ReportWire

Tag: Jennifer Roberts

  • Salisbury officals, firefighters respond to staffing worries

    [ad_1]

    SALISBURY, N.C. — A Salisbury firefighter said staffing shortages are straining crews and contributing to increased overtime for workers, while city leaders said they take staffing concerns seriously and remain committed to maintaining reliable emergency response for residents. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  A North Carolina fire department union is voicing major concerns about staffing 

    •  A worker said crews are facing burnout due to repeated overtime shifts 

    •  The union is asking to meet with city leaders one-on-one to address solutions for the staffing concerns 


    Ethan Chirico is a Salisbury firefighter and union board member with the Salisbury Professional Fire Fighters Local 2370.

    Chirico has been working for the Salisbury Fire Department for eight years, and said staffing has been a growing issue during his time with the department.

    He said the city’s growth has increased demand for emergency response, including medical calls and fires, requiring crews to staff stations and be ready to respond around the clock.

    “Since COVID, we have been pushing over 6,000 calls. Last year, we ran nearly 10,000,” Chirico said. 

    “We have to respond to every emergency that comes out, and that’s fire departments everywhere,” Chirico said. “Except, Salisbury is growing rapidly. The number of people, that increases our number of medical calls, increases our numbers for fire.” 

    He believes challenges worsened as demand for services increased, further stating the environment can make it difficult to retain newer firefighters as call volume and workload continue to rise. 

    “If you’re starting to feel like this job is dragging on you in the first five years, that’s a major problem,” Chirico said. “People get burned out way sooner than they need to.”

    Chirico said the department wrote a letter to city council leaders in 2021, expressing impending staffing challenges. 

    “We knew the writing was on the wall,” Chirico said. 

    Chirico’s concerns were amplified on Feb. 13, when he said the department’s Ladder 3 was temporarily taken out of staffing service because of a shortage of firefighters available to safely staff the apparatus. 

    “It went back in service that evening because someone responded from home,” Chirico said. “That is asking somebody to leave their family on their off day.” 

    Chirico said there are five stations in the city with seven frontline trucks. He said to safely operate the apparatus, they need 22 firefighters, one being a battalion chief, ready for call response. 

    When staffing numbers aren’t being met, Chirico said they must go through a process to fill in the gaps. 

    This includes the battalion chief asking for hirebacks, which is an employee working an additional 24-hour shift voluntarily. One of the last options Chirico said, is requiring mandatory shifts to keep citizens safe. 

    “The city has to follow through with that support. They’re asking enormous amounts from us,” Chirico said. “Not a single shift right now because of injuries and vacancies can staff a full 22 firefighters.”

    In a written statement to Spectrum News 1, City of Salisbury Community Engagement Director Anne Little said temporary removal of an apparatus from service is “a common and necessary practice in fire operations when staffing levels require adjustment,” and said the decision was made to protect firefighter safety and ensure appropriate staffing on active equipment. 

    Little said personnel were reallocated, mutual aid agreements were in place, and other apparatus remained available for response. Little further stated that operational decisions are made routinely across fire departments nationwide and are part of responsible resource management. 

    Chirico said when an apparatus is taken out of service routinely in fire departments, it is typically for training, maintenance, or scheduled operational needs, not staffing.

    “Unstaffed, there’s no people,” Chirico said. 

    The city said discussions about staffing and resources should be grounded in complete and accurate information. Their statement further said the narrative being presented does not reflect the full context of the situation and “risks creating unnecessary concern among residents.”

    Little said the city remains committed to supporting firefighters, responsibly managing staffing challenges, and maintaining reliable emergency response for residents.

    Little also said that at no time was the community left without emergency coverage and that the city remains committed to responsibly managing staffing challenges while maintaining reliable emergency response for residents. 

    The firefighters’ union said the truck has been unstaffed multiple shifts since December, citing department records.

    The union also said mutual aid is meant to supplement, not replace, a fully staffed department. 

    Chirico said that when an apparatus is out of service, response coverage dependent on mutual aid can delay operations at incidents.

    “If one’s out of service, we’re waiting on a response from a mutual aid service,” Chirico said. “That is going to delay the overall safety of the fire ground.” 

    Concerns about staffing and retention are being raised in other parts of North Carolina, according to statements from municipalities and firefighter organizations. 

    The International Association of Fire Fighters, a labor union representing professional firefighters and emergency medical and rescue workers across the United States and Canada, has said staffing levels are a key factor in fireground safety and response effectiveness. 

    The union advocates for standards and policies aimed at improving recruitment and retention. 

    Scott Mullins, president of the Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics of North Carolina, which is affiliated with the IAFF, said he is concerned about Salisbury’s staffing situation and its impact on recruitment and retention. 

    “Salisbury has a lot of structure fires,” Mullins said. “Unfortunately, the way they’ve handled staffing, and the firefighters’ pay is a big reason why firefighters are leaving.” 

    Mullins said staffing levels at fire scenes directly affect emergency operations and outcomes. 

    “The science continues to share with people what is most important is staffing and how many firefighters are placed on scene to mitigate an incident,” Mullins said. “The National Institute of Standards and Technology says that four-person crews are most effective at mitigating hazardous incidents.”

    Chirico said Salisbury currently staffs a minimum of three firefighters per truck and said the department is operating below what he believes is needed to meet growing demands. 

    “National standard is four firefighters per truck so already we’re behind,” Chirico said. “We are floating between 60 and 70 ready to work firefighters, and we need closer to 90 ready to work firefighters. That would put 28 firefighters on the shift plus a battalion.”

    Salisbury Mayor Tamara Sheffield addressed staffing during a recent city council meeting, saying the city takes public safety seriously and has secured a federal SAFER grant to fund the hiring of six firefighters who are currently in rookie school. 

    “The city takes public safety and fire safety very seriously,” Sheffield said during the meeting. “I support them all and I think my track record proves that this city is an awesome place to serve. Our citizens are awesome.”

    Sheffield also said the city remains focused on strengthening staffing levels while continuing to support firefighters and maintain emergency services for residents.

    Although the addition of six workers is a step in the right direction, Chirico said the department is still short of staffing levels he believes are needed to support operations. 

    “We do not keep people long enough to retire them,” Chirico said. 

    Firefighters said pay plays a significant role in recruitment and retention efforts for stations. 

    Reports from IAFF state compensation and staffing levels are closely tied to recruitment and retention challenges in departments across the country and have highlighted cases where low wages contributed to vacancies. 

    Nationally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in May 2024, the median annual wage for firefighters was $59,530. 

    Chirico said pay levels can affect retention as costs rise and other departments increase compensation. 

    “For Salisbury, the average firefighter is making low 50s,” Chirico said. “That on its own is not a problem, except that inflation is running away from us and other cities are responding to that [issue].”

    The city tells Spectrum News 1 it has started the fiscal year 2027 budget process, during which the city manager reviews compensation for all city employees.

    Spectrum News 1 asked the City of Salisbury if an-in person meeting is being scheduled with the Salisbury union to further discuss staffing and operations. 

    Little said the city manager meets regularly with employees and is encouraging workers to “meet regularly with their supervisors and department directors.”

    Chirico said the union is inviting and working to secure a meeting with city leaders, focused on long-term staffing solutions and retention improvements. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • N.C. campuses preparing for potential winter weather impacts

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Colleges and universities across North Carolina are preparing for potential winter weather that could disrupt travel, classes and campus operations statewide.

    What You Need To Know

    • Weather experts predicting possible icy storm conditions across North Carolina this weekend

    • Several campuses are sharing their plans to keep students, staff and faculty safer amid the winter conditions 

    • Some students said they feel safer knowing their learning institutions are taking steps to protect their campus community


    UNC Charlotte is closely monitoring the forecast inside its Emergency Operations Center.

    Christopher “Chris” Gonyar, the university’s associate vice chancellor for safety and security, said inside the center, UNC Charlotte’s emergency management team prioritizes planning ahead before an extreme weather event arrives.

    “In the summer and spring, we’re looking at thunderstorms and tornadoes,” Gonyar said. “During the winter, we’re looking at snow/ice, wintry precipitation. They gather that information, then I’ll come into the Emergency Operations Center [where] they’ll give me an update or brief on what we expect the day to look like.”

    UNC Charlotte has enrolled over 32,000 students and operates around the clock.

    Gonyar said assessing potential impacts helps guide decisions about classes and events.

    “We have to start making decisions about our campus operations before snow and ice start to fall,” Gonyar said.

    Gonyar said preparation is key with responding to this weekend’s potential winter storm, stating the emergency management team is planning for what appears to be an “impactful winter weather event.”

    “We’re taking a look at what that means for our campus operations. What are we doing about classes on Monday,” Gonyar said.

    “UNC Charlotte has continued to grow over the years, so we are a 24/7, 365-day-a-year campus. It may surprise some folks, but we do have a small number of classes that occur on Sunday, and events over the weekend. We’re planning and preparing for how we maintain those operations or do we recommend those things are postponed.”

    Many students stay on the campus grounds in residence halls that could be impacted by an ice storm.

    “Making sure we have plans in place to continue to provide food and housing for the population that lives on campus,” Gonyar said.  

    Gonyar said safety remains the top priority when making operational decisions.

    “The most important thing to us is the health and safety of the UNC Charlotte community,” Gonyar said. “Every decision we make is guided by that principle.”

    “We would much rather err on the side of making a call considering safety and have it be all rain, then waiting on a decision until it’s too late and putting our community in harm’s way because they tried to get on a road to travel to make it to class or we didn’t cancel an event, so they try to get themselves to that event,” Gonyar said. “We always start with safety and security, then we look at operations and how that will be impacted by the decision that we make.”

    Associate Vice Chancellor for Safety and Security at UNC Charlotte Christopher Gonyar, upper left, is monitoring the looming storm inside the Emergency Operations Center. (Spectrum News 1/Jennier Roberts)

    UNC Charlotte student Xavier Deloach said he is stocking up on essentials and paying close attention to campus updates.

    “Grocery shopping, stack up on food, toilet paper, tissues, lots of water,” Deloach said.

    The business analytics major said he finds comfort in knowing UNC Charlotte has eyes on the potential ice storm.

    “It makes me feel kind of safe they’re taking preparations for everyone,” Deloach said. “Make sure people are not going out here [unnecessarily].”

    The university also operates The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City.

    Gonyar said his team is also planning on ways to ensure that uptown community is safe during the expected weather storm.

    “They do tend to have a lot of larger events that bring in folks from outside the state or community, so we have to think about those things as well. It’s not necessarily just our thousand acres in Northeast Charlotte,” Gonyar said.

    In Union County, Wingate University has been making plans as forecasts raise concerns about freezing rain and sleet.

    The campus serves over 3,600 students across two campuses in the Town of Wingate and in Hendersonville.

    Associate Vice President of Campus Operations Glenda Bebber said their safety remains top priority for the learning institution.

    “We can’t function without taking care of our students,” Bebber said. “They’re our No. 1 priority.”

    Bebber said staff and leaders recently held an emergency preparedness meeting to determine next steps for operations in the event conditions worsen.

    “We have several members across the campus who participated from academics, to operations, campus safety, academic support, dean of students, athletics, to make sure we can keep our students as safe as possible,” Bebber said.

    Bebber said the leaders discussed the best path forward with how many students could be managed safely, in the event a power outage extends beyond a 24-hour period on campus.

    “It’s mainly just a safety issue,” Bebber said. “Can we feed students, keep them warm, what access do they have to internet capabilities,” Bebber said. 

    Wingate has been making several preparations in the event the worst does occur.

    Bebber said her team has 4,000 pounds of ice melt on deck to help create clear pathways to key buildings like the W.T. Harris Dining Hall and the Crowder Welcome Center. Those spaces will serve as campus shelters if power is lost. 

    Glenda Bebber, far left, is the associate vice president of campus operations for Wingate University. Bebber and director of grounds Blake Center are prepping ice melt ahead of the expected winter storm. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Glenda Bebber, far left, the associate vice president of campus operations for Wingate University, and Director of Grounds Blake Center are prepping ice melt ahead of the expected winter storm. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    “Our concern at this point is being able to get it out enough, as well as the temperatures for the ice melt to actually be effective,” Bebber said. “We also have several tons of sand on campus, so if the ice melt isn’t being as effective, we are prepared to put out sand to make a path to W.T. Harris Dining Hall, which we are staging to have students come in, serve food and have a warm place to go.”

    Wingate University said “residential facilities do not have generators and will be without power” in the event of an outage event.  

    “We also have some heaters coming in that also have a generator power. We’re staging those [in shelters] to be able to provide additional heat source, should our students need to leave their residence halls or apartments and come somewhere that will be warmer,” Bebber said.

    Grounds crews are also preparing for potential damage from ice.

    “We got more of our hard hats for chainsaws,” said Blake Center, director of grounds at Wingate. “We don’t know if there’s going to be any fallen trees on campus because of the ice, so we went ahead and purchased that. All of our equipment is ready to go, depending on what is going to happen over the next 48-72 hours.” 

    T’Asya Jay is a student athlete at Wingate.

    Jay is currently gearing up for possible power outages and travel challenges.

    “Making sure everything’s charged, enough food in case power goes out, and I’m not able to go anywhere,” Jay said.

    Jay is comforted knowing Wingate Univeristy is taking action ahead of the icy events. 

    “Makes me feel a lot better because I personally did not know they were going to do that,” Jay said. “Knowing they’re taking the right steps and making sure we’re all safe and protected and covered for the weather this weekend is good to know.”  

    In a campus community communications, Wingate University confirmed “classes will be remote on Monday for all programs on both campuses.”

    The university also stated “students are encouraged to have fresh batteries for flashlights and phone charging backup” and “candles or any open flames are strictly forbidden and should not be used.”

    Spectrum News 1 reached out to several additional colleges and universities in the state ahead of the weather events.

    In a statement to our news team, UNC-Chapel Hill Strategic Communications Manager Erin Spandorf said the university is “closely monitoring the potential winter storm expected this weekend and assessing what preparations may be needed.”

    According to the university, that includes “evaluating possible operating condition changes and taking appropriate steps to mitigate ice and/or snow impacts.”

    Livingstone College also released an inclement weather plan, further stating no decisions have been made yet regarding Monday operations.

    The college said it will continue to monitor conditions and share updates as they become available.

    Livingstone also said safety remains the top priority and outlined plans for campus safety and emergency services, meal services, residence hall support and a warming center if power outages occur. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to monitor college email and the school’s website for the latest updates.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Elon University plans full-time law program in Charlotte

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. —  Elon University is deepening its footprint in Charlotte with the launch of a full-time law program in the middle of plans to merge with Queens University of Charlotte. 

    The two universities announced their intent to merge in September, a decision solidified in December after trustees approved a definitive agreement. 

    On Tuesday, Elon announced it has applied to the American Bar Association for approval to launch a full-time Juris Doctor program in Charlotte with classes targeted to begin in fall 2027.

    What You Need To Know

    • Elon University announces intent to launch full-time law program in Charlotte

    • The school is already operating a part-time law program in Charlotte 

    • If approved, the new program will operate on the Queens University of Charlotte campus

    • The moves come as Elon and Queens continue moving forward with plans to merge


    If approved, the program would operate on Queens’ campus, either upon completion of the planned merger or by way of a lease agreement. 

    Education leaders say Charlotte currently lacks a full-time law school, following the 2017 closure of the Charlotte School of Law.

    “Charlotte needs a law school,” said Zak Kramer, dean of Elon University School of Law. “It’s the largest city in the country without a full-time program.” 

    Elon already operates a part-time Law Flex Program in Charlotte.  

    Students in the four-year program said the format allows them to balance employment, school and family responsibilities. 

    “A game changer for me,” said Kayla Price, a law student in the Law Flex Program and a paralegal. “It fit my lifestyle, it fit everything I needed to stay in Charlotte and also be able to work and continue to get practical experience at the same time.” 

    The proposed full-time program would expand Elon Law’s presence in the city while maintaining its existing offerings. 

    “That would be in addition to the program in Greensboro and the Law Flex Program,” Kramer said. “So, the Law Flex Program will continue, we’re just growing into a full-time program as well.” 

    “The Law Flex Program will go with the new program to the Queens University campus, but Elon has other programs in its [South End building], it’s growing programs in this building, so we will make unbelievable good use of it,” Kramer said. 

    The Law Flex Program first launched in Fall 2024, and currently has around 83 students between its two cohorts. 

    Kramer said they’re expecting a growing demand for Charlotte’s full-time law program, as they aim to enroll a class of around 75 students, giving aspiring lawyers a chance to develop partnerships in the Queen City’s legal community. 

    According to Juris Education, the average cost of law school, including tuition and living expenses, totals about $230,000.

    For private institutions, Juris Education reports the average tuition alone for a three-year program to be roughly $168,000. 

    Elon leaders say the new full-time Charlotte law program, designed to be completed in two-and-a-half years, would mirror the university’s Greensboro offerings, while providing a more cost and time-efficient option. 

    “The full-time scale will be the same [cost] as the scale in Greensboro,” Kramer said. “This year in Greensboro it was $136,000 all in. A lot of students get merit scholarships, so they end up paying less than that.”

    “The benefit of being a 2.5-year program is its more cost effective, and it’s faster because students don’t have to pay for that second half of a third year, so they graduate with less debt and get out into the marketplace faster,” Kramer said.

    The location of the proposed law school is closely tied to Elon’s planned merger with Queens. 

    Elon President Dr. Connie L. Book said placing a full-time law program on the Queens campus reflects what the merger aims to achieve. 

    “It is something that together Elon and Queens could not have achieved independently,” Book said. “So when we say stronger together, this is a great example of the kind of accelerated opportunity that the merger with Queens and Elon are bringing to Charlotte and beyond. A full-time law program is central to that vision. 

    “We were going to have a full-time law program even if the merger hadn’t been realized,” Book said. “But the cost avoidance of having the relationship with Queens is a $31 million issue, meaning, I don’t have to build a new library, dining hall [etc.]  So, we had [otherwise] imagined leasing a building and then doing improvements to it.” 

    Elon leaders said the new program will also benefit current students by giving them an infrastructure to enjoy on a higher education campus.

    “The Flex Program has already started benefiting working professionals here in Charlotte,” said Jack Randolph, a paralegal and student in the Law Flex Program. “Now, having a full-time law school opens the doors for everyone, whether they’re coming straight out of undergraduate or looking to change careers, and they feel like a full-time program works best for them.” 

    Jack Randolph and Kayla Price are enrolled in Elon University’s Law Flex Program in Charlotte. The paralegals said they’re excited the institution is expanding to a full-time option for students in a growing area. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Applications for the new program are expected to open in August 2026, pending ABA approval. Elon University said offers of admission cannot be extended until formal authorization is granted. 

    Regulatory approvals are still required before the merger between Queens University of Charlotte and Elon is finalized. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • JWU Charlotte providing excess food to community partners

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina university is giving surplus food a second life, repurposing it into meals for students and neighbors across the Charlotte region.

    Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte offers a wide selection of majors and programs, like culinary arts and business administration, preparing students for high-demand industries.

    At the heart of that mission sits the university’s culinary storeroom, often described as the backbone for daily operations. 

    What You Need To Know

    • JWU Charlotte is well known for majors and programs that prepare students for high-demand fields 

    • The campus is also helping community partners, feeding neighbors across the Charlotte area 

    • The university runs a weekly distribution, providing excess food to partners 

    • Nonprofits share how the partnership is strengthening their reach and mission 


    Staff, culinary assistants and federal work-study students are managing daily inventory, orders and distribution needs, while keeping activities running smoothly campuswide.

    Product Manager Sierra Curtis oversees storeroom operations.  

    “We are responsible for ordering and receiving all the product once it comes into the storeroom,” Curtis said. “We store it properly and use reports to fill daily requisitions for all the labs and any events we might have on campus. I like to tease — if there was no storeroom, there would be no culinary without us.”

    Beyond the day-to-day responsibilities, the storeroom is also empowering nonprofits and neighbors across the Charlotte area, sharing excess food with community partners for people who need it most.

    JWU Charlotte operates a weekly rotation of distributing quality food items to groups and organizations, helping to feed neighbors, all while reducing waste.

    One of those partners is the Community Culinary School of Charlotte, a nonprofit providing workforce training and job placement support in the food service industry.

    Executive Director Ronald Ahlert, also known as “Chef Ron,” makes regular donation pickups from the JWU Charlotte campus.

    “They give us really nutritious [food], a lot of different unique items our students may not get a chance to work with because sometimes the cost can be tough,” Ahlert said. “I put people to work that might have a barrier to successful long-term employment. This relationship [with JWU] is paramount.”

    Ahlert said the boxes of surplus food are supporting hands-on training while stretching resources needed for its program.

    “Money can be tight. We rely on donations and grants,” Ahlert said. 

    Another partner, The Bulb, is operating a mobile farmers market, delivering fresh produce to underserved neighborhoods across the region.

    “It allows us to redistribute surplus produce that otherwise would have been thrown away and it directly contributes to our mission of putting food back into the economy, back into the environment, communities that need it the most,” said Emma Start, sustainability coordinator for The Bulb. “We’re taking it away from landfills.”

    Culinary assistants and staff at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte finish helping Emma Start (left), with the nonprofit The Bulb, pack up boxes filled with healthy food items. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    “Community partners supporting each other is invaluable. You can’t compare it to something like this,” Start said.

    The support is extending to students on campus who may need meals as well, through a commuter lab. 

    “We take food from labs that we’ve repurposed as meals for people in between classes and commuters that have busy schedules and don’t have time to go home in between classes,” student and culinary assistant Macie Braymiller said.

    “Helping out people who truly need our assistance, that’s what makes this meaningful,” said Isabella Mock, JWU student and culinary assistant. 

    Kaden Rogers is a JWU Charlotte student and culinary assistant.

    Rogers said he’s grateful to be in a learning environment that’s also giving back to neighbors.

    “It’s an amazing opportunity that we get here as students, every day, to be able to contribute to the city while we’re students,” Rogers said. “It’s a powerful thing.”

    JWU Charlotte leaders said the storeroom also serves as a training ground for students interested in careers beyond the kitchen, teaching skills like supply-and-demand operations that translate directly into today’s workforce.

    “Some come in as a work-study student, get promoted to a culinary assistant and go out and get jobs in the industry,” Curtis said.

    Curtis said it’s a great feeling to see the storeroom giving back in so many ways.

     I like that JWU is donating to these community organizations all year-round,” Curtis said. “It takes a village.”

    JWU Charlotte food donation partners also include Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, churches and soup kitchens.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Foundation awards $100K for foster care youth in N.C.

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A national nonprofit supporting families, children and young adults facing serious obstacles is receiving a major boost in the south. 

    Youth Villages is a leader in mental and behavioral health services, working to help young people overcome obstacles through direct services, partnerships and advocacy.  

    What You Need To Know

    • A national nonprofit just received a major boost from a NASCAR champion’s foundation to support youth aging out of foster care in North Carolina

    • The organization is providing direct services to help youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood, including those seeking a postsecondary education 

    • Staff said the recent grant will further its ability to support more youth in need of support services 



    The Youth Villages in North Carolina location is being awarded a $100,000 grant from the Joey Logano Foundation. The foundation was started by the NASCAR champion Joey Logano to provide second chances to children and young adults during times of crisis, particularly those involved in the foster care system.

    “We want to see youth who have been through the foster care system have a healthy chance at living independently and embarking on a path to a bright future,” Brittany Logano, founding vice chairman of the Joey Logano Foundation and wife of Joey Logano, said in a press release.

    “That is exactly what they receive with Youth Villages’ Scholars program. It is wonderful to hear success stories from Scholars who were raised in the system and defeated all odds to take on their dreams of going to college or a trade school, graduating and creating a joyful life for themselves,” she said.

    Erica Ellis is director of development for Youth Villages in North Carolina. 

    Ellis said the $100,000 grant will further strengthen and expand the LifeSet and Scholars offerings for youth in need of services. 

    LifeSet is designed to help young people successfully transition from foster care to adulthood. 

    Through one-on-one support, LifeSet specialists work with participants to achieve secure safe housing, build healthy relationships and meet education and employment goals. 

    The Youth Villages Scholars initiative builds on that model by offering additional assistance to LifeSet participants enrolled in postsecondary education or vocational training. 

    Scholars receive monthly stipends, technology, school supplies and other essential resources, as well as support from dedicated staff and mentors.

    “One hundred thousand dollars will go a long way with helping ensure we can maintain those stipends and also maintain the staff we have, the support systems,” Ellis said.

    Youth Villages in North Carolina Director of Development Erica Ellis is preparing for another busy year, helping youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Last year, Youth Villages served over 800 young adults through LifeSet in North Carolina with more than 40 students participating in the Scholars program. 

    Ellis said the data shows, many of those young adults need direct support services.   

    “Nationwide, only about 13% of young adults who age out of the foster care system will reach their secondary educational goals,” Ellis said.

    But Youth Villages reports around 48% of its scholars complete their degrees, which Ellis said highlights the impact of providing young people consistent, long-term support.

    “Once they go into those institutions, a lot of times they can face a lot of barriers, whether that be mental health issues, not being able to afford books or not knowing how to advocate for themselves on campus,” Ellis said.

    “Our Scholars initiative came out of how do we provide [a] support system that a lot of us take for granted because we had a family,” Ellis said. “We are their family, their support system, all the way through their secondary education.” 

    One of the students benefiting from the program is Leo Ma, a 19-year-old studying supply chain management at UNC Charlotte. 

    “I know Charlotte is also the second biggest banking city after New York, so I thought it would be good for business,” Ma said. 

    Ma said at age 16, he navigated through the foster care system after the Department of Social Services took custody. 

    “I knew then if I wanted to be successful, I would have to strategize and take advantage of every opportunity,” Ma said. 

    After aging out of foster care, Ma said he secured a full ride scholarship from NC Reach.

    The Charlotte 49er later connected with Youth Villages, which he credits for supporting his academic pursuits and navigating housing and other needs that often arise for higher education students.

    “Creating a plan for housing during the academic breaks. I think that’s something that could have easily turned into a crisis, but instead, we were able to create a plan early on,” Ma said. 

    “I think it’s very important to have programs that extend into the adult life of someone who ages out of foster care. Programs like LifeSet that have clear incentives related to education and employment, that allows foster youth to act upon their own free will and create their own future instead of being left out to dry after they age out,” Ma said. 

    Since partnering with Youth Villages in 2016, the Joey Logano Foundation has now contributed over $900,000 to support foster youth in North Carolina. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Workforce training in Charlote helping people in recovery find stability

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, employment is a key part of long-term recovery for people overcoming substance use disorders.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Workforce opportunities are helping residents in recovery open new career doors

    •  In North Carolina, a partnership is empowering more individuals overcoming substance use disorders through training for high-demand fields 

    •  One student shares how the workforce program is helping him 


    Research shows obtaining and maintaining meaningful work helps establish structure, income and self-esteem, which are linked to better recovery outcomes.

    This model is taking shape at the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives’ Vocational Training Center Charlotte, a nonprofit providing free, hands-on job training in HVAC-R installation and service, automotive repair and commercial driving.

    The Charlotte team has trained over 900 people for careers since its opening in 2020. 

    NCIA VTC Charlotte program director Christine Poltawsky said their reach includes residents identified as low-income, those who are justice-involved transitioning back into the community and people unhoused or in a recovery process.

    “What we’re really looking to do is reach anybody that does not have access to education and training,” said Poltawsky. 

    VTC Charlotte credits partnerships with the county and a local nonprofit for empowering more people facing barriers to education and workforce training. 

    Mecklenburg County awarded NCIA about $128,000 in opioid settlement funding for employment-related services tied to opioid recovery. 

    Poltawsky said those dollars are allowing them to expand workforce development reach to residents eligible for tuition-free training and support.

    “Most of the people in the county that got the funds – it’s been a lot of treatment centers. So we’re excited that we’re able to target things from a different direction,” Poltawsky said.

    “We are recruiting out in the community at all treatment centers, Charlotte Rescue Mission and others. It’s just allowed us to serve a larger number of their clientele because we have a different funding stream that we can bring them in under,” Poltawsky said.

    In 2023, VTC Charlotte partnered with the rescue mission, an organization offering residential recovery programs at no cost for individuals at the intersection of homelessness and addiction. This includes individuals overcoming alcohol and drug addiction.

    The rescue mission is connecting residents to career training and support at VTC Charlotte.

    “We started conversations on how we could refer people in their program, in order for them to continue to build on what they’re working on,” Poltawsky said.

    “They have steps they need to follow to move forward. What our program offers to the residents there is a pathway to get some industry-recognized credentials and then make some money so they can start paying the rent and move forward through that step process. Along with everyone else who comes through our doors, we’re just giving second chances,” Poltawsky said.

    Since 2023, over 50 rescue mission participants have enrolled in NCIA training programs, thanks to support from the opioid settlement funds. As a result of these partnerships, VTC Charlotte said many of the graduates are now working full-time jobs.  

    Graduate Kasey Lester was referred through the rescue mission and recently graduated from the HVAC program. 

    Lester said the workforce training has been a gamechanger for getting a job and for others seeking second chances. 

    Kasey Lester recently graduated from NCIA VTC Charlotte and credited its partnership with Charlotte Rescue Mission for opening new career doors. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    “I wasn’t aware of the opportunities that were up to grab, the things I could pursue, do for myself to get me out my regular routine of life,” Lester said. “That I could branch out and have more stability, more freedom, peace, knowledge. Through the Charlotte Rescue Mission, it has opened many doors.”

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services estimates over 1.4 million adults struggle with a substance use disorder.

    From 2000 to 2022, NCDHHS reports over 36,000 North Carolinians died from drug overdoses.

    Poltawsky said the data speaks to the importance of connecting those in recovery programs to workforce pipelines, so they can create lasting stability beyond treatment. 

    “It feels really good to contribute to the good news and changing somebody’s life for the positive,” Poltawsky said. 

    Walter Boseman is enrolled in VTC Charlotte’s HVAC-R program.

    “I have an associate degree in it already, but I got in an accident years ago which led me out of the workforce,” Boseman said. “I’m going back to what I know to get me up to par with new systems being used.”

    Boseman was also referred through the Charlotte Rescue Mission.

    Boseman said the combination of support and workforce training has helped create a pathway he needed. 

    “Put me back where God wanted me from the beginning,” Boseman said. “It’s working together just like an air conditioning unit. I’m just moving on up.”

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • TSA urging preparation and patience ahead of holiday rush

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. —A record number of Americans are expected to be traveling this holiday season. 

    According to AAA, over 122 million people will journey at least 50 miles from home between December 20 and January 1, marking a 2.2% increase over last year’s record. 

    This includes a projected 8.03 million air travelers nationwide, the highest AAA said it’s recorded for the year-end holiday period. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  AAA reports a record number of travelers this holiday season 

    •  Over eight million of those commuters are air travelers 

    •  In North Carolina, airport officials are preparing for a possible holiday rush 

    • Transportation officials share tips to help your travels go a bit smoother 


    In North Carolina, officials at Charlotte Douglas International Airport said they are preparing for a busy stretch of travel as winter holidays get underway. 

    Between December 16 and January 4, CLT expects about 2.7 million passengers to arrive and depart, down roughly 13% from the same period last year, according to airport officials. Despite the decrease, airport officials said passengers could experience busy times amid peak commuting days. 

    The Transportation Security Administration told Spectrum News 1, this weekend marks the beginning of one of the busiest travel periods of the season.

    Greg Hawko, TSA federal security director for North Carolina, said his team has taken steps to ensure they’re ready to handle the expected holiday rush. 

    “We prepare in advance to ensure all our officers are prepared and ready for the passengers. We have additional staff that comes on,” Hawko said. 

    Officials say some of the heaviest local departure days are expected to include Friday, December 19, as well as December 26-27, following Christmas.  

    TSA is urging travelers to take steps that help keep security screening moving efficiently. 

    “Especially at the holiday season, we have lot of passengers who do not routinely travel throughout the year,” Hawko said. “Sometimes, it can be a little daunting.” 

    “When you start packing, start with an empty bag. Make sure there’s nothing else left in the bag, especially if you’re carrying that bag on the airplane. Make sure you do not pack any prohibited items in that bag,” Hawko said.

    Hawko said airport workers often see a great deal of people traveling with gifts this season. 

    “I highly recommend not completely wrapping those items and potentially wrapping them when you get there,” Hawko said. “A great alternative that would make your process easier is using gift bags, so we can easily see what’s inside and not mess up a beautiful wrapping job.”

    “Allow yourself enough time to park, drop off rental car, check a bag, and please bring your patience to the check point,” Hawko said. 

    Some travelers at Charlotte Douglas said their experiences so far have been smooth. 

    “No concerns at all,” said Brad Furby, a South Carolina resident flying out of Charlotte Douglas. 

    Some fliers planning on traveling later in the week said it is still early but expressed some concerns.

    Other riders said they remain optimistic flights will take off with no challenges next week, amid a possible holiday rush. 

    “The government is no longer shut down, so a lot of workers are still available,” said traveler Jared Eummer. “So, no necessary concerns.”

    AAA’s forecast shows driving remains the dominant mode of holiday travel with over 109 million Americans expected to take road trips this year-end. AAA cites lower gas prices and convenience as reasons for people choosing to hit the roads this holiday season. 

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Volunteers staying vigilant amid operation uncertainity

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg parents and volunteers said they’re staying vigilant, amid conflicting reports about border-enforcement operations coming to an end.  

    Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said federal officials told him the operation, dubbed “Charlotte’s Web,” was over.

    But in a statement, the Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “The operation is not over and it is not ending anytime soon.”

    What You Need To Know

    • Neighbors are hearing conflicting reports about whether a federal operation in Charlotte is coming to an end 

    • Some residents say they will remain vigilant until they know for sure the operation is ending 

    • A group of volunteers, consisting of parents and community members, will continue patrolling efforts to ensure kids and families are safe 


    Since Saturday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have been operating in Charlotte, a DHS effort that has led to over 300 arrests statewide.

    Border-enforcement activities in Charlotte are prompting some parents and neighbors to organize informal patrols outside Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools.

    Parent Sarah Ekis has a son enrolled in a CMS elementary school.

    In response to the border operations, Ekis, parents and community members started patrolling near the school, keeping a watchful eye.

    “We started the beginning of the week when we knew Border Patrol had arrived,” Ekis said. “We’ve got a patrol out here in the mornings, one in the afternoons. That’s the way I can help right now with being an ally.”

    Ekis said the effort is about classmates whose families may be directly affected by the immigration enforcement.

    “It’s less about [my son], more about his classmates and families impacted by it,” Ekis said. “It’s heavy, it’s a lot.”

    Ekis says the operation’s impacts are showing up in her son’s kindergarten classroom.

    “He’s mentioned his friends are all sick and not in school,” Ekis said. “He’s been pretty quiet about it, he doesn’t seem to know much of what’s going on. We’ve shielded him as much as we can, it’s scary.”

    CMS officials say absences have climbed since federal agents arrived in the city.

    The district reported over 30,000 students absent Monday, the first school day after Border Patrol began its operation in Charlotte. CMS said there were around 25,000 absent on Tuesday.

    Parents and volunteers said they’ve noticed the same trends CMS has reported.

    “The car rider line has been shorter in the morning. The pickup line [has] been shorter. The kids walking have been fewer,” Ekis said. “People are staying home because they’re scared.”

    District leaders have stressed there has been no immigration enforcement on CMS property, but acknowledged the anxiety some families are feeling.

    Ekis said word spread among parents that federal agents had possibly been seen near her son’s school, spiking concerns about school safety.

    “My heart just kind of sank, like what’s going to happen,” Ekis said. “The great part about this community is we rallied together. We showed up with our whistles, ready to be on watch. It’s turned into a way for the neighbors to connect.”

    Beth Clements is a neighbor and part of the patrol efforts and has been on watch since Monday morning.

    Clements said she’s dedicated to helping those who are almost like family during these uncertain times.

    “A wise man told me ‘who protects your neighborhoods? You protect your neighborhoods.’ This is my neighborhood, these are my kids. My granddaughter plays with kids that go to this school,” Clements said.

    “I’m armed with a whistle. I have spent every day this week standing guard because with my white skin I have a privilege they do not have. I’ll use my privilege this way,” Clements said.

    Uncertainty remains about how long the operation will last.

    For Ekis and the other volunteers, that uncertainty is reason enough to keep showing up.

    “I think we’ll keep doing it as long as there’s a need,” Ekis said. “As long as Border Patrol’s in town I think we’re going to keep doing it. I think part of the concern is reports saying they’re leaving, are they really leaving? We’re not letting our guard up until we’re sure.”

    “This is a community I’ve lived in for a long time. I love Charlotte. Immigrants are a big part of this community, and I just don’t understand why what’s happening is happening,” Ekis said.

    Ekis is encouraging families impacted by the operation to know there are people out there who want to help.

    “Contact your school’s PTAs, [some] are rallying around and trying to find support for families, doing anything they can to help,” Ekis said.

    “There are allies out there. We can do things like pick up groceries, prescriptions. We can help bring your kids to school. We’re happy to do those things,” Ekis said.

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • N.C. college helping students affected by shutdown

    [ad_1]

    DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. — Data shows food insecurity continues to affect college students across the country, an issue heightened by the federal government shutdown.

    A Government Accountability Office report estimates over 3 million students were eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, long before this recent shutdown. But many students reported not receiving those benefits. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Food insecurity continues to affect college students nationwide

    • The issue has been heightened by the recent government shutdown 

    • Many college students rely on SNAP benefits, which have been only partly funded as of Nov. 1

    • One North Carolina college shares how they’re ensuring student needs are taken care of during the shutdown


    The Hope Center Student Basic Needs Survey released in 2025, fielded between spring 2023 and summer 2024, found 59% of students nationwide experience at least one form of basic-needs insecurity, connected to food or housing.

    Identifying which students are impacted by the reduction in SNAP funding can be difficult task for some higher education institutions.

    A North Carolina community college has taken steps to raise awareness about services and resources, so students can focus on academics and not their next meal.

    Davidson-Davie Community College’s vice president of student affairs Keisha Jones is supporting staff and faculty with helping nearly 4,700 students flourish along their academic journey.

    Jones notified employees on Oct. 30 about the potential SNAP funding stoppage and possible effects it could have on students.

    Jones said the message was meant to raise awareness about resources in place to support students, like the food pantry, so their academic pursuits would continue uninterrupted.

     “Something like SNAP benefits being taken away from certain people, it could impact the way they show up in the classroom,” Jones said. “Helping faculty and staff really think about signs I should be looking for that [a] student may be in distress, what are resources I can notify my entire class about [and] not singling anyone out. We provide a lot of resources to our students that they are aware or not aware of.”

    “Ways the faculty and staff could potentially donate through the foundation if they wanted to add to what we already have. We also connect students to community resources [like] additional food pantries to get support from,” Jones said.  

    That guidance has helped instructors better respond to students’ needs.

    Assistant professor of mathematics Kevin Eagan said the college’s leadership has encouraged flexibility and awareness as students navigate uncertainty of the shutdown.

    “It helped me feel supported to support them,” Eagan said. “Sometimes, you feel like you don’t really know what to say to a student, but not the case here.”

    Eagan said that simply offering understanding during a tough time can make a difference for a student.

    “I’ve noticed a couple of things and try to be really flexible as an instructor and understanding,” Eagan said. “Our students, they’re so hard-working, I know sometimes just to give them a little bit of flexibility is all they’re going to need and give them support so they can succeed.”

    For weeks, student volunteers at Davidson-Davie have been stocking shelves at the Storm Food Pantry as more learners turn to it for help during the shutdown.

    “We are stocked up for any student to come and utilize if they are in need,” said Katrina Prickett, a student and pantry volunteer. “We service students daily. Me going through this myself, I can relate to the disadvantages people may be going through right now.”

    The food pantry served nearly 500 students in 2024, double the previous year’s total.

    Staff said they’re on pace for another record season, as more students turn to the pantry for help.

    “We have seen a tremendous increase in student use of the food pantry since the government shutdown and lack of SNAP benefits,” said Lynne Watts, director of student life and leadership at Davidson-Davie. “I understand there may be some partial benefits coming this month, however, some food is not nearly enough food, especially when college students are left to decide between finding their next meal and studying for an exam.”

    “Food should not be a luxury and today, sadly, many college students are in a position where that’s exactly what their reality is,” Watts said.

    Prickett said for her, the college has become a trusted, reliable resource for students trying to overcome so much. 

    “Once I notified staff here at the school that I had [something] going on, they sprung into action to connect me to those resources,” Prickett said. “Coming from someone that has little to no support already, I fit right in here. They have felt like my family.”

    Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • ‘No Kings’ marchers united in Charlotte, calling for change

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Uptown Charlotte was filled with chants, flags and handmade signs Saturday as part of the nationwide “No Kings 2” rallies, protesting policies under President Donald Trump’s administration.

    What You Need To Know

    •  “No Kings” rallies took place Saturday across the nation

    •  Several organizers led events in North Carolina

    •  In Charlotte, demonstrators marched through Uptown voicing their concerns about the Trump administration



    House Speaker Republican Mike Johnson criticized the national protests, calling them “hate America” rallies

    “I’m not sure how anybody can refute that,” Johnson said.

    Dozens of cities across North Carolina saw marches and rallies, including Raleigh and Charlotte.

    Indivisible Charlotte and community partners organized a march from First Ward Park through Uptown.

    Hardin Minor is the founder of Charlotte Earth Day. Minor is singing and showing his love for America ahead of the “No Kings” rally at First Ward Park. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Organizers said the focus was on peaceful expression and unity, where participants could safely exercise their First Amendment rights.

    “We want people to come and feel safe in the environment of speaking out and being heard, taking [an important] part in their community,” said Tony Siracusa, the group’s media director.

    Siracusa said the organization worked with Charlotte-Mecklenburg police for nearly two months to ensure the events occurred safely and peacefully. 

    Organizers also estimated growing turnout since the first “No Kings” rally in June.

    Siracusa said more than 3,000 people registered online for the previous event, with an estimated 7,000 attending.

    He said registration for this weekend’s march was up 33%.

    “There’s no telling how sizeable the crowd can be,” Siracusa said.

    Among those marching was Hardin Minor, founder and director of Charlotte Earth Day.

    Minor said one reason he joined the march is concern over environmental decisions made by the current administration.

    “It just seems a little bit backward thinking to me for some of the actions that are taking place,” Minor said.

    Minor was seen proudly dressed in red, white and blue, holding signage that read “We love America.”

    Minor hopes the nationwide marches encourage more people from all backgrounds and political affiliations to unite for the greater good of the country.

    “The American eagle needs two wings to fly, a right wing and a left wing, and a strong center. That’s what it’s all about. We need each other and we want to connect with all of you in America with our positive message of let’s support our country and our democracy together,” Minor said. 

    Indivisible Charlotte organizers said that aside from a few health-related responses, there were no major disruptions during the event.

    The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has not yet released information about crowd size or emergency calls tied to the rally.

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • N.C. election official urges patience in early voting

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In-person early voting is underway across North Carolina, and election officials are expecting turnout to be strong, despite it being a municipal cycle rather than a presidential election year. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Early voting is underway across North Carolina 

    • Election officials are expecting mayoral races and a sales tax referendum to fuel voting attendance 

    • A North Carolina election official is urging people to exercise patience and preparedness during the election season 


    Michael Dickerson serves as director of the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections. 

    Dickerson said this year’s elections are fueled by mayoral races, including in Charlotte, Greensboro and Durham, and a one-cent sales tax referendum in Mecklenburg County backed by local and state lawmakers.

    “We got something for everybody to vote on here in Mecklenburg County,” Dickerson said. “We [also] have school board.”

    Dickerson urged voters to bring patience and a photo ID to help keep the voting process running smoothly.

    “It’s not a matter of whether or not you [do or] don’t want to show it, I have to ask for that photo ID in order to accept your ballot,” Dickerson said.

    According to the N.C. State Board of Elections, over 7.5 million people are registered to vote statewide.

    Mecklenburg County accounts for more than 810,000 registered voters and between 2,000 and 3,000 poll workers this election cycle.

    At the Hal Marshall Center in Mecklenburg County, poll workers have been busy welcoming voters since the polls opened Thursday morning.

    Vanessa Ramseur, the Hal Marshall Center site’s chief judge, said she returns each year to help ensure a smooth process.

    “We always work a little earlier than all the other locations because we are here to help to make sure everything gets a great start, which includes having all our staff here ready to greet and meet all our voters and give them the excellent service they need,” Ramseur said.

    Although Ramseur retired, she said helping people exercise their civic duty is both critical and meaningful work.

    “The reason I come back from year to year is to make sure every voter gets the opportunity to vote. It allows me to get up real early, go through the traffic and it means a tremendous amount to me because voting is a right,” Ramseur said.

    Some reports show safety remains a national concern for polling staff.

    A 2025 Brennan Center Research Department survey found that 52% of local election officials expressed concern about threats to themselves or their staff.

    Dickerson said wellness of poll workers remains top priority.

    “We don’t write the rule to do it, we follow the process. Our goal is to get you to vote, that’s the most important thing,” Dickerson said.

    “I am very proud of our poll workers. Our workers are trained to make sure we do have the process work smoothly, and their security is the most important thing to us. They know the procedures to take care of themselves, and they know to get in touch with us if they have any issues, and we will work them through it,” Dickerson said.

    Ramseur said she also feels safe doing this job, crediting election officials for security coordination.

    “We don’t have to worry about anything else except doing our job,” Ramseur said. “We’re thankful.”

    Early voting in North Carolina continues through Nov. 1. Election Day falls on Nov. 4.

    In Mecklenburg County, the Hal Marshall Center remains the only open early voting site until next Thursday, when 21 locations will open to voters.

    Residents can find a list of early voting sites and everything you need to know before you vote on the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections website.

    Although voters will be asked to show ID, residents can still vote by filling out an ID Exception Form.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • N.C. campus creating spaces to promote student wellness

    [ad_1]

    LOCUST, N.C. — October marks Mental Health Awareness Month for many wellness organizations, aligning with World Mental Health Day and National Depression Screening Day.

    At Stanly Community College, staff are using this time to spotlight resources and support services for the 10,000 students at its Albemarle campus, Crutchfield Education Center in Locust and other learning sites.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Organizations are spotlighting mental health wellness, coinciding with World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10

    •  A North Carolina community college hosted wellness activities as part of its commitment to mental health 

    •  Stanly Community College said these recent events are just one piece of its long-term efforts to promote student wellness 



    This week, the college hosted “Color Yourself Happy” and “Walk & Talk with a Counselor” events, inviting students to take a break and focus on the moment.

    “We try to do things like that throughout the year, we know college can be extremely stressful,” said Kara Finch, dean of Health Sciences and Public Services. “We want to make sure we’re paying attention to mental health needs of college students.”

    Finch said over the years, the community college has taken huge strides with supporting mental health needs, taking a more holistic approach all year-round.

    This includes resources embedded across the school’s campuses to meet wellness needs.

    “We have a food pantry, counseling services here on our campuses to provide support,” Finch said. “We also have a focus on mental health first aid and QPR (question, persuade, refer) suicide prevention for our faculty and staff. We have a lot of staff and faculty trained in mental health first aid, about 85% of our faculty and staff are trained in suicide prevention.”

    Finch said the college is also integrating mental health awareness into student orientation, where staff discuss self-care and signs of depression and anxiety.

    “We want our students to be successful,” Finch said. “Part of that means there’s not just a focus on their education, there’s a focus on their mental health and physical needs, all of those things.”

    “We know students can’t learn on an empty stomach. Providing snacks for them when they’re on break, having the food pantry for those students who might need that support, we know it’s a stressful environment,” Finch said.

    Jonathan Ho is a student in the emergency medical science program at SCC. He said midterms and constant studying can be overwhelming.

    “Trying to remember everything you learn in class, there’s so much stress,” Ho said.

    For Ho, the “Color Yourself Happy” activities were an opportunity to draw while releasing stress. 

    “Take our mind off studying, trying to focus on mental health and doing something non-school-related while at school,” Ho said. “Makes you forget about everything else, you’re just focusing on the picture.”

    “[These events] make you feel like you’re not just a student, people actually care about you and want to see you succeed,” Ho said.

    The school said mental health extends to academics, particularly in the nursing program, where self-care is part of the curriculum.

    “We spend a lot of time in one of the first classes they take [focusing on] self-care, the importance of self-care while they’re in school and also while they’re in the field,” Finch said.

    Nursing student Maggie Thompson said the program’s new “fidget basket,” filled with stress-relief tools, helps her manage anxiety.

    “Even after tests, my nerves are always up. Having something in my hands [a fidget toy] can relieve my stress. I love it, it shows that I’m cared for and they’re constantly evolving to be there for students,” Thompson said.

    SCC adds a self-care statement in each course syllabus, a reminder that mental wellness is a priority.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Community leader denouncing calls for troops in Charlotte

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police is calling attention to violent crime in the city, pointing to what it says is a nearly 200% spike in Uptown homicides compared to last year.

    What You Need To Know

    • Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police are calling on support from the National Guard to combat violence in Charlotte

    • This comes as the presidential administration is deploying troops into cities led by Democratic leaders 

    • Charlotte’s mayor said the National Guard is not needed in the city

    • A North Carolina community leader shares his perspective on how organizations are a viable solution with addressing crime in the neighborhoods they serve


    The labor union released a formal request for federal law enforcement assistance, including the National Guard.

    The FOP cited the August 22 killing of Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally stabbed while riding Charlotte’s light rail.

    Since her death, the union stated at least 15 more people have died due to violence, suggesting federal troops could help curb the trend, a strategy President Donald Trump is using in other Democratic-led cities.

     “As we seek relief through federal and National Guard support, I urge Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, City Manager Marcus Jones and the rest of the council to back our request. I remain open to a serious, solution-driven dialogue with each of you. However, if silence and inaction persist, and staffing does not significantly improve quickly, CMPD officers will continue to seek employment with agencies that recognize and respect their service, dedication, and well-being, further worsening the staffing crisis,” said the FOP in a formal request.

    Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles pushed back on the proposal, saying Charlotte has the resources to manage its own challenges.

    “Given the time we have to work with the White House and other federal offices, we will not need the Guard to come to Charlotte,” Lyles said.

    City Council member Edwin Peacock said he isn’t convinced federal troops are necessary right now but doesn’t want to take the option off the table.

    “I don’t see how you could possibly say with a straight face we don’t want to keep the option of having federal help if we needed it. We haven’t been to that point, and I don’t believe we’re there, but I think we have to consider it,” Peacock said.

    Peacock said the last time the National Guard was needed in Charlotte was during the 2016 protests over the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott.

    “Public resources were not able to keep up with seven days of protesting and they needed to have the National Guard. I think if you’re comparing that to murder situation, it’s kind of an apple and an orange,” Peacock said.

    A community leader working to combat violence says bringing in troops isn’t the answer.

    Greg Jackson is the executive director of Heal Charlotte, a place-based organization revitalizing neighborhoods through holistic approaches.

    His team supports over 1,000 families annually through housing stability programs, Stop the Violence CLT and after school programming and events.

    “Making sure there’s equality and justice for all people inside of the city,” Jackson said.

    Jackson says crime in Charlotte is real like in many cities nationwide, but believes the response should come from within neighborhoods, not from federal forces.

    “I completely disagree [with deploying troops]. We are already dealing with our own internal issues inside of the city that we need to get together and manage like the public safety plans of CATS. We do not need more attention from the National Guard, we need more presence of the community,” Jackson said.

    “There needs to be more presence of community leaders,” Jackson said. “Community partners, grassroots organizations, everywhere inside of the city, partnering with CATS as they form their plan to have better safety inside their public transportation, there needs to be more presence of community leaders. There are a lot of community partners and organizations doing a lot of things to make sure gun violence is prevented in the city.”

    CMPD’s midyear report shows homicides are trending downward compared to last year, but work remains.

    “Compared to last year I would say we’re still on the same frequency, a little bit below that,” Jackson said. “But we always want to eradicate all crime and violence inside of the city. We want to make sure all community partners are working with private institutions and the city to make sure crime is low and decreased.”

    Jackson said viable solutions should come from the ground up.

    “Community leaders out here doing the work and that can be funded through private institutions and other businesses that are coming to this city to keep it more of a safer city. If you are doing business with this city, you should be putting dollars into the organizations that prevent violence in this city,” Jackson said.

    Our news team reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police for comment but had not heard back at the time of this report.

    CMPD also declined to comment on the request for federal troops.

    Spectrum News 1 was able to independently confirm through CMPD data, the agency is investigating 15 homicides since August 22.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church ending barbecue event

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For nearly a century, the smell of barbecue signaled the arrival of election season in the Tar Heel State. 

    But after 93 years, organizers of the Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church barbecue, referred to as the “granddaddy of barbecues,” announced the community tradition is coming to an end.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church has hosted a nearly century-long barbecue tradition for the North Carolina community 

    • Organizers said generational leadership challenges have led to the event coming to an end

    • One volunteer shares how the barbecue became a part of his life 


    The annual event began in 1929 during the Great Depression to raise money for the church.

    Over the decades, it grew into one of North Carolina’s best-known political stops, where voters could meet candidates in person before heading to the polls.

    Charles Kimrey, co-chairman of the barbecue, said generational changes ultimately led to the event’s retirement.

    “The number of folks willing to lend a hand were always appreciated and needed,” Kimrey said. “But the generational leadership of being able to commit to seven to eight days’ time off work, knowing what to do without being told what to do, that type of leadership we couldn’t bear to fill those voids. It would be so hard to replace key elements to the preparations of the organization.”


    Kimrey said volunteers would generally start the physical preparation at least seven to eight days before the event.

    “Each of those days would take easily 100 volunteers. On our barbecue day [around] 300 volunteers,” Kimrey said.

    “Folks have moved away, the church has changed, people go in different directions. Our community has changed so much. We’re all one big happy family, and our family has spread apart. Not fallen apart, just folks [moving]. Life changes, life carries on,” Kimrey said.

    Longtime volunteer Tommy Oehler, 86, expressed disappointment about the barbecue closing but also understands why this chapter is ending.

    “We just don’t have the people to take our places,” Oehler said. “My uncle had the job before me, and I took it over. [It used to be] once you had a job you had to die before you get rid of it, and whenever you died [someone was trained] to take your place. That’s what happened to us. We don’t have the people trained to take our places.”

    The barbecue happened on the fourth Thursdays of October, right before elections, thus making it a popular spot for candidates to mingle and dine with voters in a face-to-face environment.

    Former Republican North Carolina Gov. and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, who attended the barbecues, credits it with helping him connect with voters.

    “I won my first election by 300 votes,” McCrory said. “Every hand I shook at the Mallard Creek barbecue from 8 in the morning all the way to darkness may have made the difference in my first political victory.”

    “I had fun meeting my opponents and interacting with the public and having some incredible barbecue. It wasn’t really the politics, it was the interaction with the people over good food, building relationships and that’s what we’re losing in the political dialogue today. This is another nail in the coffin toward building relationships and politicians and that’s why I hate to see it go,” McCrory said.

    Former Democratic Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts enjoyed the barbecues, handshakes and conversations with neighbors. Roberts said the barbecue also helped voters engage in the democratic process.

    “I think people enjoyed meeting their local officials,” Roberts said. “Even when you weren’t on the ballot it was great to be out there, meet constituents, be with your colleagues that were on the ballot. It was a great time. It was part of our Southern tradition.”

    “People came together, Republicans and Democrats, we’d stand in the line together, shaking constituents’ hands, chatting it up, and the best part was after all the people stopped shaking hands, you could go and have some barbecue. We need to have these informal times when politicians of different parties and people of different political parties can sit down and have fellowship and recognize there’s stuff we share, [like] love of barbecue, but also values, experiences that show we’re not that different,” Roberts said.

    Although many are expecting to long for the barbecue’s famous pork and Brunswick stew, its legacy stretches far beyond the events and politics.

    Over the years, the event raised money for church missions, including hurricane relief and backpack drives for schools.

    Organizers also emphasized the decision to end the barbecue was not influenced by politics or social issues. Instead, they said it was simply time.

    “The life cycle of this event came to an end at 93 years. We feel like we did some good in this world we live in,” Kimrey said.

    For volunteers like Oehler, the end of the event is a tough reality to bear.

    “This was our life,” Oehler said. “It’s gone, and I don’t think it will ever be back. Sad situation, but life goes on.”

    Historic image from the longstanding Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church barbecue. (Courtesy: Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library)

     

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Grant helping boost tech training for N.C. residents

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charitable giving and volunteerism are on the decline nationwide, but one nonprofit in North Carolina is finding ways to grow despite the challenges.

    Gallup reports global generosity slipped in 2024, with fewer people donating or volunteering compared to pandemic-era highs. Analysts point to philanthropic fatigue and shifting priorities amid economic uncertainties as factors behind the drop.

    The trend is worrisome for nonprofits dependent on donations, but some organizations are pushing forward.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Gallup data shows a decline in charitable giving 

    •  One nonprofit shows how philanthropic giving is helping to strengthen career opportunities for neighbors in tech fields 

    •  Learners speak to how this programming is helping to enrich their lives 


    Per Scholas is a national nonprofit focused on economic mobility through technology training, ensuring community members are skilled and job-ready for high-demand careers.

    The nonprofit is providing tech training at no-cost, particularly to those in underserved communities.

    Per Scholas North Carolina offers virtual training throughout North Carolina and in-person technology training at its Charlotte and Wilkes Community College campuses.

    The N.C. organization recently received a $300,000 three-year grant from the Leon Levine Foundation. These funds are helping the nonprofit expand its educational offerings to more high-demand areas statewide.

    “This enables us to provide enough training for hundreds of people across the state for the next couple of years,” said Mike Terrell, senior managing director for Per Scholas North Carolina. “We have some incredibly generous philanthropic support, so our learners don’t have to bear any sort of cost burden for this.”

    “That’s the biggest part of my job — trying to go out and find [financial] support. We’re a results-based organization. We want to make sure we’re continually seeing those results of helping individuals get employed so we can report back to the funders and show the support they’re giving us is truly making that huge economic impact on the community,” Terrell said.

    Financial experts warn that declining donations could limit nonprofit capacity in coming years, increasing reliance on local, corporate and foundation partnerships. This is happening amid some organizations no longer receiving or experiencing a reduction in federal funds.

    Terrell said that makes funders crucial for nonprofits longevity.

    “Luckily, we’re not predominantly federally funded here [in North Carolina]. We did have plans to lean in and rely on that a little bit more in the future. Those are things we’ve sort of had to make some pivots on,” Terrell said.

    “As that landscape sort of shifts, we are absolutely going to be leaning into our corporate and foundation partners to try and fill some of that gap,” Terrell said.

    Per Scholas’ programs are preparing neighbors for careers like IT support, software engineering, and cybersecurity, helping graduates step into jobs without accumulating debt.

    Students said this free training is critical in opening career doors.

    Queen Andre already earned her bachelor’s degree. She came to Per Scholas to study the data technician course to prepare for an IT job.

    “Once I graduate, I will not have to worry about any debt while still worrying about the debt of my four-year college education,” Andre said. “A stress I don’t have to worry about, just a weight lifted off your shoulder that you don’t have to come out of pocket.”

    David McRae is a veteran and also came to Per Scholas North Carolina to pursue IT training.

    He now works at Wells Fargo as an engineering associate.

    McRae said this career opportunity was only possible because of Per Scholas.

    “They have a veteran’s program at Wells Fargo, and at the end of it, they decided they wanted to keep me. The way I got accepted into that program was Per Scholas. The training I did here, the certification I got, put me on the radar for that veteran’s program. I wouldn’t have had the credentials to be considered and possibly a door that was shut to me,” McRae said.

    Per Scholas recently hosted its five-year celebration in Charlotte, spotlighting the organization’s 2020 North Carolina campus launch.

    Leaders said since that time, Per Scholas has trained over 1,000 learners in the Tar Heel State for various tech careers.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • N.C. school preparing students for construction careers

    [ad_1]

    FLAT ROCK, N.C. — Blue Ridge Community College is trying to fill gaps in the workforce while helping speed up recovery from Helene. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  An North Carolina community college is helping prepare students for construction careers

    •  The program also aims to help rebuild communities impacted by Helene

    •  A western North Carolina student says the program has empowered his career 


    The school’s Level Up: Core Construction accelerated workforce program offers free training for students, preparing them for entry-level construction jobs. 

    In partnership with the National Center for Construction Education and Research and Lowe’s, Blue Ridge Community College launched the course to help workers in western North Carolina get jobs and help with rebuilding communities damaged by Helene. 

    The training is providing workers hands-on experience in skills, including forklift operation safety.

    Graduate Agustin Ramirez-Cruz secured an apprenticeship after completing the Level Up program. 

    He said the training prepared him to step in when families needed help after the storm.

    “Working with a lot of air conditioning units, damages after Helene, a lot of flooded units, loose connections, damaged fence, and this class really prepared me for most of it,” Ramirez-Cruz said. 

    “[A customer] was upset because during Helene [her unit] wasn’t working. Now that we got it back up and running, she’s very happy and that felt good. They really appreciate when somebody comes out and fixes something they can’t do themselves,” Ramirez-Cruz said. 

    Ramirez-Cruz has returned to Level Up to mentor new students. 

    “I feel great giving back,” Ramirez-Cruz said. “You’re gaining a lot. For anyone that wants to take this course – it’s really a step forward.” 

    Instructors say the program, made possible through a grant from NCCER, is also addressing the region’s shortage of skilled trades workers.

    Jason Baxley is the skilled trades and advanced manufacturing instructor at Blue Ridge. 

    He said the program is helping neighbors pursue construction careers while helping to rebuild their communities. 

    “We wanted to make sure there was no burden on the student for tuition,” Baxley said. “Made sure this is a free class for anyone who wanted to take it to get back on their feet.” 

    “We are already lacking in the skilled trades environment as it is in terms of employment. Being able to offer a program that’s free to the students really invigorated that spirit in a lot of people to give back and want to help their community,” Baxley said.

    Level Up graduates earn the NCCER Core Credential and a professional toolkit valued at over $500. 

    Blue Ridge has added more sessions of the Level Up courses, beginning Sept. 17 and Sept. 23. Blue Ridge leaders said students leave the program prepared for immediate employment or further training through Apprenticeship Blue Ridge. 

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Grants help UNCA students stay in school after Helene

    [ad_1]

    ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Nearly a year after Helene disrupted life across western North Carolina, UNC Asheville students are still rebuilding with help of resilience grant funds.

    What You Need To Know

    •  The University of North Carolina Asheville has distributed $3.9 million in grants to help students affected by Helene

    •  Those grants are supporting students with tuition and emergency needs

    •  One student says those dollars went far for those rebounding from last year’s storm 


    The university has distributed $3.9 million in aid to cover tuition and emergency needs.

    The grants were made possible through support from the North Carolina General Assembly and are designed to help students from storm-affected areas stay enrolled.

    Melanie R. Fox is associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students. 

    The UNCA alumnus spoke with several students who credited the grants for making their education possible.

    “I talked to a number of students who would not be able to be in school without the benefit of receiving those grants,” Fox said.

    Lainie Sopa is a music technology graduate and now works as UNCA admission counselor and campus tour leader.

    From storm debris to full parking lots, Sopa recalls the days when the student parking lot hosted a water filtration site run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

    “It’s kind of crazy now that it’s a full parking lot,” Sopa said.

    “We were without students for so long,” Fox said. “It is amazing to see student vehicles back.”

    Obi Osaro is an atmospheric science major at UNCA. He also serves as student body president.

    Osaro said grant assistance helped him cover the cost of textbooks and replace food he lost during the storm.

    “Last year was a pretty tough semester,” Osaro said. “I was able to fund food I lost from Helene.”

    The resilience grants are part of a broader wave of support from the university to keep students on their educational pathways.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Warren Wilson farm experiencing comeback after Helene

    [ad_1]

    SWANNANOA, N.C. — Nearly a year after Helene swept across western North Carolina, Warren Wilson College has made progress in recovery on its student-run farm and garden that were devastated by floodwaters.

    What You Need To Know

    •  It’s been nearly a year since Helene damaged a student-run farm at a western North Carolina school

    •  The college has since made progress with restoring the river and farm areas since the storm hit 

    •  Staff said their method for cleanup and restoration may serve as a model for other communities rebuilding from a storm 


    The mixed-crop and livestock operation farm sits in the floodplain of the Swannanoa River, which runs 2.5 miles through campus.

    When Helene hit, the farm bore the brunt of the flooding, leaving fields and crops damaged.

    Although there’s some infrastructure left to fix, many of the farm operations strained by the storm are back in motion.

    “It’s really exciting to see the transformation,” said student Wren Tisnado-Blake.

    Tisnado-Blake is a senior, serving as cattle crew boss on the farm where she’s gaining hands-on experience for farming careers.

    She been participating in cleanup efforts on the farm.

    Many of the crew duties included hauling debris and helping replant fields.

    “We all had to band together to get through this horrible event that happened to us,” Tisnado-Blake said. “We’ve had to work really hard to get it back to even ground floor where it was. Being able to rethink things, it’s like a fresh start for us.”

    The campus garden that helped feed community members facing food insecurity was also damaged by Helene.

    “Now they are finally able to grow vegetables, and I know all of them are so excited about it,” Tisnado-Blake said.

    Students are celebrating the growth of a summer corn crop, ahead of the harvest season.

    “There’s no way I could have seen this happening,” Tisnado-Blake said.

    The college is involved in not only restoration work, but ways to build resilience against future storms.

    Dave Ellum is the dean and director of The Center for Working Lands at Warren Wilson College.

    On Thursday evening, Ellum led an on-campus discussion, updating the community on cleanup and restoration work.

    “The students, staff, faculty have all really come together,” Ellum said. “[Since Helene hit] we’ve completed our Army Corps of Engineering work. I think Warren Wilson is going to serve as a model for how to do this type of river cleanup properly and correctly, thinking about the ecological resilience of the system.”

    “There’s been a lot of I would say not best practices used around the county. We were able to facilitate the management of our river cleanup in a way that protected the ecological resilience of the land,” Ellum said.

    Ellum is stressing the importance of focusing on lessons learned from Helene and strategies to strengthen ecological resilience ahead of future weather events.

    “Does it mean going back to how things were before, does it mean we need to get together and bring lots of stakeholders to think about how we rebuild those ecosystems for better resiliency down the line,” Ellum said.

    “I think we need to move away from ‘if this happens again’ and with climate think — this is probably going to happen again,” Ellum said.

    On Oct. 4, Warren Wilson College is hosting a Fall Fest and Working Lands Showcase. It will include discussions about ecological resilience and tours of the river.

    The free event will include music and activities for children.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • Grant funds revoked for UNC Charlotte researchers

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A research team supporting LGBTQ+ people is facing uncertainty after funding awarded by the National Institutes of Health was revoked.

    Annelise Mennicke is an associate professor of social work at UNC Charlotte.

    She’s also the co-founder of the Violence Prevention Center.

    What You Need To Know

    •  A UNC Charlotte research team learned grant funding awarded by the National Institutes of Health was canceled

    • The funds were expected to last through 2027

    • The NIH’s letter stated the researchers work was not a priority for the agency 

    • The research team was supporing sexual violence survivors in the LGBTQ+ community 


    “As a faculty member who gets to do research, I really value the creativity we have,” Mennicke said. “In the tenure track position, we get to think deeply about plaguing societal problems and come up with creative solutions. Especially at UNC Charlotte, we get the pleasure of doing that with students.”

    Mennicke is part of a grant research team relying on federal funds supporting LGBTQ+ people. Her group consists of a principal investigator, one grad student and five undergraduates.

    “The goal of this program was to help sexual violence survivors who are LGBTQ+,” Mennicke said.

    Since 2018, Mennicke said they’d tried securing grant funds to advance their efforts, but had little success.

    Then in April 2024, the NIH awarded them $469,000. The grant was budgeted from May 1, 2024, through April 30, 2027.

    However, things recently changed, after Mennicke’s group received a letter from the NIH stating the remaining funds were being canceled.

    “It was abruptly and unexpectedly terminated,” Mennicke said. “[It’s] a real loss.”

    “The Charlotte area is really a hub for the LGBTQ community. [They] are contributing members of our society [and] are experiencing sexual violence at much higher rates. The recension of this grant undermines our ability to increase that safety and provide the supportive services folks need,” Mennicke said.

    The NIH letter stated: “This award no longer effectuates agency priorities. Research programs based on gender identity are often unscientific, have little identifiable return on investment and do nothing to enhance the health of many Americans. Many such strategies ignore rather then seriously examine biological realities.”

    Mennicke said the NIH’s reasoning for canceling the grant isn’t adding up.

    “The NIH has established strategic plans, and our grant [was] issued as part of those priorities,” Mennicke said. “It is incompliant for them to change their research priorities without going through established policies and procedures.”

    The federal agency provided this statement in response to questions about why the grant was canceled:

    “NIH is taking action to terminate research funding that is not aligned with NIH and HHS priorities. We remain dedicated to restoring our agency to its tradition of upholding gold-standard, evidence-based science. As we begin to Make America Healthy Again, it’s important to prioritize research that directly affects the health of Americans. We will leave no stone unturned in identifying the root causes of the chronic disease epidemic as part of our mission to Make America Healthy Again.” 

    UNC Charlotte associate professor Jessamyn Moxie is principal investigator on the grant project. She’s also a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

    Jessamyn Moxie, a principal investigator on a grant project supporting LGBTQ+ sexual abuse survivors, says she’s concerned about the NIH revoking funding already promised. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Moxie said the revocation of federal funds sends a troubling message.

    “I think part of this is a larger signaling that we don’t matter, and we don’t need to address specific issues of subpopulations,” Moxie said. “Things that work for one population have not historically for decades worked for other populations.”

    “As a queer person, a lot of it is two-fold for me,” Moxie said. “It’s the work — but outside of work, we’re all battling what this looks like [moving forward]. Our advocacy doesn’t stop, it just signals they refuse to put money behind something we know is important.”

    The NIH has been cutting research funding on universities nationwide as the administration calls on campuses to end diversity, equity and inclusion and practices unaligned with President Donald Trump’s polices.

    Most recently, the Trump administration instructed Harvard University to meet certain conditions or risk losing billions in federal funds, raising questions about how far the government can go with stopping universities cash flows.

    Susan Roberts, a professor of political science at Davidson College, said some universities are heavily dependent on federal dollars for medical research.

    “I’m not sure the extent to which they would freeze certain programs, and not the vast majority,” Roberts said. “I think Harvard is saying we’re not going to yield to your demands about the funding and what you’re going to collect from the university.”  

    When it comes to the legality of revoking approved federal dollars, experts differ.

    Either way, Roberts said some of the questions and concerns posed could be decided in litigation.  

    “[Campuses] may be joining other universities in lawsuits,” she said. “This may open a Pandora’s box for Trump.”

    “I think colleges and universities have to be careful about whether or not they yield too broadly,” Roberts said. “I think the colleges are trying to figure out how to get a unified front. I think in a week we’ll have more of an idea of what universities are doing.” 

    As for Mennicke, her research team is exploring next steps.

    “The university is working with us to issue an appeal of this in the hopes [of reissuing] the grant,” Mennicke said.

    Mennicke said there’s still over $300,000 remaining grant dollars unused. A big portion of the money was supporting the researchers’ salaries.

    “The undergraduate students were planning to work another two years on the project,” Mennicke said. “The university is going to cover them through the rest of the semester, but they were planning on working much longer.”

    “To finally have achieved [this] and went through the most rigorous peer review process in the country and to have that taken away represents an emotional loss,” Mennicke said. “It’s a difficult time.”

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link

  • N.C. campuses educating young people about voting

    N.C. campuses educating young people about voting

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Millions of Gen Z-ers could end up shaping this presidential election, particularly in swing states like North Carolina. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  Millions of young people ages 18-27 could be casting their votes during this presidential election

    •  History shows the youngest ages 18-19 aren’t voting at higher rates 

    •  N.C. campuses are taking the initiative to educate more young people about voting 


    Data from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement shows over 40 million members of Gen Z, ages 18-27, are eligible to vote. Nearly 8.3 million of them are newly eligible since the 2022 midterm election. 

    But history shows the youngest ages, 18-19, don’t show up to the polls at high rates.  

    In 2022, CIRCLE reports just 18% of that age range voted in the midterms. This was only 6% higher than voters ages 20-29.

    But as election day gets closer and the polls remain close, these young voters could be the deciding factor in tight races. 

    N.C. colleges and universities are taking steps to ensure more young people are educated and informed about the voting process. 

    In partnership with WFAE, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement at Queens University of Charlotte hosted Beauty and Barbershop: A Conversation About the 2024 Elections.

    The nonpartisan event aimed to engage young people, specifically those of color, in discussions about the election.

    Local businesses like barbers and estheticians provided free services to students, creating a safe and open environment to talk about the elections. 

    The director of initiatives for academic excellence and engagement at Queens University, LaDarius Thompson, says the event was in response to the needs of the students. 

    “We got a lot of feedback from our first-year students that they were not sure where to get their information, not sure where to ask questions,” Thompson said. “So we wanted to create a space, particularly for our BIPOC community, to come in and ask those questions and share their thoughts.”

    “That’s where the concept of this beauty and barbershop came from, a space that is unique to the BIPOC community to come and gather and build community among themselves,” he said, referring to an acronym for Black, Indigenous and people of color.


    Student Jazzie Lee is a civic and community engagement fellow at Queens University.

    A Gen Z-er herself, Lee is ensuring young people know the power of their vote. 

    “Through hosting events, to encouraging voter registration, helping a lot of students that are possibly first-time voters get informed and know what’s going on in this 2024 election,” Lee said. “Young voters may not feel as though their voice is seen in this election. Gen Z is here and we have a voice and our voice is powerful.”

    Less than an hour’s drive away, students at Davidson College are working to ensure Gen Z is able to vote. 

    Senior Sophia Ludt is president of the Center for Political Engagement at Davidson College. 

    Davidson College student Sophia Ludt is helping other students register to vote. (Spectrum News 1/Jennifer Roberts)

    Her team helped dozens of students get registered ahead of the elections.  

    Ludt says she’s dedicated to this cause and making sure her classmates are ready to cast a ballot. 

    “We want to have a say in what happens in our government,” Ludt said. “It’s really important for young people to be aware of what’s going on and hopefully be inspired to go out and vote your values and let your local politicians know what you want.”

    Lyric Bailey, 20, a junior at Davidson College, just registered to vote at the campus. 

    “I think it relieves a lot of anxiety and stress we have as students around all these pressing issues, like we can’t do anything,” Bailey said. “The school just brought an oppotunity straight to us to get involved and make a change, and that’s very liberating.”

    “I think my generation is going to be the change that affects generations to come,” she said. “We’re going to be the change.”


    Early voting is underway now in North Carolina through Nov. 2.

    Election Day is Nov. 5.

     

    [ad_2]

    Jennifer Roberts

    Source link