NC Turnpike Authority Wins 2018 Toll Excellence Award

Charlotte Stories
-
0
NC Turnpike Authority Wins 2018 Toll Excellence Award

Today, the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association(IBTTA) announced the North Carolina Turnpike Authority(NCTA) has received the 2018 Toll Excellence Award for Technology, for becoming the first tolling agency in the United States to read all three transponder protocols being considered for national interoperability in a tolling environment.

IBTTA, the worldwide association representing the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve them, presents the Toll Excellence Awards annually, tohighlight the very best projects, innovations and solutions from the international tolling industry.  IBTTA’s Toll Excellence Awardsassists in the transmission of new ideas and emerging practices throughout the industry to benefit the driving public around the globe.

“North Carolina Turnpike Authority continues to be a leader in our industry for their implementation of innovative practices promoting greater mobility for drivers,”said Patrick Jones, Executive Director and CEO of IBTTA.  “The 2018 Toll Excellence Awardsare presented to an international list of tolling authorities responsible for developing creative strategies and new technologies to meet the demands of the driving public.  We congratulate NCTA on this well-deserved recognition.”

“The North Carolina Turnpike Authority, with its world-class facility, partnerships and research, is proud to lead the nation with this modern toll technology,”said Turnpike Authority Executive Director Beau Memory. “This is another example of our commitment to improving the customer experience, lowering costs to our users and supporting national toll interoperability.”

 

IBTTA_TEAward(s)2018.png

 

Customer Value and Interoperability through Tri-Protocol Reader Technology – In September 2017, the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) became the first tolling agency in the United States to read all three transponder protocols being considered for national interoperability in a tolling environment. The NCTA successfully replaced its legacy reader technology on 80 lanes of the Triangle Expressway with tri-protocol reader technology.

The new reader equipment was installed without stopping traffic or interrupting toll collection activities and with minimal impact on NC Quick Pass customers. In addition to directly supporting the drive for nationwide interoperability of electronic toll collection systems, the project allowed NCTA to offer customers NC Quick Pass sticker transponders for free for the first time. NCTA also permanently reduced the cost of the E-ZPass interoperable transponders for its customers, while still supporting all previously purchased transponders.

David Machamer, Chair of IBTTA’s Toll Excellence Award Committee and Assistant Executive Director for Toll Operations with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority said,“Each year the committee sees a growing number of entries from both the public and private sectors. The process has become quite competitive with entries from across the globe. The industry is proud to share the good works, successful projects and solutions to advance the tolling and transportation industry.”

You can view the full list of 2018 winners, by visiting this link. The awards will be presented during IBTTA’s 86th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, October 14th– 16thin Baltimore, Maryland. One recipient will be honored with the prestigious President’s Award for Excellence during the awards ceremony.

North Carolina Ranked As 2018’s 5th Worst State for Health Care

Steve
-
0
North Carolina Ranked As 2018’s 5th Worst State for Health Care

With the Affordable Care Act remaining in effect and the CDC reporting that over 88 percent of the population has a regular place to go for medical care, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018’s Best & Worst States for Health Care.

In order to determine where Americans receive the highest-quality services at the best prices, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 40 key measures of health care cost, accessibility and outcome. The data set ranges from average monthly insurance premium to physicians per capita to share of insured population.

North Carolina ranked #47, just behind Arkansas (#48), Alaska (#49), Mississippi (#50), and Louisiana (#51);

Source: WalletHub

States with Best Health Care Systems

Overall Rank
(1 = Best)		 State Total Score ‘Cost’ Rank ‘Access’ Rank ‘Outcomes’ Rank
1 Vermont 66.31 3 23 1
2 Massachusetts 65.31 31 2 2
3 New Hampshire 64.03 24 4 4
4 Minnesota 63.35 11 8 8
5 Hawaii 63.08 5 35 5
6 Rhode Island 62.98 4 24 10
7 Colorado 62.69 23 15 3
8 District of Columbia 62.08 1 6 36
9 Iowa 61.94 6 19 14
10 Maryland 61.86 2 28 28
11 Connecticut 61.79 33 7 7
12 Maine 61.26 35 1 15
13 Kansas 60.20 10 9 21
14 South Dakota 59.52 34 3 16
15 Utah 59.48 25 34 6
16 Nebraska 59.35 27 14 12
17 New York 58.68 13 11 24
18 Pennsylvania 58.34 16 10 29
19 Ohio 58.18 7 18 34
20 Michigan 57.98 8 17 33
21 North Dakota 57.78 15 12 32
22 Virginia 56.93 21 29 17
23 Wisconsin 56.90 47 13 9
24 Illinois 56.79 20 16 31
25 Delaware 56.52 9 38 25
26 New Jersey 55.77 12 41 23
27 Oregon 54.47 28 40 18
28 Washington 54.29 38 42 11
29 California 54.15 17 45 19
30 New Mexico 53.52 19 27 37
31 Idaho 53.19 36 48 13
32 Montana 52.76 43 21 26
33 Wyoming 52.29 46 25 20
34 Kentucky 52.12 14 20 45
35 Indiana 52.02 18 36 40
36 Arizona 50.62 40 43 27
37 Missouri 49.92 29 22 43
38 Texas 49.00 26 51 35
39 West Virginia 48.37 45 5 47
40 Nevada 48.16 32 49 38
41 Tennessee 47.79 22 30 48
42 Florida 47.04 39 47 39
43 Georgia 46.51 30 50 42
44 South Carolina 46.14 49 32 41
45 Oklahoma 45.59 41 33 46
46 Alabama 44.03 44 44 44
47 North Carolina 43.98 50 46 30
48 Arkansas 43.22 37 31 50
49 Alaska 41.78 51 37 22
50 Mississippi 41.53 42 26 51
51 Louisiana 41.14 48 39 49

Health Care in North Carolina (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

  • 45th – Avg. Monthly Insurance Premium
  • 40th – Hospital Beds per Capita
  • 26th – Physicians per Capita
  • 29th – Dentists per Capita
  • 35th – Physician Medicare-Acceptance Rate
  • 39th – % of Insured Adults
  • 30th – % of Insured Children
  • 32nd – % of Adults with No Dental Visit in Past Year
  • 34th – % of Medical Residents Retained

For the full report, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-best-health-care/23457/

Charlotte SPCA Issues Urgent Please For Donations After Illegal Puppy Mill Discovered

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Charlotte SPCA Issues Urgent Please For Donations After Illegal Puppy Mill Discovered

Earlier this week, the Greater Charlotte SPCA uncovered a truly horrific situation involved almost a dozen puppies in a badly neglected coop in the backyard of a Charlotte home.

According to organization, most of the dogs are heartworm positive and one of the Chihuahuas will likely need to have his eye removed.

“We really need help raising money to get treatment for these dogs as we are lower on emergency funds than we have been in 3 years. Please consider a donation to help us help them! Our goal is to raise $1500 to cover all the heartworm treatments and optometry visit,” The shelter commented on Facebook;

Yesterday they posted an update about the situation, saying that they are now 50% toward their goal, but they still need people to step up;

Please help spread the word!

Hornet’s Owner Michael Jordan Responds To President’s Attack of Lebron James

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Hornet’s Owner Michael Jordan Responds To President’s Attack of Lebron James

Michael Jordan tries to stay out of politics and the press as much as possible, but after President Trump attacked fellow basketball legend, Lebron James, Jordan released a rare official statement.

Two days ago, the President of the United States issued a scathing insult about journalist Don Lemon and NBA Star Lebron James, while ending his statement with the phrase, “I like Mike” (referring to Michael Jordan);

The tweet seemingly came after the president watched James’ interview last week with CNN’s Don Lemon, where James stated, “We are in a position in America where this race thing has taken over. One, because I believe our president is trying to divide us. He’s kind of used sports to divide us, and that’s something I can’t relate to.”

Yesterday, Charlotte Hornet’s owner and basketball legend Michael Jordan released a brief statement about the tweet, simply saying “I support LJ, He’s doing an amazing job for his community.”

On Monday of this week, Lebron James opened the I Promise School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio to serve low-income and at-risk students.

The impact of @KingJames’ school will go far beyond the classroom

A post shared by Sports Blog Nation (@sbnation) on

What do you think about the latest twitter controversy?

Several Schools in CMS Now Reporting Dangerous Lead Levels in Drinking Water

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Several Schools in CMS Now Reporting Dangerous Lead Levels in Drinking Water

With the 2018 school season fast approaching, some parents are now becoming concerned over the increased levels of lead at Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.

According to the EPA, schools are required to take action if lead found in their water system exceeds 15 parts per billion, yet some schools that have been tested at 400 parts per billion have yet to make changes.

During the latest test, 24 schools tested positive for high lead levels, and while most have taken action, some have yet to clean up their pipes. Some of the highest schools which have yet to do anything are  Dorothy J Vaughan Academy of Technology at 120 parts per billion and Trillium Springs Montessori at 430 parts per billion.

According to the EPA, kids are especially vulnerable to lead exposure.

They note that, “in children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells.”

You can see all the lead level reports for schools in CMS here.

Top 10 Best Things To Do Around Charlotte This Weekend

Steve
-
0
Top 10 Best Things To Do Around Charlotte This Weekend

The weekend is almost here!

There will be tons of concerts, festivals, and the official kickoff of the upcoming Panther season!

Here are the top 10 things happening around the Charlotte region this weekend:

#1 Carolina Panthers Fan Fest

The Carolina Panthers will host the 2018 Fan Fest celebration this evening at the Bank of America Stadium. Practice will begin at 7 p.m.
Stadium gates open at 6 p.m., and the event will include performances by the TopCats, Sir Purr, PurrCussion and the Black & Blue Crew. Practice begins at 7 p.m., featuring individual drills as well as seven-on-seven, special teams and team periods. Fans in attendance will receive a 2018 team roster photo card as a gate giveaway. The event culminates with a spectacular fireworks and laser show.

For tickets or more info click here.

#2 Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson, AKA, the “Queen of Pop,” is bringing her elaborate stage show and Grammy Award-winning music to Charlotte, including her chart-topping singles such as “When I Think of You,” “Nasty,” “If” and “That’s The Way Love Goes.”

She’ll be taking the PNC Music Pavilion stage tonight at 8pm.

For tickets or more info click here.

#3 9th Annual Joedance Film Festival

The 9th Annual Joedance Film Festival will be held Friday–Saturday, August 3-4, 2018 (8-11 p.m.) at Charlotte Ballet, 701 N. Tryon St.

Admission begins at 7:30 p.m. each night. Films begin at 8 p.m. Tickets cost begin at $25 for each night and can be purchased online at www.joedance.org.

For more info click here.

#4 South Carolina Tax-Free Weekend

If you’re looking to pick up some back to school supplies for this upcoming season, you might want to head down to South Carolina this weekend. The Palmetto State is hosting their annual tax-free weekend on thousands of items in stores across the state.

For more info click here.

#5 Pentatonix with special guests Echosmith and Calum Scott

Famed a cappella group Pentatonix has been unstoppable since winning the third season of “The Sing-Off,” and in just the past few years they have embarked on major world tours and have pocketed Grammy Awards.

Now, a cappella lovers all over the Charlotte region have the chance to see Pentatonix live in concert, as this popular vocal group is getting ready to descend on the Queen City.

The show starts at 8pm this Saturday evening at the PNC Music Pavilion.

For more info or tickets click here.

#6 Counting Crows Live in Charlotte

Known for its introspective, expressive lyrics penned by lead singer Adam Duritz, Counting Crows is a rock band that can coax people to think about the meaning of life. In terms of sound, the angst-ridden band is an amalgamation of The Band, R.E.M and Van Morrison, while still having a character of its own.
They’ll be performing live at the PNC Music Pavilion this Sunday night starting at 6:30pm.

#7 4th Annual ArtPop Art Auction

This coming Saturday is ArtPop’s 4th annual art auction with live music, food, drinks – help them do more for local artists by buying your ticket to the event!

Check out more information here.

#8 Charlotte’s First Annual Seth Curry Basketball Camp

Charlotte’s first annual Seth Curry Basketball camp will take place tomorrow at the Charlotte Christian School

First Session 9:00am-12:00pm (Ages 7-11)

Second Session 1:00pm-4:00pm (Ages 12-16)

For more info click here.

#9 Blakeney Summer Concert Series

Get your picnic blankets and lawn chairs ready, because your summer schedule just got a lot more fun.

Beginning tomorrow (8/4) from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., local favorites return to Blakeney and bring fun for the entire family.

This free event series is open to the public, so grab your friends, family, and neighbors for an evening of music, shopping and fun. Take advantage of special offers from select Blakeney retailers and restaurants throughout the event series. The Blakeney Playground will also be open and ready for action.

For more info click here.

#10 Carolina Bridal Fair

The Carolinas’ Ultimate Wedding Planning Event is happening this Sunday from 12pm-5pm.

When you visit Carolina Bridal Fair and meet wedding professionals from both Carolina’s, planning your wedding will be a breeze – taste cakes and catering options, see amazing flowers and find new ideas in our inspiration area. Attending couples get $1,000 in Carolina Bridal Bucks to spend like cash with participating exhibitors you’ll meet at the show. Plus they are eligible to enter our amazing contests and win amazing prizes.

For more info click here.

If you think other events should be on this list or future lists, let us know – Scott@CharlotteStories.com

Charlotte Ranked As One Of 2018’s Best Cities To Start A Small Business

Steve
-
0
Charlotte Ranked As One Of 2018’s Best Cities To Start A Small Business

Great news for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Charlotte looking to connect – our city was just ranked as one of America’s top cities for small business growth.

WalletHub recently released a study which ranks ‘2018’s Best Large Cities to Start a Business‘. The study analyzed 182 of the biggest cities in America and compared them across 19 key metrics; ranging from five-year business-survival rate, to office-space affordability, to overall business environment.

Overall, Charlotte ranked as the 9th best city to start a business, beating out Raleigh at number 10, Denver at 12, Atlanta at 19, and Houston at 21;

Source: WalletHub

 

The Queen City ranked extremely high on the number and variety of businesses and fairly good in several other categories (1=Best; 91=Avg.);

  • 72nd – Cost of Living
  • 22nd – Length of Average Workweek (in Hours)
  • 30th – Share of College-Educated Population
  • 8th – Industry Variety
  • 1st – Average Growth in Number of Small Businesses

If you’d like to support one of our many small businesses in Charlotte, check out our list of the Top 10 Online Small Businesses in Charlotte.

Save Big This Weekend During South Carolina’s Annual Tax-Free Sale

Steve
-
0
Save Big This Weekend During South Carolina’s Annual Tax-Free Sale

If you’re looking to pick up some back to school supplies for this upcoming season, you might want to head down to South Carolina this weekend. The Palmetto State is hosting their annual tax-free weekend on thousands of items in stores across the state.

According to officials, it’s been estimated that shoppers saved over $3 million in sales taxes last year.

This weekend’s sale in South Carolina covers everything kids might need when they go back to school, including clothing, computers, musical instruments, and even pillowcases.

According to SC REVENUE RULING 10-7;

(a) sales taking place during a period beginning 12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in
August and ending at twelve midnight the following Sunday of:
(i) clothing;
(ii) clothing accessories including, but not limited to, hats, scarves, hosiery, and
handbags;
(iii) footwear;
(iv) school supplies including, but not limited to, pens, pencils, paper, binders,
notebooks, books, bookbags, lunchboxes, and calculators;
(v) computers, printers and printer supplies, and computer software;
(vi) bath wash clothes, blankets, bedspreads, bed linens, sheet sets, comforter
sets, bath towels, shower curtains, bath rugs and mats, pillows, and pillow
cases.

(b) The exemption allowed by this item does not apply to:
(i) sales of jewelry, cosmetics, eyewear, wallets, watches;
(ii) sales of furniture;
(iii) a sale of an item placed on layaway or similar deferred payment and
delivery plan however described;
(iv) rental of clothing or footwear;
(v) a sale or lease of an item for use in a trade or business

This weekend’s tax sale runs from midnight tonight until 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

The Rock Hill Galleria Mall will also be holding a massive back-to-school block party on Saturday from 10am-2pm featuring;

  • Free bookbags and select school supplies for up to 2,000 students

  • Free dental screenings for kids by Colgate Dental Van & A Healthy Smile

  • Free heart health screenings for adults by Piedmont Medical Center and York County Free Clinic

  • Free identification cards for 200 students

  • Free kids meals from Showmars for 200 students (selected at random)

  • Free photos from On the Spot Photo Booth

  • Get Fit Kid Zone coordinated by Keystone Substance Abuse Services

  • Teen Zone coordinated by Boys & Girls Clubs of York County & Affinity Health Care

  • Door prizes & special discounts

Find out more at back2schoolblockparty.com

40,000 Charlotte Hamilton Tickets Sold Out In 4 Hours – Here’s How To Still Get One

Katherine Miele
-
0
40,000 Charlotte Hamilton Tickets Sold Out In 4 Hours – Here’s How To Still Get One

Broadway fans went into full frenzy mode yesterday morning as tickets for the popular musical “Hamilton” went on sale for the first time in Charlotte.

Blumenthal Performing Arts was planning on selling tickets starting yesterday morning at 8am in a randomized virtual waiting room system – if you signed up between 5am and 7:59am, you would be given a random place in line, allowing you to purchase your ticket when your number was called, starting at 8am.

The problem came in when roughly 8,000 bots flooded the website and temporarily shut down online ticket sales, according to a series of tweets posted by Blumenthal Performing Arts.

“We are so sorry for the continued delay in online sales for Hamilton in Charlotte,” Blumenthal tweeted shortly after 9:30 a.m., about 1.5 hours after ticket sales were supposed to start. “We have learned the technical issue is related to bot prevention software that detected more than 8,000 bots trying to influence the official on sale around 6 a.m.”

50 minutes later, they were finally able to get the issues cleared up and frustrated fans were finally able to start buying tickets;

Most people who were waiting in the virtual line for most of the morning were frustrated to say the least;

By 2pm in the afternoon, most of the 40,000 tickets were mostly sold out, save a few single seats on various dates and a handful of $434.50 VIP seats.

The company is now warning that some 3rd party websites are selling fake tickets and caution buyers to beware when buying from other websites.

At this time the only trusted site selling 3rd party Hamilton tickets is StubHub, which provides a money-back guarantee on any tickets purchased through their system.

Charlotte Hamilton tickets on Stubhub now range in price from $264 – $1,500

Blumenthal will also be putting a special 40 tickets on sale for $10 each just before each performance. You’ll have to download a special Hamilton app, then enter two days before each show date, and if your name is drawn, you can buy up to 2 tickets for $10 each.

Are you excited about Hamilton coming to Charlotte?

Marriott Planning On Building A New Pink ‘Party Hotel’ In Uptown Charlotte

Steve
-
0
Marriott Planning On Building A New Pink ‘Party Hotel’ In Uptown Charlotte

Marriott is now planning to build a trendy new ‘party hotel’ in the center of Charlotte.

Their new Moxy brand is focused on attracting younger party crowds with massive flat screen tvs, multiple 24/7 bars, DJs on staff, and tons of other ‘party-focused’ amenities.

According to the hotel’s website, “Moxy Hotels makes that easy with the heart of a boutique hotel and an appetite for adventure. There’s a drink waiting for you with your room key and someone at the bar that wants your number. Moxy is for play… Jenga, karaoke, maybe a little game of spin the bottle? Here, you can get away with it…”

Here’s their promo video for what you can expect when you stay at Moxy;

The Marriott’s new Charlotte Moxy Party Hotel will include;

  • A total of 200 rooms
  • A massive rooftop bar
  • A pool, fitness center, and garden terrace on the 6th floor
  • Up to 7,000 sqft of retail on the bottom level
  • Street-level parking
via ODA Architects

It’s slated to be built at the corner of at the corner of Brevard and 4th Street;

On an Urban Planet thread about the building several people noted that they appreciated the fact that the building won’t take up the entire block;

“I’ll take it, makes the historic buildings on the corner of Trade much harder to remove and redevelop.” – ricky_davis_fan_21

“GOOD! I hate seeing single buildings that aren’t of a significant height consume entire blocks. I hate surface lots as much as everyone else, but I’d rather see a surface lot remain with potential for future development than see a small building spread its legs around an entire block.” – Hunted

“I hate “superblock” style developments, especially when they’re unnecessary, this hotel doesn’t need to take an entire block, and it’s not going to. It opens up room for variety. Another good example of a well-diversified block would be the block containing 300 South Tryon and the Latta Arcade. You have bars and restaurants, specialty shops, boutique office space, a 5 star hotel, conference rooms, Class A (or AA?) office space, a parking garage (boo) and the chamber of commerce, which I believe also has office space upstairs.” – nakers2

The final rezoning plans for the new Moxy Hotel will be voted on this coming September – if approved, the plan is to host a grand opening in early 2022.

What do you think about the new ‘party hotel’ plans in the center of Charlotte?

1...1,0761,0771,078...1,312Page 1,077 of 1,312