Rents are on the rise in Charlotte – April 2020 Charlotte Rental Report

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Rents are on the rise in Charlotte – April 2020 Charlotte Rental Report
In spite of rental rates flattening out across the nation, Charlotte’s rates have continued to increase at record paces.
ApartmentList.com just released their April 2020 rent report, showing the 4th straight month that our city has seen rent increases after a decline in November of last year.
Here are some of this month’s highlights for Charlotte:
  • Rents in Charlotte have increased 0.2% over the past month, and are up 2.5% year-over-year.
  • Charlotte’s median two-bedroom rent of $1,158 is below the national average of $1,197.
  • Over the past year, rent increases have been occurring not just in the city of Charlotte, but across the entire state – of the largest 10 cities that we have data for in North Carolina, 9 of them have seen prices rise.
If you’d like to check the full report, you may find it here.

As Coronavirus Spreads, NC Rural Health Care Providers Shoulder Unique, Outsized Burden

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As Coronavirus Spreads, NC Rural Health Care Providers Shoulder Unique, Outsized Burden

As the coronavirus rages across the United States and rural health care providers brace for the impact of the pandemic among some of the most vulnerable, a new report released by Piedmont Rising highlights why so many rural hospitals in North Carolina struggle, why others have ultimately closed, and examines the continued impact of those closures on the community.

“As North Carolina’s rural health care providers face an extraordinary health crisis that threatens to drain their resources, we must ensure they receive the equipment, resources, and immediate federal relief they desperately need to remain financially viable,” said Casey Wilkinson, Piedmont Rising Executive Director. “When rural hospitals suffer, the entire community suffers. It’s never been more important for Senator Tillis and Senator Burr to consider every tool available to guarantee essential resources and affordable care for all North Carolina families, no matter where they live.”

KEY FINDINGS:

  • North Carolina has experienced more rural hospital closures than almost any other state in the country.
  • Only Texas, Tennessee and Georgia have had more rural hospitals close in the last 10 years. All, including North Carolina, are states that have refused Medicaid expansion.
  • In 2019, 19 hospital closures occurred in the United States  — more than any other year since 2005.
  • A lack of Medicaid expansion in North Carolina has had a direct, negative impact on rural health care providers due to the economic burden caused by uncompensated care costs.

How Much Space Can You Buy For $200k in Charlotte vs. Largest US Cities

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How Much Space Can You Buy For $200k in Charlotte vs. Largest US Cities

We all know that location is essential when looking for a home to buy, but price and size also carry considerable weight. A recent report by Property Shark compared exactly how much house you would get for $200,000 in the largest US cities.

It turns out that a homebuyer can get about 13 times more house in Charlotte (1,696 sq. ft.) than in Manhattan (126 sq. ft.) for $200k.

Here are a few other key findings from the study:

  • Cleveland, OH offers the most bang for your buck in terms of home size– here, a 3,769-sq. ft. mansion could be yours for the price of a 126-sq. ft. Manhattan studio.
  • El Paso, San Antonio and Memphis are also on the affordable side of the spectrum, offering about 10 times more house for $200k than San Jose, Boston or San Francisco.
  • For the same amount of money, a home in Nashville or Orlando would offer you around 2,000 square feet of living space, while in Los Angeles or San Diego you can only buy a 500-sq. ft home with $200k.

To determine how big of a home $200k would buy in each city, the report calculated the median price per square foot we divided the median home sale price with the median home size in each location and used the rounded amount ($200,000) of the national median home price of $214,000.

Can You Legally Buy Cannabis Seeds Online?

Sarah Kaminski
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Can You Legally Buy Cannabis Seeds Online?

People who are just starting out in their cannabis growing journey are often concerned about the many legalities surrounding the growing of cannabis. Cannabis has developed something of a bad reputation in recent times. This bad reputation is arguably partly to blame for the development of the bad reputation which has left so many people concerned about getting involved with growing their very own cannabis for their own medicinal or recreational use.

Don’t make the mistake of getting on the wrong side of your law with your cannabis growing! Start out right and follow our simple guide to staying within the law—especially when it comes to buying cannabis seeds online.

Why You Might Want to Buy Cannabis Seeds Online

There are many different reasons as to why you might want to buy your cannabis seeds online, instead of buying them in a local store.

Discretion and Privacy

For a start, buying cannabis seeds online usually comes with far more discretion than going into a store. Many people who are just getting started with their cannabis growing experience will want to keep their new hobby a secret, at least to start with—partially because of the poor reputation that cannabis has developed in recent times.

Buying seeds online is a great way for people to keep their cannabis growing a little bit quieter. Online shopping means that you won’t have to publicly go out to buy your seeds, and seeds are always delivered in discreet packaging that does not hint at the contents as well; this all helps to protect your privacy and discretion. For people who are particularly concerned about discretion, seeds can also be delivered in specialized “extra discreet” packaging such as in a shirt or a wallet.

Greater Strain Selection

When it comes to choosing the ideal cannabis seeds for your needs and setup, having a good selection of strains to choose between can be highly beneficial. While most cannabis seed stores and dispensaries will offer a good choice of strains for people to consider, they simply cannot rival the incredible selection that is found online.

Online seed banks can offer as many as thousands of different strains for people to choose between. These strains will vary in their yields, heights, flavors, THC content and purpose, and many other different factors. This can be important if you’re trying to calculate how long will cannabis stay in your system. These online seed banks often offer strains from many different seed breeders, too, further helping to increase the amount of choice that you can have.

This incredible selection is essential for anyone looking to find the perfect seeds for their needs, and so many people want to order their seeds online for this very reason.

Can I Legally Purchase Marijuna Seeds Online?

The answer to this question is not a simple yes or no. Indeed, it is perfectly legal for you to buy your marijuana seeds online—provided that you live in one of a select number of states (for United States residents) or countries (for European residents).

In The States

If you live in the United States and want to buy marijuana seeds online, you need to check that doing so is legal in your state. Many people make the mistake of assuming that, because one state does or doesn’t allow people to buy cannabis seeds online, the same rules will apply to every state; in fact, some states allow you to buy online cannabis seeds, while others do not allow you to buy cannabis seeds online. Even in states that have legalized the use of cannabis, the rules can be highly variable; as such, always do your research and check if your state allows cannabis seed sales online.

In The UK

In the UK, it is entirely legal to buy cannabis seeds online. However, there is a catch—while you can buy the seeds online without breaking any rules, the act of actually germinating the seeds that you have purchased is illegal; the same is the case for people who have purchased cannabis seeds “with intent” for growing and germinating these seeds.

In Europe

The rules surrounding the purchase of cannabis seeds online can vary wildly throughout the different European countries. If you live in Europe, it is thus important that you try to make sense of the many different rules before buying cannabis seeds online.

Germany, for example, is in a rather tricky position: cannabis seeds are not covered by the German Narcotics Act, however, the sale of cannabis seeds in the country is also illegal. The difference is that if you buy cannabis seeds online, you are actually operating on the right side of the law—provided that the seeds come from a country outside of Germany.

Spain, by contrast, is a great country for people looking to grow cannabis seeds. Cannabis seeds can be legally purchased online in the majority of Spanish regions and can be grown and germinated for personal use only.

Cannabis seeds can also be purchased legally online for people living in Italy, who are perfectly entitled to invest in seeds (due to the fact that they are considered to be cultivation equipment). However, these seeds cannot be legally germinated, and if it is suspected that your intention is to do so then you may find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

In the Netherlands, people are able to buy seeds under a special “tolerance policy”, although these seeds can only be germinated in small quantities for personal use. This is similar to how the French see the buying of cannabis seeds online; in France, seeds can be purchased online from other countries, so long as they are not shown in a favorable light and are not grown.

In Summary

There are a number of different reasons as to why you might want to grow your own cannabis, but it is always important to stay within the rules of the law when doing so. There are many different legalities that must be followed when growing cannabis, and failing to do so will often result in you getting in trouble for something that you really didn’t need to worry about.

Six Bathroom Trends to adopt for 2020

Robin Mann
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Six Bathroom Trends to adopt for 2020

Revamping a bathroom is not as simple as one might think. Most of the time, one would need to engage contractors to change the tiles, install the tapware and lighting, etc. As such, renovating a bathroom can be a serious business and should not be taken lightly. That being said, it helps a great deal to plan ahead. After all, what harm can that do?

With that, we got you covered with a list of the most modern and popular designs that are worth keeping in mind. It does not matter whether you are still drafting your plan or are already prepared to strip your bathroom down to its bare walls; these trends are sure to elevate your bathroom and keep them looking trendy and aesthetic for years to come.  

Striking Marble

We all know the wonders that tiles can bring to a space, but have you ever imagined how majestic and luxurious a whole room of marbled walls can be? Just think, having a marble accent wall that complements your vanity of choice or even being surrounded by marble from floor-to-ceiling! I’ll bet you are already excited to include a beautiful marble design in your bathroom!

According to top designers around the world, it is important, when picking your marble, to look at the colors, veining, and design of your marble. These features, if they are dramatic, can give your bathroom a more textured-finish and make it look less static and much more appealing. The key to the rising trend of having marble in your bathroom design is to pick stones that are one-of-a-kind and foreign to make it a feature in your space. 

Black Surfaces

Having a black feature wall or floor can bring about a myriad of benefits to your bathroom. Following the current trend, black tiles can and should be used like neutral-colored ones as it makes your space feel brand-new and contemporary. What’s more? It beautifully complements sophisticated metal components like a brass shower-head or gold tapware. 

For some who refuse to forego white walls, you can still achieve a similar vibe by going black in connecting walls. The sharp difference between black and white is not only suitable for any style of home, but it also brings depth to the design which makes a room perceptively bigger. 

Relaxing Feels

It is safe to say that most of us want our bathrooms to be a safe-haven where we can fully relax and enjoy our time so that we can feel recharged to face the daily stressors of our lives once again. Just imagine those luxurious shining tapware, open-ceiling showers, and vintage bathtubs… 

Speaking of bathtubs, they can magically transform your bathroom to a spa right in your home. Its rounded edges balance out the straight and sharp lines in the bathroom while being a visually appealing centerpiece for your space.  To make it even more attention-grabbing and impressive, a statement lamp can be installed above the tub. You can buy commercial grab bars for your bathroom online.

For plant lovers out there, designers suggest not just adding bathing necessities but also greeneries around the centerpiece to further give the bathroom a peaceful feel. For instance, there are a variety of plants that can flourish due to the humid bathroom air while cleaning the air inside the room itself. 

Colorful Tiles

Sure, white tiles are the safe option, but if you want your bathroom to be a feature in your home, do not be afraid to experiment with colors and textures for your tiles. Try blending patterns, colors, florals, tones, and mix textures like terrazzo, multi-motif tiles, and abstract displays. This is the time to be creative with your tiles because more and more people are expanding their range of choices and becoming more daring with their design picks. In fact, more and more people are using their choice of tiles as a way of expressing themselves.

Powder Rooms with a Dazzling Flair

The powder room is a place to try that design that you always wanted but never dared to in the other parts of your house. Feel free to try that design you saw on Instagram or Pinterest in the powder room because there is no better place in your home that is as low-risk as this; given that it is a relatively small space and little time is spent in there. In fact, the powder room is the perfect place to create amazing and eye-catching designs as it is where guests will visit often. 

Take the chance to introduce a playful wallpaper or explore using strong colors and motifs in the powder room. Designers suggest that you can embrace a darker palette to create a moody vibe. Furthermore, you can also combine various patterned tiles that might seem contrasting, to leave an impression on viewers. 

Showers With The Best Of Both Worlds

There is a rising preference for bathrooms to have showers fitted with both overhead or wall-mounted showerheads along with hand-held ones. 

Showering should be an experience that turns your senses on, and having a range of choices to shower can do just that. You can use more than one type of showerhead for a gentle showering experience, much like standing in the rain, except you are getting cleaner. And for the icing on the cake, you can invest in some high-technology devices that let you command the strength of the water as well as the water temperature in preparation for the perfect bathing experience for you each time you take a bath. 

For those who wish to take “the best of both worlds” a step further, it is also an increasingly popular choice to have a separate shower along with a freestanding tub. The combination of these is sure to meet your demands of a beautiful yet relaxing spa-like bathroom right in your home. You can enjoy both an energizing bath in the day and a slow, comforting one night. If this is not the best way to relax, we don’t know what is!

Now that you are equipped with the knowledge of these bathroom trends, go design the perfect bathroom for your home. Be sure to include all the much-needed features in your bathroom as well for maximum comfort; things like getting radiators for the bathroom will greatly improve your showering experience so be sure to check them out and all the best designing the bathroom of your dreams! 

 

Belmont’s Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Closing Indefinitely

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Belmont’s Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Closing Indefinitely

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, is closing to the general public indefinitely, Garden officials announced today. The Garden reduced its workforce to those required for minimal maintenance and to keep in place nominal operations.

“Over the last several weeks, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden has experienced financial difficulties due to responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have explored many options, but unfortunately, to ensure the Garden remains a viable community asset that continues to instill a love of nature and its beauty in the future, we have made the painful decision to reduce our workforce,” said Executive Director Patrick Larkin. “We hope to reopen again in the when the situation turns around. Our leadership and Board of Directors is working on a way forward with the rapidly changing circumstances.”

The Garden’s staff of 52 has now been reduced to nine people.

In any other year at this time, Garden staff would be welcoming school groups and adult learners, planting annuals for spring and summer, and preparing for numerous events. All that has been put on hold as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Garden had been making plans to open its popular Chinese Lantern Festival at the end of August, but it now appears it will have to be delayed. Garden officials said that production of the show takes about six months, so it is working with the show’s producer to set a new date. Those who have purchased tickets can reschedule those tickets after a new date is set.

The late Daniel J. Stowe began to develop the Garden in southeastern Gaston County in the early 1990s, setting aside land he began acquiring before World War II. In 1999 the Garden opened its immaculate Visitor Pavilion and a dozen acres of manicured Gardens. By 2003 it had become one of the region’s most popular wedding venues, hosting nearly 100 weddings each year. In 2008, the Garden opened its 8,000-square-foot Orchid Conservatory and in 2014 Lost Hollow: The Kimbrell Children’s Garden. The Garden attracts more than 100,000 people annually.

University City Businesses Sourcing Thousands of Masks for Atrium Health During Pandemic

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University City Businesses Sourcing Thousands of Masks for Atrium Health During Pandemic

Atrium Health University City will receive 599 boxes of protective gear, thanks to the concern and urgency of local business leaders.

The hospital is building vital inventory to protect doctors, nurses and other care providers who are on the front lines with patients. With the support of Jane Wu, board member for University City Partners and developer in University City as President of Panorama Holdings, the connections made through University City Partners, leadership of Restore Global and the generosity of partners in China, Atrium Health will receive 50,000 surgical masks, over 10,000 N95 and N98 respirators, 300,000 gloves, 3,000 goggles and 800 full protection coverage suits to help protect their front line staff caring for COVID-19 patients.

When the virus was at peak in China, Jane, originally from China and connected to a business group in the country, reached out to see if she could help the Chinese healthcare team. They were in need of masks and Jane learned about protective gear through her relationship with Bill Leonard, Facility Executive of Atrium Health University City and fellow board member of University City Partners. Working through several connections and logistics partners, Jane sourced masks to share with China and import fees were waived upon arrival.

When things were stabilized in China and the pandemic began to spread across the globe to the U.S., Jane felt compelled to do something for North Carolina and the local community. She circled back to Bill Leonard to inquire about the hospital’s needs. Jane offered to help supply masks to Atrium Health University City. Bill immediately accepted her offer of help. Jane reached out to her Chinese contacts to see if they had any masks remaining. They had some to spare and shipped them back to Charlotte. Jane also reached out to other partners and charities in China to see if they could help to source additional masks and other supplies.

With swift and generous support, Jane has helped raise more than $200,000 to purchase the masks, protective gear and other care supplies. Direct support came from Restore Global, which helped with logistics, shipping and 300,000 gloves.

In addition to supporting Charlotte, Jane is working to identify supplies for hospitals in high impacted states like New York and California. This sort of urgency, innovation and collaboration is exactly what we need in this time and I imagine your readers or viewers would find this of great interest and inspiration.

NC Governor Signs New Order To Prohibit Utilities From Cutting Service Or Charging Late Fees

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NC Governor Signs New Order To Prohibit Utilities From Cutting Service Or Charging Late Fees

The Governor of North Carolina has just signed NC Executive Order No. 124, which prohibits utility companies from shutting off any services in North Carolina due to non payment for the next 60 days.

The new order also encourages all companies, including banks, not to charge overdraft fees, late fees, and other penalties during this time of crisis.

Landlords are also strongly encouraged to delay any evictions that are already entered in the court system and to avoid filing any new evictions during this time.

You can read the full Order here, or read a series of frequently asked questions and answers about the Order here.

People Now Smuggling Visitors Through Police Checkpoints Onto Closed NC Beaches

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People Now Smuggling Visitors Through Police Checkpoints Onto Closed NC Beaches

Given that the weather has been perfect, kids are off school, and many people are currently not working, there’s a greater demand than ever to go to the beach.

However, due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, North Carolina’s legendary Outer Banks beach communities have just passed some of the steepest restrictions in our state, completely banning all visitors and non-resident property owners from entering the area.

 

These new restrictions have caused rule breakers to get creative – even turning to smuggling to make some extra cash and skirt the law.

At least one person on Craigslist is now offering to sneak wannabe beach goers through the roadblocks and police checkpoints into the famed beaches of the Outer Banks.

After receiving several tips from community members who saw the post, The Kitty Hawk police department research the Craigslist ad and determined that it was, in fact, legitimate.

In a Facebook post they wrote:

“Well, we have truly moved beyond the absurd and ridiculous. We have researched it and yes this appears to be a valid post on Craigslist. Really folks?!? We even responded but have yet to receive a reply to our request for a price quote. Let’s not make it any more dangerous for those hard working law enforcement officers at the checkpoints. Not to mention everyone else’s safety and health.

Common sense is a valuable gift during this trying time.”

Toilet Paper Alternative Creating Serious Sewer Problems in California

Robin Mann
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Toilet Paper Alternative Creating Serious Sewer Problems in California

Over recent weeks, the world has found itself in an unprecedented situation with a global pandemic sweeping the planet. This has naturally caused widespread alarm and anxiety, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of infections, tens of thousands of deaths – and mass panic buying in the supermarkets.

One of the things that people in California and cities across the world are now having a problem with is being able to get their hands on toilet paper. For some reason, this was among the first things to go flying off the shelves and finding toilet paper available these days is like gold dust. Of course, for those who cannot find any toilet paper, extreme measures are necessary, and some have been turning to unusual alternatives. However, some of these are causing massive issues when it comes to the sewer systems.

The Need to Bag and Not Flush

With current social distancing regulations in place, finding a professional to deal with anything from damp basement walls to blocked pipes will be a problem. When it comes to the latter, many people are at risk of blocking their pipes because of the types of materials they are flushing down the loo in the absence of toilet paper. In addition, they are putting the sewer systems at risk, which could then create another huge problem for their communities. 

One of the major issues in California during the Covid-19 situation is that many people have now taken to tearing up old t-shirts and using them in place of toilet paper. While this may seem like an imaginative solution, residents are being warned to remember that t-shirts are not designed to be flushed in the same way as toilet paper. Many people are using t-shirt pieces and then flushing them down the toilets, and this is already creating huge problems for the sewer systems. 

People are also flushing other toilet roll alternatives down the toilet including baby wipes and other materials. It is important to remember that not only do these items cause a massive issue when they are flushed but the huge numbers of people that are doing it are making a bad situation even worse. It is resulting in pipe blockages in people’s homes as well as major sewer problems that could end up affecting entire communities. 

Importance of Being Careful

Officials have pointed out that this growing trend has already created huge issues, and if it continues, the problems will continue to get worse. While some people may have no option but to use alternatives to toilet paper in the current situation, it is very important for them to be mindful about how they dispose of the materials.

Rather than flushing materials such as ripped t-shirts and wipes down the toilet, people should be using the trash in order to dispose of them. This will help to ensure they do not end up with blocked pipes, which can be expensive and difficult to sort out. In addition, it will help to reduce the risks to sewer systems. 

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