Ian makes landfall in the Carolinas + McCaffrey ‘questionable’ for Sunday vs. Cardinals

Drew Nantais
·3 min read

Hey, everyone! Drew here. I hope you are staying safe out there!

As Hurricane Ian reaches the Carolinas today, here are some resources for you to ensure you’re prepared and aware:

Again, please stay safe and avoid any unnecessary risks.

Here’s the news for your Friday.

1. Canceled flights at CLT: More than 300 Friday morning amid wind, rain

People walk through the terminal at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Friday, September 30, 2022. Despite several flights being cancelled due to inclement weather from Hurricane Ian, it was business as usual at the airport.
People walk through the terminal at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Friday, September 30, 2022. Despite several flights being cancelled due to inclement weather from Hurricane Ian, it was business as usual at the airport.

If you were planning on traveling today or tomorrow, you may need to hold off.

By early afternoon today, more than 300 flights had been canceled at Charlotte Douglas International Airport due to strong winds and rain from Hurricane Ian, according to FlightAware.com.

Charlotte Douglas tweeted Thursday night that officials were “closely monitoring” weather conditions. Travelers were advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

The airport hasn’t said if it will completely close down, yet.

Hannah Lang continues to update the ongoing cancellations at CLT.

2. Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey returns to practice, ‘questionable’ for Sunday’s game

Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, center, jumps through the grasp of Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo during the game at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, September 25, 2022 in Charlotte, NC. The Panthers pulled out their first win of the season by defeating the Saints 22-14.
Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, center, jumps through the grasp of Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo during the game at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, September 25, 2022 in Charlotte, NC. The Panthers pulled out their first win of the season by defeating the Saints 22-14.

Some good news on the practice field for the Panthers today.

Christian McCaffrey was a limited participant in practice after missing the last two days (Wednesdays are a scheduled off day for the veteran running back). The team says his status is “questionable” for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

“(Christian) has gone zero-dark-thirty on us,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said yesterday when asked of McCaffrey’s status. “He’s keeping us guessing.”

If McCaffrey is unable to go, running backs D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard would be in line for increased workloads.

Ellis Williams has more on McCaffrey’s status for Week 4.

3. Hispanic representation in Meck County not reflecting population growth trends. Why?

Jorge Pedroza, of Charlotte, N.C., left, a canvasser with the Hispanic Federation helps register a voter at Compare Foods in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022.
Jorge Pedroza, of Charlotte, N.C., left, a canvasser with the Hispanic Federation helps register a voter at Compare Foods in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022.

Charlotte’s Hispanic population is larger than ever, so how come its government doesn’t reflect that change?

Despite a population boom of Hispanic people over the past decade in the Charlotte area, voters will see few Hispanic candidates on their ballots in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties this November.

In Mecklenburg County, where the U.S. Census Bureau found Hispanic people make up more than 14% of the population, only four out of more than 100 candidates are Hispanic or Latino, according to an analysis of voter registration data by the Raleigh News & Observer. All told, less than 4% of all candidates in the county identify as Hispanic or Latino.

German Decastro, the founder of Hispanic Voter Coalition in Mecklenburg County, says the lack of representation is nothing new.

“If you don’t jump in the ring you will never win the fight,” DeCastro said. “If we don’t have people who are in elected official bodies, we are going to have to work maybe 10 times as hard to obtain what should be something normal.”

Will Wright reports on the lack of representation in the upcoming elections.

4. Some longreads for your weekend

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That’s it for now. Thanks for reading! If you don’t already, subscribe to the Charlotte Observer here. If you’re already a subscriber (thanks!), download our iOS or Android app to stay connected.

Find more updates at charlotteobserver.com, and follow along on Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok to see more from us. Enjoy your weekend!

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Drew Nantais is a Senior Growth & Engagement Producer for the Charlotte Observer.
Drew Nantais is a Senior Growth & Engagement Producer for the Charlotte Observer.
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