Happy Wednesday, y’all. I’ve been inspired lately to try to become more familiar with my local news. While I’m pretty glued to the national, I know an embarrassingly small amount about my own city. So I’ve been working to change that, and I thought I’d highlight some local stories from Cordytown – and challenge you to do the same today (or state or regional if you’d rather not reveal your specific location). What’s happening in your part of the world?
The Cherokee Lady Braves won the state’s high school basketball tournament, and local news WFAE talks about the significance of the win to the players and their community.
Also from WFAE, an article discussing the Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte raising funds for refugees during Ramadan. The money and resources will go to support our refugee population, which primarily comes from the Middle East.
In education, Charlotte is facing a challenge finding certified teachers. The share of non-licensed teachers has risen to 27%, compared to just 13.8% in November 2021. This is a reflection of the ongoing teacher shortage across the nation. There are simply not enough new teachers to fill all the gaps.
There’s also a record number of applicants for school voucher programs, and the Republican state legislature is being pressured to fund more vouchers. While these vouchers will be prioritized to families with the lowest income, recent changes have meant that any family can apply for them. This can divert money away from public school, and Democratic governor Roy Cooper is arguing to pause this program and re-invest in public schools.
Politically, recent census estimates look at where people have moved to and left from in North Carolina. NC has a pretty important governor’s race this year, with a pretty insane Republican candidate. Never quite as purple as I want to be, it’s looking a little grimmer with the data suggesting that counties that went for Trump in 2020 have gained more people than the counties that went for Biden, although the urban Wake and Mecklenburg are growing the most, and it’s possible that the cheaper surrounding suburban counties are becoming more purple as people are priced out of the cities.
And, on a more delightful note, our airport has added a miniature horse to its roster of therapy animals.
Hope you enjoyed a bit of local news and feel empowered to share some of the local news from your own area. Be kind and thoughtful today. Cheers.