NC museum sparks outrage for removing LGBTQ+ Pride photo + Are COVID cases slowing in Mecklenburg?

Hey folks! KJ here. I’ve been drooling over hot dogs all afternoon, and that’s because CharlotteFive wants to know where do you think the best hot dogs are in Charlotte area?

That’s not all. Which condiments do you think are the best? And do you have a favorite style of hot dog? Call me crazy but I’m staying local and going with the Carolina-style dog — slaw, onions, yellow mustard. Let us know your biggest and best hot dog takes.

Here’s the rest of your news, with help from our audience engagement intern Sydney Bergan.

1. NC museum removes LGBTQ+ Pride photo, sparking outrage

LGBTQ+ equality advocates are demanding officials in Gaston County reverse their decision to remove a photo showing two men recently engaged, kissing, from a museum exhibit.

“As a gay man living in a state that celebrates diversity, it is truly disheartening to learn that there are still organizations that continue to deny us the same liberties as the heterosexual community,” Justin Colasacco, pictured in the photo, said in a text to The Charlotte Observer.

County Manager Kim Eagle told Gaston County Museum staff to have the photographer submit a replacement picture “that would be more considerate of differing viewpoints in the community,” according to a government statement first reported by the Gaston Gazette Tuesday night.

Charlotte Pride said in a statement that it finds it “especially offensive that a local government body would seek to censor photographs of LGBTQ and Black life during June, a month in which LGBTQ people commemorate their rights and when Black people celebrate Juneteenth, the official end of slavery in the United States.”

You can read the full story here from Joe Marusak.

2. Mecklenburg remains in code yellow for COVID, but spike in cases may be slowing

Earlier this month, Mecklenburg County announced it has moved back into “code yellow,” or medium-level community spread of COVID, for the first time in months due to a spike in cases.

Despite this, new state data shows that COVID numbers seem to be stabilizing in the county. In the most recent data available, during the week ending June 11, the county recorded 2,651 total cases of the coronavirus.

Though the decline in cases is promising, current case numbers are still above this year’s low point. In one week in mid-March, Mecklenburg reported just 289 cases.

Read more from Hannah Smoot.

3. Mint Museum will feature 60+ diverse Charlotte street artists in new exhibit

Charlotte’s Mint Museum will be hosting the LOCAL/STREET exhibit for the second time.

The goal of the exhibit is to bring attention to local artists of color and strengthen the relationship between them and the greater Charlotte community, said the Mint Museum’s chief curator and curator of contemporary art, Jennifer Sudul Edwards.

This time, the exhibit will feature 60+ local street artists who are defining Charlotte’s 21st century visual identity. Visitors can browse sculptures, paintings, multimedia works and more.

“The first LOCAL/STREET was a complete explosion of color, style and exceptional talent. I can’t wait to see what the second installment brings,” Edwards said.

Learn how to get your ticket from Lorenza Medley.

4. Would you live near an industrial site in Charlotte if the price was right? Let us know.

Living in a city can be loud with highways, bars, nightclubs, industrial sites and more. With industrial sites specifically, the round-the-clock operation can be noisy and dusty.

A developer is proposing to build 82 townhomes on a five-acre parcel sandwiched between the historic Elmwood and Pinewood cemeteries and a historic mill. ADM, a company that produces flour at the industrial site, worries that complaints from future residents could force it to relocate. The developer says buyers will know full well what they’re getting into.

Gordon Rago, who’s covered the story, wants to know: Would you still choose to live near an industrial site if it meant being close to uptown and other popular spots if the home was affordable? Let us know.

5. Some more stories to read

• Hornets’ Montrezl Harrell faces felony drug charges. This is what NC law says about the offense

• U.S. National Whitewater Center kitchen cited for flies, dirty dishes in health inspection

• He planned to make a famed pilgrimage alone. He died, while doing it, among friends.

• Black faith leaders accuse interim CMS superintendent of ‘disrespectful’ behavior at meeting

• Struggling with your energy bills? Here’s where and how to get help in Charlotte

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This story was originally published June 15, 2022 at 2:58 PM with the headline "NC museum sparks outrage for removing LGBTQ+ Pride photo + Are COVID cases slowing in Mecklenburg?."