History Was Made Yesterday As Thousands Marched Through Affluent Myers Park Neighborhood

Charlotte Stories
-
0
History Was Made Yesterday As Thousands Marched Through Affluent Myers Park Neighborhood

History was made yesterday during Charlotte’s 4th day of racial justice protests.

Over 2,000 people gathered in Myer’s Park (one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in our city) for what would become the first major protest the historically white neighborhood has ever witnessed.

View this post on Instagram

No Justice, No Peace, No Racist Police

A post shared by Charles Waddell (@waddellsvessels) on

The protest was attended by numerous city leaders and several Carolina Panthers players:

Some Myers Park homeowners even joined in the protest and others handed out water and snacks to marchers:

Perhaps the most powerful moment of the entire march was when several thousand protesters kneeled in the middle of the street for 9 minutes – the same length of time that Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd’s neck.

Here is the video of the kneeling protest at the intersection of Queens Rd. and Selwyn Ave., taken by photographer and protester Joshua Galloway, who noted:

“We took the peaceful protest right to the front doors of some of the wealthiest people in Charlotte. We continued to walk around the whole neighborhood by Queens University etc our presence was heard and felt beyond measure.”

What do you think about the recent protests in Charlotte?

Charlotte’s 3 Foxcroft Locations to Reopen Dining Rooms & Patios on June 2

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Charlotte’s 3 Foxcroft Locations to Reopen Dining Rooms & Patios on June 2

Foxcroft Wine Co. will be reopening the dining rooms and patios of all three Charlotte locations (Dilworth, Southpark and Waverly) on Tuesday, June 2.

“The health and safety of our staff and guests is our top priority,” says Owner Conrad Hunter. “As part of our careful planning and preparation to reopen, our staff has been training to meet the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Interim Guidelines for Restaurant reopening.”

We recognize that restaurants and bars will be operating with a new set of rules and procedures for the foreseeable future,” says Hunter. “Along with increased sanitation practices and the use of personal protective equipment by our staff, we will be launching a new reservation system.’

Foxcroft will be taking reservations by phone for the first week. On June 9th, all 3 locations around Charlotte will start taking reservations through Resy. “We will accommodate walk-in table requests to the best of our ability, but we encourage our guests to book a reservation in advance and to honor that reservation time,” says Hunter. “This will help us to cut down on crowds gathering near the entrance of the restaurant, and it will help us to best seat our limited number of tables.

Below are a few more changes that will be effective June 2nd:

  • Operating our dining rooms and patios at 50% capacity

  • Seating tables largely by reservation instead of walk-ins

  • Spacing tables at least 8 feet apart

  • Sanitizing tables and chairs between each party, and increased sanitation throughout the restaurant

  • Staff wearing personal protection equipment, including masks

Foxcroft Wine Co. is an upscale wine bar + restaurant + retail shop, offering the best and most eclectic selection of 40+ wines by the glass, thousands of bottles sold at retail prices, and a full menu, prepared from scratch daily. Ingredients are sourced locally whenever possible, and all of the butchery and baking are done in-house. Foxcroft has three locations in Charlotte.

  • Dilworth: 1235 East Blvd., Charlotte

  • Southpark: 7824 Fairview Rd., Charlotte

  • Waverly: 7416 Waverly Walk Ave., Suite H-1A, Charlotte

How To Choose A Web Design Agency

Robert Tilman
-
0
How To Choose A Web Design Agency

The stress of launching a new website includes that of having to come up with a good enough design. That would also mean that you have to make sure that you hire a designer that would work best for your ideas to come to life. With so many options out there, how then will you decide on which one to work with? 

Your website is what the public sees and it represents what your company is all about. The design of your website will determine that crucial first impression. It is what makes customers decide whether or not they would like to work with you. Therefore, it is very important to choose a web design agency that is able to help you reach out to your target audience and help you to achieve your business goals. Here are a few things to know about when it comes to picking a web design agency. When you’re ready, you can start looking for nice design companies on Sortlist.

You are in charge

Remember that this is your business, meaning that you are the one with the most knowledge about your industry and what your business is striving for. Only you know what brand you are trying to portray and products are being sold. With this, you should be the one with at least a rough idea of how you would like to showcase all these on your website. There is no point in turning to a web design agency and asking them to direct you throughout the entire web design process. With that being said, if the agency refuses to take heed to your directions, then it would be best to find another one. The designer is there to help you bring your ideas to life, not start a project of their own. 

They will have suggestions

Despite the fact that we have said that you are the one in charge of the idea planning, you should also have an open mind. These designers are sure to have some ideas on how to better develop and improve your ideas that would potentially help your website draw even more attention. These people have the knowledge in design, so in that area, you have to be able to understand or negotiate with them in order to get the best out of it. It would be great to have designers who are passionate and able to suggest exciting new ideas.

They know responsive design

This is one of the best ways to design a website in this day and age. If the agency is not well-versed in this area or is able to suggest a better separate mobile website, then find another agency. As the usage of mobile phones and tablets rise, ensuring that your website can be accessed through all these devices would be beneficial. 

Should have a Marketing Department

It is an immediate red light if the agency does not have a marketing department of its own. The agency should not only be great at creating exciting designs, it should also know how to best sell and market your website as well. Knowing that the agency you are working with has developers and marketers alongside their designers would put you to ease knowing that your project is in the right hands. 

Check out their portfolio 

Before you pick an agency, be sure to check in on their portfolios to see the various live websites that they have helped to design. Looking at mere screenshots is insufficient. Be sure to visit the websites that they have created and see how they function. If you do not like what you see, then it is a sign that they will not be able to provide you with what you need either. 

The agency designs with CMS in mind

All websites require a content management system. If there isn’t one available to you, it would mean that you would have to go through the trouble of ringing up your developer every other day to ask him to help update your website. People have moved on from HTML websites and make sure that the agency that you are working with knows about the best content management systems out there. For example, WordPress or Magento. 

Worked with more than one industry

To work with an agency that has dabbled with different industries would suggest that they have a lot of different ideas in mind. If you choose one that is only fixated on a certain industry, it is sure to mean that they have a template in hand and your website will not look very much different from the rest within the same industry. Your website should stand out, and that is what your web designer is supposed to help you do. 

They will be expensive

Your website is the face of your business. As such, no corners should be cut in the process of making it. This means that the website that you are creating is sure to cost you quite the sum of money. Creating a website must be seen as an investment. You would not want to pay a sum of money (that is still not cheap) and end up having a website that looks no different from the rest. We want a website that is unique and stands out in order to gain more traction from the public. A good website is sure to reap in return on investment in the future. 

Up to date with the modern design trends

Having a website with a design that was popular a long time back is not something you would like to have. Imagine the impression it would give to your potential customers, you could be perceived as a backward company incapable of providing them with the latest goods and services. Web designers should know about the latest trends. Customers are more likely to think of your website as credible when it has a modern design as it shows that you are aware of what is deemed as the ‘in thing’. Parallax scrolling, flat design are some of the things a web design should be aware of. 

Finding the perfect web design agency to help develop your website is not an easy task. There are many things that you have to take into consideration. Think about which designer understands your idea more and check if they are capable of ensuring that your website will do well. 

Krispy Kreme Responds To Riots and Pandemic By Offering Everyone A Free Donut

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Krispy Kreme Responds To Riots and Pandemic By Offering Everyone A Free Donut

The past couple months have been truly devastating for countless Americans as millions have lost their jobs and thousands have lost their businesses during the COVID-19 shutdown and an entire race is feeling the pain of the viral exposure of injustices.

While nothing can bring back what’s been lost, North Carolina’s Krispy Kreme is doing what they can to ease the nation’s pain.

They have decided to turn ‘National Doughnut Day’ into ‘National Doughnut Week’ to give more people more free donuts.

“National Doughnut Day is one of our favorite holidays to celebrate, but with days starting to blur together, we want to make sure it’s easier than ever for fans to participate,” said Dave Skena, Chief Marketing Officer for Krispy Kreme. “That’s why, this year, we’re extending our beloved free doughnut tradition from one day to five days with the very first National Doughnut Week.”

For more information regarding the week-long offer, you can visit www.krispykreme.com/promos/nationaldoughnutweek.

NC Designates June 1st As Day of Mourning For People Who Have Passed from COVID-19

Charlotte Stories
-
0
NC Designates June 1st As Day of Mourning For People Who Have Passed from COVID-19

The Governor of North Carolina has just declared June 1st, 2020 as a Day of Mourning to honor all those who have passed from COVID-19, including over 100,000 American lives and almost 1,000 North Carolina lives.

“This is an opportunity to remind ourselves that our death count is not just a number, it represents people, communities and families in mourning,” Governor Cooper remarked in a press release. “I encourage North Carolinians to join in this moment of silence in honor of the people we have lost and their loved ones who are struggling in the wake of this cruel virus.”

Over 100 faith leaders from across the country will be leading a national moment of silence today at 12pm EST.

Governor Cooper has ordered all state flags to be lowered to half-staff.

South Carolina Ranks Among States That Need the Most Financial Help Due to COVID-19

Charlotte Stories
-
0
South Carolina Ranks Among States That Need the Most Financial Help Due to COVID-19

With states losing massive amounts of tax revenue while still having to support their residents during the coronavirus pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on the States That Need the Most Financial Help Due to COVID-19.

To identify which states may need the most financial help due to the coronavirus crisis, the site compared the 50 states across 18 key metrics. Our data set ranges from the state’s rainy-day funds and debt per capita to the share of the workforce in highly-affected industries.

South Carolina ranked #10 and North Carolina ranked #33 on the list.

States That Need Most Financial Help Due to Coronavirus

Overall Rank State Total Score “State Financials” Rank “Health & Employment Landscape” Rank
1 Louisiana 62.29 2 4
2 Kentucky 57.55 6 7
3 Florida 57.48 17 1
4 New Hampshire 56.72 16 3
5 New York 55.40 4 25
6 Illinois 55.02 1 36
7 New Jersey 53.46 3 31
8 Nevada 53.34 14 6
9 Michigan 51.86 8 14
10 South Carolina 51.52 12 8
11 Georgia 51.44 40 2
12 Virginia 50.82 27 5
13 Colorado 50.65 11 11
14 Washington 48.74 13 19
15 California 47.36 7 43
16 Arizona 47.33 18 17
17 Alaska 47.20 5 48
18 Hawaii 46.86 31 9
19 Maryland 46.54 29 12
20 Connecticut 46.39 10 34
21 Indiana 46.12 30 13
22 Massachusetts 46.10 9 44
23 Texas 45.97 15 30
23 West Virginia 45.97 24 23
25 Oklahoma 45.50 28 21
26 Rhode Island 45.50 23 26
27 Missouri 45.30 25 24
28 North Dakota 44.48 22 29
29 Pennsylvania 43.91 19 33
30 Mississippi 43.87 32 22
31 Ohio 43.68 21 32
32 Tennessee 43.18 36 16
33 North Carolina 42.68 43 10
34 Delaware 42.38 26 38
35 Kansas 42.09 20 45
36 Alabama 40.91 35 28
37 Maine 40.84 42 20
38 New Mexico 40.49 44 15
39 Idaho 39.76 34 39
40 Montana 39.39 33 42
41 Minnesota 38.13 41 35
42 Arkansas 37.29 37 46
43 Oregon 35.88 39 47
44 Utah 35.73 48 27
45 Wisconsin 35.60 37 49
46 Nebraska 35.58 45 40
47 Vermont 34.94 46 37
48 South Dakota 34.72 49 18
49 Wyoming 30.04 50 41
50 Iowa 29.96 47 50

 

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/states-that-need-most-financial-help-due-to-covid-19/74485/

Charlotte’s Joedance Film Festival Announces “Reimagined” Joedance Virtual Film Festival

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Charlotte’s Joedance Film Festival Announces “Reimagined” Joedance Virtual Film Festival

Joedance Film Festival is making a strategic pivot in wake of COVID-19 and will reimagine the 11-year-old event as Joedance Virtual Film Festival, August 6-8, 2020, rather than the traditional venue, Charlotte Ballet.

The plan is to return to Charlotte Ballet for the 2021 Festival.

Joedance Virtual Film Festival will live-stream Thursday and Friday (Aug. 6-7), 7:30-10:30 p.m., and Saturday, for student films, 1-2 p.m. Tickets, which start at $10 (students) and $20 (regular) and $70 (all-access passes), can be purchased through the following link on the Joedance website.

https://www.joedance.org/tickets

Proceeds from Joedance Virtual Film Festival will be donated to Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s to benefit rare pediatric cancer research. The festival will feature short films created by filmmakers with a connection to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and/or Tennessee.

*All events suitable for mature audiences only.*

Joedance offers two different ways to view the Virtual Festival:

  • *All-Access Pass | $70.00
    • Purchase an All-Access Pass and get access to all virtual events and virtual screenings in the 2020 Joedance Virtual Film Festival.
  • *Individual Tickets | $20.00
    • Purchase individual tickets for certain nights of the festival and get access to that evening’s virtual reception, virtual screening, and livestream Q&A with the filmmakers.

The COVID-19 pivot was necessary, according to Diane Restaino, Joedance founder and President.

“Part of the magic of Joedance is the sense of community and ambience of our nights at the Charlotte Ballet,” Restaino said. “But there is no question that our priority right now is the health and well-being of our filmmakers and audience. Having this year’s Festival virtual is the right thing to do, and I think it will be its own ‘reimagined’ success.”

“Transitioning to a virtual festival was a difficult but necessary choice for us to make as we are committed to keeping our patrons, volunteers, and staff safe. We are excited to bring Joedance to your living room or driveway this year and continue to provide a platform for supporting filmmakers as well as the important work we do with Levine Children’s,” said Joedance Festival Manager Ben McCarthy, who has vast experience with a variety of film festival formats.

Joedance is riding a wave of expansion as it celebrates its 11th anniversary, including adding Georgia and Tennessee to the list of the Festival’s film eligibility list, and adding a student film category, which will be showcased Saturday afternoon on Festival weekend.

Joedance, which includes the annual film festival during the first full weekend in August and related events year-round, honors the memory of Joe Restaino by raising funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research at Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s through an annual film festival featuring directors, producers, writers and actors who share a connection with the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. The family chose a film festival to honor Joe Restaino because of his love of movies.

Joedance supports research and clinical trials for pediatric sarcomas, blastomas and brain tumors.

To date, Joedance has donated more than $205,000 to Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s in 10 years, including $35,000 in 2019.

Joedance Film Festival Submissions

Joedance Film Festival annually showcases short and feature-length films. Eligible filmmakers have to:

*reside in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia or Tennessee;

*be originally from North, Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia or Tennessee;

or

*be connected to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia or Tennessee (films, cast or crew).

To donate to Joedance, visit www.joedance.org, or mail contributions directly to: Joedance Film Festival, 301 W. 10th Street, Unit 407, Charlotte, NC 28202.

Joe Restaino

Joe Restaino died of osteosarcoma on January 8, 2010, at the age of 20. A resident of Fourth Ward in Charlotte, Restaino graduated with high honors and was a varsity swimmer at The McCallie School in Chattanooga in 2008 before moving on to the University of Pennsylvania. He was treated for the first occurrence of the disease in 2006 during his high school sophomore year. The cancer recurred in 2008 during his senior year at The McCallie School. The third recurrence of his cancer happened his freshman year at Penn. Joe withdrew from school to be with his family.

During the 2008 graduation ceremony at McCallie – which Joe Restaino was able to attend between cancer treatments – he received the Campbell Award, one of the school’s highest honors, voted on by the student body. In 2007, Joe Restaino established the Bone Cancer Awareness Walk at The McCallie School and continued to raise money for pediatric cancer research. (That walk is now held jointly with Girls Preparatory School of Chattanooga and has been renamed Mission: Remission.) In August 2010, eight months after Joe’s death, his family established the Joedance Film Festival to support the research and clinical trials for rare pediatric cancer at Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s.

Over A Dozen Charlotte Churches Organized NC’s Largest Racial Justice Protest To Date

Steve
-
0
Over A Dozen Charlotte Churches Organized NC’s Largest Racial Justice Protest To Date

At least 3,000 people marched through the streets of Uptown Charlotte yesterday afternoon to take part in the largest racial justice protest our state has seen since the tragic murder of George Floyd.

“It Ends Now Charlotte” organized the protest in collaboration with over a dozen Churches around our city, including: Multiply Church, Uncommon Church, Christ Central Church, Mosaic Church, South Tryon Community Church, Beloved Community Church, The Encounter Church, The Exchange Church, and several others.

According to the organization’s event page:

“It Ends Now is a praise and protest movement to end complacency and bring forth a new season of racial justice and equality through the release of lament, the practice of repentance, and the promise of hope.” 

The protest began at 1pm in Uptown Charlotte’s First Ward Park as thousands of people flowed in from all directions, including Charlotte’s Mayor Vi Lyles and NC Senator Jeff Jackson:

After some praise music and a few speeches, the group marched around the city for roughly 1 mile:

The march then regathered in First Ward Park, where several leaders and pastors spoke, including Sanchez Fair, who said:

“What happens next? Whatcha gonna do tomorrow? Whatcha gonna do the next day? Who you gonna call? What you gonna listen to? What stories are you going to learn about this week…and the next week? How are you gonna fight for our children?

So my challenge, and my hope…and I pray that I’m not disappointed…is that it ends now. No more lip service.”

What You Should to Know about the Staffing Agency

Charles Brown
-
0
What You Should to Know about the Staffing Agency

Over time, the rate of adaptation for temporary and contingent workers through staffing agencies has increased dramatically. However, many companies fail to wisely use and get the maximum benefit. Although a variety of staffing solutions are now available for flexible staff, companies often fail to make it a success.

It is believed that the lack of support from management may be the main contributing factor to break the staffing solution. Many times it happens that the recruitment of temporary staffing is done without really understanding the needs of your managers how or exactly how they will be used in your business. This is a factor that will check the support you get from your frames. If their needs are discussed and understand exactly how the hired staff will be used is acquired, executives will be more cooperative and support the solution you are trying to implement.

When implementing forward to a staffing solution, it is important to understand the goals you have set in relation to the solution. You have to keep in mind how your goals can be changed as business dynamics. The solution that you apply to your staffing services should be such that they can reach your goals on a long-term basis rather than short term. There are many temporary staffing agency providers available, which makes managing your easier staffing solution. Your staff should have processes that help increase quality, ensure compliance and lead to good relations. However, if the processes are automated defective, it can result in errors and increased less well.

Many companies go for ‘great’ and therefore implement staffing solutions throughout the organization aimed at giving them great savings. However, to get such solutions cannot serve for all companies, and some may end up not meeting their expectations. Go “global” cannot prove exactly beneficial for you if your approach is not in line with your goals. Sometimes it is advisable to opt for a phased approach by country or department to see how the staffing solution works for your business.

Many times it happens that the staffing services staff such as temporary or contingent, or the implementation of staffing solutions are based on historical data and experiences. However, this can lead to failure of your approach as business needs keep changing. Therefore, agility and flexibility are important to the success of the implemented solution.

While you try to finding temporary staffing agencies among your executives, it is advisable to keep them updated with realistic expectations. The implementation of a solution, it may be that many of your expectations are achievable only in phases or over a specific time period. You can also change your expectations according to business dynamics. Therefore, it is advisable to keep your expectations to a minimum and basic.

Recruiters are at an advantage with human resources training, business management and marketing. A degree is not required to start the business, but the knowledge gained from a business management program is extremely useful. People skills are important, and can be learned through experience and self study. Many books have been published, specifically addressing temporary staffing as a business opportunity.

North Carolina Online Casino Laws: How Do They Compare to the Rest of the US?

Kurtis Wilcox
-
0

Legal online casinos are not only a popular way to blow off some steam but also a contentious issue attracting vastly different views from the state governing forces across the USA. North Carolina (NC) developed a particularly tough stance against gambling more than 260 years ago with the introduction of a suite of anti-gambling laws. Although lotteries, slots, and electronic poker were legalized prior to 2012, NC has seen no such reprieve for online gambling, which is yet to be legalized or regulated. These restrictions are tough, but every state takes its own stance on the issue, from the liberal to the traditional.  

California

Having permitted the operation of gambling establishments for more than a century, California is known as a state ahead of the curve. Although several traditional forms of gambling are prohibited, including race betting, slot machines, and social games of roulette, online gambling has become a fast-growing industry. Even so, it’s still illegal to start an online casino or gambling business, and the law is also tough on gambling enthusiasts who fail to pay taxes on their gambling earnings. 

New Jersey 

As gambling laws and regulations go in the US, many gambling enthusiasts would agree that New Jersey has the best regulation regarding online casinos. The state-wide stance on gambling is so liberal that the casinos here have been known to attract gambling enthusiasts from other more conservative states. Although the legalization of online casinos is a fairly new development, more licenses are being distributed to providers all the time.

Texas

Texans are under some of the strictest gambling laws in the US, so much so, that truly committed gamblers are inclined to board a casino boat in order to escape the laws of the land. In fact, the only physical venues around are the Native American casinos, since keeping a gambling place is illegal within the state unless it is built on Native American land. Although Penal Code 47.01 bans almost all forms of gambling, except dog and horse racing, punters are free to engage in the many readily-available online gambling opportunities.

Iowa

In the Hawkeye State, not only is online gambling legal, but local voters also considered the right to do so worthily of a referendum. Iowa is home to 24 licensed casinos spread across 19 cities which generate an annual total of $2 billion in revenue, and in case that doesn’t prove state-wide devotion, there’s also the option of riverboat gambling cruises and plenty of online casino options for those who live remotely. 

Ohio

After a long gambling dry spell, Ohio has recently relaxed its tough gambling laws to make room for the practice in a number of forms, including online gambling. The practice is returning steadily and increasing in popularity each year, the increase in popularity driven by the desire to take advantage of the immensely valuable game being played just beyond the border. The state imposes no barrier to entry into online gambling for punters; however, as it remains illegal to operate an online casino within state borders, many providers have set up their home bases offshore or overseas.

West Virginia

Home to the well-established casino industry, West Virginia has suffered financially in recent years as surrounding states have begun to relax their gambling laws. The question of whether to invest in the establishment of new brick-and-mortar casinos or embrace the online alternative is intriguing to providers, as no law currently prevents people in West Virginia from getting their gambling fix online. In any case, legislation from 2019 affords casino operators the legal right to launch online casino games, which will no doubt catalyze the reformation of the industry.  

Hawaii

The state of Hawaii has never been particularly invested in gambling, which is reflected in the fact that it is still one of only two states (Utah being the other) where all forms of gambling are illegal. Strict rules outlaw games of bingo and lottery, particularly at horse and dog tracks; however, over the years there have been attempts to bring a boost to the local tourism industry and a number of people have been keen to embrace the revenue-creation potential. If anything, the lack of physical casinos has only increased public interest in online gambling.

Gambling laws vary widely from state to state across the vast landscape of the United States, and it’s important to be cognizant of the differences. For many state governments, deciding on appropriate legislation is a matter of balancing public interest with the significant revenue generation gambling opportunities tend to create. In North Carolina, the laws will likely continue to adapt to more liberal times, much as they have in several other states.

1...871872873...1,317Page 872 of 1,317