Support Western NC: Buy Your Christmas Tree from Farms Affected by Hurricane Helene

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Support Western NC: Buy Your Christmas Tree from Farms Affected by Hurricane Helene

This year’s White House Christmas tree will be coming from Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Avery County, North Carolina, a farm that managed to survive Hurricane Helene’s impact. The impressive 20-foot-tall, 12-foot-wide tree will be harvested on November 20 and transported to the White House, where it will be displayed in the Blue Room as part of the holiday decorations.

The Christmas tree industry is an economic staple for Western North Carolina, with around five to seven million trees harvested annually. Many local farms are looking for support to recover from the recent hurricane’s devastation.

To support local farmers and bring a piece of Western North Carolina to your home, please consider purchasing a tree from one of the following farms (you can find out more info and options at the NC Christmas Tree Association’s site here):

  • Appalachian Christmas Mountain Farms
    Phone: 336-982-7081
  • Smoky Mountain Christmas Tree Farm
    Phone: 828-400-2933
    756 Hemphill Road, Waynesville, NC 28785
  • Snow Creek Christmas Trees
    Phone: 828-385-2388
    447 Wilson Rd, Bakersville, NC 28705
  • Snowy Mountain Christmas Tree Farm
    Phone: 828-733-9589
    4699 Linville Falls Hwy 221 S, Newland, NC 28657
  • Spillman’s Christmas Tree Farm
    Phone: 336-495-1090
    1576 Will Coltrane Rd, Sophia, NC 27350
  • Sugar Plum Farm
    Phone: 828-766-6272
    1263 Isaacs Branch Rd, Newland, NC 28657
  • Two D’s Nursery
    Phone: 828-733-6686
    7849 Linville Falls Hwy, Newland, NC 28657
  • Wintergreen Farm
    Phone: 423-727-3033
    223 Waddell Rd, Mountain City, TN 37683
  • Wishon Evergreens
    Phone: 336-372-7086
    535 Napco Road, Sparta, NC 28675
  • Yeater’s Christmas Trees
    Phone: 828-674-3884
    489 River Walk Dr, Burnsville, NC 28714

For those wanting to add a local and meaningful touch to their holiday celebrations, purchasing a Christmas tree from one of these farms is a wonderful way to support Western North Carolina’s farmers and the communities that make the region special.

Charlotte Rents Fell 1% Last Month – November 2024 Rent Report

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Charlotte Rents Fell 1% Last Month – November 2024 Rent Report

Nationwide, rents slid 0.7% in October, the third consecutive month of decline, according to a new report from ApartmentList.com. They expect this trend to continue for the rest of the year.

There remains a high volume of new multifamily construction still in the pipeline, and moving rates will slow down during the winter holiday months, so rents should continue dropping through November and December.

The Local Outlook:

As always, different rental markets experience different trends, even when national rent growth is negative. Zooming in on your market specifically:

  • Rents in Charlotte fell 1% in October, compared to a 0.7% decrease nationwide.
  • Year-over-year rent growth in Charlotte now stands at -3.5%, ranking #10 slowest in the nation.
  • Today the median rent in Charlotte is $1,294 for a one-bedroom unit and $1,411 for a two-bedroom unit. And the citywide apartment vacancy rate stands at 8.3%, up 0.9 percentage points from this time last year.

Charlotte’s Julius Chambers High School A Finalist In National $50,000 Grant – Public Voting Period Now Open

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Charlotte’s Julius Chambers High School A Finalist In National $50,000 Grant – Public Voting Period Now Open

Charlotte’s own Julius Chambers High School has just been named a finalist in the prestigious “SoFi Game Changers Challenge“, a national competition supporting high school athletic programs.

The SoFi Game Changers Challenge offers a total of $100,000, with $50,000 going to the winner and $10,000 to each of the runner-up schools, boosting athletic programs and helping bridge financial literacy gaps. The initiative is part of SoFi’s Generational Wealth Fund, designed to reduce wealth disparities and increase access to financial education, including partnering with prominent figures like NBA Champion Jayson Tatum to benefit communities nationwide.

The 10 finalists for the challenge include:

  • Yerba Buena High School – Girls Soccer Team (San Jose, CA)

  • Vancleave High School – Dance Team (Vancleave, MS)

  • Julius Chambers High School – Football Team (Charlotte, NC)

  • Harlem School District – Football & Track (Harlem, MT)

  • West Jordan High School – Swim Team (West Jordan, UT)

  • Higbee High School – Track & Field Team (Higbee, MO)

  • Oakland High School – Boys Basketball Team (Oakland, CA)

  • Sheridan High School – Football Team (Sheridan, OR)

  •  La Canada High School – Football Team (La Canada, CA)

  • James Lick High School – Athletics Program (San Jose, CA)

Votes can now be cast by visiting www.sofigamechangers.com

America’s #1 BBQ Spot Reopens in Shelby After Fire Caused Shutdown

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America’s #1 BBQ Spot Reopens in Shelby After Fire Caused Shutdown

Shelby’s iconic Red Bridges Barbecue is reopening to the public on Wednesday after being closed due to a massive fire. Firefighters responded to the blaze on October 24 and quickly managed to control the situation.

Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge has been a staple in Shelby since Red and Lyttle Bridges opened their first BBQ joint, Dedmond’s Barbecue, back in 1946.

Today, the family-owned restaurant is run by Red and Lyttle’s daughter, Debbie, along with her two children, Natalie Ramsey and Chase Webb.

The restaurant has gained nationwide acclaim, and was even recently ranked as the best BBQ restaurant in America.

Starting this week, the restaurant will welcome back its loyal patrons with operating hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Early Voting Surge: 40% of North Carolina’s Registered Voters Have Already Cast Ballots

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Early Voting Surge: 40% of North Carolina’s Registered Voters Have Already Cast Ballots

North Carolina’s 2024 general election is showing strong voter turnout, with nearly 3.2 million ballots cast as of noon Tuesday.

According to a press release from the state, North Carolina’s 2024 general election turnout so far breaks down as follows:

  • In-person early voting: 3,013,104
  • Absentee (civilian): 148,223
  • Absentee (overseas): 15,364
  • Absentee (military): 4,801

This brings the total number of ballots cast to nearly 3.2 million, reflecting a turnout of 40.7% of the nearly 7.8 million registered voters.

In-person early voting is up by 11.9% compared to the same period in 2020, with more than 2.9 million voters casting ballots during the first 12 days. Factoring in the increase in registered voters since 2020, in-person early voting shows a growth of 2.1%. This trend highlights increased voter engagement as North Carolina heads toward the conclusion of the early voting period.

Titanium Giant Chooses North Carolina for New $1 Billion Facility

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Titanium Giant Chooses North Carolina for New $1 Billion Facility

A global titanium giant has just selected North Carolina to build its new nearly $1 billion manufacturing facility.

American Titanium Metal‘s new $867.8 million titanium mill is expected to invest nearly $1 billion into the tax base and create over 300 jobs. Their 100-acre site in Fayetteville, currently unoccupied, is projected to be operational by 2027.

The mill will offer jobs with an average salary of $123,476, significantly higher than Cumberland County’s current average wage of $45,951. In May, county commissioners approved $1.5 billion in bond funding to support American Titanium Metals’ investment, shielding the county and taxpayers from potential debt repayment if the company defaults.

“From the moment the Wright brothers pioneered powered flight at Kitty Hawk, the aerospace industry has been a cornerstone of modern life, driving technological advancements and fostering connectivity,” said Governor Cooper in a press release. “North Carolina offers aerospace manufacturers like this one in Cumberland County a talented workforce, worker training systems, and world-class transportation networks that will help them grow and succeed in our state.”

Commissioner Adams expressed hopes that this deal, along with the recent Amazon warehouse opening, will attract more high-level manufacturing, healthcare, and clean energy jobs to the area. Project Aero, the initiative behind this titanium mill, is supported by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) from the state’s Economic Investment Committee. The grant, worth up to $8,026,000 over 12 years, depends on the company meeting job creation and investment targets.

The project is expected to boost the state’s economy by $1 billion over the grant’s term, with a projected return on investment of 102%, meaning every dollar spent by the state will generate $2.02 in state revenue. This JDIG project will result in positive net tax revenue for the state treasury, even after accounting for reimbursement payments to the company.

CLT Airport Overlook Just Announced Plans To Bring In Food Trucks

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CLT Airport Overlook Just Announced Plans To Bring In Food Trucks
via CLT Airport

The Charlotte Douglas International Airport Overlook just announced plans to start bringing in food trucks to their newly renovated overlook area.

The new overlook, which reopened in June 2024, now features a 600,000-square-foot area that includes amenities such as an aviation-themed playground, a retired military fighter jet, covered picnic areas, and dedicated spaces for food trucks. Located at 5130 Airport Overlook Drive, it offers spectacular views of the runway, ideal for families and aviation enthusiasts. The overlook is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Food trucks will now start to be a regular attraction at the overlook, providing visitors with varied food options. This week, Wheels Pizza will be available on November 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., while Donut NV will serve on November 3 during the same hours.

Here is a full list of food trucks that will be coming in the future (you can check the updated list or apply to bring your food truck on the CLT overlook’s webpage here).

As one of Charlotte’s hidden gems, this area is perfect for spending a leisurely afternoon watching airplanes in action. The overlook’s prime viewing areas give guests clear views of Runway 18C/36C and the forthcoming Fourth Parallel Runway, making it a popular spot for plane spotters and families alike.

Board Approves Plan For New $130 Million Lake Norman High School

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Board Approves Plan For New $130 Million Lake Norman High School

The Iredell-Statesville School board just approved a $130 million phase 1 plan to build the majority of Weathers Creek High School in Troutman. Phase 1 includes the construction of the school, athletic field rough grading, and essential furniture and equipment. A second phase will complete athletic fields and related buildings when additional funding becomes available. The school is expected to accommodate a total of 1,600 students.

At their meeting, the school board voted unanimously (7-0) to move forward with the first construction phase, aligning with the Iredell County Board of Commissioners’ August approval. Earlier, in June, the commissioners had denied a request for $143 million, requesting a detailed itemized cost breakdown.

The new $130 million project scope includes the following:

♦ School construction: $114,000,000

♦ Design Fees: $7,000,000

♦ Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment: $5,030,000

♦ Contingency (3%): $3,420,000

♦ Special Inspections: $550,000

Forbes Ranks Charlotte As Having The Second Worst Commute In America

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Forbes Ranks Charlotte As Having The Second Worst Commute In America

Forbes just released their latest commuting report and Charlotte was ranked has having the #2 worst commute in America.

An estimated 74% of Americans commute to work with an average one way commute of 27.6 minutes. As many Americans are being urged back into the workplace, Forbes ranked the top 25 largest cities based on their average time spent commuting, access to public transit, walkability, bikeability and the percentage of workers in each household without a car.

Top highlights from Forbes new report include:

  • Nearly ⅓ of roads in North Carolina are considered in bad or mediocre condition—Charlotte has 577,265 workers who spend an average of 28.3 minutes commuting one way to work

  • Nashville, the city that ranked as the hardest commute on our list, experiences heavy traffic due to massive growth in recent years and residents report spending over 40 hours in traffic a year on top of their daily commutes.

  • American workers spend an average of 55.2 minutes commuting to and from work each day

  • D.C. takes fifth place and is well-known for its heavy traffic largely due to many workers commuting in and out of the city from suburbs in Maryland and Virginia. The area has the longest commute time of the top five at 37.2 minutes.

  • About 55% of the workforce in America prefer to work from home or have some flexibility to work at home part of the time while only 30.7% feel they cannot do their job from home.

Carolina Hurricanes Donating $75,000 To Rebuild Asheville Hockey Rink

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Carolina Hurricanes Donating $75,000 To Rebuild Asheville Hockey Rink

Doug Warf, President of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation has donated $50,000 to the Asheville Hockey League to help rebuild the organization’s outdoor hockey rink, which was destroyed by Hurricane Helene. The Foundation has also committed to donate an additional $25,000 once Asheville Hockey League’s GoFundMe hits $25,000 in public donations, to get the group to their goal of $100,000.

The Hurricanes Foundation’s donation to the Asheville Hockey League marks its first relief support funds issued as part of the ‘Raise Up $1 Million’ raffle program. The Hurricanes hope to donate at least $1 million to Hurricane Helene relief projects in Western North Carolina, and have already raised nearly $350,000 for the relief efforts through their community preseason game on October 2, their Western North Carolina Relief online auction and the Raise Up $1 Million Raffle.

“Word about the Asheville rink reached us quickly through tight-knit North Carolina youth hockey circles,” said Warf. “We are proud to help the 1,800 members of the Asheville Hockey League build a new, even better home rink and get back to playing the game we all love.”

The Asheville Hockey League’s rink was located in Asheville’s Carrier Park. The league boasts 1,800 full-time youth and adult members who were able to play three seasons a year on the rink over a 10-month span. The league’s youth and adult programs are currently playing an abbreviated season in Greenville, SC, a 90-minute drive from Asheville.

The Hurricanes’ Raise Up $1 Million Raffle is taking place during the team’s 18 home game nights between Oct. 11 and Dec. 28. Each night, one winner will be selected who will have the opportunity to meet players after the game, and will receive a limited edition puck that indicates them as one of 18 finalists eligible to win the grand prize of up to $125,000. The total amount of the grand prize will be 50 percent of the value of all raffle tickets sold, capped at $125,000. Fans not in attendance at the game can still enter the contest online for a chance at that night’s limited edition puck and a shot at the grand prize. Fans do not have to be present at the game to win.

About the Asheville Hockey League: The Asheville Hockey League provides community space for inline hockey in Western North Carolina; empowering youth and adults of all backgrounds through competition, mentorship, skills development, camaraderie, and the love of the sport.

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