David Tepper Approved To Buy Panthers For $2.2 Billion – Highest in NFL History

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David Tepper Approved To Buy Panthers For $2.2 Billion – Highest in NFL History

Yesterday in Atlanta, the NFL’s team owners officially approved billionaire David Tepper’s record-breaking $2.2 billion purchase of the Carolina Panthers.

The decision received unanimous approval from all 32 of the league’s owners (he only needed 24 to buy the team).

The sale is expected to be finalized in July, at which point it will become the highest price ever paid for an NFL team, surpassing the $1.4 billion that the Buffalo Bills were sold for in 2014.

Tepper has an estimated net worth is in excess of $11 billion, and he currently owns a 5% minority stake in the Steelers, which he will have to sell before the Panthers sale is finalized.

He is planning on keeping the Panthers in Charlotte for the time being.

Charlotte’s Mayor Lyles just sent out the following statement, welcoming our new hometown team owner;

What do you think about the Carolina Pather’s new owner?

Blake Shelton Just Announced A Free Pop-Up Concert This Week in Charlotte

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Blake Shelton Just Announced A Free Pop-Up Concert This Week in Charlotte

The Voice star and eight-time Grammy nominee Country singer Blake Shelton is coming to Charlotte.

Shelton just announced a free pop-up concert that will take place tomorrow night at Coyote Joes on his Twitter page.

“Hey @coyotejoes in Charlotte! We will see you THIS WEDNESDAY for a FREE pop up show!”

Wristbands will be given out starting at 10am Wednesday. One wristband per person and you MUST present a valid photo ID to get a wristband. Once a wristband is on your wrist, if it is removed, lost or tampered with, you will be refused admission.  There will not be VIP seating available for this event. Doors open at 6:30pm. 18 and over welcome (21 and over to consume alcohol).

Charlotte Rugby Just Won Their First National Championship In History

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Charlotte Rugby Just Won Their First National Championship In History

Charlotte’s UNCC 49ers rugby team just won the national championship for the first time in the team’s history.

This past Sunday, UNC-Charlotte defeated Wisconsin-Whitewater 38-10 to win the men’s DII College 7s national championship game at Infinity Park in Glendale, CO. Pa.

The championship included 12 conference-winning or at-large bid D2 schools in 3 pools;

Pool A: Wisconsin-Whitewater, William Paterson, Bloomsburg, Old Dominion
Pool B: UNC-Charlotte, Montana State, North Carolina State, Principia
Pool C: Hartford, Norwich, St. Louis, North Texas

Wisconsin-Whitewater won the last 2 national titles and defeated the 49ers last year in the finals by a score of 26-5.

“The big difference between last year and this year was our mindset. We knew what we were capable of and that there was no force that could stop us,” commented Charlotte’s captain Ryan Johns.

It’s now the team’s first national title in Charlotte history and the boys couldn’t be prouder

“Coach John Brown said before the game that it was our time to seize the moment,” Johns said. “The vibe on this team was that we could win it all this season because of how bad it stung last year. I told the guys we will win and we came together and a memory that will last forever.”

2020 RNC Site Selection Committee Visits Charlotte Before Making Final Decision

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2020 RNC Site Selection Committee Visits Charlotte Before Making Final Decision

The 2020 Republican National Convention site selection committee left Charlotte on Friday after spending the better part of last week talking with Charlotte leaders and visiting many of our top attractions.

According to a statement by the committee, about 30 of its members traveled to Charlotte to tour the city with Mayor Vi Lyles, NC Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes, and leaders from the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and the Charlotte Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

The group toured the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Hall of Fame; and the Spectrum Center and Convention Center, along with several of our top hotels and restaurants.

Charlotte leaders also made a presentation to the committee, laying out what worked and did not work during the 2012 DNC in Charlotte.

“Over the past three days, I have had the pleasure of working with Mayor Vi Lyles, her team, and a number of Charlotte officials making a presentation to the RNC Site Selection Committee. I could not be more proud of their efforts, professionalism and hospitality. They and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority have put on an all-star presentation highlighting the benefits of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas in the state of North Carolina. I look forward to the decision of the site selection committee. Based on merit, I think we have a great chance of winning the competition,” stated NCGOP Chairman Robin Hayes.

Republican sources are now saying the finalists for the 2020 GOP Convention are Charlotte, Las Vegas and a yet-to-be-named city in Texas.

The City of Charlotte officially submitted their bid to host the 2020 Republican National Convention earlier last month.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support and assistance of our many City of Charlotte partners, hotels, venues and others who helped to craft this thorough response on behalf of our region,” commented CRVA CEO Tom Murray.

The convention would be a huge economic boost for our city, considering that the Democratic National Convention that we hosted in 2012 had an estimated economic impact of over $163 million.

What are your thoughts on Charlotte hosting the RNC?

New Bill Would Require Every NC School To Display ‘In God We Trust’

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New Bill Would Require Every NC School To Display ‘In God We Trust’

A new bill has just been submitted by the NC Congress that would require every public school to display posters saying “In God We Trust,” among other things.

House Bill 965, known as the National and State Mottos in School Act, was just filed last week by primary sponsors Bert Jones of Rockingham County, Linda Johnson of Cabarrus County, Dean Arp of Union County and Phil Shepherd of Onslow County.

If passed, their new bill would;

“Require the Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags, Flags and of the National and State Mottos and to Require the Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – Local boards of education shall adopt policies to (i) require the display of the United States and North Carolina flags in each classroom, when available, (ii)(ii) require the display of the national motto, “In God We Trust,” and the State motto, “To Be Rather Than to Seem,” in at least one prominent location of each school, such as an entry way, cafeteria, or other common areas, (iii) require that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii)(iv) provide age-appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.”

Proponents of the new law says it highlights history that must be ingrained in our students, but many opponents say its more likely to make some students feel uncomfortable.

The bill will now be presented to a committee before moving to the house for a final vote.

What do you think about the new bill? 

Man Drives SUV Into Gaston County Restaurant Killing Sheriff’s Deputy

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Man Drives SUV Into Gaston County Restaurant Killing Sheriff’s Deputy

2 people were killed and several others injured after a man crashed his Jeep SUV into the Surf and Turf Lodge on North 14th Street in Bessemer City today at around noon.

According to witnesses, Roger Self brought his family into the restaurant just before noon, when they were all seated, he left his seat, walked outside, got into his Jeep, and proceeded to drive into the side of the building.

The crash instantly killed Roger’s daughter, Deputy Katelyn Self, of the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, and one other victim, who has yet to be named.

Deputy Katelyn Self via Gaston County Sheriff’s Office

Several other members of Self’s family and a few other unrelated diners and restaurant staff were injured.

According to the CMPD, the incident was likely originated from a domestic dispute.

 

This is a developing story, we will update this article as new information is released.

Charlotte Gas Prices Just Hit A 3 Year High

Steve
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Charlotte Gas Prices Just Hit A 3 Year High

Traveling this summer just got more expensive with gas prices now hitting a 3-year high around the Charlotte region.

The price-tracking company ‘GasBuddy’ just released this week’s average gas prices for the Charlotte region, hitting $2.75 for the first time in over 3 years.

“Gas prices saw one of the largest weekly increases since Hurricane Harvey in the last week as oil prices continued to surge, leading to sharply higher prices at the pump, putting the U.S. in peril of striking the $3/gallon level for the first time since 2014,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “Some of the factors at play in the rising prices: President Trump’s withdraws the U.S. from the nuclear deal with Iran and oil supplies that have continued to drop as U.S. exports surpass Venezuela—a surprising feat given Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world. In addition, as money continues to flow into commodities as bets for higher oil prices rise, there’s a strong chance of seeing crude oil prices continue to rally in the weeks ahead, with the odds of hitting $3/gallon nationally now better than 65% just in time for the summer driving season.”

With prices continuing to climb, Charlotte residents are doing everything they can to save at the pump, including driving to cheaper stations and scheduling fill-ups for the cheapest day of the week.

According to the company, Mondays have consistently proven to be the cheapest, and Thursdays are usually the most expensive.

best-day-to-buy-gas-gas-buddy-copy

The company does note that the best day changes year-to-year and state-to-state, but if you were to switch from shopping on Thursdays to Mondays, you could end up saving an average of $325 every year.

When and where do you usually buy your gas?

Man Arrested After Sliding Down Epicentre Roof and Damaging Vehicle (Video)

Steve
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Man Arrested After Sliding Down Epicentre Roof and Damaging Vehicle (Video)

At around 2:30 am this morning, a man was arrested after for injury to personal property after he slid down an Epicentre roof and damaged a parked car, according to CMPD.

Weaverville resident Alex Freudenberg was allegedly offered a bet $100 to slide down the awning that covers one of the Epicentre’s escalators.

Witnesses also say that Freudenberg had a few drinks in him at the time of the incident.

Cell phone cameras were rolling when he took the bet;

So a guy slid from the top of the stairs and landed on somebody’s car!!

A post shared by Chewy 92.7 The Block (@iamchewy5) on

About this time last year, a different man was arrested for damaging a car after he jumped off the Epicentre’s skybridge.

State of North Carolina Suing Purdue Over Growing Opioid Epidemic

Steve
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State of North Carolina Suing Purdue Over Growing Opioid Epidemic

This past week, North Carolina joined several other states in a massive multi-state lawsuit against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP. The states are accusing the massive drug company of fueling a national opioid epidemic by deceptively marketing prescription painkillers in order to generate billions of dollars in sales.

The attorneys general of Nevada, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, North Dakota and Tennessee all said that the company had violated state consumer protection laws by falsely denying or downplaying the risk of addiction while overstating the benefits of opioids.

According to the official court documents filed by North Carolina’s Attorney General, Purdue Pharmaceuticals should be held accountable for helping to increase the death toll from opioid overdoses in our state from 109 people in 1999 to 1,384 in 2016 – an increase of over 1,000% (between 2016-2017, NC saw opioid-related emergency room visits grow by over 40%).

“Purdue repeatedly deceived people about its products and thereby increased Purdue’s profits, at a staggering human cost.

Purdue’s decisions and actions played a pivotal role in igniting and spreading the opioid epidemic in North Carolina. In an effort to achieve its goal of ever-expanding opioid sales growth, Purdue designed an aggressive, expensive, multi-faceted marketing campaign, deployed across many platforms, spokespeople, and media. Purdue was caught and penalized for deceptive marketing in 2007, after three executives also pleaded guilty to criminal charges, but this appears to have had no impact on its willingness to cross the line in marketing its opioid products,” the documents state.

In addition to holding drug makers accountable, North Carolina has recently changed several laws related to opioid overdoses to help curb the epidemic.

Our state recently changed Naloxone (opioid overdose antidote) from requiring a prescription, to now be available ‘over the counter’, and we implemented a new ‘Good Samaritan Law’.

The law essentially protects people who administer Naloxone to someone who has overdosed from any liability.

The following are common signs of an opioid-related overdose;

Small pupils
Pale face
Limp body
Shallow or slowed breathing
Vomiting
Loss of consciousness

If you know anyone who might use heroin or any other opioids, please pick up some Naloxone from your local pharmacist and keep it handy – you never know when it might save someone’s life.

What do you think about North Carolina’s recent actions surrounding the opioid epidemic?

What more do you think should be done? 

Greenville Spending $40 Million To Build Its Largest Public Project in History – Unity Park

Steve
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Greenville Spending $40 Million To Build Its Largest Public Project in History – Unity Park

The City of Greenville is about to undertake it’s largest public project in history – Unity Park.

The $40 million project will completely transform 60 acres of lowland just west of downtown, which has often been seen as an area of blight over the city.

The center of the park will feature a massive 120-foot observation tower, complete with a winding staircase and elevator, which will match the height of city hall and allow visitors to see for miles around in every direction.

Another iconic feature in the park will be the Reedy River pedestrian bridge, which will cost about $5 million to construct, and which will allow visitors a breathtaking vantage point to view the park’s sprawling wetlands.

The park will also include a sprawling playground with water jets, a modern gathering hall, and new retail and recreational development in the old warehouses along the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Work on clearing land is set to start later this year, at which point Greenville residents will begin to see the tower start to rise. The entire park will likely take another 3-4 years to complete.

For more information, check out the Unity Park page here on GreenvilleSC.gov.

What do you think about the new park?

Do you think Charlotte should build something like this?

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