Good News Friday: These pictures of Carolina Panthers players partying with North Carolina schoolchildren will make your day

Revel in these snapshots of NFL players bringing joy and toys to North Carolina kids who were hit hard by Helene, part of our weekly roundup of positive stories in North Carolina.

There are no pros and cons to good news stories, just pros. That’s why we do a weekly roundup of positive news stories to celebrate across North Carolina.

This week, we have a heartwarming assembly at a Buncombe County elementary school. Buncombe County was one of the hardest hit by Helene in September. 

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We also have some great economic news for the Triangle and, my personal favorite, sea turtles. Scroll down for more. 

And check out past editions of “Good News Friday” here. 

A “purr-fect” holiday party for North Carolina schoolkids

In September, Hurricane Helene hit Asheville and the Buncombe County area really hard. Things like that don’t go away once we’ve moved on to the next story. 

So we’re heartened to see a lot of the ongoing relief in the area. Sometimes you just need relief for the spirit too, which is how we’re categorizing this holiday assembly at W.D. Williams Elementary in Swannanoa. 

Former Carolina Panthers players, the “Top Cats” Panthers dancers, and the mascot Sir Purr surprised the kids with a party Wednesday. They gave out toys, held a dance competition, and met former Panthers greats like Jonathan Stewart, who was like a runaway bowling ball when he played running back. 

I once met Stewart at a Charlotte holiday ball, and he’s the real deal. 

The event was planned with the foundation that Panthers owner David Tepper runs with his wife, Nicole, and Coca-Cola Consolidated. Check out more pictures below.

 

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A post shared by Buncombe County Schools (@buncombeschools)

The NC Aquarium just saved a lot of very chilly sea turtles

Listen, I don’t even want to be outside in the cold, much less swimming. 

So respect to the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island, which recently rescued 250 sea turtles who were “cold-stunned” in local waters. 

These fascinating creatures can become sluggish and incapacitated when they’re trapped in very cold waters. North Carolina’s recent cold snap caught some of them unawares. 

If you see a sea turtle stuck in cold waters, make sure you call the Sea Turtle Stranding Hotline via N.E.S.T. at (252) 441-8622. 

 

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A post shared by NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island (@ncaquariumri)

A big jobs announcement in the Triangle

Economically, we are living in relatively good times in North Carolina and across the United States. Inflation has leveled off, and the latest jobs report is solid. 

We got another jolt of good news in North Carolina this week when Amgen, a biotech company based in California, announced a $1 billion investment—with about 370 jobs—in a Holly Springs facility to be opened in 2025. State officials approved tax incentives of up to $6 million to lure Amgen into the expansion. 

Biotech’s been booming in this Wake County town, WRAL wrote this week, and Amgen’s jobs appear to be good-paying jobs. The minimum average wage for the jobs will reportedly exceed $90,000 a year.

 

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A post shared by Amgen (@amgenbiotech)