North Carolina is giving $5 million in grants to a television pilot, an HGTV show and an independent film under the state incentives program. On Friday, Commerce Secretary John Skvarla announced the grants, which were chosen from 17 applications.
"Good Behavior" is a TV pilot based on author Blake Crouch's Letty Dobesh series. It will be filmed in the Wilmington and Asheville areas and could get up $1.25 million. HGTV's "Love It or List It" is eligible for $950,000. It’s filming a second season in the Durham and Raleigh areas. And an independent film directed by North Carolina native Jody Hill could receive $2.8 million. It's being filmed in western North Carolina. Hill co-wrote the script with fellow graduates of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Details on the NC Department of Commerce website.
BofA SHAREHOLDERS TO VOTE ON CHAIRMAN/CEO SPLIT
Bank of America shareholders will meet in Charlotte Tuesday to vote on a proposal to split the roles of chairman and chief executive. The vote will determine whether the bank’s current chief Brian Moynihan continues to hold both jobs. Some shareholder advisers are recommending against continuing the double role. The meeting begins at 10am Tuesday at Bank of America headquarters.
DUKE AND PARTNERS SEEK PIPELINE APPROVAL
A group of energy companies has formally applied for federal permission to build a natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to eastern North Carolina. The four companies, including Charlotte-based Duke Energy, submitted an application to federal regulators Friday for the $5.1 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The 564-mile pipeline was announced a year ago, and would deliver natural gas to the power plants in the Southeast as utilities shut older coal-burning plants. The governors of Virginia and West Virginia support it. Environmental and conservation groups oppose the pipeline. The companies say if the project is approved, they hope to begin construction in the second half of 2016, and the pipeline would be in service in late 2018.
PASSENGER TRAFFIC UP AT CLT
More people are flying out of Charlotte-Douglas Airport, compared to a year ago. Airport officials say more than 26.2 million people visited C-L-T in the first six months of 20-15. That’s about one percent higher than the same period a year ago. But international traffic fell almost 3 percent. That’s because of previously announced changes to American Airlines’ international schedule related to the merger with U-S Airways.
BEETLES POISON HORSES
Six horses have died northeast of Raleigh after eating hay containing blister beetles. The Rocky Mount Telegram reports that state agriculture investigators have linked the deaths to a load of alfalfa hay delivered from Kansas last month to feed stores in Louisburg and Middlesex, in Franklin County. The two stores sold the hay from Aug. 11 until last Monday, when they were halted by a state order. A poison in the blister beetle can be fatal to horses and also can sicken cattle, goats and sheep.
LINCOLNTON ASST. FIRE CHIEF RESIGNS
Lincolnton's assistant fire chief has resigned amid allegations money was stolen from a fund for children. Bill Fortenberry resigned Friday. He also was treasurer of the Lincoln County chapter of the North Carolina Firefighters Burned Children's Fund. Chapter spokesman Dion Burleson said the organization contacted police last week after board members became suspicious of possible fraud. A voicemail left on Fortenberry’s home phone Saturday was not immediately returned.
PANTHERS HOST TEXANS
Carolina Panthers fans will swarm back to the stadium in Charlotte this afternoon when the Panthers play their first home game of the season. They’ll face the Texans at 1 o’clock. The Panthers will be looking for their second victory, after winning at Jacksonville last week. They’ll be without star linebacker Luke Kuechly – he’s been ordered to stay on the sidelines after a concussion in last week’s game. It’s the first game he’s ever missed in the NFL. A.J. Klein will step in to Kuechly’s middle linebacker position.
SPRINT CUP CHASE BEGINS AT CHICAGO
NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup begins Sunday, with the 400-mile race at ChicagoLand Speedway. Sixteen drivers have qualified for the 10-week playoff, which has four elimination rounds and a championship race. Kevin Harvick has the pole position, and Joey Logano starts Number 2 for today’s race, which begins at 3 o’clock Eastern Time.
49ers FALL TO MIDDLE TENNESSEE
UNC Charlotte’s football team played its first game in Conference USA Saturday and it wasn’t pretty. The 49ers lost to Middle Tennessee, 73 to 14. Charlotte now has 2 wins and one loss for the year.
