This North Carolina Beach Is Now Ranked The 2nd Best Beach in America

Steve
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This North Carolina Beach Is Now Ranked The 2nd Best Beach in America

Planning to take a relaxing beach trip this summer? One North Carolina beach was recently ranked as the #2 best beach in the country.

Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach in North Carolina’s Outer Banks came in just behind Kapalua Bay Beach; Maui, Hawaii (#1) and just ahead of Grayton Beach State Park, Florida (#3)

According to the site, “Ocracoke, once the home of Blackbeard the pirate, is still a special place—it is my favorite getaway beach.  Here you will find some of the wildest beaches in the country.  Big surf dominates in late summer so families with children may want to come earlier in the year.  Don’t expect to play golf or stay at the Ritz; the main pursuits are swimming and beachcombing.”

My office for the 6 days-I’ll take it! #obx #ocracoke #mondaydoesnotsuck

A post shared by Lindsay McGill (@lmcgill85) on

Just a few short months till I’ll be back in the saddle 🐎🌊😍

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Here are the top 10 beaches according to Dr. Beach

10. Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina

9. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California

8. Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii

7. Caladesi Island State Park Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida

6. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outerbanks of North Carolina

5. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

4. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York

3. Grayton Beach State Park Florida panhandle

2. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina

1. Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, Hawaii

If you do head out to the beach, make sure to watch out for the extremely poisonous Portugese Man ‘O Wars that have been spotted last summer along Carolina beaches.

Have you been to Ocracoke? What are your thoughts? 

Charlotte Sees Its First April Snowfall In Over 30 Years

Steve
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Charlotte Sees Its First April Snowfall In Over 30 Years

Charlotte saw one of the latest snowfalls in history. This morning we received a total accumulation of about 0.1 inches in Charlotte, with even more falling in the southeastern part of our region, especially in Matthews, Waxhaw, and Monroe.

The first flakes were spotted at about 6:30am and many continued falling around the Charlotte area until about 10:00am.

Snow was visible on most lawns but it never really got cold enough to stick to the blacktop.

Even though it didn’t cover the roads, however, NCDOT wasn’t taking any chances;

and even though schools weren’t canceled, the kids still loved the Spring dusting;

This is the first time in 37 years it’s snowed this late into Spring. The latest date on record for snowfall in Charlotte was on May 2nd.

What did you think of today’s snowfall?

Mecklenburg County’s 2019 Special Olympics Spring Games Are Almost Here

Charlotte Stories
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Mecklenburg County’s 2019 Special Olympics Spring Games Are Almost Here

More than 1,300 Special Olympics athletes are expected to compete in track and field, softball, swimming and other events during the 2019 Special Olympics Mecklenburg County Spring Games on April 11 and April 24 through May 1.

Roughly 800 volunteers and 150 coaches will support Spring Games events at Bojangles’ Coliseum, Charlotte Country Day School, Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center, Hough High School and Huntersville Family Fitness & Aquatics Center. 2019 marks the 36th year Charlotte Country Day School has hosted the Special Olympics Mecklenburg County Spring Games.

All events are free and open to the public, including the Opening Ceremony at Bojangles’ Coliseum on Monday, April 29. Parking is free at all Spring Games events.

Members of the media are welcome to visit and cover any of the Springs Games events. In addition, interviews with Special Olympics athletes, coaches and volunteers can be arranged. Please call 704-358-1935, ext. 162, for more information.

The Spring Games agenda is as follows:

Thursday, April 11

All athletes

10 a.m. – 1 p.m…………………. Swim Competition

Location: Huntersville Family Fitness and Aquatics, 11725 Verhoeff Dr., Huntersville

Wednesday, April 24
All athletes

10 a.m. – 1 p.m…………………. Swim Competition

Location: Mecklenburg County Aquatics Center, 800 E. M.L.K. Jr Blvd.

Friday, April 26

Middle/High Athletes

10 a.m. – 1 p.m………………. Track & Field, Motor Activities, Softball Team Competition

Location: Hough High School, 12420 Bailey Rd., Cornelius, NC 28031

Opening Ceremony, Monday, April 29

All Athletes

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Location: Bojangles’ Coliseum, 2700 Independence Blvd.

Tuesday, April 30
Middle/High/Adult Athletes

10 a.m. – 1 p.m………………… Track & Field Competition

10 a.m. – 1 p.m………………… Softball Skills

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ……………….. Motor Activities

Location: Charlotte Country Day School, 1440 Carmel Rd.

Wednesday, May 1
Elementary Athletes

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ……………… Track & Field Competition

10 a.m. – 1 p.m………………. Softball Teams, Softball Skills

10 a.m. – 1 p.m………………. Motor Activities

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ……………… Young Athletes Program
Location: Charlotte Country Day School, 1440 Carmel Rd.

More information about SOMC:
Website: www.sonc.net/local-programs/mecklenburg-county

Facebook: Special Olympics Mecklenburg County

National Weather Service Predicting A 52% Chance of Snow In Charlotte Today

Steve
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National Weather Service Predicting A 52% Chance of Snow In Charlotte Today

Even though the flowers are blossoming, the trees are budding, and temperatures have been in the high 70s, winter isn’t quite done here in Charlotte.

According to the National Weather Service, “A low-pressure system developing along the South Carolina coast may produce scattered snow showers across the region this morning before the showers dissipate by early afternoon. The best chance of any snow accumulations will be in locations mainly south and east of Charlotte.”

Weather Underground is showing the likely window for snowfall in Charlotte occuring between 7am-9am this morning;

If we do see snow today, it likely won’t stay on the ground for more than a couple hours…however…this won’t stop most Charlotte drivers from slowing way down.

Prepare for longer commute times this morning.

FBI Releases New Warning About ‘Fake Kidnapping’ Scam

Katherine Miele
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FBI Releases New Warning About ‘Fake Kidnapping’ Scam

The FBI has just sent out a new warning, urging people to hang up on any calls from a woman screaming for help.

According to a press released from the FBI, the ‘fake kidnapping’ scheme works like this;

“Fraudsters will choose an affluent area such as Beverly Hills, California. They would search the Internet to learn the correct area code and telephone dialing prefix. Then they would start dialing numbers in sequence, trolling for victims.

When an unsuspecting person answered the phone, they would hear a female screaming, “Help me!” The screamer’s voice was likely a recording. Instinctively, the victim might blurt out his or her child’s name: “Mary, are you okay?” And then a man’s voice would say something like, “We have Mary. She’s in a truck. We are holding her hostage. You need to pay a ransom and you need to do it now or we are going to cut off her fingers.”

Most of the time the intended victims quickly learned that ‘Mary’ was at home or at school, or they sensed the scam and hung up. This fraud only worked when people picked up the phone, they had a daughter, and she was not home, But if you are making hundreds of calls, the crime will eventually work.

The scammers attempt to keep victims on the phone so they can’t verify their loved ones’ whereabouts or contact law enforcement. The callers are always in a hurry, and the ransom demand is usually a wire payment to Mexico of $2,000 or less, because there are legal restrictions for wiring larger amounts across the border.”

A couple months ago, a federal grand jury charged a 34-year-old woman in Houston woman with wire fraud, money laundering, and 8 other charges for her involvement in ‘fake kidnapping’. This was the first official indictment for this type of scam.

The FBI recommends the following tips to anyone who might receive a fake (or real) kidnapping call:

  • In most cases, the best course of action is to hang up the phone.
  • If you do engage the caller, don’t call out your loved one’s name.
  • Try to slow the situation down. Request to speak to your family member directly. Ask, “How do I know my loved one is okay?”
  • Ask questions only the alleged kidnap victim would know, such as the name of a pet. Avoid sharing information about yourself or your family.
  • Listen carefully to the voice of the alleged victim if they speak.
  • Attempt to contact the alleged victim via phone, text, or social media, and request that they call back from their cell phone.
  • To buy time, repeat the caller’s request and tell them you are writing down the demand, or tell the caller you need time to get things moving.
  • Don’t agree to pay a ransom, by wire or in person. Delivering money in person can be dangerous.
If you are contacted by a fake kidnapper, you can call Charlotte’s FBI division at (704) 672-6100, or submit your tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Whom Should The Charlotte Hornets Target In The NBA Draft?

Tammie Fiorella
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Whom Should The Charlotte Hornets Target In The NBA Draft?

At the time of this writing, the Charlotte Hornets remain in the playoff hunt in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. It’s down to the point at which every game counts, and thanks in large part to a miraculous shot by Jeremy Lamb in a recent game, the Hornets retain slim hopes of a postseason berth.

Whether or not the team makes the playoffs though, we know generally where it might pick come June’s NBA Draft. The Hornets will either be in the late lottery or they’ll be one of the first teams to pick outside of it, putting them right in, say, the pick 12-16 range. That’s not typically where teams pick up elite prospects, but it certainly happens. Julius Erving was a 12th pick; Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone both went 13th; Tim Hardaway, Steve Nash, Kawhi Leonard, and John Stockton are just some of the stars who have gone in the 14-16 range. So, while these gems are few and far between, there’s always potential value in a mid-first round pick.

The Hornets will need to find some of that value if they’re ever to elevate themselves from the middle-lower tier of the NBA, where they’ve toiled far too long. Here, by our estimation, are some of the players Michael Jordan and the front office should be looking at.

Bruno Fernando – C, Maryland

If you catch him at the right moment, Bruno Fernando looks like an absolute monster. He’s a physical specimen with fairly good natural touch around the basket and good defensive instincts. Fernando isn’t always as assertive as scouts would likely prefer to see, but when he’s on he can largely control a game. In Charlotte he’d potentially be the best big man of the Michael Jordan era, and would be a fascinating running mate for Kemba Walker, if Walker re-signs. It’s ultimately likely that Fernando will be selected a few picks before Charlotte has the chance to pick him, but he should still be on the team’s radar just in case.

Jarrett Culver – SG, Texas Tech

Jarrett Culver is one of the rising names of March Madness, and is far and away the standout star on a Texas Tech team that, on any given night, has been as good as anyone else in the country. Indeed, while the latest sports forecasts from oddsmakers have Duke and Virginia favored to meet in the national championship game, Culver’s Red Raiders have proven to be on the same level – nearly beating Duke earlier this season and topping Virginia in defensive efficiency (which is usually Virginia’s bread and butter). Culver is a big reason why, as he fits into the team’s vaunted defense and also provides its top offensive threat. He’s not an elite shooter just yet but he’s a good one, and his jack-of-all-trades style and NBA-ready athleticism will make him appealing to a lot of teams. In Charlotte, he could just be the player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist never quite turned into.

Bol Bol – F, Oregon

Unfortunately, Bol Bol’s lone year in college was cut short due to injury, and he was unable to showcase himself the way he might otherwise have. This may wind up being great for Charlotte, however, as it means Bol could be available in the middle of the first round. At 7’2’’ with fairly good movement and some signs of shooting ability, Bol Bol is nothing short of an alarming prospect. Players of this general type – not that there have been very many – can be somewhat hit-or-miss, but from the brief glimpse we got of Bol at Oregon, he has a more advanced skillset than, say, a Thon Maker. He’d be a worth pick simply on the chance that his upside pays off and the Hornets find themselves a star.

Darius Garland – PG, Vanderbilt

There’s still a definite chance that Kemba Walker will leave the Hornets this summer, despite Jordan’s stated desire to keep him around at all costs. Some indications have even been that he may be more likely to leave than to stay. This would be something of a disaster for Charlotte, but all the team would be able to do is start a rebuild, and there’s some logic to doing so with a high-value point guard prospect. Darius Garland is just that. He was viewed by many as the top point guard in the current freshman class, but missed almost the entire season with an injury. That makes him a bit of a question mark, but if he can get back to normal it may also mean the Hornets could land a top-five level prospect in the middle of the first round.

The NBA Draft never quite turns out the way it looks like it might a few months in advance. For now though, these seem to represent some of the most sensible and exciting possibilities for the Hornets.

Charlotte Opening The World’s First Toilet-Themed Restaurant in Dilworth

Steve
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Charlotte Opening The World’s First Toilet-Themed Restaurant in Dilworth

With Charlotte now ranked as one of the top 10 food cities in America, our culinary spectrum is starting to expand into some truly adventurous realms.

One restaurateur is now hoping to capitalize on our growing foodie culture and Instagram-crazed generation by opening the world’s first “toilet-themed” restaurant right here in the Queen City.

The new 11,000 sqft ‘Modern Toilet’ is opening in the old 131 Main location, next to The People’s Market and across the street from Starbucks. They held a soft opening this past weekend for a select number of popular Instagrammers, serving them;

Curry Chicken in a tiny little toilet;

a tasty version of meatballs 4-ways;

spiraled chocolate ice cream for dessert;

and to wash it all down – a portable urinal filled with mango juice;

The restaurant even fashioned their bathroom sinks out of old toilets;

Grand Opening is set for April 1st, 2019.

Please note that this article was written for April Fools Day, the Modern Toilet is actually a surprisingly popular restaurant in Taiwan – sadly there are no current plans to open a location in Charlotte.

What currently resides at the corner of Scott and East Blvd is The People’s Market – one of Charlotte’s favorite hangout spots featuring incredible sandwhiches, wraps, and soups, as well beers, snacks, and other goodies. Read more on the in-depth article we wrote about them last year here.

South Carolina Bill Seeks to Raise Limits on Malpractice Awards

Stacy Anderson
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South Carolina Bill Seeks to Raise Limits on Malpractice Awards

Right now, the South Carolina legislature has taken up debate on a bill that would increase the liability of government-operated hospitals and medical facilities in the event of malpractice or other injurious conduct. The bill, known as S0007 in the South Carolina Senate, would also amend the South Carolina Torts Claims Act (SCTA) to raise the caps on jury awards resulting from malpractice cases against charitable hospitals and care organizations.

The text of the bill calls for an over 300% increase in the total amount of damages that may be awarded to claimants in cases against government entities when the damage to the party was caused by a non-physician or nun-dentist employed by the government. In practice, that would increase liability for mistakes or accidents involving care provided by nurses and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), which would mark a major change in the way medical malpractice cases are handled statewide.

The reason the changes could be significant has to do with the fact that the current limits under the SCTA were set at a time when many people believed that jury awards had grown excessive and had become a threat to the continued existence of the government-operated hospital system. The specificity of the limits set forth in the SCTA also has a huge effect on the rights of claimants. According to the attorneys at Steinberg Goodman & Kalish, malpractice actions “can be brought against any person or entity that provides care, including doctors, nurses, surgeons, technicians, dentists, physical therapists, optometrists and hospitals”, but the SCTA made filing an action for all but a physician-related injury cost prohibitive.

To remedy that, the new bill would alter the current liability limits in the following ways:

  • Raise the cap on loss claims due to a single occurrence from $300,000 to $1,000,000
  • Raise the total recoverable sum due to a single occurrence from $600,000 to $2,000,000

In addition, the new limits would also be automatically adjusted each year according to the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U), South Region, which would keep them in line with inflation and rising consumer prices in South Carolina. To avoid having to retool the rest of the SCTA, the same annual adjustments would also apply to any other limits set forth in the existing law.

For South Carolina residents, the changes would mean having an avenue to pursue meaningful damages for medical malpractice in the state, but critics also note that the increased liability could raise healthcare costs and insurance rates statewide. That’s because medical organizations had long made it a standing practice to keep a detailed account of all actions taken by non-physicians and non-dentists in their employ so as to shift blame for errors onto employees covered under the restrictive caps. Now that they would no longer be able to avoid liability in that way, carrying costlier malpractice insurance and maintaining larger financial reserves will become the norm.

The bill’s sponsors, who include Senators Goldfinch, Talley, Harpootlian, Malloy, Climer, and Kimpson plan to follow up on it with a second measure that would account for some situation-specific exceptions to the new financial limits. That could mean additional loopholes for litigants that would circumvent the caps altogether, as well as the addition of some more protections for hospitals worried by the increases. So far, it’s unclear what changes could be forthcoming to the existing bill as it sees further debate, but as it is still under consideration, citizens or groups that have concerns may still contact their state senator to register their opinion on the measure.

Top Ten Online Home Business Opportunities for Moms

Steve
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Top Ten Online Home Business Opportunities for Moms

If you’re a super mom who manages everything, from household chores, budgeting, groceries, to fetching your children from school, it seems impossible to earn money having a full-time or part-time job nowadays. However, things have changed since the introduction of digital technologies.

Moms who are bound at home can start an online business and earn extra money to pay the bills or for shopping household items, gifts, or children’s toys. It’s also an excellent way to start saving for your children’s future. Continue reading below to find out the top ten online home businesses you can try.

  1. Freelance Writing Business

As a mom, you can share your knowledge and expertise by starting a freelance writing business. As a freelance writer, you can search for clients online, such as parenting blog owners or websites needing a ghostwriter.

Content writing services are most sought to increase web traffic or encourage more visitors to visit a website, improve lead generation rate, and site ranking. For more details, click here.

Here’s how you can start a freelance writing business:

  • Determine your niche or field of interest.
  • Prepare a sample and original written output or article.
  • Check writing job portals or websites, like Indeed, Fiverr, and Upwork.
  • Submit a project proposal based on your topics of interest and writing skills.
  • Practice using online writing tools, such as Grammarly, LSIGraph, and Copyscape.
  1. Online Store

If you have lots of old clothes, unwanted home decors, toys, furniture, or appliances, you can start selling online through major marketplaces, like eBay. Once you learn how online selling works, it’s a good idea to run an online store.

Here are some tips on how a full-time mom can earn extra money selling online:

  • Create DIY art and crafts if you have a knack for artistic designs.
  • If you love sewing, you can design and create tutu dresses for girls using colorful fabrics sold cheaply on textile stores. List “custom order” or sell “ready-to-wear” tutu dresses with a free size.
  • Sell DIY fashion jewelry using beads, clay, or semi-precious stones.
  1. Offer Virtual Assistance Services

Virtual assistance services include data entry, email responding, phone or chat support, and any other administrative tasks. If you prefer to work part-time, you can take small and easy-to-do functions like data entry, which doesn’t require time tracking or working straight for several hours.

Here are the advantages of being a virtual assistant:

  • Work anywhere during your free time or once your children are asleep or in school.
  • Virtual assistance services are in-demand nowadays, offering a good salary.
  • Meet new clients and keep them for your future virtual assistance services company.
  • Learn new skills as clients offer free or even paid training.
  1. Social Media Services

One of the highest-paying online jobs is a social media expert. Social media networks make money because advertisers and business owners use social media platforms to promote products and services due to their popularity and reach.

Here are some tips to help you increase your knowledge and skills as a social media expert:

  • Take social media training and certification, such as Facebook Ad Certification or Instagram Online Courses.
  • Start working as a social media expert associate to learn the ins and outs of the business.
  • Read social media marketing blogs, articles, tutorials, and videos like the ones in YouTube.
  1. Multimedia Online Business

Selling digital products are becoming increasingly popular because of digital technologies. You can create and offer digital products through major marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. It involves a low amount of capital, and the profit is promising.

Here are some examples of digital products and services you can sell online:

  • Infographics: It’s a combination of image and textual content in a JPEG, PDF, or PNG format that is suitable for social media advertising or used in websites to promote products and services.
  • Photos: Open an account at Shutterstock and post your professionally-taken photos.
  • Ebooks: A writer mom can also sell ebooks in Amazon through the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. These can be children’s stories you tell and share with your children, which you wrote on your own.
  1. Affiliate Marketing Business

Affiliate marketing involves promoting products and services through different digital marketing channels. Once a customer clicks on the affiliate link and buys a product or avails of a service, you get a commission.

Here are the things you need to do to start an affiliate marketing business:

  • Create a website.
  • Find affiliates or affiliate partners, like Amazon and Clickbank.
  • Create informative and engaging web content.
  1. English Tutoring Business

If you know foreign neighbors or you have foreign friends, you can offer English tutoring services. The pay rate starts $5 per hour, which is not bad for a part-time job. If you want to make it a full-time business, you can create your website offering such services, and link it to social media networks to reach more clients.

  1. Research Work

If you’re good at researching, analyzing data, and making sound interpretations, you can work as a virtual researcher. It can be a part of a virtual assistance services business, too. Many business owners from Asia, like Chinese businessmen, prefer native English speakers to do research work for the Western market.

  1. Online Tutorials and Courses

Are you good at cooking or baking? Or you might be good in hair styling or designing clothes? Do you love to share your experiences with others? You can start an online tutorial or short-course business and still pursue your passion.

Start by uploading videos online such as YouTube to gain base followers. Create your YouTube channel and reach the viewing and subscription requirements to start getting video monetization from advertisers.

  1. Blogging Business

Having your blog is a fulfilling experience as a mother. It is a way to share your best parenting skills, too. While you can create blogs for various topics, it’s always advisable to stick to your topics of interest. Later on, you can start incorporating affiliate marketing to earn higher revenue.

Conclusion

It’s now possible to work at home by setting up an online business. All you need is a stable internet connection and a laptop. One thing you have to remember is to always keep yourself abreast with new skills, most especially in digital marketing, to open more doors of opportunities for you. By doing so, you can enjoy taking care of your family while earning extra money online.

Northwest School of The Arts Presents Regional Premiere of New Musical

Charlotte Stories
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Northwest School of The Arts Presents Regional Premiere of New Musical

Northwest School of the Arts will close out their 2018-2019 season with the joyful new musical romp, Freaky Friday. 

Based on the celebrated novel by Mary Rodgers which spawned two hit Disney films, Freaky Friday tells the story of a mother and daughter who magically swap bodies for 24 chaotic hours. The contemporary update of this American classic includes a hilarious new book by Bridget Carpenter (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights), and a pop-rock score by Tony Award® and Pulitzer Prize winners Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal, If/Then). Directed by Tony Award® winning educator Corey Mitchell, music direction by Matthew Hinson, and choreography by Emily Hunter. Freaky Friday has been hailed as “a polished, peppy, modern fairy tale” by The Washington Post and since becoming available for licensing, it has been steadily rising in popularity among regional, community and high school theatres.

Director Corey Mitchell states: “It is tremendously exciting to premiere a work that hasn’t been performed in this area before. The themes of parental expectations, independence, love, loss, moving on, and empowerment in this musical are timely and universal for both parents and teens. We are all looking forward to sharing this new spin on an old story written by one of Broadway’s most prolific contemporary writing teams.”

Ticket Information

Freaky Friday will take place in the NWSA Theatre from April 5 – April 6. Tickets range in price from $5 – $15 each. To order tickets please visit NWSATAG.com.

Northwest School of the Arts is recognized internationally and is the only public arts magnet school serving Mecklenburg County students in grades 6 through 12. The school’s unique educational approach combines elements of creativity, art, and technical prowess with a strong academic foundation.

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