CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s been quite a year for Consumer Reporter Bill McGinty of the WCNC Defenders as he and his team went to bat for viewers asking, “Where’s the Money”?
As we begin a new year, the WCNC Defenders are ready to advocate for viewers once again.
Here's a quick recap of some of the problems McGinty and his team helped solve in 2020. The stories ranged from neighborhood flooding issues to people needing help to get unemployment benefits.
Remember this muddy mess? It was in Tega Cay last summer.
Water and mud was flowing down into the backyard of Mary Johnson from a new Lennar subdivision being built back behind her home. The silt barriers the developer built up just weren’t getting the job done, not based on the video Mary shot anyway.
“It washed our mulch out of the mulch beds and flowed down through our yard, next to the neighbors and out to the street,” Johnson said.
WCNC Defender and Consumer Reporter Bill McGinty contacted Lennar who assured him they were in compliance. Then, the next morning Johnson recorded bulldozers re-adjusting the muddy hill behind her home which was then later seeded to stop erosion and mud.
On the unemployment front, “Megan” from Lincoln county emailed WCNC asking for help. She had just opened her own spa when COVID-19 hit and closed everything down. Megan was due pandemic assistance but was having a tough time actually getting it.
“I lost my apartment and had to move back in with my parents to save money,” said Megan.
The WCNC Defenders team got on the task and broke through the red tape. Megan eventually got her money which added up to more than $10,000.
On a different note, in late summer 2020, WCNC Charlotte highlighted the danger that exists around waterfalls here in the Carolinas.
Cameron, a college student, did a back flip from 55 feet up at Paradise Falls. The bad landing broke his neck and badly bruised his back. A doctor told WCNC that every year there are slip and fall accidents or daredevil injuries near North and South Carolina waterfalls. Cameron got lucky.
“Hindsight being 20-20 would you do this again?” McGinty asked.
“No, absolutely not,” said Cameron”.
Despite the video and photos, Cameron is walking and on the mend, ending 2020 and starting 2021 better and wiser.
If you need help in the new year, the WCNC Defenders are here to help. Send an email to Bill at BMcGinty@wcnc.com.
