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🌱 Patch AM: How a west Charlotte motel stay led to felony charges

Coming up: Face 2 Face on the Charlotte Patch calendar

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Saturday December 27th Patch AM
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Hello Charlotte! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How a west Charlotte motel stay led to felony charges
  • How and where to recycle your Christmas tree around Charlotte
  • How a new Uptown hub could reshape opportunity for Charlotte teens

Also on today's calendar: Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift and 6 more events.

Find out what's happening in Charlottefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: How many sheep does it take to make a sweater? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Charlottefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high of 74 and low of 44 degrees.
  • Sunday: Cooler with low clouds, temps: high: 56, low: 53.
  • Monday: Breezy with a few showers, with a high of 65 and low of 30 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Charlotte mother charged in connection with 1-year-old's death, police say (wbtv.com) — A Charlotte mother has been charged after her 1-year-old daughter was found not breathing at a west Charlotte motel and later died at the hospital. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say the child was allegedly exposed to cocaine and fentanyl, and the mother is being held in Mecklenburg County on a $1 million bond.
   

2. Recycle your Christmas tree for mulch in the Charlotte area - or donate to goats and pigs (charlotteonthecheap.com) — Charlotte residents can recycle their real Christmas trees for free through city curbside pickup starting January 5, 2026, or drop them at Mecklenburg County’s full-service centers. The guide also explains what can be taken to county recycling sites, how to handle cardboard and artificial trees, and even how to donate trees to nearby farms for goats and pigs.
   

3. Do Greater Charlotte To Launch 20,000-Sq-Ft Youth Innovation Hub in 2026 (kiss951.com) — A new 20,000-square-foot Creative Lab is coming to Uptown Charlotte in 2026, giving local middle and high school students hands-on access to tech, screen printing, and content studios. Run by nonprofit Do Greater Charlotte, the hub aims to put young residents in the heart of the city’s business and creative scene, expanding their sense of what’s possible for their futures.
   

4. Statue of Charlotte jazz legend returned, with apology note too (wbtv.com) — A statue of Charlotte jazz legend Loonis McGlohon, taken from a South Brevard Street nightclub in Uptown, has been quietly returned with a handwritten apology note. The piece honors “Charlotte’s Music Man,” whose legacy includes radio and TV performances and a statue on the Charlotte Trail of History.
   

5. Man dead, 2 police officers hurt in shooting during custody exchange in North Carolina (al.com) — Two Mint Hill police officers were wounded and a man was killed during a child custody exchange shooting at an Edible Arrangements store in the Charlotte suburb Friday morning. Officers initially listed in critical condition were later upgraded to stable, and investigators continued processing the scene about 12 miles east of Charlotte as authorities promised more details.
   

📸 Around Charlotte

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Charlotte

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

    Saturday December 27
  • Face 2 Face
    Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, 130 N Tryon St, Charlotte
    8:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Charlotte Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Holiday Gift Outpouring at Kempton of Rock Hill Prompted by Heartfelt Social Media Post —Liberty Senior Living Read on Patch
  • SOMEONE DRIVING A BLACK JEEP WRANGLER JUST HIT MY SON WHILE HE WAS RIDING HIS E-BIKE AND KEPT GOING IN CHENEY NEIGHBORHOOD JUST NOW!!!!
    If anyone knows who this is please reach out either way IM GONNA FIND YOU!! (Nextdoor Meridale)
  • MISSING DOG – Italian Greyhound (Gray) – PLEASE READ
    My small gray Italian Greyhound went missing on Dec 24 around 10:30 AM near 8339 Mission Hills Rd, Charlotte 28227. She is very shy/fearful, gets… (Nextdoor Marlwood)
  • Charlotte man dies after medical emergency at Mecklenburg jail, sheriff says... (X: theobserver)
  • Cleveland County deputies searching for missing 54-year-old man... (X: wsoctv)
  • Charlotte Staffing posted a job opening for Cabin Cleaner in Charlotte. Apply here.
  • Chadwell Supply posted a job opening for Custodian in Charlotte. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Charlotte here.

Ok Charlotte! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I have no idea. I didn’t even know sheep could knit.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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