Lunch Break (5/24/16): Economic impact of HB2 in Mecklenburg nears $300 million

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City officials announced last night just before the Charlotte City Council meeting that the council would not be taking any action on the city's nondiscrimination ordinance or any other thing related to House Bill 2. Tweets sent out by the official City of Charlotte Twitter account read, "[Mayor Jennifer Roberts] and [Charlotte City Council] will continue to work with the General Assembly and [with] business and community leaders to address the continuing negative impacts of HB2 on the City of Charlotte and North Carolina. Charlotte remains committed to being a welcoming and inclusive community that is free of discrimination." The council was potentially going to vote on whether to repeal or revise the nondiscrimination ordinance it amended in February. The city also released a report on the negative impacts that HB2 has had on the city and the state that was compiled by the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, the Charlotte Regional Visiting Authority and city staff. The report states that fallout from HB2 has lost Mecklenburg County more than $285 million. (Ryan Pitkin) 

An extremist pastor who was convicted of stalking abortion doctors in 2011 was kicked out of last night's city council meeting after he was told he couldn't speak and decided to ramble on about what is and isn't a sin regardless. (Sarah Hagen, WCNC) 

Roads will be shut down beginning tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. for Speed Street and will remain closed until Sunday morning. The Observer's list of which streets will be closed and where can be found here, but maybe stay away from driving Uptown at all for a few days if you can help it. (Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer) 

Police have made no arrests in the case of a 4-year-old girl who was shot in a drive-by shooting in Shelby last night. Ariana Odoms is said to be in stable condition after being shot in the left side when unknown suspects fired more than 12 shots into a home she was in. (Fox46 Staff)  

A 75-year-old man who was killed in a wreck last night in east Charlotte has been identified as Ralph Black. Police said Black was driving a Chevrolet Equinox in the 4500 block of Shamrock Road at around 7:30 p.m. last night when he sideswiped a pick-up truck, continued into oncoming traffic and struck a utility pole. His vehicle then struck a storage building on Gainesborough Road. Black was pronounced deceased on the scene. Speed and alcohol do not appear to be factor. (Ryan Pitkin)