1. Team USA gets back on the podium, with chance for more medals
Even though American Maddie Bowman crashed out while trying to defend her halfpipe skiing gold medal, the U.S. still made the podium thanks to teammate Brita Sigourney's bronze medal effort. The U.S. men's hockey team defeated Slovakia 5-1 to advance to the quarterfinals, but the biggest news came from figure skating. The American brother-sister due Maia and Alex Shibutani, known as the "Shib Sibs," took bronze in ice dancing. Figure skating action continues later on Tuesday with the ladies’ short program, where Team USA is represented by Bradie Tennell, Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen. Alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn seeks a second downhill gold and American Elana Meyers Taylor begins her quest for another Olympic Bobsled medal.
(Contributing: USA Today)
2. SC Rep. wants mandatory active shooter drills
A South Carolina representative is proposing a bill to have mandatory active shooter drills in all public schools. Rep. Marvin Pendarvis said he plans to file a bill at noon Tuesday that would require the drills to happen monthly, under the direction of the department of education and SLED.
“I felt like this was a perfect time to say hey let us require that and not only do we require it but let's increase the frequency,” Pendavis said. “In the event that an unfortunate situation does occur we are putting our children and teachers and staff in the best position in order to handle themselves in a way that will save the most lives.”
Most Carolina schools already have fire drills every month. But it’s been 60 years since anyone died in a school fire, while school shootings have killed 21 people in less than two months. Some are concerned that monthly shooter drills would be too overwhelming to elementary age students.
“You might actually introduce unwanted stuff to kids and in their minds,” one Charlotte man said. “I don't think training will fix anything we need something better than that.” Representative Pendarvis says he expects bipartisan support on the bill.
3. Man charged with pulling gun on woman, leading police on chase with kids in car
Detectives in east Charlotte said an argument over cell phone pictures led to a man threatening a woman with a handgun and speeding away with the victim's daughter Monday afternoon. According to CMPD, the victim was waiting for her 7-year-old daughter to get home from school inside her car in the 9000 block of Casa Lynda Lane. The victim's sister, as well as her boyfriend, identified as 37-year-old Jesus Rodriguez, were in another vehicle nearby. Police said the victim and Rodriguez began arguing a short time later, possibly over pictures the victim had taken of the suspect with her phone. At that time, investigators said the victim's sister got into her car. Click here to continue reading.
4. City Council votes to allow more Charlotte wineries
New wineries and cideries could soon open up in Charlotte thanks to a local petition. The Charlotte City Council voted in favor Monday night to allow placement of wineries and cideries in the same urban and industrial zoning as breweries in the Queen City. The petition would also add the identical conditions for wineries that currently exist for breweries.
Brian Beauchemin, found and head cider maker for GoodRoad CiderWorks, said it took a long time to get his business up and running since his cidery is actually classified as a winery.
“It took us two years to find this property, and it’s because we were restricted to an industrial use zoning,” Beauchemin said. The business moved into a building on Southside Drive close to other breweries and distilleries. Beauchemin said business has been great in its first year, but it took longer than expected to find the perfect spot due to the zoning restrictions against wineries.
“It’s time for the wineries, cideries to be treated like the breweries and have a fair shake in the marketplace,” Beauchemin said. Find more information here.
5. 'Heroic' student will be laid to rest
A funeral will be held Tuesday for the Parkland, Fla., high school student who was shot dead in his Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps uniform while helping fellow students get to safety. The funeral for 15-year-old Peter Wang will be held at 1 p.m. ET at Kraeer Funeral Home in Coral Springs. He will be laid to rest at Bailey Memorial Gardens in North Lauderdale. Meanwhile, the Parkland community has filed an online petition calling for Congress to allow for Wang to have a full honors military funeral, saying his "selfless and heroic actions have led to the survival of dozens in the area" during the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The petition at whitehouse.gov needs 100,000 signatures by March 18 to get a response, according to the website.
