Charlotte Might See Its First Snowfall Tonight

Steve
-
0
Charlotte Might See Its First Snowfall Tonight

It’s time to start stocking up on milk and bread – North Carolina is about to see its first snowfall of the season!

According to NOAA, there is now about a roughly 11% chance of Charlotte seeing snow tonight, and a 97% chance the North Carolina mountains will see snow;

If it doesn’t snow, we’ll certainly be seeing a cold and wet weekend – roads will likely turn icy at night, especially in the mountains;

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!

The LEGO Truck is Now In Charlotte Giving Away Free ‘Minibuilds’ To Spread Christmas Cheer

Charlotte Stories
-
0
The LEGO Truck is Now In Charlotte Giving Away Free ‘Minibuilds’ To Spread Christmas Cheer

If you live in Charlotte and your kid loves LEGOs, you’re in luck!

The famous LEGO mobile truck has just arrived in Charlotte and will be traveling around our city to spread some Christmas cheer. Kids who visit the mobile truck will receive a free LEGO ‘minibuild’ and the company will also donate a complete LEGO set to a child in need for every ‘minibuild’ set given out.

The company’s trip is part of their BuildtoGive campaign, encouraging kids to turn bricks into shareable gifts and to give back to their communities

Today, you can find the LEGO mobile truck:

Trust Field (Charlotte Knights Stadium) – 324 S. Mint St., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Crest on Providence – 7125 Providence Square Dr., from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Plantation Park at Ballantyne – 14325 Plantation Park Blvd., from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

LEGO’s mobile truck ‘minibuild’ giveaways will be in full adherence to all state-wide COVID-19 safety requirements, including masks, social distancing, hand sanitizer, and contact-free handoffs.

EarthCam Is Live Streaming Webcam Views of Osprey Nest on Lake Norman

Steve
-
0
EarthCam Is Live Streaming Webcam Views of Osprey Nest on Lake Norman

EarthCam and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) are bringing visitors a unique bird’s-eye-view of an osprey nest in Mooresville, NC with this new live streaming webcam.

Located on Lake Norman, watch as these fish hawks hunt for food and prepare their nest for the arrival of some baby chicks!

The camera was installed by NCWF’s local chapter, the Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists (LNWC), a community-based organization established for the purpose of environmental education, appreciation of wildlife and natural history, and conservation of wildlife habitat and natural resources.

“Offering the opportunity to view an active osprey nest provides a unique educational experience to the public and helps foster awareness of our mission to protect, conserve and restore the wildlife and habitats of North Carolina”, said Billy Wilson, Vice-Chairman of North Carolina Wildlife Federation and President of Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists.

You can watch the precious Lake Norman osprey couple on the live webcam here.

Top 10 Online Small Businesses In Charlotte

Steve
-
0
Top 10 Online Small Businesses In Charlotte

Thanks to Charlotte’s uniquely creative atmosphere and entrepreneurial spirit, new businesses continue to be started and grown right here in the Queen City. With today being Small Business Saturday, and the world in the midst of a Pandemic, we thought it would be best to highlight some of our favorite small businesses in Charlotte that cater to online shoppers. Check out Money Brighter to learn how to create an llc in 6 simpler steps.

Here are 10 incredible small businesses in Charlotte that now see most of their sales online:

#1 The 704 Shop

13340214_1045892672155868_5383367270271914084_o

The 704 Shop is one of the most recognized online and pop-up shop in Charlotte.

They are a uniquely creative Charlotte-based lifestyle brand, offering all kinds of local designs & Charlotte-based imagery with modern graphics for a contemporary look.

Check out their website and online shop here.

#2 By Thursdays Child

coolest etsy stores in charlotte1

Charlotte’s very own Thursday’s Child Designs sells personalized fine art prints around the world for surprisingly affordable prices. She focuses on inspirational message intended to make every recipient’s day a little brighter.

Creatively sharing the importance of words – especially the kind ones – check out more details here on Etsy.

#3 2U Laundry

2u-laundry

2U Laundry is a door-to-door, laundry and dry cleaning delivery service that offers both on-demand and membership based services (think the Uber and Netflix of dry cleaning and laundry). 2ULaundry launched November 2015 and has been growing their reach around the greater Charlotte region ever since.

Check out all their services on their website here.

#4 Havok Design

coolest etsy stores in charlotte4

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Havok specializes in laser cut wooden jewelry, cork wallets, home décor and custom work.

Check out more details here on Etsy.com

#5 Kosmio Jewelers

venturi design charlotte

Kosmio Jewelers is a social-media-driven jewelry design company based right here in Charlotte. They sell a wide selection of trendy necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. They are also about to roll out a new monthly jewelry subscription program (on of the first of its kind).

Check out their selection on their website here.

#6 Chris Austin Photographer

chris-austin-photography-online-shop

Chris Austin is a freelance photographer here in Charlotte, and he’s best known for selling large metal prints of some of the most jaw-dropping city shots you’ve ever seen (his above rainbow over Charlotte shot is one of his most famous).

Check out his other shots and prints on his website here.

#7 SomeThingsWong

coolest etsy stores in charlotte3

SomeThingsWong’s name came from a play on its owner’s name (Laci Wong).

Her heart behind her shop is to have the chance to make beautiful flowers that people will choose to give as gifts and use in their weddings and homes and then, the blooms will survive forever serving as reminders of moments of love, joy, and blessings.

Find out more on her Etsy shop here.

#8 Musser and Company

southern-favor

Caleb Musser originally started Musser and Company in 2014, making and selling hand-made wooden gift boxes out of his home right here in Charlotte. In their first year alone, they were able to land accounts with Coca-Cola Consolidated, several major league teams and the MLB All-Star Games. This year he even landed the contract to make exclusive gifts for every NFL team owner for Superbowl 50.

You can customize your own box with laser-engraved panels and coasters on his website here.

#9 The Wood Widdler

online-shops-in-charlotte

The Wood Widdler offers custom cut, engraved, and painted wood pieces, including wall hangings, furniture, and decorations.

Check out more details on their Etsy store here.

#10 Emmy Eff Designs

coolest etsy stores in charlotte6

Emmy Eff Designs is a haven for hand crafted original jewelry designs, flower crowns, and customized sets as well as lovely vintage jewelry finds while they last.

Browse all of her art and jewelry pieces on Etsy by clicking here.

You can also browse over 600 other unique and custom items that are being made right here in the Queen City on Etsy.com by clicking here.

Please share; 

Cannabis and Cancer: Does It Make a Difference?

Cheryl Stine
-
0
Cannabis and Cancer: Does It Make a Difference?

Most medical marijuana programs in states across the U.S. list a number of conditions that qualify a patient for a license to buy and/or grow weed to keep their symptoms under control. Though more study is warranted to better understand the short- and long-term effects of cannabis on the body and mind, it seems that cannabis is more or less officially accepted as a medical treatment, even for serious conditions like epilepsy, HIV, Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and PTSD. In fact, it is incredibly common to see “cancer” listed among these conditions.

Yet, is cancer really treatable with medical marijuana? If so, why isn’t the drug touted as a miracle cure, and if not, why are cancer patients allowed to use marijuana when their treatment is already so touch-and-go?

What Cannabis Does for Cancer Patients

For the most part, cancer patients to seek medical marijuana treatment aren’t doing so expecting the sticky green herb to eradicate their body of tumors. Instead, cancer patients tend to be given medical marijuana licenses thanks to the difficulty associated with modern cancer treatment — specifically, chemotherapy. Chemo is essentially poisoning the entire body in the hopes that cancer cells die faster than a patient’s normal cells. As one might expect, this poisoning comes with myriad unpleasant side effects, such as fatigue, lack of focus, fertility problems, numbness and weight changes.

One of the most visible and least tolerable is a change to patients’ digestion, causing extreme nausea, constipation, diarrhea and drastic changes in appetite. Because many chemo patients receive such negative reactions from food, many opt not to eat, which can further compromise their health.

Enter: marijuana. The cannabinoid THC is known to stimulate appetite and suppress negative digestive issues, like nausea, by binding to receptors throughout the digestive system. By masking the digestion-related symptoms of chemotherapy, marijuana allows cancer patients to eat more nutritious foods throughout their treatment. Plus, THC, CBD and other cannabinoids also work to reverse inflammation and reduce aches and pains that can develop as a result of chemo. This helps improve cancer patients’ health and give them greater comfort and better outcomes.

Promising Research in Cancer Treatment

Currently, when a cancer patient visits a Michigan marijuana dispensary, they are doing so to help mitigate the downsides of chemotherapy. However, there is a growing body of research that indicates cannabis could be the basis for an even better cancer-fighting strategy.

There are numerous cell cultures and animal models that demonstrate THC acting against some cancers, limiting or completely halting their growth. These studies convinced Canadian engineer Rick Simpson to use THC in his battle against skin cancer. Simpson created an incredibly concentrated oil, now called Rick Simpson Oil, which he applied directly to his cancerous growths. After a number of days, the cancer was gone — according to Simpson, who went on to sell his special cannabis oil blends. Additionally, there are some ongoing clinical trials that suggest using marijuana is an effective treatment against a particularly vicious form of brain cancer without the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation or surgery.

Still, doctors are hesitant to prescribe marijuana for this or any other cancer — simply because we don’t always know how the cancer will behave, how THC and CBD will interact with other treatment efforts and whether the added expense is worthwhile for patients. In fact, while THC acts against some cancers, it actively encourages the growth of others. What’s more, the availability of alternative treatments can delay a patient’s choice to partake in conventional treatments, resulting in worse outcomes. Until science can understand when marijuana is helpful and when it hurts, it isn’t advisable to rely only on cannabis for cancer treatment.

Conclusion

Cancer is a serious disease that science has yet to fully understand. Similarly, cannabis is a potentially powerful drug that might function as effective treatment for dozens of conditions — if only we knew more about how the drug works. As yet, research cannot confirm that marijuana is an effective cancer treatment; we only know that some cannabinoids can be useful in combatting the effects of existing cancer treatment. Still, with further research, doctors might be prescribing cannabis cures in decades to come.

US Department of Labor Fines NC’s Lenovo $108,152 For Violating Family and Medical Leave Act

Charlotte Stories
-
0
US Department of Labor Fines NC’s Lenovo $108,152 For Violating Family and Medical Leave Act

Computer manufacturer Lenovo Inc. has paid an employee $108,152 to resolve violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act disclosed in an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

WHD investigators determined that Lenovo, headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, failed to reinstate an eligible employee upon return from FMLA leave to the same or equivalent position the worker held prior to the leave, as the law requires. Instead, the employer offered the employee an opportunity to apply for other company positions. After Lenovo failed to hire the worker for any of the alternative positions, the employer terminated the employee.

“The Family and Medical Leave Act provides employees with workplace flexibility when they need it the most by protecting them when they have a serious health condition requiring the need to care for themselves or family members,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Richard Blaylock, in Raleigh, North Carolina. “The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that employees’ rights under the FMLA are protected. We encourage employers to review the numerous tools and resources we provide to help them understand their rights and obligations under this law.”

The Department offers numerous resources to ensure employers have the tools they need to understand their responsibilities and to comply with federal law, such as online videos and confidential calls to local WHD offices.

For more information about the FMLA and other laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division, contact the Division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available at www.dol.gov/agencies/whd.

WHD’s mission is to promote and achieve compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of the nation’s workforce. WHD enforces federal minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping and child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. WHD also enforces the paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, wage garnishment provisions of the Consumer Credit Protection Act, and a number of employment standards and worker protections as provided in several immigration related statutes. Additionally, WHD administers and enforces the prevailing wage requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act and other statutes applicable to federal contracts for construction and for the provision of goods and services.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

Police Investigate Reports of Shots Fired At Concord Mills Mall

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Police Investigate Reports of Shots Fired At Concord Mills Mall

One man is now in custody after reports of shots fired yesterday at the Concord Mills Mall.

Concord PD first received the call at about 4pm. At the mall, officers found 2 men in a heated verbal dispute. 1 of the men was armed.

Police put the armed man in custody and allowed the mall to reopen at about 5:25 pm last night.

NC Highway Patrol Placing Troopers Every 20 Miles Along I-40 During Thanksgiving Holiday

Charlotte Stories
-
0
NC Highway Patrol Placing Troopers Every 20 Miles Along I-40 During Thanksgiving Holiday

North Carolina Highway Patrol has just announced they will be joining the ‘Thanksgiving I-40 Challenge’ for 2020.

According to a press release from the American Automobile Association (AAA), the North Carolina State Highway Patrol will be peppering the major interstate during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Starting on Thursday, Nov. 26th, State Troopers will be placed every 20 miles along I-40 to monitor for speeding, DWIs, DUIs, occupant protection, and texting.

“Ninety percent of those traveling this Thanksgiving to visit with family and friends will be doing so with a road trip,” said Tiffany Wright, AAA Carolinas Traffic Safety Foundation President. “The sheer volume of vehicles on the road make this holiday such a dangerous time to travel that’s why we can’t stress enough how important it is to practice safety behind the wheel. Buckle up, don’t speed, never drive distracted or impaired.”

I-40 is the third longest highway in America, stretching all the way from Wilmington, NC to Barstow, CA. It takes 37 hours to drive the entire 2,558 mile length (and about 854 hours to walk it);

Law enforcement agencies in all of the states I-40 touches have now committed to the campaign, including; Arizona, Arkansas, California, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

The collaborative Interstate 40 Challenge has an overall goal of seeing zero traffic fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday week.

Last year, the NC Highway Patrol reported the campaign as a success – 0 recorded traffic deaths on I-40.

Things To Consider Before Purchasing a Condo

Sandra Young
-
0
Things To Consider Before Purchasing a Condo

Whether you plan to live in a beach house full-time or buy a property, there are a few aspects you need to know before purchasing it. So, let’s get started!

Before beginning your search, make sure you understand your budget and requirements carefully, and you are fully aware of financial and weather risks. 

Making the right purchase is critical because this life-changing decision will affect your future. To better help you, get the proper guidance from local real estates brokers like Chatburn Living and others in the area.

You also need to hire a qualified real estate agent with extensive experience buying and selling coastal property. When you start looking for a beach house, always remember to put these ten things first when you buy a home.

If you are trying to find an oceanfront beach home, you should consider the Myrtle Beach Homes for Sale Oceanfront.

Construction and Foundation

Whether it is a hurricane or an Oriental threatening a coastal town, the number one priority is to make coastal homes as resistant to the weather as possible. 

If the risk of flooding in your area is high, and there are likely to be a large number of storm surges, consider purchasing a beach house on stilts. 

The component must also be heat and storm-tolerant and sturdy enough to survive heavy rain and extreme heat. 

Usually, the best construction materials for coastline residences are concrete and reasonably strong material. Concrete is commonly considered to be a safe and most reliable building material for condos. 

Compared to most wooden dwellings, these types of homes are more resistant to strong winds and heavy rain.

Property Management or HOA Fees

Suppose the oceanfront house is not your primary residence. In that case, you might want a property maintenance service to ensure taking care of the home when you are away.

It means that someone has to coordinate all pest control services, landscaping, maintenance needs, and rental agreements. These services’ costs can be high and should be considered when planning your budget for a beach house.

Roof

The last thing you would want is to purchase a home to discover later that the roof needs a replacement. 

Due to the harsh weather in many coastal areas, beach houses’ roofs will certainly have more wear and tear than regular homes. 

The cost of repairing the roof is about $25,000, so it is better to select a condo with a completely new top built of sturdy, weatherproof components.

Proximity to Water

For example, while living close to the water is certainly comfortable and the resale value is high, it will increase the flood risk and insurance factor. 

If your home is built with top-class building materials and you can afford any possible repair costs, living near water may be more suitable.

Outdoor Living Area

Another factor due to which you are renting a condo is to spend more time outside. 

Therefore, the outdoor living space of the beach house should be assessed. 

Do you have a terrace or a veranda? What about the sea view? Is the neighborhood calm or crowded? Does the home have a swimming pool or an outdoor recreation area? 

Flood Risk

Besides the damage due to the wind, the properties are also affected by hurricanes and storms. It would be best if you consider the risk of floods while purchasing a condo. 

The first thing to do is to make sure your home is built with flood protection materials. Then, investigate whether the house is in a high-risk zone. 

It is also worth considering whether the house is located on a higher elevation or on a slightly higher slope to prevent flooding during heavy rain.

Potential Rental Income

Are you planning to rent a beach house? If so, be sure to evaluate if the homes on the coast produce a good return on investment. Suppose the monthly rental charges, upkeep requirements, and initial costs are excessive. 

In this scenario, a house on the beach is not a reasonable short-term bet. Also, it is always cheaper to rent beach houses with more than one suite. So aim to resist owning a one-bedroom beach house if you intend to rent one. 

Make sure to consider all the HOA rules before you purchase. Also, we recommend that you research nearby rentals to find out about the competition.

Check out these Luxurious Condos you can rent by night!

Insurance Rates

It is not surprising that you can expect an increase in homeowner’s insurance when you buy a beach house. Also, people living near the coast may require flood insurance, which is an additional expense. 

When purchasing a beach house, talk to your insurance agent about insurance rates. Always shop around for the best price. 

You will be surprised that one insurance company’s rates differ significantly from others.

Neighbors

The last thing you have to do if you are searching for a peaceful holiday home is purchasing a property beside a vibrant household. Also, do surveys on the road and in the community while you buy a beach condo. 

It is also a vital question of whether the beach house has friendly neighbors willing to pay attention to your location when you leave.

Conclusion

Ultimately, whether it is a good idea to buy a waterfront property is up to you. For some, sand, fees, and tourists are a small price to pay for a slice of private paradise. 

For others, these very things can turn heaven into hell. Living in a condo has both benefits and drawbacks. Now it’s up to you what’s more important to you!

Check out the reasons why owning oceanfront properties is a great idea!

Buying Lakeside Vacation Home in Iowa

Sandra Young
-
0
Buying Lakeside Vacation Home in Iowa

It’s time you knew you deserve it. There cannot be a better retreat, a better place to relax. 

Iowa— a state with 34 natural lakes and numerous others, man-made. The deepest and some of the most spectacular of them is called the Iowa Great Lakes which surround the east, south, and west edges of the town of Okoboji.

Owning a vacation home overlooking a lake has always been a dream for so many peace-seeking persons and families. And Iowa appears to be the best place to get a home like that. There are several waterfront real estates with cozy and dazzling houses around most of the lakes built only for vacation and recreation.

Tips Before you Buy a Vacation Home

Before you dive into action you need to consider the following tips listed here just to make you watchful:

Stay Within Your Budget

With the vast ocean of information buzzing around the internet, there is no reason for you to be in the dark without doing some ‘homework’ with your chosen area.

You need to calculate what your estimated mortgage payment would be if you are not paying cash. When it comes to the mortgage payment you want to be smart and realistic about what you can shell out for a down payment, closing cost, and the continuing monthly payment. 

Additional Cost

These costs include property insurance, property taxes, condo or homeowners fee, additional maintenance (lawn care, power washing the property, painting and cleaning gutters, etc.), some one-time expenses like the breakage of your dishwasher or air conditioner, some annual carrier and utility costs like phone and internet.

Remember, maintenance runs about 1% per year of the purchase price.

Condo or Single Family Residence

Well, there are pros and cons to each of the options. You sit down with a piece of paper and compare the pros and cons of each of them. There shouldn’t be much problem deciding which one is suitable for you. One of the main considerations for you will be to decide, whether it is going to be a vacation home that you will sell someday or it will be a retirement home for you.

Rental Restrictions

Whether it is a condominium or a single-family home, all communities are going to have rules. Rules that pertain to renting the property out. Most of them are going to have a minimum amount of time on the lease like 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or even a year.

Sometimes there are rules like a waiting period before you can rent it out. Some communities even have a three-year waiting period.

There are many other rules like that which you need to study carefully before you buy your property.

Property Management

Most people buy properties which they will not use round the year and therefore leave the responsibility of caretaking to a property manager. He can charge from 8% to 10% of the rent to handle advertising the property, writing the leases, collecting the rent, or paying the taxes. 

Location

We will be discussing this part shortly. But for now, you need to consider what you are going to do most of the time when you are not at home. If you want to play golf there are some good places like Rice Lake Golf and Country Club or Lakeview Country Club. If you are fond of walking along the lakeside you have more options.  

Here are some of the best places to search for:

The Great Lakes of Iowa, around Okoboji

This is one of the most attractive and most visited vacation resorts in Iowa. Surrounded by the great lakes from three sides the town of Okoboji has got an extraordinary identity. The whole shoreline is teeming with hundreds of vacation spots, leisure homes, and parks. But the western side is fabulous. Archaeologists confirmed that more than 14000 years ago a glacier made its snaking way through this place and gradually created the lakes.

The west lake is the deepest among all the lakes of Iowa, going down a maximum depth of 136 feet and making it the 3rd most visited lake in the entire USA.

Clear Lake

Lying 30 miles south of the Minnesota border, the lakeside town and the lake itself, named the Clear Lake, are fantastic places to visit. You can visit the legendary surf ballroom and museum, see the plane crash site, eat at Starboard Market, enjoy endless watersports on Clear Lake, do fishing, visit the Central Gardens of North Iowa, fly a kite on the frozen lake in the annually held Wind Kite festival, hop on a bicycle or cruise the lake on the classic paddlewheel boat in the first weekend of August. There are so many things to do here in the lake and the town. 

Also, the waterfront homes and condominiums are quite reasonable in price and style. The average condos are around $2,600,000 and single-family homes are around $6,000,000— much more ‘within the reach’ for an average vacation lover. The ones closely overlooking the lake are a bit high in price and the more you push eastward or northward inside the town the less the price is.

For more information, you can visit the informative site featuring Clear Lake homes for sale. 

Being a less visited lake than the west lake Okoboji, you can have a comparatively peaceful and tranquil life here.

Lake Panorama

Stretching from northeast to southwest of this lake, when viewed by zooming in, gets a spectacular look of a legendary dragon. And the views around the whole lake are simply awesome. It is an hour away from Des Moines. This is the largest private lake in the state and all along its shores, there are more than a thousand condos and single-family homes. 

Lake panorama resort is a magnificent place to visit and a great get-away destination. 

The simple and smooth life around the lake makes it a unique place to spend your vacation time.

There are so many other places to visit that you can decide for yourself. But these three places have got some extraordinary characteristics that make them stand out from others.

1...799800801...1,318Page 800 of 1,318