Wegman’s Now Hiring 475 Employees For Its First North Carolina Store

Wegmans has just announced they’ll be hiring 475 employees for their first ever North Carolina store.

The new 104,000 square-foot grocer, bakery, and fresh market will be located in Raleigh’s Midtown East Shopping Center near the intersection of I-440 and Wake Forest Rd.

The company said hiring and training are now underway for positions including; customer service, management, chefs, bakers, and line cooks.

The legendary northeastern grocer was recently ranked the #1 in the country (just in front of #2 Publix).

“Wegmans is recognized as one of the country’s best places to work year after year because we offer flexible scheduling, competitive pay, industry-leading benefits, and a family-like environment with many different career opportunities all under one roof,” commented Store Manager Hallie Johnston. “We’re committed to hiring good people who are passionate about food and ready to learn and grow with us.”

Until the new store is completed, the closest Wegmans to Charlotte is in Fredericksburg, Virginia – about 230 miles north.

Wegmans is also planning on opening new stores in Charlottesville, Virginia, and two stores in the Richmond, Virginia, area soon. The company currently has 88 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virginia.

You can now apply for any of the open positions for their first North Carolina store here or call 984-960-5588 for more information.

CIAA Tournament Will No Longer Be Hosted in Charlotte

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CIAA Officials have confirmed that the historic tournament will no longer be played in Charlotte after 2020.

The historic tournament, which first started in 1946 and has been hosted in Charlotte since 2006, will be moving to the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.

Even though 8 out of the CIAA’s 13 schools are located in North Carolina, attendance figures have continued to decline over the past few years. Additionally, violence and crime often spiked while the tournament was in town (last year over 100 shots were fired during a shootout between 2 rap entourages).

Local businesses and rideshare drivers will be the hardest hit. Every year, tens of thousands flock to our city to watch the tournament, stay in our hotels, and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on food, drinks, and entertainment.

This year’s tournament will be held in Uptown Charlotte from February 25th through March 2nd.

What are your thoughts on the tournament leaving Charlotte? 

North Carolina Ranked The 3rd Best State In North America For Relocations

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North Carolina has just been ranked as one of the top states in North America for its net migration pattern according to Atlas Van Lines, one of the largest moving companies in the world.

Atlas’ new report crunched the data from 71,092 Interstate and Cross-Border Household Goods Relocations from January 1, 2018 through December 15, 2018.

“It is integral for not only the moving industry, but also our nation, to track domestic and international migration patterns to better understand why and where individuals are relocating,” said Jack Griffin, Chairman and CEO of Atlas World Group. “These tangible insights for people, companies and industries can serve as important factors in influencing business and personal growth.”

North Carolina was ranked the top in the south and the #3 state in the country. Nevada ranked #1 in America for the first time, and the remaining top 10 states were fairly spread out across the country. Professional movers from California, Texas, Florida, and several others reported balanced numbers of inbound and outbound moves.

Here are the top 10 inbound and outbound states in America, according to Atlas;

INBOUND:

  • Nevada (67.8 percent)
  • Idaho (66.2 percent)
  • North Carolina (62.6 percent)
  • New Hampshire (57.3 percent)
  • Tennessee (57.2 percent)
  • Oregon (57.1 percent)
  • Washington (57.0 percent)
  • Alabama (56.5 percent)
  • New Mexico (56.0 percent)
  • Washington D.C. (55.7 percent)

OUTBOUND:

  • West Virginia (61.7 percent)
  • Wyoming (61.4 percent)
  • Illinois (61.2 percent)
  • New York (61.0 percent)
  • Connecticut (59.9 percent)
  • Louisiana (58.2 percent)
  • Nebraska (58.1 percent)
  • Kansas (57.4 percent)
  • South Dakota (56.9 percent)
  • New Jersey (56.7 percent)

You can read more on Atlas’ full report here.

Top 10 Restaurants in Concord, North Carolina

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Concord is really becoming a contender for having some of the best restaurants in the greater Charlotte region.

They have a number of dedicated family establishments that have been passed down for generations, as well as some newer eateries with unique takes on everyone’s favorite dishes.

Without further delay, here are the top 10 best restaurants in Concord;

#10 Andele! Mexican Restaurant

best restaurant in concord ncKicking off our list at the #10 spot is Andele Mexican Restaurant is a family-owned eatery specializing in some of the region’s best Mexican food.

They have a very colorful interior with vibrant dishes and bowls. Their chori-queso is one of the best things on the menu – a creamy mixture of cheese and sausage, a perfect concoction for tortilla chips. As for a main dish, try the chilaquiles Mexicanos — corn tortillas with chicken, house sauce, and cheese — or the chile relleno dinner- and don’t forget to finish everything off with some fried ice cream.

Andele Mexican Restaurant, 1096 Concord Pkwy N, Concord, NC

#9 2 Gals Kitchen

2 Gals Kitchen first opened in 2013 in Concord. They have a truly unique and charming interior w/ lofty ceilings and large windows. Locals love their veggie delight sandwich, which includes havarti cheese, and a sweet onion spread. Their tuna melt with pepper jack cheese is also pretty incredible. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am-3pm.

2 Gals Kitchen, 80 Union St S, Concord, NC

Havana Carolina Cafe best restaurant in concord nc#8 Havana Carolina Cafe

This is a truly family-owned establishment serving some of the best Cuban sandwiches anywhere in the Carolinas with pork, ham, Swiss, mayo, mustard, and pickles all on Cuban bread, but what’s even better than their Cuban, is their locally famous specialty plate called lechon – it includes roasted pork marinated in mojo sauce and served with rice, black bean potage, fried sweet plantains, and a Cuban dinner roll; and guava cheesecake – the perfect ending.

Havana Carolina Café, 11 Union St S, Concord, NC

#7 Ellie’s Coffee Shoppe

Yes, we’re including a coffee shoppe on our list, but trust us, their food is incredible!

Perfect for that late lunch or early dinner gathering spot with a few frinds – Ellie’s menu is bursting with tasty sweet and savory options, with something to suit many tastes. For something sweet, the pancakes, french toast and various pastries like cinnamon rolls, scones, muffins and more are always a good choice. Savory morning options include the croissant sandwich with eggs, cheese, and choice of breakfast meat and biscuits and gravy. The lunch side of the menu includes grilled sandwiches, Mexican plates, paninis, salads, plus some vegetarian choices.

Ellie’s Coffee Shoppe, 37 Union St S, Concord, NC

breakfastime best food in concord#6 Breakfastime

Breakfast is served everyday from 6am-3pm at Breakfastime – and it’s some of the best breakfast you’ll find in Concord (besides what your mom cooks up).

From savory deliciousness to sweet delights, the menu has it all with something for everyone. For those wanting breakfast and lunch, try the breakfast burger, which features a six-ounce burger topped with cheese and an egg. They also have some incredible banana fosters pancakes, and amazing biscuits smothered with milk or sausage gravy – oh, and you have to try their feta omelet.

Breakfastime, 1170 Copperfield Blvd NE, Concord, NC

 #5 Gianni’s Trattoria

Check out Gianni’s Trattoria if you want the place that only locals know about. Their located in the heart of historic downtown Concord. Chef Heather Stadler finds the freshest and most seasonal ingredients available from local farmers and distributors, as well as unique items imported from Italy, creating a memorable meal you won’t soon forget. From Mama’s classic meatballs and spaghetti to the oven-roasted duck breast with a Black Mission fig-orange port wine reduction sauce, roasted potatoes, and seasonal veggies, the menu has tons of great options.

Gianni’s Trattoria, 16 Union St S, Concord, NC

gateway to athens concord restaurant#4 The Gateway To Athens

If you love Greek food, or if you’ve never had truly authentic Greek food, you have to check this place. Both their dine-in and carry out offerings come with high praises from locals and visitors. Their slouvaki and house-made tzatziki sauce are truly out of this world!

Their open from 11am-9pm Monday-Saturday and from 12pm-3pm for lunch on Sunday.

The Gateway To Athens is located at 360 Exchange St NW Ste 107 Concord, NC

#3 Aroma Indian Cuisine

Check out Aroma Indian Cuisine if you want some truly authentic Indian food.

Their award-winning chefs create highlights such as dahi vada, or fried lentils served with a special yogurt sauce; the paneer burji dosa, which is a rice crepe filled with cheese, mustard seeds, and curry leaves; and goat khorma, or curry. Aroma is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner.

Aroma Indian Cuisine, 8455 Pit Stop Court, Concord, NC

speedway club restaurant in concord#2 The Speedway Club

If you love NASCAR and good food, you gotta check out The Speedway Club Restaurant – delicious food and an incredible view of the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Some of their most popular dishes are the fish and grits, which includes blackened salmon with orange hominy grits and seasonal vegetables; the Cherry Coca-Cola beef brisket served with succotash and roasted potatoes; and the rigatoni pomodoro with a variety of veggies. They’re open for lunch weekdays and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Membership is required, but you can visit once for free.

The Speedway Club Restaurant, Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Pkwy S, Concord, NC

#1 The Smoke Pit

This is one of the newest restaurants on our list (they opened in 2014), but most people would consider them one of the best eateries in the Concord region. They’ve already amassed a ton of accolades and awards – this BBQ joint is a true meat lover’s paradise, with a menu brimming with melt-in-your-mouth meats and sandwiches.

They truly excel at their hickory-smoked pulled pork, sweet potato fries, and fried okra. The Smoke Pit is open every day except for Sunday.

The Smoke Pit, 796 Concord Pkwy N, Concord, NC

What’s your favorite restaurant in Concord?

Justin Timberlake Was Just Spotted At Charlotte BBQ Joint

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The youngest member of the boyband ‘NSYNC’ and platinum-selling solo pop artist Justin Timberlake was just spotted at one of Charlotte’s most popular BBQ Joints.

Plaza Midwood’s ‘Midwood Smokehouse’ just posted a picture of the star this afternoon when he stopped by for a bite to eat.

The picture has already been like over 1,000 times and shared over 200 times;

It does seem fitting that JT would be spotted eating some Carolina BBQ, as he’s now on his global ‘Man of The Woods Tour‘.

He’ll be performing live at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center on Tuesday, January 8th from 07:30 PM–10:30 PM

You can still buy tickets for tomorrow night’s show on StubHub.com here.

Snowstorm Could Be Heading To The Carolinas This Weekend

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If you’re a heavy milk and bread consumer, you may want to start planning your grocery trips now – a new winter storm is brewing.

A large cold front is now developing west of the Carolinas which will be bringing freezing temperatures and potential snowfall this coming weekend.

Weather Underground is now forecasting about a 35% chance of snow on Saturday and Sunday morning with lows in the upper 20s for the Charlotte area;

According to the National Weather Service, we could see over an inch of total precipitation over the weekend;

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 oilpower 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!

Charlotte Douglas TSA Agents Calling Out Sick Due To Government Shutdown

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As the government shutdown continues to drag on, it’s starting to affect more than just national parks and tax returns.

According to CNN, hundreds of TSA workers, who are required to work without paychecks, have been calling out “sick” in increasing numbers.

The report notes that Charlotte Douglas has already seen a 10% higher TSA call out rate over the past week. “That number will get worse as this drags on,” Mac Johnson, Charlotte’s local TSA union president told CNN. The call outs are “creating a vulnerability” and screeners are “doing more with less,” Johnson said.

The TSA just released the following statement about the recent call-outs, saying;

“TSA is closely monitoring the situation. Call outs began over the Holiday period and have increased, but are causing minimal impact given there are 51,739 employees supporting the screening process. Security effectiveness will not be compromised and performance standards will not change. Wait times may be affected depending on the number of call outs…”

Last night a Charlotte Douglas passenger tweeted that he arrived at the airport early in case of long lines from a lack of TSA agents, but to his surprise, it sped through the line;

What are your thoughs about the recent government shutdown?

US Supreme Court To Hear Case on North Carolina’s District Maps

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The United States Supreme Court has just agreed to hear arguments over the potentially unconstitutional district maps in North Carolina.

This new case will mark the first time the U.S. Supreme Court has addressed the partisan gerrymandering issue since Justice Brett Kavanaugh replaced Kennedy.

Back in August, a 3-judge federal court panel issued a 321-page ruling in Common Cause v. Rucho, saying the most recent set of maps drawn by North Carolina’s Republican-dominated General Assembly gave GOP candidates an unfair advantage over Democrats. The court said the maps suppressed the political speech of voters who belong to the minority party in a district, violating the First and 14th Amendments and portions of Article I of the U.S. Constitution.

“By definition, partisan gerrymandering amounts to an effort to dictate electoral outcomes by favoring candidates of one party and disfavoring candidates of another,” said 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge James Wynn.

The Supreme Court did allow the current districts (redrawn under court order for the 2016 election) to remain in effect for the 2018 cycle.

If the justices do order new congressional maps, they will only be in place for the 2020 election. The new census coming out in 2020 will require yet another redrawing of districts, and due to North Carolina’s population growth, we’re now expected to gain a 14th district.

What do you think about North Carolina’s recently redistricted maps?

South Carolina’s New Bill Would Ad 7% Tax To Gun Sales To Pay For School Resource Officers

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A new bill has just been introduced into the South Carolina House of Representatives that would add an additional 7% tax on all gun sales, which would be used to hire school resource officers at every school in the state.

House Bill 3109 was introduced by District 70 Representative Wendy Brawley (D) and District 79 Representative Ivory Thigpen (D) to pay for resource officers in the 600+ schools that are currently operating without one due to a lack of funding.

HB 3109 reads:

“In addition to any other tax or fee applied to the sale of a firearm, there is imposed a fee equal to seven percent of the gross proceeds from the sale of a firearm. The fee must be credited to a fund established within the State Department of Education entitled the ‘School Safety Fund’. The fund must be expended only to employ or otherwise provide school resource officers. Each school district may apply to the Department of Education for a disbursement from the fund. In determining which school district shall receive a disbursement, and the amount thereof, the Department of Education must give priority to school districts that, in the previous fiscal year, did not have a full-time school resource officer at each school within the district.”

The South Carolina Department of Education recently funded a total of 38 districts to hire school resource officers, including York County Schools. The measure was taken as the number of mass shootings in our country continues to rise.

“There is no issue more important than the safety and well being of our students and teachers. I appreciate the support of the General Assembly in recognizing this and taking a step in the right direction by funding new officers in those districts that have not been able to afford them. We still have a ways to go in meeting our goal for a trained law enforcement officer in every school by 2020 and I remain committed to ensuring this goal becomes a reality,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman.

It’s thought that the new 7% gun fee would generate over $22 million extra revenue from gun sales every year.

What do you think about the newly proposed bill? 

Olympians To Fence In Charlotte This Weekend At The North American Cup

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Over 1,800 Olympian and Paralympian fencers are coming to Charlotte this weekend to compete in the North American Cup for a shot at the elusive gold medal.

The competition started yesterday at the Charlotte Convention Center and will continue through Monday with events beginning at 8 a.m. and concluding at approximately 7 p.m. daily, including sparring matches for Division I, junior, wheelchair and senior team fencers.

Tickets are now on sale for $5 per day (Purchase Tickets here).

The championship tournament is also the domestic qualifier for the 2019 Senior World Championships, to be held in Budapest this coming July.

Top competitors who will be competing in Charlotte this weekend include;

  • Dagmara Wozniak (Avenel, N.J. / Division I Women’s Saber), 2016 Olympic team bronze medalist and 2014 Senior World Team Champion
  • Miles Chamley-Watson (New York City, N.Y. / Division I Men’s Foil), 2016 Olympic team bronze medalist and 2013 Senior World Champion
  • Daryl Homer (Bronx, N.Y. / Division I Men’s Saber), 2016 Olympic silver medalist and 2015 Senior World silver medalist
  • Nzingha Prescod (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Division I Women’s Foil), two-time Olympian and 2018 Senior World Team Champion
  • Margaret Lu (Greenwich, Conn. / Division I Women’s Foil), 2018 Senior World Team Champion
  • Soren Thompson (New York City, N.Y. / Division I Men’s Epee), two-time Olympian and 2012 Senior World Team Champion
  • Ben Bratton (New York City, N.Y. / Division I Men’s Epee), 2012 Senior World Team Champion
  • Eliza Stone (Chicago, Ill. / Division I Women’s Saber), 2018 Senior World bronze medalist
  • Aleksandra Shelton (Tigard, Ore. / Division I Women’s Saber), 2003 Senior World bronze medalist

The Charlotte competitions will also include all of the medalists from the 2018 Junior and Cadet World Championships scheduled to compete at the NAC. This week’s tournament will serve as the penultimate domestic qualifier for the 2019 Junior and Cadet Worlds, to be held in Torun, Poland later this year.

The wheelchair events currently include most of the nations top contenders for the 2020 Paralympic Games.

For tickets or more information click here.