Meck could see more snow than expected + Eli Lilly to invest $1B in Charlotte-area plant

Kristen Kornbluth
·3 min read

Happy Friday, everybody. This is Kristen, kicking it off today with an impactful read to send you into your weekend. “Bedside burnout can wreak havoc on mental health.” That, among other reasons, is why a Charlotte nurse left the ER. But she never gave up on herself. Read her story here with CharlotteFive’s Laurie Larsh.

We’re ready for the weekend, of course, but let’s talk news first:

1. Charlotte area could see more snow than expected, NWS says

A pedestrian crosses Brevard Street as snow falls in uptown Charlotte, NC on Friday, January 21, 2022.
A pedestrian crosses Brevard Street as snow falls in uptown Charlotte, NC on Friday, January 21, 2022.

Skrrrrrt. The forecast has changed again. Charlotte could see up to 2 inches of snow ... but an inch is most likely across the region, a National Weather Service meteorologist said.

Wait, what?

  • The NWS forecast for Charlotte at 8 a.m. Friday had predicted up to 3 inches of snow.

  • Later in the morning, the prediction changed to 1 to 2 inches.

  • On Thursday, the NWS had predicted less than an inch Friday night.

  • You should expect rain Friday evening with “a little bit of snow and sleet mixed in,” then there’s a potential for the mix to turn into snow later on.

Stay updated here with the Observer’s Joe Marusak.

In other snow news: More than 100 flights have been canceled at Charlotte’s airport. Get the details with the Observer’s Hannah Smoot.

2. Eli Lilly to invest $1 billion in new Charlotte-area plant

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly will build a major manufacturing facility in Concord, creating nearly 600 jobs and investing close to $1 billion, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Machelle Sanders announced Friday.

“Together with this new plant, Eli Lilly will increase a number of life-saving medicines made in North Carolina, improving the lives and health of so many people around the world,” Sanders said.

The site will manufacture injectable products and devices. Eli Lilly has played a role in developing insulin. The average salary will be $70,555, above the current average wage in Cabarrus County of $43,687, as reported by the Observer’s Gordon Rago.

3. Local news to know

A light rail train passes through New Bern St. at Rail Crossing Lane on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Higher end apartments are springing up in the South End area. The Charlotte City Council and local leaders talked about the importance of encouraging developers to build affordable housing on the Blue Line since before the first tracks were laid. The reason was to ensure it benefits everyone not just the affluent. Only a handful of income-restricted units have been built, one project hit enormous cost overruns and one was a boondoggle that has seen nothing built but $500,000 townhouses. Instead, the Blue Line and the extension have become a haven for well-heeled young professionals, with some of the highest rents in Charlotte.

Apartment hunting in Charlotte? These are ways to figure out how much rent you can afford by Mary Ramsey

  • We know it’s a struggle, so we try to help in this story.

Rent for $1,000 or less: It’s a needle in a haystack in Charlotte by Lauren Lindstrom

  • Only 1% of apartments in Mecklenburg rent for less than $1,000, according to data from Apartment List.

Community comes to help after a CMS principal, her family ‘lost everything’ in a fire by Jonathan Limehouse

  • Shannon Hamilton, principal at Long Creek Elementary School in Huntersville, “lost everything” after a Jan. 25 fire at the family’s home.

4. Take a bite

Miami-based The Salty Donut will open in South End this summer.
Miami-based The Salty Donut will open in South End this summer.

One of the ‘best doughnut shops in America’ is opening a Charlotte location by Melissa Oyler

  • The Salty Donut will open in South End with craft doughnuts and coffee.

Resident Culture will host two-day celebration welcoming the Lunar New Year in Charlotte by Melissa Oyler

  • The festivities will span across both of the brewery’s Charlotte locations.

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