Hey, Charlotte! I’m here in your inbox this warm morning to get you up to speed on everything you need to know about what’s going on in town.
First, today’s weather:
Partial sunshine. High: 92 Low: 73.
Here are the top three stories in Charlotte today:
- Leaders with the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) met on Wednesday night to discuss an unsolicited proposal to add toll lanes to Interstate 77 between uptown Charlotte and the South Carolina state line. The proposal was submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation by an undisclosed party, as state law requires the submitter’s identity to be kept confidential. By September, the CRTPO will examine factors like traffic volumes, project costs, potential funding sources, and the number of potential lanes to be added and report its findings. The NCDOT can only move forward with a formal bidding process if CRTPO determines this is a viable project. (WSOC Charlotte)
- The suspect who is facing charges in connection with a high-speed Charlotte police chase appeared in court yesterday for a bond hearing. Tyler Christopher Harding is facing several felony charges for the Jul. 6 incident, including multiple counts each of vehicle theft, larceny of a motor vehicle, and hit-and-run. During the two-hour chase, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say the suspect allegedly stole multiple vehicles, crashed into an innocent bystander in Ballantyne, and finally crashed into another vehicle in Charlotte’s South End. A judge had previously increased Harding’s bond to $800,000, and he is scheduled for a probable cause hearing for extradition to his home state of Texas in August. (WCNC.com)
- In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Charlotte Fire Department battled an overnight blaze at a local storage facility. The department received a call late Wednesday night from a passing driver who saw smoke from a unit in the 10100 block of S. Tryon Street. In total, five alarms were pulled, and nearly 100 firefighters worked for six hours to control the fire. No injuries were reported, but the exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined as of Thursday evening. (Spectrum News)
Today in Charlotte:
- The Link Up: Charlotte Black Pride Meet & Greet Reception At NoDa Brewing Company (6:30 PM)
- Luke Bryan At PNC Music Pavilion (7:00 PM)
- Clean The Mic Comedy Event At Fox & Hound (7:30 PM)
- Ocean Deep Ft. Slasha JVZMIN Authentik PINJA At Crown Station Coffee House & Pub (10:00 PM)
From my notebook:
- Looking for a new home in the Charlotte area? Check out these newly-listed local properties for sale. (Charlotte Patch)
- Did you know that “Dirty Dancing,” “Talladega Nights,” and “The Hunger Games” were all filmed in North Carolina? This list includes some beloved movies and TV shows that were filmed in the Tar Heel State, including some right here in Charlotte. (Charlotte Observer)
- As a means to reduce traffic fatalities and increase safety in high incident areas, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and its partner agencies conducted a traffic and speed enforcement operation on N. Tryon St. on Wednesday that resulted in 63 traffic stops and 83 citations. The Department shared this YouTube video about the efforts. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department via Facebook)
- Soul Gastrolounge on Central Avenue will be closing its doors on Aug. 14 after a 114 percent rent increase. Be sure to stop by before this popular restaurant is gone! (WBTV)
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You’re all caught up for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!
— Nicole Fallon-Peek
About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.