Mindfield333
Superstar
Thought about going but I think I’m gonna go see my folks that weekend
The Official Charlotte, NC Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Towlie
- Start date
Pure Water
Superstar
What’s this about Charlotte de-clubbing the epicentre?
Mindfield333
Superstar
Yeah that’s what I’m hearing. I’m wondering when this will take place tho?
Tribal Outkast
Veteran
Apparently they’re turning it into retail and office space. I figured it would happen at some point. Bet it won’t last though
I'm going to be out there for it.
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-around-town/c5-development/article237240804.html
How these 5 black-owned businesses got their start in Charlotte
By Beth Castle
November 20, 2019 05:50 AM
Veltree started out as a takeout-only business and grew into a sit-down restaurant. Courtesy of Veltree
The cost of starting a small business can be steep: You might have to deal with unexpected operating fees, legal fees or permits, and you might need a loan to help you open your brick-and-mortar location.
Your taxes change, you have labor costs and suddenly you’re shelling out cash for minute items like paper clips and pens. It all adds up.
Then there’s the career cost, which can be equally as risky. For a while, you might work two jobs, keeping your passion afloat with a career you’re far less passionate about.
Even when you do become a full-time business owner, you’ll still work around the clock, networking and marketing your business.
For black business owners, both of these factors can be amplified by the fact that resources — space, funding and mentorship — are sometimes hard to find.
It’s safe to say black business owners don’t always get a fair shot in being tapped for projects or initiatives that would help them grow.
‘Where can we create a respository?’
On a local level, the directory for the Charlotte Black Chamber of Commerce receives about 15,000 page views a day. Shanté Williams, chairperson of the CBCC board of directors, told CharlotteFive in March that this is proof positive the Queen City wants to engage with black-owned businesses. “The first thing we’re always trying to tackle is awareness,” she said. “Where can we create a repository so people can find them easily?”
Earlier this year, we published a list of 31 black-owned businesses in Charlotte. Today, we take a closer look at five.
Each of these five business owners knows what cost looked like for them — and found ways to overcome it. Some opted out of finding a brick-and-mortar space in favor of a shared or mobile option, and others waited to open a business until they were sure they had their financial footing. Veltree, a vegan restaurant, started as takeout-only and is now a sit-down establishment looking for a second spot.
Starting a business is the definition of “playing the long game,” but these entrepreneurs say it’s worth it. Here’s how and why they got started and the difficulties they’ve faced along the way.
(1) AlphaMale Nail Care
116 W. 4th St.
Sheena Pickett turned to an underserved market — men’s cosmetology — as she was looking to create a business with stability. Courtesy of AlphaMale Nail Care
When High Point native Sheena Pickett got laid off from her traditional 9-to-5 job, she started looking for something that could put her math degree to work while still offering her job security. “I’d heard cosmetology was a recession-proof industry, but I didn’t really want to do the Cardi B nails,” she said. So, in February 2013, she went back to school, this time focusing on what is still a very under-the-radar market: men.
“I knew men enjoyed getting manicures and pedicures, but they didn’t want to go to a traditional nail salon. So I started this boutique ‘man cave.’” That man cave is called AlphaMale Nail Care, and it’s located inside men’s clothing boutique House of LeMond in uptown. Pickett offers spa care packages that range from express offerings (standard nail and skin upkeep for hands and feet) to sports pedicures and a groom’s package, which includes a table massage.
“I knew men enjoyed getting manicures and pedicures, but they didn’t want to go to a traditional nail salon. So I started this boutique ‘man cave,’” AlphaMale Nail Care owner Sheena Pickett said. Courtesy of AlphaMale Nail Care
Getting things going has been difficult, she said. When she first got started, she spent a lot of time Googling information and talking to other entrepreneurs about their business models. She’s been focusing on getting herself into more male-dominated spaces for events, such as barber shops and cigar shops.
Overall, Pickett said she is happy to see that the grooming industry is starting to shift in her favor. “It’s about getting men to change their mindset,” she said. “The industry is changing. Men are into beard oils now. There’s an industry that is starting to tailor to men, which is great for me.”
(2) It’s Poppin! Kettle Korn
224 E. 7th St.
As any entrepreneur will tell you, starting your own business isn’t always what you expect. Janelle Doyle never thought she’d be popping popcorn. “My husband and I were going to start a food truck, but the cost was too much,” she said. “I saw a Facebook ad that said the best way to get into the industry is through popcorn, and we started watching videos about how to do it.”
Doyle, then a sales analyst for Wells Fargo, and her chef husband, Desmen, bought a machine and started experimenting with flavors — classics such as Chicago’s cheesy caramel and off-the-wall editions including fried chicken and cookies and cream. Doyle sold the goods at festivals and events, but her winning location was 7th Street Public Market, where she landed a permanent indoor space after about three months of selling from a stall outdoors.
You can’t escape through the market’s doors without stopping to sample the vendor’s latest concoction. (They rotate through more than 65 flavors, and almost every kid wants to know what cotton candy tastes like.) Doyle also sells fruit waters, a mixture of pressed fresh fruit and sugar water, to offset the salt-heavy snack; you can get free refills as long as you’re in the market.
As for entrepreneurship, Doyle is happy she left her banking job to create something of her own. “I wanted to have a legacy, something to leave my young son,” she said.
(3) Queens Coffee Bar
1720 Pegram St.
Queens Coffee Bar owner Raina Purvis Alex Cason
When she was a realtor, Raina Purvis thought she knew everything about the Queen City, including its people and places. Then she opened a coffee shop. “You feel like you know people, but being in this place, we’ve met so many amazing people here,” she said. “I feel like I didn’t know Charlotte at all.”
Open since March, Queens Coffee Bar is housed in a former barber shop on Pegram Street in Charlotte’s Belmont neighborhood. You can spot it by its electric blue brick facade. Purvis opened the shop because she said she realized how popular the area was becoming and wanted to strike out on her own. She didn’t know how a thing about making coffee at the time — just how to drink it, of course — but she hired a knowledgeable staff and got herself up to speed.
What’s important to her is that locals feel a sense of community in her newfound space. “Regulars like to says it’s ‘Cheers’ because everyone knows their name,” she said, adding that they host events such as wine and coffee tastings and adult game nights to bring people together. The most popular so far has been the ladies open mic night, which takes place on the third Friday of each month.
As for food and drink, Purvis recommends the quiche, made with spinach, mushroom and feta, and a mimosa. Other popular options are the Green Goddess smoothie and the pastries. “Everyone loves the lemon pound cake,” she said.
(4) Veltree, the Vegan Soul Experience
7945 N. Tryon St., Suite 110
The longer you spend scrolling through Veltree’s Instagram, the more likely you will be to cancel your Postmates order and drive to North Tryon Street, where the restaurant plates a rotating menu of vegan (yes, vegan) soul food. “We sell out almost every day,” said Treona Kelty-Jacobs, who owns Veltree with her wife, Chef Velvet Jacobs.
Originally from Washington, D.C., the couple met at Jacobs’ vegan soul food restaurant in Maryland and together led youth-focused nonprofit work in the community until they moved to Charlotte in December 2017. They opened Veltree just shy of a year later, this past September.
Since then, they’ve slowly been converting meat eaters into vegan food lovers. “The majority of our customers are not vegan,” Kelty-Jacobs said. “They just like the food.”
Dishes such as “Salisbury steak” and “chicken drumsticks” are made out of grains or tofu, then enhanced with Jacobs’ special seasoning. Kelty-Jacobs said they pride themselves on freshness — it’s an anti-microwave establishment — and warmth of welcome, which stays true to the spirit of soul food. “No matter what color you are, you become family when you walk in the door,” she said.
(5) What the Fries
Location varies
What the Fries is one of the city’s most popular food trucks, and the reason why isn’t hard to understand: Fries are really good. They’re even better with other really good things piled on top, like shrimp, steak and Yumm Yumm sauce.
Founded in 2015 by Johnson & Wales classmates Jamie Barnes and Gregory Williams, the gourmet fry paradise hosted catering and pop-up events around town before eventually hitting the road. They attempted to get on Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race” and didn’t quite make the cut. But that didn’t keep them from taking over their hometown. Although they also serve burgers and tater tots, “We can do the most with fries,” Barnes said.
Together, Barnes and Williams bring a variety of culinary backgrounds — casual, Mediterranean, fine dining. Barnes said they try to use everything they’ve learned to innovate. That’s how they ended up with fan favorite Steak & Shrimp Hibachi Fries, and regular dips, including Sriracha ketchup.
“A lot of it’s on a whim,” Williams said. “We run a special somewhere and see what happens.” Some work — such as fried pork ribs with kiwi barbecue sauce, and housemade pickles and onions— and some don’t, but that’s what makes it fun.
Beyond What the Fries, you’ll also find this crew heavily involved Soul Food Sessions, the pop-up dinner featuring local black chefs that just finished a tour of the Southeast. Barnes is one of the cofounders and said we should expect to see more from the popular event. “We can’t talk about it yet, but we have a few things in the works,” Barnes said.
How these 5 black-owned businesses got their start in Charlotte
By Beth Castle
November 20, 2019 05:50 AM
Veltree started out as a takeout-only business and grew into a sit-down restaurant. Courtesy of Veltree
The cost of starting a small business can be steep: You might have to deal with unexpected operating fees, legal fees or permits, and you might need a loan to help you open your brick-and-mortar location.
Your taxes change, you have labor costs and suddenly you’re shelling out cash for minute items like paper clips and pens. It all adds up.
Then there’s the career cost, which can be equally as risky. For a while, you might work two jobs, keeping your passion afloat with a career you’re far less passionate about.
Even when you do become a full-time business owner, you’ll still work around the clock, networking and marketing your business.
For black business owners, both of these factors can be amplified by the fact that resources — space, funding and mentorship — are sometimes hard to find.
It’s safe to say black business owners don’t always get a fair shot in being tapped for projects or initiatives that would help them grow.
‘Where can we create a respository?’
On a local level, the directory for the Charlotte Black Chamber of Commerce receives about 15,000 page views a day. Shanté Williams, chairperson of the CBCC board of directors, told CharlotteFive in March that this is proof positive the Queen City wants to engage with black-owned businesses. “The first thing we’re always trying to tackle is awareness,” she said. “Where can we create a repository so people can find them easily?”
Earlier this year, we published a list of 31 black-owned businesses in Charlotte. Today, we take a closer look at five.
Each of these five business owners knows what cost looked like for them — and found ways to overcome it. Some opted out of finding a brick-and-mortar space in favor of a shared or mobile option, and others waited to open a business until they were sure they had their financial footing. Veltree, a vegan restaurant, started as takeout-only and is now a sit-down establishment looking for a second spot.
Starting a business is the definition of “playing the long game,” but these entrepreneurs say it’s worth it. Here’s how and why they got started and the difficulties they’ve faced along the way.
(1) AlphaMale Nail Care
116 W. 4th St.
Sheena Pickett turned to an underserved market — men’s cosmetology — as she was looking to create a business with stability. Courtesy of AlphaMale Nail Care
When High Point native Sheena Pickett got laid off from her traditional 9-to-5 job, she started looking for something that could put her math degree to work while still offering her job security. “I’d heard cosmetology was a recession-proof industry, but I didn’t really want to do the Cardi B nails,” she said. So, in February 2013, she went back to school, this time focusing on what is still a very under-the-radar market: men.
“I knew men enjoyed getting manicures and pedicures, but they didn’t want to go to a traditional nail salon. So I started this boutique ‘man cave.’” That man cave is called AlphaMale Nail Care, and it’s located inside men’s clothing boutique House of LeMond in uptown. Pickett offers spa care packages that range from express offerings (standard nail and skin upkeep for hands and feet) to sports pedicures and a groom’s package, which includes a table massage.
“I knew men enjoyed getting manicures and pedicures, but they didn’t want to go to a traditional nail salon. So I started this boutique ‘man cave,’” AlphaMale Nail Care owner Sheena Pickett said. Courtesy of AlphaMale Nail Care
Getting things going has been difficult, she said. When she first got started, she spent a lot of time Googling information and talking to other entrepreneurs about their business models. She’s been focusing on getting herself into more male-dominated spaces for events, such as barber shops and cigar shops.
Overall, Pickett said she is happy to see that the grooming industry is starting to shift in her favor. “It’s about getting men to change their mindset,” she said. “The industry is changing. Men are into beard oils now. There’s an industry that is starting to tailor to men, which is great for me.”
(2) It’s Poppin! Kettle Korn
224 E. 7th St.
As any entrepreneur will tell you, starting your own business isn’t always what you expect. Janelle Doyle never thought she’d be popping popcorn. “My husband and I were going to start a food truck, but the cost was too much,” she said. “I saw a Facebook ad that said the best way to get into the industry is through popcorn, and we started watching videos about how to do it.”
Doyle, then a sales analyst for Wells Fargo, and her chef husband, Desmen, bought a machine and started experimenting with flavors — classics such as Chicago’s cheesy caramel and off-the-wall editions including fried chicken and cookies and cream. Doyle sold the goods at festivals and events, but her winning location was 7th Street Public Market, where she landed a permanent indoor space after about three months of selling from a stall outdoors.
You can’t escape through the market’s doors without stopping to sample the vendor’s latest concoction. (They rotate through more than 65 flavors, and almost every kid wants to know what cotton candy tastes like.) Doyle also sells fruit waters, a mixture of pressed fresh fruit and sugar water, to offset the salt-heavy snack; you can get free refills as long as you’re in the market.
As for entrepreneurship, Doyle is happy she left her banking job to create something of her own. “I wanted to have a legacy, something to leave my young son,” she said.
(3) Queens Coffee Bar
1720 Pegram St.
Queens Coffee Bar owner Raina Purvis Alex Cason
When she was a realtor, Raina Purvis thought she knew everything about the Queen City, including its people and places. Then she opened a coffee shop. “You feel like you know people, but being in this place, we’ve met so many amazing people here,” she said. “I feel like I didn’t know Charlotte at all.”
Open since March, Queens Coffee Bar is housed in a former barber shop on Pegram Street in Charlotte’s Belmont neighborhood. You can spot it by its electric blue brick facade. Purvis opened the shop because she said she realized how popular the area was becoming and wanted to strike out on her own. She didn’t know how a thing about making coffee at the time — just how to drink it, of course — but she hired a knowledgeable staff and got herself up to speed.
What’s important to her is that locals feel a sense of community in her newfound space. “Regulars like to says it’s ‘Cheers’ because everyone knows their name,” she said, adding that they host events such as wine and coffee tastings and adult game nights to bring people together. The most popular so far has been the ladies open mic night, which takes place on the third Friday of each month.
As for food and drink, Purvis recommends the quiche, made with spinach, mushroom and feta, and a mimosa. Other popular options are the Green Goddess smoothie and the pastries. “Everyone loves the lemon pound cake,” she said.
(4) Veltree, the Vegan Soul Experience
7945 N. Tryon St., Suite 110
The longer you spend scrolling through Veltree’s Instagram, the more likely you will be to cancel your Postmates order and drive to North Tryon Street, where the restaurant plates a rotating menu of vegan (yes, vegan) soul food. “We sell out almost every day,” said Treona Kelty-Jacobs, who owns Veltree with her wife, Chef Velvet Jacobs.
Originally from Washington, D.C., the couple met at Jacobs’ vegan soul food restaurant in Maryland and together led youth-focused nonprofit work in the community until they moved to Charlotte in December 2017. They opened Veltree just shy of a year later, this past September.
Since then, they’ve slowly been converting meat eaters into vegan food lovers. “The majority of our customers are not vegan,” Kelty-Jacobs said. “They just like the food.”
Dishes such as “Salisbury steak” and “chicken drumsticks” are made out of grains or tofu, then enhanced with Jacobs’ special seasoning. Kelty-Jacobs said they pride themselves on freshness — it’s an anti-microwave establishment — and warmth of welcome, which stays true to the spirit of soul food. “No matter what color you are, you become family when you walk in the door,” she said.
(5) What the Fries
Location varies
What the Fries is one of the city’s most popular food trucks, and the reason why isn’t hard to understand: Fries are really good. They’re even better with other really good things piled on top, like shrimp, steak and Yumm Yumm sauce.
Founded in 2015 by Johnson & Wales classmates Jamie Barnes and Gregory Williams, the gourmet fry paradise hosted catering and pop-up events around town before eventually hitting the road. They attempted to get on Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race” and didn’t quite make the cut. But that didn’t keep them from taking over their hometown. Although they also serve burgers and tater tots, “We can do the most with fries,” Barnes said.
Together, Barnes and Williams bring a variety of culinary backgrounds — casual, Mediterranean, fine dining. Barnes said they try to use everything they’ve learned to innovate. That’s how they ended up with fan favorite Steak & Shrimp Hibachi Fries, and regular dips, including Sriracha ketchup.
“A lot of it’s on a whim,” Williams said. “We run a special somewhere and see what happens.” Some work — such as fried pork ribs with kiwi barbecue sauce, and housemade pickles and onions— and some don’t, but that’s what makes it fun.
Beyond What the Fries, you’ll also find this crew heavily involved Soul Food Sessions, the pop-up dinner featuring local black chefs that just finished a tour of the Southeast. Barnes is one of the cofounders and said we should expect to see more from the popular event. “We can’t talk about it yet, but we have a few things in the works,” Barnes said.
Speedway Christmas <span class=presented>presented by COOK OUT</span>
Speedway Christmas presented by COOK OUT
Friday, November 22, 2019 - Sunday, January 5, 2020 6:00 PM 10:00 PM
Speedway Christmas presented by COOK OUT has returned to Charlotte Motor Speedway, and it’s bigger and better than ever! The 10th edition of Charlotte’s spectacular drive-through light show features more than 4 million lights over a remarkable,3.75-mile course that includes most of the oval as well as the infield and the ROVAL™! But you can do more than just look – listen, too! Tune into 101.3 FM to enjoy Christmas music as you take in illuminated Christmas displays.
The family-friendly Christmas Village is open Thursday through Sunday nights and every night from December 12 -December 29. This infield extravaganza includes an all-new 100-ft slide, carousel, 100-ft walkway of lights and indoor kids’ movie theater, plus a 50-ft Ferris wheel, photos with Santa, fabulous food, Bethlehem village and fire pits to roast s’mores.
As an added bonus, cozy up to FOX 46 WJZY Movie Nights on the giant Speedway TV every Thursday-Sunday. Come see the most awe-inspiring, Christmas-themed drive-in theatre around!
Opening Night Specials, Friday Nov 22 Only
Speedway Christmas presented by COOK OUT
Friday, November 22, 2019 - Sunday, January 5, 2020 6:00 PM 10:00 PM
Speedway Christmas presented by COOK OUT has returned to Charlotte Motor Speedway, and it’s bigger and better than ever! The 10th edition of Charlotte’s spectacular drive-through light show features more than 4 million lights over a remarkable,3.75-mile course that includes most of the oval as well as the infield and the ROVAL™! But you can do more than just look – listen, too! Tune into 101.3 FM to enjoy Christmas music as you take in illuminated Christmas displays.
The family-friendly Christmas Village is open Thursday through Sunday nights and every night from December 12 -December 29. This infield extravaganza includes an all-new 100-ft slide, carousel, 100-ft walkway of lights and indoor kids’ movie theater, plus a 50-ft Ferris wheel, photos with Santa, fabulous food, Bethlehem village and fire pits to roast s’mores.
As an added bonus, cozy up to FOX 46 WJZY Movie Nights on the giant Speedway TV every Thursday-Sunday. Come see the most awe-inspiring, Christmas-themed drive-in theatre around!
Opening Night Specials, Friday Nov 22 Only
- $10 car admission
- Select concession items are $1
- $5 photo with Santa
- $5 unlimited ride wristband
Mindfield333
Superstar
Anybody went to the Gibbs show?
And how was the Black Alumni Ball?
And how was the Black Alumni Ball?
Sell stolen military equipment on eBay brehs
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article237576084.html
Grenades in Mint Hill? Raid reveals vast black-market trade on eBay of military goods
By Michael Gordon
November 25, 2019 03:58 PM
A Mint Hill Army veteran faces federal charges in Charlotte and New York for possessing explosives and attempting to sell stolen military equipment on eBay. Staff Sgt. Joshua Hammock AP
Kerry Hughley’s story, like many true-crime dramas, starts with an explosive detail — grenades.
According to a document unsealed last week in Charlotte federal court, the Mint Hill man has been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with possession of explosive devices.
Actually, as the document reveals, federal authorities found 18 of them in a late February raid on Hughley’s home — from “Flashbang” stun grenades to seven Thermite incendiary models. The latter, considered to be one of the most destructive weapons in the U.S. military arsenal, can generate heat of up to 4,000 degrees.
How they made their way to the southeast corner of Mecklenburg County, the document doesn’t say. Related criminal filings in Raleigh and the New York federal courts, however, offer a number of clues — along with the federal allegation that the grenades are merely the detonators of a much bigger story.
They outline a highly lucrative, online black-market pipeline that authorities say ran from Hughley’s two-story, tree-shaded home to the gates of Fort Bragg, the most populous military installation in the world, and to buyers and sellers across the web. Nationally, the illicit trade in military supplies involves millions of dollars of taxpayer-purchased items that are often stolen and smuggled off military bases, including major installations in the Carolinas.
The trade is often worldwide. In 2016, for example, eight people — including six soldiers — were charged with stealing $1 million of sensitive military equipment, which prosecutors say they sold on eBay to buyers in Russia, China, Ukraine and Mexico, among other countries.
According to the New York documents, Mint Hill’s Hughley offered a diverse list of items for sale. The February raid on Hughley’s home, for example, uncovered detonation cords for plastic explosives, weapon sights, night-vision goggles and laser devices. Twenty military radios also were seized, including one high-security model that prosecutors say Hughley had offered to sell to an undercover agent for $500,000.
A smaller transaction, the alleged $3,000 sale of a stolen U.S. military night-vision device to an undercover agent in New York, led to an April indictment charging Hughley with conspiracy to steal and sell government property. He has pleaded not guilty and is free on $250,000 bond.
The 40-year-old Army veteran could not be reached for comment this week. A home phone number included in one of the filings in his case has been disconnected. His attorneys, Louis Freeman in New York and Kelly Johnson in Charlotte, did not respond to emails seeking comment.
Hughley’s case is scheduled to be back in New York federal court on Dec. 6.
To Bragg and back again
Operating under several aliases — “thermalsnthings” and “Hugo Tech” — that investigators say they traced back to his home address, Hughley ran his thriving business not on the so-called “Dark Web,” but openly on eBay and PayPal. His sales in military equipment eclipsed $700,000 over a two-year period leading up to his arrest, documents allege.
Special Agent Eric Maryea, an investigator with the Department of Defense, alleges in an affidavit filed in the New York case that Hughley advertised and sold hundreds of pieces of military equipment between 2016 and 2018. Many of the items sold were required by the Pentagon to be “rendered useless” before leaving government control.
Investigators say one of Hughley’s trading partners was Stratton “Mac” Beaubien, the owner of a Fayetteville military supply store, who also faces possible prosecution in New York in connection with the case.
The day after investigators descended on Hughley’s house, they raided Beaubien’s Red Horse Military Surplus, where they say they found thousands of pieces of military equipment — “some of which was confirmed stolen” — including mortar rounds, Russian-made assault rifles and mine-detection kits.
According to an affidavit filed in New York, Beaubien told investigators who searched his store that he buys some of his merchandise “knowing it comes from the base,” meaning Fort Bragg, which is about four miles from the store.
He also said Hughley paid him a “lot of money” for equipment Hughley buys. PayPal records showed 11 transactions between the two men totaling more than $111,000 over a year-and-half period in 2017-18, the affidavit says.
The alleged conspiracy deepens from there. Court documents say one of Beaubien’s suppliers was Bryan Allen, a Fort Bragg chief warrant officer who is now accused of rigging inventory records to steal $2 million in military equipment. The contraband included more than 40 pairs of night-vision goggles, which an affidavit in Allen’s case says the soldier tried to sell to Red Horse for $2,500 a pair.
“I got 4 with your name on them,” Allen said to Beaubien in a May 2018 text that investigators said they found on Beaubien’s cell phone.
Beaubien’s reply: “Sweet.”
Two weeks later, according to the affidavit, Allen sent another text: “Hey bro would you be interested in 10 more”.
Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Raleigh say Allen’s case is tied to at least two other theft rings at Fort Bragg. Those include the 2018 indictment of Scott Douglas Browning of Fayetteville, who was charged with being part of a conspiracy that used eBay to sell stolen military equipment to a buyer in the Netherlands. Browning was also accused of selling another $1.5 million of stolen materiel within the U.S., prosecutors say. He was ordered this summer to pay $1.85 million in restitution and placed on five years probation.
The flow of stolen equipment off N.C. military bases appears to be a longstanding problem. Consider:
▪ Late last year, a Fort Bragg soldier and his former superior officer were charged with filling a rented Chevy Tahoe with multiple firearms, plastic explosives and other military-grade equipment, which they intended to sell for $75,000, federal records show. Instead, they were arrested outside of El Paso by undercover Homeland Security agents, Newsweek reported. The investigation continues.
▪In 2016, a Fort Bragg supply sergeant, Christopher Mann, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay almost $1 million in restitution for stealing and selling food and military equipment that “his unit needed ... to train and carry out its mission,” prosecutors say. He sold them to a “civilian black market purchaser” in neighboring Fayetteville — 73-year-old Joe Horner — who was sent to prison for two years and ordered to pay restitution of almost $278,000.
▪ In 2014, an N.C. soldier pleaded guilty to taking bribes in return for helping steal 1 million gallons of gasoline for resale on the Afghanistan black market. Army Sgt. Christopher Ciampa’s “greed put his fellow soldiers at greater risk,” his federal prosecutor said at the time. “These actions, especially in a wartime environment, damage the reputation of all soldiers.”
▪ During 2016-18, two different theft rings made up of members of the U.S. Marines’ elite 3d Raider Battalion stole vehicle parts, tactical gear, flashlights and rifle parts at Camp Lejeune. Some of contraband was then sold to civilians living near the eastern N.C. Marine base.
According to Hughley’s indictment, the Mint Hill man’s arrest was triggered by a single transaction on an auspicious date: On July 4, 2018, he shipped a night-vision device — “that he knew belonged to and was stolen from the United States military” — to an address in Queens, N.Y.
Beaubien has not been formally charged, and his case file features a series of delays in his case — a possible sign that he is cooperating with prosecutors.
He told the Fayetteville Observer in April that his arrest was no big deal.
“It’s just part of being in business for military surplus,” he said. “It is what it is. I can’t really talk about it brother, but it’s not going to come out the way you think it is.”
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article237576084.html
Grenades in Mint Hill? Raid reveals vast black-market trade on eBay of military goods
By Michael Gordon
November 25, 2019 03:58 PM
A Mint Hill Army veteran faces federal charges in Charlotte and New York for possessing explosives and attempting to sell stolen military equipment on eBay. Staff Sgt. Joshua Hammock AP
Kerry Hughley’s story, like many true-crime dramas, starts with an explosive detail — grenades.
According to a document unsealed last week in Charlotte federal court, the Mint Hill man has been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with possession of explosive devices.
Actually, as the document reveals, federal authorities found 18 of them in a late February raid on Hughley’s home — from “Flashbang” stun grenades to seven Thermite incendiary models. The latter, considered to be one of the most destructive weapons in the U.S. military arsenal, can generate heat of up to 4,000 degrees.
How they made their way to the southeast corner of Mecklenburg County, the document doesn’t say. Related criminal filings in Raleigh and the New York federal courts, however, offer a number of clues — along with the federal allegation that the grenades are merely the detonators of a much bigger story.
They outline a highly lucrative, online black-market pipeline that authorities say ran from Hughley’s two-story, tree-shaded home to the gates of Fort Bragg, the most populous military installation in the world, and to buyers and sellers across the web. Nationally, the illicit trade in military supplies involves millions of dollars of taxpayer-purchased items that are often stolen and smuggled off military bases, including major installations in the Carolinas.
The trade is often worldwide. In 2016, for example, eight people — including six soldiers — were charged with stealing $1 million of sensitive military equipment, which prosecutors say they sold on eBay to buyers in Russia, China, Ukraine and Mexico, among other countries.
According to the New York documents, Mint Hill’s Hughley offered a diverse list of items for sale. The February raid on Hughley’s home, for example, uncovered detonation cords for plastic explosives, weapon sights, night-vision goggles and laser devices. Twenty military radios also were seized, including one high-security model that prosecutors say Hughley had offered to sell to an undercover agent for $500,000.
A smaller transaction, the alleged $3,000 sale of a stolen U.S. military night-vision device to an undercover agent in New York, led to an April indictment charging Hughley with conspiracy to steal and sell government property. He has pleaded not guilty and is free on $250,000 bond.
The 40-year-old Army veteran could not be reached for comment this week. A home phone number included in one of the filings in his case has been disconnected. His attorneys, Louis Freeman in New York and Kelly Johnson in Charlotte, did not respond to emails seeking comment.
Hughley’s case is scheduled to be back in New York federal court on Dec. 6.
To Bragg and back again
Operating under several aliases — “thermalsnthings” and “Hugo Tech” — that investigators say they traced back to his home address, Hughley ran his thriving business not on the so-called “Dark Web,” but openly on eBay and PayPal. His sales in military equipment eclipsed $700,000 over a two-year period leading up to his arrest, documents allege.
Special Agent Eric Maryea, an investigator with the Department of Defense, alleges in an affidavit filed in the New York case that Hughley advertised and sold hundreds of pieces of military equipment between 2016 and 2018. Many of the items sold were required by the Pentagon to be “rendered useless” before leaving government control.
Investigators say one of Hughley’s trading partners was Stratton “Mac” Beaubien, the owner of a Fayetteville military supply store, who also faces possible prosecution in New York in connection with the case.
The day after investigators descended on Hughley’s house, they raided Beaubien’s Red Horse Military Surplus, where they say they found thousands of pieces of military equipment — “some of which was confirmed stolen” — including mortar rounds, Russian-made assault rifles and mine-detection kits.
According to an affidavit filed in New York, Beaubien told investigators who searched his store that he buys some of his merchandise “knowing it comes from the base,” meaning Fort Bragg, which is about four miles from the store.
He also said Hughley paid him a “lot of money” for equipment Hughley buys. PayPal records showed 11 transactions between the two men totaling more than $111,000 over a year-and-half period in 2017-18, the affidavit says.
The alleged conspiracy deepens from there. Court documents say one of Beaubien’s suppliers was Bryan Allen, a Fort Bragg chief warrant officer who is now accused of rigging inventory records to steal $2 million in military equipment. The contraband included more than 40 pairs of night-vision goggles, which an affidavit in Allen’s case says the soldier tried to sell to Red Horse for $2,500 a pair.
“I got 4 with your name on them,” Allen said to Beaubien in a May 2018 text that investigators said they found on Beaubien’s cell phone.
Beaubien’s reply: “Sweet.”
Two weeks later, according to the affidavit, Allen sent another text: “Hey bro would you be interested in 10 more”.
Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Raleigh say Allen’s case is tied to at least two other theft rings at Fort Bragg. Those include the 2018 indictment of Scott Douglas Browning of Fayetteville, who was charged with being part of a conspiracy that used eBay to sell stolen military equipment to a buyer in the Netherlands. Browning was also accused of selling another $1.5 million of stolen materiel within the U.S., prosecutors say. He was ordered this summer to pay $1.85 million in restitution and placed on five years probation.
The flow of stolen equipment off N.C. military bases appears to be a longstanding problem. Consider:
▪ Late last year, a Fort Bragg soldier and his former superior officer were charged with filling a rented Chevy Tahoe with multiple firearms, plastic explosives and other military-grade equipment, which they intended to sell for $75,000, federal records show. Instead, they were arrested outside of El Paso by undercover Homeland Security agents, Newsweek reported. The investigation continues.
▪In 2016, a Fort Bragg supply sergeant, Christopher Mann, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay almost $1 million in restitution for stealing and selling food and military equipment that “his unit needed ... to train and carry out its mission,” prosecutors say. He sold them to a “civilian black market purchaser” in neighboring Fayetteville — 73-year-old Joe Horner — who was sent to prison for two years and ordered to pay restitution of almost $278,000.
▪ In 2014, an N.C. soldier pleaded guilty to taking bribes in return for helping steal 1 million gallons of gasoline for resale on the Afghanistan black market. Army Sgt. Christopher Ciampa’s “greed put his fellow soldiers at greater risk,” his federal prosecutor said at the time. “These actions, especially in a wartime environment, damage the reputation of all soldiers.”
▪ During 2016-18, two different theft rings made up of members of the U.S. Marines’ elite 3d Raider Battalion stole vehicle parts, tactical gear, flashlights and rifle parts at Camp Lejeune. Some of contraband was then sold to civilians living near the eastern N.C. Marine base.
According to Hughley’s indictment, the Mint Hill man’s arrest was triggered by a single transaction on an auspicious date: On July 4, 2018, he shipped a night-vision device — “that he knew belonged to and was stolen from the United States military” — to an address in Queens, N.Y.
Beaubien has not been formally charged, and his case file features a series of delays in his case — a possible sign that he is cooperating with prosecutors.
He told the Fayetteville Observer in April that his arrest was no big deal.
“It’s just part of being in business for military surplus,” he said. “It is what it is. I can’t really talk about it brother, but it’s not going to come out the way you think it is.”
Bryan Danielson
Jmare007 x Bryan Danielson x JLova = King Ghidorah
WTF?
Charlotte 49ers Shut Down Marshall, Becoming Bowl Eligible For First Time
Charlotte 49ers Shut Down Marshall, Becoming Bowl Eligible For First Time
By The Associated Press & Dashiell Coleman • Nov 24, 2019
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The Charlotte 49ers beat the Marshall Thundering Herd 24-13 Saturday during a rainy game at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
The team said there were no post-game handshakes on the field because – as a tweeted video shows – cheering fans instead met the 49ers on the 50-yard line.
The 49ers (6-5 and 4-3 in Conference USA) have now won four straight conference games. The team has also scored six wins this season — a school record.
"It was not the ideal setting," 49ers head coach Will Healy said in a school recap of the game, talking about the rain falling on the field. "But it was a special day. Our growth as a program is something these guys will always remember. I know I will."
The 49ers came from behind starting in the third quarter, reversing a 10-0 deficit.
Victor Tucker scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Tucker ran into the end zone from the 5 on a jet sweep to give Charlotte a 17-13 lead with 10:47 to play. Charlotte’s Nafees Lyon intercepted an Isaiah Green pass with about seven minutes left. Chris Reynolds then led the 49ers on an 11-play, 62-yard drive capped by his 25-yard touchdown pass to Tucker with 48 seconds remaining.
Tucker had five catches for 121 yards. Reynolds threw for 166 yards and two interceptions and added 145 yards on the ground, including a 15-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Benny LeMay added 100 yards rushing to surpass 3,000 in his career at Charlotte.
.@KristenBalboni catches up with @CharlotteFTBL head coach @Coach_heals following the team's victory over Marshall on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/l6eWkBLMQd
— Stadium (@Stadium) November 24, 2019
Saturday was also Senior Day, and the team recognized 21 seniors.
“It’s really just special for this whole city, the team — these seniors," Reynolds said after the game. "I’ve never been involved with a team that supports each other as much as this one.”
Next up, the 49ers face off against Old Dominion in a Nov. 30 away game. It's the final game of the regular season.
Charlotte 49ers Shut Down Marshall, Becoming Bowl Eligible For First Time
By The Associated Press & Dashiell Coleman • Nov 24, 2019
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-
Charlotte 49ers head coach Will Healy is drenched in celebration Saturday after the team's 24-13 victory over Marshall at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
UNC CHARLOTTE / @CharlotteFTBL
The Charlotte 49ers beat the Marshall Thundering Herd 24-13 Saturday during a rainy game at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
The team said there were no post-game handshakes on the field because – as a tweeted video shows – cheering fans instead met the 49ers on the 50-yard line.
The 49ers (6-5 and 4-3 in Conference USA) have now won four straight conference games. The team has also scored six wins this season — a school record.
"It was not the ideal setting," 49ers head coach Will Healy said in a school recap of the game, talking about the rain falling on the field. "But it was a special day. Our growth as a program is something these guys will always remember. I know I will."
The 49ers came from behind starting in the third quarter, reversing a 10-0 deficit.
Victor Tucker scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Tucker ran into the end zone from the 5 on a jet sweep to give Charlotte a 17-13 lead with 10:47 to play. Charlotte’s Nafees Lyon intercepted an Isaiah Green pass with about seven minutes left. Chris Reynolds then led the 49ers on an 11-play, 62-yard drive capped by his 25-yard touchdown pass to Tucker with 48 seconds remaining.
Tucker had five catches for 121 yards. Reynolds threw for 166 yards and two interceptions and added 145 yards on the ground, including a 15-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Benny LeMay added 100 yards rushing to surpass 3,000 in his career at Charlotte.
.@KristenBalboni catches up with @CharlotteFTBL head coach @Coach_heals following the team's victory over Marshall on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/l6eWkBLMQd
— Stadium (@Stadium) November 24, 2019
Saturday was also Senior Day, and the team recognized 21 seniors.
“It’s really just special for this whole city, the team — these seniors," Reynolds said after the game. "I’ve never been involved with a team that supports each other as much as this one.”
Next up, the 49ers face off against Old Dominion in a Nov. 30 away game. It's the final game of the regular season.
Dave Chappelle will be in Asheville on December 11th
https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/2D005779EC109EA3
https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/2D005779EC109EA3
Tribal Outkast
Veteran
Yeah that coach is about to be good forever at that school lol. Congrats to them.Charlotte 49ers Shut Down Marshall, Becoming Bowl Eligible For First Time
Charlotte 49ers Shut Down Marshall, Becoming Bowl Eligible For First Time
By The Associated Press & Dashiell Coleman • Nov 24, 2019
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UNC Charlotte's football team is bowl eligible for the first time in the seven-season history of the program.
Charlotte 49ers head coach Will Healy is drenched in celebration Saturday after the team's 24-13 victory over Marshall at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
UNC CHARLOTTE / @CharlotteFTBL
The Charlotte 49ers beat the Marshall Thundering Herd 24-13 Saturday during a rainy game at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
The team said there were no post-game handshakes on the field because – as a tweeted video shows – cheering fans instead met the 49ers on the 50-yard line.
The 49ers (6-5 and 4-3 in Conference USA) have now won four straight conference games. The team has also scored six wins this season — a school record.
"It was not the ideal setting," 49ers head coach Will Healy said in a school recap of the game, talking about the rain falling on the field. "But it was a special day. Our growth as a program is something these guys will always remember. I know I will."
The 49ers came from behind starting in the third quarter, reversing a 10-0 deficit.
Victor Tucker scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Tucker ran into the end zone from the 5 on a jet sweep to give Charlotte a 17-13 lead with 10:47 to play. Charlotte’s Nafees Lyon intercepted an Isaiah Green pass with about seven minutes left. Chris Reynolds then led the 49ers on an 11-play, 62-yard drive capped by his 25-yard touchdown pass to Tucker with 48 seconds remaining.
Tucker had five catches for 121 yards. Reynolds threw for 166 yards and two interceptions and added 145 yards on the ground, including a 15-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Benny LeMay added 100 yards rushing to surpass 3,000 in his career at Charlotte.
.@KristenBalboni catches up with @CharlotteFTBL head coach @Coach_heals following the team's victory over Marshall on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/l6eWkBLMQd
— Stadium (@Stadium) November 24, 2019
Saturday was also Senior Day, and the team recognized 21 seniors.
“It’s really just special for this whole city, the team — these seniors," Reynolds said after the game. "I’ve never been involved with a team that supports each other as much as this one.”
Next up, the 49ers face off against Old Dominion in a Nov. 30 away game. It's the final game of the regular season.
Def hitting that
Benny/Gibbs started on time.
This brand nubian show about 2 hours behind.
This brand nubian show about 2 hours behind.