Starbucks store in Boone reportedly first in North Carolina to unionize: Monday, May 2

Partners at a Starbucks location in Boone have reportedly voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing, becoming the first store in the Carolinas and in the Tar Heel State to have a certified union.

In a statement shared on Saturday, Starbucks United Boone announced members at the Blowing Rock Road location voted 33-2 in favor of unionizing. The union said partners formally declared intent to join the nationwide Starbucks Workers United movement on April 4, with votes in an election finalized on April 30.

"We first want to extend our deepest gratitude to our friends and neighbors for providing us with invaluable support throughout this process," part of the statement read. "To our Boone community- your displays of solidarity, your supportive words, your belief in us, and your willingness to stand with us has done more for our team and for this movement than we can convey. Additionally, thank you to all our partners for working to stand up for what they believe in, for exercising their right to vote, and for committing an unbelievable amount of time and dedication to this process."

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/money/starbucks-union-store-boone-north-carolina-local-money-news/275-0eff5ba6-19af-41f4-b121-bf88384129c3

A pillar of leadership in Huntersville is continuing to be remembered by the community.

Jill Swain, the former mayor of Huntersville, passed away on Thursday, April 28.

Swain was a civil servant in the community, starting in 1999 as a commissioner. She served in that role for eight years before being elected mayor. Swain was mayor of Huntersville from 2007 to 2015. She was most recently the executive director for the Huntersville Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Her passing was felt across the state with U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R - North Carolina) also paying tribute to her on social media.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/celebration-of-life-jill-swain-huntersville-scheduled/275-0b5d76d4-9a08-4d76-ae15-8490be5d4b1a

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