More Charlotteans Are Turning To Elderberry Syrup As Flu Season Ramps Up

Charlotte Stories
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More Charlotteans Are Turning To Elderberry Syrup As Flu Season Ramps Up

With Charlotte now experiencing one of the worst flu seasons in decades, many who have already received the flu shot and still got sick are now turning to more natural remedies.

An ancient fruit is making a comeback as one of the most popular alternative remedies everyone is talking about – Elderberry Syrup.

Stephanie Rickenbaker learned of the remedy back in 2011 when her husband contracted cancer. When doctors told Stephanie that her husband would have to take toxic medicine for years to come as part of his treatment, she dove headfirst into researching natural medicines and remedies. The most effective and healing remedies she found was in the small dark Elderberry, and her passion for plant soon turned into a blossoming new business.

“What started as a single Facebook post has become, through word-of-mouth and glowing testimonials, soaring demand for my syrup that keeps me busy and so, so happy,” Rickenbaker noted. “Now the syrup is called Sweet’s which is my daughter’s nickname.”

She recommends taking 1 tablespoon of her ‘Sweet’s Syrup’ daily during the flu season to boost the immune system as a preventative, and if you do get sick, take a dose every 3 hours.

Her syrup now sells on Etsy and in several retail shops around Charlotte, including at The Common Market, 15th St. Market, Charlotte Supplements, The Mecklenburg County Market and several other local markets and supplement stores around our city.

You can find out more about Sweet’s Syrup or buy a bottle for yourself on her online shop here.

NC Senator Tillis To Give Democrats Needed Vote To Overturn Trump’s Emergency Declaration

Steve Peters
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NC Senator Tillis To Give Democrats Needed Vote To Overturn Trump’s Emergency Declaration

North Carolina’s Republican Senator Thom Tillis is about to give Senate Democrats their needed 4th vote to a pass a resolution overturning President Trump’s emergency declaration for wall funding.

The resolution introduced in the House passed the chamber on this past Tuesday, with 13 Republicans voting alongside Democrats. The resolution now moves onto the Senate, which has a maximum of 18 days from Tuesday to vote on it.

Tillis wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post going into detail about why he would vote for the resolution and against the President.

“As a U.S. senator, I cannot justify providing the executive with more ways to bypass Congress,” he noted. “As a conservative, I cannot endorse a precedent that I know future left-wing presidents will exploit to advance radical policies that will erode economic and individual freedoms.”

Senate Democrats need at least 4 Republicans to vote with them for the measure to pass. Along with Tillis, Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky have all stated they will vote with the Democrats against the President’s declaration.

Trump has promised to veto the measure if it passes through the House and Senate and reaches his desk. This would become his first presidential veto since taking office.

If passed by the Senate and the President vetos it, the measure would then need to go back to Congress and have at least two-thirds of members in both chambers overrule the veto for the measure to stand.

What do you think about the emergency declaration?

2 Shot In Uptown Hotel Elevator During Post-CIAA Festivities

Charlotte Stories
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2 Shot In Uptown Hotel Elevator During Post-CIAA Festivities

Yesterday morning a shooting occurred inside the elevator of a popular hotel in Uptown Charlotte.

According to officials with CMPD, 3 men were arguing inside an elevator at the Epicenter’s AC Hotel. After a period of escalation, one of the men (not a guest of the hotel) pulled a gun out a wrestling match ensued. During the struggle, the suspect and one of the victims were shot.

CMPD officers were inside the hotel due to the post-CIAA tournament festivities and were able to quickly apprehend the suspect.

Soon after the shooting, police sent out the following tweet;

 

Police charged 26-year-old David Monts with 2 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, and discharging a firearm in Charlotte city limits.

Monts is now awaiting trial in the Mecklenburg County Jail.

South Carolina Ranks As The 49th Worst State For Women In America

Steve
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South Carolina Ranks As The 49th Worst State For Women In America

With March being Women’s History Month, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019’s Best & Worst States for Women.

To identify the most women-friendly states, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 24 key metrics. The data set ranges from median earnings for female workers to women’s preventive health care to female homicide rate.

South Carolina came in at #49 and North Carolina didn’t fare much better, ranking in our nation’s bottom 3rd at #34;

Source: WalletHub

 

Overall Rank
(1=Best)		 State Total Score ‘Women’s Economic & Social Well-Being’ Rank ‘Women’s Health & Safety’ Rank
1 Minnesota 79.34 1 3
2 Massachusetts 73.01 5 1
3 North Dakota 70.27 2 11
4 District of Columbia 69.72 4 9
5 New York 68.96 8 5
6 Connecticut 68.34 14 2
7 Maine 68.12 3 16
8 Colorado 66.97 6 13
9 Hawaii 66.95 15 4
10 Vermont 65.27 12 10
11 New Jersey 65.14 17 7
12 Iowa 64.79 9 19
13 Rhode Island 64.37 11 15
14 Wisconsin 64.37 10 17
15 Delaware 63.91 7 24
16 California 63.75 19 6
17 Washington 62.84 16 18
18 Illinois 59.97 23 14
19 Maryland 59.79 22 20
20 New Hampshire 59.75 31 8
21 Nebraska 57.79 32 12
22 Oregon 57.72 21 26
23 Indiana 57.72 13 35
24 Virginia 56.85 24 22
25 South Dakota 55.15 30 25
26 Montana 54.95 20 34
27 Ohio 54.60 25 28
28 Kansas 54.21 26 29
29 Utah 53.66 36 21
30 Alaska 53.49 18 42
31 Pennsylvania 52.62 39 23
32 Michigan 52.50 28 33
33 Florida 52.32 35 27
34 North Carolina 52.25 34 32
35 Tennessee 49.01 27 43
36 Kentucky 48.86 33 41
37 Wyoming 48.76 37 37
38 Nevada 48.54 29 45
39 Georgia 48.47 40 36
40 Missouri 46.95 38 39
41 Arizona 46.47 45 31
42 Texas 45.67 44 38
43 New Mexico 45.39 41 40
44 Idaho 44.42 48 30
45 West Virginia 44.29 42 44
46 Oklahoma 40.62 43 50
47 Alabama 39.99 47 46
48 Arkansas 37.56 46 51
49 South Carolina 36.44 51 47
50 Mississippi 36.26 49 49
51 Louisiana 36.25 50 48

 

The ranking was based on the following factors:

Women’s Economic & Social Well-Being – Total Points: 60

  • Median Earnings for Female Workers: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)
  • Unemployment Rate for Women: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)
  • Job Security for Women: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)
  • Share of Women Living in Poverty: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)
  • Unaffordability of Doctor’s Visit: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)
  • Share of Women-Owned Businesses: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)
  • “Economic Clout” of Women-Owned Firms Rank: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)
  • High School Graduation Rate for Women: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)
  • Friendliness Toward Working Moms: Double Weight (~9.23 Points)
  • Friendliness Toward Women’s Equality: Double Weight (~9.23 Points)
  • Share of Women Who Voted in the 2016 Presidential Election: Full Weight (~4.62 Points)

Women’s Health Care & Safety – Total Points: 40

  • Quality of Women’s Hospitals: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Female Uninsured Rate: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Share of Women with Good or Better Health: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Women’s Preventive Health Care: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Share of Physically Active Women: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Share of Women Who Are Obese: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Baby-Friendliness: Double Weight (~5.71 Points)
  • Depression Rate for Women: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Suicide Rate for Women: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Women’s Life Expectancy at Birth: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Female Homicide Rate: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Prevalence of Rape Victimization Among Females: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)
  • Prevalence of Stalking Victimization Among Women: Full Weight (~2.86 Points)

What do you think the Carolinas should do to improve? 

Charlotte’s First Cicchetti Restaurant Concept Opening In Uptown This Summer

Charlotte Stories
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Charlotte’s First Cicchetti Restaurant Concept Opening In Uptown This Summer

Charlotte restaurateur Pierre Bader of Sonoma Restaurant Group is about to launch a new concept in Uptown Charlotte later this year. Cicchetti (pronounced “chee-KEH-tee”), a Venetian-style wine bar featuring classic cicchetti, or small Italian dishes, opening at the corner of North College and East Trade Streets in the Bank of America Corporate Center, in the former City Smoke location. City Smoke closed March 2 in preparation for renovations to the space.

The new spot will be an interpretation of the classic Venetian wine bar, or bacaro, a casual and convivial spot where locals gather beginning in the late afternoon to enjoy glasses of wine alongside savory finger foods, or cicchetti, exquisite small bites that are Venice’s answer to Spanish tapas or Turkish meze.

Bader has honed his palet through owning Aria Tuscan Grill and his extensive travels;

“I’ve enjoyed this concept when traveling,” explained Bader, “and believe it will be a welcome addition and fun option in the local bar and dining scene. The experience here could range from after-work or pre-dinner bites and drinks, to a leisurely meal of small Italian dishes over wine with friends, or a late evening nightcap and snacks.”

Cicchetti options will be extensive and ever-changing. Some examples of these shareable small plates include:

  • Pan-Fried Polpettine di Manzo (beef meatballs), a trademark cicchetto with minced beef, whipped potato, and speck
  • Baccalà Fritters (Italian-style salt cod)
  • Polenta Crostini with Salume and Warm Smoked Mozzarella
  • Sautéed Venetian Artichoke Salad with Asiago Cheese and Crisp Bruschetta
  • Mini Ricotta Frittata
  • Pan-Fried Lump Crabmeat Polpettine with Fresh Thyme, Parsley & Dried Chili
  • Venetian Chopped Liver Crostini with Sweet Onion, Sultanas, Pine Nuts & Crisp Prosciutto
  • Scallop Gratin with Olive Oil, Garlic, Fresh Parsley & Bread Crumbs
  • Carpaccio of Swordfish & Rocket Bruschetta
  • Aubergine Patties with Fresh Parsley, Garlic, Cumin, Fresh Lemon
  • Tramezzini (finger sandwiches on grilled ciabatta) such as:
    • Porchetta, Fire-Roasted Peppers & Gremolata Aioli
    • Smoked Salmon, Whipped Goat Cheese & Fresh Arugula Pesto
    • Rosemary Prosciutto Cotto, Sliced Hard-Boiled Egg & Truffle Aioli
  • A variety of charcuterie
  • A build-your-own bruschetta bar, with spreads like arugula pesto, cannellini bean puree, lemon-roasted eggplant, and roasted red pepper Parmigiano; and toppings such as fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, goat cheese, olives, fresh herbs, grilled shrimp, and porchetta

“The food will be authentic Italian, and the variety considerable,” continued Bader, “but the shining star will be our impressive wine selection, priced at retail to go, or to be plucked from the shelf and enjoyed in-house for a small corkage fee. We’ll also offer a full bar, from which you can order wine by the glass or bottle, a variety of beers on tap, or craft cocktails curated by local mixologist Bob Peters. These will include variations on classic Italian offerings like the Negroni and Venice’s own Spritz and Bellini.”

As a retail wine shop, Cicchetti will offer an all-world selection of wine by the bottle or case, with a focus on Italian options, as well as delivery within the Uptown footprint.

“Operations Manager and Wine Director Briana Cohen has been with our company for 22 years, and she’s developed into one of the foremost authorities on wine in this region, particularly of Italian producers,” stated Bader. “Her knowledge and passion will show in every aspect of Cicchetti’s wine program, from selection and display to staff training, customer education, and presentation. This will be an impressive and memorable wine bar experience.”

Architectural design firm Shook Kelley is handling renovations to the space, with Cicley Sullivan and Frank Quattrocchi as interior designers. The interior will feature a modern interpretation of the traditional Venetian bacaro.

“The design of the new Cicchetti space fuses Old World Italian with clean modern elements to bring a more traditional design into the modern age,” Sullivan elaborated. “Bold patterns, warm woods and metals, along with soft lighting and fabrics, provide warmth and character in the glass-enclosed, two-story space, creating intimate seating areas for sharing exquisite wines and small plates integral to the new concept.”

Cicchetti is slated for a June opening and will seat 81 customers at cocktail tables with chairs, settees, and banquettes, as well as 17 at the central bar. The restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday from mid-afternoon to late night.

Pierre Bader’s nearly 30-year local restaurant legacy includes Monticello in the Dunhill Hotel, Sonoma (in multiple locations), Arpa Tapas, Town (later Pie Town), Press Wine & Food, City Smoke, and Aria Tuscan Grill. When Monticello opened under Bader’s direction in 1991, it was the first restaurant in Charlotte dedicated to locally sourced foods.

Pierre is on-site at Aria most nights, greeting diners and often orchestrating the well-oiled pre-show rush at this favorite of Blumenthal Performing Arts Center show attendees. Sonoma Restaurant Group also operates a catering arm that exclusively services Founders Hall, as well as on- and off-site events.

This Charlotte Road Was Ranked As One Of The Deadliest In America

Steve
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This Charlotte Road Was Ranked As One Of The Deadliest In America

An especially busy stretch of one of Charlotte’s main highways was recently ranked 15th deadliest in America.

Out of the 164,000 miles of highways in America, the stretch of I-85 that runs through Charlotte has seen one of the highest levels of deaths-per-mile, according to a report by Teletrac Navman, maker of GPS tracking devices for vehicles.

Between 2011 and 2015, there were a total of 378 deaths along a 666 mile stretch of I-85, with the highest concentration of those deaths being in Charlotte;

The report also states that the most dangerous time and day to travel on I-85 through Charlotte is between 3-4pm on October 6th, and it lists ‘motor vehicles in transport’, pedestrians, and trees as the highest causes of death;

I-17 in Myrtle Beach also made the Top 25 list, coming in at #20 with a total of 521 deaths along a 1,206 mile stretch of the highway.

I-4 from Tampa to Daytona Beach was ranked as the #1 most deadly highway in America, with a total of 165 deaths along a 132 mile stretch of the highway.

You can see the entire report by Teletrac Navman here.

New Panthers Owner To Build Giant Bubble Over Practice Field

Steve Peters
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New Panthers Owner To Build Giant Bubble Over Practice Field

Next year, the Carolina Panthers are expected to have a brand new indoor practice facility, called the Bubble, which should be finished before the start of preseason.

In a letter sent out to all season ticket holders, new Panthers owner David Tepper talked about the new ‘bubble’ facility as well as additional changes to the Panthers Stadium.

“At this point, given our practice field and what other people have in the league, we’re falling behind a little bit,” noted Tepper. “The Bubble is our first of several planned infrastructure projects and will be followed by enhancements to Bank of America Stadium and a new permanent practice facility and campus in the future.”

Last year the Panthers had to practice in all kinds of negative conditions, from soggy fields, to snow, to freezing rain. The rainfall before Christmas was so bad that the team was forced to practice in an open event space inside the Charlotte Convention Center.

The Bubble will be a short term solution to the Panthers indoor practice facility needs. No word yet about any new permanent facility.

NC Wildlife Resources Commission Approves 43 Rule Changes For 2019

Steve
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NC Wildlife Resources Commission Approves 43 Rule Changes For 2019

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has just voted to approve 43 out of the 44 proposed rule changes related to wildlife management, fisheries, game lands and law enforcement that will go into effect on August 1st, 2019.

The ratified new rules will be available in the N.C. Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest for 2019–2020, which will become available on August 1,
2019 from your licensing agent and on eregulations.com/northcarolina.

A few of the new rule changes include;

  • F17. Prohibit the possession or take of Grass Carp on the North Carolina portion of
    John H. Kerr Reservoir and Lake Norman except for scientific study by permit issued
    by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
  • H3. Open fox squirrel hunting in all 100 counties (versus 27 counties currently open) and extend the season to close on January 31, instead of December 31.
  • H5. Modify the rule specifying allowed archery equipment to: a) define archery
    equipment, b) specify allowed uses for archery equipment utilizing an elastic
    string, c) add elk, alligators, and feral swine to broadhead and minimum pull
    requirements, and d) eliminate the prohibition of barbed arrowheads.

The only rule change not approved was F10 – which would have removed the crappie in the B. Everett Jordan Reservoir by reducing the minimum size limit from 10″ down to 8″.

You can read the full text of all proposed regulations here – 2019-2020 Public Hearings booklet.

What do you think about the new rules?

Charlotte Ranked As Having The 9th Fastest Growing Rental Rate In America

Charlotte Stories
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Charlotte Ranked As Having The 9th Fastest Growing Rental Rate In America
Rental website ApartmentList.com just released their March 2019 rental report, with good news for apartment developers and bad news for renters.
The report ranked Charlotte as having as having the 9th fastest growing rental rates in America among large cities;
Over the past month, rents in the Queen City have shown an increase of 0.2%, and 3.0% compared to the same time last year. Currently, median rents in Charlotte stand at $970 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,130 for a two-bedroom. This is now the 4th straight month that we’ve seen rent increases after a decline in October of last year. Charlotte’s year-over-year rent growth leads the state average of 2.6%, as well as the national average of 0.9%.
Some additional highlights from the report include:
  • Rents in Charlotte are up 3.0% over the past year compared to our national rent index growth of 0.9% over the past year.
  • Since 2014, rents in Charlotte have grown by 20.3%, outpacing the national average of 13.0%.
  • The median rent for a 2BR apartment in Charlotte is currently $1,128 compared to the national average of $1,174.

What are your thoughts on Charlotte’s rental prices?

NC Natural Gas Customers Will Soon See a Decrease In Their Bills

Steve Peters
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NC Natural Gas Customers Will Soon See a Decrease In Their Bills

Natural gas users in North Carolina are about to see their bills decrease after the NC Utilities Commission approved Piedmont Natural Gas’s recent request to reduce the company’s benchmark gas price.

Their Feb. 15th petition requested a reduction of the benchmark price from $3.75 down to $2.75 per dekatherm.

According to a statement from the company, residential customers in our state can expect to see a bill reduction of $5 per month, on average.

The savings won’t last long, however, as Piedmont also petitioned for a general rate increase on their delivery charges, which have also been approved and are set to go in effect later this year.

After the benchmark decrease and rate increase, North Carolina customers will likely see marginally higher bills next winter.

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