Organic Fast-Food Juice and Salad Restaurant Opening 5 Locations Around Charlotte

Steve
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Organic Fast-Food Juice and Salad Restaurant Opening 5 Locations Around Charlotte

A new organic fast-food restaurant chain is about to descent on the Queen City over the next few months. Founded in 2013, Arizona-based Grabbagreen® is a fast food restaurant where great tasting, healthy food meet the speed and convenience of traditional fast food.

They’re opening their first location in the Epicenter on January 11th, and their second location in Ballantyne in February.

Owner Jeff Adams currently has an agreement with Grabbagreen to open a total of 5 Charlotte area locations, but the leases for the 3 other sites have not yet been signed.

The new restaurant concept first launched last year and quickly expanded to 59 franchised locations in Arizona, Texas, California, North Carolina, Colorado, Idaho, New Jersey and Tennessee.

According to their website, Grabbagreen’s “whole food menu is based on super food ingredients and offers a full selection of grain and green-based bowls with fresh hormone-free and antibiotic-free proteins provided by local farms, fresh-pressed juice, handcrafted smoothies and acai bowls, breakfast, and healthy kid-friendly items.”

Old Man Caught On Video Driving Wheel Chair Down Charlotte Highway During Winter Storm Helena

Steve
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Old Man Caught On Video Driving Wheel Chair Down Charlotte Highway During Winter Storm Helena

A lot of people might wonder why it’s so dangerous to drive down snowy roads in the south.

Some saw it’s because we don’t have as many plow trucks as the north. Others say it’s because southern drivers aren’t used to driving in the snow.

I say it’s because of people like this:

Robbie Hodge uploaded his dash-cam video to his YouTube channel at around 6pm this evening. In the description of his video, he noted, “I saw traffic slowing down ahead.. great another wreck. Nope! Just a guy riding a motorized wheel chair down a major road. The speed limit here is 55(most go 65!) He was doing a solid 5.5mph.

Scott Miller originally spotted him at the intersection of Farm pond and Albemarle Rd.;

and Yolanda Pender spotted him near Eastway Blvd.

With 5-8 inches of snow now predicted for the Charlotte region, I wouldn’t be surprised if things got even crazier.

If you happen to catch any interesting pictures or videos during this weekend’s storm, please Email them to me at Scott@CharlotteStories.com or tag #CLTStories on Instagram or Twitter – we might feature it in an upcoming story!

Steve Smith’s Sarcastic Retirement Letter Will Go Down in History

Steve
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Steve Smith’s Sarcastic Retirement Letter Will Go Down in History

Steve Smith Sr., the Carolina Panther’s record holder for touchdowns (67), receptions (836), and receiving yards (12,197), has just made his retirement official by sending in one of the most epic retirement letters ever.

He offers good news to all the defensive backs in the league by saying he will no longer be antagonizing them.

He tweeted out a picture of the letter this morning and it’s already received over 21,000 retweets and 41,000 likes

Smith, a five-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro, emerged as one of the NFL’s most productive wide receivers of the 21st century, leading the league in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns in 2005. In 2011, he became the 35th player in NFL history to amass 10,000 receiving yards. In 2016, Smith became the 14th player in NFL history to amass 1,000 career receptions.

He will now be returning to his hometown of Charlotte, NC where his wife and kids currently live.

Let us know how you feel about Steve Smith retiring in the comments below.

Yelp Is Partnering With The Charlotte Hornets To Host Fit Club 2017

Steve
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Yelp Is Partnering With The Charlotte Hornets To Host Fit Club 2017

yelp-fit-club-2017Now that winter’s officially here (thanks to Winter Storm Helena), it’s the perfect time to start exploring some new workout options

One of the biggest fitness events this year will be the Yelp Fit Club and Wellness Fair on January 21st. This year they’ve partnered with the Charlotte Hornets to get Charlotteans in shape and to raise money for the American Diabetes Association.

The event will include 5 workout stations:

Station #1 – Stair Climbers
Station #2 – Vertical Jump (you’ve seen them do it in the NFL combine, now here’s your chance to test your skills)
Station #3 – Dribble Obstacle Course
Station #4 – Shot caller, wanna be a baller (10 pushups then shooting at the basket)
Station #5 – Defensive Slide

and a complete workout zones for the kids, with 4 addional stations:

Kids Station #1 – Jump rope
Kids Station #2 – Run in Place
Kids Station #3 – Jump n Jacks
Kids Station #4 – Air Jordan Pop A Shot basketball challenge

as well as a massive wellness fair with dozens of local gyms, classes, and vendors on hand to give out prizes and discounts.

On court workout and wellness fair runs 12:00-1:30pm. Guest check-in will begin at 11:45am.

For more information about the Yelp Fit Club click here.

Updated Forecast Now Calls For 5-8 Inches of Snow to Fall In The Charlotte Region Tonight

Steve
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Updated Forecast Now Calls For 5-8 Inches of Snow to Fall In The Charlotte Region Tonight

Winter Storm Helena is now expected to dump much more snow than anyone expected onto the Charlotte region, according to the latest National Weather Service forecasts.

As of 12:25pm on Friday afternoon, 5 to 8 inches of snow is expected to fall between 7pm tonight and 8am tomorrow morning.

The weather service is now calling for “hazardous” conditions throughout our region and warned the storm could mean power losses and icy roads tonight and tomorrow morning.

Tonight’s snowfall is expected to partially melt during the day tomorrow and re-freeze tomorrow night, leading to icy steps, walkways, and roads. Charlotte residents are now being asked to salt or de-ice their walkways and sidewalks before tomorrow evening.

Here is what the total accumulation map will look like at 7am on Saturday morning, according to Weather.com:

charlotte-snowstorm

You can watch an animated future-cast of the storm here.

A Winter Storm Warning is currently in effect from Friday evening at 7 p.m. Friday until Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Cam Newton’s 24k Gold-Plated Oldsmobile Is Truly One Of A Kind

Charlotte Stories
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Cam Newton’s 24k Gold-Plated Oldsmobile Is Truly One Of A Kind

Cam Newton is now turning heads on the field and on the street with his 24k gold-plated 1970 Oldsmobile 442 Cutlass, complete with diamond stitched seats, 24k gold Forgiatos rims, air-ride suspension, and Newton’s signature C1N logo and a Panthers head inlaid on the front bumper and steering wheel.

Atlanta Youtuber ‘Whips by Wade’ posted this video featuring Cam’s stunning car;

According to TMZ, Cam told the guys that the car would “lean” when some of his bigger friends got in (such as a few of the Panthers linemen) … so Monster put a new air-ride system in the the car which levels it out.

“It’s a head-turner, He wants his cars to be unique, just like him.” commented Terry Dobbs, the owner of Monster Customs, just outside of Atlanta.

What do you think about Cam’s gold car?

 

NC Teacher’s Income Rising Faster Than Any Other State

Katherine Miele
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NC Teacher’s Income Rising Faster Than Any Other State

teacher pay increasesThe most recent teacher pay rankings for all 50 states now shows North Carolina at the top…at least for teacher pay increase (we are still 41st in amount paid to teachers).

The National Education Association data shows that North Carolina has moved up six spots in the rankings of average teacher salaries since the 2013-2014 school year (from 47th to 41st), the single-biggest improvement of any state in the country. North Carolina has also seen the largest average gains in teacher pay in the country over that same time period, according to the data.

During the 2015-2016 school year, North Carolina’s average teacher salary of $47,985 ranked 41st in the nation. When the data is adjusted for cost-of-living, North Carolina actually ranks 33rd in the nation for teacher pay, according to the John Locke Foundation.

From 2002 to 2013, under the leadership of Mike Easley and Beverly Perdue our state’s teacher pay rate dropped dramatically, from 19th in the nation, way down to 47th. Although Governor McCrory has angered many residents by supporting the i77  toll roads and the HB2 bill, he’s certainly doing well on the teacher pay front (although we still have a long way to go).

Here are the most recent NEA figures;

National Average Teacher Pay

2015-16 Av. Pay 2015-16 Rank 2013-14 Av. Pay 2013-14 Rank Ranking Improvement Av. Pay Increase (%)
Alabama 49,781 35 48,720 35 0 2.2%
Alaska 67,443 7 65,891 7 0 2.4%
Arizona 45,477 47 45,335 45 -2 0.3%
Arkansas 48,220 40 47,319 41 1 1.9%
California 72,842 4 71,396 4 0 2.0%
Colorado 50,039 34 49,615 31 -3 0.9%
Connecticut 72,013 5 70,583 5 0 2.0%
Delaware 59,085 14 59,305 13 -1 -0.4%
District of Columbia 75,810 3 73,162 3 0 3.6%
Florida 49,199 36 47,780 39 3 3.0%
Georgia 54,190 24 52,924 24 0 2.4%
Hawaii 57,431 18 56,291 17 -1 2.0%
Idaho 45,409 48 44,465 49 1 2.1%
Illinois 61,342 12 60,124 12 0 2.0%
Indiana 50,715 31 50,289 27 -4 0.8%
Iowa 54,416 23 52,032 25 2 4.6%
Kansas 49,197 37 48,221 38 1 2.0%
Kentucky 51,666 27 50,560 26 -1 2.2%
Louisiana 46,733 44 49,067 34 -10 -4.8%
Maine 50,229 33 49,232 33 0 2.0%
Maryland 66,482 8 64,546 9 1 3.0%
Massachusetts 76,981 2 73,195 2 0 5.2%
Michigan 63,878 11 62,166 11 0 2.8%
Minnesota 56,910 20 54,752 21 1 3.9%
Mississippi 42,744 50 42,187 50 0 1.3%
Missouri 47,849 42 46,750 42 0 2.4%
Montana 51,215 29 49,893 28 -1 2.6%
Nebraska 51,364 28 49,539 32 4 3.7%
Nevada 56,943 19 55,813 20 1 2.0%
New Hampshire 58,802 16 57,057 15 -1 3.1%
New Jersey 69,330 6 68,238 6 0 1.6%
New Mexico 47,163 43 45,727 43 0 3.1%
New York 77,957 1 76,409 1 0 2.0%
North Carolina 47,985 41 44,990 47 6 6.7%
North Dakota 50,237 32 48,666 36 4 3.2%
Ohio 56,410 21 55,913 19 -2 0.9%
Oklahoma 44,921 49 44,549 48 -1 0.8%
Oregon 60,064 13 58,638 14 1 2.4%
Pennsylvania 64,991 10 63,701 10 0 2.0%
Rhode Island 66,197 9 64,696 8 -1 2.3%
South Carolina 48,542 39 48,430 37 -2 0.2%
South Dakota 42,025 51 40,023 51 0 5.0%
Tennessee 48,708 38 47,742 40 2 2.0%
Texas 51,758 26 49,690 30 4 4.2%
Utah 46,042 45 45,695 44 -1 0.8%
Vermont 58,901 15 55,958 18 3 5.3%
Virginia 50,834 30 49,826 29 -1 2.0%
Washington 52,539 25 52,969 23 -2 -0.8%
West Virginia 45,977 46 45,086 46 0 2.0%
Wisconsin 54,766 22 53,679 22 0 2.0%
Wyoming 57,761 17 56,583 16 -1 2.1%

 

NCDOT Just Announced New Toll Lanes on 485

Steve
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NCDOT Just Announced New Toll Lanes on 485

The NCDOT has just announced a complete plan to build new toll lanes in both directions on I-485 between 77 and Independence. The new plan hopes to shorten drive times in South Charlotte and ease congestion on 485.

The plan calls for tolls to be added to the inner lanes of 485, which are currently built, but not being used.

17-mile-long-toll-lane-on-485

The plan would differ from the toll lanes now being built on I-77 in that they would be built by the state, instead of by a private company (Cintra), so they would not need to make a profit – theoretically this should make the toll lanes less expensive to travel on.

According to the NCDOT’s announcement:

“The proposed project will add one express lane in each direction on I-485 between I-77 and U.S. 74 (Independence Boulevard). The proposed improvements will provide travel time reliability and improve traffic flows on this critical transportation corridor. This project will serve as part of a larger network of express lanes to offer drivers a new traffic choice – pay a fee and ride in the express lanes to avoid traffic delays or continue driving in the general purpose lanes for free.”

The NCDOT will be holding two public hearings to better explain the location and design of their new plan, and to talk about the state-federal relationship, right of way requirements, and procedures surrounding the construction and maintenance of the new tolls.

The public hearings will be held at the following dates and times:

Tuesday, January 17
4 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.
Formal Presentation – 7:00 P.M.
Pleasant Plains Baptist Church
3316 Pleasant Plains Rd., Matthews, NC

Thursday, January 19
4 P.M. to 6:30 P.M.
Formal Presentation – 7:00 P.M.
South Charlotte Banquet Center
9009 Bryant Farms Rd., Charlotte, NC

You can see detailed renderings of the entire toll lane proposal here.

For additional information, you can contact Project Manager, Angela Sanderson, NCDOT Project Planning Engineer, at amsanderson@ncdot.gov or call (919) 707-6042.

What do you think about toll lanes being built on 485?

Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 

Monster Jam Will Be In Charlotte This Weekend

Steve
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Monster Jam Will Be In Charlotte This Weekend

monster-jam-coming-to-charlotteThe biggest Monster Truck show in the country, Monster Jam, is coming to Charlotte this coming weekend.

They’ll be taking over the Spectrum Center in Uptown (formerly the Time Warner Cable Arena) Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7pm and Saturday afternoon starting at 1pm.

Here’s a little preview of what you might expect to see:

Each Monster Jam truck is approximately 10.5 feet tall, 12 feet wide, 17 feet long and weighs 10,000 pounds. A Monster Jam engine generates 1,500 horsepower, powered by methanol fuel, consumed at the rates of three gallons a minute. The truck utilizes a four-link racing suspension with four main bars that link the front and rear axles to the frame. It rides on clusters of nitrogen charged shocks that offer 30 inches of travel in the suspension.

This weekend we’ll see some of the most legendary trucks and drivers performing, including; Saigon Shaker driven by Ryan Disharoon, Grave Digger driven by Pablo Huffaker, Monster Mutt driven by Kevin Crocker, Bad News Travels Fast driven by Brandon Derrow, Aftershock driven by Bob Robbins, and Krazy Train driven by Lloyd Twitchell.

Charlotte’s Monster Jam will also feature pre-show Pit Parties, which will give fans the opportunity to meet the drivers and get autographs or pictures.

For more information or for tickets click here.

Major Winter Storm Coming To Charlotte On Saturday

Steve
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Major Winter Storm Coming To Charlotte On Saturday

A major winter storm is now expected to hit the Charlotte region this coming weekend.

Depending on what part of the Charlotte region you live in, meteorologists are now predicting between 1″-4″ of snowfall by Saturday night, the hardest hit regions will be closer toward the mountains in Denver and Hickory:

We will also see falling temperatures into the teens by Sunday morning, meaning that if any of Saturday’s snow melts, it could lead to potential black ice problems.

To better explain the impending blizzard (southern definition of blizzard), we found an epic video of a man named Frankie MacDonald predicting the forecast (Frankie also correctly predicted the recent earthquake in Asheville).

Enjoy:

Get your milk and bread ready #snOMG17 is almost here!

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