Duke Energy customers in North Carolina can expect lower electric bills starting January 1, 2025. The company announced a 3.6% rate decrease as part of its annual adjustment for fuel costs used in electricity generation.
According to a press release from Duke Energy, “A typical residential customer in North Carolina using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month will see an overall decrease of $5.17, or about 3.6%, from current rates, falling from $142.17 to $137. That is 23% below the national average of $177.09 – a difference of approximately $480 per year.”
Meanwhile, state regulators are currently holding public hearings on a proposed rate hike by Duke Energy’s subsidiary, Piedmont Natural Gas. Piedmont has requested a 15% increase in use rates to cover costs related to the maintenance and operation of its energy infrastructure.
Duke Energy Carolinas, which serves approximately 2.9 million customers across North and South Carolina, made the announcement as part of its regular adjustments to better reflect current fuel costs.
Beat The Bomb, the world’s first interactive social video game company, has announced its new Charlotte location at 3638 Tryclan Dr, next to the new Gilde Brewery. This expansion comes after the Brooklyn-based company raised $15 million in Series B funding last year to support its national growth.
“Beat The Bomb is using real-world video games to reimagine the future of social entertainment,” said CEO Alex Patterson in a press release. “This fundraising will allow us to expand to an additional 7 cities by mid-2025, on our way to bringing Beat The Bomb to 100 cities and millions of people a year globally by 2030.”
Beat The Bomb blends video games, escape rooms, party games, TV game shows, and action movies into a unique real-life experience.
The Charlotte venue will offer a 10,000-square-foot setup with two main experiences: Mission and Game Bay. In the Mission experience, teams of 4-6 players don hazmat suits and enter interactive video game rooms to test their skills. They can choose between a Paint Bomb Mission or Foam Bomb Mission. The challenge culminates in the fifth room, where teams must disarm The Bomb before time runs out, or face being blasted.
The Game Bay provides a relaxed environment without suits or blast endings. This arcade lounge features food and drinks from The Bomb Bar, a full-service bar serving cocktails, slushies, nachos, pizzas, sliders, hot dogs, and salads. Each Game Bay is a 150-square-foot, three-walled gaming zone where players can enjoy various shorter interactive social games, including team vs. team and free-for-all formats.
Officials are now warning beach goers to be on the lookout for a herd of endangered manatees that were just spotted along the North Carolina coast.
According to Paws & Claws Animal Hospital, these manatees were spotted in the Intracoastal waterways between Hampstead and Wrightsville Beach. The gentle giants were observed feeding near docks and banks, areas known for heavy waterway traffic.
Due to their difficulty to spot above water, swimmers and boaters are advised to be particularly vigilant. Manatees are federally protected, and any form of interaction with them, including feeding or giving them water, is illegal. Paws & Claws Animal Hospital emphasizes the importance of this rule for the safety and protection of the manatees.
The hospital urges anyone who encounters manatees in North Carolina to report their sightings to the University of North Carolina Wilmington. This helps ensure the safety and monitoring of these endangered creatures.
Another 2 earthquakes just rattled the small town of Sparta, NC this morning.
The first one was a 2.2 magnitude quake and the second one was a 2.0 quake.
Earthquakes have been increasing in frequency around the Charlotte region over the past few years. A couple years ago, we experienced the largest earthquake in over 100 years when a 5.1 magnitude quake hit Sparta, NC, and since then, dozens of aftershocks have continued to rattle our state.
According to USGS.gov, “Moderately damaging earthquakes strike the inland Carolinas every few decades, and smaller earthquakes are felt about once each year or two.”
The N.C. 911 Board awarded $21.028 million in grants at its Aug. 23 meeting that will benefit 14 public safety answering points (PSAPs) that handle 911 calls on behalf of North Carolina’s communities.
“Public safety answering points perform life-saving work across our state,” said N.C. 911 Board Chair Jim Weaver, state chief information officer and secretary of the N.C. Department of Information Technology. “The N.C. 911 Board is proud to provide grant funding for facility and equipment upgrades that will help PSAPs continue to carry out their critical mission.”
The grants awarded include:
Alamance County Central Communications –$6,155,711.26 for 911 services facility project
Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office – $719,765.07 for AXS radio console migration
Caldwell County 911 Communications–$2,659,312.07 for 911 and emergency services facility project
Cleveland County Communications Center–$371,769.65 for 911 facility project
McDowell County 911 – $116,230.63 for console/radio replacement project
Pamlico County Sheriff Communications – $373,258.79 for equipment for new Pamlico County PSAP
Pasquotank-Camden Central Communications – $1,188,203.58 for equipment upgrades
Perquimans-Gates 911 Communications –$4,831,481.00 for 911 center expansion project
Person County PSAP – $255,740.57 for radio console replacement
Pitt County 911 Communications –$640,893.68 for Motorola Command Central Axis Radio Console
Scotland County Emergency Communications–$17,250.00 for radio console expansion project
Stanly County 911 Communications–$2,414,424.11 911 for emergency services facility project
Washington County–$677,407.50 for emergency management training operations center
“The N.C. 911 Board is committed to supporting our state’s PSAPs through grants and other efforts,” said L.V. Pokey Harris, executive director of the N.C. 911 Board. “We will continue to partner with local PSAPS to ensure that our state’s emergency responders are well-equipped to help callers quickly reach the services they need.”
PSAPs will receive official notification of the award of grant funds for the FY2025 cycle within the next two weeks.
The application period for the FY2026 PSAP grants will open in spring 2025. Once it is underway, applications and instructions will be available on the N.C. 911 Board’s Grants page.
Charlotte leaders are set to vote next week on a $91 million plan to purchase the O-Line tracks, a crucial step toward the long-awaited CATS Red Line commuter train serving communities north of the city.
The proposed purchase from Norfolk Southern includes $74 million for 22 miles of rail corridor extending from Uptown Charlotte to the Mecklenburg County line, and $17 million for 1.6 acres of land along Graham Street, near the Gateway Station.
City officials presented the new plan to the City Council yesterday, emphasizing the need to finalize the purchase before Norfolk Southern’s September 9 deadline. If approved, this acquisition could end a 20-year stalemate between the city and Norfolk Southern over the tracks, setting the stage for the Red Line project, which would feature 10 stations along a 25-mile route through Charlotte Gateway Station, Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and Mooresville.
Charlotte City Council’s meeting is underway. Mayor Lyles kicked it off by talking about its significance. After 26 years, the city is close to purchasing the Red Line @wsoctvpic.twitter.com/CZqcmBxeLv
In addition to the purchase, the Council will vote on a resolution to support a one-cent sales tax increase for transit projects, including the Red Line. To get the sales tax measure on the ballot for November 2025, approval from the state legislature would be required. However, securing the O-Line rights is the immediate priority.
This new agreement could restore trust with north Mecklenburg communities, who have awaited passenger light rail for over two decades. The O-Line acquisition could also pave the way for broader transit initiatives proposed by Charlotte leaders.
More than 141,000 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) students will return to classrooms next week, bringing hundreds of buses back on the road.
This year, CMS will add 3 new all-electric busses to their fleet of 839 buses. The new electric buses will be used throughout the county and are not assigned to specific schools. CMS aims to expand its electric bus fleet to 55 by 2026.
Earlier this year, North Carolina received $26.7 million in federal funding for 114 electric school buses, with 27 buses allocated to Charlotte. This funding is part of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Grant Program, which supports Governor Cooper’s goals for better-resourced schools, a clean energy economy, and a healthier environment.
This initiative aligns with President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda and the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which have helped finance a total of 188 electric buses for North Carolina schools.
Republican Congressman Ralph Norman, who is up for reelection this November, is renting out a Fort Mill high school to hold a Silfab forum with political allies and officials from SCDES and SCDOT.
His challenger, Democrat Evangeline Hundley released a lengthy press release yesterday saying she is for green energy, “but I also stand for the health of my community, and for due process and ethical practices by our government at all levels, local, state, and federal, and I see huge issues on both of those counts. The hazardous chemicals like silane and hydrofluoric acid create significant health and safety hazards, especially frightening for those living within the one mile evacuation zone. These chemicals should not be in an area zoned light industrial in such a heavily populated area in which six schools are located.”
Aerial shot of Silfab’s proposed factory site to the right, 2 new Fort Mill schools under construction to the left, and several apartment communities to the north.
Norman has framed his event as neutral and informative, however, in his posts and press releases, he failed to disclose his ties to the solar industry and local real estate. Norman is co-founder of the Congressional Solar Caucus and the 20th wealthiest congressman in America, owning numerous commercial real estate properties around Rock Hill and Fort Mill through the Warren Norman Company.
According to OpenSecrets.org, Norman is directly receiving campaign contributions from Canadian Silfab’s lobbying group, SEIA;
So far Norman has received 67 comments under his Facebook post about his upcoming Silfab forum, with almost all of them being negative, including:
“I have supported you Mr Norman in the past, but no more!”
“if he doesn’t step forward and stop this he will Never get voted for again and this will be his legacy…”
“he won’t be reelected for Congress without his support to move Silfab.”
“So disheartening to think it’s only about money for our county and politicians!”
In contrast, his opponent Hundley’s Facebook post about Silfab has already received 48 comments, with all of them being positive, including:
“Thank you, Evangeline. I have been voting for Rep. Ralph Norman, but due to his inability to understand the problems of our Fort Mill community I am looking at you as our advocate against this total lawlessness.”
“Thank you for speaking out!! For me- and a lot of others in this community- our votes in November are coming down to who speaks out and tries to help us save our community! You have earned my vote!”
“Thank you for looking out for our community! I will cast my ballot for you!”
“Thank you for speaking out! You are will get my vote for listening to concerned citizens!”
According to Ballotpedia, Ralph Norman won in 2018 with 57% of the vote, 2020 with 60.1% of the vote, and 2022 with 64% of the vote, so while his loss seems unlikely, a growing wave of outrage among his base and the recent excitement and ‘get out the vote’ surge on the left could certainly change that.
Walmart has just issued a voluntary recall of nearly 10,000 cases of its Great Value Apple Juice after tests revealed potentially harmful levels of arsenic.
The recall affects cases of eight-ounce apple juice bottles sold in six-packs shipped to numerous Walmart locations, including all Charlotte-area stores.
The recalled apple juice, with a UPC of 0-78742-29655-5, has a “best if used by” date of December 28, 2024. The recall was initiated by Refresco Beverages US Inc., based in Tampa, Florida, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Arsenic has been labeled a carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency.
No illnesses related to the recalled apple juice have been reported, according to the FDA.
Consumers who have purchased the affected product are advised to dispose of it or return it to the store.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has unveiled the North Carolina Strategic Housing Plan to enhance and expand affordable supportive housing for people with disabilities across the state. This initiative targets individuals with disabilities who are receiving or eligible for NCDHHS services, as well as those experiencing homelessness or living in congregate settings.
Stable housing is vital for overall well-being, and this plan focuses on creating community-based housing options and necessary supports. Since May 2021, NCDHHS has collaborated with a diverse group of stakeholders and department leaders to develop this five-year plan, aiming to simplify access to community-based care.
“Improving equitable access to housing opportunities empowers people with disabilities to choose their own path for their life,” said NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Health Equity and Chief Health Equity Officer Debra Farrington in a press release. “We appreciate the partners across North Carolina who contributed their expertise and perspectives to creating this plan, and we look forward to continuing to work together to improve choice and inclusion in our communities.”
The Strategic Housing Plan outlines five key goals:
Increasing Supportive Housing Access and Development: The plan aims to create 3,400 permanent supportive housing opportunities through new construction and the rehabilitation of existing properties.
Enhancing Household Stability: Strategies include securing additional rental assistance funds, streamlining resources, and improving housing quality.
Expanding Housing Support Services: The plan focuses on funding support services related to pre-tenancy, transition, and tenancy, while increasing provider capacity.
Coordinating State Agency Efforts: NCDHHS will explore creating a formal structure for accountability and alignment across state agencies managing housing programs.
Strengthening Statewide Partnerships: The plan seeks to bolster coordination at state and local levels, leverage funding, and identify system gaps to address housing needs.
In support of these efforts, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently awarded an $8 million grant to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency to create 225 additional affordable housing units for people with disabilities. NCDHHS will continue to work with NC HFA and other community organizations to implement the plan and achieve its goals.
Duke Energy customers in North Carolina can expect lower electric bills starting January 1, 2025. The company announced a 3.6% rate decrease as part of its annual adjustment for fuel costs used in electricity generation.
