Enlarge Eric Davis congratulates Amelia Stinson-Wesley. Photo: Charlotte Observer

Posted: January 11th, 2012 Lee Howard

A dark horse emerged from the gloom last week to fill the vacant District 6 Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board seat. The relatively unknown Rev. Amelia Stinson-Wesley was appointed over 12 contending for the spot left open after board member Tim Morgan won an at-large position in the last election. PTA mom Stinson-Wesley beat out more familiar names, including Wilhelmenia Rembert, who once chaired the school board.

Begging after dark is forbidden in Charlotte. It’s also against the law to panhandle near an ATM, bus stop or restaurant. While one might argue the local rules are impossible to enforce, Raleigh police in 2011 handed out more than 400 citations for begging without a permit.

The Democratic National Convention Committee last week announced it had invested convention funds in two N.C. minority controlled lenders. The committee deposited $2 million each in non-interest bearing accounts with Durham-based Mechanics & Farmers Bank, an African-American owned bank, and the Latino Community Credit Union.

These people meet via Twitter and social media channels. Then they hit the basketball court. Now, they've launched a commununity service effort off-the-court and offline. They call themselves #SCLThoops.

Posted: January 8th, 2012 Amanda Pagliarini

On Jan. 3, Mayor Foxx proclaimed 2012 to be “The Year of Our Neighbors”. The team behind Souls of Our Neighbors (SOON) is treating the mayor's proclamation as a directive. 

The mayor made this announcement on the first day back to work in the new year, as over 300 people gathered to screen “Souls of Our Neighbors”, a documentary on affordable housing. With a 60% local increase in homeless families since 2009, the immediacy of this call to action seems justifiable.

The initiatives SOON has already outlined for the year show an authenticity to the program's name. Rather than look to local government or big corporations, the impetus is being placed on the community; starting with our congregations. (Click here for SOON's website.)

Launching in February,“Beyond Casseroles” will recruit congregations to donate the $3,600 cost to assign a social worker to assist a homeless family. Eight local agencies engaged in homelessness or affordable housing advocacy came together to form the “Beyond Casseroles” coalition. The name came from the hope that our congregations would move beyond food donation to actual real investments that will help to prevent and end homelessness.

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Posted: January 4th, 2012 Lee Howard

When you’re an 11- or 12-year-old girl, especially at Christmas, what do you think about? New shoes? A pony? Not Micah Fagala , 11, or her sister, Kelli, 12. They stock the food pantry Micah created at Benton Heights Presbyterian Church in Monroe. Kelli also has been raising money for the Union County Community Shelter.

We all have a right to free speech, even if that means burning the flag. Just dig a pit first. This was the lesson learned by an Occupy Charlotte member who was jailed last week after helping burn two U.S. flags in the uptown area.
Fort Mill resident Alex Tyler and three others were jailed, not for burning the flag, but on charges stemming from careless use of a fire because they didn't use a fire pit.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx last year led the effort that landed the Queen City the Democratic National Convention. (The Dem’s Big Party is coming up in September.) Foxx, regarded locally as Newsmaker of the Year, also swept the polls for a second term this past fall. Foxx describes his various victories as “improbable.”

So, when did stories about North Carolina politics ring in the New Year sounding like something you’d read in the Chicago Trib? Harold Cogdell throws his Democratic Party affiliations aside to assume the chairmanship of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. And former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory hopes to unseat Gov. Bev Perdue, even as the State Board of Elections has opened an investigation into McCrory’s campaign finances.

LaWana Mayfield’s election to the Charlotte City Council last fall seems have to surprised some, including Mayfield. The first openly gay Charlotte City Council member says she had her own trepidations about running. But, as it turns out, her sexual orientation didn’t matter to voters.

Posted: December 27th, 2011 Lee Howard

In a push to inspire greater local civic participation in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County government, the League of Women Voters plans to host a month-long series of seminars starting Feb. 13. Cost is $40. The tutorials will include info about local government, the courts and media. For registration, click here.

Mob scenes played out all across the Charlotte area recently. A new “fashion” athletic shoe, the $175 Air Jordan, caused near riots wherever they went on sale. They were being particularly sought by African American shoppers. This prompted some criticism from members of the local African American community, who believe priorities need realignment.

NASCAR, a sport synonymous with the Carolinas and especially Charlotte, is looking at possible layoffs in the wake of dwindling sponsorships. Home viewing has increased and the sport is still a local staple. But the current economy is making it harder to find companies willing to shell out $25 million to be a primary sponsor. That could lead to staff cuts.

Until recent history, the least healthy food stuff you could find at a hospital was on its own cafeteria shelf. But in an effort to improve the overall health of their workers, most Charlotte region hospitals have begun offering better choices for their employees, including fresh fruit and vegetables. They’ve also reduced the prices of the healthier items to encourage people to try them.

More than 4,700 homeless students are now enrolled in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, a 20% increase over the past five years. Charlotte non-profit A Child’s Place, since 1989, has been attempting to make a difference in their lives. The kids often need the very basics, including school supplies, clothing and snacks to take to school. For more information about how to help, click here!