Over 3,000 Lbs of Marijuana Discovered in NC Storage Facility

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Over 3,000 Lbs of Marijuana Discovered in NC Storage Facility

In the small town of Simpson, NC a man is now on the run for drug trafficking after police discovered over 3,000 lbs (1.5 tons) of marijuana in his storage facility.

This past Tuesday, police stopped 38-year-old Vo Thien Ozen during a routine traffic stop. He was given a citation and released when police found drug paraphernalia inside his car, but no drugs, according to The Daily Reflector.

“At 6 p.m. after further investigation, deputies went to 2843 Unit A, Edwards Drive in Simpson, which is a small commercial area across the railroad tracks from the Simpson Fire Department. The location was a kitchen equipment business owned by Ozen.”

Inside, deputies discovered;

  • $6 million worth of marijuana
  • $100,000 worth of heroin
  • More than $100,000 in cash

The drugs and cash were found inside a fairly basic-looking storage facility, according to WNCN.

Deputies seized heroin, marijuana and more than $100,000 cash.

Posted by WNCN on Thursday, November 9, 2017

The Pitt County Sheriff has now issued felony arrest warrants for Ozen, including; one count of maintaining a business for the purpose of drug activity, two counts of trafficking marijuana, and one count of trafficking heroin.

If you have any information about Ozen’s whereabouts, please call the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office at 252-830-4141 or Pitt-Greenville Crime Stoppers at 252-758-7777.

Cabarrus County High Schools Evacuated Due to ‘Anonymous Threat’

Steve
-
0
Cabarrus County High Schools Evacuated Due to ‘Anonymous Threat’

Earlier this morning the Cabarrus County School administrators made the decision to evacuate every high school in the county.

Officials have not yet released details about what the threat was, but they do not want to take any chances.

According to the Concord police department, they are coordinating the investigation alongside the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office;

So far, the following schools have been evacuated:

– Central Cabarrus High
– Concord High
– Cox Mill High
– Early College High
– Early College of Technology High
– Hickory Ridge High
– Jay M Robinson High
– Mount Pleasant High
– Northwest Cabarrus High

According to Fox 46, several students were told that there was a bomb threat;

About a half-hour ago, a bomb-squad vehicle arrived at Hickory Ridge High School;

This is a developing story.

UPDATE: 11/9/2017 2:45pm

The city of Concord just sent out the following press release;

We will update this article as new information comes in.

This Video of The Panthers Serenading A Grieving Widow Will Melt Your Heart

Steve
-
0
This Video of The Panthers Serenading A Grieving Widow Will Melt Your Heart

This past weekend several Panthers players serenaded a grieving widow with the heart-warming song “Lean on Me”.

Over the past few years, Lynn Leonhardt, who lives in California, developed a love for the Carolina Panthers with the help of the The Roaring Riot and a small circle of friends called the ‘Girl Gang’.

Lynn was faced with a truly life-shattering tragedy this past March when her husband suddenly passed away from an unexpected heart condition. She wasn’t looking for help, but when her Panthers family heard about the tragedy, they were all there for her.

“I turned to the people who I loved the most and that was the people who I’d developed here through Panthers and Twitter and Girl Gang and the Roaring Riot group. They were there for me, talked to me, checked on me, supported me; the nurses in the group were there giving me information and consultation that I needed to understand what had happened,” Lynn told the Roaring Riot.

The Roaring Riot then asked her if she’d like to attend a Panthers game, all expenses paid (including travel costs)…obviously she said yes.

They then coordinated with the Panthers for a private tour…and a private performance of one of the most heartwarming songs imaginable with Carolina Panthers running backs Christian McCaffrey, Fozzy Whittaker and Jonathan Stewart;

After the song, the Roaring Riot asked Lynn about her experience;

“I walk through this small corridor and just as I turn the corner, there sits Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart starting to play at the keyboards for me, and I’m seeing a mass of people filming and obviously waiting for my reaction. And then Fozzy comes out and starts singing and I’m being serenaded, “Lean On Me” and all I could do was blubber and cry. The thing that struck me was ‘How lucky am I?’ Through all the horrible anguish, to have friends this amazing, through football, come together and surround me with love and support. It was humbling and just an amazing experience.”

“I’m still kind of in denial to say ‘Why am I so lucky?’ And just to be able to ask ‘Why am I so lucky?’ in such a horrible year, that means the world.”

N.C. Center for Missing Persons Issued Silver Alert For Missing Endangered Woman

Steve
-
0
N.C. Center for Missing Persons Issued Silver Alert For Missing Endangered Woman

The N.C. Center for Missing Persons has just issued a state-wide Silver Alert for a missing endangered woman.

Charlotte Carter Merry is believed to be suffering from dementia or another cognitive impairment.

Charlotte is a 74 year old, 5’6″ tall, 100 lb white woman with Blonde hair and Blue Eyes.

She was last seen wearing a colorful shirt with a yellow scarf and green pants at 60 Moore Wood Circle in Highlands, NC.

If you have any information about Charlotte’s whereabouts, please call the Highlands Police Department at (828) 526-9431 or 911.

Please help spread the word.

Top 10 Things To Do Around The Charlotte Region This Weekend

Steve
-
0
Top 10 Things To Do Around The Charlotte Region This Weekend

The weekend is almost here!

There will be concerts, air shows, festivals, and plenty of football!

Here are the top 10 things happening around the Charlotte region this weekend:

#1 The Southern Christmas Show

Today is the first day of The 50th Southern Christmas Show at Charlotte’s Park Expo and Conference Center off Independence Blvd.

There will be 12 full days of lights, beautiful trees, scrumptious eats, handmade crafts & more!

For more information or tickets click here.

#2 Jim Gaffigan

James Christopher Gaffigan is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. His humor largely revolves around fatherhood, observations, laziness, and food.

He’ll be performing live this coming Friday night at the Spectrum Center starting at 8pm.

For tickets or more info click here.

#3 Christopher James Lees – Steelpan Orchestra

This coming Friday night starting at 7:30pm, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra will be presenting Christopher James Lees – Steelpan Orchestra at the Knight Theatre in Uptown Charlotte.

For tickets or more info click here.

#4 Saint Motel

Saint Motel is an American indie pop band from Los Angeles, whose music has been described as everything from “dream pop” to “indie prog”. The band consists of A/J Jackson, Aaron Sharp, Dak Lerdamornpong, and Greg Erwin.

This coming Friday night they’ll be playing at the Fillmore starting at 8pm.

For tickets or more info click here.

#5 Warbirds Over Monroe

In 2005 Warriors & Warbirds started as a dream of several local pilots. With help from the City of Monroe, the Veterans Council of Union County, local businesses, and the hard work of volunteers, the Warbirds Over Monroe Air Show has grown into one of the area’s largest aviation events honoring those who have served.

It will be held at 3900 Paul J Helms Dr., Monroe, NC 28110 on Saturday and Sunday from 9am-6pm

For more info click here.

#6 2017 Sheep Dog Festival

A fun-filled festival running November 11-12 featuring the United States Border Collie Handlers’ Association, Carolina Dock Dogs, dog sports demonstrations, and more!

What better way to wrap up the fall season than with your canine pal and several hundred of their new best friends? Bring your family, friends, and dog (or dogs) to the Rural Hill Sheepdog Trials and Dog Festival for one of the area’s best known dog events, now in its twenty-third year.

For more info click here.

#7 Charlotte 49ers vs. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

This coming Saturday afternoon our Charlotte 49ers will be taking on the Blue Raiders at the Jerry Richardson Stadium starting at 2pm.

For tickets or more info click here.

#8 Slushii

Julian Scanlan, better known by his stage name Slushii, is an American Disc jockey and electronic music producer based in Los Angeles.

He’ll be performing live on Saturday night at the Fillmore starting at 8pm.

For tickets or more info click here.

#9 Hoodie Allen

Steven Adam Markowitz, better known by his stage name Hoodie Allen, is an American rapper from Long Island, New York.

Hoodie Allen will also be playing at the Fillmore this weekend on Sunday night at 8pm.

For tickets or more info click here.

#10 Panthers vs. Dolphins 

This coming Monday night, the Carolina Panthers will be taking on the Dolphins at the Bank of America Stadium.

Game starts at 8:30pm.

For tickets or more info click here.

If you think other events should be on this list or future lists, let us know – Scott@CharlotteStories.com

“No Need To Be Concerned” About Black Smoke Coming From Lake Norman’s Nuclear Station

Charlotte Stories
-
0
“No Need To Be Concerned” About Black Smoke Coming From Lake Norman’s Nuclear Station

Earlier today black smoke could be seen coming from the McGuire Nuclear Power Station, but authorities are warning the public not to panic and that everything is under control.

According to the Huntersville Fire Department, the smoke is coming from a fire in the transformer switchyard at the power plant.

They have been sending out regular updates about the situation via Twitter;

Authorities are urging residents around Lake Norman not to panic, and that the nuclear power plant itself is functioning properly.

Did you see the smoke today?

Proposed Tax Plan: A Boom for Charlotte Housing Market?

Leonard Brecken
-
0
Proposed Tax Plan: A Boom for Charlotte Housing Market?

The proposed GOP House plan is most likely a win/win proposition for the local Charlotte housing market.  First let us understand the broad provisions of the bill before accessing the impact on the housing market.  There are three key provision that will directly impact the housing are market:

1.       Lower Tax Rates:  The lowering of both corporate and income tax rates will most likely cause higher GDP growth in an already tight labor market. Over-time higher growth will likely drive wages higher which has been lacking this entire housing recovery cycle.  Wages are an important factor in making houses more affordable, driving demand and thus price appreciation.

2.       Elimination of Mortgage Interest Deduction:  The second factor in the proposed legislation is the elimination of the mortgage interest deduction.  This will effectively reduce incomes making houses less affordable by increasing the effective tax rate of those who maintain mortgages.

3.       Cap the Deductibility of Real Estate Taxes to $10,000 while eliminating the deduction of state & local taxes:  The third piece of the proposed legislation impacts the deductibility of state & local taxes.  Currently there isn’t a cap on either property tax and state & local taxes can be deducted.  This again will effectively increase the effective tax particularly for those in the higher tax states in the Northeast and West Coast.

The table below shows the tax impacts of #2 & #3 on the top 20 regions ranked by highest real-estate values.  Essentially the elimination of the above housing related deductions will decrease incomes (Total Deduction Change Amount * (1-Effective Tax)).  As the chart below shows if you live in Kings County in New York City and had a house valued at $686,000 your tax impact is over $1,600.  Roughly speaking this could be scaled up as more expensive homes are disproportionally impacted.  As home value doubles so will the tax impact and a $1.3 million house (which many homes are especially in NJ & Long Island) it would be $3,200.  It safe to say in most suburban areas in the NE surrounding major metros you can expect to pay a few thousand more in taxes if one just analyzes these deductions in isolation.   Consult your tax professional to get more precise figures as other changes may reduce these impacts.

What’s important is that one of the drivers to Charlotte’s success real-estate wise is the exodus from the high tax states especially in the North East.  The proposed legislation no doubt will negatively impact North Carolina residents (most higher priced homes), but much less so vs higher taxed states thus making the state & Charlotte EVEN MORE attractive to relocate to in my view. Further it may also as the chart below shows reduce the value of real-estate in areas most impacted as well.

Considering Buying a New Home?  Please follow us on Linkedin by searching “Charlotte Consultant Services” for more insight on housing.

We provide contract review consulting services for new construction clientele.  For small business owners, we provide business planning consulting services.

Please contact us for further detail or complimentary consultation.

Charlotte Just Elected Its 7th New Mayor in 9 Years

Steve
-
0
Charlotte Just Elected Its 7th New Mayor in 9 Years

Last night after all 195 Charlotte precincts reported and 148,098 votes were counted, Charlotte officially announced its 7th new mayor in just 9 years – the first African-American female mayor in the history of our city – Vi Lyles.

Charlotte has had one of the highest mayor-turnover rates in American history over the past decade, including some major scandals, national appointments, and appointed stand-ins;

 

Pat McCrory 1995–2009 Republican Longest serving Mayor with seven terms. Later became Governor of North Carolina, the first Charlotte Mayor to do so.
Anthony Foxx 2009–2013 Democratic Stepped down to become United States Secretary of Transportation.
Patsy Kinsey 2013 Democratic Served the remainder of Foxx’s term.
Patrick Cannon 2013–2014 Democratic Resigned after being arrested on corruption charges.
Daniel G. Clodfelter 2014–2015 Democratic Appointed mayor by the City Council on April 7, 2014.
Jennifer Roberts 2015–2017 Democratic Took office on 7 December 2015.
Vi Lyles 2017– Democratic Defeated Jennifer Roberts in Democratic Primaries

via Wikipedia

A total of 21.00% of Charlotte’s ballots were cast in this election (148,098 out of 705,381), a significantly higher turn out than 2 years ago when a total of 14.76% of Charlotte’s ballots were cast (94,958 out of 643,281) to elect Jennifer Roberts.

Kenny Smith won the majority of the South Charlotte precincts, and Vi Lyles won the majority of the East, West, and North Charlotte precincts;

Last night, Vi thanked all her supporters, volunteers, family, and friends after her victory was announced;

Kenny Smith conceeded the race last night, saying that even though he has over-performed the past several Republican mayoral candidates, ultimately, more people showed up to the polls than expected for Vi;

Vi now has a press conference scheduled for Wednesday morning at 9:00 am where she will outline her plans for when she first takes office.

Charlotte’s Election Day is Here – Find Out Where To Vote and Who To Vote For

Steve
-
0
Charlotte’s Election Day is Here – Find Out Where To Vote and Who To Vote For

Election day is finally here in the Queen City – today we will decide who our next Mayor will be (along with a host of other positions).

The two front-runners for Mayor are Republican Kenny Smith and Democrat Vi Lyles.

The most recent Charlotte mayoral poll shows that the two candidates are virtually tied.

The last mayoral debate was held on November 1st – you can watch the full debate here;

If you still aren’t sure who to vote for, check out Ballotpedia.org’s pages on Smith and Lyles for more info on each candidate.

The upcoming election also includes a wide range of other positions, including on the CMS school board, Charlotte City Council, Board of Commissioners Mecklenburg Towns (Huntersville, Matthews, Cornelius, etc.), all Mecklenburg County Mayor’s offices (Huntersville, Matthews, Cornelius, etc.), and the Town Council in Pineville.

To see your personal sample ballot click here.

According to the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, polls will be open today from 6:30AM until 7:30PM.

Click here for a list of polling locations.

Please help spread the word – and please go vote! 

“America’s Pastor” Just Turned 99 Years Old – Happy Birthday Billy Graham

Steve
-
0
“America’s Pastor” Just Turned 99 Years Old – Happy Birthday Billy Graham

Billy Graham, who many consider to be the greatest Christian leader in American history, turns 99 years old today. He was born November 7th, 1918 on a small dairy farm off what is now Park Rd. in Charlotte.

Graham is most well known for hosting massive evangelistic crusades. He led his first one in 1947, and continued preaching the gospel to millions in arenas, stadiums, and fields around the world until his retirement in 2005, at which time he passed the mantle onto his son, Franklin Graham.

In a statement, Franklin said that the entire Graham family is thankful that Billy is still with us, living out a peaceful retirement in the woods of Montreat, NC.

“As a family, we are just so very grateful that he is still with us. His mind is good but he’s quieter these days. He can’t see or hear well, but his health is stable.”

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association released this video to commemorate his 99th birthday;

Today The Billy Graham Library in Charlotte will be hosting a birthday party for “America’s Pastor” as he enters his 100th year. They are inviting everyone to come enjoy some free birthday cake and sign a giant birthday banner that will be delivered to Dr. Graham at home.

While on the property, guests can also enjoy the Journey of Faith tour, lunch in the Graham Brothers’ Dairy Bar, and early Christmas shopping in Ruth’s Attic bookstore.

You can find out more about Billy Graham’s 99th birthday at The Library here.

1...1,1441,1451,146...1,311Page 1,145 of 1,311