In expectations of upcoming St. Patrick’s Day celebration, Charlotte has launched a campaign to deal with drunk driving within the cit. The “Booze it and Lose it” campaign is a response to last year’s spike in drunk-driving related accidents, in which 11 people were killed.

Floyd Kevin Weaver, former treasurer of the N.C. Health Information Management Association has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after stealing almost $350,000 from his own organization. To do so, Weaver forged a non-profit officer’s signature on the organization’s bank checks and transferred the money to his personal bank account and disguising them as travel expenses, office supplies, etc.

New City Council member Julie Eiselt, chair of the community safety committee, has announced many of her plans for improving safety in Charlotte. After being mugged, Eiselt has devoted herself to improving public safety, including founding the non-profit Neighbors for a Safer Charlotte. Eiselt hopes to increase the number of Charlotte police officers, foster collaboration between law enforcement agencies, and enlisting the private sector.

CMS teachers Mary McCarley and William Bode have co-created an alcohol-awareness program as North Carolina’s underage drinking rates surge. Approximately one person dies every week due to underage drinking and more North Carolina teens die from alcohol than all other illicit drugs combined. The program offers a series of online modules which are designed to help students communicate with their parents about alcohol and partners with Talk it Out North Carolina. The program also consists of a family pledge to discuss alcohol and a series of videos to watch together.

The federal grand jury currently investigating Aldona Wos, former Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, is still trying to uncover the reasoning behind several contracts she awarded. They are also looking into her clumsy Medicaid billing system and the 1.6 million wasted dollars with which Wos would unnecessarily hire her friends, family, and church members. In August Wos announced that she would be leaving the DHHS.