4.4 Magnitude Earthquake Rocked The Charlotte Region Last Night

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4.4 Magnitude Earthquake Rocked The Charlotte Region Last Night

Last night a massive 4.4 magnitude earthquake rocked our region, knocking books off of shelves and waking deep sleepers from their beds.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake had an epicenter of 9 Km under Decatur, TN. Even though this is about 250 miles west of Charlotte, it still shocked people all around the Charlotte region;

The earthquake was so strong that it was even felt as far away as Tampa, FL, Kansas City, and New York City.

Here’s the USGA’s ‘did you feel it’ map from last night’s quake;

It was the second strongest ever recorded in Eastern Tennessee;

Earthquakes have been increasing in frequency around the Charlotte region over the past few years, about a year ago, we saw a 2.9 magnitude quake hit Asheville and a 2.1 magnitude quake that struck Bryson City, NC.

The Carolinas have been known to experience the occasional damage-causing earthquakes.

According to USGS.gov, “The largest earthquake in the area (magnitude 5.1) occurred in 1916. Moderately damaging earthquakes strike the inland Carolinas every few decades, and smaller earthquakes are felt about once each year or two.”

Did you feel last night’s quake? 

Charlotte Giving Away $20,000 In Grants To Help Foster Relationships With Our Sister Cities

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Charlotte Giving Away $20,000 In Grants To Help Foster Relationships With Our Sister Cities

The Charlotte International Cabinet has just announced it’s annual sister cities grants.

The cabinet will be giving 4 local non-profit organizations $5,000 each to help foster our relationships with our sister cities around the world.

One grant will be awarded for each of the following categories;

  • Community-wide engagement event: this would include public forums, festivals, concerts, etc. These types of projects would be entirely open to the public. These events are not required to be free of charge but entry fee should be no more than $20.
  • Hosting a visiting Sister City group: Organizations can submit a grant application for the costs of hosting a Sister City. Submission should include details of how the visiting group will be introduced to Charlotte history and culture as well as how visitors will participate in exchanges with Charlotteans.
  • Project submitted by public or not-for-profit K-12 schools: To open opportunities this category is dedicated to funding projects managed by K-12 public schools. The project awarded in this category is exempt from the matching funds requirement. This project will receive funding in installments to ease the financial burden.
  • Innovative projects: Organizations should submit in this category if the project explores creative ways to build relationships with our Sister Cities.
    Application deadlines
Charlotte’s Sister City relationships are run by committees of volunteers. The City encourages citizen diplomacy and direct contact with our sister cities through educational, cultural and civic exchanges. The City of Charlotte is a Member of Sister Cities International. Each of our sister Cities has a Facebook group that you can join corresponding to each of our sister cities;

Arequipa, Peru (Ah-Reh-KEEP-Ah)
Charlotte’s first Sister City. Arequipa became our Sister City in 1962
Charlotte – Arequipa Sister City Relationship on Facebook

Krefeld, Germany (Kreh-feld)
Krefeld became a Sister City in 1985
Charlotte – Krefeld Sister City Relationship on Facebook

Baoding, People’s Republic of China (Bow-ding) 
Baoding became our Sister City in 1987
Charlotte – Baoding Sister City Relationship on Facebook

Voronezh, Russia (Vah-ROH-nesh) 
Voronezh became our Sister City in 1991
Charlotte – Voronezh Sister City Relationship on Facebook

Limoges, France (Leem-OGE with a soft g)
Limoges became our Sister City in 1992
Charlotte – Limoges Sister City Relationship on Facebook

Wrocław, Poland (VROTS-wahv)
Wrocław became our Sister City in 1993
Charlotte – Wrocław Sister City Relationship on Facebook

Kumasi, Ghana (Koo-MA-si)  Kumasi became our Sister City in 1995
Charlotte – Kumasi Sister City Relationship on Facebook

Hadera, Israel (Ha-DER-a)
Charlotte signed a declaration of intent to become twinned with Hadera in 2008.

Applications for the sister city grants can be submitted online here from December 10th through February 1st. Grant awardees will be announced at the February Charlotte International Cabinet Meeting.

Court Freezes Progress on Duke Energy’s 600 Mile Pipeline Due To Endangered Species

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Court Freezes Progress on Duke Energy’s 600 Mile Pipeline Due To Endangered Species

Duke Energy and Dominion Energy have just hit a major roadblock in their progress of building a massive 600-mile pipeline through the heart of North Carolina.

The pipeline would start in the fracking fields of West Virginia, wind through Virginia and North Carolina, and end at the bottom of our state. It would collect natural gas from several stations along the route, and distribute it across the 3 states.

The energy partnership claims  the pipeline would add, “17,000 new jobs, $377 million in annual energy cost savings, $28 million in new local tax revenue and the revitalization of the region’s manufacturing economy.”

Since its initial announcement, however, it’s faced continued opposition from environmental groups, community organizations, and government regulators alike.

This past Friday, all work on the pipeline came to an abrupt halt when The U.S. Court of Appeals suspended the federal permits due to the path of the pipeline traveling through the habitats of 4 separate endangered species: a bee, a bat, a mussel and a crustacean.

Several environmental group’s submit legal briefs claiming that pipeline construction will harm the endangered species in a number of ways. The clubshell mussel would be buried alive by dredging and grading. Digging and blasting could crush or trap the Madison cave isopod. The rusty-patched bumblebee would be injured and/or killed by tree felling. And tree clearing would force pregnant female bats to change their flight routes, exposing them to predators.

While the bat’s habitat covers the greatest along the pipeline’s path, the endangered bumble bee is in the most precarious position of the affected species.

“RPBB is on the brink of extinction,” according to the environmental legal brief. “Its populations have have plummeted 88 percent since the 1990s.”

Duke Energy will now have to prove that they will take the necessary measures to protect the endangered species before they are able to continue.

The Panthers Could Still Win The Super Bowl….technically

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The Panthers Could Still Win The Super Bowl….technically

While it may be hard to believe after a 5 game losing streak, the Carolina Panthers do still have a chance at a Super Bowl win this year, albeit, a very slim one…

Before winning the Super Bowl, they’d first have to make it to and win the playoffs.

The Panthers currently have a 6-7 record and are sitting at the #7 spot in the NFC, with only 6 teams making it to the playoffs, they would have to advance past one of the following teams:

  • Saints @ 11-2
  • Rams @ 11-2
  • Bears @ 9-4
  • Cowboys @ 8-5
  • Seahawks @ 7-5
  • Vikings @ 6-5

The Panthers still have 3 games left – 2 against the Saints and 1 against the Falcons. If they win all 3 games, they will be 9-7, meaning several of the above teams would still have to lose a couple games, and the Redskins and Eagles (also currently both 6-7) would have to perform worse than the Panthers for them to make the top 6.

Oh, and the Giants, Lions, and Bucs are all at 5-8, and the Packers are at 5-7, so they’re all also, theoretically, kind of, sort of, in the running.

Hey…we did it back in 2014.

Go Panthers! 

Winter Storm Kills One Person In Matthews After Tree Falls On Truck

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Winter Storm Kills One Person In Matthews After Tree Falls On Truck

One person has now died in the Charlotte area from Winter Storm Diego.

The tragedy occurred yesterday at about 4pm in the afternoon near the intersection of E. John St. and Charles Buckley Way in Matthews when a tree fell on a truck and killed the driver and injured the passenger.

According to Medic, paramedics pronounced the driver deceased on the scene and the passenger was rushed to the hospital with minor injuries.

East John Street was temporarily closed in both directions while emergency crews the incident.

The identity of the person has not yet been released.

Volaris Taking Inaugural Direct Flight Between Charlotte and Guadalajara This Week

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Volaris Taking Inaugural Direct Flight Between Charlotte and Guadalajara This Week

Volaris, the ultra-low-cost Mexican airline operating in Mexico, the United States and Central America, is about to take its inaugural international route from Guadalajara to Charlotte.

Volaris consistently focuses on reaching the destinations sought by its customer base, and increasing connectivity between Mexico and the United States. As a part of this effort, beginning on December 13th, 2018, Volaris customers will be able to fly directly between Charlotte and Guadalajara. In their press release, the company says that Charlotte is recognized for its award-winning museums and lush tropical gardens.

“In the Volaris family, we think about the needs and destinations that our customers most seek. Therefore, we continue to expand point-to-point connectivity at a national and international level, and with this new route we strengthen our presence in the United States,” said Miguel Aguiñiga, Distribution and Market Development Director for Volaris.

The inaugural flight from Guadalajara International to Charlotte Douglas arrives at 6:02 p.m. and departs at 7:42 p.m. on Thursday, December 13.

Tickets are on sale at promotional rates thanks to the advance purchase and the “Clean Rate” scheme, where Clients only pay for the services they need. You can now purchase your tickets through the Volaris website at volaris.com.

Charlotte Just Witnessed Its Snowiest December 9th in Recorded History

Steve
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Charlotte Just Witnessed Its Snowiest December 9th in Recorded History

Winter Storm Diego is now finishing up its attack on the Carolinas, and while it certainly wasn’t as bad as the National Weather Service feared, it did result in downed trees, power outages, vehicle accidents, and a number of broken snowfall records.

Mecklenburg and Gaston Counties saw the most downed trees and accidents due to the high volume of sleet and freezing rain;

 

View this post on Instagram

 

So this happened during the ice storm. No one was hurt and the house suffered no damage. Time to Paul bunyan this bad boy. #gettochopping

A post shared by Justus (@molten_universe) on

Although most of the precipitation in Charlotte was sleet and freezing rain, we still broke a snowfall record.

The Queen City received a total of 2.7 inches of snowfall yesterday, making December 2018 the snowiest December since 1997 (when we received a total of 2.9 inches for the month), and the snowiest December 9th in Charlotte’s history (breaking the previous Dec. 9th record of 0.4 inches back in 1989);

Asheville saw a total of 11.1 inches of snow yesterday, its 3rd highest December snowfall on record and Raleigh received a total of 7 inches, the highest December snowfall total in over 60 years.

The highest snowfall amount in North Carolina was 18.5 inches, recorded in Saluda, NC, about 80 miles west of Charlotte and 30 miles south of Asheville.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Estimate 16″ so far. Temporarily not snowing

A post shared by Sam Craig (@craiglawfirm) on

Did you stay safe during Winter Storm Diego?

Governor Cooper Calls A State of Emergency Due To Impending Winter Storm

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Governor Cooper Calls A State of Emergency Due To Impending Winter Storm

Governor Roy Cooper has just called for A State of Emergency for North Carolina ahead of this weekend’s major winter storm.

Yesterday, he called the following press conference and said the following;

“This storm comes at a time of year when North Carolinians are hearing Christmas carols about snow and not actually seeing it,” Cooper said. “But this time, the real thing is headed our way – The winter storm is not a Christmas carol snow, it’s serious.”

According to state officials, the Charlotte region can now expect to see between 6-12 inches of snow/sleet accumulation over the next few days;

In preparation of the storm, the NCDOT has prepared 3,000 staff, 2,400 snow plow trucks, and over 135,000 tons of salt to deploy across our state once the snow starts falling.

North Carolina Emergency Management officials are now urging all residents to: 

Please help spread the word! 

The Mill in South End Is Looking To Become The New Standard For “Heads-Down” Coworking

Steve
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The Mill in South End Is Looking To Become The New Standard For “Heads-Down” Coworking

One of Charlotte’s newest co-working establishments is slowly becoming the new model for the growing co-working trend here in the Queen City.

The Mill co-working is setting themselves apart with their “focused ‘heads-down’ atmosphere”. Members have the freedom to focus on their work distraction-free, with cozy smaller spaces, scheduled private rooms, a limited membership, and productivity-driven furnishing and finishes throughout the facility.

The unique space was built into the side of the historic Atherton Mill building in South End, just steps from Not Just Coffee, Luna’s Living Kitchen, Big Ben British Restaurant & Irish Pub, Vin Master, O-Ku Sushi, and Atherton Market.

Members of The Mill enjoy private community events, Enderly Coffee brewed fresh daily, free parking, WiFi, and printing, conference rooms, and plenty of inspiration and collaboration.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics now estimates that by 2020 over 65 million Americans (40% of the workforce) will be freelancers, temps, independent contractors, and start-up entrepreneurs. With traditional office spaces too expensive, and home offices too lonely, co-working spaces like The Mill will continue to fill the new growing demand.

Their limits for both desks and flex membership are almost filled up, so check out the Mill’s website here or follow them on Instagram here if you’re interested in possible joining them.

Amazon Expanding Same-Day Delivery Hours For Last-Minute Charlotte Christmas Shoppers

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Amazon Expanding Same-Day Delivery Hours For Last-Minute Charlotte Christmas Shoppers

Amazon has just announced that their ultra-fast ‘Prime Now‘ delivery service is expanding delivery time for Charlotte residents right up until 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 24 – coming to the rescue for last-minute holiday shoppers.

Customers in Charlotte can shop their favorite ugly Christmas sweaters and seasonal décor, in addition to an array of gift options – everything from gifts she’ll love to fun white elephant gifts to last-minute stocking stuffers – even get beer, wine, or liquor delivered right to your door on Christmas eve.

Amazon Prime members can also order thousands of natural and organic products from Whole Foods Markets and have them delivered right to their doors in less than an hour.

Prime Now offers Prime members free two-hour delivery windows for delivery by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 24 when they order by 9:00 p.m. local time. Through Prime Now, customers receive free two-hour delivery and one-hour delivery for a fee. Prime members can shop on Amazon.com or download the Prime Now app, available on iOS and Android devices, and receive real-time status updates on their order.

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