Uber Is Expanding Their Electric Ride Share Service To Charlotte

Charlotte Stories
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Uber Is Expanding Their Electric Ride Share Service To Charlotte

Charlotte residents will soon be able to catch a ride in a Tesla, Lucid Air, Polestar, or Mustang Mach-E.

Uber’s premium electric car service has just announced plans to expand to a handful of select cities across the country, including the Queen City.

Uber Comfort Electric, which is more expensive than Uber X but not as posh as Uber Black, was first launched in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Dubai back in May. It’s now being expanded to 8 additional cities, including Charlotte, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Austin, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

According to a press release from the company, “With more electric vehicles on the road in the US than ever before, we’re excited to introduce Comfort Electric, our newest way for you to get around town in style and be a part of the climate solution. It’s as simple as tap a button and request a ride in a premium EV like a Tesla or Polestar.”

In case you’ve never rode in a Tesla before, Uber sent out this helpful guide for entering and exiting the vehicle:

What do you think about the concept? 

1 in 3 North Carolinians Spending Savings Now, Fearing Continued Inflation

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1 in 3 North Carolinians Spending Savings Now, Fearing Continued Inflation

While Covid dominated headlines for over two years, inflation has now superseded it as the main talking point among concerned Americans. For many, the mere mention of ‘inflation’ can cause a panic, as rising prices and stagnant incomes mean they can’t keep up with the cost of living.

As millions of people in countries that have experienced ‘hyper-inflation’ will attest to, a good hedge against it is to buy sooner rather than later – the rationale being that, if you plan on making a big purchase such as a car, for example, it is likely the vehicle will be cheaper now than in a few months time. And it appears it is a strategy being adopted by many North Carolinians – that is, according to a survey (2,500) by CouponBirds, a provider of consumer information to do with real-time deals and savings, who found that almost 1 in 3 (32%) North Carolinians say they are purchasing things now, that they don’t necessarily need, in order to to lock in lower prices. This figure was just 6% in Alabama.

America’s New Gold Rush? In another study, the company also analyzed Google search data across the nation, uncovering trends in searches for ‘gold stocks’. These results were then broken down by state to find out where people are most and least worried about inflation, by looking to potentially invest in the precious metal which is widely assumed to be more inflation-proof than most assets.

The research revealed that when inflation surged to 8.5% in March this year (a jump of 0.6%), there was a simultaneous 27.1% spike in online searches for ‘gold stocks’ from worried North Carolinians.

Have you changed your buying habits over the past few months?

Uptown Charlotte 4th in the Country for Residential Revival

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Uptown Charlotte 4th in the Country for Residential Revival

The renaissance of the American downtown as a place to live has come in response to people’s changing attitudes and lifestyle preferences. Even as working from home enabled families to move to more-affordable suburbs or to less-expensive parts of the country, many people are heading back to city centers to take advantage of their unique economic and social opportunities.

Every major city around the county has been working towards revamping its urban core to house more residents, but few have done it better than Charlotte. In fact, Charlottes’ uptown area has had the 4th most impressive transformation of the decade, with no less than 13,000 new apartments built from 2013 to today.

That’s according to our most recent research of the fastest-growing downtown apartment markets in the 100 largest cities in the US.

Some key highlights that brought Charlotte’s city center to the top:

  • High-flying Charlotte increased its uptown apartment inventory by 57% over the past decade.
  • While office workers aren’t yet returning in droves, people still seem interested in living in downtown Charlotte, which has another 3,500 new apartments currently under construction.
  • Although the pandemic temporarily hampered the sector, with just 1,300 new units added in 2020, the decrease in activity was short lived, and last year over 2,200 new apartments were built in uptown Charlotte.
  • One compromise that downtown living usually entails is a lack of space at home, as apartments tend to be smaller in urban cores. But the city’s strong self storage sector can help renters comfortably make up for it. Charlotte has added more than 400K square feet of new storage space to its downtown area, representing 56% of its existing stock.

This revitalization of our urban cores can, in fact, have various ramifications, including easing the access to downtown living and supporting the comeback of the brick-and-mortar retailers that have struggled to regain foot traffic. Do you think your audience would be interested in discussing these topics?

You can check out our full ranking here.

Independence Fund and Elevation Church Partnering to Support Afghan Refugees

Steve
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Independence Fund and Elevation Church Partnering to Support Afghan Refugees

The Independence Fund, with the help of Elevation Church and The Galilee Center, will provide monthly cultural classes for Afghan women through November.

The Independence Fund began hosting cultural classes for Afghan women in early 2022, as the organization saw a gap in the Afghan community. While The Independence Fund’s Allies program assists Afghan Allies in the resettlement process, the need for cultural education remains a serious need for the community.

“The Independence Fund is dedicated to the successful and dignified resettlement of Afghan Allies throughout the country. These families fought shoulder-to-shoulder with American troops, and they deserve our best as they make a new home in the United States following their brave escape from the Taliban,” says Sarah Verardo, CEO of the Independence Fund. “We know, however, that feeling at home means more than simply having four walls, a roof, and financial support. We are committed to being at the forefront of these efforts, and know that learning the nuances of an unknown culture are intimidating at best, and exclusive, at worst. I’m so proud of our work with through our Afghan women’s classes and grateful for the support of community partners like Elevation Church and the Galilee Center.”

The classes, designed for 20 participants at a time, include topics such as women’s hygiene, access to mental health and healthcare, early childhood education, parenting tips, intro to driving, intro to rules and laws, community resources and access, financial services and lending, general safety, and visa and immigration procedures and paperwork.

Elevation Church, a close partner of The Independence Fund’s Allies program, will provide transportation, childcare, rental, materials, supplies for dignity kits, toys, and the cost of meals to ensure the cultural classes can grow and impact a larger part of the Afghan community. The Galilee Center will provide an ongoing, host location for the cultural classes,

“Finding community partners across the country who are making a direct, powerful impact in the lives of those they serve is key to Elevation’s outreach mission,” said Josh Wood, National Outreach Director at Elevation Church. “The Independence Fund’s leadership not only in the Veteran community but on the frontlines of resettlement for our Afghan Allies is remarkable, and it’s a privilege to help make these cultural classes accessible and successful for the women they serve.”

Early iterations of the cultural classes welcomed new groups of women each month, with repeated introductory material. Now, the program will be able to build progressive curriculum to ensure that Afghan families are equipped with resources to assimilate to their new home as smooth as possible.

In respect of the Afghan culture, a private chef will provide lunch cooked entirely to Halal standards.

Classes will be held 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on September 26, October 24, and November 21.

Capt. Logan Thomas, Recent UNC Grad, Is New Owner of Lake Wylie’s TowBoatUS

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Capt. Logan Thomas, Recent UNC Grad, Is New Owner of Lake Wylie’s TowBoatUS

Capt. Logan Thomas is the third generation of his family to grow up on Lake Wylie, forever exploring the waterway’s 325 miles of shoreline, inlets and coves that straddle the border of North and South Carolina. Now the 2021 UNC Wilmington graduate is the new owner of the 24/7 on-water boat towing and assistance company, TowBoatUS Lake Wylie. Thomas, who is also a credentialed boat surveyor and a Chapman School of Seamanship alumnus, was formerly a hired captain for the towing service and purchased the small business from Capts. Adam and Keirsten Huth, who are staying on part-time.

“I love the lake,” said Thomas, “I know it up and down. Taking the helm of TowBoatUS Lake Wylie is a natural next step. I’m excited.”

At age 23, Thomas is one of the youngest company owners in the nationwide TowBoatUS fleet of 300-plus locations with more than 600 red response vessels that respond to about 90,000 requests for assistance each year. The company provides professional, routine on-water assistance including towing, battery jump, fuel drop-off and soft ungrounding services. All of the company’s captains are Coast Guard-licensed.

Much like an auto club for recreational boat owners, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers on-water Unlimited Towing Memberships for freshwater boaters and anglers for just $99 per year. Also included are more than 25 BoatUS benefits including discounts on transient slips and fuel, exclusive savings from national partners, a subscription to BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration and more.

TowBoatUS Lake Wylie’s three 19- and 20-foot response vessels are easily recognized by their bright red hulls with “TowBoatUS” in white letters on each side and are stationed Lake Wylie Marina and Pier 49 Marina.

Separate from BoatUS on-water towing services, the company offers boat salvage, spill cleanup, and dive services.

The fastest way to request assistance from TowBoatUS Lake Wylie is to download the free BoatUS App, which connects boaters to the closest local towing captain. Additionally, the company can be reached at 803-681-0911, by hailing on VHF channel 16, or by phoning the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869.

Hundreds of Alpacas Descending on Huntersville For The 2022 Alpaca Fiesta

Charlotte Stories
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Hundreds of Alpacas Descending on Huntersville For The 2022 Alpaca Fiesta
Next week, hundreds of alpacas, alpaca enthusiasts, and alpaca fiber artisans will be coming to Huntersville for the 2022 Alpaca Fiesta
This year’s fluffy fiesta will take place on September 24th at 10325 Hambright Rd. Huntersville, NC.
The festivities will include educational sessions about alpacas and alpaca products. Live alpaca petting areas, and tons of local and regional alpaca vendors.
You can find out more information on the event page here.

Charlotte Named One Of The Most Expensive Cities For Brunch in 2042

Sharon Anderson
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Charlotte Named One Of The Most Expensive Cities For Brunch in 2042

Rising prices are hitting us everywhere it hurts — gas, rent, and.. brunch?! With the current inflation rate, you may soon have to reconsider having your typical Sunday funday.

The team at TransImpact curated a list of common brunch dishes, analyzed Yelp data from top-rated brunch restaurants in each city, and used the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ current inflation rate (6.9%) for their “food away from home” index to calculate the cost of brunch in 2042.

You can find the full study here.

New Carolinas Aviation Museum Named for Capt. Sully To Break Ground Sept. 27

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New Carolinas Aviation Museum Named for Capt. Sully To Break Ground Sept. 27

Moving closer from dream to reality, the former Carolinas Aviation Museum announced it will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its new 105,000-square-foot facility adjacent to Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 27. City, county and state officials are expected to be on hand as plans are revealed for the new museum, intended to be a high-profile cultural tourism attraction and educational resource that will boost economic opportunity, especially on Charlotte’s disadvantaged west side.

The museum’s transformational vision is being supported by a strong public-private partnership that includes generous individuals, corporations, foundations and public funding that recognizes the potential impact of the reimagined museum, fitting for the First In Flight state.

The future facility will be renamed in honor of Capt. C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger, who famously landed US Airways Flight 1549 safely in New York City’s Hudson River in 2009, a remarkable feat known as the Miracle on the Hudson – the actual plane is the museum’s featured exhibit. With over 45 historic aircraft, the multi-building campus will also include flight simulators, immersive multimedia, interactive exhibits and STEM education programs.

“It’s extremely uplifting to have so much momentum, buoyed by the generous public and private support for our mission of improving lives and economic opportunities through the innovative and expanding field of aviation,” said Stephen Saucier, president of the Carolinas Aviation Museum. “For centuries humans dreamed of flying, and now this museum will utilize the wonder of flight to inspire the next generation into the STEM fields and to celebrate our state’s growing aviation and aerospace industries.”

To fund the project, the museum has been conducting the Lift Off Capital Campaign, the largest campaign in the museum’s 30-year history. Currently the museum has raised more than $27 million of the approximately $30 million anticipated cost, including millions in contributions from private donors such as Honeywell ($1.5 million), Red Ventures ($1.5 million) and several other individuals, organizations and foundations.

Public support has come in the form of a $10 million appropriation from the general fund of the state of North Carolina’s 2022-2023 budget, thanks to a bill sponsored by state representatives John R. Bradford III (R-Mecklenburg County), Terry Brown (D-Mecklenburg County), Jason Saine (R-Lincoln County) and David Willis (R-Union County); a $3 million appropriation for Reducing Educational Attainment Gaps as part of Mecklenburg County’s fiscal year 2023 budget; and a $5 million matching grant from Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the City of Charlotte’s non-taxpayer fund.

“It is incredibly gratifying to see how people and organizations from virtually every segment of this community – individuals, corporations, government, educators – have rallied around the museum’s exciting new vision,” said Marc Oken, board and campaign chair for the Carolinas Aviation Museum. “Clearly they see the impact this facility and its innovative programs will have, returning tremendous value for the investments being made.”

The new museum is being developed in concert with Charlotte Douglas International Airport and will be included as part of an initiative spearheaded by UNC Charlotte known as the Charlotte Aviation Innovation and Research (AIR) Institute. The collaboration will leverage the airport as a “living laboratory” to propel workforce development, economic growth, transformative research and social mobility.

“This new facility and the museum’s new focus on workforce development creates a future vision that can create and broaden critical workforce development efforts to many in our community, including those historically underserved,” said Charlotte Douglas Chief Executive Officer Haley Gentry. “Our continued success as a city, county and state depends on innovative collaboration across sectors – this new museum will help make those connections.”

Along with the airport, the museum is working with architects Progressive AE and exhibit designers Freeman Ryan Design to develop the new campus, which will be located at the historic W.P.A. Douglas hangar, originally built in 1936-1937 by the Works Progress Administration. It will span three buildings in addition to an outdoor plaza that will house historic aircraft and provide direct viewing of the active runways and taxiways at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

“The museum will be a wonderful new resource for all county residents. It’s exciting to think about the students who will be able to participate in STEM education in ways that the Carolinas Aviation Museum can be uniquely designed to deliver,” said Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio.

Added Rep. Bradford: “Securing $10 million in state funding to support the new aviation museum was a top priority for me this legislative session. I believe the museum will help solidify and showcase our state’s past, present and future commitment to aviation not only within the region but also nationwide.”

Charlotte Douglas is managing site development, which will be conducted in two phases. The new museum is projected to open at the end of 2023 and is expected to draw more than 120,000 visitors annually and connect more than 15,000 students to STEM programming and career development labs.

Bojangles Building New Headquarters in Charlotte – Doubling In Size

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Bojangles Building New Headquarters in Charlotte – Doubling In Size

Bojangles Restaurants, Inc., today announced it will be building a new headquarters in Charlotte roughly double the size of it’s current headquarters in South Charlotte.

The chicken chain just signed a long-term lease on the 61,500-square-foot Forest Park V building at 500 Forest Point Circle, a few miles down the road from its current headquarters location at 9432 Southern Pine Blvd.

According to a press release from the company, the new headquarters will provide office space for roughly 170 corporate employees, as well as a new state-of-the-art Culinary Center that will house Bojangles’ Menu Innovation, Equipment Innovation, Kitchen Design and Quality Assurance teams. The facility will also build out a new national training center, which will officially become “Bo University”.

“Bojangles was founded in Charlotte in 1977, and we’re thrilled to be able to continue calling Charlotte our home,” said Bojangles CEO Jose Armario. “As our company has evolved and grown over the past few years, our space needs have changed dramatically, and we’re excited to be moving to a new space that is specifically designed for an organization like ours and its upward trajectory.”

Construction is now underway and the company is planning on moving to the new facility sometime next year.

Advantages Of Toronto Fiberglass Doors

Sharon Anderson
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Advantages Of Toronto Fiberglass Doors

With the availability of Toronto fiberglass doors in the market today, the decision by homeowners on what type of door to install is becoming easier. This is due to the many benefits of modern fiberglass doors.

Installing new fiberglass front doors has many benefits other than the doors’ efficiency. The only challenge in choosing a fiberglass door is the decision between the different available designs. The following are the benefits of Toronto fiberglass doors for your home.

  1. It serves As An Upgrade To Older Doors

If the existing door in your home needs replacement due to poor functionality or other reasons, fiberglass doors will serve as the perfect door replacement.

The door installed for replacement should be better than the previous one, which makes fiberglass doors a better upgrade, especially if the previous door was of another material or type.

Replacement doors should serve as the solution to the issues you had with the previous doors, and therefore you should ensure the door you buy helps solve the existing issues.

2. Fiberglass Front Doors Are Durable

Unlike wood doors which crack and rot when subjected to harsh weather conditions like too much heat or cold, fiberglass doors do not. This is because fiberglass is a strong material that can withstand harsh weather impacts for a long time.

Live in a location that experiences harsh weather, such as winter and extreme summer. Toronto fiberglass doors might just be the solution to the impacts caused by these extreme weather conditions on your doors. 

Fiberglass does not expand or contract as a result of heat or cold, making it durable. Durability is an important factor to consider when buying new doors because nobody loves going through the trouble of installing new doors now and then, even if money is not a problem.

3. They Are Energy Efficient

Fiberglass doors are energy efficient because they do not allow air leakage between the inside and the outside. When warm air is leaking to the outside during the cold season, the HVAC system is forced to do some extra work to maintain warm temperatures inside.

Much energy is used to maintain the temperatures while the air is leaking through the door, hence higher electricity bills.

 Fiberglass front doors are the solution to increased energy efficiency in your home. This helps save some money that could be used on accelerated electricity bills. 

If the upgrade you choose for your existing door is Toronto fiberglass doors, they could even be installed with a weather-stripping system that boosts your home’s energy efficiency. 

Fiberglass doors add value to your home since energy efficiency is a strong bargaining point when selling a home. This is the case because energy efficiency is one of the biggest considerations for potential home buyers.

4. Increased Curb Appeal

The front doors are the mirror of the home since they are the first thing people see before entering your home. It is, therefore, important to ensure the doors you install are appealing in nature. 

While considering the functionality factor, which is the ability to close and open the door easily, the door should also be attractive. Luckily, you can achieve efficiency and appeal with Toronto fiberglass doors.

The fiberglass doors have beautiful features, such as the smooth texture of the finishes and frames, which resemble real wood. Real wood is beautiful as it represents the embracement of the natural environment.

Fiberglass doors also come in various options, sizes, and designs, making them suitable options for different types of homes.

5. Fiberglass Doors Are Available In Most Areas

Every door company in most locations has fiberglass doors among the available options. For this reason, you don’t need to worry about moving long distances in search of Toronto fiberglass doors. 

Every company you contact in any location where your home is situated should be able to meet your needs. The availability makes it easy to save money that could be spent transporting the door from a different location.

 You can order the door online in the comfort of your home and deliver it.

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