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Thursday, December 17, 2015

Lunch Break (12/17/18):

Posted By on Thu, Dec 17, 2015 at 11:30 AM


Cornelius police are investigating after finding a dead body in Lake Norman near the Holiday Marina and Rusty Rudder, according to tweets from multiple Charlotte-area reporters. The death is reportedly being called a drowning. 

A jackknifed tractor trailer snarled traffic this morning on I-85 in Belmont. Three lanes of southbound traffic was reportedly closed for about an hour and a half as heavy machinery was brought in to remove a wrecked FedEx truck from the roadway. Nobody in the truck was hurt. (WBTV Web Staff) 

The infamous owner of Turing Pharmaceuticals, Martin Shkreli, was taken into custody sometime overnight on charges of fraud. The FBI confirmed this morning that Shkreli has been charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud. Shkreli made headlines for all the wrong reasons in the fall when his company raised prices on the only approved drug to fight taxoplasmosis, an infection that affects pregnant women, cancer patients and AIDS patients. An indictment said the former hedge fund manager was involved in multiple schemes to defraud investors and misappropriate funds to solve his own personal debt crisis between 2009 and 2014. (Tom Hays, Associated Press) 

Police have arrested the woman who owns a dog that was stabbed multiple times in a Rowan County home last week. Phillip Shoemaker was arrested at the scene of the stabbing and charged with felony cruelty to animals after a witness said he held the dog down with his knees and stabbed it in the stomach and neck. Police announced that they've now also arrested the dog's owner, Faith Goss, on misdemeanor animal cruelty charges because for depriving the dog of sustenance. The dog, named Buddy, is in the care of Rowan County Animal Care and Control and is expected to fully recover. (Robin Kanady, Fox46) 

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Film / Film News Opening Friday

Posted By on Thu, Dec 17, 2015 at 11:00 AM

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Disney
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip - Jason Lee, Justin Long

Sisters - Tina Fey, Amy Poehler

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley

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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Film / Film News Charlotte Talks: The year-end film slate awakens

Posted By on Wed, Dec 16, 2015 at 12:45 PM

Local film critics Matt Brunson of Creative Loafing and Sean O'Connell of CinemaBlend.com will join host Mike Collins for a discussion of the big year-end holiday movies on Charlotte Talks at 9 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, on WFAE 90.7 FM.

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The group will discuss major movies that are currently playing in theaters, such as The Good Dinosaur and the final Hunger Games installment, as well as films opening between now and Christmas, including The Hateful Eight, Carol and, of course, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

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News Lunch Break (12/16/15): Man shot in home invasion in University this morning expected to survive

Posted By on Wed, Dec 16, 2015 at 11:30 AM


A man who suffered serious injuries in a shooting in the University area this morning is expected to survive, police said. There's no word yet on what caused the shooting, but police said three people including the victim were inside the home on Ridge Lane at about 8 a.m. when the rear door of the house was forced open and shots were fired. Nobody has been taken into custody. The victim was reportedly conscious and alert at the hospital and his injuries aren't believed to be life-threatening. (WBTV Web Staff) 

A call to a convenience store in Dallas, North Carolina regarding some false checks ended in a high-speed pursuit and a suspect dead at the hands of police yesterday. Police said they responded to a call to Ingles on West Trade Street about two suspects feloniously passing bad checks. While an officer was inside dealing with those suspects, another officer spotted a vehicle that is often involved in the same activity drive by suspiciously and attempted to pull the car over. The driver of the vehicle fled and wrecked his car shortly thereafter. As officers approached the vehicle, the driver tried to ram an officer's patrol car, forcing another officer to discharge his firearm, killing the suspect. The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is handling the investigation. (David Sentendrey, Fox46) 

A man in Bessemer City was shot and killed with his own gun after breaking into a home there last night and running into the owner, police said. The suspect allegedly entered the home with a gun and told the homeowner, "My mom is dying. My mom is dying. Give me money." A struggle between the two ensued and a shot was fired during the struggle, hitting the suspect in the neck. The suspect fled the scene but was found in a nearby apartment complex and taken to the CaroMont Regional Medical Center, where he died during surgery. (WSOC Staff) 

Police reportedly spent several hours yesterday searching a Buncombe County home owned by a terrorist charged with attacking a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado last month. Robert Dear has admitted his guilt in the case to investigators and has been heard in court calling himself a "warrior for the babies." He currently faces 179 charges, including first-degree murder and attempted murder. (TWC News Staff) 

Jurors in the case of the first police officer to face trial in connection with the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore earlier this year sent a note to the judge yesterday afternoon stating that they are deadlocked over whether to convict officer William Porter on manslaughter, assault, misconduct and reckless endangerment charges. The judge ordered the jury to continue deliberations, and this morning they began their third day of deliberations. The developments are eerily similar to how the voluntary manslaughter trial of Randall Kerrick for the death of Jonathan Ferrell played out in Charlotte earlier this year. In that case, a mistrial was declared after further deliberations did not break the deadlock. (John Bacon, USA Today) 

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Arts / Today's Top Five Today's Top 5: Wednesday

Posted By on Wed, Dec 16, 2015 at 10:50 AM

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Dec. 16, 2015 as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

• 1065 The End's Not So Acoustic Christmas f. Awolnation, Metric at The Fillmore
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• Trivia and Karaoke at Tin Roof

• Art + Aperitif featuring ArtPop 2015 Artists at Le Meridien

• Keith Alberstadt Holiday Celebration at The Comedy Zone

• August Burns Red, Every Time I Die, Stick To Your Guns, Polyphia, Wage War at Amos' Southend

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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

News Lunch Break (12/15/15): McCrory gives area leaders one last chance to vote on I-77 toll lanes

Posted By on Tue, Dec 15, 2015 at 11:30 AM


Yesterday, Governor Pat McCrory sent a letter the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization, a committee made up of elected officials from the greater Charlotte area, asking for a final vote to reaffirm or reverse a 10-year roads plan the controversial I-77 toll lane project. Charlotte City Council will review the plan and discuss it at a meeting on January 4, then vote on how council member Vi Lyles should vote as the council's CRTPO representative on January 20. Lyles' vote counts as 31 votes and carries more weight than any other representatives in CRTPO. She originally voted to approve the plan four months ago. (Jenna Deery, WSOC) 

Charlotte City Council accepted a grant at its meeting last night that will provide more than $600,000 for cameras, overtime pay and prevention programs – all targeting area gang activity. The $612,922 anti-gang grant will fund 26 street-level cameras to monitor crime hot-spots, overtime pay for gang detectives and the continuation of a gang prevention program at First Baptist Church-West. That program will now be able to offer summer sessions to 40 at-risk youth. The grant will be provided by the U.S Department of Justice. (WBTV Web Staff) 

Representatives of Cousins Properties presented sketches of the planned office building to go into the 2.3-acre site that is currently home to Common Market and Black Sheep skate shop, among other businesses. The site, which will be home to Dimensional Fund Advisors and a number of different retail spaces, is located at a triangle at a northern part of Historic South End between Camden Road, South Tryon Street and Park Avenue. The proposed office building will have three tiers, similar to a wedding cake, with the highest tower reaching 156 feet. That's more than 80 feet higher than restrictions say a building can be at that location, which raised some concern from council member Patsy Kinsey, but it seems as if council is willing to overlook the issue in favor of economic development. No action was taken at last night's meeting. (Ryan Pitkin) 

Police are investigating a shooting at University House apartment complex near the UNC Charlotte campus on Sunday morning, the second shooting at the complex and the fourth shooting in the area within a month. Several bullets were found in the walls of the apartment complex after someone reportedly shot at the buildings at around 2 a.m. on Sunday. No injuries were reported and no suspects have been arrested in connection with this case at this time. (WCNC Staff) 

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Monday, December 14, 2015

Film / Film News SEFCA shines spotlight on Spotlight

Posted By on Mon, Dec 14, 2015 at 1:38 PM

The Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) yesterday named Spotlight the Best Picture of 2015 in its 24th annual voting. Writer-director Tom McCarthy's drama about the Boston Globe’s investigation into widespread child molestation within the Catholic Church earned a total of three awards, with its other victories coming in the categories of Best Ensemble and Best Original Screenplay (McCarthy and Josh Singer).

Spotlight

Mad Max: Fury Road and Room, which respectively placed second and third in the tallying for Best Picture, were the only other movies to score multiple wins, each winning two prizes apiece.

In the acting categories, Bryan Cranston won Best Actor for Trumbo, Brie Larson was named Best Actress for Room, Sylvester Stallone nabbed Best Supporting Actor for Creed, and Alicia Vikander scored Best Supporting Actress for Ex Machina.

The Wyatt Award, given annually to the "film that best evokes the spirit of the South" (past winners have included Beasts of the Southern Wild, Winter's Bone and Selma), this year went to the North Carolina-set Finders Keepers.

The Southeastern Film Critics Association is comprised of film journalists from nine states representing the Southeastern section of the United States. This year, 55 members participated in the voting, including Charlotte critics Lawrence Toppman, Sean O'Connell, Harvey Burgess and me.

In addition to naming its Best Picture, SEFCA also releases its Top 10 for the year. The complete list of winners and runners-up in all categories is below.

BEST PICTURE
1. Spotlight
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. Room
4. Brooklyn
5. Carol
6. The Big Short
7. The Martian
8. Inside Out
9. Bridge of Spies
10. Trumbo

BEST ACTOR
Winner: Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Runner-up: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Brie Larson, Room
Runner-up: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Runner-up: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina
  • A24
  • Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Runner-up: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

BEST ENSEMBLE
Winner: Spotlight
Runner-up: The Big Short

BEST DIRECTOR
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer for Spotlight
Runner-up: Bob Petersen, Pete Docter for Inside Out

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: Emma Donoghue for Room
Runner-up: Charles Randolph and Adam McKay for The Big Short

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Winner: Amy
Runner-up: Best of Enemies

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Winner: Son of Saul
Runner-up: The Assassin

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Winner: Inside Out
Runner-up: Anomalisa

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: John Seale for Mad Max: Fury Road
Runner-up: Luca Bigazzi for Youth

THE GENE WYATT AWARD FOR THE FILM THAT BEST EVOKES THE SPIRIT OF THE SOUTH
Winner: Finders Keepers
Runner-up: 99 Homes

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News Lunch Break (12/14/15): City council to discuss South End office development at meeting this afternoon

Posted By on Mon, Dec 14, 2015 at 11:30 AM


Charlotte city council members will discuss changes to the South End neighborhood at tonight's council meeting, specifically an office building proposed for the intersection that is currently home to Common Market, Black Sheep skate shop and other locally owned businesses. The site also hosted Food Truck Friday until the sale of the land there forced organizers to search for a new location. The developer wants to add a large office building and multiple retail spaces to the 2.3-acre lot. (Angela Hong, WSOC) Cousins Properties wants to build the office space as a home for Dimensional Fund Advisors, and more detailed plans can be seen here in Ely Portillo's Charlotte Observer article from November. Some in opposition believe the building will help strip Historic South End of much of its character. In August, Creative Loafing was the first to report on rumors that Common Market would be forced off the property, in a feature about the changing face of the South End neighborhood. Tonight's meeting is open to the public, and begins at 4 p.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. 

Police are still searching for a suspect in the shooting of a man in Rock Hill this morning. Police said a 29-year-old man is expected to recover after being shot in the face shortly after 8 a.m. on Friedham Road. Witnesses reportedly saw a man fleeing the scene wearing a red hoodie after hearing the shot. (Katherine Peralta, Charlotte Observer) 

The Carolina Panthers continued their streak of winning yesterday, moving to 13-0 on the season by beating the Atlanta Falcons 38-0 and clinching a first-round bye in the upcoming playoffs. The win also brought the Panthers to their highest win total in a season in franchise history with still three games left. The Panthers will look to remain undefeated and clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs against the New York Giants next Sunday. (Ryan Pitkin) 

Authorities have launched an investigation after two men found human remains while hunting in Rowan County over the weekend. Police said the two bow hunters called authorities after finding bones while hunting in Morgan, North Carolina at around 5 p.m. on Saturday. Investigators were able to confirm that the bones belonged to a human adult skeleton, but had to wait until Sunday to resume the search for more remains in the daylight. They said the remains have been there for months at least. (Neima Abdulahi, Fox46) 

A man was pulled from the wreckage of an ultralight plane crash in Caldwell County last night, officials said. Emergency crews reportedly got a call about the crash near Lower Creek Airfield in Lenoir at about 5:30 p.m. The pilot was removed from the wreckage by firefighters and taken to Caldwell Memorial Hospital before being airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. It's unclear what his condition is at this time. (WBTV Web Staff) 

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Saturday, December 12, 2015

Arts / Today's Top Five Today's Top 5: Saturday

Posted By on Sat, Dec 12, 2015 at 7:00 AM

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Dec. 12, 2015 as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

• VTGCLT Pop at the Former Goodyear Service Center

•  Archetypes: Defining Dances of Past and Present at CPCC's Pease Auditorium

• 16th Annual Santa Bar Crawl

• Pink Social Girl Tribe Holiday Market at Sugar Creek Brewing Co.

• Purgatory at Amos' Southend

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Friday, December 11, 2015

Arts / Today's Top Five Today's Top 5: Friday

Posted By on Fri, Dec 11, 2015 at 1:46 PM

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Dec. 11, 2015 as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

• Southern Culture on the Skids at Visulite Theatre
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• New Frequencies: Short Films by Jem Cohen at McColl Center for Art + Innovation

• River Whyless at Evening Muse

• The Form of Things Unknown at C3 Lab

• Heroin Kills Awareness Show at The Station

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