Charlotte Appears On White House Briefing As #1 ‘Location To Watch’ For COVID-19 Surge

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Charlotte Appears On White House Briefing As #1 ‘Location To Watch’ For COVID-19 Surge

Last week, the City of Charlotte showed up on an official White House pandemic task force briefing as having the highest surge of new COVID-19 cases in the nation.

The document was obtained by NBC News and shows which metropolitan areas have the highest spikes. The document includes a section called ‘Locations to watch’, which lists the 10 top areas that recorded surges of 72.4 percent or greater over a seven-day period compared to the previous week.

Charlotte appears as the #1 ‘location to watch’ on the list:

Yesterday North Carolina saw its largest single day increase in cases to date with 730 new COVID-19 cases reported across the state.

Our state has now confirmed a total of 16,352 total cases, 625 deaths, and 210,457 total tests. Mecklenburg County is now reporting a total of 2,283 cases and 63 deaths from COVID-19 as of 6:00 pm on May 14th, 2020.

Governor Cooper’s ‘phase 1’ order is in effect until 5 pm on Friday, May 22. However, the end of this Order does not necessarily mean the state will move to Phase 2. Phase 2 will only start if data and indicators are in the right place.

Phase 2 includes the following changes:

  • Lift Stay At Home order with strong encouragement for vulnerable populations to continue staying at home to stay safe
  • Allow limited opening of restaurants, bars, fitness centers, personal care services, and other businesses that can follow safety protocols including the potential need to reduce capacity
  • Allow gathering at places such as houses of worship and entertainment venues at reduced capacity
  • Increase in number of people allowed at gatherings
  • Open public playgrounds
  • Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings

After 4-6 weeks of phase 2, if everything still looks under control, the state will move to Phase 3, which includes the following changes:

  • Lessen restrictions for vulnerable populations with encouragement to continue practicing physical distancing and minimizing exposure to settings where distancing isn’t possible
  • Allow increased capacity at restaurants, bars, other businesses, houses of worships, and entertainment venues
  • Further increase the number of people allowed at gatherings
  • Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings

Governor Cooper underscored the need for the testing, tracing and trends to move in the right direction for each of these phases to move forward. If there is a spike in infections, tightening of restrictions may be needed temporarily.

What do you think about the plans?

Charlotte Restaurant Owners Donate 575 Meals and More to Local Heroes

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Charlotte Restaurant Owners Donate 575 Meals and More to Local Heroes

In partnership with the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, Franchisee Larry Chandler and Area Representative Tim Goss donated 575 meals to local heroes at Carolina Medical Centers, Atrium Health Union Hospital in Monroe, Atrium Health Pineville, Novant Hospital and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

“It is my pleasure to deliver meals to the nurses and doctors who are helping keep our community in good health,” said Goss. “Giving back is something we prioritize at Firehouse Subs and we are thankful to continue supporting our community during this time of uncertainty.”

The donation to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department was part of 800 meals donated by Charlotte Salute to Heroes Hockey in which Goss provided 230 of those meals. The group shared the news to its Facebook page HERE and urges people to visit and donate to the GoFundMe page established to feed local first responders HERE.

Goss owns and operates the Firehouse Subs located at 7211 Waverly Walk Ave., Ste B-1 in Charlotte while Chandler owns five area Firehouse Subs restaurants in Charlotte, Indian Land, Matthews, Pineville and Indian Trail.

These donations were made possible by the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation through the support and generosity of Firehouse Subs restaurants, our guests and donors. Donations to the Foundation can be made at any Firehouse Subs restaurant or online at https://firehousesubsfoundation.org/donate/.

Since March 18, Firehouse Subs restaurants, community partners and the Foundation have donated nearly 67,000 meals across the country to healthcare workers and first responders on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as individuals and families in need and seniors who are unable to leave their homes.

Additionally, due to there being a shortage in hand sanitizer, Franchisee David Velasquez donated 26 pickle buckets for The Dreamchaser’s Brewery in Waxhaw to fill with hand sanitizer and donate to first responders. Velasquez owns and operates Firehouse Subs at 8516 South Tryon St. Ste 105 in Charlotte.

North Carolina Just Opened Their First Ever ‘Alpine Coaster’ At Over 2,100 Feet Long

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North Carolina Just Opened Their First Ever ‘Alpine Coaster’ At Over 2,100 Feet Long

North Carolina has just officially opened our state’s very first ‘alpine coaster’ – an awe-inspiring mountain-side roller coaster ride.

The new ‘Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster’ features 2-person carts that wind through trees, over rocks, and around 360-degree loops on over 2,160 feet of track at speeds up to 27 MPH. The coaster is just slightly longer than the legendary Canyon Flyer Coaster, America’s first alpine coaster which opened in 2014 (there are currently just 34 alpine coasters in the entire United States).

Here is a video from some of the coaster’s first riders this past weekend:

The new Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster is located along NC 184 at 3229 Tynecastle Highway in Banner Elk, about 2 hours Northwest of Charlotte.

City of Charlotte Partners With Duke Energy To Build Massive New Solar Facility

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City of Charlotte Partners With Duke Energy To Build Massive New Solar Facility

The City of Charlotte has become the first municipality to execute a renewable power agreement under Duke Energy’s Green Source Advantage (GSA) program – further expanding solar energy in North Carolina.

The 35-megawatt (MW) solar facility will be constructed in Iredell County. Under a 20-year power purchase agreement, Duke Energy will secure zero carbon power to partially offset the city of Charlotte’s energy demand.

“We are proud to be a municipal leader in North Carolina and in the U.S., not only setting ambitious climate and energy goals, but taking actions on those goals to support the environment and health of our community,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles.

The city will partner with Carolina Solar Energy, a North Carolina-based solar energy company, and Ecoplexus, an international solar energy company with offices in Durham, N.C., to build the solar farm, which is expected to be fully operational in 2022. The facility will be along Tomlin Mill Road near Statesville.

“Our customers want more options to secure renewable energy and the Green Source Advantage makes that happen,” said Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We designed the program to be flexible and allow larger users to negotiate directly with third-party developers. It supports our customers’ goal and expands renewable energy in North Carolina.”

The GSA program is an outgrowth of 2017’s landmark solar legislation in North Carolina. Programs such as solar rebates for customers and solar leasing were also part of that legislation. In 2015, Duke Energy’s pilot program for GSA – the Green Source Rider – had companies like Google and Cisco participate.

The GSA allows large customers to offset its power purchases by securing renewable energy from projects connected to the Duke Energy grid. The customer may keep the renewable energy certificates (RECs) from the projects and use the energy purchased to satisfy sustainability or carbon-free goals.

The move fits well with Charlotte’s goal to have its municipal fleet and facilities be fueled by 100% zero-carbon energy sources by 2030.

Participation in Green Source Advantage means the City of Charlotte will offset a portion of the energy supplied to its municipal operations with renewable energy. The city and the solar developer agreed on the specific project and additional costs associated with energy from the facility. Other Duke Energy customers will not pay for any part of the project.

Overall, 600 MW of capacity is available under the Green Source Advantage program for large Duke Energy customers in North Carolina. Currently, Duke Energy maintains more than 3,300 MW of solar power on its energy grid in North Carolina and operates 40 solar facilities. North Carolina currently ranks No. 2 in the nation for overall solar power.

Charlotte Ranked Among The Best Metros for 2020 College Grads

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Charlotte Ranked Among The Best Metros for 2020 College Grads
For the Class of 2020, graduation season is underway. Normally, this is an exciting time for college graduates, who are free to move to a new city and begin their careers. But for the Class of 2020, the pomp has been overcome by the circumstance: graduates are participating in digital commencements, hitting the job market as unemployment spikes and many cities under some form of lockdown. This year, the goal for college grads is simple – secure a job.
Apartment List has just compiled a new report ranking the stability and resilience of local job markets. According to the report, Charlotte is now ranked as the #19 best metro in the nation for college graduates.
The report found that:
  • The average wage for recent college grads in Charlotte is $42,348, ranking #25 in the nation.
  • 74% of recent college grads in Charlotte work in an remote-friendly occupation, making it easier to find and secure a job during lockdown.
  • Recent college grads are likely to be renters. And in Charlotte, 30% are cost-burdened, spending more than one-third of their income on rent.

Here are the top 50 metros in America: 

The North Carolina Zoo Announces Birth of Five Critically Endangered American Red Wolves

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The North Carolina Zoo Announces Birth of Five Critically Endangered American Red Wolves

The North Carolina Zoo announces the birth of five critically endangered American red wolves as part of its American red wolf breeding program. The five new pups – three males, two females – were born Tuesday, April 21. The pups and their mother are all healthy and doing well.

There are currently only 15-20 red wolves found in the wild, only in eastern North Carolina, making them the most endangered canid in the world.

In celebration of North Carolina, the rare pups were named after plants found in the state. The names for the males are Oak (Appalachian Oak), Cedar (Red Cedar) and Sage (Azure Sage). The females are named Lily (Carolina Lily, the state’s wildflower) and Aster (Piedmont Aster). They are the offspring of Piglet (female) and Jewell (male). This is the first litter for this pair.

This litter brings the number of red wolves in the Zoo’s breeding program to 25, making it the second-largest pack in the U.S. after Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington.

The pups are being kept in a quiet, non-public viewing area of the Zoo and have minimal contact with staff and keepers. This allows their mother to raise the pups with the least amount of stress in a natural habitat.

“Congratulations to the North Carolina Zoo for playing an essential part toward helping this critically endangered species recover,” said Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the N.C. Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources. “It’s yet another example of the Zoo doing amazing work to conserve wildlife and wild places.”

Once common throughout the southeastern United States, the wolves were driven to near extinction during the late 1960s, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began an aggressive conservation effort – the American Red Wolf Recovery Program – that led to new ways to track and protect the species.

The Zoo has been part of the American Red Wolf Recovery Program since 1994. The Zoo’s red wolf pack has bred eleven pups over the past three years and has successfully bred 34 wolves since the program began. Currently, there are about 240 (that number can change daily during the whelping season) red wolves in breeding programs throughout the U.S. Red wolves normally have three to five pups per litter.

The North Carolina Zoo led the successful efforts to have the American red wolf become part of the Association of Zoo and Aquariums SAFE (Saving Species From Extinction) program.

Under this program, the Zoo leads in conserving the species and growing both the population in the wild and the animals under human care. 

To learn more about the North Carolina Zoo and our red wolf program please visit www.nczoo.org

Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Selling 55 Acre Parcel – Making Way For Possible New Panthers Stadium

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Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Selling 55 Acre Parcel – Making Way For Possible New Panthers Stadium

The Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company has just announced plans to move their entire operation from just outside Uptown Charlotte to Stanly County, making way for what could soon a new state-of-the-art Charlotte stadium.

Last fall, the owner of the Panthers, David Tepper, told media outlets that he was eyeing the 55 acre site of the historic Pipe and Foundry Company for a new facility that would replace Uptown Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

In a press release, the owner of Pipe and Foundry said that a larger more modern facility in Stanley County will help streamline his operation and increase his shareholder’s yields.

“While our current location is providing all stakeholders with a solid platform to deliver outstanding results, a new foundry will allow a more efficient layout of our plant and equipment and give us the flexibility to expand to meet future needs,” Charlotte Pipe and Foundry’s CEO Roddey Dowd, Jr. commented. “Our current site simply does not afford the opportunities for growth that we envision for Charlotte Pipe.”

The company will be investing at least $325 million to build their new operations on a 428-acre parcel in Oakboro, NC and hopes to be fully operational by 2023.

As Grocery Shelves Run Dry, A New App Is Connecting Residents To Local Farmers – Visit NC Farms

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As Grocery Shelves Run Dry, A New App Is Connecting Residents To Local Farmers – Visit NC Farms

As fresh produce and meat becomes more and more scarce in Walmarts and Harris Teeters during COVID-19, a growing number of North Carolinians are turning to local farms to keep their pantries stocked.

Many are now turning to a new app that was originally planned to increase agro-tourism in our state but is now becoming a valuable resource for residents.

The Visit NC Farms app now represents 30 counties across North Carolina and currently lists location information, product availability, and pricing for hundreds of North Carolina farms.

The app was developed and built by Don Macke, who is also the co-founder of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship.

“The key is for rural communities to recognize that they have valuable assets, one of which is the very nature of rural life,” Macke said. “In an increasingly congested and impersonal world, there is great appeal to a close-knit community. The qualities associated with rural life are particularly conducive to the creation of entrepreneurial ecosystems and the free flow of information, skills and resources”.

You can find out more information or download their Apple or Android app here.

Subtropical Storm ‘Arthur’ Could Become First Named Storm of 2020 If Bermuda Triangle Disturbance Grows

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Subtropical Storm ‘Arthur’ Could Become First Named Storm of 2020 If Bermuda Triangle Disturbance Grows

A developing tropical disturbance could become the first named storm of 2020 by next week according to the National Weather Service.

The NHC just upgraded the probability of a new subtropical depression that’s been forming over the Bermuda triangle. They now say that there is a 70% (HIGH) chance of it developing into a subtropical storm over the next 5 days. If it does develop, they NWS will give the new storm the name ‘Arthur’.

The NWS sent out the following alert earlier today:

A broad area of low pressure is expected to develop late this 
week or early this weekend a couple of hundred miles north of 
the Bahamas. Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual 
development of this system, and a subtropical depression or storm 
is likely to form this weekend while it moves northeastward over 
the western Atlantic. The next Special Tropical Weather Outlook on 
this system will be issued by 9 AM EDT Wednesday, or earlier, if 
necessary.

The official Atlantic Coast hurricane season for 2020 runs from June 1st through November 30th, so if Arthur does develop into a full blown storm, it would be nearly a month early.

NWS officials are reminding all residents in Atlantic Coast states to start preparing for the upcoming hurricane season.

In case of a power outage, make sure to have the following emergency items stocked in your home;

We will continue to update this article as this storm develops. 

NC COVID-19 Cases Top 15,000 as 7-day Average Hits New All-Time High

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NC COVID-19 Cases Top 15,000 as 7-day Average Hits New All-Time High

Just 4 days after Governor Cooper initiated ‘phase 1’ of our state’s reopening plan, the 7 day moving average for new cases hit an all-time high of 443.

As of 10:30am on 5/12, North Carolina is reporting a total of 15,274 confirmed cases and 576 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths.

Mecklenburg County is now reporting 2,134 confirmed cases and 63 COVID-19 related deaths.

Governor Cooper’s ‘phase 1’ order is in effect until 5 pm on Friday, May 22. However, the end of this Order does not necessarily mean the state will move to Phase 2. Phase 2 will only start if data and indicators are in the right place.

Phase 2 includes the following changes:

  • Lift Stay At Home order with strong encouragement for vulnerable populations to continue staying at home to stay safe
  • Allow limited opening of restaurants, bars, fitness centers, personal care services, and other businesses that can follow safety protocols including the potential need to reduce capacity
  • Allow gathering at places such as houses of worship and entertainment venues at reduced capacity
  • Increase in number of people allowed at gatherings
  • Open public playgrounds
  • Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings

After 4-6 weeks of phase 2, if everything still looks under control, the state will move to Phase 3, which includes the following changes:

  • Lessen restrictions for vulnerable populations with encouragement to continue practicing physical distancing and minimizing exposure to settings where distancing isn’t possible
  • Allow increased capacity at restaurants, bars, other businesses, houses of worships, and entertainment venues
  • Further increase the number of people allowed at gatherings
  • Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings

Governor Cooper underscored the need for the testing, tracing and trends to move in the right direction for each of these phases to move forward. If there is a spike in infections, tightening of restrictions may be needed temporarily.

What do you think about the plans?

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