Allegiant Air Announces New $50 Million National Hub in Concord

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Allegiant Air Announces New $50 Million National Hub in Concord

Allegiant Air has just announced plans to invest $50 million into the Concord Airport to make it their latest national hub. The new hub will create at least 66 high-paying jobs and will add two new permanent Airbus aircraft.

“We’re excited about making Concord a permanent base, and further establishing Allegiant as a hometown airline for this high-performance city,” said Keith Hansen, Allegiant’s vice president of government affairs. “With a growing and diverse population seeking affordable vacation travel, and as a regional destination for race enthusiasts, arts fans and more, Concord is an ideal location for an Allegiant base. Having locally-based operations will mean opportunities for expanded hours, as well as more – and more frequent – flight offerings for residents and visitors alike.”

Both the Concord City Council and Cabarrus County Commissioners approved three-year economic development grants for the expansion. Based on a portion of the increased tax investment, the grant amount from the City of Concord would not exceed $48,649 and $75,001 from Cabarrus County.

“Since Allegiant’s first flight from Concord-Padgett Regional Airport in 2013, their growth has been truly remarkable,” said Concord Mayor Bill Dusch. “We are very pleased that Allegiant has selected Concord for a new base of operations, which brings new jobs and travel opportunities for the citizens of Concord and the Charlotte region. We look forward to continue developing our partnership with Allegiant in the future.”

The company plans to grow capacity by double-digits including the addition of Boston Logan (BOS), Chicago Midway (MDW) and Houston Hobby (HOU) to its national route map.

Allegiant plans to immediately begin hiring pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and ground personnel to support the expanded Concord operations.

Interested applicants may apply online.

Charlotte’s Ekos Was Just Named One Of The Best Places To Work in America

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Charlotte’s Ekos Was Just Named One Of The Best Places To Work in America

The Business Intelligence Group announced today the winners of its 2020 Best Places to Work award program, with Charlotte’s own software firm Ekos named as one of the best in America.

The nominations for the Best Places to Work award were submitted and then employees of the nominated organizations were asked to complete an online survey to rate their overall satisfaction and company performance.

“Coming off a banner year in 2019 highlighted by our Series A funding round and numerous new hires across the organization, we couldn’t be more pleased to get the news about this ‘Best Places to Work’ honor,” said Josh McKinney, Ekos CEO. “One of our core values is taking care of our employees and making Ekos a great place to work. When we take care of them, they in turn take care of our customers. And when our customers are taken care of, they have a better chance of being successful, which then makes us successful. It’s all connected. Being named to this list validates that we’re on the right path.”

“Congratulations to Ekos for building an organization focused on employee engagement and performance,” said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer of Business Intelligence Group. “It was clear from analyzing the employee survey data that this is a great place to work and employee feedback is not only listened to but acted upon. Congratulations to the entire team.”

Ekos plans to hire an additional 40 people in Charlotte this year. Some of their recent executive hires include Christina Kyriazi as VP of marketing, Chris Rosbrook as CFO, Chris Smith as VP of engineering, Trent Terrel as director of sales, and Landon Funsten as director of business development.

North Carolina Just Created A New Board To Meet Growing Demand of Cohesive IT Strategy

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North Carolina Just Created A New Board To Meet Growing Demand of Cohesive IT Strategy

A new board charged with helping determine and shape the top IT priorities for North Carolina will meet for the first time Friday.

The North Carolina Information Technology Strategy Board is scheduled to convene 9 a.m. March 6, at the Innovation Center, 217 W. Jones St., Raleigh.

On the agenda, the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s senior leadership will outline the state’s most urgent needs for cybersecurity investments and major IT projects as well as provide the board an overview of NCDIT’s role in providing services to state agencies.

More information about the board, as well as the full agenda, is available at it.nc.gov/strategy-board.

The N.C. General Assembly established the IT Strategy Board last year to help define and plan the state’s enterprise information technology projects and advise on how to prioritize those projects. The board also is responsible for identifying and sharing industry best practices to foster innovation.

State Chief Information Officer Tracy Doaks serves as the chair of the 12-person board, which also includes six North Carolina citizens appointed by the governor and leadership of the N.C. General Assembly. Each of the members has a background and familiarity with business system technology, information systems or telecommunications.

Other members of the board include the state budget officer, president of the University of North Carolina System, president of the N.C. Community Colleges System and secretary of administration. The state auditor is also on the board as a non-voting member.

CMPD Just Arrested A Suspect In Connection With Scott Brooks’ Murder

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CMPD Just Arrested A Suspect In Connection With Scott Brooks’ Murder

CMPD officers have just made an arrest in the murder of Scott Brooks, the co-owner of Brooks’ Sandwich House.

Early this morning, a joint operation between CMPD Violent Criminal Apprehension Team and SWAT arrested 33-year-old Terry Conner Jr. in connection with the tragic murder.

According to police, Conner currently has outstanding warrants for murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, first-degree kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

His criminal history also includes serving 6 years for breaking and entering, armed robbery, and 2 counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Police are still looking for a second suspect in Scott Brooks’ murder and have stated that the $21,000 reward is still in effect for any information that might lead to the second arrest.

The Brooks’ family released the following statement about today’s arrest:

“We are relieved to hear news that an arrest was made for the murder of Scott. We are hopeful the right person or persons will be held responsible for this horrific tragedy. We are grateful for the efforts of CMPD and our community that Scott loved. We ask for continued support from law enforcement and the citizens of Charlotte to seek justice and to make efforts to prevent such violence in our beloved city. It is our hope that our justice system will continue to uncover the facts and will permanently remove those responsible for this murder from our streets to make Charlotte a safer place for us all. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers during this process.”

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Brings Attention To North Carolina’s Disability Communities

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Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Brings Attention To North Carolina’s Disability Communities

The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) is proud to recognize March as Developmental Disabilities (DD) Awareness Month and to bring attention to the great work being done across the state that promotes inclusion and integration for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Every March, NCCDD observes National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to highlight the many ways in which people with and without disabilities come together to form strong, diverse communities. This year, DD Awareness Month will cover three main areas: education, employment and community living.

“We are proud to recognize March as DD Awareness Month and bring attention to the incredible contributions of people with I/DD and their families across North Carolina,” said Talley Wells, executive director of NCCDD.

Currently, NCCDD has funded statewide initiatives focused on community living, financial asset development and advocacy across the State – in line with its current Five-Year State Plan. In March, the Council will begin working on its next Five-Year Plan (2022-2026). It will release surveys and host Town Halls across the state to listen and gather information on issues that affect people with I/DD and their families. The first two town halls will be held on March 31 at 5 PM in Raleigh, NC at the McKimmon Center; and on April 1 at 12 PM at Extraordinary Ventures in Chapel Hill. More details to be announced soon.

The campaign seeks to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with I/DD in all areas of community life, as well as bringing awareness to the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in connecting within the communities in which they live.

Massive New 385,000 Square Foot Tower Planned For The Heart of South End

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Massive New 385,000 Square Foot Tower Planned For The Heart of South End
via Hastings Architecture

A massive new tower is now being planned for South End that will further transform the area into a true extension of Uptown.

The new 23-story mid-rise will feature over 370,000 square feet of office, 7,000 square feet of street-level retail, and 8,000 square feet of amenity space on an 11th floor “sky lobby”.

via Hastings Architecture

The new tower will be built at the corner of Camden Rd and East Blvd, parallel to the Charlotte rail trail and the Lynx Blue Line at the East/West Station;

The tower will be constructed with a significant number of environmentally friendly features and building practices and will target a LEED Gold designation.

No tenants have yet been announced.

The building is expected to be complete by the fall of 2022.

First Case of Coronavirus Covid-19 Confirmed in North Carolina

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First Case of Coronavirus Covid-19 Confirmed in North Carolina

The NC Department of Health and Human Services has just announced the first verified case of the novel coronavirus Covid-19 in North Carolina. This announcement comes just a day after 2 verified cases were detected in Georgia.

The first case in North Carolina was detected in a Wake County patient who recently traveled to an area of Washington state that’s experiencing an outbreak.

“I know that people are worried about this virus, and I want to assure North Carolinians our state is prepared,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Our task force and state agencies are working closely with local health departments, health care providers and others to quickly identify and respond to cases that might occur.”

NC health department officials are now identifying close contacts of the infected patient to attempt to contain the community spread.

According to the CDC, patients with confirmed CoVID-19 infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:

  • fever
  • cough
  • shortness of breath

CDC believes at this time that symptoms of CoVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 after exposure. This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS viruses.

Some of the best ways to protect against the coronavirus include;

If you have any questions about CoVID-19 you can call 866-462-3821 or submit questions online at ncpoisoncontrol.org.

This Charlotte School Was Ranked The 3rd Best In The Nation

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This Charlotte School Was Ranked The 3rd Best In The Nation

A South Charlotte elementary school has just been ranked the 3rd best in the nation by Niche.com, a leading school ranking company.

Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy was also ranked the #1 elementary school in Charlotte, and in North Carolina. The only two schools that beat it were Newark Charter School in Newark Delaware, and Self Development Academy in Mesa Arizona.

The top 10 Charter Schools in America, according to Niche are:

#1 Newark Charter School – Newark, DE
#2 Self Development Academy – Mesa, AZ
#3 Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy – Charlotte, NC
#4 Khalsa Montessori Elementary School – Phoenix, AZ
#5 Princeton Charter School – Princeton, NJ
#6 Calibre Academy of Glendale – Glendale, AZ
#7 Montessori Schoolhouse – Tucson, AZ
#8 8 Keystone Montessori Charter School – Phoenix, AZ
#9 Challenge Charter School – Glendale, AZ
#10 Reid Traditional Schools’ Valley Academy – Phoenix, AZ

Metrolina scored an overall Niche Grade of an A+, Metrolina also scored an A+ for its academics and teachers, and earned a B+ for diversity. They have a total of 369 pupils, with a 14-to-1 student-teacher ratio, and an average teacher salary $38,731 per year.

They arrived at their rankings by analyzing the following factors:

Factor Description Source Weight
Academics Grade Based on state assessment proficiency and survey responses on academics from students and parents. Niche 50.0%
District Overall Niche Grade Based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data along with millions of reviews from students and parents. Niche 20.0%
Teachers Grade Based on teacher salary, teacher absenteeism, state test results, and survey responses on teachers from students and parents. Niche 20.0%
Culture & Diversity Grade Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents. Niche 10.0%

They obtained their statistics from the U.S. Department of Education.

Have you ever been to Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy? 

What are your thoughts? 

U.S. Department of Labor Fines Southeast’s Agricultural Industry $1.1 Million For Unpaid Wages

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U.S. Department of Labor Fines Southeast’s Agricultural Industry $1.1 Million For Unpaid Wages

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is currently engaged in an education and enforcement initiative to increase compliance with federal labor laws in the Southeast’s agricultural industry, educate stakeholders, employers and employees, and to provide employers with compliance assistance.

Working with stakeholder organizations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, WHD explores a wide variety of methods for raising awareness among industry employers and provides them with information and tools to help them comply with applicable laws. As part of the initiative, WHD representatives have participated in regional educational outreach events hosted by local fruit and vegetable growers’ associations and farm bureaus. In the months ahead, outreach efforts will extend to various commodity groups, trade associations, agricultural extension agents and other governmental agencies to share information on various programs’ requirements.

Compliance assistance and enforcement work hand-in-hand, as the division continues to focus on decreasing violations in the agricultural industry. In calendar year 2019, WHD concluded investigations of more than 300 agricultural employers in its Southeast region, citing violations in 86 percent of those cases. These investigations found more than $1.4 million in back wages owed to more than 2,800 workers, and resulted in the assessment of more than $1.1 million in civil money penalties. WHD is also holding employers accountable by debarring 10 Southeast growers and farm labor contractors from the H-2A temporary labor certification agricultural program. In addition, the department liquidated more than $275,000 in employer surety bonds to secure back wages owed to workers.

“The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that agricultural industry employees receive all the wages they have legally earned, that their employers comply with the law, and that the playing field remains level for law-abiding employers,” said Wage and Hour Division Regional Administrator Juan Coria, in Atlanta, Georgia. “Our outreach staff is available throughout the Southeast to provide employers and associations with compliance assistance resources, answer any questions they may have, and help them avoid costly violations. We encourage them to call us for free confidential assistance.”

WHD may suspend, revoke or withhold renewal of farm labor certificates for contractors that have committed multiple violations under the Migrant Seasonal Protection Act (MSPA) or that fail to comply with a final order requiring the payment of a civil money penalty for a violation. Employers are encouraged to review the MSPA ineligible farm labor contractor and H-2A debarment lists prior to contracting for labor.

WHD offers multiple compliance assistance resources to provide employers the tools they need to comply with the law. The division encourages employers to contact them to find out about upcoming compliance assistance events, to request information, or to ask specific questions. All calls are confidential.

For more information about MSPA, H-2A and other laws enforced by the division, contact the toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available at http://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd.

Uptown Charlotte’s Only Movie Theater ‘Studio Movie Grill’ Shuts Down

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Uptown Charlotte’s Only Movie Theater ‘Studio Movie Grill’ Shuts Down

Uptown Charlotte’s first and only movie theater has just shut its doors.

Studio Movie Grill (SMG), located in the heart of the Epicenter, was the first theaters in our region to deliver full meals and drinks directly to movie-goers’ seats. They were one of the biggest draws for the Epicenter for years until increased violence in the Epicenter and new theater choices around Charlotte slowly diminished their attendance.

“SMG Epicenter opened seven years ago and is a very special and unique location, so it is with sincere and great sadness that we closed our doors today,” Senior Director of PR Lynne McQuaker McQuaker said in an Email. “With multiple levels and only 5 screens, which is less than our typical location, despite a tremendous team, we faced an unusual amount of operational challenges.”

Earlier this year, Studio Movie Grill opened their second Charlotte location in Prosperity Village.

The new location features a total of 10 screens, 1,022 electric recliners, surround sound laser projectors, and a full bar and restaurant.

via Studio Movie Grill
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