Charlotte Teacher Matthew Hinson Was Just Awarded The 2019 Inspiring Teacher Award

Charlotte Stories
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Charlotte Teacher Matthew Hinson Was Just Awarded The 2019 Inspiring Teacher Award

The Jimmy Awards is pleased to announce that the 2019 Inspiring Teacher Award will be given to Matthew Hinson, Northwest School of the Arts, Charlotte, NC for the encouragement and inspiration that led his student to win the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress.

The 2018 Jimmy for Best Performance by an Actress was presented to Northwest School of the Arts graduate Reneé Rapp representing The Blumey Awards and the 2018 Jimmy® for Best Performance by an Actor. This year’s Inspiring Teacher Award presented by Wells Fargo will be awarded to Reneé’s teacher, Matthew Hinson.

The eleventh annual awards ceremony will take place on Monday, June 24, 2019 at 7:30PM at the Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45th Street, in Manhattan.

86 high school students from 43 regional programs across America will compete for the Jimmy for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress at the eleventh annual presentation. The talent showcase will feature dynamic ensemble and solo performances.

“Wells Fargo is a proud supporter of the arts across the country. We have sponsored the National High School Musical Theatre Awards’ regional program in Charlotte since its inception,” said Jay Everette, SVP and Community Affairs Manager, Wells Fargo & Co. “Wells Fargo also supports the regional programs in Omaha and Seattle. We are pleased to continue our support at the national level by honoring two exceptional teachers at the Jimmy Awards.”

Founded in 2009 by Nederlander Alliances LLC, Pittsburgh CLO, and Broadway Education Alliance (BEA), the mission of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) is to raise the profile of musical theatre in schools, recognize dedicated teachers, and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts.

Student performers qualify as nominees at the Jimmy Awards by winning top honors at regional high school musical theatre awards competitions presented by Broadway League member performing arts centers. Over 1,700 high schools and 100,000 students participate in these annual events. Since its inception in 2009, the NHSMTA has enabled over $2,000,000 in university and conservatory scholarships to be awarded to talented students at the national and local level—several of whom have already been cast in Broadway, Touring and West End productions.

The 2019 Jimmy Awards nominees will prepare for their debut on a Broadway stage during a ten-day professional training intensive with NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ New Studio on Broadway faculty members plus other theatre professionals. Winners will be selected by a panel of industry experts.

The Jimmy Awards are presented by the Broadway League Foundation in honor of legendary Broadway producer/theatre owner James M. Nederlander, and are supported by many leading theatre industry organizations. More information about the National High School Musical Theatre Awards program can be found at JimmyAwards.com.

The Broadway League conducts the program through The Broadway League Foundation, which acts as its philanthropic arm. Part of the Foundation’s mission is to enlighten and increase the public’s knowledge, appreciation and awareness of the theatrical arts, and since its founding in 1993, has supported a number of projects to help preserve Broadway’s heritage and introduce new audiences to Broadway theatre. The Foundation is a corporation organized under the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York, the purposes of which are exclusively charitable as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Donations to support the program can be made at JimmyAwards.com.

Matthew Hinson has spent the last 13 years serving as Musical Director for the Musical Theatre programs at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC, where he teaches audition and performance skills, technique, history and industry to musical theatre students in grades 6-12. During his tenure at NWSA he has served as MD for over 65 musical productions and has garnered awards for his work in both musical direction and education. In addition to teaching at Northwest, Hinson also serves as MD for local community theatres, as well as Associate Conductor for Carolina Voices’ MainStage Choir, a non-profit choral group producing “choral theatre.”  He has taught master classes both domestic and abroad, he is a guest artist for the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, a rehearsal and audition accompanist for The Blumey Awards, and he is currently spending his 16th summer exploring his other interests as Residence Life Director at Summer Ventures in Science and Math at Appalachian State University. He is a proud graduate of East Carolina University. Much respect to his Northwest colleagues – especially Corey Mitchell, Bonnie Fraker and Kelly Petrere – for always modeling inspirational teaching, and much appreciation to his parents for their unconditional love and support in the theatre world!

Northwest School of the Arts is recognized internationally and is the only public arts magnet school serving Mecklenburg County students in grades 6 through 12. The school’s unique educational approach combines elements of creativity, art, and technical prowess with a strong academic foundation. The history and prestige that comes with Visual & Performing Arts means something different to everyone – that’s why our students have multiple ways to launch into a professional career down the path they choose in Band, Chorus, Costume Design, Dance, Musical Theatre, Orchestra, Piano, Theatre, Technical Theatre, and Visual Arts.

NC Astronaut Tweets Picture of Outer Banks During Record-Breaking Space Mission

Steve
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NC Astronaut Tweets Picture of Outer Banks During Record-Breaking Space Mission

Earlier this week, a North Carolina native proved all the flat-earthers wrong when she posted an unedited image of North Carolina’s coastline from inside the International Space Station, an image that clearly shows the spherical shape of our planet.

Christina Koch snapped the photo when the first glimpse of the coastline came into view from high above the Earth’s atmosphere – “It took my breath away as it came into focus,” she said.

Here is what the image looks like next to the Google Map’s version of the North Carolina coast;

Astronaut Koch, a graduate of NC State, is currently on a record-breaking 328-day space mission, set to return to earth in February of 2020. If everything goes according to plan, she will break the record for the longest single spaceflight ever attempted by a woman.

The current record holder is Peggy Whitson who spent a total of 289.2 days in space between 2016 and 2017.

The Garibaldi Festival Is Taking Over Belmont This Weekend

Steve
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The Garibaldi Festival Is Taking Over Belmont This Weekend
The Garibaldi Festival is an annual event in historic downtown Belmont, N.C.

Each year the festival shuts down the streets of Historic Belmont to bring history alive and pay homage to a city that was formerly known as Garibaldi Station, due to its railroad stop along the tracks constructed in 1871 (https://www.cityofbelmont.org/241/History).

The festival has a fresh new spin this year as a celebration of the creative community — local arts, crafts and music.

The Garibaldi Festival will be held on Saturday, April 27, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Stowe Park. It will feature live music by DownTown Abby and The Echoes (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) as well as Caleb Davis (2-4 p.m.) plus craft beer from Gaston County’s Cavendish Brewing Company among a variety of local arts vendors. Guests also are invited to become part of the celebration and beautifying Belmont through a participatory public art mural.

As part of the participatory art creation, individuals of all ages will be invited to help create a mural for downtown Mooresville. The mural painting is 1-3 p.m. on the Mill Street parking lot wall in downtown Belmont. Artist Georgie Nakima (gardenofjourney.com) will oversee the mural through a paint-by-number design, allowing everyone to participate in bringing the mural to life. The design will reflect many things native to Belmont, including natural elements such as the dogwood, Carolina silver bell, and the ruby-throated hummingbird. Water will be represented as Belmont is along the Catawba River and the piece will highlight the local railroad presence, among other creative work.

Check out more info about the Garibaldi Festival via the City of Belmont’s page here – https://www.cityofbelmont.org/189/Garibaldi-Festival.

Vandals Spray-Paint “Muhammed Is His Prophet” on Historic SC Church – Police Offering Reward

Charlotte Stories
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Vandals Spray-Paint “Muhammed Is His Prophet” on Historic SC Church – Police Offering Reward

Police in South Carolina are now offering a reward for information that might lead to the arrest of the vandals who desecrated a historic church.

On the weekend of Palm Sunday, the 150-year-old Midway Presbyterian Church in Anderson, SC was vandalized sometime between 8 p.m. Saturday and early Sunday morning, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.

The church had 4 of its stained-glass windows broken and was spray painted with the phrases “Submit to God thru Islam” and “Muhammed is his prophet”, a misspelling of the word “Muhammed,” were written on the church.

The Sheriff’s Office posted about the incident on Facebook, asking for help in finding the suspects.

Many now think the vandalism was done by a person or group who wanted to frame Muslims.

In addition to ‘Muhammed’ being spelled wrong, Muslims almost never refer to Allah as ‘God’ (“turn to God…” was written on the side of the church).

Similar graffiti was also reported about a week later at another church 20 miles up the road in Easley, SC, without any Islamic messaging, but with a similar spraypainting pattern and using the same color paint;

If you have any information about the vandals, please call the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office at 260-4400, or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

KC and The Sunshine Band Coming To Charlotte This Summer

Steve
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KC and The Sunshine Band Coming To Charlotte This Summer

Ovens Auditorium will host KC and The Sunshine Band on Saturday, April 14, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 26 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at all Ticketmaster outlets or at the Bojangles’ Coliseum Box Office located at 2700 E. Independence Blvd. Tickets start at $42 (plus applicable service charges) and are subject to change. A direct link to purchase tickets can be found here.

KC and the Sunshine Band are still as widely popular today as they were when they first danced into the music scene 40 years ago. Harry Wayne Casey – KC for short – developed a unique fusion of R&B and funk, with a hint of a Latin percussion groove, giving us an impressive string of hits like “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s The Way (I Like It)” and “Shake Your Booty.” With sales of over 100 million records, nine Grammy nominations, three Grammy Awards and an American Music Award, KC and the Sunshine Band was one of the most progressive bands of the 70’s and is credited with changing the sound of modern pop music.

KC and the Sunshine Band play over 100 live shows annually, circling the country and playing dates regularly throughout Europe, Australia and South America. In 2008, KC celebrated 35 years entertaining us, writing songs, performing around the world and he has no intention of stopping. KC’s songs have stood the test of time and you can ask any one of the thousands of fans who spend the entire concert on their feet, dancing and shaking their booty.

NC Schools Announce $2 Million in Federal Grants For Schools Affected by 2018 Hurricanes

Charlotte Stories
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NC Schools Announce $2 Million in Federal Grants For Schools Affected by 2018 Hurricanes

State Superintendent Mark Johnson announced today that the state is the recipient of a $2 million federal grant to aid continued recovery efforts from hurricanes Florence and Michael, both of which caused damage to schools across the state. The funds will restore learning environments in 271 schools in 12 school districts and one charter school, helping more than 130,000 public school students.

“We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Education for recognizing the impact that these storms continue to have to students and educators in North Carolina,” Johnson said. “A violent storm is disruptive and can have a long-lasting, traumatic effect on students and affect their academic performance and mental health. These resources will help us ensure these schools continue to be the anchor of their communities.”

Funds from the grant will be awarded to the following school districts and charter school:
• Bladen County Schools
• Brunswick County Schools
• Carteret County Schools
• Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools
• Davidson County Schools
• Jones County Schools
• New Hanover County Schools
• Onslow County Schools
• Pender County Schools
• Randolph County Schools
• Public Schools of Robeson County
• Sampson County Schools
• Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington

The grant will fund projects such as rebuilding playgrounds, transporting students displaced by the storm to allow them to continue attending their home schools, pay to those who worked tirelessly to preserve and restore school facilities and learning environments, and providing additional instructional time. These funds are in addition to funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, insurance claims, Florence Aid to Students and Teachers of North Carolina (FAST NC) and those appropriated specifically for hurricane recovery by the North Carolina General Assembly, and can be used to reimburse recipient entities for expenses already incurred.

The source of the additional financial support is Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence and Disaster), a fund established by the U.S. Congress and provided through the U.S. Department of Education, originally in response to the Columbine, Colorado, shooting incident of April 1999. Project SERV was established initially to support schools following a traumatic event that had significantly disrupted a school’s routine functioning through an act of violence. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the circumstances covered by Project SERV were expanded to include natural disasters.

The Department of Public Instruction’s divisions that are focused on curriculum and federal programs, led by Christie Lynch Ebert and Michael Wells, respectively, submitted a statewide application for the SERV grant on behalf of the districts and charter school.

“I thank Michael, Christie and their teams, as well as the local superintendents and charter leaders, for their work on behalf of our students and educators,” Johnson said. “We pledge to disburse these funds quickly to these well-deserving schools.”

Jonathan Stewart Signs 1-Day Contract With Carolina To Retire As A Panther

Charlotte Stories
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Jonathan Stewart Signs 1-Day Contract With Carolina To Retire As A Panther

The best running back in Carolina Panthers’ franchise history has just returned to the Queen City to retire as a Panther after spending last year’s 2018 season with the New York Giants.

Jonathan Stewart was initially selected by the Panthers as the 13th pick in the 2008 draft to join RB DeAngelo Williams, later becoming known as “Double Trouble”.

Over the next 10 seasons, Stewart racked up a total of 7,318 rushing yards, 1,295 receiving yards with 162 receptions, 51 rushing touchdowns, and 7 receiving touchdowns. His contract with the Panthers ended last year and NY Giants signed him, but after just 6 carries, he was placed on injured reserve.

He has now decided to sign a 1-day contract with the Panthers to return home and retire.

Stewart made the announcement yesterday via the Charlotte Lately magazine and blog;

With the addition of the 6 rushes with the NY Giant, Jonathan Stewart has a career total of 7,335 rushing yards, making him the 8th best running back in NFL history.

The Most Romantic Places in Charlotte for a First Date

Samuel Greg
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The Most Romantic Places in Charlotte for a First Date

Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina. It is located in the east of the United States of America near the border between North and South Carolina. According to official statistics, more than 756 thousand inhabitants live in the city with a total area of ​​771 sq.km. Founded in 1769, the city was named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III of England. Therefore, Charlotte is often called the “City of the Queen.” According to world statistics, this city is considered one of the best places to live, work, and build a family. Being one of the most attractive destinations for recreation, the city touches the feelings even of the most demanding tourists. So, we present to you the top most romantic places in Charlotte for a first date.

NoDa district

NoDa is located a few kilometers north of the center of Charlotte, where textile manufacturers were previously located. In the early 90s, the district experienced a renaissance. Now it is an art district, as well as a local paradise for lovers to relax and chill out. Discovering NoDa is a good idea for a first date with a girl.

Carowinds

If you love extreme sports and roller coasters drive you mad, then you should go to Carowinds, one of the most exciting amusement parks in the United States. Carowinds is a large amusement park in Charlotte, which offers some of the highest, longest, and fastest roller coasters in the world.

The park has 64 amusement rides for people of all ages, from a children’s mini-park to some of the most spectacular and exciting attractions in the world. All rides in Carowinds are divided into eight thematic areas. Everyone will find something to his liking!

In the summer, Carowinds offers an opportunity to visit the Carolina Harbor Water Park, which is included in the admission price. You can enjoy wave pools and giant water slides, as well as wonderful chill-out zones.

Stroll through the city center

Restaurants and cafes, museums and hotels, as well as sports arenas, are concentrated in the central area of ​​the city of Charlotte. In addition, it is a place of work for more than 70 thousand citizens. Each year, about twenty-five million visitors from different parts of the country visit the center of Charlotte. Many of these people are attracted to the stormy nightlife of the city. In addition to 50 sports bars and 120 restaurants, there is a huge number of different pubs, clubs, and cafes in the heart of Charlotte. You will surely find what to do with a girl on the first date! Do you want to know what all women need? Start Russian video dating and learn more about dating hot girls.

Charlotte Motor Speedway

This is a great option for a first date with a girl who loves speed and racing. Just 20 km northeast of the center, there is the Charlotte Motor Speedway. It is here that many of the most prestigious events and car races are held annually. This speedway is considered the most popular in the country and hosts about 380 events annually. The most important are several races, conducted by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, abbreviated NASCAR. Due to this, Charlotte is considered the largest center of motorsports in the country.

U.S. National Whitewater Center

The US National Whitewater Center (USNWC) promotes an active lifestyle. Since 2006, USNWC has been offering to its visitors a wide range of outdoor activities. There are more than 30 types of land and water-based activities, as well as certification programs, outdoor training, races, films, festivals, and various amazing events all year round.

On the huge territory of 1,300 acres, there is a wide range of outdoor activities for all skill levels and ages. Visitors can enjoy kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, rafting, zip lines, ropes courses, rock climbing, mountain biking, and a canopy tour.

Throughout the year, the Whitewater racing series invites its visitors to take part in various competitions in different sports, including mountain biking, kayaking, ultra marathons, triathlons, and much more.

This is a great option for those who want to surprise a girl on the first date because here you can relax, listen to live music and enjoy the open-air festivals. This place creates a unique atmosphere of complete relaxation and pleasant communication.

Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

The museum was named after Andreas Bechtler. It is a resident of Charlotte, who inherited and collected about 1,400 works of art created by key figures of modernism of the 20th century. This museum opened on January 2nd, 2010. The Bechtler collection includes the artworks of Joan Miro, Alberto Giacometti, Andy Warhol, Max Ernst, Jean Tinguely, and Pablo Picasso.

Novel NoDa Shutting Down Streets To Host First Food Truck Friday Block Party This Weekend

Steve
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Novel NoDa Shutting Down Streets To Host First Food Truck Friday Block Party This Weekend

This coming Friday (April 26th) NoDa’s Novel community will host their first Food Truck Friday Block Party from 5:00-9:00 pm.

They’ll be closing down the streets and hosting a total of 7 food trucks, several local breweries, and live music by Falconheart on their outdoor stage.

Local brews will be on tap from Salud Cerveceria & Wooden Robot Brewery.

Participating food trucks will include:

Ace Of Spuds Truck
Auntie Anne’s Food Truck
Frank And Charlie’s Good Eats
Mysausagebuddy
Now Toasted Food Truck
Queen Bee Treats
TIN Kitchen

The event is free to attend so bring your family, pups and lawn chairs to enjoy a night out under the Carolina sky.

Check out more about Novel NoDa on this video we shot last year;

Gaston County Man Arrested For Kidnapping and Assault After 5 Hour Standoff With Police

Charlotte Stories
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Gaston County Man Arrested For Kidnapping and Assault After 5 Hour Standoff With Police

27-Year-Old Christopher Hibberts was just arrested by Gaston County Police after a five-hour standoff in Dallas, NC.

According to the police report, officers were attempting to serve Hibberts several felony charges, including kidnapping and assault, at his residence on Old Spencer Mountain Rd. in Dallas, NC.

When Officers attempted to approach Hibberts, he ran into the home and locked himself inside. After numerous commands to exit the home, officers called in the Gaston County Police Emergency Response Team to assist.

After a 5 hour standoff, a special unit engaged in a tactical forceful entry and search of the home. Officers in the unit found Hibberts in a small hiding space. He was arrested without injury.

He has now been charged with 2nd-degree kidnapping, break and enter to terrorize or injure, assault on a female, assault by pointing a gun, and interfere with emergency communication (911), according to the police report.

This is an ongoing investigation, if you have any additional information, please call Officer M.T. Johnson at (704) 866-3320 or CrimeStoppers at (704) 861-800.

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