Teary-Eyed Michael Jordan Unveils First Multi-Million Dollar Medical Clinic He’s Funding in Charlotte

Katherine Miele
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Teary-Eyed Michael Jordan Unveils First Multi-Million Dollar Medical Clinic He’s Funding in Charlotte

A teary-eyed Michael Jordan unveiled the first of 2 medical clinics that he will be funding in Charlotte to provide much needed care for struggling families in our community.

The Hornets owner and NBA legend began to shed a few tears during his speech at the grand opening of the $7 million Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic.

“This is a very emotional thing for me to be able to give back to a community that has supported me over the years,” Jordan said.

The new center is located in the heart of Charlotte’s west side at 3149 Freedom Drive;

According to census bureau data, there are now over 100,000 Charlotteans who don’t have any kind of health insurance. Those affected most are children of single-parent families living in troubled areas, who often face difficulty accessing primary and mental health services, and a lack of healthcare education and preventive care. The two new clinics hope to address these issues in areas that will be identified by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force as the most at-risk for generational poverty.

“As a longtime partner, we are thrilled that Michael Jordan continues to support Novant Health and our mission to improve the health of our communities, one person at a time,” said Carl Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health. “This gift will transform the lives of thousands of families and children living in poverty-stricken communities. We are thankful to Michael for his generosity. The gift will remove barriers to high-quality health care in some of the most vulnerable communities.”

In their first 5 years, the new ‘Novant Health Michael Jordan Clinics’ are projected to provide care to 35,000 children and adults who now have virtually no access to healthcare.

Rental Rates Decreasing in Charlotte For The First Time Since Feb 2017

Steve
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Rental Rates Decreasing in Charlotte For The First Time Since Feb 2017

The nationwide apartment search website RENTCafé has just released their September Rent Report, showing decreasing rental rates across the nation for the first time since February 2017.

Following the national trend, North Carolina registers monthly rent decreases in most of its major cities.

Here are the highlights on North Carolina as seen in our September state rent report:

  • Despite its 0.6% drop in rates, Chapel Hill displays the most expensive rent in its state, clocking in at $1,407.
  • Raleigh and Durham both register monthly decreases of 0.3%, clocking in at $1,208 and $1,186, respectively.
  • Charlotte sees a $1 drop in rates compared to August and sets the average rent at $1,243/month.
  • In the Piedmont Triad area, rents register meager monthly increases. Greensboro ($908) sees a small push of 0.4%, while Winston-Salem rents ($868) go up 0.5%.

NCDOT Spending $7.2 Million To Build Carolinas First “Continuous Flow Intersection” in Charlotte

Steve
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NCDOT Spending $7.2 Million To Build Carolinas First “Continuous Flow Intersection” in Charlotte

Charlotte is about to have North Carolina’s first and one of America’s only “continuous flow intersections”.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) just approved a $7.2 million contract to implement the new design in Northwest Charlotte on highway 16.

The following video shows how the traffic pattern will change once the new intersection becomes operational;

The new traffic pattern will be built at the current intersection of Brookshire Blvd. and Mount Holly-Huntersville Rd.;

What do you think about the new design?

Soon-To-Be Tropical Storm Nestor Could Hit The Carolinas This Weekend

Steve
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Soon-To-Be Tropical Storm Nestor Could Hit The Carolinas This Weekend

A newly formed tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico is now strengthening and heading on a direct path toward the Carolinas.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the depression currently has an 80% chance of strengthening into a tropical storm, and if it does, it will be named ‘Tropical Storm Nestor’.

Most of the current storm tracks are showing the storm barreling through both North and South Carolina this weekend.

One intensity forecast model shows the storm even approaching Category 1 Hurricane level winds in 60 hours from now, about the time it will be approaching South Carolina;

Ventusky is showing the storm hugging the Carolina coast as it heads further. Charlotte will likely see significant wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and potential flash flooding this coming Saturday and Sunday;

Currently the National Hurricane Center hasn’t released an official track of the storm, as it hasn’t yet strengthened to tropical storm level, once it does, we will update this article with the NHC’s track predictions.

Belmont, N.C., Ushering in a Spooktacular Season of Events

Charlotte Stories
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Belmont, N.C., Ushering in a Spooktacular Season of Events

Belmont, N.C., blooms with fright and fun this Halloween. From events in historic downtown to activities at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, this spooktacular season has a little something for all ages in October and November.

Belmont’s revelries kick off on Oct. 19, 7 p.m., with a festive film in Stowe Park. Blankets, chairs and snacks are welcome during the year’s final Movies in the Park. Concessions will be available for purchase as well.

The terrors continue during the weekend of Oct. 26-27 with macabre merriment across the city.

At Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, the 300 acres transforms into not-so-scary Bootanical. The family friendly event – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day – includes children’s costume parades, games, s’mores around a campfire and other fall festivities. And in historic downtown Belmont, Saturday celebrations unfold for children and adults. Beginning at 2 p.m. in Stowe Park, BooFest features live music, carnival rides, costume contests and more. The fun spills out of the park as the sun fades for the second annual Nightmare on Main Street – an adult evening of spirited beverages and dancing followed by a downtown bar crawl.

The season extends into November at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Tradition and family are honored during Dia de los Muertos, Nov. 2-3, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The remembrance weekend allows guests to immerse into one of the most important celebrations across Mexico and Latin America with crafts, entertainment, food, beverages and a sugar skull workshop.

Witches and warlocks plan ahead and beware – there’s a real haunt happening in Belmont, N.C. this Halloween. 

Arts Council of York County Hosting Competitive Portrait Drawing

Charlotte Stories
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Arts Council of York County Hosting Competitive Portrait Drawing
Forget March Madness. Think ART Madness.
The Arts Council of York County’s Competitive Portrait Drawing is a tournament style knockout battle that begins with sixteen artists paired off in sets of two.
Each pair is in competition to create their best portrait of a model with just five minutes on the clock. Pencils down at the sound of the buzzer. The model in each pairing serves as judge and jury, choosing their favorite of the two portraits drawn of them. The winning artist from each pair then moves on to the next round until only two artists remain. The final two artists go head-to-head in Round 4, with the decision going to the final model of the evening.
The winning artist of the competition is crowned champion and is awarded the $100 grand prize.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2019 | 6 – 7 PM
Center for the Arts | 121 E. Main St. | Rock Hill, SC 29730
NEEDED | 16 artists | 15 models
ARTISTS | No Fee to Participate
Email Michael Gentry, Gallery Manager, mgentry@yorkcountyarts.org
MODELS | $10 sitting fee
Each model serves as the judge of their match! After sitting for their portraits, the models will choose their favorite portrait of themselves, and the winning artist will move on to the next round. Models will be able to pick up their portraits after November 25.
Round 1 | 16 artists paired off in 8 sets, sketching/drawing 8 models
Round 2 | 8 artists paired off in 4 sets, sketching/drawing 4 models
The 8 artists competing in Round 2 are the winning artists from Round 1
Round 3 | 4 artists paired off in 2 sets, sketching/drawing 2 models
The 4 artists competing in Round 3 are the winning artists from Round 2
Round 4 | 2 artists go head-to-head, drawing a single model
The 2 artists competing in Round 4 are the winning artists from Round 3
Competitive Portrait Drawing is organized by the Arts Council of York County. It is a part of the Friday Arts Project’s 2019 ART PARTY. More info at artparty.fridayartsproject.org.

South Carolina Ranked As 2019’s 5th Most Vulnerable State to Identity Theft & Fraud

Charlotte Stories
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South Carolina Ranked As 2019’s 5th Most Vulnerable State to Identity Theft & Fraud

With businesses such as WhatsApp, Quest Diagnostics, Microsoft, ASUS and Capital One experiencing data breaches this year, the free credit-monitoring website WalletHub today released its report on 2019’s States Most Vulnerable to Identity Theft & Fraud.

To determine where Americans are most susceptible to such crimes, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 15 key metrics. The data set ranges from identity-theft complaints per capita to average loss amount due to fraud.

South Carolina came in as one of the most vulnerable states in America at #5 and North Carolina didn’t fair much better at #13;

States With the Most Identity Theft & Fraud

Overall Rank* State Total Score ‘Identity Theft’ Rank ‘Fraud’ Rank ‘Policy’ Rank
1 District of Columbia 70.30 6 5 1
2 California 67.72 1 19 42
3 Nevada 65.41 13 2 22
4 New Hampshire 63.82 4 24 17
5 South Carolina 63.43 9 8 17
6 Delaware 63.26 24 1 33
7 Louisiana 62.45 2 38 42
8 Texas 62.43 3 28 42
9 New York 62.12 8 11 42
10 Florida 61.57 12 6 33
11 Georgia 61.05 5 27 42
12 South Dakota 60.66 14 10 5
13 North Carolina 60.12 15 9 15
14 Tennessee 58.71 27 4 22
15 Montana 58.28 10 20 42
16 Minnesota 57.13 17 13 17
17 Oregon 56.70 30 3 28
18 Illinois 55.87 7 42 49
19 New Jersey 55.73 19 21 1
20 Connecticut 53.40 11 45 33
21 Alabama 52.60 22 25 17
22 Pennsylvania 52.57 23 26 5
23 Arizona 52.56 26 12 49
24 Colorado 52.49 31 7 22
25 Maryland 52.45 16 29 38
26 Rhode Island 50.94 18 35 33
27 Massachusetts 50.13 20 44 5
28 Mississippi 49.96 28 31 5
29 Idaho 49.63 32 22 5
30 Utah 47.97 33 17 42
31 Ohio 47.89 25 47 17
32 Indiana 47.58 21 49 33
33 Virginia 46.70 34 18 51
34 Michigan 45.18 29 46 28
35 Wisconsin 43.87 36 41 15
36 Alaska 43.87 45 16 28
37 Washington 43.78 35 33 38
38 New Mexico 43.67 41 23 22
39 Nebraska 43.49 42 30 5
40 Iowa 43.39 44 15 38
41 North Dakota 42.97 48 14 5
42 Missouri 42.86 38 43 5
43 Maine 41.50 46 36 1
44 Arkansas 41.00 40 34 38
45 Hawaii 40.57 37 50 28
46 Kansas 40.33 43 37 28
47 Oklahoma 39.90 39 51 5
48 West Virginia 39.39 47 39 1
49 Vermont 37.45 49 32 22
50 Wyoming 34.80 50 40 5
51 Kentucky 31.86 51 48 22

Horrific Event Unfolds As Hundreds of Birds Mysteriously Fly Into The NASCAR Hall of Fame

Steve
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Horrific Event Unfolds As Hundreds of Birds Mysteriously Fly Into The NASCAR Hall of Fame

As the Hunter Moon loomed over the Queen City, a horrific scene unfolded at the Nascar Hall of Fame when hundreds of birds flew full-speed into the side of the building.

At around 9pm several pedestrians began noticing an ever increasing number of Chimney Swifts flying directly into large glass windows facing East M.L.K. Boulevard.

One Charlotte resident started recording on their cell phone after they noticed the birds flying into the windows;

Carolina Waterfowl Rescue was called and they arrived on scene at roughly 11pm.

The organization said that out of the 310 birds that were found, roughly 1/3 were dead when the arrived, 1/3 had broken legs or other serious issues, and 1/3 were simply stunned and would be released into the wild shortly.

At this time, its unknown why the birds suddenly flew into the side of the building.

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Up to about 1 billion birds die from window strikes in the U.S. each year.”

The lab recommends the following tips to homeowners who want to avoid tragic bird collisions;

  • Tempera paint or soap. Mark the outside of the window with soap or tempera paint, which is inexpensive and long lasting. You can use either a grid pattern no more than 4 inches by 2 inches (see above), or get creative and paint patterns or artwork on your window.
  • Decals. Put decals, stickers, sun catchers, mylar strips, masking tape, or other objects (even sticky notes) on the outside surface of the window. These are only effective when spaced very closely (see above). Note that hawk silhouettes do little to deter birds. Remember: placing just one or two window stickers on a large window is not going to prevent collisions—they must cover most of the glass with the spaces between too narrow for birds to fly through.
  • Reflective BirdTape. This long-lasting tape offers an easier way to apply the correct pattern across your window. More about Reflective BirdTape.
  • Acopian Bird Rods. Also known as “zen curtains,” these closely spaced rods hang down over your gutters or windows. They do the work of tape or decals but are easier to install and can be aesthetically pleasing. You can order them to fit your home or make your own.
  • Screens. Installing mosquito screens over your windows is very effective, as long as they are on the outside of the window and cover the entire surface.
  • Netting. Cover the glass on the outside with netting at least 3 inches from the glass, taut enough to bounce birds off before they hit. Small-mesh netting (around 5/8″ or 1.6 cm)  is best, so that birds don’t get their heads or bodies entangled but will bounce off unharmed. You can mount the netting on a frame, such as a storm-window frame, for easy installation and removal.
  • One-way transparent film. One-way frosted glass window film permit people on the inside to see out, but makes the window appear opaque on the outside. They can reduce the amount of light that comes in your window (this can also reduce your cooling costs).

Annual Cybersecurity Symposium To Be Held in Charlotte

Scott Byerly
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Annual Cybersecurity Symposium To Be Held in Charlotte

Hackers attempt to breach business cybersecurity systems every 39 seconds, but new research suggests that many employees lack training in protecting themselves. A recent survey from GetApp revealed that 43% of staff in government and business organizations are not receiving regular cybersecurity training. From not picking secure passwords to opening unsolicited emails, employees are constantly placing their company at risk. UNC Charlotte is attempting to educate workers by hosting the Annual Cybersecurity Symposium on October 16th of this year. The conference will promote online safety to Charlotte-based businesses as an integral part of a broader focus on physical security.

Cybersecurity in Charlotte

News of the Annual Cybersecurity Symposium has highlighted the problem that Charlotte, as well as other cities in the United States, have with cybersecurity. North Carolina is the 5th worst state in terms of losses due to online security breaches, amounting to $137 million in losses every year. It isn’t just the money stolen, however. Entire reputations of companies are also on the line, which damages the trust levels of customers.

North Carolina isn’t alone when it comes to online safety at work. Almost half of employees are not receiving regular cybersecurity training. 60% of companies which are successfully attacked will subsequently go out of business, so teaching security is essential for Charlotte’s economy. Moreover, small companies are most commonly affected, which is why this year’s Annual Symposium will focus on making cybersecurity easier and cheaper to learn.

Combining Physical and Online Security

Securing your physical building is just as important as protecting non-physical data. Hiring office security staff, installing commercial security camera systems, and fitting the latest alarm technology are vital components of any small or medium sized business. This strategy should be integrated with investing in the best online security systems and ensuring that staff are fully trained to use them effectively. Just as staff should know how to maintain and operate security cameras, they should be competent in working with cybersecurity systems.

The UNC Annual Cybersecurity Symposium is a chance for Charlotte based businesses to make much needed online safety improvements. A little bit of training and integration of physical and online security strategies will ensure that data is protected. This will save millions of dollars each year and stop smaller companies from going out of business after a breach.

For more information about cybersecurity in general, check out the comprehensive guide entitled; Cyberwarfare statistics: A decade of geopolitical attacks.

Tips for Planning Your Charlotte, NC Wedding

Roddy B
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Tips for Planning Your Charlotte, NC Wedding

Charlotte is the ideal place for a wedding, thanks to the four seasons as well as a mixture of city and country landscapes. In Charlotte, there are wedding seasons during which you will face competition when looking for a wedding venue. Here are some tips that will come in handy when planning your Charlotte wedding:

Be Flexible

If you find that your dream venue is already booked by the month of October, you should be willing to move your wedding date to November. Being flexible on your wedding date will make life much easier for you and help you to avoid stress. Would it be better to choose a subpar location just because you want to wed in October or wait until November to have your dream venue?

Research

You should consider talking to friends who have recently tied the knot about the lessons they have learned and attending bridal shows. When hiring a wedding planner and vendors, you should look for people who are professional and know what they are doing. Look beyond the pretty pictures to find a professional who has the qualities that you and your fiancé want.

If you are unfamiliar with the location that you have chosen for your wedding or are too busy with other things, hiring a wedding planner is the best option. When choosing a planner for your wedding, you should pay attention to his or her disposition to ensure that your personalities will go together.

Consider Off-season Dates

If you are planning a July or January wedding, you will not face much competition when choosing vendors and the venue. In fact, you will get the first pick of each category, including flowers, wedding planner, caterer, etc. Moreover, an off-season wedding allows you to have fun with new ideas that people do not usually see at spring and fall weddings.

When planning an off-season wedding, you will need to consider the dress that you will wear. For instance, if you are planning a winter wedding, you should choose a heavy wedding dress such as this product at Azazie.

Set up a Wedding Site

Creating a website for your wedding is the best way to keep everyone in the loop. You should include all the necessary information that pertains to your wedding. For instance, you should include the date, venue, and travel information.

To create a buzz around your wedding, you should come up with hashtags for social media. Your friends and family can use the hashtag on your wedding day to create social media buzz.

Book Vendors

On average, couples hire a dozen vendors to help them on their wedding day. Although this might seem like too many vendors, you need to hire the right people if you want your big day to go smoothly. You need to adhere to a timeline when booking each vendor to avoid last-minute problems.

For instance, you should book your wedding planner a year before the wedding, so that you can work on the entire wedding together. You can hire a florist, caterer, videographer, and photographer ten months before your wedding. Six months to the wedding, you can hire the hairstylist, makeup artist, and stationer – for making wedding invitations.

To end up with the best of the best when it comes to vendors, you should read online reviews about each professional. You should not just believe that a caterer is good because she says so; reading online reviews and asking for references is important.

Conclusion

To plan your Charlotte wedding properly, you need to book vendors, create a website, be flexible, research, and consider an off-season wedding date. 

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