fire Dept (@CharlotteFD) July 24, 2018

After all employees were safely transported to dry land, the water level dropped within the next hour.

Officials with the Fire Department say there were no injuries.

Last night, The Charlotte City Council approved a new plan to spend over $500,000 in body armor for Charlotte’s firefighters.

The city will now invest in about 400 new armored vests, shields, and helmets for all on-duty firefighters.

The proposed plan came as more pressure was put on city leaders by the National Fire Protection Association and other groups to adequately protect all firefighters in light of the recent increase in active-shooter scenarios and armed domestic dispute situations.

Last year, Charlotte firefighters responded to at least 17 incidents involving firearms, and as our population grows, that number is only expected to increase.

What do you think of the new plan? 

With July and August ranking among the most popular months to move and about 80% of the U.S. population living in urban areas, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018’s Best Big Cities to Live in.

The Queen City came in at #20, just behind Omaha, NE (#19) and Washington, DC (#18). We beat out neighboring Atlanta (#28) and Nashville (#29) as one of the best big cities in the south;

WalletHub evaluated the 62 largest U.S. cities in terms of 56 key metrics. The data set ranges from quality of public school system to job opportunities to median annual property taxes.

Livability of Charlotte (1=Best; 31=Avg.):

• 13^th – Housing Costs
• 20^th – Quality of Public Hospital System
• 16^th – Quality of Public School System
• 21^st – Job Opportunities
• 25^th – Air Quality
• 34^th – Access to Public Transportation
• 35^th – Violent-Crime Rate

For the full report, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-large-cities-to-live-in/14358/

AT&T has just announced that its new 5G service will be coming to Charlotte, along with Raleigh, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Waco, and Atlanta by the end of this year. Along with the upgraded cell towers, they’ll also be installing 5G Wi-Fi hotspots around our city to connect all devices to the new high-speed service.

“We’re deliberately launching with a mix of big and mid-sized cities. One competitor recently boasted ‘New York matters more than Waco’ when discussing their future plans. We politely disagree – all Americans should have access to next-gen connectivity to avoid a new digital divide,” AT&T noted in their press release.

We plan to offer mobile #5G to customers in a dozen cities this year, and today, we’re naming 3 more cities on the list. ✅ Details here: https://t.co/LXYslLixWw #PathTo5G pic.twitter.com/GYkyHGgmj8

— AT&T (@ATT) July 20, 2018

“In a global, interconnected economy, access to the most advanced technology is vital for creating jobs and driving economic growth that benefits everyone in a community,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. “Access to 5G technology can make a genuine difference in the lives of families and help assure that Charlotte continues to be such a great place to live, work and play.”

AT&T’s new 5G Evolution technology has already rolled out in 141 smaller markets across the country, bringing theoretical peak speeds for capable devices of up to 400 megabits per second. 5G is definitely in the spotlight and can be useful not only in terms of stronger connection but also as another source of income. This refers to a cell tower lease, where property owners can get regular income if they lease a cell tower on their property. With a 5G infrastructure expanding, many landowners certainly explored this opportunity, after which they can also renew cell tower lease when the contract ends.

Are you excited for the new 5G service in Charlotte?

Snakebite season has now arrived in the Charlotte region, and as more land is developed, and more people move to our region, the number of poisonous snake encounters and bites is only expected to increase.

Last year, Mecklenburg County was ranked 2nd in the state for poisonous snake bites, with over 100 reported to the Carolina Poison Center over the summer months.

A few days ago, Kelly Cuene stumbled on this highly-venomous copperhead slithering across her grass;

Dear internet: what kind of #snake is this? pic.twitter.com/S5XsR5AhJx

— Kelly Cuene (@kellycuene) July 18, 2018

Fortunately, she was able to get away unscathed, but many around the Charlotte region aren’t so fortunate.

Just this past Wednesday afternoon, a 13-year-old girl was hospitalized after being bit by a copper head in South Charlotte;

#NEW A 13 year old girl is recovering in the hospital after a bite from a copperhead snake. It happened yesterday afternoon along Little Sugar Creek in South Charlotte. Family tells me she is expected to be ok. @FOX46News pic.twitter.com/nxvmnmZYw4

— Brett Baldeck (@BrettFOX46) July 19, 2018

Experts say our recently mild winter is to blame for the increase in snakes, and increased development and population in Mecklenburg account for the significantly higher number of bites, compared to rural counties.

The Charlotte region’s most prevalent venomous snake is the copperhead, but North Carolina is also home to cottonmouths, rattlesnakes (eastern diamondback, pygmy and timber) and coral snakes.

If you do a lot of walking or hiking around the Charlotte region, you should carry a snake bite kit and/or venom extractor in your backpack or car.

The Carolina Poison Center also recommends that:

If bitten by a snake, you SHOULD:

• Sit down and stay calm.
• Gently wash the area with warm, soapy water.
• Remove any jewelry or tight clothing near the bite site.
• Keep the bitten area still, if possible, and raise it to heart level.
• Call the Carolinas Poison Center:  1-800-222-1222.

If bitten by a snake, you SHOULD NOT:

• Ice the area.  Icing causes additional tissue damage.
• Make and apply a tourniquet or any tight bandage.  It’s better for the venom to flow through the body than for it to stay in one area.
• Attempt to catch or kill the snake.

If a snakebite victim is having chest pain, difficulty breathing, face swelling, or has lost consciousness, call 911 immediately.

Call Carolinas Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 for questions about a snake bite or for more information.