Whitewater Center Opening 70 Acre Dog Park With A Private Beach – The Largest in The Carolinas

0
Rendering via Whitewater Center

This fall, the U.S. National Whitewater Center is expanding its canine-friendly offerings with a massive 70-acre off-leash dog paradise.

Dogs have always been welcome to walk through the WWC’s 1,300 acres along side their owners, but starting this November, they’ll be able to run, jump, and catch some rays on the beach all by themselves.

Highlights of the new 70-acre dog park include:

  • A scenic three-mile Lake Loop trail for those adventurous paws.
  • A breezy open-air beer garden for the humans.
  • A stunning lakefront beach for some sun and splash!
  • A fresh retail outlet and ample space for groups and memorable events.
Rendering via Whitewater Center

Entry details:

  • Off-leash dog park access is just $10 for a single-activity pass.
  • Annual pass holders can bring along their furry companion, and any extra pups come in at $50 each.
  • A day pass also welcomes one dog for a day of unleashed excitement.

Mark your calendars for Nov 17th to visit the U.S. National Whitewater Center at 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy., and let your furry friends enjoy nature like never before.

Charlotte-Based Honeywell’s Mega $670 Million Buyout Could Revolutionize The Oil and Gas Industry

0

Charlotte-based Honeywell announced plans to buy out Compressor Controls Corp. (CCC) for $670 million in cash that could revolutionize carbon capture in the oil and gas industry globally.

Based in Des Moines, Iowa, CCC specializes in providing turbomachinery control and optimization, particularly in the oil and gas industry, serving sectors such as liquefied natural gas, gas processing, refining, and petrochemicals. The company was founded in 1974 and currently employs around 280 people.

Honeywell’s acquisition of CCC is expected to completely transform its Process Solutions business, which focuses on industrial control, automation, and process solutions. This move will enable Honeywell to offer transformational tech to their oil and gas industry clients around the world.

“Compressor Control Corporation is an ideal complement to our process solutions portfolio, as it brings an installed base of greater than 14,000 control applications to our portfolio and will enable us to accelerate growth in combination with Forge’s industry leading APM capability,” said Honeywell CEO Lucian Boldea in a press release. “By enhancing our digitalization portfolio, we are helping customers accelerate their energy transitions through new controls and automation that, for example, can help with carbon capture and sequestration.”

Honeywell is a Fortune 100 company that moved their entire headquarters to Charlotte back in 2018, along with their 700 employees with average salaries of $348,000.

Charlotte’s ‘Sainted Trap Choir’ Blew Judges Away Last Night On America’s Got Talent Live Qualifier

0

The 18th season of AGT is showcasing a truly diverse range of talents from all over the US, one of which is a 26-member choir, Sainted Trap Choir, from right here in Charlotte.

The group blew away judges and audiences around the world for the second time on AGT’s live qualifier round.

Last night’s performance featured an epic merging of Chris Brown’s ‘Look at Me Now’, Nelly’s ‘Hot In Herre’, and Mark Morrison’s ‘Return of the Mack’:

The group’s original AGT audition featured Migos’ 2016 “Bad and Boujee,” followed by Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” and finishing with the 1993 dance anthem “You’ve Got to Show Me Love” by Robin S. and Sandeville:

Established in 2020, Sainted Trap Choir self-describes as a “trap choir,” blending gospel, worship, and trap sounds.

Originating from the southern U.S. in the 90s, trap music is a distinct rap subgenre. While its lyrical delivery is more spoken than sung, like most rap, its defining characteristic lies in its multilayered and percussive rhythm, drawing influences from club and EDM genres.

What do you think about the groups performances so far? 

CMPD VICE Unit’s Seized 30 kg of Fentanyl – Enough To Kill Everyone in Charlotte 13 Times Over

0

In a troubling trend, overdose deaths have continued to skyrocket across the Charlotte region.

According to CMPD, Mecklenburg County has seen a 20% increase in overdose-related fatalities in 2023, reporting 137 deaths compared to 114 in the same period of 2022.

CMPD’s Vice Unit has already confiscated 30 kilograms of what is believed to be fentanyl and almost 84,000 pills – that’s enough fentanyl to kill 15 million people, or every single person in Charlotte 13 times over.

During this week’s press briefing in west Charlotte, CMPD Major Luke Sell cautioned the public about the discreet presence of this drug and highlighted that fentanyl is being mixed into other prescription pills.

“Fentanyl is being disguised and sold to our teens and young users as pills for anxiety or to help concentrate and study, specifically Xanax, Percocet and Adderall,” said Major Sell. “These users have no idea that their pills were mixed with fentanyl. You can’t see, smell or taste fentanyl. We really want to emphasize that unless it comes from your pharmacy or your doctor, you cannot trust the safety of any pill.”

North Carolina recently changed several laws related to opioid overdoses to help curb the epidemic, including changing Naloxone (opioid overdose suppressant) from prescription to ‘over the counter’, as well as implementing a new ‘Good Samaritan Law’.

The law essentially protects people who administer Naloxone to someone who has overdosed from any liability.

The following are common signs of an opioid-related overdose;

  • Small pupils
  • Pale face
  • Limp body
  • Shallow or slowed breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of consciousness

If you know anyone who might use heroin or any other opioids, please pick up some Naloxone from your local pharmacist and keep it handy – you never know when it might save someone’s life.

What do you think about CMPD’s response?

What more do you think should be done? 

Living Space in Charlotte: Trading Rent for a Mortgage Buys More Than 1,000 Extra Sq. Ft.

0

While owning a home is priceless, buying one is definitely not. Renters who want to become homeowners seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to budgeting for homebuying.

But what if they could keep their monthly payments the same and realize their homeownership dream? Should they buy? To help answer that question, a new report looked at how much space renters could afford if they swapped the monthly rent for a monthly mortgage (with all the property taxes and homeowners insurance costs included).

This is what the report found for North Carolina:

  • Renters turned homeowners would get more than 1,000 square feet for a mortgage similar to their current rent in all 5 of the state’s largest cities.
  • In Greensboro, renters looking to make the switch to homeownership could get close to 1,100 sq. ft. for a mortgage similar to their current rent. In fact, Greensboro is in the top 20 large U.S. cities where renters would get the most space.
  • For renters living in Raleigh and Charlotte, making the switch from rent to mortgage might mean 1,032 to 1,042 sq. ft. At the same time, both cities also display the highest average rents within the state (over $1,600) and the highest prices per square foot (more than $240).
1 Colorado Springs, CO
1,098
$1,534 $47,854 $239,269 $218
2 Greensboro, NC
1,097
$1,239 $37,257 $186,283 $170
3 Henderson, NV
1,096
$1,682 $56,047 $280,233 $256
4 Minneapolis, MN
1,095
$1,660 $47,551 $237,757 $217
5 Pittsburgh, PA
1,089
$1,475 $41,098 $205,489 $189
6 Norfolk, VA
1,078
$1,371 $41,976 $209,879 $195
7 Memphis, TN
1,072
$1,069 $29,087 $145,436 $136
8 Plano, TX
1,071
$1,813 $47,996 $239,980 $224
9 Charlotte, NC
1,042
$1,632 $50,271 $251,357 $241
10 Enterprise, NV
1,032
$1,495 $49,529 $247,644 $240
11 Raleigh, NC
1,032
$1,612 $50,094 $250,468 $243
12 Chandler, AZ
1,026
$1,805 $59,218 $296,092 $289
13 Glendale, AZ
1,020
$1,508 $48,867 $244,333 $240
14 Cincinnati, OH
1,010
$1,273 $34,454 $172,271 $171
15 Nashville, TN
1,006
$1,787 $55,270 $276,352 $275
16 Las Vegas, NV
1,005
$1,460 $48,309 $241,544 $240
17 Durham, NC
1,002
$1,575 $47,478 $237,388 $237
18 Bakersfield, CA
993
$1,460 $43,597 $217,986 $219
19 Kansas City, MO
993
$1,220 $33,550 $167,750 $169
10 Spokane, WA
992
$1,342 $40,711 $203,554 $205

New Data: Comparing Urban v. Suburban Rent Growth in Charlotte Metro

0
For the first time since the start of the pandemic, rents are down year-over-year in most parts of the country. But many suburban communities, which experienced dramatic rent inflation over the past couple years, are seeing little relief.
The latest report from Apartment List compares pandemic-era rent growth in central cities vs. suburbs, highlighting the affordability challenge that persists even as the rental market cools.
Nationwide since the start of the pandemic, suburban rent growth remains 8 percentage points higher than that of core cities. Rents in the Charlotte suburbs are up 36% since last March, while in Charlotte proper they are up just 25%, giving the Queen City one of the highest suburban-urban rent growth gap in the nation at 10.5%.
Metropolitan Area Rent Growth, Core City Rent Growth, Suburbs Gap
Minneapolis, MN -4.1% 8.1% 12.2%
Charlotte, NC 25.3% 35.8% 10.5%
Indianapolis, IN 26.5% 36.5% 10.0%
Denver, CO 14.8% 24.7% 9.9%
San Diego, CA 29.5% 39.3% 9.8%
Boston, MA 13.4% 21.8% 8.4%
Kansas City, MO 18.6% 26.7% 8.1%
Salt Lake City, UT 21.4% 28.4% 6.9%
Houston, TX 12.2% 18.7% 6.5%
Baltimore, MD 18.1% 24.0% 6.0%

North and South Carolina Ranks As The 6th and 7th Best States For Business Growth

New research has revealed the best states for business growth, with both North Carolina and South Carolina ranking among the top 10 states in the nation.

New data from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics was analyzed to determine the business growth rate in each state based on the change in the number of establishments from last year to this year.

Rank

State

Business growth rate

1

Georgia

13.50%

2

Virginia

10.50%

3

Arizona

10.40%

4

Montana & Vermont

10.20%

5

Michigan

9.80%

6

South Carolina

9.60%

7

North Carolina

9.20%

8

Colorado & Hawaii

9.10%

9

Idaho

8.90%

10

Utah

8.40%

 

Top of the list is Georgia, with a business growth rate of 13.50%. Last year, there were 397,515 business establishments compared to 350,189 this year. Corporate income tax is set at a reasonable rate of 5.75% in Georgia, with the state also offering job tax credit to reduce corporate tax liability for eligible businesses.

In second place is Virginia, which witnessed a business growth rate of 10.50% with over 32,000 new businesses added over the past year.

Arizona is in third place with a business growth rate of 10.40%, followed by Montana and Vermont both in fourth place at 10.20%, and in fifth place is Michigan, with a business growth rate of 9.80%.

South Carolina is in 6th place; the state witnessed the number of establishments grow from 155,945 last year to 170,968 this year, resulting in a business growth rate of 9.60%. South Carolina offers incentives for new businesses registered as a corporation, such as no local income tax, no state property tax, and no inventory tax.

Ranking in seventh place is North Carolina, with a business growth rate of 9.20% after seeing the number of establishments rise from 325,058 to 354,823 12 months later. The state has one of the country’s lowest corporate income tax rates at just 2.5%.

Colorado and Hawaii are in joint eighth place, following closely behind is Idaho in ninth place, and lastly, Utah in tenth place with a business growth rate of 8.40%.

On the opposite end of the scale, Washington has the worst business growth rate of -16.80%. The state had 284,440 establishments last year, which decreased by 47,644 this year; Washington was the only state to witness a decrease of establishments.

Massive Gas Explosion Levels $2 Million Lake Norman Home

A massive explosion just occurred near Lake Norman that completely leveled a 6,535 square foot home located at 292 Barber Loop in Mooresville.

Dominion Energy and Iredell County emergency crews quickly responded following numerous reports of an explosion. According to Iredell County EMS, one individual was immediately transported to the hospital, as confirmed by Iredell County emergency authorities.

The explosion, which occurred close to midnight, prompted responses from various agencies. The incident took place at a house situated between Barber Loop and Old Arborway Road, near Brawley School Road. Upon their arrival, Iredell County Sheriff’s Office deputies noted a strong odor of natural gas at the location. Hazmat teams were promptly summoned to handle the scene. On Tuesday morning, first responders were sifting through the extensive debris where the large residence once stood. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

According to county records, the home at 292 Barber Loop was sold for $2,050,000 on 5/31/22.

Iredell County officials and Dominion Energy are still investigating the exact cause of the explosion.

Best Sites to Buy Monthly Twitch Viewers 100% Real & Safe

0

As a content creator on Twitch, I understand that growing a community of your own from scratch sounds easier than done. Therefore, I am here to assist you to kickstart your journey on Twitch effectively.

From my own experience, buying monthly Twitch viewers helps a lot in landing organic traffic. When you buy Twitch viewers they help you to escalate your channel’s standing on Twitch which naturally attracts more viewers to your stream.

QUICK ANSWER: GrowthMount is the best site to Buy Monthly Twitch Viewers. They provide 100% safe and real twitch viewers

In this guide, I shall be showing you the best sites that are offering monthly Twitch viewer packages at affordable prices that help you grow your channel quickly. So, without any further ado. Let’s dig in!

Best Sites to Buy Monthly Twitch Viewers

1. GrowthMount (Tested & Recommended)

GrowthMount is the best site to buy Twitch Viewers as they provide real Twitch viewers for your stream. Their dedicated team is always available to assist you with your questions and provide you with a seamless experience.

Recently they launched monthly Twitch viewers packages alongside Twitch viewers and chatters packages, I tried out GrowthMount’s 10 viewers per month package which includes chatters as well, it helped me gain a good number of organic views every time I streamed which led me to access Twitch affiliate status in the time frame of 1.5 months.

GrowthMount 10 viewers for one month costs $35 alongside many other benefits like 24/7 customer support. You can either mail them or drop a text on their WhatsApp number and their customer representatives get back to you in no time.

When I purchased their 10 viewers per month package, my viewers were never limited to just 10, they were around 15-25 every time because their services helped me boost my channel’s standing on Twitch. Here are the stats of my stream: 

They claim to start arranging your real viewers within 5 minutes of your order placement. You can buy monthly Twitch viewers from GrowthMount and stream for as many hours as you want and your viewers will be re-added every time someone decides to quit your stream.

2. UseViral

Content creators who are not much interested in improving their marketing strategy, they rather focus on just getting better at games and just streaming them for their viewers.

No doubt, such content creators are doing the hard work but their direction is not completely right. They are not doing any hustle to improve their branding on Twitch which helps them attract more and more viewers to their stream and that is where comes the need for UseViral monthly Twitch viewers.

UseViral offers 25 live viewers for a month at the price of $75. Their services include automatic refills of the viewers for the time span of one month which means any time a viewer decided to leave their stream they will automatically replace that empty spot with another viewer without you contacting their customer support.

Even though their customer support is available 24/7, you can write them a mail anytime you get stuck with a question related to their services.

UseViral promises a 30-day money-back guarantee in case they fail to deliver your order along with guaranteed delivery of your order after your purchase.

In a nutshell, I’d say their services are as good as GrowthMount but their packages start from 25 viewers which becomes a costly affair. However, If you are looking to buy monthly Twitch viewers under budget then you must look out for sites that are offering these services at lower prices.

3. BoostHill

BoostHill is another trustworthy social media marketing agency selling reliable services at comparatively better rates. BoostHill claims to provide authentic Twitch monthly viewers that stick with your stream any time you start streaming on Twitch.

Once you start streaming on Twitch after purchasing monthly viewers from BoostHill, their paid viewers will join your stream after five minutes. You can pause or restart the paid viewership anytime you wish by dropping a message to BoostHill’s customer support team.

They offer a minimum of 15 viewers per month for your Twitch account at the price of $55. In a nutshell, their services are worth relying on only if your budget allows you. Make sure you do your research before opting for any services

4. Media Mister

Media Mister lands at the fourth number on our list of best sites to buy monthly Twitch viewers. Their services target to allow their customers to improve their visibility on Twitch by purchasing real viewers on Twitch. Their major goal is to play with Twitch algorithms which helps new Twitch accounts get more organic views by uplifting their standing among the content creators with the same niche.

The best thing about Media Mister is that they are not only limited to live stream viewers. They offer clip views, and standard video views for channels to help them build a better brand.

Media Mister’s monthly Twitch viewer services follow tricky delivery patterns where they do not instantly deliver all your viewers at the same time but one by one after every few minutes which makes it look like complete organic views.

In conclusion, I must say that they are doing an excellent job in ensuring the safety of other Twitch channels while delivering on their promises as advertised.

5. Streamerviewerbot

The last up on our list of best sites to buy monthly Twitch viewers is Streamerviewerbot. No doubt, their services are good and they deliver what they advertise but their services come with a lot of limitations.

Their services work up to 3 hours per day which means if you stream for more than three hours or you are planning to run a Subathon on your Twitch channel then their services are not for you.

Their services do not include raid features as well. You can change the number of viewers and stop their services once per day and you will have to make sure that their live support is on when you want to avail their services.

Their services will not work unless their customer support desk is actively responding.

Coming with a lot of these restrictions, Streamerviewbot is still a good option if you are a student who does not stream a lot and these limitations do not interrupt you from achieving your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Why do people buy Twitch live viewers?

A: Buying Twitch viewers help people to get a better placement on Twitch’s algorithms as Twitch only promotes the channels that are getting views daily. Hence, buying monthly Twitch viewers automatically increases the chances of getting more organic views every day.

Q: Is it legal to buy Twitch viewers?

A: Yes, it is legal to buy Twitch viewers as long as you are buying real views and there is no involvement of bots that are increasing your streams’ watch time.

Conclusion

I recommend you to buy monthly Twitch viewers as well as followers from GrowthMount because their services and prices maintain a good balance. They deliver each and everything they advertise on their site. I was super satisfied with GrowthMount’s services.

Having said this, you still need to do your own comparisons. Look out for the reviews and prices of every site offering these services and then choose whatever suits your wallet, goals, and needs.

We trust that our top 5 suggestions have guided you in selecting the best option available. Here’s to making your Twitch brand truly shine and achieving soaring success. Enjoy your streaming journey!

Why Corporate Videography is the Modern Business Card

0

In a world increasingly driven by visual content, businesses are searching for new ways to capture attention and engage with clients. Gone are the days when a simple business card would suffice to make your mark. Today, standing out in a crowded marketplace requires more than just clever branding or a catchy slogan.

The digital age demands digital solutions. Businesses are moving towards multimedia interactions that provide a rich tapestry of visual, audio, and contextual layers to showcase their services, culture, and values. In this new landscape, one medium has emerged as an essential tool that serves as the modern equivalent of the business card—corporate video.

Embracing the Visual Revolution

People are hardwired to process visual information exponentially faster than text. Corporate videos take advantage of this by offering a quicker, more engaging way for clients to understand what your business is all about. They allow you to communicate complex ideas simply, highlight your achievements, and show your team in action, all within a few minutes. In other words, a corporate video can say more about your business than a dozen paper cards or brochures.

The Power of Personal Connection

Traditional business cards give people a way to contact you, but they don’t give much insight into who you are or what your company values. Corporate videos allow you to show your business’s personality, including the people who make it what it is. This engenders trust and builds a more profound emotional connection with potential clients, partners, and stakeholders.

Corporate Videography as a Multi-Platform Tool

One of the strengths of corporate videos is their adaptability. You can upload them to your website, share them via social media, and include them in email marketing campaigns. This multi-platform reach makes corporate videos an extremely cost-effective marketing tool. Moreover, platforms like LinkedIn increasingly emphasize video content, making it a vital tool for B2B marketing as well.

SEO and Analytics: Beyond the Screen

Search engines reward websites that offer diverse, quality content. By incorporating a corporate video into your website, you can significantly improve its SEO, leading to higher rankings and more web traffic. What sets videos apart from traditional business cards is the ability to collect analytics data. You can track engagement, view rates, and even find out at what point viewers stopped watching, providing valuable feedback to refine your marketing strategies.

Partnering with an SEO expert can amplify these benefits even further. Consider exploring the SEO partner program by Sure Oak to gain access to cutting-edge strategies and insights that can supercharge your video content’s impact. Together, you can harness the power of analytics and video to drive your website’s performance to new heights, all while fine-tuning your marketing approach for maximum success.

High-Quality Production Matters

Not all videos are created equal. Poor quality, whether in terms of video, audio, or content, can reflect negatively on your business. Therefore, investing in high-quality corporate videography is crucial. Professionals in the field know how to produce videos that not only look and sound great but also resonate with the intended audience. They can guide you through the conceptualization, filming, and editing process, ensuring that the end product is polished and effective.

Leveraging Corporate Videos for Employee Onboarding and Training

Corporate videos aren’t just external marketing tools; they also serve valuable internal functions. For instance, they can streamline the onboarding process for new hires, providing a consistent and engaging way to disseminate company policies and culture. Additionally, they can be used for ongoing employee training, offering a reusable and easily accessible resource for skill development. By utilizing videos for internal education, companies can save time and resources while ensuring a unified message across the organization.

Crisis Management and Public Relations

In times of crisis or when dealing with negative press, a corporate video can serve as an immediate and direct channel of communication with the public and stakeholders. Videos allow you to convey your side of the story in a personal, emotional manner, providing a human face to your corporate response. This can go a long way in damage control and reputation management.

Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced digital age, corporate videography is no longer just an optional marketing gimmick; it’s a necessity. With the ability to engage audiences across multiple platforms, offer analytic insights, and even serve internal purposes, corporate videos have taken the concept of the business card and launched it into the 21st century. Whether you’re a small startup or an established multinational corporation, adopting this modern ‘business card’ will not only set you apart but also provide numerous tangible benefits that can directly impact your bottom line.