Monday Odds and Ends

Another CMPD Homicide Investigation - The news report was standard and just all too familiar, "Charlotte-Mecklenburg homicide detectives are investigating a shooting Saturday that left one man dead."

On the first really cold night of the 2012 holiday season, another black male lost his life to gunfire in East Charlotte.

On Saturday CMPD Officers responded to a "call for service" along the 7500 block of Shady Lane and later provided the standard press release stating that the vic's name was being withheld until family had been notified. A rather cold announcement on a rather cold night.

Shady Lane is in an area that at one time was a quiet white middle class neighborhood, filled with nice tidy homes with larger than average size lots. Many of the homes were built in the 1980'a where Saturday afternoons were spent raking leaves and tending to young children.

But Shady Lane suffers from the backwash of nearby apartment complexes that have become run down cesspools of human refuse.

Meanwhile, police asked anyone with information about the shooting to call 704-432-TIPS to speak with a homicide detective or call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

Combined with a murder in Grier Heights on Wednesday CMPD Officers were busy over the Thanksgiving Holiday, seems a certain segment of our population doesn't understand the basic concept of Thanksgiving.

Newk's Blakney in Charlotte -  I like the place, but they really need a serious management change. Great food, but wow is the place nasty.

Sunday we walk in the door the girl at the cash register says "Welcome to Newk's" and then proceeds to sneeze all over the rack of silverware she is rolling. No once or twice but three times, then looking rather confused she decides to dab on some hand sanitizer, before she takes our order.

I'm not sure which is more cringe worthy girl sneezing on the silverware or the view under my just "cleaned" table?

The same kid who proudly declared our table "all ready" at another booth below. 

Whoa! How about a little "busboy" training? Restaurant 101 never put the bus tray on the seats!  We weren't the only couple who noticed the dirty floors and wet seats.

Trouble is the place is run by a bunch of part time high school kids most who stand around with their hands in their pockets. They could cut the kid staff in half and hire some professionals and have a nice operation, otherwise in a year they'll be gone.

Marine Cpl Carnes - On November 13, Corporal Garrett Carnes was released from the hospital after undergoing additional operations to deal with surgical wound complications.

On Thanksgiving Day Cpl. Carnes and his wife were flown to Dallas Texas to watch the Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Redskins, as well as receive a special VIP tour before, during, and after the game.

The story from NBC affiliate NBC5 in Dallas is here

Cedar Update: Sorry the above link is broken. You can hunt for the video at www.nbcdfw.com Click on Video and scroll down a couple of rows.


Update on Josh "Tank" Watts - According to several sources "Tank" has been fired from his part time security job with the Charlotte Bobcats, and may also be permanently banned by the Panthers as he has been deemed a security risk.

Apparently a reporter, from the Charlotte Observer has attempted to meet with Josh "Tank" Watts to do a follow up story, but Watts has backed out.

Moosehead Bar and Grill has seen business return to normal but not without some serious damage control and a lot of effort. If one comment is correct the owner Chris Nielson, himself a Navy vet, had a severe "counseling session" with employees working at the time of the incident, and has banned "Tank" from the establishment as well.