Governor Cooper Announces NC Will Remain In Phase 2 For 5 More Weeks

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North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has just announced that our state will remain in Phase 2 of the shutdown for at least another 5 weeks amid a continued COVID-19 Pandemic.

“Other states that lifted restrictions quickly have had to go backward as their hospital capacity ran dangerously low and their cases jumped higher. We will not make that mistake in North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “In keeping with our dimmer switch approach with schools opening, and in order to push for decreasing numbers which will keep people healthier and boost our economy, North Carolina will remain paused in Safer At Home Phase 2 for 5 weeks.”

You can watch the entire press briefing here:

Although cases and deaths have been on the decline in our state, hospitalizations have continued to climb.

You can read the entire Phase 2 order here.

What do you think about the decision? 

Governor Cooper Set To Make Announcement on Phase 3 Reopening This Afternoon

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NC Governor Roy Cooper is now set to make an announcement about whether we will remain in Phase 2 or if we will transition to Phase 3 this coming Friday.

A move to Phase 3 would allow for higher capacity of restaurants, houses of worship, and reopen gyms and bars across our state.

Last month, the governor extended Phase 2 through August 7th and added a new requirement that all NC residents wear face masks when in public.

The decision to extend Phase 2 was made amid rising COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Many are now expecting Cooper to announce a move to Phase 3 now that cases and deaths have been on the decline in our state (although hospitalizations have continued to climb).

Phase 3 specifically includes the following changes:

  • Lessen restrictions for vulnerable populations with encouragement to continue practicing physical distancing and minimizing exposure to settings where distancing isn’t possible
  • Allow increased capacity at restaurants, bars, other businesses, houses of worships, and entertainment venues
  • Further increase the number of people allowed at gatherings
  • Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings

Do you think we should move to Phase 3? 

UNC Charlotte’s Niner University Elementary Readies to Open

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As teachers across the region prepare for a different sort of school year, faculty and staff at Charlotte’s newest school are in the building at Niner University Elementary at Amay James (NUE), readying for its opening on Aug. 17.

Niner University Elementary.jpgStaffed and operated by UNC Charlotte, NUE is the sixth school across the state to emerge in response to the North Carolina General Assembly’s UNC Laboratory School Initiative, a program created to provide enhanced educational programming to students in low-performing schools.

The school’s curriculum and approach to education were developed through the collective work of dozens of UNC Charlotte faculty and staff from across campus. NUE will strive to create lifelong learners and responsible, caring citizens through an authentic and meaningful curriculum that includes a focus on early literacy. The school currently has 96 K-2 students enrolled, and is continuing to accept applications for limited spots. NUE will add an additional grade level each year through 2024.

In the face of challenges posed by opening an elementary school in the midst of the uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Principal Pamela Broome is responding with flexibility and optimism.

“Opening NUE has been a labor of love, years in the making. While we know we’ll need to be flexible during the coming year, we’re thrilled to welcome our students and families and begin our journey as part of this community,” Broome said.

“NUE is going to be a special place for everyone. We are approaching school differently,” added kindergarten teacher Jaalil Hart.

This fall, NUE will open to fully remote learning for students. All students will receive a remote learning toolkit that will include developmentally appropriate tools that align with the curriculum.

Interns from the UNC Charlotte school counseling program will provide telemental health services to support students throughout the year. NUE has hired a social worker and UNC Charlotte social work intern as well as a school guidance counselor to support students and families. Students eligible for nutrition services will receive meals delivered by bus through Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS).

NUE will ultimately provide UNC Charlotte’s Cato College of Education the opportunity to train teachers, counselors and school leaders. Teacher preparation and development at NUE will be centered on embedded, multi-semester clinicals for teachers in training.

“Niner University Elementary stands as the latest example of the inextricable link between UNC Charlotte and the community we call home,” said UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. “The longstanding mutual exchange of knowledge, talent and energy is a source of pride and strength for the University. NUE also represents an important next step in a concerted effort by the Cato College of Education to deliver a unique teacher preparation program that produces graduates who are ready to thrive in the classroom on day one.”

Phillip Byers, chair of the UNC Board of Governors lab school subcommittee, was among a small group of visitors who joined Chancellor Gaber to greet NUE teachers and tour the school on Tuesday morning.

“This school fulfills a commitment to provide a real laboratory of teaching excellence, research and innovation so that every child receives a quality education. It took visionary legislative action, hard work and collaboration to get us to today and the results will show it was worth it,” he said.

With class starting in less than two weeks, for NUE teachers like Jaalil Hart, the current environment doesn’t diminish the excitement.

“I can’t wait. Seeing students for the first day is one of the best feelings ever for teachers!”

The UNC Charlotte Young Alumni Chapter is hosting a school supply drive to benefit Niner University Elementary and local Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools through August 15. High priority items needed include composition notebooks, dry erase markers, small whiteboard erasers, pencils, 8-pack crayons and uniforms. Items can be dropped off at the Harris Alumni Center at Johnson Glen or shipped to 8688 Johnson Alumni Way, Charlotte, NC 28262.

The advantages of using electronic document management systems

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The efficiency of business operations depends on two main factors – streamlining the business processes and proper document management system. The latter plays an important role behind the scenes. The speed of operations depends on the right backend support of the staff and a suitable document management system that accelerates the document retrieval process by ensuring that the correct documents are available at the right time. 

Having the proper Record Storage Systems provide secure and safe storage of documents, both physical and electronic, that always remains protected and accessible when someone needs it.  One of the advantages of implementing document management systems is that it stores the document offsite. That saves office space and facilitates document retention in a protected environment that leads to efficient document archival.

More and more organizations are adopting electronic document management systems that serve as a centralized repository of all documents. To know how they benefit from it, keep reading this article. 

More flexibility in accessing documents

With advancements in technology, the workplace has changed considerably as it does not require any more for the entire staff to work from office only. Instead, many employees like the field staff and those who work from home stay away from the office most of the time but still need to access documents from remote locations. That is where the document management system that maintains records in digital format comes into play. Anyone who has the authorization can access documents round the clock from the digital document archive and maintain flexibility in working without affecting the efficiency, you can click here to learn more about this document signing service.

Safe file preservation and document security

Most electronic document management systems are cloud-based to facilitate easy access without fearing any downtime. It ensures complete protection to all files and other documents by protecting it from damage or loss due to accidental deletion, corruption, natural calamities, and computer crashes. All documents are highly secure and safe because there is no fear of any physical destruction or data loss due to the highly secured cloud environment that has a robust data backup system in place.

Document security is also remarkably high because the offsite digital storage is out of the reach of cyber rogues who target businesses to steal data. Since the cloud storage maintains strict data confidentiality, cyber attackers can’t know which businesses use which type of data storage system that prevents them from trying to access data unlawfully. 

Cost-saving

Storing your data off-location ensures high data security without compromising the ease of document accessibility to authorized persons. Still, it does away with blocking ample office space for document storage and saves costs. Moreover, the easy availability of indexed documents maintained in a highly organized manner speeds up work that enhances efficiency and boosts productivity. It eliminates the manpower necessary to hunt for documents in physical locations and saves some more cost.

With no chances of document misplacement or getting lost, going paperless companies can save so much cost that they do not mind spending on document management systems.

Cisco 200-301 Test — Your Chance to Differentiate. Find Out How to Pass It with Dumps?

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Have you wanted to take the Cisco 200-301 exam, but you were always afraid that you are going to fail? Well, no one says that Cisco tests are easy, but acing them is definitely not impossible. Everyone can pass 200-301 assessment and get the CCNA certification if using diverse training alternatives and an organized schedule. You are still not convinced? Then you should read the paragraphs below and discover what are the skills you have to gain if you prepare for the CCNA exam. Once you finish reading, we are sure that you will be ready to start training and give it a try.

https://www.certbolt.com/ 

Learn the Basics of Networking with Cisco 200-301 Assessment

Cisco 200-301 is a 120-minute exam that includes the following modules:

  • Network fundamentals — you will be checked on how you can manage routers, switches, IPv6 and IPv4 infrastructure

https://www.certbolt.com/cisco-certification-dumps 

  • IP connectivity and services — your skills in managing NTP, IP routing, SNMP, DHCP infrastructure will be assessed
  • Security fundamentals — under this domain, you’ll show your understanding of wireless and port security, as well as VPNs
  • Network access — here, you prove your knowledge about how VLANs and EtherChannel work

https://www.certbolt.com/ccna-exam-dumps 

  • Automation and Programmability — the tasks of this section assess your skills in Puppet, Chef, JSON, and REST-based APIs

All these competencies are very demanded in the current IT environment as companies are shifting their attention more towards networking technology. So, once adding the CCNA certification to your resume by passing 200-301 exam, you will become a valuable player in the modern employment market. Now, are you curious to know how you can train to ace your 200-301 test?

https://www.certbolt.com/200-301-dumps 

Efficient Materials to Use to Train for 200-301 Exam

Cisco is a trusted vendor of accreditations and exams that help professionals differentiate in the ever-changing IT industry but this is not their only valuable offering. In addition to certifications, Cisco provides comprehensive training programs that are presented in several formats to meet the needs of every candidate.

If this is the first time you are taking a Cisco exam, you can start with following an instructor-led training. The vendor’s trainers use innovative preparation techniques to help candidates understand the basics of networking technology and pass 200-301 test from the first try. Thus, with the help of Cisco’s instructors, you will get a clear view of the assessment’s structure and difficulty level.

https://www.certbolt.com/ccna-practice-test 

In case you are confident enough and don’t need such guidance, you can learn at your own pace from online materials like books, dumps, etc. The latter resources will help you evaluate your preparedness and see what are the topics on which you need to focus more.

https://www.certbolt.com/ccna-practice-test-questions 

Conclusion

The Cisco 200-301 test is the only milestone you need to accomplish to get the CCNA certification. This is a great step that you can make if you want to leverage your career. As not everyone manages to pass this exam because of its difficulty, you should train intensively to get a good score from the first try. By using different preparation options like study guides, dumps, or online classes, you will grow your chances to be among those who are now Cisco CCNA certified professionals!

MillBridge Earns HBA Charlotte’s 2020 Developer of the Year

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Landeavor LLC, developer of MillBridge, has been named the 2020 Developer of the Year by the Home Builders Association of Greater Charlotte. The recognition was formally announced through the trade organization’s annual Major Achievement in Market Excellence (MAME) Awards. 

In addition to being named Developer of the Year, MillBridge – Landeavor’s master-planned community located in Waxhaw, North Carolina – was recognized for Best Sales Environment and Best Community Signage for 2020, adding to a growing list of MAME Awards earned by the community during Landeavor’s successful tenure. This year’s accolades come on the heels of MillBridge’s selection as Community of the Year by the Association in 2017 and 2019 (the award cannot be received by the same community in consecutive years). Due to its array of resort-like amenities including its pool pavilion, full coffee bar and movie theater, MillBridge was also presented the Community Amenity Package of the Year award in 2014 and 2016. 

“We continue to receive some of the highest accolades in our industry for MillBridge,” states Adam Lorry, principal and co- owner of Landeavor. “I attribute its success as one of the top communities in all of the southeast to the vision and strategic plan developed years ago following our purchase of the community.” Landeavor purchased MillBridge in 2011 and, during its tenure, has recorded 1,400 new home sales. 

At a time when home builders and realtors are struggling to maintain momentum, Landeavor bucked the trend at MillBridge by showing consistent new home sales while offering unique, stay-at-home-friendly programming for current residents. As stay- at-home orders took effect in the month of April, national statistics were showing a 65%-85% drop in new home sales across the country. During that month, 20 new homes were sold at MillBridge utilizing a series of adaptive strategies including remote realtor visits, virtual tours from community builders, and targeted social media campaigns. 

“We are thrilled by these recognitions and by the continued interest in our community during these unprecedented times”, says Kelley Archer, Director of Marketing for Landeavor (developer of MillBridge). “As we adapt, we continue to look for new and creative ways to give homebuyers and their families an in-depth look at our community from the comfort of their own homes while also providing first class lifestyle experiences for each of our current residents.” 

Through the MAME Awards, the Home Builders Association of Greater Charlotte honors builders, developers, remodelers, and associates who have made a significant and creative contribution in residential marketing and homebuilding. Candidates are judged by a panel of impartial, nonresident professionals for outstanding excellence in their respective fields. 

About MillBridge

MillBridge is a 900-acre, master-planned community located in Waxhaw, NC. The Community features resort-style amenities, including a full coffee bar, three swimming pools, a movie theater, fitness center and covered basketball court, with more to come. MillBridge also boasts a full event calendar each month with activities from story time, to knitting night, as well as community events including Light Up MillBridge and the Fall Festival. Contact MillBridge at 704-834-3190 for information on upcoming events and real estate. For more information, visit: www.millbridge-nc.com. 

Hurricane Isaias Made Official Landfall in NC, Knocking Out Power For Over 100,000 Residents

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Hurricane Isaias hit the coast of North Carolina last night, causing flooding, destruction, and power outages for over 100,000 North Carolina residents.

The storm made official landfall on North Carolina’s Ocean Isle Beach at 11:10 p.m. with a maximum sustained wind velocity of 85 mph.

The hurricane took down trees and powerlines across the city;

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Greenfield Lake post Isaias 8/4/2020

A post shared by Ben Billingsley (@bbling71) on

According to Duke Energy, there are now over 100,000 North Carolinians without power due to the hurricane:

Were you affected at all by last night’s hurricane?

Gaston County Votes To Remove The Charlotte Region’s Largest Confederate Monument

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via UNC.edu

Last night, the Gaston County Board Commissioners voted 6 to 1 to remove one of the largest confederate monuments in the Charlotte region.

The 35-foot-tall “Gaston County Confederate Heroes Monument” was originally located on South Street in front of the 1911 Gaston county courthouse where it faced northward, and was just recently relocated to the new county court building on Marietta Street after construction in 1998.

The new resolution to remove the monument comes after months of protests and debates on both sides of the isle.

Yesterday, Board chairman Tracy Philbeck and county commissioner Allen Fraley co-sponsored the new resolution that orders the statue to be relocated to private property.

According to the new resolution; “the Gaston County Board of Commissioners intends to pay for and complete the Monument’s relocation and secured re-erection at no cost to the Sons [Sons of the Confederacy]; and, the continued public use of the Monument will benefit citizens of all ages in Gaston County by continuing to serve as a war memorial to the Confederate Veterans, while also serving as an educational tool for the public to learn about the causes for which so many brave young soldiers throughout Gaston County left their families to fight for North Carolina in the War Between the States…”

What do you think about the decision? 

Reed Gold Mine Is About To Host The North Carolina Open Gold Panning Competition

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north carolina gold panning competitionTreasure hunters and hobby prospectors alike from across the Carolinas will descend on the Reed Gold Mine for the The 31st Annual Pan-O-Lympics (aka North Carolina Open Gold Panning Competition).

The event will take place this coming September 12th from 9am to 5pm, according to a press release from the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Gold panners of all ages will compete for the highest quantity of gold found in the shortest time frame along the historic Little Meadow Creek, which was were the first gold discovery in US history.

Entry fees are $15 for adult and $10 for junior categories. The Amateur division fees are $5 for adults and juniors.

Pros are contestants who have competed the prior two years.

The mine will allow for some practice time in the morning before the competition gets underway at 9am.

Profits from the event will go toward the Reed Expansion Committee, a group dedicated to preserving and promoting North Carolina’s gold mining history.

For more information, check out their Facebook event page here.

Lawyers in Washington DC can Accept Cryptocurrency

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In a recent ethics opinion, the District of Columbia Bar clarified that Washington DC lawyers can now accept Cryptocurrency as payments for legal services. This payment option is valid, and clients can pay their due fees in cryptocurrencies. 

Cryptocurrencies can be referred to as a form of digital money that runs through blockchain technology. It is a technology that allows the users to connect via a peer-to-peer distributed network. The public ledger is free from any central authority body, and no third party can get involved in the transaction process. 

Due to the decentralized nature, many people accepted it as an effective way of financial transactions. On the other hand, many people opposed this concept; even cryptocurrencies are not legal in some countries. 

Legal Status of Cryptocurrencies in the United States

Cryptocurrencies, as well as cryptocurrency exchanges, are permitted in the United States. Unlike the US Dollar, cryptocurrencies are not legal tender instead considered as property. However, it isn’t easy to figure out a particular legal approach for digital currencies in the United States. The laws for crypto exchanges vary from state to state. Federal authorities are also different.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers cryptocurrencies as property but not as legal tender. So the authority body provided tax regulations for the cryptocurrencies accordingly. 

Legal Status of Cryptocurrency Exchanges

As the US government legalized cryptocurrencies, people started investing in them. The cryptocurrencies initially gained traction due to the attractive return on investment. So, most traditional investors are investing in some popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ripple, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc. The cryptocurrencies are traded in an exchange quite similar to the stock exchange. Many crypto traders have chosen the-wallet-upgradation-of-pundi-x-what-it-has-for-you for trading and investing in cryptocurrencies. 

Securities and Exchange Commission, the US regulatory body for the trading exchange platform, considers the digital currencies as securities. In 2018, SEC provided laws for digital wallets and crypto exchanges. Moreover, CFTC announced bitcoin as a commodity and passed the regulations for trading it publicly. 

Further, the US government emphasizes on bringing up more regulations and policies regarding the adoption and usage of cryptocurrencies. In a recent ethics opinion, the District Bar of Columbia has said that the Lawyers can accept cryptocurrencies as payment for legal services. 

Washington DC Lawyers Can Accept Cryptocurrencies

According to the ethics opinion, Washington DC lawyers can now accept cryptocurrencies. They can’t hesitate about the change in the value of cryptocurrencies. As merchants and service providers widely accept cryptocurrencies, lawyers are now included in the list. 

However, the value of the Cryptocurrency will be judged to provide fairness to the clients. As the cost of cryptocurrencies is volatile, it will be decided during payments to check whether the price is justified. 

As cryptocurrencies are considered property by the IRS for tax liability, the payment will be more similar to cash in property rather than money. 

Despite the volatility and risk of the crypto markets, many law firms accept cryptocurrencies for legal service. This decision has also got a favorable opinion from different district bars of the United States, such as The New York City bar, Nebraska bar, and The North Carolina bar. However, the payment arrangement prevents the acceptance of extremely volatile assets such as volatile company securities or cryptocurrencies. 

Terms of Acceptance of Payments in Cryptocurrencies

To make the crypto payment process simpler and more precise, fair terms and conditions subject to Ethics Rules have made. To bring clarity to the crypto payments system for legal services, here are the times.

  • A clear description of how the client is going to be billed. 
  • Both parties are needed to take the obligations for any change in the market value.
  • Who will be responsible for the crypto transfer fees, whether the lawyer or the client? 

These terms will make the payment process of legal services very effective and efficient.

Conclusion

The cryptocurrencies are a new medium of exchange of economic value. So the rules of transactions and payments are flexible to provide fairness to the clients. For that reason, lawyers can accept cryptocurrencies until further development in technologies. Further, the advancement in technologies can provide a better infrastructure to ensure clients’ and lawyers’ virtual property.