Charlotte's Storm Water System Exposed

In a fun piece of investigative journalism WCNC's Dianne Gallagher and videographer James Capozzi did a little spelunking under Uptown Charlotte's streets.  The report points out something that "locals" have known all along that Charlotte's storm water system and storm drains are all interconnected.

The main idea of the report is that Charlotte is at risk because of an overwhelming lack of security with regards to the city's infrastructure. The complete WCNC report is here.

Yes it would be pretty easy to park your car at Freedom Park and causally walk along Charlotte's Little Sugar Creek then disappear into a tunnel and 30 minutes later you are standing in the middle of the DNC security zone undetected.

Overhead the street. Photo Credit Urban Explorer Aurelie Curie

But CMPD doesn't seem very concerned, their classic and predictable response:

 "While we do work very closely with our partners in storm water services, we are not going to divulge any security specifics or strategies."

In other words, "Whoa we didn't think of that."

Cedar's Take: The same applies to Charlotte Douglas International Airport and much of Charlotte. Back in the day, before Fairview Road was built, you could drive through the Sugar Creek sewage treatment plant as a short cut between SouthPark and South Blvd. The one lane bridge at the plant was the only way across Sugar Creek without going down to Archdale Drive and if you didn't mind the stink it would save you a good amount of time.

Charlotte's Urban Explorers will not be happy about the "revel" nothing like the news media spoiling your fun. More of UE Aurelie's photos here.

Major props to Ms. Gallagher for going where most of us would rather not. But those boots? Good thing the fashion police where nowhere to be found.

Read More

Auto Break-Ins Greet Charlotte Airport Travelers

More than 2 dozen cars were broken into over the weekend. The full parking lots made for easy picking, as nearly non-existant police presence and lack of operating security camera gave crooks the upper hand. Unlike shipping center parking lots were owners ar away from their cars only an hour or do, cars at the airport cas are left unattended for days at a time. The total number of cars broken into during the crime spree may not be known until later this week.

Read More

Friday Wrap Up!

Mayor Foxx and City Council - London bound on your nickel. File this under "You have got to be kidding". While suggesting that Charlotte taxpayers accept both a water rate increase and a 10% property tax increase, Charlotte City Council members and Mayor Foxx plan to fly to London on a "fact finding" mission. Cost to you the taxpayer nearly 6k per person.

Cedar's Take: I think Kevin Siers spells in out rather nicely. More from Kevin Siers here.

Billy Graham On Amendment One - Rev. Graham is urging North Carolina voters to support a proposed amendment to the state constitution banning gay marriage.

In comments issued Wednesday from his home in Montreat, Graham said he believes the home and marriage are the foundation of society and must be protected.

The 93-year-old Graham said the Bible is clear in that God’s definition of marriage is between a man and a woman. He urged voters to cast ballots for the amendment on May 8.

His complete statement is contained in a full-page ad slated to appear in 14 North Carolina newspapers throughout the weekend.

Graham’s son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, recorded a message last month in support of the amendment. Franklin Graham’s sister, Anne Graham Lotz, has also said she supports the amendment.

Cedar's Take: The "between one man and one woman being the only legal domestic union" concept works for me. Frankly I don't care what you do and can't understand why we need a law to enforce common sense, except as a tool to deal with some people have a twisted logic. As I've said before the majority North Carolinian's have a pretty good sense that being gay "just ain't right".

Seriously if Bill and Ted's excellent adventure means they want to get married why should I care?  I don't.

But what really grinds my gears is that we have become a nation of loud and shrill minority voices who we the "majority" spend all our time trying to appease, pay for, accommodate and make exceptions.

Curt Walton's Extraordinary Event - Attracted less than 40 protesters yesterday morning. There were no arrests and the hand full of protesters, several who were children were gone shortly after Duke Energy's shareholder meeting ended.

CMPD Officers keep a watchful eye on dangerous Duke Energy Protesters
Photo Credit: Davie Hinshaw

According to sources, inside during the meeting at least one of the shareholders criticized Duke Energy CEO James Rogers and the company for its use of coal to power electricity-producing plants.

Outside the protesters chanted slogans, carried banners, and made speeches critical of Duke Energy policies, but a group of Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers watched nearby and did not interfere.

CMPD officers had cordoned off a one-block area around the Duke Energy building early Thursday morning, setting up the Extraordinary Event zone.

The city’s new Extraordinary Events ordinance permits authorities to limit protest activities and items that can be carried into a pre-announced zone. Earlier this week, City Manager Curt Walton announced that the zone around the Duke Energy building an area formed by South Tryon Street, Stonewall Street, Graham Street, and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/03/3215683/police-prepare-for-duke-power.html#storylink=cpy

Cedar's Take: As many had predicted, Charlotte's new ordinance giving a wide ranging and long list of "rules for protests" has become a recipe for abuse of power. The ability to virtually declare marshal law in response to even the smallest protest.

More photos of the Duke Energy protest here.

Andrew Murray Seeks Death Penalty - In the case of the State of North Carolina v. Mark Anthony Cox,  prosecutors announced in court Thursday that they will seek the death penalty for the murder of Danielle Watson.

Cox attacked Watson as she closed down the Flying Biscuit Cafe, on the night of January 13th, she was two months into her first pregnancy.

Cox, a 22-year-old convicted felon, was indicted on charges of murder, murder of an unborn child, robbery with a dangerous weapon and felonious larceny several weeks ago. He was on probation after being released from prison after serving time on robbery and breaking-and-entering charges, when he attacked and stabbed Watson several times.

Tiger Woods at Quail Hollow - Woods shot a 71 Thursday, leaving him six strokes off the lead after the first round.

Wood's performance was just dull, there where few great shots, and he didn't implode or throw any clubs, which left the Charlotte Observer's Scott Fowler writing about the fans instead of the former PGA Tour star -

"As always, Woods’ appearance on a golf course caused some interesting fan behavior. As he walked to the first tee before a crowd of thousands, at least three fans held up smartphones to take his picture – a violation of course policy. As marshals told the fans to put their phones down, one lady piped up: “You’re not supposed to be taking pictures!”

When the man taking them expressed some displeasure, she said, “Well, you also happened to walk and stand right in front of me.”

Right before Woods hit his first shot of the day, another fan’s cell phone went off in his pocket. As the fan scurried away to general anger, one lady shrieked: “Are you kidding me?”

Scott Fowler's complete take on Tiger is here.

Kate Upton Cat Daddy Dance - Cedar Posts will not stoop to posting a video of Kate Upton just to drive page views, but CP thinks Kate Upton is a crazy sexy girl. If you haven't seen her "Cat Daddy Dance" in her barely there bikini then you aren't following The Weather Dog on twitter who tweeted the following on Tuesday:

"So what is so great about Kate Upton dancing to "Cat Daddy" in a bikini? She doesn't even look like a cat! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/01/kate-upton-dances-the-cat-daddy_n_1468510.html?ref=mostpopular

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/03/3215683/police-prepare-for-duke-power.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/02/3214594/controversial-marriage-amendment.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/05/02/3214594/controversial-marriage-amendment.html#storylink=cpy

Read More

First Trust Throws In the Towel Will Merge With Park Sterling

Last Friday Charlotte Business Journal's Adam O'Daniel reported that First Trust Bank was being targeted by both community banks and private-equity groups.

According to CBJ, First Trust's president, Jim Bolt, declined to comment, citing company policy not to discuss market speculation.

CBJ also noted that iinvestors, "clearly believe something is up. As of midday, nearly 55,000 shares had traded hands, which was highly unusual for a stock that on some days is not traded at all. The average daily volume for First Trust is 2,100 shares."

Despite all the activity the share price was up only 2.2%, to $4.60.

First Trust, founded in 1999, has two branches in Charlotte and one in the suburbs. It earned $2.4 million last year and is very well capitalized, though it has struggled with credit quality issues. At Dec. 31, more than 10% of its loans were at least 90 days past due, according to Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data.

First Trust has been on and off the ropes with bad loans since late 2009, and now has apparently thrown in the proverbial towel, and will merge or be aquired by Charlotte's Park Sterling Bank.

Park Sterling Bank operates 24 branches throughout North and South Carolina and yesterday reported net income of $2.4 million, or $0.07 per share, for the three months ended March 31, 2012. First Trust has not yet reported tMarch 31, 2012 numbers.

Terms of the rumored merger are unknown at this time, however the stock has climbed out of a basement low of around $1.95 last October to a $4.85 close on Tuesday afternoon.

Read More

Taser International Revises Their Sales Pitch About Product Safety

The supplier of CMPD's newly purchased Tasers, has made a sudden change in the defense of their product's safety.

The reason is an article published by the American Heart Association's journal, "Circulation," which presents the first ever scientific, peer-reviewed evidence that Tasers can cause cardiac arrest and death.

The article, written by Electrophysiologist Dr. Douglas Zipes of Indiana University, marks the first time that a research paper with "peer review" has been published. Additionally "Circulation" published an editorial on the the use of Tasers.

The conclusions of Dr. Zipes' article, which looks at eight cases involving the TASER X26 ECD states: "ECD stimulation can cause cardiac electric capture and provoke cardiac arrest resulting from ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation. After prolonged ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation without resuscitation, asystole develops."

Taser International's website until recently stated, "There is no reliable published data that proves Taser ECDs (Tasers) negatively affect the heart."

With the publication of Dr. Zipes' article, the above statement has been removed, replaced with, a statement that quotes a May Department of Justice study, "While exposure to Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs) is not risk free, there is no conclusive medical evidence that indicates a high risk of serious injury or death from the direct effects of CED's (Tasers)."

An abstract of the article and the editorial can be found here and a related article in the New York Times can be found here.

Read More

Cincinnati Police Chief James Craig on his Degree

Read More

Tuesday's Odd and Ends - Unsafe At Any Hour Edition

Charlotte's Mayor Anthony Foxx and Chief of Police Rodney Monroe Play 18 Holes - Was the $500.00 per hole entry fee paid by Charlotte taxpayers?

You can't fault a guy for wanting to play a round of golf on a perfect spring day. And it is certainly understandable when the course is Charlotte's Quail Hollow.

But who pays the entry fee for Chief Monroe? Who foots the bill for Mayor Foxx? We all remember the dust up over the Mayor's trip to China and how the mayor's staff threatened big trouble if his airfare upgrade, nearly $1,200.00 wasn't reimbursed. So who pays for the pricey pro-am?

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx pondering the fate of his 9 iron. Photo Credit Adam Jennings

The Mayor's office offers up that the golf tournament gives Anthony Fox a chance to network with area business owners and executives. Sounds reasonable, but why then is he on a team with Rodney Monroe, Dell Curry and Panther's Head Coach Ron Rivera? I'd suspect they are already sold on Charlotte.

As far as Chief Monroe, who paid his $4,500.00 entry fee? You can bet taxpayers did, just as you can bet that taxpayers paid for his day off.

CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe has a "D'oh" moment Photo Credit Adam Jennings

CMPD Chief Monroe playing in the sand again. Photo Credit Adam Jennings

The Wells Fargo has two pro-am tournaments, Monday's for those willing to pay to play, most who are local business owners and a hand full of Quail Hollow members and Wednesday's pro-am which is reserved for the major corporate sponsors, like Wells Fargo who fly in clients from all over the country to play with the pros.

The pro-am part of the tournament helps raise a tremendous amount of money for Wells Fargo Championship Charities. 

In the end team "Foxx-Monroe" would finish 20th out of 27, with a score of 62.

Cedar Posts has emailed both the mayor's office and Chief Monroe's office inquiring as to how the entry fee was paid. Nothing but crickets so far.

You can see more photos of the Mayor and Chief Monroe playing golf here.

Mecklenburg Assistant DA's Attacked - Two prosecutors were attacked in an uptown cemetery early Saturday morning.

The two, both 28, were walking from the NC Music Factory through Elmwood Cemetery about 2 o'clock Saturday morning when a man came up from behind them with a two-by-four.

"The guy came up on them running (and) the next thing you know, they're on the ground, their possessions being taken from them," said Sergeant Keith Caviness, of CMPD's robbery unit.
Caviness said the suspect didn't give either of them a chance to cooperate before he attacked with the two-by-four.

One prosecutor, a man who had offered to walk his colleague, a woman, back to her car was beaten so badly he had to be hospitalized. He has since been released and is recovering at home.

District Attorney Andrew Murray released a brief statement saying in part: "All of us here.... are members of this community and feel the impact of crimes such as this one. We're looking forward to having them back at work soon..."

Police say the suspect is a light-skinned black man in his 30s who is bald with a muscular build. They're asking anyone with information to contact their Crime Stoppers line at 704-334-1600

Cedar's Take: It has been years since I lived in Charlotte's 4th Ward. My neighbors, Sue Myrick and Harvey Gantt and I considered ourselves pioneers, living is what was once a run down doorstep to uptown. Back then I felt pretty safe at night, but that was years ago. Charlotte has become "unsafe at any hour" and you really have to be nuts to walk through Elmwood Cemetery at night. Props to the guy who did the right thing in walking the girl home, had he not this would have been a rape and homicide. 

Note to all newly minted law school grads working for the Mecklenburg County DA, this ain't Chapel Hill where you can walk from "He's Not" home at any hour and be safe.

Andrew Murray's 1st Quarter 2012 Homicide Convictions -  It is not all bad news, as Mr. Murray's homicide team brought 16 defendants to justice during the 1st quarter but most were given plea deals that amounted to nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

Two of the 16 received life sentences, and remaing 14 received an average sentance of 7.3 years, and of the majority of those earned a sentence of less than 3 years. Some of those convicted will be out in less than a year making Charlotte "unsafe at any hour".

Samson Coleman, 29, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the 2009 killing of Carmelo Velador Barrera, 31 and was sentenced to 246-324 months in prison.

David Croome, 26, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the 2010 killing of Robert Long Jr., and was sentenced to 51-71 months in prison. Deterio Brice, 30, pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and admitted being an habitual felon for the 2010 killing of Michael Smith, 29 and was sentenced to 56-77 months in prison.

Aaron Ashford, 23, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the 2010 killing of Juquina Harris. Aaron Ashford was sentenced to 42-60 months in prison.

Elijah Ashford, 25, pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in connection with the 2010 killing of Juquina Harris. Elijah Ashford was sentenced to 19-23 months in prison.

Roshode Chapman, 18, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the 2011 killing of Rashan Bouldin, 23. Chapman was sentenced to 80-105 months in prison.

Clay McCall, III, 25, was sentenced to 51-71 months in prison for his previous guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter, in connection with the 2006 killing of Clay McCall, Jr., 56.

John Outen, 55, pled guilty to second-degree murder for the 2004 murder of Ullyssee Richardson, 58. Outen was sentenced to 120-153 months in prison.

Reginald Johnson, 25, pled guilty to  two counts of first-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, five counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, three counts of attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, speeding, reckless driving, misdemeanor fleeing to elude an officer, and  driving while licensed revoked, in connection with the murders of Willie Adams,16, and Angela Davis, 42, the attempted murder of Derek McClure, 19, and the felonious assault of Lavander Sinclair, 16. Johnson was Johnson to two consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 200 months in prison.

Victor Cruz-Garcia, 25, was tried for first-degree murder for the 2009 murder of Yennifer Fuentes, 31. The jury returned a verdict of guilty to the charge of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 135-171 months in prison.

Fisgerald Kilgo, 26, pled guilty to second-degree murder for the 2009 murder of Drew Thomson, 23, and was sentenced to 176-221 months in prison.

Keenan Harte, 31, was tried for first-degree murder in the 2009 murder of Brandon Blakeney, 21. The jury returned verdicts of guilty as charged and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Zachary Rogers, 20, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, in connection with the 2010 death of Derek Roman, 26. Rogers was sentenced to 17-30 months in prison.

Jonathan Smith, 26, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, in connection with the 2010 death of Derek Roman, 26. Smith was sentenced to 23-27 months in prison.

Karizma Sergeant, 21, pled guilty to second-degree murder, for the murder of Dominic Mahone, and accessory after the fact to murder, arising out of the murder of Chaufa Johnson, Sergeant was sentenced to 225-279 months in prison.

Dawn Ward, 49, pled guilty to concealing the death of Brittini Ward, 23 and was sentenced to 6-8 months in prison; that sentence was suspended pending her successful completion of 24 months of supervised probation.

Read More