NCDOT Planning America’s First Hydrogen-Powered Train Line Between Charlotte and Raleigh

The North Carolina DOT recently announced plans for our country’s first ‘hydrail’ line between Charlotte and Raleigh.

Lynn Harris, the senior project engineer at the NCDOT’s consulting firm McDowell Engineering & Associates, told the Statesville Record and Landmark “this would be the first of its type in this country.”

Hydrogen-powered fuel cells produce electric energy but only emit water vapor, unlike the polluting emissions that diesel and electric passenger trains emit, Harris said, adding that hydrail engines are also significantly cheaper to operate and maintain.

The world’s first Hydrogen-powered trains began service last September on a 100 KM line between the German cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervorde and Buxtehude.

On March 29th, the US Departments of Transportation and Energy and the NC DOT will meet with international representatives to discuss the next steps for America’s first hydrail service between Charlotte and Raleigh.

Soda Machine Maker Sprizzi Opening New 118,000 Sq Ft Facility in Cornelius

0

SPRiZZi Bev-Co., Inc. announced plans to start production of their new home drink maker in the former Michael Waltrip Racing building in Cornelius.

The company plans to upfit the 118,000 square foot facility to meet the needs of its operation.

The SPRiZZi Drink Machine is attempting to challenge the wildly popular SodaStream countertop soda maker by offering “instant cold beverages made fresh and carbonated in seconds”. One of the most significant differences between its competition is the company’s unique ‘flavor bullets’, allowing a for a massive range of drinks including; soda, tea, lemonade, and sports drinks.

“We will be producing our 100% recyclable flavor bullets in Cornelius,” said President/CEO Tim Goff. “My son Ryan and I are both invested in this community and are excited to bring our business here and provide jobs to the area.”

The operation in Cornelius will house the raw materials that will be used to create the flavor bullets. The building will also be the distribution center for all SPRiZZI Drink Machines.

“This addition is impactful for the Town of Cornelius because it will be an additional 250 jobs for our residents,” said Mayor Woody Washam. “This type of business is unique for our town and I’m eager to witness the positive economic impact.”

SPRiZZi is hopeful to have production running by March and be fully-operating within two years. The main production room will have the capacity for 28 production lines. Each line is projected to produce 20 million flavor bullets per year, resulting in an annual production of over 500 million flavor bullets.

For more information about SPRiZZI Bev-Co., you can visit their website at sprizzi.com.

Useful Tips in Charlotte: A City for Students

0

Charlotte, North Carolina is a beautiful U.S. city. It has a significant draw from historic buildings to good southern cooking; there’s a lot to see and try.

The city is especially thrilling for college students. There’s plenty of colleges in the area. These include the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Queens University of Charlotte, the Charlotte Law School, and more! Here, we are going to introduce a few useful tips that will make your time in Charlotte something to remember.

Using Academic Resources

To start, let’s look at students’ studies. At the many colleges to choose in Charlotte, there are plenty of on-campus resources. These might include tutoring services, group study programs, and writing centers.

It’s also good to know that online resources are available as well. For example, if a student has to write a character analysis essay about a character in the assigned reading, they can look at online writing services. These services help to learn how to construct a piece as well as proofreading and editing.

Join a Club at University

There are plenty of clubs offered at the various universities in Charlotte. Whether individuals want to join a club for pure fun or something to bulk up their resume, there are plenty of options.

Aside from resume building, there is a significant reason to join extracurricular programs. Namely, it’s a great way to meet new people. These connections aren’t only an excellent way to make the college experience fun, but they can also build lifelong friendships.

You can also meet new friends by just introducing yourself. When sitting in a class or working in a group, don’t be afraid to be friendly. Going through college without making friends only allows you part of the full experience.

Get Out of Your Dorm and Explore

The first thing to do when getting settled into college is to explore the area. Initially, this means the campus itself. What are the best places to eat? How do you get from the dorms to the lecture halls your classes are in?

Eventually, you’ll know the campus like the back of your hand. However, sticking on campus can get old fast.

When in Charlotte, take the time to explore Charlotte. The city has a lot to offer! For an adrenaline rush, try visiting Carowinds theme park or the U.S. National Whitewater Center. If you want a calmer day, there are attractions such as botanical gardens and science centers.

All in all, there is plenty of draw in Charlotte for everyone. Students won’t see what Charlotte has to offer if they spend all their time in their dorm.

Schedule Your Time

Students in college often quickly find themselves overwhelmed by their work. A big part of this is that new college students struggle to adjust to the scheduling of college. Once in college, students don’t have as strict a class schedule. Also, they don’t have the effective control of parental figures.

So, it’s essential for college students to take the initiative and plan out their schedules. Instead of telling yourself that a project or studying can be done later, put time aside to do it early. Measures taken against procrastination will help prevent the stress of all-nighters to get work done.

Choose Classes Carefully

A significant positive of college is that students get to pick their schedules. That requires some critical planning.

When a student is planning classes, they’ll want to pick the right options. First, consider how many credit hours you’ll be able to take. For most freshman, it’s suggested to make right at or just over the recommended full credit load. That usually hovers around 12 to 15 credits or about 4 classes.

It’s also crucial to consider what classes the student is choosing. A mix of challenging and more comfortable classes is best. When a student takes several challenging levels at once, then they are likely to get burnt out quickly.

Conclusion

When the tips above are used, students’ experiences at a university are less stressful and more exciting. This can be an exhilarating period of life. Use this advice to make the most of it!

Local Franchisee Awarded CEO Award at Annual Convention

0

Local franchise and military veteran Ron Jones was awarded the CEO Award by franchisor Restoration 1®, one of the fastest-growing and most-trusted restoration franchises in North America. Jones accepted the award at the annual convention in Las Vegas, NV.

Jones, who owns and operates Restoration 1 of Greater Charlotte, was awarded Rookie of the Year at the brand’s convention in 2018. After a milestone year of growth and success, he was honored again with the CEO Award from Restoration 1 CEO Gary Findley. Jones also joined the Million Dollar Club, which honors franchisees who reported over $1 million in collected revenues during 2018.

“I never imaged I would achieve this level of success in such a short amount of time with Restoration 1®,” said Jones. “As a veteran, having the chance to run your own business is incredibly rewarding, and having the support system of the team at headquarters has made such a difference, and helped us grow over the past year.”

“Ron has shown incredible success, and deserved to be rewarded two years in a row,” said Findley. “We always love to honor our best franchisees at convention, particularly those who have served our country, and he is a prime example of the level of service and dedication we hope to provide our customers every day.”

North Carolina Introduces Bill to Criminalize FGM

0

The North Carolina Senate has just introduced new legislation that would make it a felony to perform female genital mutilation (FGM) or consent to FGM being carried out on girls.

North Carolina Sen. Joyce Krawiec (R-Forsyth) introduced Senate Bill 9 “because we must protect our girls from this abuse of being mutilated … and this barbaric procedure,” according to the Winston-Salem Journal. “When this issue has been brought up, most people can’t believe it’s not already illegal to do this in North Carolina.”

SB 9 would make performing FGM in North Carolina a Class C felony—with a 44- to a 182-month prison sentence—and would also penalize those who consent to the procedure, such as a parent or guardian. Krawiec is hoping for the bill to become effective Dec. 1, 2019, to “give time for notification of the new statute to legal authorities, and give time to educate and notify medical providers of the change in statute.”

The Journal also reported that, according to a Brigham and Women’s Hospital report, “4,287 girls and women, including 973 under age 18, in North Carolina come from families who immigrated here from countries that practice FGM. The report says those girls and women could be at risk of having FGM performed on them.”

If the bill passes and is signed by Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina would become the 29th state to criminalize FGM. In North Carolina, 9,399 girls and women are at risk for FGM, including more than 3,000 under the age of 18, according to research by the Population Reference Bureau.

Ohio became the 28th state to outlaw FGM when legislators voted in favor of a similar FGM bill in December and Gov. John Kasich signed it into law last month. Almost half the states in the nation, however, have not instituted laws to criminalize FGM.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than 500,000 women and girls are at risk for FGM in the U.S. Yore also noted that female genital mutilation is recognized by both the World Health Organization and the United Nations as a human rights violation perpetrated upon little girls and women. Over 200 million women worldwide have been subjected to this cruel practice.

View the at EndFGMToday.com state-by-state map of those who do have anti-FGM laws and learn more about FGM at www.EndFGMToday.com or on social media at #EndFGMToday.

The NBA Renovated West Charlotte High’s Locker Rooms As Part Of The All-Star Weekend

0

The NBA All-Star Games are not only bringing an economic stimulus to local hotels and restaurants – their also bringing positive change to students around our city.

Students at West Charlotte High School just received completely renovated locker rooms along with motivational speeches from several of their favorite players, and teachers at the school were given a year-long subscription to the popular meditation app Headspace.

The NBA also donated hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to needy students in North Carolina, along with personalized notes of motivation by star players;

The NBA All-Star games and events will run from February 15th – 17th. Tickets can be purchased online here or at the Spectrum Center box office.

Waffle House Now Serving Waffles Out Of Their First Official Food Truck

0

Food Trucks have become all the rage over the past few years, with empty lots turning into food truck festivals, breweries using food trucks as their restaurants, and some people driving clear across town to buy their lunch from the back of a truck.

While most food trucks are new start-ups, some established brands have now started to jump on the trend – the latest being the southeast’s most popular scattered, covered, and smothered hashbrown diner – The Waffle House.

“Our newest and most popular addition to Waffle House is our FOOD TRUCK! Used for private events only, the Food Truck brings our unique experience right to YOU!! We can pull up and cook your desired menu choices for you and your guests,” their website notes.

They first announced their new food truck back in June;

They’re even now catering weddings;

According to the company’s website, the food truck costs;

• $90.00 rental fee (one time payment)
• $50.00 per hour based on mileage to and from event location and the duration of the event,
including set up time
• Additional 10% (optional) for paper products which include: dinnerware, flatware, cups and
napkins

• Per person cost is based on your chosen menu options and the quantity
• Availability is subject to openings on the Catering Event Calendar; it’s best to book your event
as soon as your date is confirmed
• 50% deposit is required in advance for events totaling $1000.00 or more
• Certain event locations will require site visits to ensure a safe and proper parking placement
• Dimensions: 22’l x 12’h x 9’w

Are you excited about the new Waffle House food truck?

CMS Closing Schools Early Today Due To NBA All-Star Games

0

With the NBA All-Star Weekend ramping up and city officials now expecting over 150,000 fans to descend on our city, CMS has just announced they’ll be letting out 5 area schools early today.

School officials cited transportation concerns that could arise from the significant increase in traffic.

According to an official statement, CMS will dismiss all students at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 15 in the following schools:

  • Chantilly Montessori School, 701 Briar Creek Road, Charlotte
  • Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School, 1601 Park Drive, Charlotte
  • First Ward Creative Arts Academy, 715 N. Caldwell Street, Charlotte
  • Irwin Avenue Elementary School, 329 N. Irwin Avenue, Charlotte
  • Metro School, 405 S. Davidson Street, Charlotte

Their statement went on to say, “CMS consulted with the City of Charlotte Department of Transportation and local law enforcement to assess and make plans to help ensure safe transportation for our students. Many roads will be closed in the uptown area and heavy traffic congestion is expected during upcoming NBA All-Star activities on Friday, February 15 and throughout the weekend. The primary concern areas are Independence near Bojangle’s Arena and the uptown area around the time for CMS afternoon dismissals in or near these areas. ASEP, the after school care program, will continue for students at these schools as we know many parents rely on these supports.”

NBA All-Star games and events will run from February 15th – 17th. Tickets can be purchased online here or at the Spectrum Center box office.

Home Depot Announced Plans To Hire Over 80,000 New Employees

0

The Home Depot has just announced plans to hire over 80,000 employees for their upcoming spring season. The new hiring spree will include at least 450 jobs for the Charlotte region.

The 80,000 total new jobs will be spread out over 2,000 U.S. stores and 75 distribution centers, including sales, cashiers, operations, management, and online order fulfillment.

They’ve even built an entire interactive map to show were they will be hiring for the upcoming week:

home-depot-new-jobs-coming-to-charlotte

Here’s a zoomed-in look at where the new jobs around Charlotte will be located this week:

home-depot-jobs-in-charlotte

You can apply for any of their new positions at careers.homedepot.com.

Home Depot’s main competitor, Lowes Home Improvement, which is based in Mooresville, NC, also recently announced that they will be adding over 45,000 new jobs nationally, and over 1,100 new jobs right here in the greater Charlotte region.

 

J. Cole, Meek Mill, and Anthony Hamilton Performing At The 2019 All-Star Game in Charlotte

0

One of the biggest events in Charlotte’s history is finally here!

The 2019 NBA All-Star game will feature a plethora of musical stars before, during, and after the game, including;

Anthony Hamilton;

Mill Meek;

Carley Rae Jepsen

and perhaps the biggest star to take the court – multi-grammy winning artist J. Cole (who also happens to be an NC native);

The NBA will also be bringing a variety of other games and shows to the Queen City during the week of the big All-Star game, including a celebrity game, dunk contest, rising stars challenge, and more.

For more info or tickets to all of the NBA All-Star Week Events click here.