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Myers Park principal reassigned + Low staff vaccine rates at many NC nursing homes

Charlotte Observer - 10/13/2021

It’s Wednesday, y’all. This is Kristen, here today to introduce you to a couple new colleagues of mine here at the Observer. This week, our new growth & development reporter Gordon Rago started, and our summer 2021 editorial intern, Paige Masten, is now on staff full-time. Give them a warm welcome and look out for their upcoming stories!

Now, let’s talk about today’s headlines:

1. Myers Park principal reassigned after Title IX complaints, investigation

Myers Park High Principal Mark Bosco has a new job. The move follows a nearly-three month investigation and suspension after complaints from students that he and other leaders mishandled reports of sexual assault and harassment.

The details:

“Both Mark Bosco and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools believe that after 8-plus years as principal of Myers Park, change in leadership is needed at the school,” Learning Community Superintendent Tara Lynn Sullivan told families.

Find out more with the Observer’s Anna Maria Della Costa.

2. Low staff vaccination rates inside many NC nursing homes, new data show

The rate of nursing home staff vaccinated against COVID in Mecklenburg County is slightly higher than the local population — but isn’t high enough, says one expert whose job is been looking out for vulnerable residents.

In many places around N.C., vaccination rates for nursing home staff are lagging, which contributes to outbreaks among residents even 18 months into the pandemic.

Figures from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show how many residents and employees inside long-term care facilities have been vaccinated. Only about 64%of nursing home staff are vaccinated, which is on par with the U.S. adult population.

Learn more with the Observer’s Devna Bose and the News & Observer’s David Raynor.

3. AvidXchange debuted on the Nasdaq. Here’s how the IPO is going

AvidXchange, a Charlotte based fintech firm, has gone public. Shares of the company started trading Wednesday on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol AVDX.

Here’s how it’s going, with the Observer’s Hannah Lang:

The company originally aimed to offer 22 million shares of common stock priced between $21 and $23, but bumped that a few days later to $23 to $25.

Want to get further in the weeds with stocks talk? Find out more here with Lang.

4. Cooper signs major energy bill, laying the groundwork for a budget compromise

On Wednesday, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper signed a piece of energy legislation, House Bill 951, that was years in the making. The move solidifies Cooper’s goal of carbon neutrality in the state by 2050, as reported by the News & Observer’s Lucille Sherman and Adam Wagner, and comes as both parties in the state negotiate a spending plan.

According to some lawmakers, the compromise may make it easier for the two parties to come to an agreement on the budget next.

“When you’ve had a successful experience in negotiating a deal, it makes the next deal between the same people much easier because you understand each other better and you understand that you can’t get all you want,” said Senate minority leader Dan Blue.

The N&O will keep you updated on what happens with the bill in the coming weeks.

5. A student’s dream: for professor to live to see launch of their cancer support program

David Buckner started his college career at UNC Charlotte with a pretty straightforward path in mind. That all changed when he sent an email to an associate professor of nursing named Maren Coffman — a faculty member he’d never met and knew virtually nothing about — seeking research opportunities for a project related to his scholarship.

Now, Buckner and Coffman work together to create a program that provides resources and support for those living with terminal breast cancer. Coffman is someone who lives with terminal breast cancer.

“I viewed the civic engagement project as being something I do during my undergrad, and when I’m gone, it’s not my worry anymore,” says the 19-year-old sophomore, who is pursuing a nursing career focused on women’s health. “But this is something I see myself being involved with for a very, very, very long time.”

Learn more about the bond between the student and the professor and their project with the Observer’s Théoden Janes.

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