Top 5 Shooting Ranges in The Charlotte Area

Steve
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Top 5 Shooting Ranges in The Charlotte Area

The Carolinas is one of the biggest regions for hunting and shooting sports and Charlotte is certainly no exception.

Although we may not have the largest selection of skeet-shoot ranges and hunting clubs due to the fact that we’re a major city, we do have one of the South East’s largest selections of indoor ranges.

Based on online reviews, shooter feedback, and personal experience, these are the top 5 ranges in the Charlotte area (also check out these rifle scope reviews if you’re considering an upgrade);

#5 Shooter Express

Belmont’s Shooters Express is a casual range with a wide selection of rentable firearms – and Tuesday is Lady’s Day when ladies can shoot for free all day. Find out more information on their website here.

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#4 Carolina Sporting Arms

Carolina Sporting Arms contains both a fairly large gun store and a modern shooting range. They charge $20 per day for range time, and $20 per day for firearm rental (use any of their guns for one price – ammo is separate, but we recommend 6.5 Grendel or .308 for shooting).

They are the only range in the Charlotte region that’s been given a 5-star rating by the NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation). Find out more information on their website here.

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#3 Point Blank

Point Blank charge $20 for an entire day of range time. They have 2 locations in the Charlotte location, one in Mooresville, and a bigger one in Matthews, with 20 climate-controlled lanes spread across 3 separate bays for pistol, rifle and shotgun use. Find out more information on their website here.

 

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#2 The Range at Ballantyne

The Range at Ballantyne has an even better deal at $19 per day, and they have a complete TI Systems simulator for running through shooter scenarios. Check out more information on their website here.

#1 Blackstone

Blackstone Shooting Sports is the largest indoor shooting ranges in the Carolinas and they offer the widest variety of activities, resources, and equipment of any gun range in the Charlotte area. The range features 27 standard shooting lanes and 9 tactical training bays. They also feature a ton of unique training seminars, social gatherings, and specials on a regular basis. Check out more information on their website here.

Bonus:

If you don’t mind driving a little further, the recently built Foothills Shooting Complex in Cleveland County is the largest shooting range in the Southeast, and one of the largest in America.

The entire complex includes three 50-yard pistol ranges, two skeet/trap and pistol ranges, a 250-yard rifle range, a 3-D archery range, training classrooms, armory, visitors center, and gift shop.

What’s your favorite shooting range in the Charlotte area?

Stunning Ideas for Short Hairstyles

Roberto Boreham
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Stunning Ideas for Short Hairstyles

Revitalise Your Looks with These Short Hairstyles for Women

Many ladies want to cut their hair short but they are not sure how they would look after they cut it. Most don’t know how to style their hair after cutting it and that makes things even more uncertain. However, one thing that they don’t know is that there are unlimited short hairstyles for women that they can choose from. These haircuts make women more feminine and so you shouldn’t be worried that by cutting your hair with hairdressing scissors you will lose your femininity. 

We have collected the latest styles for women with short hair that will rejuvenate your looks instantly. You will be surprised by how amazing and lively you would look when you decide to cut your hair and style it in one of these short hairstyles below. You cannot miss these amazing ideas for short hair. Take a look here.

  • Going Grey

The grey hair colour is trendy at the moment just like a choppy bob short hairstyle; more young women are opting for grey hair with white hues. Notable celebrities who have inspired this look include Queen Elsa. Sometimes individuals are inspired by their grandmothers, but the ultra-light hair is very trendy at the moment; thus, the increase in numbers of people rocking this haircut.

  • Layered Side Swept

If you have thick hair this style is suitable for you; the cut will give your hair a lighter look adding glam to your voluminous hair. You can choose the blonde hues added to the choppy sections that create the illusion of weightlessness. This hairstyle is perfect for anyone who feels that they are buried in their hair as it will bring out their beautiful facial features.

  • Choppy Pixie Cut

The short hairstyle is the kind that you can wake up and go with little effort, unlike the long hair that requires lengthy combing and styling. The hair has bitty close layers, to achieve the best look one should work with the natural hair texture to create a post-shower definition. Moreover, you can add more drama with colours and hues that bring out your personality and sense of taste. Also Read: Check the best hair cutting shears

  • Straight Cut Bob with Finely Chopped Layers

The haircut is the most ideal for women with short locks as it is straightforward and sassy. The straight bob cut can create a softer and natural looking appearance, with the help of a hairdresser you can achieve this look effortlessly. To add the style, you can colour it with different hues that bring out your personality and your vibrant nature.

  • Choppy Pastel Burgundy Hair

Choppy short hairstyles are very beautiful when incorporated with multi-tonal colour such as part pastel and full-saturation. The burgundy hair creates berry hues that add a little fantasy to your hair. You should carefully pick the hues that o well with your skin, eye colour and the rest of your wardrobe. 

  • Messy Choppy Bob for Fine Hair

Fine hair will look much thicker with a choppy haircut. However, a blonde hair colour that ranges from extreme dark tones to lighter tones helps create a sense of texture. Messy styling helps your thin hair to look thicker. To achieve this look, you can take it out after the hair is completely dry as it will help you to increase the volume of your hair.

  • Frosted Choppy Haircut

Thick hair when cutting into a pixie looks great, especially when highlights are added, older women do look young with this hairstyle. They can remove the golden tones from their blonde hair by getting the highlights to a little bit close to the glory, which helps them achieve a natural look without actually going grey.

  • Messy and Gorgeous

This is the simplest hairstyle; the tousled look is sexy and very relevant for women of all ages. The pixie haircut does not require one to get too short haircut instead creates a line cut with fun layers that work for both thick and thin hair. Add some colour to bring out some drama and class, leaving you pretty and stunning. A ridiculously cute hairstyle to try this year!

CW Needing Paid Extras For New Show They’re About To Film in North Carolina

Charlotte Stories
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CW Needing Paid Extras For New Show They’re About To Film in North Carolina

At least 200 paid extras are now needed for a new show being filmed in North Carolina by the CW.

According to Deadline.com, “Lost Boys”, staring Rio Mangini, Del Zamora, Tyler Posey, and Kiele Sanchez, “is set in sunny seaside Santa Carla, home to a beautiful boardwalk, all the cotton candy you can eat…and a secret underworld of vampires. After the sudden death of their father, brothers Michael (Posey) and Sam Emerson move to Santa Carla with their mother, Lucy (Sanchez), who hopes to start anew in the town where she grew up. But the brothers soon find themselves being drawn deeper and deeper into the seductive world of Santa Carla’s eternally beautiful and youthful undead.”

Hurricane Alley’s Bar and Grill posted confirmation this past weekend after show scouts told them that a number of scenes will be filmed near their boardwalk.

The filming of the new show is set to start next month at the High Tide in Carolina Beach’s North End district.

If you would like to be considered as an extra on the new show, you can email lostboysprod2020@gmail.com with current photos (close up and full length), name, age, phone, home location, height/weight, and clothing sizes.  

75th Annual CIAA Tournament Bringing Abundance of Empowering Events to Charlotte

Charlotte Stories
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75th Annual CIAA Tournament Bringing Abundance of Empowering Events to Charlotte

When the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®), the nation’s first African-American athletic conference, hosts its 75th Annual Championship Basketball Tournament February 25-29 in Charlotte, there will be a lot more on the schedule than 22 games of men’s and women’s competitive hoops for the 130,000+ fans expected to attend.

As is its tradition, the CIAA has planned a full slate of inspirational, educational and empowering community events to balance out the entertainment and sports activities typically found at  Conference Championships. Ranging from Voter Registration, Census canvassing and a Minority Business Symposium to the free two-day Toyota Fan Fest, there’s something for everyone during tournament week which is an immersive cultural experience all its own.

“We take our saying ‘CIAA For Life’ quite literally,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. “We celebrate the accomplishments of our student-athletes at the tournament but we also know that our role is to provide multiple paths to success beyond the court for them, our fans and our alumni. Tournament week is a time for us to enrich the lives of everyone in the CIAA community.”

CIAA Education Day puts the focus on education early in the week with separate events for more than 6,000 area middle school and high school youth.  Middle school kids gather on Tuesday, February 25 at Ovens Auditorium for a STEM program while their high school counterparts meet with college recruiters and get tips on the collegiate experience on Wednesday, February 25 at the Charlotte Convention Center. Democracy NC and the RHO PSI Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha will be on location to register students to vote at the same time that others are providing opportunities to fill in the Census survey.

Business is the word of the day for Thursday with career-oriented programs taking place at multiple sites. The Charlotte Convention Center is home for the CIAA Minority & Business Leadership Symposium Presented by Bank Of America and the CIAA Career Expo, while the invitation-only CIAA Women’s Empowerment Brunch presented by Nationwide and the CIAA Student-Athlete Empowerment Symposium will be found at the Westin Charlotte. Later in the day, the Diversity and Inclusion Town Hall Forum takes place at the Wells Fargo Auditorium.

Friday brings the launch of the free family-friendly two-day Toyota Fan Fest that is chock full of entertaining concerts, dancing and interactive events at the Charlotte Convention Center.  Five new CIAA legends will be inducted into the John B. McLendon, Jr. CIAA Hall of Fame Breakfast that morning and 75 Years of CIAA Basketball History will be showcased in the Toyota Black History Month Trailer on display at Fan Fest. The 6th Annual CIAA-Samaritan’s Feet charitable campaign, CIAA Shoes of Hope Presented by Coke Zero, is expected to distribute 600 pairs of new socks and shoes to youth in need along with a message of hope, love and compassion.

Highlights of the CIAA Lowes Super Saturday include a basketball clinic with the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, the popular CIAA Cheerleading Exhibition and the traditional Miss CIAA competition presented by Food Lion.

The basketball tournament features the conference’s 12-member institutions. Early round games begin at Bojangles’ Coliseum on Tuesday, Feb. 25 and will conclude with the highly-anticipated championship semi-finals and finals at the Spectrum Center on Friday, February 28 and Saturday, February 29.

Single-Session tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster and the box offices at Bojangles’ Coliseum and Spectrum Center.  Proceeds from all ticket sales support scholarships for students attending CIAA member schools.

Freezing Temperatures and Possible Snowfall Coming To Charlotte This Week

Charlotte Stories
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Freezing Temperatures and Possible Snowfall Coming To Charlotte This Week

After several days of sunshine and 60+ degree weather, winter is coming once again to the Charlotte region with freezing temperatures and possible snowfall on Thursday.

The National Weather Service just sent out the following alert for the Charlotte region:

Snow is possible on Thursday, perhaps mixing with rain at times.
Light snow accumulations will be possible, especially at the higher
elevations.

The NWS is currently predicting a 14% chance of Charlotte and a 40% chance of Asheville seeing snowfall this coming Thursday.

Even if we don’t see any snow, we will be experiencing some arctic-like temperatures on Friday morning, with real temperatures expected to be around 25 degrees and the wind chill expected to dip below 20.

If you moved here from Ohio or New York (like myself), you may be rolling your eyes, but if you’re from Florida or California, you might need to make some changes to prepare for the coming winter temperatures.

To prepare your car, top off all your fluids, especially your oil, power steering fluid, and antifreeze. You’ll also want to check your tires and make sure your air pressure is over 32 PSI.

To prepare your home, make sure to drain all fountains and exterior water fixtures. Always let at least one of your faucets drip to avoid freezing pipes. Consider buying a humidifier if you’re sensitive to dry air. If you have an older home with older windows, investing in some shrink film insulation will save you a ton on your heating bill.

To prepare yourself, buy some thermal gloves, a warm hat, and a winter jacket. If you’re going to spend any length of time outside, you may even want to consider buying an electric heating jacket.

If you have a pet – make sure to read our article about how to keep your furry friend warm!

 

North and South Carolina Rank Among 2020’s Most Sinful States in America

Charlotte Stories
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North and South Carolina Rank Among 2020’s Most Sinful States in America

Every state is known for its own virtues and vices. But harmful behavior on the individual level can result in staggering economic costs, considering that gambling addiction costs the U.S. $5 billion per year and smoking costs dwarf that with over $300 billion per year.

With Mardi Gras coming up and sure to be full of drinking, drug use and sex, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2020’s Most Sinful States.

To determine where the U.S. has the most moral growing to do, WalletHub compared the 50 states based on seven sinful behaviors: anger and hatred, jealousy, excesses and vices, greed, lust, vanity and laziness.

South Carolina was ranked as the 9th worst state in the nation and North Carolina was just a few spots better, coming in at #14;

Most Sinful States in the U.S.

Overall Rank* State WalletHub Vice Index ‘Anger & Hatred’ Rank ‘Jealousy’ Rank ‘Excesses & Vices’ Rank ‘Greed’ Rank ‘Lust’ Rank ‘Vanity’ Rank ‘Laziness’ Rank
1 Nevada 55.99 9 3 6 1 3 28 6
2 Texas 55.53 19 8 36 28 1 6 24
3 Florida 55.05 31 2 32 37 5 3 9
4 California 55.02 12 6 47 25 2 2 27
5 Georgia 53.76 14 1 29 45 6 11 12
6 Tennessee 51.88 3 9 8 12 8 24 10
7 Louisiana 50.42 2 11 2 35 4 35 2
8 Illinois 49.00 13 23 22 17 20 7 19
9 South Carolina 48.46 4 5 18 21 14 26 11
10 Mississippi 46.46 16 26 17 4 10 49 1
11 Alabama 46.02 7 12 10 44 16 34 4
12 Arizona 45.71 27 10 40 23 13 18 16
13 New Mexico 45.71 8 7 35 13 21 44 5
14 North Carolina 45.59 29 17 28 7 15 16 26
15 Michigan 45.18 10 19 13 27 25 15 23
16 Pennsylvania 45.10 33 35 26 32 18 5 22
17 Maryland 44.58 21 13 25 47 9 12 32
18 Arkansas 44.42 1 21 9 48 7 43 8
19 Delaware 44.11 40 4 7 6 28 37 13
20 New York 44.04 24 33 48 50 23 1 17
21 New Jersey 44.03 38 30 49 20 32 4 20
22 Ohio 44.02 20 24 3 40 12 13 18
23 Missouri 43.48 6 18 5 33 17 23 25
24 Oklahoma 42.98 18 22 37 2 19 38 21
25 Virginia 42.00 35 31 43 10 27 8 40
26 Colorado 41.16 25 14 24 30 30 14 46
27 Kentucky 41.08 23 39 1 24 22 36 7
28 Washington 40.62 44 16 45 14 38 10 41
29 Indiana 39.65 11 34 12 43 24 22 14
30 Hawaii 39.64 49 28 20 3 11 29 34
31 West Virginia 38.97 22 43 4 15 26 50 3
32 Alaska 37.83 5 20 14 8 37 39 50
33 Oregon 36.11 46 15 15 42 35 25 30
34 Massachusetts 35.68 45 42 23 39 43 9 38
35 Wisconsin 35.18 28 44 34 26 33 20 37
36 Rhode Island 34.62 41 36 19 11 48 33 15
37 Kansas 33.94 30 25 44 36 34 31 29
38 Connecticut 33.79 47 32 39 38 46 19 28
39 Montana 32.96 15 27 30 22 42 48 42
40 Nebraska 32.36 39 40 27 31 36 32 35
41 North Dakota 30.87 34 46 33 5 44 40 47
42 Minnesota 30.72 48 37 46 34 41 17 49
43 Utah 30.58 42 29 50 49 31 21 48
44 Iowa 30.26 37 47 21 29 39 30 45
45 South Dakota 30.03 17 49 31 19 40 47 39
46 New Hampshire 29.41 50 38 16 16 49 27 43
47 Maine 29.14 36 48 11 18 47 42 33
48 Idaho 28.30 26 41 42 41 45 41 31
49 Wyoming 27.74 43 45 41 46 29 46 44
50 Vermont 25.67 32 50 38 9 50 45 36

You can read more about the methodology on WalletHub’s full report here.

What do you think about the results?

The Story Behind Charlotte’s Massive Angel Statue In Front Of The CPCC Overcash Building

Steve
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The Story Behind Charlotte’s Massive Angel Statue In Front Of The CPCC Overcash Building

Charlotte aspire cpcc overcash statue

Standing directly in front of CPCC Central’s Overcash building is a massive bronze angel sculpture which seems to be flying out of hell. Another male figure above the angel seems to also be narrowly escaping the clenches of angry demons. In Caswell sculpture all university mascots are cast in high quality bronze and can be designed for specific surroundings.  A key point to note is that bronze is extremely durable and can be easily cleaned in the event of tagging or vandalism.

Uptown - Elizabeth - Aspire Statue 2The 12,000 pound piece was sculpted by world renowned artist Greg Wyatt, designed in his unique philosophy of “spiritual realism.” It was installed and dedicated in front of CPCC’s new Overcash Performing Arts building on December 7, 2005.

Greg has created and installed over 100 other statues in some of the world’s most famous places, including; the US Consulate in Italy, the courtyard of the State Department in Washington DC, Shakespeare’s Birthplace in England, Columbia University, Georgetown University, and the Arlington National Cemetery. Some of his pieces have cost well over $2 million just to design.

The CPCC statue was originally commissioned by the Queen’s Table, a group that was formed 20 years ago to donate public art throughout the greater Charlotte region. The group has also donated the Queen Charlotte statue at the Charlotte Douglas Airport, and most recently, those two monuments on the South Tryon bridge crossing over 277.

Nation’s Largest Fat Bike Beach Race Returns to NC

Charlotte Stories
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Nation’s Largest Fat Bike Beach Race Returns to NC

The US Open Fat Bike Beach Championship, the largest beach race in the nation, returns to Wrightsville Beach the weekend of March 27-29, 2020.

“The growth of the Fat Bike Beach Championship is directly related to the rapid growth of the leisure sport of fat biking,” said Shawn Spencer, Race Director. “It’s an awesome sport, great exercise, and a fun way to explore the barrier islands in an environmentally friendly way.
“The Fat Bike Beach Championship is a race on the beach in front of our host hotel, Blockade Runner, at Wrightsville Beach. There are two events, with multiple age groups, plus a relay division. The two events are the 1-hour and the 2-hour races. We build a one-half mile loop course on the beach the morning of the event, utilizing the natural surfaces of soft and hard sand below the sand dunes. The two-hour racers will start at 2 PM this year, and the 1-hour bikers roll out at 4:10 PM.
“The 2020 course will be more natural. In 2018 the Corps of Engineers was dredging, and there were huge pipes we had to traverse. In 2019 we used a mini-excavator and dug some trenches and built some massive climbs over obstacles. This year we are going more ‘organic’ and utilizing volunteer labor to hand- shape the course. The course will be marked with sandbags and marking tape. Some unique dismounting options will be new for 2020.
“The race is dictated by the tides. When the tide is low, the bottom part of the course is packed sand, providing faster speeds, plus an opportunity for the racers to recover from the upper part of the course. Fat bike tires will go most anywhere on the sand, but they definitely roll faster and easier on the hard pack when the tide goes out. The soft sand is a grind. The longshore currents also cut into the sand and sometimes leave us with a sizeable drop off at low tide.
“We expect to see some returning champions this year. Rumor is that Robert and Philicia Marion from Mount Airy will return to defend their titles. They will definitely be the ones to watch in the professional field.
2019 Elite Champs Robert and Philicia Marion – Courtesy of Robert B Butler

“Past champions say the Fat Bike Beach Championship is harder than the Leadville 100. The Leadville 100 is a 100-mile mountain bike race that starts above 10,000 feet. To have the Fat Bike Beach Championship compared to the Leadville 100 is quite a compliment if a hard race is what you are looking for.

“Alpha Mortgage is the Presenting Sponsor again for 2020. Without their contribution, the event would not be as substantial. Legacy sponsor Bike Cycles is responsible for the event organization, and our host, Blockade Runner Beach Resort, makes the race possible. With Waterman’s Brewing and Rhino Demolition now on board, this year will be a super fun weekend.
“This year, we are hosting a sandcastle building contest before the race. The sandcastle event will be judged, with cash prizes awarded to first and second place. The sandcastles will be on the course as obstacles. The sandcastle contest starts at noon and ends at 3:45 PM.
“Charity is a great part of the event. This year, racers have donated fifty percent more, to date, compared to last year, for the Wrightsville Beach Foundation. We expect to have the largest donation for the foundation in the history of the event,” said Spencer.

Charlotte Ranked #8 In The Nation For Cities With The Most Remote Workers

Charlotte Stories
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Charlotte Ranked #8 In The Nation For Cities With The Most Remote Workers

The remote industry has seen unprecedented growth over the last decade. In fact, a recent Gallup study found that 43% of American professionals reported spending at least some time working remotely, which was a 4% increase since 2012.

In light of this, the people over at Moneypenny decided to research which cities had the most remote workers.

To determine the rankings, the website analysed data from the U.S. Census on the percentage of the population working from home in each of the 150 largest cities in the U.S.. They used this data to find both the cities with the highest percentage of the population working from home, along with the cities that have seen the largest growth in their remote work population.

Based on the percentage of the population working from home (7.3%), the ranking determined Charlotte falls at #8 and Raleigh came in at #1 for cities with the most remote workers in the United States;

Police Warning of Increased Mail Theft Around The Charlotte Region

Charlotte Stories
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Police Warning of Increased Mail Theft Around The Charlotte Region

The York County Sheriff’s department is now warning residents to be on the alert for a serial mail thief in our region.

According to officials, over 30 reports of stolen mail have occurred since the beginning of this year, most recently in Clover’s Allison Creek neighborhood.

Many of the reports state that mailboxes were targeted late at night and mailbox doors were often left open.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and York County Sheriff’s office are urging residents to retrieve their mail as soon as possible, or have mail held at the post office during vacations.

People can also fight back against mail thieves by installing a wifi-enabled security cam, such as a Canary, Nest, or Blanche, allowing them to monitor their mail deliveries in real-time on a smartphone – or use the new ‘Amazon Lockers’ for Amazon purchases.

We now have a total of 20 around our city;

According to their website, “To use an Amazon Locker as your shipping destination, find a Locker and add it to your Amazon address book. Then, during checkout, select the Locker as your shipping address. Once your package has been delivered, we will email you a unique 6 digit code. Simply visit your selected Locker and enter the code on the Locker’s touchscreen, then remove your package after the Locker’s door opens.”

Have you ever had your mail stolen? 

Let us know how you keep your mail safe in the comments below;

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