🌱 Best Hospitals + New Principals + Commissioner Replaced

Happy Thursday, neighbors! Let's get you all caught up to start today off on an informed note.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and beautiful. High: 62 Low: 33.

Here are the top stories today in Charlotte:

1. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: CMS Announces Three New Principals At Feb. 8 Board Of Education Meeting (Press Release Desk )
2. 3 North Carolina Hospitals Rank Among America's Best (Charlotte Patch)
3. Valentines for widows (Spectrum News)
4. New UNC Charlotte research center to drive pandemic preparedness and prevention (Newswise)
5. Mecklenburg County Commissioner Will Be Replaced As She Battles Illness (Charlotte Patch

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Today in Charlotte:

• Midyear Graduation - Ardrey Kell High (12:00 AM)
• Mid-Year Graduation Ceremony (4:00pm at Bojangles' Coliseum) (12:00 AM)
• School Blood Drive - West Mecklenburg High (4:30 AM)
• National Pancake Month at Flying Biscuit Cafe Park Road (7:00 AM)
• Mid-Year Graduation - South Mecklenburg High (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: "Three new principal appointments were announced at tonight's Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education meeting. Please join us in congratulating the following: Erica Gipson was named principal at Mountain Island Lake Academy. She has been..." (Facebook)
• Charlotte Ballet: ""I would say the style is ballet-based but more so neoclassical. It's very energetic, it's very fun...you've got a lot of spiciness in there too." Company Artist Maurice Mouzon Jr. has been exploring the spicy movements in Ja' Malik's ne..." (Facebook)
• Children's Theatre of Charlotte: "The taco party everyone's been waiting for is finally here! "Dragons Love Tacos" opens Friday night. Celebrate with us on Saturday starting at 11 AM where we'll have: "Dragons Love Tacos" Bookwalk, International Truck of Tacos, and Drago..." (Facebook)
• Charlotte Symphony: "Classical music meets modern art at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art tomorrow night! 🎶 A quartet of CSO musicians will perform for Wednesday Night Live presented by Bank of America at 6 & 7 pm. Museum admission is free starting at 5 pm..." (Facebook)
• City of Charlotte Government: "Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC and CMPD Animal Care and Control worked to rescue a 1-year-old husky and pit bull mix named Zeus who was stuck in a quarry for days." (Facebook)

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That's it for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with another update.

— Cassie Fambro

About me: A Texas-native, I've spent most of my life in Alabama but have recently moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. I have an avid interest in motorsports, so this makes the Carolinas an ideal region to call home. I have a decade of experience in journalism, graduating from the University of South Alabama with honors in journalism with a double major in psychology and a minor in criminal justice. I spent roughly five years of my career in front of a camera in TV news but I have spent years in print journalism and even earned a couple of cool awards like an Edward R. Murrow award along the way. I enjoy covering stories in education, healthcare, government and most of all, stories that directly help people and improve their lives in some way. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my partner Matt, and our two cats, Kenly and Gotenks, going to new restaurants and hanging out at racetracks.