Michelle Alfini

Charlotte

Climate Reporter at WSOC-TV (Charlotte, NC)

Climate Reporter for @WSOCtv Elon Grad, mediocre triathlete and lover of all things outdoors.

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Articles

‘Make a plan’: Officials say to prep for hurricane season

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michelle Alfini

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management wants people to prepare for the Atlantic hurricane season, which starts June 1. What’s at stake when dam floodgates open during massive rainstormsEmergency management prioritizes public communication by sending alerts and responding quickly. However, preparedness starts at home, officials said. “Make a plan,” said Division Chief Robert Graham, Charlotte Fire Department. “Get prepared.
Business sees growing demand for reusing electronics amid tariffs

1 week ago | finance.yahoo.com | Michelle Alfini

Unlock stock picks and a broker-level newsfeed that powers Wall Street. WSOCTV.com News Staff,Michelle Alfini Fri, May 2, 2025, 4:41 PM 2 min read With the U.S. discarding millions of electronic items annually, PayMore franchise Store Representative Jack Hayes is advocating for a shift toward recycling and upcycling, especially as import tariffs drive up prices on new devices.
Business owner sees growing demand for reusing electronics amid tariffs

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Michelle Alfini

With the U.S. discarding millions of electronic items annually, PayMore franchise owner Jack Hayes is advocating for a shift toward recycling and upcycling, especially as import tariffs drive up prices on new devices. ALSO READ: Utility-scale solar projects in North Carolina could see 500% property tax increaseJack Hayes runs PayMore, a store, that buys, resells and recycles used, broken or obsolete electronics.
Utility-scale solar projects in North Carolina could see 500% property tax increase

2 weeks ago | wsoctv.com | Michelle Alfini

CHARLOTTE — A bill that would raise taxes on utility-scale solar facilities in North Carolina by 500% is moving through the Statehouse. House Bill 729, known as the Farmland Protection Act, passed the Agriculture and Environment Committee Wednesday morning. Rep. Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin) introduced the bill in early April as a way to address concerns about North Carolina losing productive farmland.
Wildfire smoke, traffic pollution greatest threats to Mecklenburg County, report says

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Michelle Alfini

Mecklenburg County’s air quality has worsened since last year, according to the American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report. The report analyzes and documents high ground-level ozone and particle pollution days over a three-year period, based on the green to purple standards set by the EPA.
In Charlotte, HHS Secretary RFK Jr. pushes for plastic alternatives to prevent food contamination

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Michelle Alfini

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was in Charlotte Wednesday to speak on the issue of plastic contamination in our country’s food system. Kennedy is looking at a number of environmental and food-based systems where he said Americans, and especially children, come in contact with chemicals he said could be contributing the rise in chronic disease across the country. “It won’t be easy to change an entire system that’s poisoning America,“ he said.
Algae treatment begins on Charlotte-area lakes

4 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Michelle Alfini

Starting this month, you may see a small fan boat near the shoreline of our local lakes. The Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group, through partnerships with the Lake Norman and Wylie Lake Commissions, North Carolina State University and Duke Energy, will spend the next several months working to prevent the growth of Lyngbya along the shore. Communities pitching in to control algae at Lake NormanThe 2025 season marks the second year of treatment aimed at keeping Lyngbya at bay.
Is solar threatening North Carolina farms, or is there room for cooperation?

4 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Michelle Alfini

Every morning, when Jim Howie takes his cattle out to pasture, he’s following in family traditions that go back generations. His family’s owned this land just outside of downtown Waxhaw since the 1860s, and Howie says it’s always been used for farming. “If you go back to the 50s and 60s, agriculture was Waxhaw’s main source of income,” he said. “Everybody had some ties to agriculture.”Now, Waxhaw and much of Union County are rapidly changing.
‘Weather Whiplash’ is making our dry days drier and wet seasons worse

1 month ago | wsoctv.com | Michelle Alfini

CHARLOTTE — Weather determines feast or famine on farms like Drew Medlin’s. It takes the right amount of rain at the right time to ensure Medlin’s wheat, along with other crops across Union County, can produce enough good quality grain to make the growing season worthwhile. “We’re really hoping for a bumper crop on this wheat so far,” he said. This year, Medlin said his crops have a lot to make up for after a rollercoaster of extremes in 2024.
‘Weather Whiplash’ is making our dry days drier and wet seasons worse

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Michelle Alfini

Weather determines feast or famine on farms like Drew Medlin’s. It takes the right amount of rain at the right time to ensure Medlin’s wheat, along with other crops across Union County, can produce enough good quality grain to make the growing season worthwhile. “We’re really hoping for a bumper crop on this wheat so far,” he said. This year, Medlin said his crops have a lot to make up for after a rollercoaster of extremes in 2024.