This week in Charlotte
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This week in Charlotte: Election nears, affordable housing efforts stall, Malik Monk suspended, Cam to return?
(Photo courtesy of Myles Gelbach)
Politics
Time for Super Tuesday (WFAE): WFAE has a great primer explaining what voters have to choose from in Tuesday’s elections. North Carolina is one of 14 states to hold a presidential primary on the so-called “Super Tuesday.” On the ballet: primaries for President, the U.S. House and Senate, the North Carolina General Assembly and various state offices, including governor. In Charlotte, there are Democratic primaries for at-large and District 3 county commission seats. You can view your sample ballot and other voting info on Mecklenburg County’s Board of Elections website. And you can leave that ID behind: A federal court blocked North Carolina’s photo ID requirement from taking effect. The ruling is being appealed, but as of now, the court order is in place.
Your voting options: Today is the last day for early voting. There are 20 locations to choose from, each open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Tuesday, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Why Charlotte is so important to the Bloomberg campaign, and what that says about us (Agenda): Michael Graff delivers an insightful piece about presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg and his connection to the Queen City. Hugh McColl is a backer. A timely read in advance of Super Tuesday.
Education
Smaller classrooms on the horizon (WFAE, Ledger, Observer): The school board voted this week to reduce the number of classrooms in new high schools planned in west Charlotte, Steele Creek and south Charlotte. And look for the system to ask for more money. School officials said the $922M approved by voters in the 2017 bond referendum isn’t enough to keep up with rising construction and land costs. (And still no word on where a new south Charlotte high school will be located.)
Will schools of the future be taller or smaller? (WFAE): CMS is exploring what schools of the future will look like as the system grows. As land gets more expensive, the system will need to reconsider what an urban school looks like, CMS consultant Dennis LaCaria told elected officials from Mecklenburg County and its seven municipalities this week. Could sprawling athletic fields and parking lots become a thing of the past as classrooms go vertical in an office tower? Possibly.
CMS superintendent launches investigation (WSOC-TV): Superintendent Earnest Winston told Channel 9 that there is a human resources investigation underway into how questions about sexual orientation and gender identity were added to a survey sent to students as young as 6th grade. Parents complained about the questions, and it seems Winston is not happy with how events unfolded surrounding the survey. “I am very concerned with the timing and the way in which I was informed about the actual survey,” Winston told Channel 9. “It did not occur to the expectation that I have. I have expressed that to staff, and it is an active human resources matter.”
Local News
Coronavirus prep (WCNC/Observer): With the CDC saying the coronavirus is likely to become widespread in the U.S. at some point, Charlotte-area hospitals, businesses and schools are being asked to formulate response plans. There are no confirmed cases in the Carolinas yet. The best line of defense with a contagious virus is frequent hand-washing. Wash for at least 20 seconds. And if you are sick, please stay home to avoid spreading your germs.
Bye bye brewery (CharlotteFive): Bold Missy, a female-owned brewery near NoDa, announced on social media over the weekend that it is closing after three years. Its last day is today. If you want to grab a drink head over early as the brewery will be closing early for a private event.
Judge denies other judge’s requested injunction (WBTV): A judge denied a request by Mecklenburg County Judge Aretha Blake to stop WBTV from airing a story that Blake believed would be defamatory and inaccurate. Blake and her attorney sought an injunction to stop WBTV from airing a story that looked at how Blake handles family law cases. Produced by WBTV reporter Nick Ochsner, the story was a follow-up to previous WBTV reporting that called into question the number of matters in Judge Blake’s cases that hadn’t been ruled on in months, or in some cases, a year or more. The story was set to air Thursday, and Blake’s attorney argued running the story would be an attack on a free and fair election. But an out-of-town judge brought in to hear the request said there wasn’t clear and convincing evidence that the facts of the story were inaccurate or that the story was defamatory against Judge Blake.
Business
Prime East Boulevard lot under contract (Ledger): After sitting empty for 20 years, a well-known lot sitting smack in the center of Dilworth’s commercial corridor is under contract, Grey Poole of Selwyn Property Group told the Ledger. Known to old-timers as the Epicurean restaurant site, the roughly 1 acre lot more recently has been home to seasonal pumpkin patches and Christmas tree sales. Word on the street is a five- or six-story office building with underground parking and first-floor retail is being considered by the developer.
Affordable housing effort for Seversville stalled (Ledger/Business Journal): City staff said they cannot support Grubb Properties’ plan to build 125 apartments on 0.7 acres, citing inadequate parking and the possibility of a tall building being too close to single-family homes. Half of the units would have been made available to residents who make 80% of the area’s median income. Grubb is reworking the plans.
Hold on for the ride (Ledger): Stocks fell again Friday, ending the worst week for the markets since the financial crisis of 2008. Looking to provide readers with something to calm the nerves, the Ledger reached out to Larry Carroll of Carroll Financial in SouthPark for the best advice. The upshot: Don’t sell your stocks in a panic.
Affordable housing too expensive (Observer): Plans to include affordable housing in development along a prime stretch of uptown property have been scrapped. Mecklenburg County, the city of Charlotte and other partners were in talks to sell property along North Tryon Street between Sixth and Eighth streets to a master developer who would include affordable housing among market-rate apartments. But the deal fell apart when Inlivian, formerly the Charlotte Housing Authority, decided it would lease, not sell, the property it owns, the Observer reported. Sources told the Observer plans changed amid discussion of where to put low-income housing and whether it would be better to build along North Tryon Street or to take the money and build more units at a cheaper location. Bottom line: the county manager told the Observer that affordable housing, once touted as a key part of the project, is no longer economically viable on the site.
Sports
Malik Monk suspended indefinitely (Bleacher Report): The Charlotte Hornets guard has been suspended indefinitely after violating the NBA’s anti-drug program. According to a statement from the NBA, the suspension will continue until he’s “determined to be in compliance” by the league. In response to Monk’s suspension, the Hornets tweeted: “We are disappointed in Malik’s decision-making that resulted in his suspension. As an organization, we do not condone his behavior. However, we are committed to supporting Malik during this time.”
Keeping Cam (Ian Rapoport, Fansided): On Feb. 25, Rapoport tweeted a clip where he says his understanding is the Carolina Panthers “are moving forward with (Cam) Newton as their starting quarterback.” Rumors about the QB’s future have been swirling as an injured Newton played in just two games last season. Cam himself seems confident he’ll stay as he has been quoted as saying he’s “absolutely sure” he’ll be returning to the team.
New stadium luxury club (Ledger): The Panthers emailed fans who had signed up for soccer tickets and shared renderings of a new field-level “Tunnel Club” and possible prices for tickets. Some of the ticket prices seem reasonable, but some fans seem to be balking at the idea of paying seat-license charges.
Female wrestler makes history (Associated Press): The N.C. High School Athletic Association said on its website that junior Heaven Fitch of Uwharrie Charter became the first female to win one of the association’s individual state wrestling championships. She won the 106 pound (48 kg) weight class in the 1A division last weekend.
Next week:
City Council talks affordable housing, development. On the agenda for the next Charlotte City Council meeting Monday: An affordable housing update and discussion on Ballantyne Reimagined, the vision to turn Ballantyne into a more walkable, urban community.
Super Tuesday. Time to vote in the primaries. Election Day is, well, Tuesday. Polls are open 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Schools out (again!): With all the holidays, teacher work days and “snow” days lately, one could be forgiven for thinking that attending a CMS school is a part-time affair. Students will be dismissed three hours early on Wednesday.
Book smart
Who is reading what in town? We reached out to Park Road Books to find out what people are reading. The indie bookstore has lists of the bestsellers for 2019, and owner Sally Brewster has her recommendations, which she shares with local book clubs. What did locals read a lot of last year?
2019 local bestsellers in fiction:
The Substitution Order: A Novel by Martin Clark
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Tomorrow’s Bread by Anna Jean Mathew
2019 local bestsellers in nonfiction:
The Elephant in the Room by Tommy Tomlinson
Together by Judy Goldman
The Book of Delights by Ross Gay
The Ghosts of Eden Park: The Bootleg King, the Women Who Pursued Him, and the Murder That Shocked Jazz-Age America by Karen Abbott
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
Popular reads now:
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, described by the publisher as “at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder.”
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, which tells the story of a Mexican woman who had to leave behind her life and escape as an undocumented immigrant to the United States with her son.
— Compiled by Kerry Singe. Kerry is an award-winning former Charlotte Observer business reporter. In addition to writing for various publications, she helps her clients, many of which are real estate firms, tell their stories and manage content across multiple media platforms.
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The Charlotte Ledger is published by Tony Mecia, an award-winning former Charlotte Observer business reporter and editor. He lives in Charlotte with his wife and three children.