Cleveland County NC Creatively Targets Millennials in Massive New Campaign

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Last year we highlighted a massive new talent attraction campaign that Charlotte’s neighbor, Cleveland County, was about to launch. While the smaller community seeks to attract people from all over the US, economic development leaders are hopeful that, because of their close proximity to Charlotte, they may be able to take advantage of our growing millennial population as we continue to expand upwards and outwards.

“The development of this campaign was something that we became convinced that we needed in order to position our community in a way that would strategically connect millennial talent to the manufacturing careers in our community,” noted Kristin Reese, Executive Director of CCEDP. “Charlotte is projected to have the highest rate of millennial growth in the nation, and so by leveraging and strategically marketing our close proximity to that growing city, we feel it will help to fuel Cleveland County’s talent pipeline.”

“Cleveland County is attractive in that it has a great and affordable quality of life, and while it has the relaxed vibe of a smaller community – residents enjoy the benefit of having all of amenities of the big city located just 35 to 40 minutes down the highway. We are trying to spread the word that our community has over 170 diverse manufacturing companies in our community – and nearly all of whom are hiring” says Reese.

Since 2008, 75 companies have moved to the county or expanded their local facilities. That represents 4,000 new jobs and $6 billion in investment. Because of those economic development successes, the community was named by Site Selection Magazine as 2016’s #4 Top Micropolitan in the US.

The campaign just released its flagship video that they believe captures the true essence of what it’s now like to live in Cleveland County;

While some outsiders may question if the modern and upbeat video really describes the true feel of Cleveland County, most of the comments by residents confirm it;

According to their press release, Cleveland County summaries the video by saying;

“In Cleveland County, we’re makers, doers, and adventurers—day and night, night and day. We go to work to make a difference. We make the machines, materials, and components that keep this world moving. After work, we hit the rapids and the trails. We head out to Newgrass Brewery for local craft beers and craft music. Saturday, we’re hiking the Blue Ridge; Sunday, we’re watching Cam and Luke dominate from our seats on the 50-yard line. We’re not dreading Monday, we’re excited for Monday’s adventure.

In Cleveland County, we’re not weekend warriors. We’re Weeklong Warriors.”

What are your thoughts on the new marketing campaign?

Have you ever thought about moving to Cleveland County?

Mecklenburg County’s Sheriff Cancels His ‘Gun Raffle’ After Florida Shooting

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After one of the most tragic school shootings in American history, Mecklenburg County’s Sheriff has decided to cancel what many considered to be a controversial fundraising campaign.

Sheriff Carmichael had planned to host a ‘gun raffle’ on February 18th, during which he would sell tickets for $50 each to raffle off 4 assault weapons, 8 pistols, and 3 hunting rifles.

This past Friday, he released a statement, saying that he would be canceling the fundraising event in light of the tragedy in Florida;

The statement from Sheriff Carmichael reads;

“My heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and families of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. In the wake of this tragedy, I am cancelling Saturday’s gun raffle event and all raffle tickets purchased will be refunded. As the elected Sheriff, I fully understand the difference between responsible gun ownership and senseless gun violence and holding a gun raffle would not serve to advance the values close to my heart or the principles of my Office.”

Reporter Kirstin Garriss recently interview Sheriff Carmichael – when asked about his gun raffle, he said, “a lot of folks that support me, support the second amendment…”

What are your thoughts on the gun raffle? 

From LA to Charlotte – The 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend Is Now Exactly 1 Year Away

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This past weekend, the 2018 All-Star Game weekend concluded in Los Angeles – now, the biggest names in basketball are turning their gaze to the Queen City in preparation for next year’s festivities.

Next year’s globally syndicated NBA All-Star weekend will be a huge boost for the Charlotte, both in terms of visitor spending and publicity. The true greatness of our city will be on full display for all to see.

spectrum center uptown charlotte ncThe All-Star games were originally planned to be hosted in Charlotte this year, but due to the passage of North Carolina’s controversial HB2 bill, it was relocated to Los Angeles for 2018.

Since Governor Cooper’s repeal of HB2 back in March, the NBA Commissioner decided to reconsider Charlotte as a host city, but not without his reservations. The HB2 repeal included the passing of House Bill 142, which banned local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances for three years.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement in conjunction with the All-Star announcement, in which he acknowledged the concerns of the LGBT community, saying that the new bill “allows us to work with the leadership of the Hornets organization to apply a set of equality principles to ensure that every All-Star event will proceed with open access and anti-discrimination policies.”

Before the All-Star game comes to town, the commissioner will require every business that wants to participate in the 3 day event (including all hotels) to sign a four-pillar set of nondiscrimination principles, including prohibiting any discrimination against customers and employees based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, and requiring all participating businesses to provide at least 1 unisex restroom.

The last time our city hosted the All-Star games was back in 1991, when Michael Jordan was the game’s high-scorer, now he will be the game’s host.

The 3-day All-Star festivities will include the highly anticipated NBA All-Star Game, various skills competitions (a dunk contest and a 3-point shooting contest specifically), and several other games between NBA pros and rising stars from the Development League. There will also be a massive fan fest, to include music, celebrity appearances, games, and incredible food.

All-Star Weekends have consistently attracted tens of thousands of fans from around the world to each host city, and will undoubtedly prove to be an incredible boost to the local Charlotte economy.

Hornets Chairman Michael Jordan released the following statement about the decision:

“We are thrilled the league has awarded NBA All-Star 2019 to the city of Charlotte.  We want to thank Commissioner Silver for his leadership throughout this process and for the decision to bring NBA All-Star back to Buzz City. All-Star Weekend is an international event that will provide a tremendous economic impact to our community while showcasing our city, our franchise and our passionate Hornets fan base to people around the world. We look forward to serving as hosts for NBA All-Star 2019 and welcoming all visitors and guests to Spectrum Center.”

The All-Star festivities will be held in Uptown Charlotte from Feb. 15-17, 2019.

Earthquake Struck Charlotte Region Yesterday Morning

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The U.S. Geological Survey has just announced that a 2.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Monarch Mill, SC area yesterday, just south-west of Charlotte.

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division reported the quake yesterday morning via Twitter;

The epicenter of the quake was located about 45 miles south-west of Charlotte;

The U.S. Geological Survey also noted the the epicenter of the quake was at a depth of 2.5 kilometers.

Earthquakes have been increasing in frequency around the Charlotte region over the past few years, about a year ago, we saw a 2.9 magnitude quake hit Asheville and a 2.1 magnitude quake that struck Bryson City, NC.

The Carolinas have been known to experience the occasional damage-causing earthquakes.

According to USGS.gov, “The largest earthquake in the area (magnitude 5.1) occurred in 1916. Moderately damaging earthquakes strike the inland Carolinas every few decades, and smaller earthquakes are felt about once each year or two.”

Did you feel yesterday’s quake? 

Charlotte Leaders Hopeful We’ll Host The Republican National Convention in 2020

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The city of Charlotte has just announced that it will be submitting a bid to host the 2020 Republican National Convention here in Charlotte.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our city, our region and our state to the world. People visiting our community will be impressed with the collaboration among our network of private sector, nonprofit and government partners to create an extraordinary experience,” said Mayor Vi Lyles in a statement.

Charlotte may have a high likelihood of winning the bid, considering our current political atmosphere and recent growth.

President Trump won North Carolina by only 3.7% back in 2016 and many think the margins will be even closer for the 2020 election. Both major political parties usually hold their conventions in swing states like North Carolina in order to sure up their base and attempt to drum up new excitement. Two years ago the Republicans held their convention in Cleveland, OH, and 4 years before that they held it in Tamps, FL – both major swing states.

Charlotte has also recently seen massive growth in hotels around Center City, meaning more Republican delegates wouldn’t have to travel as far as they did in Cleveland to attend the convention sessions.

The convention would be a huge economic boost for our city, considering that the Democratic National Convention that we hosted in 2012 had an estimated economic impact of over $163 million.

Bids for the RNC are will be due at the end of this month.

What are your thoughts on Charlotte hosting the RNC?

Russian Accounts Targeted Charlotte According To Mueller’s Latest Indictments

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Yesterday, the special counsel probing interference in the last presidential election, led by Robert Mueller, charged 13 individual Russian nationals and three separate Russian groups with violating criminal laws with the intent of meddling “with U.S. elections and political processes.”

According to the Charlotte Observer, the Queen City became a key target of several of Russian operations in their attempts to disrupt the 2016 presidential election.

The Observer notes that Mueller’s 37-page indictment includes the following charges that specifically relate to Charlotte;

▪ @Ten_GOP, a Twitter account started by the Russian conspirators, which at one time attracted more than 100,000 followers, started posting phony allegations in August 2016 that voter-fraud investigations had been launched in North Carolina.

▪ After Donald Trump carried the state and was the surprise winner of the November 2016 election, Russian conspirators posing as grass-roots activists helped arrange a Nov. 19 rally in Charlotte called “Charlotte Against Trump,” which was designed to instigate discontent.

▪ The conspirators also infiltrated community groups such as Black Lives Matter. A key player in the effort was a St. Petersburg, Russia-based troll farm called Internet Research Agency, a defendant in Mueller’s indictment.

While these specific incidences were specifically addressed in the recent indictments, it’s unclear what other social media accounts and events were organized by, fueled, or shared by Russians. It’s also unclear at this time how significantly these actions affected how North Carolinians voted.

Charlotte’s Animal Control Is Holding Their Own Super Cute “Winter Games”

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While the Winter Olympics are happening in South Korea, Charlotte’s far cuter winter games have just begun – the AC&C Cold Weather Games.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control is hosting the games as a super cute way to bring exposure to many of their little friends who are looking for new homes.

The organization has already held the exhilarating Kitten Bobsled event;

Puppy hockey;

and Kitten hockey;

Over the next few days, AC&C will be officiating the doggy Downhill and kitty snowboarding.

Stay tuned to their YouTube Channel or Facebook page for real-time updates.

If you’d like to adopt one of the incredible athletes, check out their adoption page here for more info.

Global Dessert Company Announces $14.4 Million Expansion in Concord

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One of the world’s biggest manufacturers of specialty dessert ingredients just announced a major expansion to their US headquarters and production facilities in Concord, NC, according to a press release.

PreGel America is about to spend $14.4 million to add over 110,000 square feet to their Concord plant over the next 4 years – almost doubling the size of their current 162,000 square foot facility.

“PreGel is excited about the opportunity to further expand our facility in the City of Concord,” Marco Casol, president and CEO of PreGel commented. “We have found great success among the diverse network of businesses in the area, and we’re proud to be a part of this infrastructure and grow with the progressive development that Concord is experiencing.”

PreGel America initially opened in Concord back in 2006 as the US division of Italy-based PreGel Corp.

They now manufacture and sell bulk ingredients for gelato, sorbetto, ice cream, soft serve, pastries, confections and specialty beverages to restaurants, coffee shops, and dessert retailers across the country.

Their Concord campus currently employs 93 employees at 4450 Fortune Ave. NW, just west of downtown Concord;

The massive expansion will include $9 million in additional building construction and $5 million for new manufacturing equipment.

The city agreed to a tax incentive package of $171,000 for the new expansion.

“The Concord City Council is aggressive in helping existing industries grow as the economy in Concord and across the region grows, as well,” noted Concord Mayor Scott Padgett. “PreGel America is a locally based international company that decided to expand here over other domestic and international locations. Fortunately, the City of Council worked closely with our colleagues on the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners to ensure that PreGel’s new manufacturing investments will be added right here in Concord.”

PreGel normally sells to retail operations, but anyone is free to buy large quantities of dessert base or topping mix online.

They’re now running an end of the year sale on their website. You can get 24.6 pounds of Frappé mix for $74.85 (normally $124), 13.2 pounds of Yogurt Mousse Base for $51.50 (normally $86), or 13.2 pounds of honey topping for $30.75 (normally $78).

The perfect stocking stuffers for anyone who likes large quantities of frozen treats!

CMS Increasing Security in Wake of Florida’s Mass Shooting

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In the wake of yesterday’s tragedy in Parkland, Fl, a mass shooting that killed 17 people, the superintendent of the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system has made the decision to increase security on all campuses.

City and county police officers have now been asked to increase their patrols on and around CMS campuses, and a full review of all CMS safety procedures has been issued.

In a press release sent out today, Dr. Clayton Wilcox remarked, “I want students, parents and the community to know that each young person we are blessed to care for within CMS is our priority. Today and everyday their safety and security are our number one goal. To that end, I have asked our team to review all safety procedures and I have asked our police and other local law enforcement agencies to increase their visibility and presence on and around our campuses.”

Wilcox also noted that additional security measures will be considered, including fortified classroom doors, metal detectors, armed security guards, and teacher defense training.

Another strategy that has already been implemented in 18 area schools is the installation of CMPD invention called the Barricade Box. Sergeant Chris Kopp invented the unique device to stop potential school shooters from entering classrooms.

The simple, yet powerful device prevents any door from being breached by up to 10,000 pounds of force.

What else do you think should be done to prevent future shootings?

North Carolina Officials Report 17 More Flu-Related Deaths Last Week

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Today the North Carolina Health and Human Services Department confirmed that 17 more people have died from this season’s flu virus. The new numbers cover the week of February 4 – February 10.

This is now one of the worst years for the flu outbreak in recent history, with a total of 165 deaths in North Carolina from flu-related symptoms since Oct. 1st, 2017.

The NCHHSD warns people who think they might have the flu should contact their doctor immediately to see if they need treatment with an antiviral drug such as Tamiflu or a more natural remedy such as Oscillococcinum. “Early treatment with an antiviral drug can help prevent flu infections from becoming more serious. Treatment with a prescription antiviral drug is especially important for hospitalized patients, people with severe flu illness and people who are at high risk of serious flu complications based on their age or health.”

Other precautions people can take to protect against the spread of flu and other viruses include:

  • Staying home when sick until fever-free for at least 24 hours
  • Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then discarding the tissue promptly
  • Washing hands frequently, preferably with soap and water