MLS, RNC, Untappd—but also, way too much heartache: 2019’s biggest news stories.
It’s hard to believe another decade is approaching.
And we all know the end of every year gives us the opportunity to look back.
In Charlotte in 2019, we suffered both terrible loss and moments of joy. It can be painful to look back on many of these stories. Others may spark a smile, an “Oh, I remember that one.”
Let’s look back together.
Here are CharlotteFive’s top 10 news stories of the year:
(1) Fatal shooting leaves UNC Charlotte community ‘devastated’
Devastated. That’s the word UNC Charlotte anthropology instructor Adam Patrick Johnson used in a tweet describing how he felt after a shooting had taken place in his classroom at Kennedy Hall just hours earlier. Two people, 19-year-old Ellis Parlier and 21-year-old Riley Howell, were killed, and four others were injured. A lone suspect is now in custody. Devastated. That’s how a lot of us — both near and far — feel today. UNC Charlotte was my second home for three years (from 2009-2012) as I worked on my graduate degree. When I think back to that short period in my life, I remember it fondly.
— Kim Lawson
(2) His friend was killed by police outside Burger King. Here’s what he knows for sure.
First, here’s what I don’t know. I don’t know what happened in the moments leading to the fatal police shooting of my friend, Danquirs Napoleon Franklin, at a west Charlotte Burger King on March 25. I know only the conflicting narratives swirling through the news and social media: that he was either a well-meaning bystander police mistook for the gunman, or that he was so emotionally distraught over a break-up that he took a gun to confront his girlfriend, a Burger King employee, over her new relationship with a coworker.
— Eric Frazier for The Charlotte Observer
(3) In remembrance of Scott Brooks, killed as he opened Brooks’ Sandwich House
When we first met twins David Brooks and Scott Brooks, co-owners of Brooks’ Sandwich House, they told CharlotteFive their father’s quest to perfect his chili recipe where all of this began. “It’s been good,” Scott Brooks told us in August 2018. “God has blessed us over here.” The restaurant has been open since 1973 and has become an icon in Charlotte. And then unexpectedly, earlier this month on a morning that should have been like any other, Scott Books was gunned down as he attempted to open the restaurant for the day.
— Melissa Oyler
(4) Bakeries—and baked goods—become collateral damage in ICE raids
Manuel Manolo Betancur was tired—but not because his business, Manolo’s Bakery at 4405 Central Ave had been overrun by customers. No, the bakery formerly called Las Delicias had been having the opposite problem in the days since ICE began conducting undercover raids targeting Charlotte’s undocumented immigrant communities. The number of regulars who came daily to buy fresh Colombian bread or sweet treats had dropped so drastically, the bakery was throwing out dozens of baked goods at the end of each day.
— Emiene Wright
(5) Major League Soccer announced it’s coming to Charlotte in 2021
It’s official. With significant fanfare at the Mint Museum uptown, Major League Soccer (MLS) Commissioner Dan Garber announced in December that Charlotte will be awarded the 30th club. “Today is a historic day for the Queen City,” Garber as he stood at the podium. “It is my pleasure to welcome Charlotte to the MLS.”
— Shawn Flynn
(6) Riverboat Ron Rivera gets fired from the Panthers
The writing was on the wall. After a blowout 29-3 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper sat down with a group of reporters to talk about how much he despises mediocrity. And head coach Ron Rivera agreed. But now, after losing to the Saints and getting run all over by a Washington Redskins team that was 2-9 heading into the game, Rivera is out as the Panthers’ head coach. The only thing truly surprising about that is that it happened during the season and not after. But here are five things we’re going to miss now that Ron Rivera’s gone.
— Daniel Hartis
Bonus read: The Riveras—and their dog, Tahoe—are helping The Humane Society, and it’s adorable — Melissa Oyler
(7) Charlotteans started preparing for next year’s RNC
Next August, Charlotte will welcome over 50,000 guests as it hosts the 2020 Republican National Convention at the Spectrum Center. This major political gathering will bring an influx of tourists into the city, all of whom will need somewhere to stay. While most hotels will sell out early, especially those close to uptown, many attendees will look to the popular app Airbnb to secure accommodations. Over the years it has been shown that travelers actually prefer Airbnb to traditional hotels when needing a place to stay. What this means for local residents is the chance to earn a little extra money during the four-day event.
— DeAnna Taylor
(8) Untappd gets called the Fyre Festival of Charlotte—but was it simply a rain-delayed beer event?
Untappd’s inaugural beer festival had all the makings of a perfect event. It would be held in Center City in the heart of Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium, with Panthers owner David Tepper getting props for stepping up the stadium’s event planning. It was one of the most talked about festivals of the spring. Thanks to the popularity of the Untappd app, attendees traveled from all over the country and even the world — six different countries, one beer vendor told CharlotteFive — to attend Saturday’s beer festival. Breweries, 176 from Charlotte and otherwise, would be pouring beer to reportedly 12,500 attendees. So how did it go from being one of the season’s most anticipated events to one of the most complained-about ones?
— Melissa Oyler
(9) Uptown venue shuttered unexpectedly, leaving many without a wedding spot
Popular turnkey wedding venue The Assembly Room, located in The Foundry in Uptown’s Third Ward, abruptly closed in February, leaving brides and grooms scrambling to find new wedding venues. Evan Roberts, one of the brides affected by the closure, posted about it in the Facebook group Charlotte Wedding Connection seeking recommendations for a new venue. Multiple planners commented saying they, too, had clients facing the same issue. When CharlotteFive summited a public records request for information about possible city code violations at the venue, a Charlotte Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau official said the location was never approved as a place of assembly, just as one for business occupancy.
— Beth Castle
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(10) Charlotte ranked in the top 10 cities for attracting millennials. Here’s why.
In 2016, 26,390 millennials moved to Charlotte in search of career success, a better cost of living and quality of life. Since then, the number of 20-34-year-olds migrating to the Queen City has remained steady, and the number of millennials staying in the city year after year has started to increase. And now, according to SmartAsset’s third annual study on where millennials are moving, North Carolina is the fifth ranking state. Charlotte has taken the number six spot on the list of top 10 cities attracting new millennials.
— Temily Wardlaw
(Bonus read) CharlotteFive got a new website
We changed our look in October, so we thought it would be a good time to show you around. Welcome to our newsroom. CharlotteFive is part of The Charlotte Observer, so our new site looked familiar to those of you who subscribe to The O. In addition to suggesting the best places to go, CharlotteFive brings you news that impacts our community and its local businesses. But our real work isn’t done in the newsroom, it’s done in the community.
— CharlotteFive team
This story was originally published December 23, 2019 at 5:30 AM.
