What’s next for Northlake Mall? + Thousands could lose NC Medicaid insurance next month

Andrew Nantais
·3 min read

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On to your news for today.

1. What’s next for Northlake Mall after Apple store’s hasty exit and trio of shootings?

Northlake Mall stores and shoppers say something needs to be done, and fast, after three shootings there in 75 days.
Northlake Mall stores and shoppers say something needs to be done, and fast, after three shootings there in 75 days.

Northlake Mall’s been dealing with several issues the last few months.

Apple announcing the closure of its store preceded by a trio of shootings are just some of the problems it faces, and retailers are ready to pack up and move out.

“It’s literally kept me up at night,” Ed Washington, franchise owner of barbershop No Grease Northlake told The Charlotte Observer. “I’m worried about my employees. I’m worried about my customers.”

Catherine Muccigrosso reports on the mall’s uncertain future.

2. Thousands could lose NC Medicaid coverage starting April 1. Here’s what you need to know

With the end of a federal rule, hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians could lose health insurance coverage or have their benefits reduced.
With the end of a federal rule, hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians could lose health insurance coverage or have their benefits reduced.

Hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians could lose health insurance coverage or have their benefits reduced with the end of a federal rule.

That’s according to estimates by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services of how many Medicaid recipients could be affected by the changes starting in April.

Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi runs down everything you need to know and how to keep your coverage.

3. A task force wanted to help a financially ailing HBCU in NC. It was disbanded.

Barber-Scotia College, a 155-year old HBCU that lost its accreditation in 2004, has established a five-year plan to restore accreditation but has faced an uphill battle.
Barber-Scotia College, a 155-year old HBCU that lost its accreditation in 2004, has established a five-year plan to restore accreditation but has faced an uphill battle.

Six years ago, Concord officials started an effort to create a revitalization plan for Barber-Scotia College and established a task force to partner with the school.

That task force is now disbanded, according to a news release today from the Concord City Council. The Council cited a lack of transparency, cooperation and continued obstruction from school leadership of the financially struggling HBCU.

DJ Simmons details the council’s decision from today.

4. Barriers still exist for Black developers in Charlotte. Meet the people changing that

William Haygood, left, and Rodney Faulkner, stand on a 6-acre property off Statesville Avenue, not far from uptown, they plan to develop with apartments, town homes and a grocery store. The two run Boundary Street Advisors, a commercial real estate firm. As one of few Black developers in Charlotte, Haygood and Faulkner work to be intentional about the types of projects they pick in order to bring a positive impact.

Rodney Faulkner and William Haygood are familiar with the development scene in the Queen City.

However, their work stands out for another reason: they are among only a few Black real estate developers and brokers in Charlotte.

Haygood and Faulkner are old friends who met at West Charlotte High School in the 1990s and now own a commercial real estate firm they founded, Boundary Street Advisors. This makes them members of an even smaller club — Black men who hold executive positions in the commercial real estate industry.

Gordon Rago shares more on how the two are breaking down barriers in Charlotte.

5. Some more stories to read

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Drew Nantais is a Senior Growth & Engagement Producer for the Charlotte Observer.
Drew Nantais is a Senior Growth & Engagement Producer for the Charlotte Observer.