6 Ways to Become the Best Version of Yourself

Charlotte Stories
-
0
6 Ways to Become the Best Version of Yourself

There is never a better time to become happier and healthier than now.

Research is continually showing that one of the keys to having good health throughout your life is regulated lifestyle medicine. Things such as daily exercise, stress management, and easy diet changes can make a big difference. The hardest problem is getting the momentum going for these lifestyle changes, which is why it is important to start small but start firm.

Here are six ways to slowly but surely improve your quality of life mentally and physically:

  1. Make the Choice to Put Your Health First

Improving your quality of life is just as much mental as it is physical. Prioritizing your health is a decision only you can make. The first step to becoming a better you are to remove all of the harmful substances from your life and body.

Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol become so easily addictive. Not only are you affecting your health, but causing distress to those around you. If you or someone you love has fallen victim to addiction, consider nearby programs at VCAM. This center offers you and your loved ones the care you need.

  1. Exercise Daily

Surprisingly, regular exercise is one of the best ways to reduce the major signs of aging. From normalizing your blood pressure and improving your eyesight to increasing your lean muscle with an appetite enhancer and improving your bone density, these daily exercises will help you live longer.

This is not to say you need to stress about becoming a gym rat – there are all kinds of alternatives to traditional workouts. Crank your stereo to dance around your living room or sign up for kickboxing lessons. Play hopscotch or jump rope with your kids. Go for a hike to see new topography. The options are endless!

  1. Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep

Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. If this is something you struggle with, there are relaxation techniques you can try. Next time you are fighting to get to sleep, try some meditation or breathing exercises to clear your mind.

Some foods are also known to help shift your mindset into sleepy time modes, such as oatmeal, milk and whole-grain cereal, chamomile tea, and cherries. Turn all lights away from you at night (such as your cell phone or alarm clock) to help as well.

  1. Eat Well

Have you ever met a truly happy person that eats unhealthily day in and day out? Doubtful, so don’t skimp on the vegetables.

While this is a steep goal, try to shoot for consuming five servings of veggies every day. Keep your diet high in fiber and vegetables for a reduced chance of cancer and overall health improvements. Broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and leafy greens are all great contenders.

  1. Let Go of Your Anger

Nobody is immune to experiencing anger, but some people are better at keeping it in check than others. When anger goes uncontrolled, it can create problems for your relationships and, ultimately, your health.

Letting it go won’t be easy, but the first step is to learn more about it. Learn to recognize when it occurs – keep your mind ready to mentally note when you start feeling upset and make an effort to manage that feeling instead of lashing out or denying it. Focus on your options.

  1. Support Those Around You

Helping others is a great route to become a better person. In addition to simply making the world a better place, your altruism is sure to make you more compassionate and happier.

Overall, becoming a healthier, better person is a long mental and physical process that isn’t supposed to happen overnight. Be patient and stick to these positive habits, and you’ll be on the right path.

Charlotte Leaders Unveil Radical New Plans For A 220-Acre Central Park

Steve
-
0
Charlotte Leaders Unveil Radical New Plans For A 220-Acre Central Park

A massive new project is now in the works to turn a 220 acre rail yard into the Queen City’s largest public park – the Queen’s Park. The new plan is being spearheaded by attorney Eric Spengler, who formed the non-profit organization ‘The Friends of Queen’s Park’ last October.

Today, Friends of Queen’s Park released the official renderings of the new development, along with a press release about the ‘remarkable transformation’.

“At 220 acres, Queens Park will be the largest and most diverse park within the City. Situated at the intersection of the Cross-Charlotte Trail, the Lynx Blue Line, the Rail Trail, and North Tryon Street, the Park will accommodate amenities such as a flexible great lawn, a regional cultural district, and a natural area that showcases nature and natural systems. It will connect diverse and exciting neighborhoods and change the way that we think about Parks in the City of Charlotte.”

The vision and renderings are a collaboration of renowned professionals in development, urban design, and architecture who volunteered their time, including representatives from The Flywheel Group, Stantec, Odell, and The Agency.

It is potentially now or never for Charlotte: imagine if New York City missed the opportunity to create Central Park some 150 years ago—and tried to engineer one now. Few sites near uptown offer comparable potential and improved quality-of-life impact as the transformation of the railyard into Queen’s Park. Transforming the industrial site will connect to existing infrastructure and build upon investments made in the area. The park will be a catalyst for growth sitting in the middle of a larger area of urban renewal, marked by Optimist Hall, Camp North End, and the North Tryon Vision Plan. Friends of Queen’s Park envisions an expansive urban park that will contribute to Charlotte’s community, culture, and quality of life. 

  • Queen’s Park will be an inclusive public space that connects people to people (community). The park will link and center eight diverse neighborhoods of North End Smart District now separated by a railyard expanse. 
  • Through public amenities and art, the park will connect people to place (culture). Think of the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park, a former rail yard until it was converted to a park in 2004. The park will provide opportunities for cultural events, festivals, etc. 
  • Queens Park will contribute to the quality of life of all Charlotteans by transforming the gray railyard into a vibrant greenspace—and in the process, adding back trees to our dwindling canopy. The park will connect to the regional greenway system. 

Friends of Queen’s Park asks supporters to post to social media using the hashtag #Tracks2Trees. The public also can show their support by ordering a Queen’s Park t-shirt, donating to the group, or signing up to volunteer on its website. 

North Carolina Named 10th Most Exciting State to Retire In

Charlotte Stories
-
0
North Carolina Named 10th Most Exciting State to Retire In

A new comprehensive report has just ranked North Carolina as the #10 best state to retire in.

Retirement-focused publication ‘Sixty and Me’ analysed wide spectrum of factors, including taxes, cost of living, number of meetups, volunteering opportunities, access to vacation destinations from the local airport, local attractions, and startup success rates for retirees not quite ready to relax.

According to the report, “North Carolina scores well in the vacation (175 destinations), starting a business (5-year survival rate for 52.2% of businesses), hiking (1,758 trails), and golf (560 courses) categories. It also offers free college for seniors and scores reasonably well in several other categories, having 3 professional sports teams, 62 volunteer opportunities, an annual salary of $67,560 for authors, good internet speeds and coverage, and 629 Meetup groups in Charlotte alone.”

  • Best for – those who like to keep active.
  • Not suited for – those looking for a large number of attractions in the state or discounts on state activities.

You can read the full report here.

July Data: 32% Missed Housing Payments, up from June

Charlotte Stories
-
0
July Data: 32% Missed Housing Payments, up from June
As new cases of COVID-19 surge, reopening plans have been paused or rolled back throughout the country, making clear that the effects of the pandemic are far from behind us. This continued uncertainty is mirrored in Apartment List’s most recent housing payments survey, which finds that 32% failed to make their full July housing payments on time.
This is the highest non-payment rent since we began running this survey in April. Fears around evictions and foreclosures have also worsened, and more Americans today are considering a move as a result of the pandemic.
Key findings from the report:
  • 19% of respondents have not yet made a housing payment for July, and an additional 13% have made only a partial payment. Missed payments remain common for renters and homeowners alike.
  • 21% of renters say they are “very” or “extremely” concerned about facing eviction in the next six months, up from 18% in June. Meanwhile, 17% of homeowners expressed serious concern about foreclosure, up from 14% last month.
  • More than half of respondents have had their moving plans impacted by the pandemic. 33% say that they are now less likely to move during the remainder of 2020, driven primarily by health concerns, while 21% say that they are now more likely to move, driven primarily by the need to find more affordable housing.
You can view the full report here.

NC School Board Meeting To Develop Plan For Reopening Across The State This Coming Fall

Charlotte Stories
-
0
NC School Board Meeting To Develop Plan For Reopening Across The State This Coming Fall

Amid a continued COVID-19 pandemic, many parents and teachers are wondering what the 2020-2021 school year will look like and if students should return to classrooms.

Today the North Carolina State Board of Education is meeting to talk through how schools might be able to reopen across the state this coming fall.

According to today’s meeting agenda, a total of 3 reopening scenarios are being discussed for North Carolina;

  1. A full return to full in-person learning
  2. Continued remote learning
  3. Alternating in-class and online learning to allow for social distancing in classrooms.

Here is the livestream of today’s meeting:

Last Thursday, the State School Board released a statement, saying;

“Governor Cooper announced yesterday that we will continue to work on our plan to re-open schools with a decision in the next couple of weeks. The Governor, NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) are focused on bringing as many students safely back to our schools and to take care of teachers and all staff, especially those most vulnerable and those who care for vulnerable family members. As decisions are made about reopening schools, health and safety remains the first priority along with continuing the education of all students. Throughout this process, the SBE has and will continue to engage in a collaborative process with DPI and the Governor’s Office.

Returning students to schools is a priority. While the delay may be inconvenient right now, it allows districts to continue to develop the various plans outlined in Lighting Our Way Forward: North Carolina’s Guidebook for Reopening Public Schools, and provides Governor Cooper, together with the SBE and DHHS, the needed time to make the most appropriate decision based on the best information available to us. By being intentional and collaborative we will have a plan to address the many concerns we have received from students, parents and educators based on the science and guidance provided to us from the NC Department of Health and Human Services.”

This morning the President of The United States threatened to cut off funding from any school system that does not reopen this coming March:

What do you think about the situation?

Do you think North Carolina Schools should reopen this year?

Could Apple still build a campus in North Carolina?

Robert Tilman
-
0
Could Apple still build a campus in North Carolina?

We live in a highly digitalized world in which smart technologies are of utmost importance. More importantly, tech companies have overtaken the world. Those have managed to appear at the top tier of the global giants, becoming more significant than oil and gas corporations or transcontinental conglomerates. They keep rising as the new generations, notably the Gen Z, are keen on tech innovations and digital devices. 

To really understand the scale of the digital transformation throughout the recent years, we should observe the aspects of our daily lives. From banking to purchasing various goods and services, everything is now done through the internet. There is practically no need to visit a physical branch to transfer money or use various financial services. Besides, using different smart devices, individuals can now perform practically any activity from shopping to ordering a cab. Under such circumstances, the success of tech companies should not come as a surprise to anyone.

Despite the competition rules and an extremely well-saturated and diverse market both in the United States and beyond, there are still a few companies that dominate the entire market. Notably, those are Apple and Microsoft, along with others like Amazon. This group of corporations pushes for innovation and novelty on a regular basis, coming up with products and services that go viral overnight. 

Apple, which started in a garage, is one of the biggest tech companies in the world now. The corporation’s annual revenue exceeds $260 billion, a landmark milestone in the development of the company.  Now, despite the global economic and social turmoil Apple stocks are at an all-time high. The company keeps growing, achieving new heights, and releasing innovative products that come with the Apple standard. The corporation is present all around the world, with its flagship iPhones being sold in every country on earth. Now Apple wants to expand even further, amidst the urgent need for more staff and office space. 

The Apple office culture 

It is a general 21st-century tendency that offices should be simply cool. More open spaces, entertainment areas and fun activities are brought to workspaces by the companies, in efforts to attract more young and innovative talent from all over the world. Offices are important and all companies acknowledge that. Besides the general trend, the visible pattern is that tech and innovative businesses have even more interesting offices. Companies like Microsoft and Facebook feature slides, soft floors and plenty of other fun activities inside of their office buildings. 

Apple is not one of such companies. The corporation prefers keeping the design solid, yet making it more spacious, environmentally friendly, and classy. The minimalistic design at Apple’s offices reflects the structure and characteristics of their products. Well-streamlined and carefully designed, vast, and welcoming spaces cost billions of dollars. Notably, Apple Park, corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California, cost the company an estimated sum of $5 billion. 

The new office in Austin and the North Carolina dream 

In November, Apple stated that the ground had been broken at the construction site of its newest grand office location in Austin Texas. It is a 133-acre property that will be able to accommodate 15,000 members of the Apple staff, making the location one of the largest on the company’s records. This came as a shock for many people that were following the news about Apple’s corporate office development. The thing is, that according to the earlier sources, Apple was considering North Carolina as their newest location. The amount of investment is just over $1 billion that would have been a significant boost for the State’s economy. Being the only major metropolitan area within the area, Charlotte could gain some major benefits from the project. The city could get more employment opportunities and international attention, potentially driving more firms into the state and Charlotte particularly. 

Apple’s announcement about the new location in Austin was particularly shocking for the governor of North Carolina. According to a number of valid sources, the state had considered the negotiations about Apple’s new location concluded. The deal had been reached and Apple was to build its $1 billion development in North Carolina. Even the potential location was leaked a number of times with all of the sources saying, that the new campus would be built on the ground of the Research Triangle Park close to Raleigh and Durham. 

So what happened with the deal? If the sources were correct, the construction of the new campus should have already kicked off on the premises of the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. According to the Senate Majority leader in the state, Harry Brown, the leaked information about the project could be to blame for the cancellation of the construction: “The December announcement seemed to surprise the governor and state legislative leaders, who hours later released a joint statement touting economic growth in North Carolina and pledging to keep doing everything we can. Apple and companies like it are very sensitive to information getting out, and there’s a possibility that could have hurt the negotiations with Apple a year ago.” 

What if Apple’s North Carolina campus will still become a reality? 

The hope is still here and on some very valid grounds. Shortly after the announcement of the Austin construction back in 2018, over 280 acres of land was purchased within the limits of the Research Triangle Park by ‘Acute Investments’. The latter is not a well-known company with a high profile, but the local attorney and the Apple lobbyist Bruce Thompson is listed on the deeds for the said property. WRAL later followed the story, reporting numerous times that the area is controlled by Apple. The State officials in North Carolina refuse to respond to the story, proving that there probably is more to this story than what we know. 

 

6% of Millennial Renters in Charlotte Say They Plan On Renting Forever

Charlotte Stories
-
0
6% of Millennial Renters in Charlotte Say They Plan On Renting Forever
As the housing market continues to improve and an aging millennial generation continuing to rent, many are asking – what does the future of home ownership in America look like?
ApartmentList.com just released their 2019 Millennials & Homeownership Report, which analyzes the attitudes, expectations, and actions of over 10,000 millennial renters in the U.S.
The report found that:
  • 6% of millennial renters in Charlotte metro expect to rent forever. But of those who expect to purchase a home, 39% have not yet started saving towards a down payment.
  • At current savings rates, just 25% of America’s millennial renters will be ready to put down 10% on a median-priced starter home in the next five years.
  • Forgiving student loan debt would be a major boon to millennial homeownership. If debt payments were instead put towards savings, we estimate the percentage of the nation’s millennial renters ready to buy a home would rise from 25% to 39%.
  • To cope with high costs, some millennial renters look for down payment support from family. But millennials are expecting less support this year ($9,000) than last year ($10,000).
70% percent of renters say affordability is the reason they have not yet (or will never) purchase a home. Furthermore, student debt continues to be a barrier and millennials are expecting lower levels of financial assistance from parents than in prior years.
Taken together, these statistics indicate that millennials are very unlikely to catch up to previous generations in homeownership in the coming years-especially if the United States experiences another recession.

4 Tried & Tested Ways to Maximize Your Refund on business income deductions

Robert Tilman
-
0
4 Tried & Tested Ways to Maximize Your Refund on business income deductions

At present, most self-employed people look for ways to cut down the tax liability of their business. This approach makes sense in the current age of rising prices. While they generally tend to rely on a 1099 tax calculator for this purpose, they also look for other options.

Here’s how you can limit the possibility of paying more than what you owe as tax liability.

  1. Decide if you want to file jointly with your spouse or individually

Self-employed taxpayers in the United States have the option of choosing how they would like to file for their taxes. Of course, to a large extent, it depends on their marital status.

Filing individually or jointly with your spouse has its share of advantages and downsides. Though 96% of couples in the United States choose to file jointly, it may not be the best option in all cases. 

This is especially true if you are entitled to COBRA payments as a part of medical expenses. In such cases, filing your tax individually will entitle you to more deductions. The Child Tax Credit is another factor you may want to consider as well before making your tax filing decision.

If you are unmarried, including a qualifying dependant or filing as the head of the household will help you get more tax deductions.

  1. Know your eligibility criteria for tax deductions

Given that there is a long list of tax deductions, you may miss out on cashing in on one or more tax deductions for which you are eligible. Taking your time in exploring all the possibilities will help you overcome this challenge.

Before filing for your tax deduction, don’t forget to consider the following options:

  • Reinvested dividends
  • State Sales tax
  • Child and dependent care
  • EITC or Earned Income Tax Credit
  • Charity Miles
  • Medical miles
  • Jury duty fees
  • Student loan interest
  • Charitable contributions out of the pocket

Check out if you qualify for these criteria for a tax deduction.

  1. Try to increase your contributions towards IRA and HSA accounts

Contributions to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) or both can help you cut down the burden of taxes. When you make these contributions, they add up to your adjusted gross income (AGI).

Make sure you find out if you qualify to contribute to either one or both of these accounts.

  1. Keep an eye on the timing factor

By choosing the right timing strategy, you can avoid the maximum expenses linked to tax expenses. It can help maximize your possibilities for claiming a greater refund. If you can pay the outstanding tax-related expenses before the conclusion of a year, it will help you minimize the burden of taxable income.

Final thoughts

Getting a refund on taxable income may not be as easy as it sounds on the surface. That said, some proven ways, such as the ones listed above, can help you accomplish the task. Now that you know about some such ways put them into practice and see how they work for you.

 

How To Make Your Charlotte Business More Accessible

Clark Alcorn
-
0
How To Make Your Charlotte Business More Accessible

When you run a business there are tons of different responsibilities you have to balance. From accurately ordering to marketing your place and even hiring the right staff, the tasks are endless.

However, one very important responsibility all business owners have is their responsibility to cater to a variety of customers, including differently-abled ones.

When it comes time for you to conduct business, it’s imperative that you make your place accessible to everyone. If it’s not, then you risk losing customers.

Read on to learn about three ways to make sure you’re considering everyone in your workspace.

1- Think About The Layout Of Your Space

When you’re building a business, you need to consider creating a space where people with different levels of mobility can move around comfortably. There are tons of people young and old who have mobility issues for one reason or another. For people with these issues, elements like stairs or narrow aisles can be really limiting.

Not everyone builds their store space with wheelchair or scooter users in mind. But if you want to create a truly welcoming environment for all patrons, then you should be working with ADA contractors to make the storefront more accessible.

ADA contractors work to help you make the space you operate in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. These contractors start their work by creating an accessibility assessment of your space, then draft and execute plans to make your space satisfy state requirements. Altogether, they make your layout truly inclusive.

2- Examine The Ways You Communicate

Another way you can make your business more accessible is by focusing on how you communicate with customers. For those in the Deaf or Hard of Hearing community, having written or signed communication is a necessity if they want to interact with your business.

If you want to be fair to your Deaf and HoH clients, consider having captions or transcriptions of all your marketing videos and policies.

It’s simple to get visuals captioned too. There are tons of online services that can caption a video for around a dollar a minute and promise quick turnaround times.

Unfortunately, it’s a common oversight to exclude the Deaf community in many forms of communication, but it is easy to address. Simply start by captioning your marketing and training materials today!

3- Are You Marketing To Different Communities?

Lastly, when we think of accessibility, you can frame it in terms of interacting with your larger community. Are you serving only a small group of people in your neighborhood, or are you accessible to everyone in your area?

Sometimes companies remain inaccessible to parts of their community because of lack of awareness or interaction. But that’s easy to rectify.

If your business seems to be isolated from the community at large, consider getting involved with local organizations that focus on helping the disabled.

For example, you could sponsor a local little league team or start an open mic night to get the word out that you value your community. People love to frequent businesses that give back, so if you want to expand your reach, then partner with others around you!

In The End

While being an accessible business does take some thought, it doesn’t have to be a hassle. When you start to take initiative to include your larger community in your workplace, your efforts will pay off.

Think about the ways you can make your storefront and website easier to access. And don’t forget to consider communities beyond your own when marketing – you never know what connections you’ll create in a city like Charlotte!

Tropical Storm Fay Could Develop Over South Carolina This Week

Charlotte Stories
-
0
Tropical Storm Fay Could Develop Over South Carolina This Week

A new low pressure system building over Georgia and South Carolina could develop into the 5th named storm of 2020 (which would be the earliest 5th named storm on record).

If the system is able to whip up sustained winds over 39 mph, it would be officially named Tropical Storm Fay, the fifth name for 2020, after; Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, and Edouard.

The National Weather Service is currently giving the system a 40% chance of developing into a storm over the next 5 days.

This morning the National Weather Service issued the following warning:

947 AM EDT Tue Jul 7 2020

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Tropical moisture has spread across the region and will persist into
tonight. Areas of heavy rain may develop across the forecast area,
especially along and southeast of the Interstate 85 corridor,
leading to localized flash flooding.

Here is the current and future radar of the system:

1...855856857...1,315Page 856 of 1,315