The price of certain health care plans sold on what’s now called the “Obamacare” exchange will rise by double digits across the nation, and by over 24% here in the Tar Heel state (a key battleground state in the upcoming elections).

In North Carolina, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina announced announced that they will be increasing premiums for Affordable Care Act plans on the individual market by an average 24.3 percent for 2017.

President Obama spoke in Florida about the new hikes:

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus called the law a “full-fledged train wreck which has worsened our health care system” and urged voters to “hold Democrats in Congress who passed this destructive law accountable” by electing Republicans in various races.

The spike is largely due to the extra burden of unusually high numbers of sick ACA owners, many insurers have been dropping out while the rest are struggling to cover their costs.

The Obama administration has attempted to hush the announcement by telling people that most exchange enrollees will also see their tax subsidies increase to counter the increases in premiums (although in North Carolina, it’s unlikely that anyone will see subsidies high enough to outweigh 24%+ premium hikes).

“We think [consumers] will ultimately be surprised by the affordability of the product,” said Kevin Griffis, assistant secretary for public affairs for the Department of Health and Human Services.

What do you think about the rate hikes and about Obamacare in general?

Hundreds of South Park Families are now on high alert after multiple coyote sightings popped up over the past 48 hours.

Sightings were mostly concentrated in the South Park neighborhood of Madison Park, near the Park Rd. Shopping center.

One resident, Butch Barksdale told animal control that he spotted the creatures out his back window and chased them toward what he later realized was the Pinewood Elementary School.

After multiple calls to 911, Charlotte’s animal control was sent out to find the animals, up to this point, they are still on the search.

Many parents are now thinking twice before letting their kids or small small pets play outside.

Coyote concerns continue in a S #CLT neighborhood @wcnc pic.twitter.com/70BzMBjdkf

— Xavier Walton (@xmanwalton) October 25, 2016

The Pinewood Elementary School has not taken any action at this time.

We will continue to update this article as we receive new information.

Today from 1pm – 5pm, Charlotte will be closing Wesley Heights, Uptown, and South End streets to all motorized vehicles for our city’s second official ‘Open Streets 704‘. 

This time, the route will start at the corner of Trade and 5th, connect to 4th st. through Seversville, turn on Mint Street in uptown, go around the Panther’s stadium, then will travel down Church St., Summit Ave., and Camden Rd. in South End:

There will be 4 ‘zones’ along the route that will only be accessible to pedestrians and bikers, including:

Family Zone: Fun for the whole family! From bean bag toss to a pop up dog park – be prepared to get active. Activities will include: street soccer, bicycling demonstrations, pet crafts,  life-size jenga, and more.

Green Zone: Be prepared to learn about nature, plant trees in the community, lend a helping hand in the garden, and talk about the wildlife from local nature centers.

Wellness Zone: Work on a fitter/healthier version of you! Cooking demonstrations, yoga classes, Zumba, and healthy heart initiatives will fill this zone with fun.

Arts and Science: Opportunities abound to explore your creative side. Musical performances, artist demonstrations, interactive maker spaces, and dance ensembles of all ages will engage with Open Street 704.

Here are all the activities now scheduled along the route:

Check out Open Street’s 704 Facebook event for continued updates, or find out more on the Open Street 704’s Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.