Home Care In Canton, NC

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The Wilmington City Council is set to meet on Tuesday to discuss a roundabout at the intersection of Independence Blvd.- River Road, some nearby residents are saying a roundabout is not enough.

In the upcoming city council meeting Councilmen will discuss entering a cost-sharing agreement with Riverlights and the Proximity Watermark LLC. A topic of discussion will include a roundabout at the Independence Blvd.- River Road intersection.

People like Meredith Campbell who live near the intersection say that something needs to be done to help the flow of traffic in the area.

“If you have a deadline and you’re like, okay, I can get down the road in 10 minutes. Coming out of this way of our neighborhood, you’re going to add another five to 10 extra minutes just trying to see if it’s safe,” said Campbell.

That’s why the Tuesday meeting will discuss the $2,100,300 roundabout and road improvement project. Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo says the city has been hearing complaints about the area for years.

“We said let’s take a look to see what we could do to make the flow of traffic in that location much better than it currently is. Our traffic engineers did a thorough study of that intersection and determined that a roundabout would be much better,” said Saffo.

People like Campbell who live close to the intersection say a roundabout is a step in the right direction.

“I support it. Coming in and out of our neighborhood does get very congested with independence backing up from people coming from Carolina beach road down independence to get to River Road,” said Campbell.

However, not everyone agrees a roundabout is the right solution. Other nearby residents like Jeannie Bowling feel like a roundabout will not do enough to help the flow of traffic in the area.

“I think a couple of years ago, I would have agreed to a roundabout, it would be perfect but now with all the increased development in this area, and the traffic has definitely gotten worse in the past couple of years, and it’s just gonna keep getting worse. I honestly feel we need a streetlight there,” said Bowling.

If a cost agreement is approved Saffo hopes the roundabout will be done within the next 8 months. Saffo says the city is splitting 70% of the cost with developers. He also says the remaining 30% will be paid by the city with funds that have already been allocated for road improvements.

“I think this is a great opportunity to accelerate some of the road improvements that a lot of the neighbors in Riverlights have been talking about with the amount of building that has been taking place in that community. And the amount of traffic that is coming through the south end of the county through their community. We started talking about ways that we could accelerate some of the road projects that were due to happen at some point in time,” said Saffo.

Copyright 2023 WECT. All rights reserved.

At 8 o’clock, the lights go down and the music goes up at La Buena Vida in North Raleigh, one of the Triangle’s biggest restaurant parties.

The modern Mexican restaurant from Fonda Lupita owners, married couple Biridiana Frausto and Salvador Alvarez, will expand next month to Cary, taking over the former Totopos space.

Totopos closed in December after nine years in Cary’s Shannon Oaks shopping center. The restaurant was part of the empire of popular spots co-owned by Joel Ibarra, along with El Rodeo, Chido Taco and La Rancherita. Alvarez also recently opened Yatai, a fusion of Mexican and Japanese dishes, in Raleigh’s Transfer Co. Food Hall.

Frausto said the popular Mexican restaurant struggled through COVID and that it was time to take the restaurant in the more lively direction of La Buena Vida. But she said closing the Totopos chapter was difficult.

“Totopos has been amazing for us personally, I met my husband working there,” Frausto said. “After COVID hit it was really hard to get our regular clients back. After COVID we couldn’t get it back up to where it was before. It was just the time for Totopos to come to a good end and say goodbye to the memories.”

La Buena Vida opened in North Raleigh early in 2022, turning a former Tilted Kilt sports bar into one of the Triangle’s most raucous dining experiences.

Frausto said they’re eager to replicate the party in Cary.

From the beginning, Frausto said La Buena Vida set out to offer a distinctive dining experience in the Triangle. The restaurant aims to match the experience of a night out in Miami, Frausto said, but in North Raleigh.

“In this type of industry, everyone has to specialize and we asked ourselves, what do we like that Raleigh is lacking?” Frausto said. “Why do people go to Miami for bachelor parties? We wanted to build somewhere you want to go when you go out to celebrate.”

In its first year, La Buena Vida found a following with its nighttime switch from a traditional dinner to something closer to a meal and a nightclub. That following took a little time to build.

“It seemed a little risky at first, because nobody was doing it,” Frausto said. “It was a little slow when not a lot of people knew what we were doing. During the week it’s very chill very laid back, but on the weekends at 8, that’s the turning time.”

At 8 p.m., Frausto said that’s the line between dinner and late night. The lights dim, a DJ starts playing music, servers don masks and shots of tequila are served in toy airplanes. Other flourishes include octopus and bone marrow set aflame tableside with tequila, and diners get a show as the $100 tomahawk ribeye is carved next to their seats.

“It’s pretty much like a whole party,” Frausto said.

The owners expect to open La Buena Vida Cary by mid-February and replicate the party in sleepy suburbia.

“We’re trying to keep the same vibes,” Frausto said. “We haven’t tested the waters; we know that Cary goes to sleep at 8:30, but there’s also that crowd that thinks, why should the party stop at 8:30?”

This is the third round of artist announcements from the festival.

More Videos

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte native DaBaby, Maggie Rogers, The Struts, Dashboard Confessional and David Kushner have officially been added to the lineup for Charlotte's Lovin' Life Music Festival.

They join headliners Post Malone, Stevie Nicks and Noah Kahan, as well as Dominic Fike, Jessie Murph, Young The Giant, and Mt. Joy. Festival organizers said more than 40 artists across different genres will perform on three stages in Uptown's First Ward for the festival's debut next year.

The festival will run from May 3 to May 5 in Uptown Charlotte.

DaBaby is the first act from Charlotte to be added to the lineup. He's been involved in several high-profile incidents in North Carolina. In 2022, officials decided not to file charges against the rapper after a reported shooting at his home. Last month, he held his annual “Santa-Baby” holiday drive in Charlotte.

Thursday marked the third round of artist announcements from the festival. It's not clear when the festival plans to release the whole lineup, though several other big music festivals released lineups earlier this week.

RELATED: Here's the layout of the Lovin' Life Music Festival in Uptown

An "Early Bird" ticket release for the festival started on Thursday, Dec. 14. There are four different types of festival passes ranging in price from $199 to $999. At this time, the tickets are all for 3-day passes. Festival organizers said if tickets are still available closer to the festival, they may open up the option to purchase single-day tickets.

Festival organizers said the event is expected to attract 90,000 attendees and has a projected economic impact of more than $30 million for its first year. Charlotte Center City Partners said the music festival "will be a major leap forward" for the city's efforts to grow the music scene in Charlotte.

RELATED: Answering common questions about the Lovin' Life Music Festival in Charlotte

WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at WCNC Charlotte. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora|| TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

This is a modal window.

No compatible source was found for this media.

Raleigh theater group wins first place in Atlanta competition

A Raleigh area junior theater group took first place among 124 theater groups competing this past weekend in Atlanta.

The Raleigh Area Children’s Theatre or ACT has participants ages 9 to 18 who displayed their talents at the Junior Theater Festival.

WRAL News Brief

Watch More

After the competition ended, participants waited for the official announcement on the winners. The Raleigh ACT finally heard the results from a phone app and screamed jubilantly when they were announced as the event’s first-place winners.

It’s a moment 12-year-old Elyse Poynter will never forget.

“I was just really surprised and laughing and everyone was just excited,” she said.

Amanda Blaire Thompson created Raleigh ACT and attracts many families with children who dream about performing on stage.

“They are theater-loving kids, else, I wouldn’t want them to go because if you don’t love rehearsal, you’re not going to love this process,” Thompson said.

Preparing for a performance took about 40 hours of rehearsals.

The group wore specially designed T-shirts with the “Beauty and the Beast” logo, which served as their costume as they readied for their 15-minute presentation before judges.

“Rehearsal after rehearsal, like you’re crunching everything in and like Ms. Blaire said,’You get every second of it because you want it to be perfected,’” said 14-year-old Aaron .

The role of the play’s “Beast” involved six actors moving as one with the lightest actor atop their shoulders.

Kara Troy, 16, kept a positive attitude.

“This is what I love to do," Troy said. "It’s what I really want to do, so I try to focus a lot of energy, all on this.”

The result for the young performers was the top prize, the group’s second in as many years.

“We were absolutely over-joyed to be awarded Outstanding Performance," Thompson said. "We would have walked away being extremely proud of ourselves, even without that because we all came together and told a beautiful story.”

247Sports Embed Resource

NC State has landed itself back inside the Top 5 in the country at No. 4 overall after another perfect week with a dominant victory over Virginia at home. Since that point, the Wolfpack has had the opportunity to rest, practice and prepare for a daunting next few weeks that include two in-state matchups and three Top-25 contests between now and Feb. 8.

But the going doesn't get quite as tough, yet, as the Pack heads to Miami on Thursday night. The Hurricanes come in at 11-5 overall and 1-4 in the ACC with two straight losses, both by double digits. Thursday marks the fourth Top-25 opponent from the ACC the Canes have faced already, with four of Miami's five losses coming against ranked competition.

This is a hungry Miami team, however, so it could be a dangerous matchup for the Pack. The Canes are currently viewed as the "Last Team In" by ESPN after dropping four out of its last five. Getting a win over the Pack -- which is seen as a potential No. 1 overall seed -- would more than get Miami back on track before traveling to Chapel Hill over the weekend.

Miami is led by guard Jasmyne Roberts, who is averaging a team-high 10.8 points per game with a nearly 38 percent clip from three-point range. Shayeann Day-Wilson is just behind her in scoring at 9.7 ppg along with a team-high 3.8 assists while Jaida Patrick is averaging 8.2 ppg on 44 percent shooting.

The Pack will clearly have the advantage on the offensive end with six players all averaging more points than Miami's leading scorer. And if River Baldwin is able to return after the long break from action and bring her 11.3 points and 7.8 rebounds with her, this should be another strong showing for the Pack in the Watsco Center.

No. 4 NC State vs. Miami Game Information

Tipoff: 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 18

Location:Watsco Center, Miami, Fla.

TV: ACC Network Xtra

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Radio:Wolfpack Sports Network

Line: NC State -10.5

Over/Under: 132.5

Social Media:Twitter//Instagram//Facebook

A WIN THURSDAY WOULD

SERIES HISTORY (NC State leads 16-11)

The general ticket sale starts Friday, Jan. 19.

CONCORD, N.C. — Breakaway Presents: Another World 2024 is coming to the Charlotte area, and tickets are about to go on sale.

The Breakaway Music Festival is part of a multi-city tour festival experience, and the Charlotte area made the list twice: The two-night Another World "bass festival" will take place May 3 and May 4, and Breakaway Carolina 2024 will take place Sept. 27 and Sept. 28.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

Both festivals will be at the zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord.

The lineup has not yet been released for Breakaway Carolina 2024, but Another World will feature Excision, NGHTMRE, Of The Trees, Svdden Death, Zomboy and more.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Breakaway Music Festival (@breakaway)

A presale for tickets to Another World started Thursday, and general tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

The Another World festival will happen the same weekend as the Lovin' Life Festival, which will have its debut year in Uptown Charlotte.

You can stream WCNC Charlotte on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, just download the free app.

WCNC Charlotte News Tips

Send your story idea here or email us at [email protected].

press Enter ↵

WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at WCNC Charlotte. SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora|| TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.

Updated January 18, 2024 2:03 p.m. EST

Amazon will partner with Diamond Sports as part of a restructuring agreement as the largest owner of regional sports networks looks to emerge from bankruptcy.

Diamond owns 18 networks under the Bally Sports banner. Those networks have the rights to 37 professional teams — 11 baseball, 15 NBA and 11 NHL, including the Carolina Hurricanes.

Customers will be able to access their local team's content on Prime Video channels where Diamond has rights. Pricing and availability will be announced at a later date, but it is unlikely that this content would be available as benefit included for current Prime subscribers. Regional sports content will also remain available on cable and satellite providers.

Diamond Sports has been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the Southern District of Texas since it filed for protection last March. The company said in a late 2021 financial filing that it had debt of $8.67 billion.

The terms of the agreement were announced by Diamond Sports on Wednesday morning and then presented before Judge Christopher Lopez at an afternoon hearing in Houston.

“There's lots to digest, especially when you consider where things were the fourth quarter of last year,” Lopez said at the end of the hearing. “It is certainly a very interesting development to say the least. The thought the company is moving in this direction is a positive development.”

Diamond Sports had been negotiating deals with all of the leagues, which would have been completed by the end of the coming baseball season.

The NBA and NHL both said they have received the documents and were reviewing them before discussing next steps with Diamond. Major League Baseball was more pointed in its evaluation.

“There is a lot to digest. It is unable to be digested because it hasn't been purchased, cooked or served. When we get to that point, we will look at it and figure out whether it is able to be digested," MLB lawyer James Bromley said during the hearing. "We will refrain from adding congratulations until such time that something is actually delivered.”

Amazon had no immediate comment. The agreement remains subject to approval by the bankruptcy court.

The agreement with Diamond Sports' largest creditors allows it to emerge from bankruptcy and continue operations and prevents a total collapse of the regional sports network system where the NBA, NHL and MLB would have to step in to take over production and distribution of most of their teams.

Last season, MLB had to take over production and distribution of the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks games after Diamond let rights payments to the Padres lapse and was unable to agree to an amended deal with the Diamondbacks.

Under the terms of the restructuring agreement, Amazon will make a minority investment in Diamond — expected to be initially $115 million — and enter into a commercial arrangement to provide access to Diamond’s content via Prime Video.

Customers will be able to access their local team's content on Prime Video channels where Diamond has rights. Pricing and availability will be announced at a later date, but it is unlikely that this content would be available as benefit included for current Prime subscribers. Regional sports content will also remain available on cable and satellite providers.

Amazon Prime already carries some New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets games produced by the YES Network.

Due to the complexity of this bankruptcy case, though, it could take a while before games become available on Prime Video.

Diamond also has an agreement in principle with Sinclair Broadcast Group to settle pending litigation between the companies.

Sinclair bought the regional sports networks from The Walt Disney Co. for nearly $10 billion in 2019. Disney was required by the Department of Justice to sell the networks for its acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s film and television assets to be approved.

Even before Sinclair bought the regional networks, the business was in a downturn due to cord-cutting and declines in advertising revenue after entering into exorbitant long-term deals with some teams.

Under an agreement with creditors last year, Diamond Sports Group became a separate company from Sinclair.

As part of the settlement, Sinclair will pay Diamond $495 million and provide ongoing services to support Diamond’s reorganization. The proceeds from the settlement also will pay off some creditors.

“We are thrilled to have reached a comprehensive restructuring agreement that provides a detailed framework for a reorganization plan and substantial new financing that will enable Diamond to operate and thrive beyond 2024," Diamond Sports CEO David Preschlack said in a statement. "We are grateful for the support from Amazon and a group of our largest creditors who clearly believe in the value-creating potential of this business. Diamond’s near-term focus will be on implementing the RSA and emerging from bankruptcy as a going concern for the benefit of our investors, our employees, our team, league and distribution partners, and the millions of fans who will continue to enjoy our broadcasts.”

Diamond recently reached agreements with the NHL and NBA to keep local rights through the end of this season.

It remains in discussions with MLB on reworked agreements. Diamond has not reached amended terms with the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers and Cleveland Guardians, while its contract with the Minnesota Twins expired at the end of last season.

Amazon, though, has acquired direct-to-consumer rights for the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.

___

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The Loft at Duckworth’s brings an upscale, classic cocktail-centric concept to SouthPark with its debut later this week.

That venture, the latest from restaurateur Rob Duckworth, is at 4625 Piedmont Row Drive. It occupies the space above sister concept Duckworth’s Grill & Taphouse in Piedmont Town Center.

Duckworth set his sights on transforming that second-story space early on. The Loft seemed like a natural fit, since his hospitality group is already in the craft cocktail scene.

“People are gravitating more and more to cocktails. That’s the trend right now,” Duckworth says.

The cocktail menu is built around the classics, with 38 choices to start. Think options such as the gin-based martini, the classic old fashioned or a whiskey sour, complete with Elijah Craig bourbon, lemon zest, egg whites and just a hint of sweetness.

Duckworth says classic cocktails seemed like an underserved niche in the market. He’s happy to introduce those original drinks as a primary focus.

“I believe it may introduce those to people who may not have known they ever existed,” Duckworth says.

Mixologist Ron Oleksa will be adding signature cocktails to that list. Duckworth expects 50 options on the menu. Oleksa also oversees cocktail programming for Duckworth’s Grill & Taphouse, Link & Pin and The Cellar at Duckworth’s in uptown.

Cocktails will be in the $15 to $19 range.

Expect an intimate experience. The Loft has just 65 seats, split across two unique spaces — The Lounge and The Living Room. It encompasses roughly 1,800 square feet.

“The sides are very different feeling depending on the vibe you want,” Duckworth says.

Both tap into the midcentury modern aesthetic for inspiration.

The Lounge, which is the bar side, has a low ceiling, darker tones and soft lighting. There’s natural brick and an eye-catching, semicircle window. The space sets the stage for watching cocktails being made.

“I think people like the show. They like watching their drinks being prepared, the actual craft going into it,” Duckworth says.

The Living Room offers a quieter feel, with lighter-colored walls, wood tables and soft seating including sofas and high-back chairs. Pops of color such as vivid green and touches of brass are sprinkled in. Duckworth describes it as a quiet setting to catch up with friends.

Robert Johnson Architects was the architect on the project. Ferrara Buist was the general contractor.

Josh Beaver, with The Nichols Co., represented Duckworth’s in the real estate deal.

The Loft at Duckworth’s opens tomorrow. Hours will be Thursday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight. Hours may be expanded in the future.

Walk-ins are accepted, with an option to book online for larger groups or private parties.

CANTON, N.C. (FOX Carolina) - For the first time in generations, people in Canton, North Carolina, are living without the sounds and smells of the paper mill.

“There’s still a lot of work to do and still a lot of tough days ahead,” said Mayor Zeb Smathers.

In a move that rocked the small town, Pactiv Evergreen shut down operations at the mill this year leaving hundreds without a job.

“We’re proud to be a manufacturing town. And I hope that there’s manufacturing part of our future, make no bones about it, I see a very diverse economy in Canton’s future,” explained Smathers.

One resource that figures to play a major role in that future is the Pigeon River.

“I think with a very clean and wonderful river across Haywood county it’s going to open up so many economic and outdoor possibilities,” said Smathers.

The river was the reason the mill was in Canton in the first place, and over the last few decades improving its water quality has become a priority.

“The health of the Pigeon River is so much better than it was and there’s been a lot of effort put towards that,” said Kelly Lovejoy, who lives in Canton.

“It’s been an important thing for the community for a long time. Something that I wanted to share,” said Charles Wells.

Wells recently started Pigeon River Outfitters, which lets people tube, canoe, kayak, and paddleboard down the river.

Each year, more and more people have stopped by the business located just upstream from the mill.

“We’re set on that same course for growth this year,” he said.

Wells is also planning on expanding the business soon to include biking, seeing outdoor recreation as a big part of Canton’s next chapter.

“I do think a major part of our future will be built around the river and our mountains,” said Smathers.

Smathers adds the mill workers and their families who were directly impacted by the mill closure remain a priority as well, saying many of those workers have found new jobs, although it’s often requiring more travel and less pay.

As for the future of the mill site, that is still unclear at this time.

Copyright 2023 WHNS. All rights reserved.