Panthers Announce Lower Seating Capacity For 2020-21 Home Games Due To Pandemic

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Panthers Announce Lower Seating Capacity For 2020-21 Home Games Due To Pandemic

The Carolina Panthers have just announced that they will be reducing the capacity of stadium seating for all home games of the 2020-21 season to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement sent out yesterday, the team revealed that home games will have reduced seating capacity based on guidelines from state and local government, medical professionals and public health officials.

The Panthers sent out an email to all PSL owners saying;

“In order to accommodate as many PSL Owners as possible in this reduced-capacity scenario, we plan to make a limited number of home games available to each account. The number of games each PSL Owner will have access to will be determined by factors such as approved capacity, overall demand and, in some cases, seating location.”

The email laid out several new policies for those who still want to attend games, including:

  • PSL Owners will have the opportunity to select from a predetermined set of games.
  • Due to a socially-distant seat configuration that meets health and safety protocols, it is unlikely that PSL Owners will sit in their exact seat location.
  • Stadium capacity could change through the course of the season, and PSL Owners will be promptly notified of any potential ticket impact.
  • PSL Owners will only be permitted to purchase seats within their specific price level. However, if inventory is unavailable, adjustments will be made on a case-by-case basis.
  • Season tickets will revert back to current PSL seat locations for 2021.
  • Enhanced protective measures will be implemented during event days. While plans are still being finalized, some of the protective measures include: Health screening protocols, required face coverings, access to sanitizing stations throughout the facility, contactless/cashless transactions and physical distancing amplified via stadium signage.

Tickets are now available to fans who want to watch single games at TicketMaster.com.

 

York County’s 31st Annual Juried Competition Winners Announced

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York County’s 31st Annual Juried Competition Winners Announced
The Arts Council of York County announced the awards for the 31st Annual Juried Competition in an online Gallery Talk with juror David M. Detrich. This video was released on Thursday, July 16 and is available to watch on the Arts Council’s website, Facebook page, and YouTube page. Works accepted to the Juried Competition exhibition are currently on exhibition in the Arts Council’s online Virtual Gallery, yorkcountyarts.org/31stjuried.
Each year, the Annual Juried Competition is open internationally to artists 18 and older. Only original work, created in the last two (2) years, and not previously shown in the Dalton Gallery at the Center for the Arts is accepted. All forms of media are eligible, including video.
JUROR | DAVID DETRICH
Professor of Art, Clemson University
Originally from East St. Louis, Missouri, David Detrich received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Kansas City Art Institute in Missouri and his Master of Fine Arts degree from Alfred University in New York. He has exhibited his work nationally and internationally including venues at the Tallina Kunstiulikool in Tallin, Estonia and at the American Cultural Center in Taipei, Taiwan. His work is also represented in public and private collections nationally.
One hundred nine entries by 54 artists from 21 cities and 6 states were submitted to the 31st Annual Juried Competition. Of those entries, Detrich selected 35 works for exhibition.
Awards were presented to:
Gerald and Barbara Schapiro Best of Show: Jump Castle, Sheet Cake, Asthma by Emily Furr | Charleston, SC
1st Place: I Shine, You Shine (invertible shoeshine chair) by Oscar Soto| Rock Hill, SC
2nd Place: Fast Satisfaction by Ronni Brashear| Madison, MS
3rd Place: November 3, 2019 by Janice Mueller | Charlotte, NC
Honorable Mention:  Consumer Column IV by Jordan Fowler | Adairsville, GA
Honorable Mention: Serial by Robert Simoneau| Columbia, SC
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Awards are sponsored by Kathy and Larry Wilson.
Elizabeth Louise Dunlap Patrick, a Rock Hill native, was born in Feb 1936 in Rock Hill. Lib was an avid supporter of the arts. She gave freely of her time and patronage to the Arts Council; served on the Gallery Committee and underwrote the awards for the annual Juried Competition for nearly ten years. Lib was a generous and ardent participant at the annual art auctions for many years, and she collected pottery from North and South Carolina potters whose work she championed. She also sponsored activities and events for the Yorkville Artist Guild. She supported her alma mater, Winthrop University, serving on alumni boards and reunion committees. Because of her generous support of the arts at Winthrop, the Elizabeth Dunlap Patrick Gallery was named in her honor in 1999. Also, Lib was among the first group of honorees for the Medal of Honor for the Arts. Kathy Wilson continues her mother’s legacy by sponsoring the Arts Council’s Juried Awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place.

North Carolina Launches Massive New Career Portal – NCcareers.org

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North Carolina Launches Massive New Career Portal – NCcareers.org

The state of North Carolina has just launched a massive new online job center that’s now being called ‘the best career information resource available on the internet‘.

This week, Governor Cooper announced the new website, NCcareers.org, as an integrated way for North Carolinians to explore careers and job opportunities throughout our state.

“North Carolinians need resources to navigate the quickly changing job market,” Governor Cooper said. “The new NCcareers.org helps people research the education and training options that lead them to find good, high paying jobs available right now across our state.”

As the state’s economy continues to adjust to the massive impact of COVID-19, companies and workers needs will continue to shift. The new site will give both parties the flexibility to explore new occupations and local job openings, and identify custom tailored education and training opportunities in new fields.

The data on the new site is laid out in a easily navigated manner. One of the most liked sections of the site lets users easily identify:

  • Wages – lower, middle and higher end wages are available for statewide as well as for 16 regions.
  • Job duties – what a worker typically does in an occupation.
  • Work Environment – does a worker typically work indoors or outdoors, work in teams or alone, or need to wear safety equipment, etc.
  • Education and Training – What education level is typically required for work?  What programs or majors will prepare you for a specific occupation and which NC schools offer the trainings?
  • NCWorks Online Job Postings – You can directly access job postings on NCworks.gov with one click to see which employers are hiring.
  • Short videos from CareerOneStop show users what a typical day looks like for workers in their  profession.

The new career site is now available at NCcareers.org.

Tega Cay Ranked As One Of The Best Cities In America

Steve
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Tega Cay Ranked As One Of The Best Cities In America

When choosing a place to move to, everyone has their own priorities and subjective tastes, but some communities’ above average attributes make them almost universally desirable.

The financial analysis website 24/7 Wall Street just analysed all boroughs, cities, towns, and villages in America with at least 8,000 residents and ranked South Carolina’s Tega Cay 1 of the best towns in America to live in.

To rank the top towns, the company developed a weighted index of 26 measures that fall into 1 of 4 categories including: affordability, economy, quality of life, and community.

According to the report;

“Tega Cay ranks as one of the best cities to live in part because of its relatively high income and the many associated benefits that come with affluence. The city’s median household income of over $120,000 is more than double the U.S. median. In a city with a high percentage of affluent households, there are also very few residents struggling with serious financial hardship. Just 0.9% of residents live in poverty.

Tega Cay lies near the border of the Carolinas and Lake Wylie. The water access gives residents a chance to swim, boat, and fish. As a tourist destination, the city has a high number of bars and restaurants per resident. Tega Cay is growing quickly. It was home to fewer than 5,000 people in 2009. As of 2016, more than 9,000 people lived there.”

U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia Coming To Gaston County On Friday

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U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia Coming To Gaston County On Friday

U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia will travel to North Carolina on Friday, July 17, 2020, with Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC-05), the Republican Leader of the House Education and Labor Committee, to talk about the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Secretary Scalia will first visit Gaston County, where he will tour Parkdale Mills in Belmont and meet with both employees and management to discuss workplace safety and the recent entry into force of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The Secretary will then travel to Winston-Salem to hold a business roundtable at Innovation Quarter to discuss safely reopening the economy. Finally, the Secretary and Rep. Foxx will travel to Kernersville, where they will meet with frontline grocery store workers at Lowes Foods.

via Facebook

Expect heavy traffic delays around the locations he will be visiting this coming Friday.

Scalia now serves as the 28th Secretary of Labor. He was nominated to the position by President Donald J. Trump in July 2019 and was officially sworn in on September 30, 2019.

 

North Carolina Has the 10th Highest Need for Loans in The Country

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North Carolina Has the 10th Highest Need for Loans in The Country

With the U.S. unemployment rate slowly improving but still at 11% due to COVID-19, WalletHub today released updated rankings for the States Where People Need Loans the Most Due to Coronavirus. Greater interest in getting a loan indicates that more people in the state are struggling to make ends meet.

In order to determine where people are most in need of loans as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, WalletHub combined internal credit report data with data on Google search increases for three loan-related terms in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

North Carolina ranked 10th on the report (and South Carolina wasn’t far behind it, coming it at #16).

North Carolina Residents’ Need for Loans Due to COVID-19 (1=Biggest Need; 25=Avg.):

  • 25th – “Loan” Search Interest Index
  • 20th – “Payday Loans” Search Interest Index
  • 8th – “Home Equity Loan” Search Interest Index
  • 14th – Change in Average Inquiry Count June 24, 2020 vs. January 1, 2020

Here is the complete list of rankings:

States Where People Need Loans the Most Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Overall Rank State ‘Loan Search Interest Index’ Rank ‘Payday Loans Search Interest Index’ Rank ‘Home Equity Loan Search Interest Index’ Rank ‘Change in Average Inquiry Count’ Rank
1 New York 4 2 6 20
2 Maryland 3 28 2 5
3 Illinois 1 25 1 39
4 Virginia 8 8 11 3
5 Indiana 2 11 9 26
6 Minnesota 12 23 6 9
7 Washington 36 9 5 7
8 Alabama 17 4 32 2
9 Kentucky 22 2 39 12
10 North Carolina 25 20 8 14
11 Tennessee 4 14 24 11
12 Georgia 17 14 17 8
13 Pennsylvania 31 20 11 15
14 Texas 31 14 22 13
15 Wisconsin 31 37 4 22
16 South Carolina 29 14 26 10
17 Ohio 4 30 15 35
18 Mississippi 16 40 10 27
19 New Jersey 25 9 20 31
20 Missouri 31 26 19 17
21 Oregon 45 23 26 4
22 Florida 36 20 23 16
23 Arizona 22 40 13 28
24 Louisiana 25 44 37 1
25 Arkansas 12 19 44 19
26 West Virginia 10 37 29 23
27 Iowa 17 37 20 24
28 Utah 40 7 34 29
29 South Dakota 22 6 37 43
30 New Mexico 10 5 42 47
31 Hawaii 46 1 34 46
32 Oklahoma 25 32 39 21
33 Michigan 15 48 17 33
34 Nevada 17 30 46 25
35 Colorado 47 42 30 6
36 Massachusetts 42 32 33 32
37 California 43 28 24 37
38 Connecticut 44 45 14 36
39 Alaska 17 11 30 50
40 Kansas 14 42 47 34
41 District of Columbia 50 49 3 18
42 Nebraska 39 36 34 40
43 New Hampshire 31 14 43 45
44 Maine 49 26 16 41
45 Idaho 36 46 45 42
46 Montana 47 13 49 30
47 Delaware 4 47 49 44
48 North Dakota 8 32 49 48
49 Wyoming 51 49 26 38
50 Rhode Island 29 32 48 51
51 Vermont 40 49 41 49

Black Lives Matter Billboard Installed Next To Longstanding Confederate Flag in North Carolina

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Black Lives Matter Billboard Installed Next To Longstanding Confederate Flag in North Carolina

A massive ‘Black Lives Matter’ billboard has just been installed next to a long standing confederate flag in North Carolina.

The 8-by-24-foot sign was installed on U.S. 64 East Business Route in Pittsboro, NC after over $10,000 was raised on a GoFundMe called ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER Pittsboro NC Billboard‘.

The campaign reads:

“There is a billboard (8′ x 24′) on US 64 East Business Route that you see driving into town, that is a center read and perched directly next to a confederate flag. In fact, there are *several* confederate flags on that stretch of road leading into town.

Approximately 20,000+ people a week see that billboard, which means that same amount of people are also being inundated with confederate flags as they drive into town.

Those confederate flags do NOT represent who we are as a community. It is important for us now more than ever as a community to show our support for #BLACKLIVESMATTER, with that message on a billboard that is counter to the confederate flags next to it.

The billboard only costs $450 per 28 days, plus a $350 one-time production charge for the cost of the vinyl the ad is printed on.”

The sign was finally put up on Monday, July 13th, and is currently paid for through the end of 2020.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

It’s a Beautiful thing we made, y’all #faithinhumanityrestored #blm #resist #thankyou #goodhumans #communitylove

A post shared by cristina virsida (@luna4muna) on

The campaign even raised enough money to pay for the billboard through the first half of 2021. They are now waiting on the contract and invoice from Lamar to lock the additional time in.

With the money left over, the GoFundMe campaign organizer donated $1,000 to Chatham Organizing for Racial Equity (CORE), and $1,000 to Emancipate NC.

The Charlotte region also has a similar situation on Wilkinson Blvd. in Gaston County.

For years now, a giant Confederate Flag has flown on private land, just west of the Aldi in Belmont, and there just so happens to be a giant billboard next to it.

North Carolina City Just Made History By Approving Reparations For Black Citizens

Steve
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North Carolina City Just Made History By Approving Reparations For Black Citizens

For the first time in history, a major southern city has approved sweeping reparations for descendants of African American slaves.

Yesterday evening, the Asheville City Council voted unanimously 7-0 to pass the “RESOLUTION SUPPORTING COMMUNITY REPARATIONS FOR BLACK ASHEVILLE“, which apologizes for the city’s historic role in slavery and discrimination and orders the establishment of a process and commission for “repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic Racism”.

According to the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, ‘reparations’ are “a process of repairing, healing and restoring a people injured because of their group identity and in violation of their fundamental human rights by governments, corporations, institutions and families”.

In an interview with Ashville Today, Racial Justice Coalition of Ashville’s Community Liaison Rob Thomas (who led the push for the new resolution) noted;

“Black people are deeply impoverished and over policed here, and the lack of economic mobility can be traced back to this city’s negligence and intentional disposal of black wealth. It seems that the most responsible move at this point is to reallocate a lot of the $30 million dollars and directly re-invest it into black neighborhoods. We do not want programs, we aren’t looking for white saviorism; we want land, property, businesses. We want economic mobility and a way to produce generational wealth.”

The new resolution specifically apologizes for Asheville’s history of enslavement, segregation, and destroying ‘successful black communities’ and “directs the City Manager to establish a process within the next year to develop short, medium and long term recommendations to specifically address the creation of generational wealth and to boost economic mobility and opportunity in the black community” and will “establish within the next year, a new commission empowered to make short, medium, and long term recommendations that will make significant progress toward repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic Racism.”

Here is the resolution in its entirety:

Reparations for Black Ashev… by Denise Pridgen on Scribd

You can watch yesterday’s entire city council meeting here:

What do you think about the new resolution? 

Recovery Program Grants Over $2 Million to 195 Charlotte Small Businesses Impacted by Pandemic

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Recovery Program Grants Over $2 Million to 195 Charlotte Small Businesses Impacted by Pandemic

Through its first rounds of grantmaking, the Access to Capital Small Business Recovery program has issued $2.16 million in grants to 195 local small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Charlotte partnered with Foundation For The Carolinas to launch the program, which will distribute a total of $30 million in federal CARES Act funding.

Applications for the grants program are available at fftc.org/CLTCityGrant. Applications will be accepted through 5 p.m., July 31. However, the earlier a business applies, the greater the chance that the application will be selected for review.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy, and our city recovery task force meets weekly to offer assistance and guidance during this pandemic,” said Mayor Pro Tem Julie Eiselt. “The Access to Capital Small Business Recovery program is one of the best tools available to provide vital resources, and I encourage all small businesses to apply, because you could qualify for the next round of grant payouts.”

Businesses receiving grants have ranged from convenience stores to restaurants, hair salons, florists and more throughout Charlotte neighborhoods. Of the first round of grantees, 181 businesses had 5 or fewer employees and 14 had between 6 and 25 employees.

“In March, when Gov. Cooper issued the shelter in place order for all non-essential businesses, I was forced to close my doors,” said Giovy Buyers, owner of Southern Blossom Florist, which received a $10,000 grant from the program. “As the pandemic wore on, I saw all of my summer events cancel. I was grateful to be awarded the Access to Capital Small Business Recovery Grant, because I was two months late on rent and going into another month. In addition, I will be able to pay some of our vendors. The application process was very easy.”

The program is part of the City’s Open for Business initiative and is distributing grants of either $10,000 or $25,000 (depending on the number of employees) to small businesses headquartered within Charlotte city limits that have been affected by the pandemic. FFTC serves as the City’s grantmaking partner for the effort.

The Access to Capital Small Business Recovery Program aims to provide funding rapidly, accessibly and equitably for Charlotte’s diverse small business community. Applications are selected randomly by a software algorithm from the applicant pool for review and are not reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the likelihood of receiving a grant increases the earlier an application is received because it will be available for selection each day. Businesses only need to apply once.

“Today is a day of celebration for 195 Charlotte business owners and for our entire city,” said City Councilman James Mitchell Jr. “We knew from the start that these grants would be a lifeline for many in our business community to survive and make it possible to thrive for their families and their employees’ families.”

The City and FFTC have conducted robust outreach efforts to inform small businesses in neighborhoods throughout Charlotte of the opportunity and how to apply. Beginning July 20, small business owners can visit various YMCA branches for help submitting their applications. Locations, hours and details will be available July 17 at www.fftc.org/CLTCityGrantFAQ. In addition, a customer service team is currently in place and can be reached at cltcitygrant@fftc.org or 704.998.6499.

“Our team is ready and eager to help local small businesses with the application process,” said Kayla Castilleja, FFTC employee and grant program review team member. “We encourage those who’ve not yet applied to submit their applications, and to contact us or visit a designated YMCA branch (beginning July 20) for assistance.”

To qualify, a small business must:

  • Be headquartered within the Charlotte city limits
  • Employ 25 or fewer employees (including part-time, if reported on company’s W-3)
  • Have been established before Jan. 1, 2020
  • Have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Have gross sales for 2019 of at least $30,000 and less than $2 million
  • Not be currently engaged in bankruptcy proceedings

Full eligibility requirements and a list of required documentation are available at fftc.org/CLTCityGrant. It is anticipated that the number of applicants will exceed the available funding, so grants are not guaranteed.

Priority is given to businesses that have not received federal or state COVID-19 related financial support or funding from the City’s Micro Business Relief Fund.

Applications are available in English, Spanish, Nepali, French, Chinese and Vietnamese, and will be accepted through 5 p.m., July 31. For a complete list of criteria and to apply, visit fftc.org/CLTCityGrant. Contact cltcitygrant@fftc.org or 704.998.6499 for assistance.

Making Salad the Main Course, New Saladworks Restaurant Opens in Huntersville

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Making Salad the Main Course, New Saladworks Restaurant Opens in Huntersville

A new salad-forward restaurant is about to open in Huntersville – Saladworks. The new restaurant is being launched by local couple Gary and Kim Randazzo.

It will be located off of exit 23 at the Rosedale Shopping Center on Gilead Rd., and will focus on customization through its array of over 60 fresh, flavorful and healthy ingredients – allowing guests to create a salad as original as they are. In addition to its Signature recipes, it will also offer create-your-own options, including salads, wraps, grain bowls, soups and more.

The Randazzos are Originally from New Jersey, Gary and Kim have years of experience in business ownership. In 2019, the couple decided to move to Huntersville after falling in love with the Lake Norman region.

“There are a lot of options for fast food in the area, but with the healthy lifestyle of residents in the area, we want to establish ourselves as Huntersville’s go-to fast-casual for healthy and delicious food,” said Gary. “Saladworks prides itself with originality and being a key component in the community, which is why I know Huntersville will love what we have in store, both literally and figuratively.”

To celebrate the new Saladworks, a grand opening is planned for May 26. In lieu of a grand opening event, guests can download the Saladworks rewards app for a chance to win free salads for a year.

For learn more information about Saladworks Huntersville, visit their website Saladworks.com or call 704-992-9006.

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