Latest news with #WFAE
New York Post
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- New York Post
Charlotte drops Tesla from approved city vehicle list, alleging safety issues
Charlotte City Council in North Carolina voted Monday to remove Tesla from its list of approved vehicle manufacturers for municipal use, with one supportive member citing alleged 'safety issues.' Councilwoman LaWana Mayfield, who led the effort, has favored such a move for weeks, according to WCNC. The 11-member board with nine Democrats voted 6-3 in favor of removing the Elon Musk-owned company from the list of more than a dozen approved vendors as the city seeks to purchase 45 electric vehicles. 'When we are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars and putting our employees out in these vehicles, and we are using tax dollars to do it, we also have the opportunity to think about the investments we are making on behalf of our citizens,' Mayfield said, according to the outlet. 3 The 11-member board with nine Democrats voted 6-3 in favor of removing the Elon Musk-owned company from the list. AP 'So, it is not just the particular owner of this product. It is the fact that this product has been in multiple lawsuits because of safety issues, and there are multiple concerns.' However, one of the no votes, Republican Ed Driggs, told WFAE the removal of Tesla in the current environment sets a dangerous precedent 'if we have reasons that aren't related to the cost and the performance of purchased items for excluding them.' 3 Republican Ed Driggs told WFAE the removal of Tesla in the current environment sets a dangerous precedent. REUTERS 'We already have Teslas in the fleet,' Driggs said, and consumer data shows Teslas to be largely safer than other vehicles when it comes to safety recalls, according to multiple reports. Other vendors remaining on the list include local Chevrolet and Ford dealers, Alamo Rent-A-Car and Hyundai's construction implementation sector. Democrat Dimple Ajmera joined Driggs and Republican Edwin Peacock in opposing the move. 3 Consumer data shows Teslas to be largely safer than other vehicles when it comes to safety recalls. AP Democrats Dante Anderson, Malcolm Gaham, Victoria Watlington, Tiawana Brown and Renee Johnson sided with Mayfield. Fox Business reached out to Tesla for comment but did not receive a response by press time.
Axios
10-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Brooklyn Village developers warn county it will forgo affordable housing plan
The Peebles Corporation is warning Mecklenburg County that if it doesn't subsidize affordable housing for Brooklyn Village, the developer will proceed with its original plan to build mostly luxury apartments on the historically significant site. Why it matters: It's looking increasingly less likely that Peebles will actually redevelop Brooklyn, once a thriving Black neighborhood in Charlotte until it was razed in the '60s and '70s. A legal battle could ensue if the county wants to reclaim control of the site it sold to The Peebles Corporation for a discount. Catch up quick: Mecklenburg County sold prime land near Uptown to The Peebles Corporation and its development partner at a discounted rate, expecting they would honor Brooklyn through a mixed-use development that incorporates affordable housing. But the project has stalled for years because of negotiations and construction delays, which have been blamed on market conditions. In February, the development team revised its proposal and said it would build 250 affordable housing units — instead of 550 mixed-income units — in part to restore confidence with county commissioners. The latest: Peebles told the county April 18 it would miss a contractual deadline to demolish a building on the site due to the discovery of asbestos. WFAE reports that the county may use this latest delay as an out from its relationship with Peebles. In an unprompted email to Axios on Tuesday, Peebles emphasized that it now owns the Brooklyn land. "There is no reversion provision for Mecklenburg County to take it back," the email states. Peebles also said it scored among the top applicants for a government subsidy to build affordable housing. However, the email claims the city was "insistent" that the county contributed, and the county refused. Peebles further blamed the county for not disclosing the asbestos. It added that the building is on Phase 2 land for Brooklyn Village, which the developers do not own and, according to the email, do not plan on acquiring within the next decade. "The County wants BK Partners to pay for and perform an environmental clean-up of a building we do not own," the email states. "They are trying to shift the cost of extensive clean up." The other side: A letter Mecklenburg County's outside attorney sent to Peebles Corp. in late April, reported by WFAE, reads, "In reality, this is merely a continuation of BKV's ongoing attempts to avoid performing the demolition and removal work it agreed to perform. Clearly, BKV did not proceed diligently because it has been hoping it could evade its obligations." Mecklenburg County provided Axios with its April 30 response to Peebles but declined to comment further. The bottom line: The latest email effectively warns the county to approve its request for more funding if it's "genuinely committed to providing more affordable housing." "Otherwise, we will wait until market conditions improve in Charlotte and then proceed with our original plan," the email states. What's next: Developers say they expect to meet with the county in the coming weeks to seek a resolution. Read The Peebles Corporation's statement to Axios in full below: 1. The development team of BK Partners, composed of Conformity Corp and The Peebles Corporation, owns the Phase 1 land. 2. There is no reversion provision for Mecklenburg County to take it back. 3. BK Partners has the right to build luxury apartments, a hotel, office and retail. 4. Current market conditions make construction of any of these uses infeasible economically. This is due to the impact of a global pandemic, the tripling of interest rates and an oversupply of apartments in the market. 5. BK Partners has an obligation to build 10% of any apartments on Phase 1 as affordable. 6. To address the County's and City's need and desire for more affordable housing, BK Partners was willing to build 250 units of affordable housing in two buildings. 7. As is the case for all affordable housing in Charlotte and the nation, a government subsidy is required. We applied for it and scored at the top of the applicants. 8. The City was insistent that the County contribute to their subsidy and the County refused. 9. As to the Board of Education building: A. It is on the site of Phase 2 which we do not own and do not plan on acquiring in the next 8-10 years. B. At the County's request two years ago, BK Village agreed to demolish the building under the expectation that there was minimal asbestos. C. Prior to securing a permit for demolition, an additional environmental study was performed, and extensive friable asbestos was discovered. This extended the timeframe to demolish the building significantly as all the asbestos will need to be removed by hand first. Then demolition will follow. D. The extensive asbestos in the building increased the demolition costs fivefold and added 6 to 8 months of time to the demolition process. E. BK Partners was unaware of the extensive environmental contamination of the building prior to this discovery. F. Apparently, the County government knew of the contamination but did not disclose this information to us. 10. The Board of Education Building has nothing to do with the schedule of Phase 1, nor does it impact the construction of affordable housing. It is the County government who is trying to leverage the construction of affordable housing to force us to cover the cost of the environmental clean-up of the Board of Education building in exchange for them to support affordable housing on Brooklyn Village Phase 1. We are surprised and disappointed by their approach. However, this is a complicated issue which will need to be addressed at some point. 11. The County wants BK Partners to pay for and perform an environmental clean-up of a building we do not own. They are trying to shift the cost of extensive clean up to BKV Partners. 12. BK Partners does not understand the urgency of the Board of Education building demolition as our original development agreement contemplated it being demolished before we started on Phase 2, which is 6-8 years away. 13. BK Partners has asked the County to allow us to proceed with the affordable housing buildings now and separately work out the issues involving the environmental clean-up. 14. If the County is genuinely committed to providing more affordable housing, it will approve our request. Otherwise, we will wait until market conditions improve in Charlotte and then proceed with our original plan. 15. BK Partners plans to meet with the county in the coming weeks to try and reach a resolution to move forward with the affordable housing. 16. There have been several reports of how we have delayed the project. Here are the facts: A. The Development Agreement was approved by the county Commission October 2016. B. The County did not control all of the land in Phase 1 because the City had rights to recover a portion of the land in Phase 1. C. The County and City did not reach an agreement on the land until 2021. D. BK Partners acquired the land under Phase 1 for $10 million in 2023. E. BK Partners immediately commenced demolition and site work on the property as required in the agreement with the County.
Axios
30-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
NPR cuts could weigh on North Carolina's largest public radio stations
North Carolina's largest public radio stations — WFAE and WUNC, which serve Charlotte and the Triangle, respectively — get hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from the federal government. Absent those funds, the stations may have to scale back their offerings. Why it matters: A federal halt of funding for public radio stations, as the Trump administration has proposed, could affect how some communities access local news and information — from what their state lawmakers are doing to alerts from the emergency broadcast system. Catch up quick: Earlier this month, President Trump issued an executive order to halt federal support for NPR and PBS, calling the two biggest public broadcasters in the U.S. "biased." The latest: NPR and several affiliates on Tuesday announced they're suing the Trump administration over the executive order to curtail their funding. By the numbers: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting allocates about $535 million in federal funding annually to NPR and PBS, including to local stations. Zoom in: WFAE and WUNC each get about $800,000 annually from the federal government, according to station leaders. These funds are both direct, meaning they're matching funds based on how much revenue the stations generate; and indirect, which refers to shared public radio infrastructure and support like music licensing. These funds represent about 5% of the stations' budgets. Between the lines: The biggest expenses for these stations are personnel and programming. NPR affiliates are required to carry expensive programs such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered, but other smaller programs are ones that stations can elect to pay for and broadcast. "When those [federal] dollars go away it means we're cutting into those core offerings we have in some way," WFAE president and CEO Ju-Don Marshall tells Axios. "We're certainly concerned." Context: Station heads say a cut in federal funding would prompt them to turn to their communities to help make up for the shortfall. Fund drives are the top sources of dollars for the station, says WUNC president and general Paul Hunton. Given uncertainties in the broader economy, it's not a guarantee that they'd be able to make up the entire shortfall, however. "Everybody's a bit tentative now in how they spend their dollars," Hunton added. Zoom out: WFAE's signal reaches 32 counties across the Carolinas, and WUNC can be heard from the Triad to the Outer Banks. Many of the communities they serve are considered news deserts, meaning they lack reliable local news and information from sources like a newspapers. In many rural areas, public radio is the only source of reliable information. Case in point: During Hurricane Helene when communities in western North Carolina lost power and Internet, many relied on just public radio for updates like when the water was coming back on, Hunton says. "It truly was a lifeline for many people in North Carolina," he tells Axios.
Axios
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
CMPD chief to retire
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings will retire, effective Jan. 1, 2026, Jennings announced Sunday night. Why it matters: The announcement follows Charlotte City Council's agreement in closed session earlier this month on a six-figure settlement with Jennings in order to avoid a potential lawsuit over comments made by former council member Tariq Bokhari. The latest: Jennings' settlement with the city is $305,000, the Charlotte Optimist reported Sunday. It's also being referred to as a " separation agreement" and includes: $175,000 in severance that he'll receive in January. $45,699 will be split between two payments for Jennings to stay until the end of the year. $25,000 to cover the costs of the ordeal, such as legal counsel. $14,017 for a 5% merit increase, which is retroactive to the start of the year. 40 additional vacation days, valued at $45,284. Jennings may use these days or be paid for them when he leaves next year. Catch up quick: Bokhari told Jennings he would call for his resignation and work to "cripple" his legacy if he did not agree to let officers wear outer-carrier vests, according to texts published by WFAE. Jennings had restricted officers from wearing the vests because they didn't align with his department's "community-oriented policing philosophies," according to the Charlotte Optimist. The vests offer extra protection from gunfire, WFAE reported, but can make officers appear intimidating. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police was expected to begin accepting ballots for a vote of no confidence on Monday, May 26, WCNC reported. Zoom out: Republican state auditor Dave Boliek is investigating the City of Charlotte for "the $100,000 to $300,000 in public dollars [that] may have been given" to Jennings to avoid a potential lawsuit, Axios' Alexandria Sands reported. "Our goal with launching this investigation was simple: bring transparency to the City of Charlotte. The people of Charlotte, along with all North Carolinians, deserve to know where their tax dollars are going," Boliek said in a statement Sunday night. What's next: Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones will lead a national search for CMPD's next chief. Flashback: Jennings has served as chief since July 1, 2020. He joined CMPD in May 1992 as a member of their 108th recruit class. He didn't have to take the job, Jennings told the Charlotte Optimist. The now 57-year-old Jennings was eligible to retire five years ago. "Most athletes would love to retire with the same team that they came in on, and that's difficult to do," Jennings, who played college football at Appalachian State, told the Charlotte Optimist's Michael Graff. "So, you know, there are very few of us [who] get an opportunity to be a chief in your originating department, and it was hard to pass that up."
Axios
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
State auditor investigates reported police settlement
Republican state auditor Dave Boliek is investigating the City of Charlotte for "the $100,000 to $300,000 in public dollars [that] may have been given" to police chief Johnny Jennings to avoid a potential lawsuit. Why it matters: The city has not confirmed to the public how much money was paid or even whether a payment exists, as Boliek underscored in a letter sent Tuesday to Charlotte City Council. "Even if the payment was worth one penny, it should be disclosed to the public in a timely and transparent matter," Boliek wrote. "There is no tax dollar free from public scrutiny." Catch up quick: According to multiple media reports, the council voted behind closed doors on May 5 to pay Jennings $300,000 so he would not take legal action against the city for comments former council member Tariq Bokhari made. In texts published by WFAE, Bokhari told Jennings he would call on the chief's resignation and work to "cripple" his legacy if he did not agree to let officers wear outer carrier vests. The city has not confirmed the settlement. Instead, officials — including interim City Attorney Anthony Fox and City Council member Malcolm Graham — have discussed investigating leaks of information to the media. Meanwhile, the Fraternal Order of Police is taking a no-confidence vote against Jennings, and fractures within council are being revealed. What he's saying: " It is my understanding there is a possibility that as much as $100,000 to $300,000 in public dollars may have been given to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings for a legal settlement that may have been entered into by the City Council," Boliek wrote in his letter. Boliek continued, "This is only what has been gathered by the Auditor's Office from news reports, social media, and conversation. The truth of the matter remains unclear." The reported settlement may be higher than Jennings' yearly salary of just over $280,000. Boliek remarked that the mayor's office could quickly release information that answers some of the most pressing questions — "which I strongly encourage." Per state law, the city can vote on settlements behind closed doors, but it must publicly share the terms "as soon as possible" after finalizing the deal, as the Charlotte Observer reported.
