Top Stories for July 12

Trees and grass with a walking path and lake in the background on a sunny spring day.

Mecklenburg County provides this weekly rundown of top stories from the Board of County Commissioners meetings and from the Public Information Department’s newsroom. The Board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. The agenda will be available here or view the meeting at Watch.MeckNC.gov.
 

  1. Combating Opioid Abuse: Mecklenburg County will make $6 million in grant funding available to organizations that provide substance use and mental health treatment services, early intervention, recovery housing, as well as employment and recovery services to combat the opioid epidemic. The application process opens Saturday, July 15. Organizations interested in applying for funds are encouraged to attend an information session on Thursday, July 13, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, Room 267, 600 E. Fourth St., Charlotte, N.C. 28202. Learn more about the Opioid Settlement Spending Plan.
  2. Tiger Day: On July 15, Mecklenburg County and the Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the school’s establishment. Second Ward High School was founded in 1923 as Charlotte’s first high school for Black students, before closing in 1969. “Tiger Day,” named in tribute to the school’s mascot, will feature historical exhibits and videos illustrating the school’s importance. Tiger Day will be held Saturday, July 15, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Second Ward High School Gymnasium, 710 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28202.

  3. Remembering Life at Second Ward: Mecklenburg County spoke with several graduates and former students of Second Ward High School. They reflect on their experiences at the school and in the Brooklyn neighborhood in this documentary video. 

  4. TTX Jobs: TTX, a railcar pooling company owned by the country’s leading rail carriers, has selected Mecklenburg County for its new headquarters location. The company will invest at least $13.8 million in and bring 150 new jobs to Charlotte. TTX was founded as Trailer Train in 1955 by the Pennsylvania Railroad. It manages a fleet of more than 170,000 railcars serving North America’s railroads and is a recognized innovator in the technical design and engineering of railcar components.
  5. Park and Recreation Month: Take a walk on a greenway, hop on a bike, or knock a baseball past second to celebrate Park and Recreation Month. At its meeting on July 6, the Board of County Commissioners proclaimed July as Park and Recreation Month in Mecklenburg County. Since 1985, Americans have celebrated national Park and Recreation Month to recognize the importance of parks and recreation in establishing and maintaining quality of life and for contributing to the physical, economic, and environmental well-being of communities.