‘Active’ situation at Hough ends + COVID testing at CMS schools delayed

We made it, y’all — it’s Friday. This is Kristen. Before we let you waltz off into weekend chill mode, we have to talk about the latest N.C. Department of Health and Human Services findings — unvaccinated people are 15 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated, according to an analysis from the four-week period ending Aug. 21. As COVID’s spread continues to worsen in the state, find our daily update here with the News & Observer’s Ben Sessoms.

Let’s talk about today’s news:

1. Lockdown at Hough High School lifted after ‘active police situation,’ CMS says

A lockdown at Cornelius’ Hough High School has been lifted after an “active police situation” forced evacuation of students Friday afternoon, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said.

Parents of Hough students are now being asked to pick up their children at the school’s parking lot, police said. Earlier, parents were directed to Bailey Road Park.

More details will be provided as we get them. Stay updated here with the Observer’s Rogelio Aranda.

2. School COVID-19 testing delayed as health leader urges more precautions

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools returned to classes this week, but a plan to test unvaccinated teachers and staff weekly wasn’t fully baked when school went back into session. CMS isn’t yet tracking vaccination among staff or teachers.

Districts participating in on-site school testing via a state health program experienced delays in launch, according to a recent letter from the local health director to CMS’ superintendent. The Department of Health and Human Services is providing the service to schools for free.

“The approach we’ll be taking at CMS is a phased-in approach,” Christine Pejot, chief human resources officer, said. “So that once we have this in our schools we can make sure we implement it with fidelity.”

CMS officials did not provide a timeframe for testing on school sites, as reported by the Observer’s Anna Maria Della Costa.

3. Bojangles closing nearly 300 restaurants for 2 days to give workers a break

This coming Monday, Aug. 30, and Monday, Sept. 13, you won’t be able to satisfy your Bojangles cravings. That’s because Bojangles is giving “physically and emotionally drained” employees a break, the chicken and biscuit fast food chain announced Friday.

Bojangles CEO Jose Armario said in a statement, “We know many people are physically and emotionally drained, so we hope these extra two days off will provide rest and refreshment.”

72 restaurants in the Charlotte region, spanning from Rock Hill to Statesville, will be closed those days. That includes 22 in Charlotte. 277 Bojangles restaurants overall in eight Southern states will close.

The announcement did not say if this time off would be paid, and a Bojangles spokesperson was not immediately available.

4. Nine students hospitalized after driver hits N.C. school bus

Nine students were hospitalized with minor injuries after an SUV driver hit their school bus Friday morning, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. 26 kids were on the bus, as reported by the Observer’s Joe Marusak.

The SUV and school bus drivers also went to a hospital for minor injuries, Master Trooper Jeffrey Swagger said. The SUV crossed the double yellow center line and hit the bus north of Statesville, he also said.

The 52-year-old SUV driver, Jonathan Davis of Statesville, was charged with driving left of center, according to Swagger. Troopers were still investigating what contributed to the line crossing, he said.

“EIMS students riding bus 255 are safe and being transported to school,” according to an Iredell-Statesville Schools news release issued at 9 a.m., an hour after the wreck.

5. Want to watch the Panthers-Steelers preseason game on TV?

The Carolina Panthers wrap up their preseason tonight in Charlotte. Here’s how you can watch the action.

• Today’s 7:30 p.m. game between the Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers will be broadcast on the Panthers TV Network.
• In Charlotte, watch the match on WSOC (ABC).
• In Raleigh or Durham, catch the game on WRAL (NBC).

As the Observer’s Matthew Stephens reports, these stations should be available over the air and included in basic cable or satellite packages. If cable-less is more your speed, you can find these channels on YouTube TV and Hulu+ Live TV.

Plus, catch up on our Panthers analysis before the game with Jonathan Alexander — 5 Panthers need big games tonight to make the 53-man roster.

---

That’s all for today, folks. 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 get connected.

Stay updated with us at charlotteobserver.com, and follow along on Twitter and Instagram to see more from us. Thanks for reading!

Did someone forward this newsletter to you? You can sign up here.

This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 3:46 PM.