North Carolina Zoo Announces Red Wolf Pup Names Chosen by the Public

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The North Carolina Zoo is excited to announce the names of the six red wolf pups (four females, two males) born on the guest view habitat to first-time parents Flint (male) and Sassy.

The public was invited to vote in an online poll from a list of names provided by the Zoo’s red wolf keepers. The names are based on rivers in the Southeastern U.S. where critically endangered red wolves used to range. The naming poll had over 6,500 responses.

The chosen names are Eno, Harper, Pearl, Warrior, Fisher, Catawba.

The names to choose from were Catawba, Edisto, Haw, Harper, Warrior, Eno, Fisher, Pearl, Waccamaw, and Swannanoa.

The pups were born as part of the Zoo’s red wolf breeding program. There were three litters totaling 12 pups born during three days from April 28 to April 30 (the other two litters pups’ names will be announced soon). This brings the number of red wolves currently in the Zoo’s breeding program to 35, making it the second-largest pack in the U.S. after Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington.

Only 15-20 red wolves remain in the wild, and they are all in eastern North Carolina. Red wolves are considered the most endangered canid in the world.

Once common throughout the southeastern United States, the wolves were driven to near extinction during the late 1960s, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began an aggressive conservation effort – the American Red Wolf Recovery Program – that led to new ways to track and protect the species. Those efforts led to increasing numbers of wild red wolves in eastern North Carolina, but changes in how the recovery program was managed have resulted in the wild population again plummeting in recent years.

The Zoo has been part of the American Red Wolf Recovery Program since 1994 and led the successful efforts to have the American red wolf become part of the Association of Zoo and Aquariums SAFE (Saving Species From Extinction) program.

AZA SAFE Species programs aim to protect endangered species around the world. For more information, visit https://www.aza.org/aza-safe.

To learn more about the North Carolina Zoo and our red wolf program, please visit www.nczoo.org

South Carolina Announces Sweeping Ban On All Tegu Lizards

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South Carolina has passed a sweeping new measure which essentially banns the importation of all black and white tegu lizards into South Carolina.

According to a press release from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources:

“This regulation was created because South Carolina provides suitable habitat and climate for this species. Tegus compete, and in some cases outcompete, native species for resources. They have been documented to eat a variety of native species like quail, gopher tortoise, a South Carolina endangered species, insects, mammals, other reptiles, amphibians, birds and eggs of various birds and reptiles. Additionally, Tegus may harbor and spread nonindigenous parasites and/or pathogens to our native wildlife species.”

If you currently own one of the lizards, the state is now requiring you to;

The new regulation also requires that Black and White Tegus be kept indoors in escape proof enclosures or if kept outdoors to be in locked enclosures with primary and secondary containment barriers, each sufficient to prevent escape, and reviewed by SCDNR.

What do you think about the new law?

Knight Foundation Giving Away $1.2 Million for Tech Innovation in Charlotte

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The Knight Foundation just announced $1.2 million in new grants to support innovative projects that aim to advance economic mobility and build a more equitable and inclusive Charlotte.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Charlotte’s population and economy continued to grow, but the city’s prosperity was not equitable. Knight’s investment supports digital infrastructure and engagement projects that put residents at the center of decision-making in their communities.

Here are more details on the 8 grantees and their initiatives:

  • Foundation for the Carolinas ($458K): To support digital literacy efforts for students and parents in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County’s Central District 1.
  • City of Charlotte, Smart City Fellow ($245K): To support a Smart City Fellow for the City of Charlotte who will lead strategies to bridge the city’s digital divide.
  • University of North Carolina Charlotte, Immersive Visual Data ($240K): To develop a digital platform that uses visual data to put residents at the center of the decision-making process in the Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
  • Johnson C. Smith University ($75K): To help the university’s library create a proof of concept for “A Virtual Sense of Place,” a web-based augmented reality exhibit that tells the story of development in the Historic West End.
  • City of Charlotte, North End Smart District ($60K): To create a phone application that will enhance the visitor experience at the Urban Arboretum Trail.
  • North End Community Coalition ($50K): To support the development of programming and hiring of a community manager at the North End Smart District Tech Center.
  • University of North Carolina Charlotte, Virtual Neighborhood Walk ($48K): To develop virtual walking tours around historic neighborhoods in the City of Charlotte.
  • Queens University of Charlotte ($44K): To help the Knight School of Communication’s Digital Charlotte program with advancing digital inclusion in the North End Smart District.

What do you think about the new grants?

New Data: Rents in Charlotte up 2.6% This Month

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In March 2020, rent prices in Charlotte fell dramatically in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, renters have enjoyed “pandemic pricing” and double-digit rent drops in some places. But today, nearly a year and a half later, prices have fully rebounded and are back above pre-pandemic projections, according to a new report by Apartment List.
  • Rents in Charlotte grew 2.6% in June, compared to 2.3% nationally. Charlotte’s monthly rent change ranks #42 among the nation’s 100 largest cities.
  • Rent prices in Charlotte are currently 2.6% higher than they were last March, meaning they are finally back to where they would have been had the pandemic not cratered the market last spring.
  • Median rents in Charlotte currently stand at $1184 for a 1-bedroom apartment and $1323 for a two-bedroom.
Charlotte Stories is continually partnering with the best real estate agents in every part of the Charlotte region.

If you’re thinking about moving in or around Charlotte, let us connect you with a top agent in your area by filling out the form below:

    Oshkosh Signs $155 Million Deal To Build New Electric USPS Fleet in Charlotte Region

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    via USPS

    Your mailman is about to get a sweet new ride.

    Oshkosh Defense has just signed a new contract with the US Government for $155 million to build a new fleet of high-tech US Postal Service Trucks.

    According to a press release, the company will be building zero-emission battery electric vehicles to replace the current fleet of high-emission internal combustion engine USPS vehicles. The deal will create over 1,000 new jobs in Spartanburg County, just about an hour west of Charlotte.

    “Today, we celebrate Oshkosh Defense – a world-class company – and their decision to establish manufacturing operations in South Carolina,” said SC Governor Henry McMaster. “It speaks volumes of our business environment when a company of this caliber invests $155 million and creates more than 1,000 jobs in our state. Congratulations to this great company, and we look forward to all the things they will do.” 

    Production will begin on the new NGDVs in the summer of 2023. If you’re interested in applying for a job, you can check out SC’s recruitment website here.

    Charlotte’s Legendary ‘Zack’s Hamburgers’ Just Announced Plans To Shut Down

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    Charlotte’s famed Zack’s Hamburgers, which originally opened in the summer of 1975, has just announced that they will be permanently closing at the end of business day on July 1st, 2021.

    The heartbreaking news comes just one week after another Charlotte icon closed its doors – Prices Chicken Coop.

     

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    If you haven’t been to Zack’s yet, there’s still time.

    They will be open from 11 am – 7 pm today through Thursday, serving up some of the Queen City’s greatest classic hamburgers and fries.

    Have you been to Zack’s before? 

    How do you feel about their closure? 

    Tropical Storm Four Is About To Hit Charleston

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    Over the past 24 hours, a tropical storm rapidly developed in the Atlantic and is now barreling toward the coast of South Carolina.

    Tropical Storm Four is expected to make landfall between Charleston and Savannah sometime in the next couple hours. It’s then expected to hug the South Carolina/Georgia border as it travels toward Tennessee.

    The Atlantic Coast hurricane season for 2021 runs from June 1st through November 30th.

    NWS officials are reminding all residents in Atlantic Coast states to be prepared for this hurricane season.

    In case of a power outage, make sure to have the following emergency items stocked in your home;

    We will continue to update this article as this storm develops. 

    Charlotte Ranked Among The Top BBQ Cities In America

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    Smoked, sauced, grilled — we love our barbecue. But which are 2021’s Best BBQ Cities in America?

    With Fourth of July around the corner and our mouths watering, the website LawnStarter compared 199 of the biggest U.S. cities based on 14 key markers of a true barbecue city for serious fans.

    Among the factors they looked at: the number of national award-winning BBQ restaurants and chefs; whether the city has hosted at least one “master-level” competition blessed by KCBS; the number of barbecue festivals; and, of course, fan ratings.

    Charlotte came in at #22 and Raleigh just barely beat us, coming in at #20 in the nation.

    Top 200 BBQ Cities in America

    YouTube Views: Why This Metric Is So Important?

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    Marketers often argue about which metric is the most significant for adequate growth on YouTube. The truth is that it is impossible to mark only one that would be the game-changer. Progress on YouTube consists of many factors and stats that play a big part in reaching success. And one of them is views. This metric is incredibly meaningful for nonprofits and brands. Gaining many hits means that you can improve your recognition and attract more people to your content. By analyzing the dynamics of this statistic you can easily adjust your plan and eliminate everything that didn’t work out for you.

    This is the answer to the question of why this statistic is so important – views indicate how appealing your videos are to the wide audience that dwells on YouTube.

    The next question then emerges as we understand the purpose of gaining plays on YT is can one actually get more of them. Well, let’s discover a few points for the successful grossing of views on your channel.

    A Note If You Want To Purchase Views

    As the power of social media is now obvious for businesses and bloggers, of course, there are methods to boost your results. Nowadays you can get YouTube views for $1 only, but you have to keep in mind that such things aren’t a substitution for organic audiences’ attention. And now you may wonder why would you need to buy them at all? 

    The key is that the stats that you have paid for can be a trampoline that will assist you to squeeze in the competition and receive the chance to expose your materials to real viewers. Hence, your videos have greater visibility and purchased views are gaining the points of a reputation for you, as occasional users discover your channel.

    Prepare Your SEO

    One of the key parts that impact the extension of hits on your channel is how well your SEO is settled. The main instrument for making your content discoverable for the target audience is utilizing the relevant keywords for your uploads. The main positions for keywords are:

    • Video titles
    • Video descriptions
    • Captions

    Keywords help YouTube algorithms to categorize your content properly so it appears to the right search results and recommendations. This is how you can increase your recognition and expand your influence on the platform.

    Create Efficient Thumbnails

    Another great view gainer is a catchy thumbnail picture. This tiny attention-grabber can stream a lot of new spectators to your channel. This is the first point that any user will see as they discover your video in their search results or recommendations. There are a few versatile tips that will help you to generate the most attractive thumbnails for your channel:

    • Use only custom thumbnails
    • Maintain branded style for all your pictures
    • Aim for minimalistic designs with simple color schemes
    • Include a small text that contains the most relevant keyword
    • Give viewers a visual hint on what your video is about – along with keywords such practice helps to reach the target audience

    Remember that the size of the picture is very small so don’t overload your thumbnails with details.

    Examine The Market

    To get as many views as possible, you have to understand what your audience desires to see. This task requires a lot of research that has to be done before you launch your campaigns.

    First of all, look through the assortment of content that is offered to viewers in your niche. That is how you will be able to determine:

    • A most interesting type of content – the videos that gain many views in the short term
    • Rarest content in the niche – define what topic is the least covered by other channels and use it for your inspiration.

    Look through the most popular videos from other influencers and define what exactly attracted the attention and engaged users. Select the ideas that appear to be suitable for your materials and integrate them smoothly into your production.

    Retain Your Viewers

    To raise the amount of views on your channel, you must keep your hand on the pulse of the public you have already conquered. Only with their support, you can get a stable flow of plays for your content. So the terminal goal is to capture the interest of an occasional user and make them become your subs. The point is that on YouTube, views have the magic ability to grow themselves – users see that your video is popular and consider it as the most useful and relevant to their criteria.

    So, basically, this is how purchased views should work – they are aimed to motivate your potential spectators to click on your video among many others.

    Promote your Videos… With Your Other Videos

    YouTube provides you a lot of opportunities to push your content within the borders of your channel. You can attach links to the videos you want to boost in descriptions, comments, cards, or end screens. All these things can help to increase the number of your views as new subscribers explore your content gradually from newer to older. Remember that to make this strategy successful, the content you promote has to be correlated to the original video, so you can speculate on existing interest in the subject.

    Also, you can unite your videos into playlists, so each viewer has easy access to related content.

    Conclusion

    Views are incredibly valuable for your growth on youtube. And it is not too hard to get more of them. But when you are launching your channel on YT, you must understand that all metrics – likes, views, subscribers, watch time, comments – only work in the complex. You cannot push only one button if you aspire to reach success. To become an influencer, you must watch carefully for the balance of statistics and react immediately if this balance isn’t suitable for you.

    View count is the important aspect of your dwelling on this platform, which demonstrates the interest of the public in your videos, and this is also one of the notable factors that affect the ranking algorithms.

    6 Tips for Opening Your Own Cafe

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    Deciding to open a business takes a lot of preparation, no matter what it is, and the same is true for opening a cafe. You will need to carry out a lot of research, find the best suppliers, and all while navigating the legal system that allows you to trade. However, your hard work will be worth it, when you can serve hundreds of customers and know that you are providing their memorable moments. If you’ve got the seed of an idea and need a little push over the edge, you’ve come to the right place. Throughout this article, we will guide you through the steps required to open your cafe. 

    Research the Competition

    You will need to know what the competition is doing. If they’re doing well, they must be doing something right. Go and visit as many cafes as you can, and write down what they do well and what not so much. Doing this will help you to build an idea of what your cafe will look like. When you’re visiting cafes, speak to other customers and find out what makes them tick. Knowing your potential customer base is a fantastic way to get the ball rolling. 

    Create Your Vision

    Once you’ve pooled ideas from your research trips, it’s time to put pen to paper and write a business plan. Your business plan needs to be informative and will detail exactly how you are going to launch your business. If you need any funding, here is the place to put your requests. Potential investors in your plan need to know that your venture will work, so be sure to include your estimated projections for the next five years at least. 

    Contact Suppliers

    Now that you’ve written down your business plan, it’s time to get serious. You can start sourcing the best suppliers on the market. To make a cafe excellent, it needs to have superb coffee. Without that, you may as well open a toastie shack. With hundreds of suppliers out there, the competition will be tight. However, you can get your coffee research started by finding out what makes civet coffee special, for example. You also need to find suppliers for any other wet stock, dry stock, and consumables. 

    Find a Location

    You need a spot to serve your great coffee out of, and it will be crucial to the success of your cafe. Before you jump in and buy the first building you see for the right price, spend some time in the area. While you’re there, take note of how much foot traffic the location gets. Without people walking by daily, your business is going to be sad. Also, understanding the locals will allow you to better serve them. 

    Interior Design

    From all of your research and knowledge of your customer base, you will have several ideas waiting to be written down. You need to work with your contractors and tell them exactly what you need it to look like inside. Do you want a retro cafe, perhaps? When you’re designing your space, you need to make sure that your team will be able to work practically within the space. With almost everything in place, it’s time to market your business and build excitement for your new cafe. 

    Hire Your Team

    Part of running a good cafe comes from hiring the right people. They need to know customer service, have initiative, and have your business’s best interests in mind. 

    If you follow this effective roadmap, you will have your cafe up and running in no time. The most important thing to do is research other cafes and find out what is working already.