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How a quiet bank executive built lavish life on stolen money

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mecklenburg, n.c. state, wachovia

Published June 13, 2010 at 5:50 a.m.

Scott Welch accumulated. He bought golf carts and landscaped extravagantly and turned a modest ranch house into a striking estate. He had a log cabin playhouse built for his children and a pier built for his speedboat. And all of it was not terribly notable for a Wachovia executive in the midst of the Charlotte banking boom ... Welch himself seemed unremarkable - quiet and well-liked by most neighbors and colleagues, a family man who took his children to sporting events around Mooresville and

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Soaring demand strains CMC psychiatric hospital

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mecklenburg

Published June 13, 2010 at 5:48 a.m.

Growing demand on Mecklenburg County's mental health system has made it harder for dangerously ill patients to get the help they need, an Observer investigation found ... With perennial overcrowding at the county's 66-bed psychiatric facility, some patients who threaten themselves or others are instead given medicine and sent home - sometimes with disastrous results ... Since March, advocates have pointed to the case of Kenny Chapman as evidence that the mental health system is overwhelmed.

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Bond runs deep for Munnerlyn, Norwood

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bank of america, carolina panthers, panthers, panthers'

Published June 12, 2010 at 10:36 p.m.

CHARLOTTE -- Moments after the Carolina Panthers selected South Carolina's Eric Norwood in the fourth round of the NFL draft in April, a text arrived from Panthers' cornerback Captain Munnerlyn ... "Great pick," Munnerlyn wrote to The Observer. "That's my boy." ... Thanks to Munnerlyn, former college teammate Norwood is no stranger to Bank of America Stadium ... Munnerlyn, a 2009 seventh-round pick, had a surprisingly strong rookie season and provided tickets for Norwood to come to some games

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Felton represents classic dilemma

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bobcats

Published June 12, 2010 at 10:34 p.m.

If I were Raymond Felton, I'd wonder if I missed the boat ... That boat may have left last summer. It's when the Charlotte Bobcats offered about $6 million a season in a long-term contract, and he instead chose to play under the one-year qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent next month ... Felton played well in the regular season and poorly in the playoffs against Orlando's Jameer Nelson. I'd heard the Bobcats may have cooled on Felton, and then general manager Rod Higgins

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Mikal Hill is All-Observer player of year

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mecklenburg, unc

Published June 12, 2010 at 10:20 p.m.

Mallard Creek junior Mikal Hill, who committed to South Carolina before his sophomore year, is the 2010 All-Observer player of the year ... The Observer annually names all-star teams for its entire 125-school coverage area in North and South Carolina (All-Observer) plus area teams in Mecklenburg County (All-Mecklenburg) and its coverage area outside Mecklenburg (All-Region) ... Hill is also player of the year in Mecklenburg County ... A 5-foot-10 shortstop, Hill hit .566 with seven home runs, 39

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BofA dumps Benihana shares

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bank of america

Published June 11, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.

Bank of America Corp. has cut its stake in Japanese restaurant operator Benihana Inc. (BNHN) (BAC) (WFC) ...

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BofA to pay $195K settlement

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bank of america

Published June 11, 2010 at 7:22 a.m.

The Missouri attorney general’s office says Bank of America Corp. has agreed to pay the state $195,000 to settle allegations that it violated Missouri’s telemarketing and telephone solicitation laws. (BAC) ...

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NASCAR Legends Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

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nascar

Published May 24, 2010 at 10:10 a.m.

NASCAR racing legends walked on blue carpet, not red, for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony Sunday ...

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N.C. runoffs: Big bucks but little interest

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mecklenburg, unc

Published May 9, 2010 at 9:41 p.m.

In North Carolina's last statewide runoff, in 2008, fewer than 2 percent of voters went to the polls ... Turnout in Mecklenburg County was so low - half of 1 percent - that each vote cost taxpayers $121 ... Now a fraction of N.C. voters will return to the polls on June 22 to nominate candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and other races. The elections will cost as much as $5 million ... Are they worth it? ... "It seems to me it's pretty hard to justify runoffs given the very low voter

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3 big uptown events? No worries, officials say

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mecklenburg, nascar

Published May 9, 2010 at 7:35 p.m.

They’re coming – thousands of NASCAR fans and celebrities on Tuesday; one of the nation’s biggest conventions and more celebrities Friday through Sunday; and a major swim event, with an Olympic hero and international media, from Thursday through Sunday ... And most of this happens in three-block area of central Charlotte ... A few years ago, that might have been a recipe for traffic gridlock ... “But not any more,” said Moira Quinn, CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners. “We’re

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