NC House and Senate Pass New Bill That Would Make Any School Threat A Felony

Charlotte Stories
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NC House and Senate Pass New Bill That Would Make Any School Threat A Felony

The North Carolina house and senate just ratified a new bill that would change any threats made against a school or place of worship from a misdemeanor into a felony.

The introduction to the bill reads;

“AN ACT TO INCREASE THE CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR COMMUNICATING A THREAT OF MASS VIOLENCE ON EDUCATIONAL PROPERTY OR AT A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, TO PROVIDE FOR CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE OF PERSONS CONVICTED OF THOSE OFFENSES WHEN THE OFFENSE IS COMMITTED UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY, AND TO REQUIRE A JUDGE TO SET CONDITIONS OF RELEASE FOR THOSE OFFENSES.”

Now that it has been passed by the house and senate, House Bill 670 moves onto Governor Roy Cooper’s desk, where, if signed, it will become a law.

While many think this new law will further deter students who might want to make a threat, others think it might be going to far to make troubled teens lifelong felons.

 

The bill does, however, allow for first-time offenders under 20 years old to have a judge dismiss their charge in exchange for community service, probation and mental evaluation.

What do you think about the new bill? 

Advocacy Groups Call on Governor Cooper to Veto SB711

Steve
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Advocacy Groups Call on Governor Cooper to Veto SB711

Following the North Carolina General Assembly’s rushed passage of SB 711, which would significantly limit the rights of neighbors of industrialized hog farms to sue for nuisance and significant pollution of their air and water, several advocacy groups, including; Center for Biological Diversity, Food & Water Watch, Public Justice, Socially Responsible Agriculture Project, and Waterkeeper Alliance issued the following statement:

“We call on Governor Cooper to continue his record as a champion of all North Carolinians – and especially those who call the rural communities of our state home – by standing with our state’s citizens and against those contaminating our air and water, by vetoing SB 711. The coalition of legislators who have tenaciously and heroically fought this dangerous bill and stood with families and communities as they take on these polluters, must also stand with the Governor and sustain the veto.

The proponents of this bill have tried to mislead politicians and the public into thinking it is a referendum on support for North Carolina’s agricultural industry. That’s not true. The people of North Carolina have long welcomed, worked for and promoted safe and responsible agriculture in our state. This bill is not about pulling back the welcome mat for those who are good neighbors; it is about providing legal immunity to those who are robbing their neighbors of the right to enjoy the open air, clean water and beautiful land that we value in North Carolina. We shouldn’t be rewarding those who are polluting our state and harming our neighbors. We should be looking out for North Carolina workers and families who call this state home. By vetoing this bill, Governor Cooper can send a strong message that, while North Carolina remains open for business, it also remains a place where the quality of life and access to abundant and clean water and the air is a priority. We must not allow irresponsible actors to taint our natural resources or our state’s reputation as a place that puts its people first. These are values all North Carolinians hold dear.”

SB 711 would also force companies to rename ‘soy milk’, ‘coconut milk’, ‘almond milk’, ‘cashew milk’, etc. starting on January 1st, 2019.

Page 5 of SB 711 states;

DIRECT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES TO ADDRESS MISLABELING OF PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS AS “MILK”

SECTION 6.(a) The following definitions apply to this section:
(1) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
(2) “FDA” means the United States Food and Drug Administration.
(3) “Milk” means the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy hooved mammals. Hooved mammals include, but are not limited to, the members of the Order Cetartiodactyla, such as: Family Bovidae (cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, yaks, etc.), Family Camelidae (llamas, alpacas, camels, etc.), Family Cervidae (deer, reindeer, moose, etc.), and Family Equidae (horses, donkeys, etc.).
SECTION 6.(b) In accordance with the established standard of identity for milk defined in 21 C.F.R. § 131.110 and the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, the Department shall immediately develop an enforcement plan to enforce FDA’s standard of identity for milk as adopted in the North Carolina Administrative Code to prohibit the sale of plant-based products mislabeled as milk.
SECTION 6.(c) No later than 90 days after the effective date of this act, the Department shall begin to implement its enforcement plan, which shall include, but is not limited to, notification of the Department’s intent to embargo all mislabeled products offered for sale in this State. All plant-based products displayed for sale in this State shall be labeled in accordance with FDA’s standard of identity for milk and the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance no later than January 1, 2019.

What are your thoughts on SB711?

Massive Recall Issued After CDC Found Salmonella Mbandaka in Kellogg’s ‘Honey Smacks’ Cereal

Steve
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Massive Recall Issued After CDC Found Salmonella Mbandaka in Kellogg’s ‘Honey Smacks’ Cereal

Kellogg Cereal just issued a massive recall for its Honey Smacks cereal yesterday after the CDC confirmed that many boxes were likely to contain a deadly strain of salmonella.

The CDC has reported that 73 people have already been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Mbandaka, including 3 people in North Carolina. Those who are now sick range in age from less than one year to 87, with a median age of 58.65% are female, and 41.35% are male;

The recall includes ‘Honey Smacks cereal‘ in 15.3 and 23 oz packages with UPC codes 3800039103, 3800014810

Please help spread the word! 

Thousands Stranded In Charlotte After Glitch Shuts Down All American Airline Flights

Charlotte Stories
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Thousands Stranded In Charlotte After Glitch Shuts Down All American Airline Flights

Yesterday evening, thousands of people were stranded at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport after a computer glitch shut down all flights in and out of Charlotte for over 12 hours.

Roughly 120 flights have already been canceled at Charlotte Douglas.

Last night at about 9pm, the airline tweeted that; “PSA Airlines, an American Airlines regional carrier, experienced a technical issue that caused them to cancel their flights for the remainder of the evening. Our team is working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and accommodate customers.”

American Airlines sent out this statement via email:

“PSA Airlines, an American Airlines regional carrier, experienced a technical issue that has caused them to cancel their flights for the remainder of the evening. The total number of canceled flights is approximately 275 (about 120 in CLT).

Our team, in coordination with PSA, is working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and take care of our customers by accommodating them on mainline flights or other regional carriers.

We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans, and we are sorry for the trouble this caused. Our customer relations team will be reaching out to all of those who have been impacted by this issue.

Customers are encouraged to check their flight status on the American Airlines app before heading to the airport.”

According to airline officials, the incident is unrelated to a separate glitch on Wednesday that shut down operations on AA, kiosks, and the airline’s mobile app;

Customers stuck in Charltote were provided with hotel vouchers and Charlotte residents were reimbursed for their canceled flights.

The city of Belmont was quick to jump on the opportunity for new potential visitors;

The cause of the glitch was under investigation.

Normal flight operations are now expected to resume at 12 p.m. Friday.

Charlotte’s Gold District Just Opened Bardo – Led By Famed Chicago Chef Michael Noll

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Charlotte’s Gold District Just Opened Bardo – Led By Famed Chicago Chef Michael Noll

Charlotte’s Gold District just opened their newest gourmet restaurant – Bardo, led by renowned chef Michael Noll, who previously worked at Chicago’s famed Moto, Butter, Schwa, and Sous Rising.

The upscale eatery sits right next to the soon-to-open Yume Ramen Bistro and across the street from South End’s new Bodega, Max and Lola, and Charlotte’s first fluid-bed coffee roastery and tasting room, Reviver Coffee.

Bardo’s unique menu features chef-driven offerings with Japanese, American, and Spanish flavors, packed into focused 13 main course and 3 dessert menu, with prices ranging from $8-$23.

I went out on a limb and ordered the Spanish Octopus w/ avocado, chorizo, pineapple, and espelette;

I honestly wasn’t expecting much, as I’ve never had non-rubbery octopus, and I’m not the biggest fan of avocado, but when I took my first bite, I was surprised to say the least.

The texture reminded me of a slightly tough scallop with a nice char around the edges, and the flavor was buttery and smooth. The avocado creme and pineapple added the perfect sweet and creamy accents, and the crispy chorizo bits a nice finishing touch.

Bardo will now be open Tuesday to Thursday from 5 to 10pm, and Friday,  Saturday, and Sunday from 5pm to 1am.

Their menu will periodically change based on seasonal and available ingredients.

Carolina Panthers Kicker Graham Gano Ruins His Family’s Kickball Game (Video)

Steve
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Carolina Panthers Kicker Graham Gano Ruins His Family’s Kickball Game (Video)

One of the best kickers in the NFL just ruined his family’s driveway kickball game when he attempted to ‘not kick it hard’.

Carolina Panthers’ kicker Graham Gano, who’s currently ranked 7th in the NFL, wanted to join his wife and kids in a kickball game, and just seventeen seconds into play, he ruined everything when he kicked the ball into the neighbor’s yard.

He posted a video clip of the kick to his Twitter account and it quickly went viral. It’s already been viewed over 3.15 million times with over 21,000 retweets.

Under the video, he notes; “Got home today and my fam was playing kickball so I joined in. The only rule is that I’m not allowed to kick it hard. So here is my first at bat…😂”;

3 NC Towns Rank Among 2018’s Top 20 Best Small Cities to Start a Business

Steve
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3 NC Towns Rank Among 2018’s Top 20 Best Small Cities to Start a Business

The personal-finance website WalletHub just released its annual report of the Best Small Cities to Start a Business, and 3 towns in North Carolina ranked among the best in the nation, including; Wilson (#4), Salisbury (#13), and Sanford (#15).

The only state with more small towns in the top 20 was Utah, with 6 of their towns making the top list.

To determine the most business-friendly small markets in the U.S., WalletHub compared more than 1,200 small-sized cities across 18 key metrics. The data set ranges from average growth in number of small businesses, to most startups per capita, to investor access to labor costs, to highest average revenue per business.

Here are the top 20 towns, according to the report;

Top 20 Small Cities to Start a Business
1. Holland, MI 11. Enid, OK
2. St. George, UT 12. Bountiful, UT
3. Aberdeen, SD 13. Salisbury, NC
4. Wilson, NC 14. Springville, UT
5. Cheyenne, WY 15. Sanford, NC
6. Clearfield, UT 16. Brighton, NY
7 Ogden, UT 17. Shawnee, OK
8. Bismarck, ND 18. LaGrange, GA
9. Bozeman, MT 19. Midvale, UT
10. Fort Myers, FL 20. Bowling Green, KY

 

Here is the full ranking of the top 1,200 small cities in America;

Source: WalletHub

 

You can read more on their full report here.

The World’s Best Soccer Teams Are Returning To Charlotte To Face Off On A Global Stage

Steve
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The World’s Best Soccer Teams Are Returning To Charlotte To Face Off On A Global Stage

The International Champions Cup, the annual soccer tournament known for bringing world-class soccer to the masses, has just announced that they will be returning to Charlotte this year.

Kicking off the 2018-2019 international soccer season, this year’s chase for the Cup features 18 of the best clubs in the world playing 27 matches across the United States, Europe and Singapore.

Launched in 2013, the International Champions Cup taps directly into the growing passion for the world’s most popular sport. Teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid, MLS’ New York Red Bulls and others have made an impact on the tournament as it has picked up momentum on an annual basis.

The last time the ICC came to Charlotte in 2016, over 69,000 people filled the Bank of America stadium for the Inter Milan vs. FC Bayern Munich soccer match. This year, international organizers are planning for similar sized crowds to fill Charlotte during the global face-off.

This year, the Premier League’s “Big Six” of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea will all be playing in the tournament. They’ll be joined by La Liga’s Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla; Bundesliga stalwarts Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund; Serie A powers Juventus, Roma, AC Milan and Inter Milan; Ligue 1 champion-to-be PSG and Portugal’s Benfica.

Liverpool FC will be taking on Borussia Dortmund in Charlotte this year starting at 4pm on Sun, Jul 22 at the Bank of America Stadium.

For tickets or more information click here.

1,500 NC Employees Losing Their Jobs As Kroger Announces Wave of Store Closings

Steve
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1,500 NC Employees Losing Their Jobs As Kroger Announces Wave of Store Closings

Kroger just announced they will be laying off over 1,500 workers over the next few days as part of a massive sweep of closings across our state.

The grocery chain will be closing a total of 14 stores in the middle of our state by August 14th, including the following locations;

  • 202 W. NC Hwy 54, Durham
  • 3457 Hillsborough Rd., Durham
  • 5116 N. Roxboro Rd., Durham
  • 1273 N.W. Maynard Rd., Cary
  • 8345 Creedmoor Rd., Raleigh
  • 940 US Hwy 64, Apex
  • 1802 North Point Dr., Durham
  • 1371 E. Broad St., Fuquay-Varina
  • 6300 Creedmoor Rd., Ste. 150, Raleigh
  • 7905 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh
  • 2680 Timber Drive, Garner
  • 350 Six Forks Road, Raleigh
  • 3420 Southwest Durham Drive, Durham
  • 3825 S. Roxboro St., Ste. 101, Durham

The Cincinnati-based chain commented that at least half of the affected workers are part-time employees and that they will be helping all affected employees find new jobs.

“After a thorough evaluation of the market for a significant time period, we have decided to close out stores in the highly competitive Raleigh-Durham market,” noted Jerry Clontz, president of Kroger’s mid-Atlantic division. “While we have had some success, we have not been able to grow our business the way we would like in this market.”

Kroger has sale agreements in place for 10 of the stores and plans to sell all 14 locations. 8 out of the 14 stores will be sold to Harris Teeter, including the following locations;

  • 202 W. NC Hwy 54, Durham
  • 3457 Hillsborough Rd., Durham
  • 5116 N. Roxboro Rd., Durham
  • 1273 N.W. Maynard Rd., Cary
  • 8345 Creedmoor Rd., Raleigh
  • 940 US Hwy 64, Apex
  • 1802 North Point Dr., Durham
  • 1371 E. Broad St., Fuquay-Varina

All affected stores will be marking down and liquidating their inventory over the next few months.

New Tech Center Opening for Charlotte Boys & Girls Club Students

Charlotte Stories
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New Tech Center Opening for Charlotte Boys & Girls Club Students

National Pawn, a North Carolina-based retailer with two Charlotte locations, is outfitting an entirely new technology center for the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club on Marsh Road. The tech center donation will include 10 new desktop computers to replace antiquated ones, which were more than a decade old and not functional for students. National Pawn is also gifting the Club with $2,000 for software upgrades, staff training and future repair costs to make the center immediately useable, and sustainable for years to come.

The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Greater Charlotte serves more than 85 students from ages 6-18, and computers are often used for homework, career exploration, learning STEM skills and playing enrichment games. The donation will allow the Club to completely replace all previous computers available to students, and also comes at a time where the Club expects an increase in members and the amount of time they spend onsite with school out for the summer.

“Many of our students do not have access to computers in their homes, so having these resources in the Club is crucial for them. Unfortunately, so many of the computers we currently have crash while students are mid-project and many files can’t even be opened because the devices are incompatible with modern software and programs,” said Marty Clary, director of the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte. “These new computers will be such a game-changer for our members and their continued education outside the classroom!”

The new technology center will be unveiled with a donation ceremony at the Marsh Road Club Thursday, June 14, which will include staff from the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Greater Charlotte, 75 Club students and National Pawn representatives. The donation is part of the retailer’s ongoing commitment to give back to local communities, especially underprivileged youth.

“As an Eagle Scout, giving back to the community is something that we do every day,” said Bob Moulton, founder of National Pawn. “The look of surprise on the kids’ face when they see this gift, and knowing they’ll be able to use these computers for years to come, is what I always dreamed I’d be able to accomplish.”

For those looking to contribute to the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs’ new tech center, National Pawn is collecting tablets and any other tech donations to further arm the Club with additional resources from the community. To donate a tablet or other device, bring it to any National Pawn store and mention the device is a donation for the Club.

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