More coal ash detected in Charlotte area + 6 new vendors come to Concord food hall

Hey, folks! KJ here. The countdown to the midterms is on. Doesn’t it feel weird that we’re only a month away from elections? Time flew by.

Today, we dropped the first two parts of our voter guide, where we ask local candidates to answer our questions ahead of the 2022 midterms. Here’s information on Mecklenburg’s county commissioners race and CMS school board race.

It’s been a busy Monday, and there’s a lot of news to catch up on after a stormy weekend. From a powerful story of a family looking for answers to new research on coal ash in North Carolina, scroll down for it all.

1. Her son overdosed. Why did the state give his mom the drug that killed him?

Logan McAdams was found dead in his Charlotte apartment on April 30. Medical examiner’s later confirmed that the drug inside of Logan’s body was pure fentanyl. Minutes before he died, reports show that Logan called a friend to request Narcan due “to cocaine use and feeling strange.”

Later, at Carolina Cremation in Salisbury, his mother, Kelly Kennedy and family members received a bag of Logan’s belongings including two packets covered in smiley faces and filled with white powder.

“When would it ever be acceptable for a family to receive pure fentanyl at a funeral home?” Kennedy said.

It’s against the Medical Examiner’s Office policy to release drugs or medications back into the community. A spokesperson blamed the inventory list of Logan’s personal effects at the time he died, which did not list fentanyl.

Death by distribution is a felony charge in the state with only six out of 86 people charged with death by distribution in North Carolina. After a hearing last week, Logan’s death investigation was officially closed and no arrests were made in connection to his death.

The McAdams family looks for answers of questions of how this happened to Logan. Kallie Cox shares more on death by distribution.

2. Researchers detect coal ash beneath 5 NC lakes, including a Charlotte water source

Researchers from Duke and Appalachian State have found that coal ash can reach bodies of water in previously unknown ways. And their findings reach across the state: it’s been found at the bottom of five North Carolina lakes, including one water source in Charlotte (Mountain Island Lake).

Experts had thought that coal ash polluted ground and surface waters primarily by leaking from pits and ponds where power companies traditionally stashed it. Duke Energy is excavating 80 millions tons of coal ash across the state to reduce that threat, with 5.4 million tons once stored close to Mountain Island Lake already removed.

“We thought that the majority of the coal ash is restricted to coal ash ponds and landfills,” said Avner Vengosh, a professor at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment. “Now we see it’s already in the open environment.”

The study did not conclude that the waste is a risk to people or wildlife, but recommends more research. Sara Coello has the details here.

3. Gibson Mill Market details official Concord food hall opening with 6 local vendors

Those tacos (pictured above) make me want to celebrate National Taco Day a day early. You can find them starting Wednesday at Concord’s first food hall.

Gibson Mill Market’s six new vendors are Cara’s Cookie Co., Johnny Rogers BBQ & Burgers, Taco Street, Churn Buddies Ice Cream, Defined Coffee and The Market Bar.

The new vendors join the previously opened High Branch Brewing Co. and Luck Factory Games at the repurposed 123-year-old former textile mill. The 17,000-square-foot market can support up to 12 vendors and a full-service, 3,000-square-foot restaurant, according to the release.

“We’re thrilled to officially open and become a foodie destination in the Concord area,” Thomas Moore, business development director at Gibson Mill, said in a statement released Monday.

Catherine Muccigrosso has the latest.

4. Ashley Furniture plans over 100 layoffs as it closes NC plant in consolidation move

A consolidation move by Ashley Furniture will bring over 100 layoffs as it permanently closes its Statesville facility on Nov. 15. Jobs affected range from assembly and ready-to-assemble support positions to supervisor and management roles.

The furniture company is closing its Statesville center to consolidate operations at its manufacturing plant in Advance which is about 33 miles north of the Statesville plant. Employees from the Statesville location will be offered transfers to work in Advance.

Ashley has 32 stores in North Carolina, including seven in the Charlotte region.

Catherine Muccigrosso has the details.

5. Some more stories to read

• Marketing begins for 245-acre Rock Hill site that flopped as a Panthers HQ development

• This country music power couple is returning to Charlotte, this time to build homes

• ‘State of despair.’ Inmate suicides approach historic high in North Carolina prisons

• After Panthers’ ugly home loss to Cardinals, some ‘bests’ (yes, they exist) and ‘worsts’

• What’s next after Ian? Charlotte in for ‘calm’ week, but disturbances loom in Atlantic

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