North Carolina Was Just Ranked ‘The Best State For Business’ for 2018

Charlotte Stories
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North Carolina Was Just Ranked ‘The Best State For Business’ for 2018

Forbes has just released their ranking of “The Best States For Business 2018” and the Tar Heel state landed on top…for the second year in a row.

To determine the ranking, Forbes crunched the numbers on 41 metrics across six main categories, including; business costs, regulatory environment, economic climate, growth prospects, and overall quality of life. North Carolina was the only state in the nation to rank in the top 12 in all 6 categories (click here for their full methodology).

Some of the most significant factors in our #1 ranking included our state’s labor, energy and tax costs being the second lowest in the country, and our 3% corporate tax rate, which is currently the lowest in the country.

We also feature one of the highest educated labor supplies in the country, with a steady supply of graduates from 53 colleges and universities, including top-ranked Duke University, UNCC, and Davidson.

Here is the top 10 list of the best states in America for business, along with their ranking in each of the 6 major categories:

Rank State Business
Costs
Rank		 Labor
Supply
Rank		 Regulatory
Environment
Rank		 Economic
Climate
Rank		 Growth
Prospects
Rank		 Quality of
Life
Rank		 Population
#1 North Carolina 2 11 8 12 10 12 10,273,400
#2 Utah 22 2 4 8 5 17 3,101,800
#3 Texas 3 13 25 3 1 9 28,304,600
#4 Virginia 28 3 1 27 16 1 8,470,000
#5 Nebraska 8 19 2 20 19 11 1,920,100
#6 Georgia 20 14 7 5 9 24 10,429,400
#7 Florida 35 14 9 4 2 13 20,984,400
#8 Colorado 40 1 21 2 7 21 5,607,200
#9 Washington 21 4 31 6 3 32 7,405,700
#10 Minnesota 38 7 19 11 20 3 5,576,600

 

North Carolina’s future is also looking very promising – our population is growing at twice the national average, and our job growth and GSP growth is expected to rank among the best in the nation over the next 5 years.

What are your thoughts on North Carolina’s business climate in 2018 and beyond?

Gaston County’s “Christmas Town USA” Nominated For Best Holiday Lights Display in America

Steve
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Gaston County’s “Christmas Town USA” Nominated For Best Holiday Lights Display in America

McAdenville, NC (aka ‘Christmas Town USA’) has just been nominated by USA Today as a contender for America’s “Best Public Holiday Lights Display“.

The stunning 1.3-mile light display winds through Gaston County’s smallest town and features over half a million Christmas lights on over 375 trees (not counting what the residents themselves do).

Over 600,000 people visit in over 300,000 vehicles each year, creating huge traffic backups all along several exits on I-85.

USA Today describes McAdenville by saying:

McAdenville is nicknamed Christmas Town USA for a good reason. Every winter, this small town in North Carolina transforms into a festive, twinkling wonderland, dotted with thousands of lights, dramatic displays and a spirited Main Street. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Christmas Town USA every December to drive through the 1.3-mile-long route through breathtaking holiday displays. McAdenville’s Christmas Town tradition dates way back to the ‘50s. 

The tiny Gaston County town is currently at #5 on the leaderboard.

Please help McAdenville reach #1 by voting here.

Parts of North Carolina Have Now Become An Icy Wonderland

Steve
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Parts of North Carolina Have Now Become An Icy Wonderland

Yesterday our state saw some of its lowest November tempuratures in decades as a major cold front swept through our region.

The unique weather phenomina even caused the Carolinas to be colder than Maine, Oregon, and even parts of Alaska.

When the frigid tempuratures mixed with early morning dew and light percipitation in the mountains, the results were both stunningly beautiful and potentially deadly;

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!

Charlotte’s Novel Noda Is Blurring The Lines Between Apartment Community and Cultural Hub

Steve
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Charlotte’s Novel Noda Is Blurring The Lines Between Apartment Community and Cultural Hub

One of Charlotte’s hottest apartment communities is going to incredible lengths to bring together Noda residents. They’re starting to look more like Noda’s newest cultural hub than just another apartment community.

Over this past summer, we were given the privilege of touring the massive community, participating in some of their festivities, and speaking with several of the new residents;

Rents at Novel range from $1,195 per month for a studio to $2,420 for a sprawling 2-bedroom with skyline views and unlimited use of some of the nicest amenities in Charlotte.

Novel features a luxurious saltwater pool, several community lounges, beer garden courtyard with a custom cornhole court and bbq grills, state-of-the-art fitness center, and a breathtaking ‘rooftop skyline terrace’. They also offer residents a stocked workshop with a bike repair stand, work surface and tools for DIY projects, gallery walls for local artists, and a complete pet spa with washing tubs, a grooming table, and hair dryers.

Adding to the plethora of amenities is Novel’s proximity to all that Noda has to offer. There’s continuous live music, tons of shops, restaurants, and breweries – and Novel will soon be adding their own retail to the community.

Asana Partners purchased the retail areas of the Novel Noda development and over the past year, they’ve been constructing NoDa’s newest retail locations, including 7,600 square feet of new retail on the ground floor of Novel, and 22,000 square feet in a separate building that faces 36th st.;

The new retail at Novel Noda will include Wooden Robot, Idlewild Cocktail Lounge, a salon, several restaurants, and more.

“We’ve long-viewed a street-level experience alive with shops and restaurants as a most-complementary amenity,” commented Michael Tubridy, managing director of Crescent Communities.

Check out more about the community-centric new development at NovelNoda.com

Google Offering It’s Own TV Service In Charlotte For $35/Month

Steve
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Google Offering It’s Own TV Service In Charlotte For $35/Month

youtube-livetv-in-charlotteGoogle is offering an upgraded ‘YouTube TV’ service for $35/month in 10 new cities, including; Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando.

The service lets users live stream ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, regional sports networks and cable networks instantly, in real-time, on their phones, computers, or smart TVs. It’s aimed at so-called “cord cutters” – people who are trying to get rid of their cable/satellite TV subscriptions.

Google said that they’re specifically targeting younger viewers (YouTube’s current user base), as well as the slightly older millennial group. According to their blog post, “YouTube TV was built for the YouTube generation that loves live TV but wants it delivered in a way that suits their mobile and flexible lifestyles. In fact, we see more Millennials using YouTube TV than any other generational group. Now – with this expansion – millions more people will be able to stream their favorite live sports and must-see shows from top broadcast and cable networks.”

The live-streaming YouTube TV first launched back in April in 5 of Youtube’s biggest target markets, including; San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.

The new upgraded YouTube TV service is now available in Charlotte on TV.Youtube.com. You can also click here to learn about recent updates to traditional cable/satellite TV services.

Popular Children’s Art Studio Secures First Fort Mill Location

Charlotte Stories
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Popular Children’s Art Studio Secures First Fort Mill Location

Children in one of the fastest growing cities in the country will soon have a colorful new art studio in which to let their imaginations soar!

Small Hands Big Art, the wildly popular Charlotte, NC based children’s art studio, is expanding its footprint with a Fort Mill, SC location in the sought-after Kingsley Town Center development. Kingsley is home to two large corporate headquarters, two hotels, residential over retail shops & restaurants, and a large lake & amphitheater.

The newest Small Hands Big Art location, throwing open its doors with its Grand Opening celebration on December 8, 2018 from 10am-2pm, is owned and operated by Jen and Morris Lumpkin. For the Lumpkins, long-term residents of Fort Mill’s Baxter Village community, being able to offer families an award-winning art enrichment program fills a big void in the rapidly growing area.

“We’ve lived in Fort Mill since 2006, and have felt the growing need for more options and higher quality enrichment programs for our kids. Our girls have been long-time students of the Small Hands Big Art studio in South Charlotte, where some of our most cherished art on display in our home was created. We really wanted to bring that type of creative outlet and programming closer to home.” said Jen Lumpkin, a former Fort Mill preschool teacher.

For Jennifer Bryant, founder of Small Hands Big Art, the Lumpkins are the perfect entrepreneurs to spearhead the expansion of a children’s art studio franchise brand that she and her team have worked hard to build.

Bryant explains, “Since we opened in 2009, it’s never been about turning kids into ‘good artists’. Our #1 goal is providing a vibrant space where kids feel welcome, valued as unique individuals, and free to explore their creative whimsy. We value the process over the finished product. We’ve found that with the right inspiration and encouragement, their imaginations literally know no bounds!”

Signature programs offered by Small Hands Big Art include hour-long weekly classes, week long half-day summer camps, special workshops & parties. Everything is modeled around a fine-art inspired curriculum infused with a modern, contemporary spin. Holiday workshops, School’s Out Camps, and offsite programs round out the programming. Programs are available for ages 18 months to 15 yrs. Online enrollment for “Getting to Know You” classes and special holiday events at the new Fort Mill location is open on the studio’s website.

The new Fort Mill Small Hands Big Art studio will be located at 1365 Broadcloth St., Suite 105, Fort Mill, SC

It’s Currently Colder In Charlotte Than In Bangor Maine and Montreal Canada

Steve
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It’s Currently Colder In Charlotte Than In Bangor Maine and Montreal Canada

A massive cold front is sweeping down from the Midwest and bringing freezing temperatures to the Carolinas.

We’re currently feeling a frigid 26° in Charlotte this morning, compared to a pleasant 35° in Bangor, Maine;

The unique cold front that’s pushed down to the South East is actually making Charlotte colder than most of the country, including Washington, Oregon, Montana, and even parts of Canada;

The high pressure band will begin to dissipate later today and we should be back in the 50s by tomorrow afternoon.

The Charlotte Region Generated Over $6.7 Billion in Visitor Spending Last Year

Steve
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The Charlotte Region Generated Over $6.7 Billion in Visitor Spending Last Year

Open Streets 704 charlotte stories nodaVisitor spending hit record highs again in Mecklenburg County and the Charlotte region in 2017, continuing to surpass all other tourism-centric destinations in the Carolinas. In 2017, the Charlotte region hosted approximately 28.3 million visitors, an increase of 500,000 from 2016, according to research firm Longwoods International. The Charlotte region also continues to boast the largest number of direct tourism employees and the largest payroll in the state. The leisure and hospitality industry represents 1 in 9 or 136,300 jobs and is the fourth largest industry in the Charlotte region, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“We look forward to seeing this data every year because it tells the story of the profound impact of tourism in the Charlotte region,” says Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO Tom Murray. “Charlotte’s visitor economy has grown every year since 2010, continuing to fuel job growth, provide tax savings for residents and help improve the quality of life for our entire community.”

The table below shows in detail the breakdown of the most recent visitor spending data in North Carolina counties (2017) and South Carolina counties (2016) in the Charlotte region, defined here as the Charlotte Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The employment directly supported by visitor spending is also highlighted.

County Visitor Spending (millions) Employment   Payroll (millions) State & Local
Tax Collections (millions)		 Population**    Tax Savings by Resident***
Mecklenburg $5,381.42 52,250 $1,938.56 $387.61 1,076,837 $359.95
Cabarrus $446.84 4,580 $106.14 $33.45 206,872 $161.69
Gaston $261.75 2,000 $44.60 $19.35 220,182 $87.88
Iredell $256.88 1,960 $42.87 $22.11 175,711 $125.83
Rowan $174.79 1,450 $30.73 $15.00 140,644 $106.65
Union $139.75 1,080 $23.47 $10.29 231,666 $44.42
Lincoln $56.60 400 $9.79 $4.86 82,403 $58.98
York* $226.80 2,150 $40.31 $21.32 245,606 $86.81
Lancaster* $31.86 280 $5.11 $2.96 83,704 $35.36
Chester* $24.91 220 $4.04 $2.20 32,435 $67.83
2017 Total Charlotte MSA $7,001.60 66,370 $2,245.62 $519.15 2,496,060 $207.99
(Average MSA)
2016 Total Charlotte MSA $6,730.23 64,610 $2,071.38 $499.57 2,454,856 $203.50
(Average MSA)
YOY Percent Change +4% +2.7% +8.4% +3.9% +1.7% +2.2%

 

You can find out more specific data on 2017 visitor spending in our state on VisitNC.com

The City of Charlotte Is Now Asking All Homeowners To ‘Band’ Their Trees

Steve
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The City of Charlotte Is Now Asking All Homeowners To ‘Band’ Their Trees

Last spring, Charlotte residents got a welcome reprieve from the annual onslaught of cankerworms dangling from trees and clinging to hair, clothing and everything else in their path. No one knows for sure why they vanished, but city arborists believe cankerworms are still a threat to Charlotte’s trees, especially large oaks.

The City of Charlotte just sent out a press release this morning asking all residents to band their trees as soon as possible.

How to Band a Tree

Step 1: Install a two-inch strip of cotton or insulation around the tree at least three feet from the ground and the lowest limb.
Step 2: Position a band of roofing felt over the strip and attach it to the trees with the staple gun.  Avoid using staples on small, young or thin barked trees. Instead use electrical tape to hold the bands.
Step 3: Using disposable gloves and a putty knife, put a film of Tanglefoot™(glue) directly on the band, approximately 1/8″ thick.
In order to be effective, all trees need to be banded. The worms feed on all types of trees. Large trees (taller than a two-story house) are the main focus of banding. Small trees can also be banded.”

Click here for tree band supplies – if we join together, we can save our beautiful canopy!

Amy’s House of Hope Built In Honor of Late Charlotte Evangelist

Steve
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Amy’s House of Hope Built In Honor of Late Charlotte Evangelist

I first met Amy Lambert in 2012 as she was in the process of moving to Charlotte and organizing a massive event at Memorial Stadium in Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood.

The event featured P.O.D., Brian ‘Head’ Welch of KORN, THI’SL, a free Harley giveaway, and dozens of local non-profits, ministries, rehab centers, and counseling services;

After Charlotte’s Invasion, Amy decided to make the Queen City her permanent home. She continued to plan stadium events around the country, but she spent most of the next 5 years caring for the homeless of our city.

Her heart for the hurting and broken gripped me to the core and I often found myself joining her on the streets, shelters, and hospitals of Charlotte to love on the homeless.

In 2014, Amy joined up with Fred Kinder, founder of “warm a heart, give a bed“, to distribute sleeping bags around Charlotte during the cold winter months;

This past January, Amy Lambert tragically passed away at the young age of 33 (Obituary for Amy Elizabeth Lambert).

Fred Kinder, along with many of Amy’s friends and family members, decided to honor Amy’s life and ministry by building a new center for the hurting, to be named “Amy’s House of Hope”.

Their most recent video update shows the progress of the building and ministry;

Kinder said while the ministry would help the homeless, it will not be a homeless shelter.

“It’s not going to be just for the homeless. The homeless is included in this, too,” he said. “It’s going to be a place for people who don’t have enough income to eat. We’re not going to be just feeding the homeless. A lot of people are spending their money on their rent, their house, their electric bill, but they don’t have enough to eat.”

Kinder is now planning on opening Amy’s House of Hope by the end of this year.

This Giving Tuesday, please consider donating to help fund Amy’s House of Hope – Facebook and Paypal will match all donations given today (up to $7 million for all charities);

Thank you for all the lives you’ve touched – I will never forget you Amy…

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