Charlotte just took another step toward embracing the Cannabis Industry.

Lifted, an Elevated Experience, is a new CBD Dispensary located inside 15th Street Market.

Located in the Optimist Park neighborhood, just outside of Uptown Charlotte, this Dispensary & Market combo is the first of its kind for the Queen City.

The market features a rotating selection of local beers on tap and in the bottle, as well as plenty of snacks.

The dispensary will be centered around the highest quality hemp flower, tinctures, topicals, edibles, concentrates, and vapes.

They even offer CBD-infused dog treats;

Lifted co-founders Adam Cozzolino and Matt Houser have hand-picked, researched, and tested every item in the dispensary and are excited to bring top-notch products to the Charlotte area.

“We use patented machines to Cold Press USDA Certified Organic hemp at 20,000 pounds per square inch, never using any heat, solvents or CO2 in our extraction process,” commented Houser (who also owns Tar Heal Pharms). “By doing things this way, it allows all beneficial fibers, including natural, rich terpenes, chlorophyll and phytonutrients to remain intact. We never add any additional ingredients, flavors or preservatives to any of our full spectrum oils.”

Lifted CLT is also the first CBD dispensary in Charlotte that sources the majority of their products directly from organic farmers around the country.

“We believe establishing relationships with the farmers themselves allows us to have first-hand quality assurance and to know exactly what is going into our flower.  We know the type of soil, nutrients, foliars, and water that is used on most of the farms we purchase from,” said Cozzolino. “These relationships also allow us the opportunity to grow with the farms with the hopes of longevity.”

The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill legalized Industrial Hemp containing CBD, paving the way for a new industry to open up in cities like Charlotte.

“We are excited to continue shining light on the Hemp industry without the legal gray area,” Cozzolino said. “We all love the plant, love learning about it, and continuing to see it change people’s lives for the better!”

Charlotte Lately (CL) just announced that former Panthers’ running back Jonathan Stewart and his wife Natalie have just purchased their platform from founder Courtney Schramm.

Schramm started Charlotte Lately as an Instagram page in 2015 to showcase Charlotte businesses. The brand soon expanded to include networking and community events; in 2018, it launched a print publication.

“From the beginning, Charlotte Lately had a loyal following of people who are not just followers, but are doers of this city,” said Schramm.

Two of those loyal followers and “doers” are Charlotte residents, Natalie and Jonathan Stewart, the latter of whom was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Stewart played for the Panthers for ten years; he currently plays for the New York Giants. Together, the Stewarts are passionate about Charlotte community initiatives including Inspire the Fire, Inc., the Charlotte-based non- profit committed to providing creative outlets for young people.

The couple’s fierce community involvement and action-oriented approach made them natural fits to lead the CL brand moving forward. “The Stewarts take action,” said Schramm. “They are sensitive to the issues people experience here in Charlotte; they want to see the city succeed, and they are committed to growing the brand in a way that celebrates authenticity, creativity and connection.”

Loyal CL fans need not worry – the Stewarts see themselves as stewards of Schramm’s vision and intentionality who are ready and eager to add their creative spin to the brand. “We will always strive to celebrate diversity, support local businesses, build strong, professional relationships,” says Natalie Stewart.

The brand, which includes the Instagram handle @Charlotte_Lately, local partnerships, networking events, and the print publication, will continue to share stories from Charlotte’s favorite places, people, and businesses; most importantly though, the Stewarts want it these stories to support Charlotte’s growth.

“Charlotte has been my home for over a decade, and I’m amazed by its growth,” says Jonathan Stewart. “Charlotte Lately is one of the first social platforms and print publications that offered a more diverse view of all of the things we have going on in Charlotte right now. In moving forward, we want to use Charlotte Lately to give others a platform to share their pride in our city, as well.”

Today we’ll finally start to see the weather warm back up into the mid-50s and even into the 60s by Friday – but don’t think that spring has sprung just yet. The polar vortex that’s been circling above Canada is about to send another major cold front our way.

Starting early next week, the Charlotte region will be seeing similar temperatures to what we saw earlier this week – and possibly even colder.

According to the NOAA, there’s over a 60% chance of seeing colder than average temperatures next week;

They’re also predicting almost an inch of precipitation that could turn into snow or freezing rain at night and early morning hours between the 24th and 26th;

Charlotte temperatures will mostly stay in the 40s during the day and 30s at night, and even into the 20s next weekend, according to the Weather Channel;

If you moved here from Ohio or New York (like myself), you may be rolling your eyes, but if you’re from Florida or California, you might need to make some changes to prepare for the coming winter temperatures.

To prepare your car, top off all your fluids, especially your oil, power steering fluid, and antifreeze. You’ll also want to check your tires and make sure your air pressure is over 32 PSI.

To prepare your home, make sure to drain all fountains and exterior water fixtures. Always let at least one of your faucets drip to avoid freezing pipes. Consider buying a humidifier if you’re sensitive to dry air. If you have an older home with older windows, investing in some shrink film insulation will save you a ton on your heating bill.

To prepare yourself, buy some thermal gloves, a warm hat, and a winter jacket. If you’re going to spend any length of time outside, you may even want to consider buying an electric heating jacket.

If you have a pet – make sure to read our article about how to keep your furry friend warm!

Children’s clothing retailer Gymboree has announced plans to file for bankruptcy and liquidate all 900 retail locations.

The liquidation includes 4 stores around the Charlotte area;

The parent company of Gymboree stores and outlets, Janie and Jack, and Crazy 8 is now expected to file for bankruptcy protection this week and begin liquidation of all stores within the coming months, The Wall Street Journal reports.

They also filed for a more optimistic bankruptcy back in June 2017 and closed roughly 400 stores in the process.

The UNC Charlotte Office of Identity, Equity, and Engagement will host the University’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, which honors the life, work, and legacy of Dr. King. The program also will feature recognition of campus partners and a candle lighting ceremony.

As part of the festivities, Dorothy Counts-Scoggins will discuss her experience as one of the first African American students to integrate Harding High School in 1957. Her talk, which is free and open to the public is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 22 in the Cone University Center, McKnight Hall.

The UNC Charlotte community is encouraged to participate in the following events as part of the University’s MLK Celebration:

March and Speak Out – Tuesday, Jan 15

Participants will march from Cato Hall to the Popp Martin Student Union from noon to 2 p.m., where members of the UNC Charlotte community can share their thoughts on MLK Jr. and injustices that have occurred in local communities and how their comments relate to the theme, “Thinking of a Better Tomorrow.”

MLK Day of Service – Friday, Jan. 25

Honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by volunteering within the Charlotte community. There will be a luncheon from noon to 12:30 p.m. at the Popp Martin Student Union Rotunda with the service opportunities between 1 and 4 p.m.; volunteers can sign up to help with one of the following:

• Promising Pages
• Habitat for Humanity
• Charlotte Community Toolbank
• Crisis Assistance Ministry
• Second Harvest Food Bank

About Dorothy Counts-Scoggins

On the first day of school in 1957, Dorothy Counts-Scoggins was met with an angry crowd of students and adults. She was pushed, spat on and endured racial slurs as she walked toward Harding High School. Students taunted her by throwing sticks and stones as she walked into the building. While in the classroom Counts-Scoggins was relegated to the back of the classroom, where teachers and administrators ignored her presence.

A local civil rights icon, Counts-Scoggins is retired from Child Care Resources Inc., a private nonprofit care resource and referral agency that works with families and communities to help high-quality and affordable early education opportunities. She continues to be active in her community, Biddleville-Smallwood, as a speaker at local schools.