Thousands Still Without Power After Powerful Storms Hammer Charlotte

Steve
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Thousands Still Without Power After Powerful Storms Hammer Charlotte

Thousands of Charlotte area residents are still without power this morning after several powerful thunderstorms hammered our region yesterday evening into this morning.

Last night at 10pm Duke Energy was reporting over 28,000 power outages around the Charlotte region, and as of 9am this morning, they were still reporting 8,119 power outages across our region.

Several streets around Charlotte went dark as the power to entire grid regions was knocked out;

Last night the always impressive Lewis Norman (aka @NormTheStorm5 ) captured this shot of the storm;

While this shot he took was from last year, this is what the sky looked like several times last night in Uptown Charlotte;

Late September 2016

A post shared by Lewis Norman (@normthestorm5) on

Flood advisories are still now in effect for Burke, Caldwell, Catawba and Iredell counties until 11 a.m. this morning.

Did you have your power knocked out at all last night or this morning?

America’s Largest Art and Farm Tour Starts Next Weekend in York County

Charlotte Stories
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America’s Largest Art and Farm Tour Starts Next Weekend in York County

The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour is the nation’s largest free, self- guided tour of farms featuring local artisans and farmer’s markets. Set to take place at local farms and farm stands in 12 counties across South Carolina – Chester, Chesterfield, Darlington, Fairfield, Florence, Horry, Kershaw, Lancaster, Newberry, Spartanburg, Union and York Counties. Visitors have the chance to see first-hand where their food comes from, watch artists in action, purchase homemade and homegrown goods, and learn more about rural life. Different counties are participating each weekend, giving visitors the opportunity to explore more farms and farm stands across the state.

The first Ag + Art Tour started in 2012 in York County to bring together agriculture and art. York County hosted close to 3,000 visitors during the inaugural year. The Tour expanded to include 1 – 3 more counties each year since its inception. In 2018, Spartanburg County joins the tour to bring the total number of participating counties to twelve. Overall, the Ag + Art Tour has welcomed more than 30,000 visitors since launching in 2012. | www.agandarttour.com

The Ag + Art Tour of York County is set to take place June 9 – 10, 2018. Visitors will be able to stop by farms and farm stands on Saturday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and on Sunday from 1:00 – 5:00 PM.

Ag + Art Tour of York County Kickoff Event

Each county participating in the South Carolina Ag + Art Tour hosts kickoff events in advance of their Tour weekends. The Ag + Art Tour of York County kicks off with a Farm to Fork Dinner on Friday, June 1 at Black’s Peaches, 1800 Black Highway, York, SC, from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. Dan “The Pig Man” Huntley, will be preparing a delicious family-style dinner using the freshest ingredients sourced from regional farms, including Tatonka Bison Farm located in York County, South Carolina. Many participating artists and farmers will be in attendance, and music will be performed by jazz guitarist, Ken Blinko. Tickets must be purchased in advance – $65 per person. Seating is limited to 75. Tickets may be purchased online at: yorkcountyarts.org.

Ag + Art Tour of York County | agandarttour.com/york

Take a trip along York County’s country roads to visit 22 farms and farm stands during the 2018 Ag + Art Tour. This year, more than 60+ artisans are participating! The artisans include bakers, painters, potters, quilters, fiber and fabric artists, musicians, storytellers, and more.

Farms and Farm Stands

Anne Springs Close Greenway, 250 Dairy Barn Lane, Fort Mill, SC 29715

Artisans | Mezcla – painter
| Old South Creations – metalworking

Baker Farm, 2494 Greenwood Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Artisans | Bones Tie Dye – folk artist and musician
| Lou Moon Candle Company – hand-poured candles
| Machen Designs – handmade jewelry

Black’s Peaches, 1800 Black Highway, York, SC 29745
Artisans | Bearded Lady Designs – handmade jewelry
| PJ Brunson – folk music – Sunday, 2 – 4 PM
| Rock n’ Art Graphics – painter

*Bush-n-Vine, 1650 Filbert Highway, York, SC 29745
*only open Saturday, June 10, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Artisans | Flower Floozy Designs – mosiacs
| SMW Artwork – painter

*Curtin Farms, 407 N. Paraham Road, Clover, SC 29710
*only open Saturday, June 10, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Artisans | The Barefoot Weaver – weaver
| Bob Haltom – baked goods and food
| L.B. Smith Photography – wooden coasters, pendants, wine glass
charms, stationery items, limited-edition prints featuring local
photographs
| Red Hill Forge – decorative iron works
| Vanessa’s Divine Creations – homemade jams, jellies, sweet and
savory preserves
| Window Blessings | personalized and distressed vintage windows

*Ferebee Farm, 455 Neely Store Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
*only open Saturday, June 10, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Artisans | Lemmonds Homestead – farmhouse style signs and home decor
| Tillman Music – musical performances and instrument instruction

*Forlines Farms on Ferndale, 250 Ferndale Road, McConnells, SC 29726
*only open Saturday, June 10, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Artisans | Brad’s Custom Designs – new age custom artwork
| Lathe Works – handmade pens, bowls, and accessories

Historic Brattonsville, 1444 Brattonsville Road, McConnells, SC 29726
Artisans | Julpak – handcrafted pouches
| Morack Studios – handmade books

J & J Family Farm, 1077 Wayfield Road, Clover, SC 29710
Artisans | Nana Z’s Quilting Zone – quilts and embroidered homemade crafts
| Piedmont Music Therapy, LLC – interactive musician
| Sally’s Sandcastings – plaster sandcastings
| †Vanessa’s Divine Creations – homemade jams, jellies, sweet and
savory preserves
†Sunday only

Ketchen Place Farm, 3218 Cedarvale Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732
*only open Saturday, June 10, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Artisan | M.C. Churchilll-Nash – painter

King’s Landing Farm, 4237 Saluda Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
*only open Saturday, June 10, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Artisans | AbsoDamnLutely BBQ Sauce
| Blue Lagoon – baked goods & smoked meat
| Cammie’s Creations – handmade jewelry
| Graceful Clay – pottery
| Jo Geater Design – custom pet portraits and hand painted art.
| KC’s Dragon Maille | steampunk and chain maille jewelry
| Anna Keener – agricultural art and potted flower arrangements
| Mojo’s Hodgepodge – upcycled wind chimes, wood crafts, lamps and
industrial crafts
| Olson’s Hollow – custom hair bows and accessories, hand-built pottery,
sewn items, photography cards of the area, glass works, doll items, and
other unique homemade crafted items
| Reclaim to Fame – painted and restored vintage furniture, painted
reclaimed rustic wood boxes and signs, old windows, and mason jars
| Recycling Rust – indoor/outdoor rustic art
| Sam’s Creations – paintings on wood
| Simply Natural Soaps & Sundries – handcrafted cold process soaps,
lotions, herbal salves, lip balm, bath bombs, bug spray, sugar scrubs
| Amber Stegall – spray paint art

Melton Farm | 4120 Bookout Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Artisans | Yarned and Dangerous – crocheted jewelry, accessories, home decor
| †Jibber Jabber Designs – hand sewn accessories, home décor, and stuffed animals
†Sunday only

Myersart and Farm, 1281 Legion Road, Hickory Grove, SC 29732
Artisans | Bette Christensen – handmade bags and accessories
| Sally’s Handwovens – weaver

The Peach Tree Orchard, 2077 Filbert Highway, York, SC 29745
Artisan | Quitsbybabs – quilter

Penny Family Farm, 4655 Cureton Ferry Road, Catawba, SC 29704
Artisans | The Blended Bakery – mobile bakery and food cart
| Studio 6 – pottery

Rock Hill Educational Community Garden, 954 Constitution Boulevard, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Artisans | Sutrina Benge – handmade soaps, lotions, and candles

Rock Ridge Farm, 542 Ridge Road, Clover, SC 29710
Artisans | handcrafted herbal medicinals, salves, lotions, and oils
| †weaving and spinning
| †wood carving
| Hardin Hill BBQ
| beekeeper
| blacksmith
| *Mark Willingham – dulcimer making
| *leather crafter
*Saturday only
†Sunday only

Roger Ridge Ranch | 4700 Canaan Church Road, Smyrna, SC 29743
Artisans | Raw Essence Natural Soaps & Bath Company – handmade soaps,
lotions, and candles
| Shirley White – handmade children’s clothes

Sanders Peaches, Highway 321, Filbert, York, SC 29745
Artisan | Dori Sanders – author, storyteller

Sharon Hill Farm | 1393 Hwy 97, York, SC 29742
Artisans | Mezcla – painter
| †Amanda Raetz – painter
†Sunday only

Tega Hills Farm | 1780 Zoar Road, Fort Mill, SC 29708
Artisans | Carmichael Corner Creations – handmade soaps, lotions, and candles
| Mezcla – painter

Windy Hill Orchard, 1860 Black Highway, York, SC 29745
*only open Saturday, June 10, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Artisans | Amanda Raetz – watercolor and charcoal portraits
| SobeSata Co. – handmade purses and accessories

Ancillary Sites
Cat’s Paw Winery, 1567 Fayrene Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732
Saturday, June 9 | 12 PM – 5 PM
Downtown Artistry, 201 East Main Street, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Saturday, June 9 | 10 AM – 5 PM; Sunday, June 10 | 1 – 5 PM
Gallery 120, 120 Bethel Street, Clover, SC 29745
Saturday, June 9 | 9 AM – 5 PM; Sunday, June 10 | 1 – 5 PM
Legal Remedy Brewing,
Saturday, June 9 | 9 AM – 5 PM; Sunday, June 10 | 11:30 AM – 5 PM
Museum of Western York County, 1716 Woodlawn St., Sharon, SC 29742
Saturday, June 9 | 10 AM – 5 PM; Sunday, June 10 | 1 – 5 PM
PuckerButt Pepper Company, 235 Main Street, Fort Mill, SC 29715
Saturday, June 9 | 10 AM – 5 PM; Sunday, June 10 | 1 – 5 PM

Be sure to pack an empty cooler to fill with fresh, locally grown produce! Artists will be creating and selling their work, and musicians will be performing at various stops. Many farms will host family-friendly activities including hayrides, farm tours, and opportunities to check out barnyard animals.

YORK COUNTY HERITAGE QUILT TRAIL
Two new barn quilt blocks have been created for the 2018 Tour – one featuring the Bear Claw pattern, and the other bearing a Sunflower pattern! The 4’ x 4’ quilt patterns were designed and built by members of the Oconee Conservatory of Fine Arts in Walhalla, South Carolina. With the addition of these new blocks, there are now 13 barn quilt blocks on display at farms that participate in the Ag + Art Tour of York County. The York County Heritage Quilt Trail is a part of the South Carolina Quilt Trails. The new blocks were provided by the Arts Council of York County, funded by a grant from York Electric Co-Op.

More information may be found at http://www.yorkcountyarts.org/ag–art.

Dangerous Jellyfish-Like Creature Washing Onto Carolina Beaches

Steve
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Dangerous Jellyfish-Like Creature Washing Onto Carolina Beaches

The most beautiful, and the most deadly jellyfish in the world is now washing up onto Carolina beaches in droves, and many are discovering first hand that the creatures are just as dangerous dead as they are alive

Star News Online reported several posts on Facebook showing the man-of-wars washing up on North Carolina beaches.

“Portuguese man o’ wars all along the coast yesterday. On every beach I hit up from North Topsail to Indian Beach, to Fort Macon and Emerald Isle,” according to one Facebook post.

An Oak Island beachgoer also posted another, reading, “They were all over the beach today, I saw several. They will hurt you!”

Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue has also reported sightings of the creatures;

The Portuguese man o’ war is a marine cnidarian of the family Physaliidae. They differ slightly from a traditional jellyfish in that they are a colony of organisms living in symbiotic harmony, as opposed to most jellyfish, which are 1 organism. Their name comes from their resemblance to 18th-century Portuguese warships, and because of their deadly stings.

According to National Geographic, “The tentacles contain batteries of cells that house miniscule, hollow harpoons called nematocysts. Those barbed harpoons act like hypodermic needles, enabling the man-of-war to inject a potent mix of venom into a victim.

If you’re planning on visiting a Carolina beach over the next few weeks, officials are now advising beachgoers to carry jellyfish sting ointment with them in case of stings.

If you spot a Man ‘O War jellyfish, please contact the lifeguard or local police.

2 People Confirmed Dead After Landslide Destroyed North Carolina Home

Steve
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2 People Confirmed Dead After Landslide Destroyed North Carolina Home

Two people have now been confirmed dead after a landslide destroyed their home, according to Watauga County officials.

The Boone Fire Department now thinks the landslide may have ruptured a gas line due to the lack of flame arresters at the home on Pine Ridge Dr., leveling the home in a firey explosion at about 5pm yesterday evening;

Over 20 different emergency agencies assisted in the search last night and are continuing to help with the cleanup today, including;

  • Boone Fire Department
  • Boone Police Department
  • Blowing Rock Fire Department
  • Blowing Rock Police Department
  • Watauga Sheriff’s Office
  • Watauga Medic
  • Watauga Rescue
  • Watauga County Emergency Management
  • Watauga County Communications
  • Boone Public Works Department
  • Blowing Rock Public Works Department
  • Red Cross
  • Foscoe Fire Department
  • Cove Creek Fire Department
  • Linville Central Rescue Squad
  • Fleetwood Fire Department
  • Champion Fire Department
  • Caldwell County Emergency Services
  • Lenoir Fire Department
  • Clairmont Fire Department
  • Alexander County Rescue Squad
  • USAR Taskforce – Buncome County

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency after several days of rain and heavy winds from subtropical storm Alberto caused havoc across western North Carolina.

Flash flood warnings continue to remain in effect accross our state until tomorrow morning;

Officials are now urging drivers to not drive through flooded roads if they can’t see the yellow or white lines marking the pavement.

North Carolina Ranked 9th Worst State in America for Jobs

Steve
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North Carolina Ranked 9th Worst State in America for Jobs

The Tar Heel state has just been ranked as one of the worst job states in America.

Today WalletHub released their report on the Best & Worst States for Jobs in 2018 and North Carolina came in at #42, just behind New Mexico (#43), Alaska (#44), and Alabama (#45).

Source: WalletHub

The financial analyst website compared all 50 states across 29 key indicators of job-market strength, opportunity and economic vitality. The dataset ranges from employment growth to median annual income to average commute time.

Here is how North Carolina stacked up in the most significant categories (1=Best; 25=Avg.)

  • 27th – Job Opportunities
  • 31st – Unemployment Rate
  • 32nd – Median Annual Income (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
  • 32nd – Avg. Length of Work Week (in Hours)
  • 24th – Avg. Commute Time (in Minutes)
  • 25th – Job Satisfaction

You can check out the full report here on WalletHub.com.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Is Coming To Charlotte on Farewell Tour

Charlotte Stories
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Lynyrd Skynyrd Is Coming To Charlotte on Farewell Tour

lynyrd-skynyrd-coming-to-charlotteThe legendary Southern Rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd is heading to Charlotte this year on their last tour ever.

The band originally started in 1964 as My Backyard in Jacksonville, Florida, and is now considered to have one of the longest performance records in history.

“Rock N’ Roll Hall of Famers” Lynyrd Skynyrd put a neat bow on a decorated career spanning five decades with one final tour looking back at the band’s biggest hits.

They’ll be performing at the PNC Music Pavilion on their nationwide ‘Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour’ along with .38 Special on Saturday, June 30th starting at 6pm.

For more info or tickets click here.

Over 100,000 Gallons of Raw Sewage Spilled In Myrtle Beach

Charlotte Stories
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Over 100,000 Gallons of Raw Sewage Spilled In Myrtle Beach

Over 100,000 gallons of raw sewage has just spilled onto the coast of Myrtle Beach.

According to the city’s Facebook post, The rupture happened at the top of an older ductile iron pipe, which has been in service for 30-plus years. The pipe wall thinned over time due to age and corrosive gases, and it’s thought that today’s heavier-than-normal flow volumes may have caused the pipe to break…”

The spill occured near the Mary C. Canty Recreation Center and flowed downstream into the ocean near the Family Kingdom Amusement Park, according to officials;

According to the DHEC website, there is now a long-term swim advisory in affect for the public beach access outside of the park;

The advisory will remain in effect until water quality returns to acceptable levels.

Officialls recommend that anyone with well water in Myrtle Beach test their water with a home testing kit, and consider installing a reverse osmosis filter on any faucet used for drinking water.

NC Lawmakers Want To Make Parents Financially Responsible For School Threats

Katherine Miele
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NC Lawmakers Want To Make Parents Financially Responsible For School Threats

Lawmakers in one North Carolina county are now pushing a new idea to make parents financially responsible for the additional resources a school has to use after a threat of violence is made.

Commissioners in Harnett County now think that if your child were to make a bomb threat or school shooting threat, you, as the parent would have to foot the bill. Area leaders are estimating that ‘the bill’ could cost upwards of $30,000 – from the cost of gas in the police cars to the overtime paid to resource officers, teachers, and other school staff.

In Cumberland County, just south of Harnett, the sheriff’s office has also been talking about implementing a similar measure, saying that school threats are now up to ten times the norm, and directly charging parents could change that.

Mecklenburg County government leaders, however, are much more reluctant to the idea, saying they have to consider parents who are already under financial hardship and might now have the ability to foot the bill, putting further strain on the family and ultimately the child.

What are your thoughts on the new concept?

Do you think parents should be held financially liable for threats their children make?

Landslides and Flooding Near North Carolina Dam Causes Emergency Evacuations

Steve
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Landslides and Flooding Near North Carolina Dam Causes Emergency Evacuations

Over 2,000 residents were evacuated after emergency crews anticipated a possible dam failure in western North Carolina.

Officials in McDowell County reported that widespread flooding was being caused by heavy rainfall of 4-6 inches over the past 24 hours. “This is causing significant and life-threatening flooding countywide. Floodwaters have reached levels not seen since the September 2004 floods associated with Hurricanes Frances and Ivan. Numerous evacuations of residences, businesses, and campgrounds, road closures, water rescues, and landslides are ongoing.”

This morning at about 1am, the National Weather Service sent out an emergency alert for all residents between Lake Shore Dr. to Lake Tahoma Rd. to leave their homes immediately, urging residents to “ACT NOW TO PRESERVE YOUR LIFE!”

Here is a compilation video of what the dam looked like last night put out by World News;

Shelters were opened at the YMCA in Marion, the Glenwood Baptist Church and Old Fort Baptist Church. No injuries have been reported, NBC News also said.

Lake Tahoma is located about 5 miles northwest of Marion, North Carolina, and about 60 miles northweat of Charlotte.

Flash flood warnings were sent out on Tuesday for North Carolina ahead of subtropical storm Alberto.

Charlotte Was Ranked The 4th Best City In America For Dating

Steve
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Charlotte Was Ranked The 4th Best City In America For Dating

The website ApartmentList.com recently surveyed 13,000 of their renters in the top 30 largest metro areas in the country, asking them how satisfied they were with the dating scenes in their city.

North Carolina saw the best results, with Raleigh, NC topping the list (two-thirds of those surveyed had a positive outlook), and Charlotte coming in at #4 in the nation.

Out of 30 major metropolitan areas surveyed, these were to top 10 best performing cities:

 

Riverside, CA saw the worst scores, with only 28% of respondents saying that they were happy with their dating opportunities. The nation’s top tech hubs – Seattle, Denver, and San Francisco – also perform below average.

Do you think Charlotte is a good city for dating? 

Let us know your experiences in the comments below:

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