President Trump will be holding a rally in the Queen City on Monday night (3/2), just one day before the North Carolina primary.
The event will be held at the Bojangles Coliseum (2700 East Independence Blvd.) at 7pm.
He is currently running against Joe Walsh and Bill Weld for the presidential nominee on the North Carolina Republican primary ballot.
Trump won our state by 4% during the 2016 general election and our state is expected to be another highly contested battleground state this November during the 2020 general election as well.
With U.S. traffic congestion costing U.S. drivers $87 billion in 2018 and the U.S. ranked 17th in the world in road quality, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2020’s Best & Worst States to Drive in.
To determine the most driver-friendly states in the U.S., the website compared all 50 states across 4 dimensions (Cost, Traffic, Safety, and Access) and further broke those down into 31 key metrics. The data set ranges from average gas prices to share of rush-hour traffic congestion to road quality.
North Carolina came out just 2 spots below the top, ranked #3 in the nation. South Carolina came in just above the 50% mark at #34 in the nation.
Best & Worst Driving States in America
Overall Rank
(1 = Best)
State
Total Score
‘Cost of Ownership & Maintenance’ Rank
‘Traffic & Infrastructure’ Rank
‘Safety’ Rank
‘Access to Vehicles & Maintenance’ Rank
1
Iowa
64.44
9
8
31
22
2
Tennessee
63.43
1
22
35
20
3
North Carolina
62.85
8
29
21
11
4
Texas
62.51
20
41
13
2
5
Nebraska
61.89
13
7
34
32
6
Georgia
61.76
5
36
30
8
7
Virginia
61.57
2
37
32
14
8
Indiana
61.38
4
18
41
19
9
Arkansas
61.02
16
4
36
36
10
Alabama
60.82
7
14
43
25
11
Kansas
60.64
17
6
42
30
12
Kentucky
60.61
10
23
23
31
13
Illinois
60.04
35
31
7
5
14
Wisconsin
59.65
14
16
44
18
15
Florida
59.47
25
45
27
3
16
Oregon
59.33
41
12
10
23
17
Idaho
59.20
32
2
22
45
18
Louisiana
59.13
28
20
11
28
19
New York
58.75
46
38
3
4
20
Oklahoma
58.70
26
13
28
29
21
Mississippi
58.42
11
11
46
37
22
Ohio
58.22
21
26
39
7
23
New Mexico
57.79
27
3
38
44
24
South Carolina
57.57
3
25
45
27
25
Missouri
56.84
6
28
49
10
26
Maine
56.67
23
33
16
35
27
Minnesota
56.59
29
32
20
21
28
North Dakota
56.44
22
10
40
48
29
South Dakota
56.42
12
9
48
41
30
Utah
56.32
36
15
18
33
31
Arizona
55.90
37
19
24
26
32
Michigan
55.87
38
27
26
12
33
Pennsylvania
55.78
40
30
33
6
34
Delaware
55.40
15
42
15
49
35
Massachusetts
55.38
42
50
1
9
36
Vermont
55.28
33
24
14
34
37
Nevada
54.83
45
21
5
38
38
New Hampshire
54.67
24
44
12
40
39
Wyoming
54.63
30
1
47
47
40
Connecticut
54.60
47
34
2
24
41
Montana
54.58
18
5
50
43
42
Alaska
53.89
34
17
17
50
43
New Jersey
53.09
39
48
9
15
44
West Virginia
52.90
19
39
37
42
45
Maryland
51.80
31
49
25
17
46
Colorado
51.80
43
40
29
16
47
California
50.61
49
46
4
1
48
Washington
50.05
48
35
19
13
49
Rhode Island
49.75
44
47
6
46
50
Hawaii
38.77
50
43
8
39
You can read more about the report here on Wallethub.
Do you agree with our ranking?
What do you think we should do to improve?
Girl Scouts Hornets’ Nest Council is participating in National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend February 28 through March 1, celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit, excitement, and fun that selling Girl Scout Cookies® has powered for more than 100 years. This special weekend lets Girl Scouts show off their cookie-selling skills by participating in booth and door-to-door sales as well as through the Digital Cookie® platform, an innovative and educational web-based addition to the cookie program that helps girls run their cookie businesses online.
Thanks to the new Lemon-Ups™ cookie joining the cookie line-up this year, there’s never been a better time to invest in girls by purchasing Girl Scout Cookies®.
Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, the largest annual investment in girls in the United States, local girls empower themselves as they earn their own money to put toward a range of experiences, some of which are illustrated on this year’s refreshed cookie packaging—from adventure-packed camping and canoeing, to exploring space science and designing robots, to taking meaningful action to improve girls’ communities.
“National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend is undeniably an exciting time for our troops, volunteers and staff,” said Angela Woods, CEO of Girl Scouts Hornets’ Nest Council. “In addition to learning business basics like sales and marketing, all of the proceeds fund troop projects and experiences, as well as important programming, at the local level.”
At a time of year when many Girl Scouts are selling Girl Scout Cookies®, National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, which is an annual event, encourages costumers to support female leaders and change-makers of today and tomorrow.
While just 17 percent of startups are founded by women the cookie program equips girls with the skills and attributes they need, such as persistence, confidence, and healthy risk-taking, to become business founders and leaders. Many Girl Scouts invest their earnings back into their communities, which means that customers are not just purchasing delicious cookies—they’re also supporting the betterment of their communities and a bright future for girls.
Since 2012, Girl Scouts in the Hornets’ Nest Council have donated more than 600,000 packages of cookies to local charities and nonprofits as well as military personnel, police, fire and first responders through the Cookies for a Cause program. Award earners from the Girl Scout Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards completed over 395 action projects to help solve future community problems.
This cookie season Girl Scouts has introduced a sweet new way to support young female entrepreneurs who learn essential business skills like money management and goal setting through the cookie program: meet Lemon-Ups, a crispy lemon cookie baked with messages inspired by Girl Scout entrepreneurs. “I am a go-getter” and “I am an innovator” are among the eight phrases that bring the experience of Girl Scouting to life.
Girl Scout Cookies can only be purchased from a registered Girl Scout. For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts, visit www.hngirlscouts.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter @GSHNC and Pinterest.
Today the Mecklenburg County Natural Resources staff will be setting the Latta Nature Preserve on fire as part of a controlled burn.
The county sent out an alert noting that smoke will be seen around North Charlotte today between 12pm and 3pm. To reduce smoke exposure, stay indoors or avoid areas of heavy smoke.
The county’s controlled burns have increased in frequency over the past few years as the result of increased wildfires around the world.
According to Mecklenburg County, “land managers use controlled burns (also known as prescribed fire) to mimic the natural disturbance caused by the natural fires of years ago. These fires are carefully planned and conducted under specific weather conditions to achieve specific goals. In this way fire can safely be used as a management tool.”
OpenTable recently released their list of the “Top 100 Best Brunch Restaurants in America” and Cafe Monte in Southpark was listed toward the top. They serve up mouth-watering quiches and crepes, eggs, waffles and French toast, and fresh made artisan breads.
The list was compiled from over 5 million reviews of more than 20,000 restaurants by verified OpenTable members.
In addition to Cafe Monte, there were also 5 other Carolina restaurants that made the list, including;
Nothing can be more stressful when you need to balance your travel plan and parking. Of course, you can forget about the latest news and focus on the details of your trip; However, taking public transportation adds more problems since you are not in control.
Today, traveling has been made easier with the presentation of Parkos, a service provider that allows you to compare parking rates at the airport, reserve your place and pay online in one minute.
This modern technology has made it easier for many travellers, whether for holidays, business trips or simply to connect to airports. It allows you to park your car in good hands and focus on your trip without stress.
About Parkos:
Parkos is the European and Australian market leader in airport parking. Parkos airport parking give their customers a transparent and affordable way to park near almost all airports in the USA. A group of Dutch travel bloggers introduced Parkos because they noticed theproblem after reading comments from different people about the lack of airport parking and also because of the high price of airport parking. This is why to meet mall the needs and requirements of the people they introduced the Parkos. Now Parkos has been operating for 5 years in different countries and offers the best and cheapest parking services at the airport.
Parkos airport parking services:
Along with parking options, there are also other services such as valet or bus service or covered parking. The big difference between valet parking and traditional parking is that, in the first case, you deliver the vehicle to a valet service used to save time.
Reservations via a search engine where certain filters are used, a list of suppliers is provided to select the preferred car park, according to the user’s preferences after having been able to read more information about the car park itself.
Regarding the time in advance of reservations, the minimum recommended period in high season is at least three days, although if this is not possible (not to know the details of flights, for example many Parkos providers accept reservations up to three hours before departure.
Effortless parking service:
When you use the Parkosairport parking service, there are no parking complications, as the process is very fast from arrival to connection with your airport service providers, a simplified payment process and, in general, makes your interesting parking experience.
Your parking experience is enhanced by the company’s website, which gives you more control to compare prices and choose according to your preferences. Whether you’re flying to Miami Airport or Orlando Airport, Parkos makes it easy by comparing prices for an hourly rate, a daily rate, and an extended period of time.
Parkosairport service comes with a simple interface and you can easily book parking at the airport. It works similarly to other airport parking services. First, you need to go to the website and select the city; After that, you need to select the date and time of the airport parking. There is no additional charge for cancelling the airport reservation. It is a reliable and inexpensive airport parking service.
Parkos prices:
Meanwhile, Parkos points out that the cheapest prices are offered, which equates to saving 50% of the money instead of leaving the car in the official airport parking lot where scenes of broken down cars or other problems have already been seen.
However, in Parkos, this reduction in costs is possible by having several parking spaces around the world. For its part, modifications and cancellations are free. This means that Parkos offers you low cost parking at Melbourne Airport safely.
Parkos payment method:
All payments made via Parkos are managed via a secure connection with a signed SSL certificate. There is also the possibility of paying via PayPal, the most direct connection to your personal online banking program.
Conclusion:
As technology improves and improves, Parkos has simplified the airport parking process. The process is very simple and obvious for beginners. It is wise to spend more time researching the available parking before so as not to interfere with your flight.
Novant Health confirmed its commitment to community health and active lifestyles with title sponsorship of the Charlotte Marathon through 2024. Under the agreement, Novant Health will provide all medical care along the event race routes and at the finish line. The Charlotte Marathon will partner closely with Novant Health throughout the year to share training tips, healthy recipes, exercise videos and more as race participants gear up to run
on Nov. 14, 2020.
“Sponsorship of the Charlotte Marathon is an investment in the health and wellness of our community as a whole,” said Jesse Cureton, chief consumer officer and EVP, Novant Health. “Our commitment to this event gives us the opportunity to encourage healthy lifestyle choices that come with training, to celebrate participant’s successes, and to raise awareness of Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital and the remarkable patients we care for.”
Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital will remain the event’s primary beneficiary. Since 2013, the event has contributed nearly $200,000 to support programs at Hemby Children’s Hospital. In 2020, funds will support Caroline’s Corner, a new kitchen and family living room for patients and families at Hemby. Caroline’s Corner will bring care, comfort and hope to families with a hospitalized child. Plans are in place to create a spacious, private and peaceful retreat uniquely designed to meet the needs of pediatric patients’ families. The area will be constructed and furnished to make every day spent at the hospital a little more comfortable, enabling families to focus on their child’s healing and recovery.
“Our goal isn’t to be the biggest marathon,” added Tim Rhodes, Race Director for the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. “We want to be the best marathon— to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for the runners, a positive impact on the community, and a unique platform for our sponsors to really shine — and that’s absolutely achievable.”
Rhodes cites the events’ double-digit growth over last year and Novant Health’s renewed commitment as proof the marathon is more than a solid bet. The 2019 Novant Health Charlotte Marathon was bigger than anticipated; the 26.2- mile race reached capacity, as did the half marathon, and marathon relay. In all, just shy of 6,000 people from 40 states
and 8 other countries took to the start line for the 15th annual series of events.
This year’s Novant Health Charlotte Marathon will again feature a full marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, 5k run, and a kids’ fun run. All events will be held Saturday, November 14, 2020. Registration is open now at www.runcharlotte.com.
Yesterday the CDC stated that a community outbreak of the COVID-19 virus is no longer “a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more a question of exactly when…”
North Carolina’s COVID-19 Task Force issued a statement regarding the increased risk of an outbreak in our state. In it, they urge all businesses, schools, health care providers, communities and individuals to prepare.
“NCDHHS has been coordinating with the CDC and state and local partners to prepare for COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak in China,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer for NCDHHS.
They list the following measures as steps to take to prepare for potential widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the state:
Individuals, Families and Communities
NCDHHS recommends everyone continue taking precautions to protect themselves and others from the spread of respiratory illnesses, which includes COVID-19.
Wash hands frequently with soap and water, and for at least 20 seconds each time.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are ill.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched.
It is also good practice to start being more aware of the number of times a day your hands touch an object or hard surface and then touch your face without being washed. Limiting the exposure of your nose, mouth and eyes to unwashed hands can help to protect from the spread of all germs and illnesses.
Have a plan in case you need to miss work or other responsibilities due to personal illness or to care for a sick family member.
Practice good hand hygiene and encourage your employees and patrons to take common-sense precautions to protect themselves from the spread of respiratory illnesses.
Review your policies and procedures for remote or teleworking where possible.
Cross-train employees for key functions so that daily schedules can continue relatively uninterrupted by potential employee absences.
Review absenteeism policies to make sure employees are not being encouraged to come to work if they are sick.
If you have not already, establish a relationship with your local health department and communicate with them if you have any questions or concerns about COVID-19.
Review policies and procedures for infection prevention and mitigation, and make sure that all employees are aware of and following the appropriate steps.
Consider how to maximize the use of telemedicine, nurse triage lines and other options to prevent sick people from coming to clinics and emergency rooms if they have mild illness and do not need treatment.
College, Universities, K-12 Schools and Child Care Facilities
Make sure all students, faculty and staff are aware of and practicing good hand hygiene and taking common-sense precautions to protect from the spread of respiratory illnesses.
Review absenteeism policies and procedures to make sure students or children, faculty and staff are not being encouraged to attend or work if they are sick.
If you have not already, establish a relationship with your local health department and communicate with them if you have any questions or concerns about COVID-19.
No one group, ethnicity or population in the US is at a higher risk for acquiring COVID-19 infection than others. While some people may be worried or have concerns about COVID-19, it is important to not let fear and anxiety lead to social stigma towards friends, neighbors or members of the community. Treat all people with compassion and speak up if you hear others making statements that cause stigma against people in your community.
If you have questions or concerns, call the COVID-19 Helpline toll free at 1-866-462-3821. To submit questions online, go to www.ncpoisoncontrol.org and select “chat.”
For the first time in history, a girl has won an individual state championship in wrestling.
Uwharrie Charter Academy senior Heaven Fitch defeated a total of 54 males (and only loss to 4) in the 1-A class this season to win the title.
According to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, “Heaven Fitch became the first female to win an NCHSAA Wrestling Individual State Championship. Last year, she finished fourth to become the first female to place at the State Individual Tournament.”
The association posted a video of the last moments of Heaven’s final match, where she executes a complete reversal on her male opponent to win the title. During the final moments, the crowd was chanting “Heaven! Heaven!”.
1️⃣st Female Wrestler to WIN an Individual Wrestling State Championship
Charlotte was recently voted as one of the top 4 start-up cities in the world by Inc Magazine. Over the years, our city has developed several entrepreneurial networks and infrastructures designed to support visionaries, two of the biggest examples being Packard Place and Queen City Forward.
I recently learned about an incredible start-up that’s used these networks to become one of the largest restaurant companies in our city. Chanticleer Holdings was launched 10 years ago as a business development company focused on buying and expanding restaurants here in Charlotte and around the world. They now own The American Burger Company, The Burger Joint, a majority stake in Just Fresh, and they’re one of the largest Hooter’s franchisee owners in the world. The company now owns 62 restaurants on 5 continents, employing over 2,000 people.
I had the honor of sitting down with the President and CEO of Chanticleer Holdings, Mike Pruitt at one of their most popular restaurants in Charlotte, The Burger Company;
He is currently running against Joe Walsh and Bill Weld for the presidential nominee on the North Carolina Republican primary ballot.
Girl Scouts Hornets’ Nest Council is participating in National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend February 28 through March 1, celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit, excitement, and fun that selling Girl Scout Cookies® has powered for more than 100 years. This special weekend lets Girl Scouts show off their cookie-selling skills by participating in booth and door-to-door sales as well as through the Digital Cookie® platform, an innovative and educational web-based addition to the cookie program that helps girls run their cookie businesses online.
Today the Mecklenburg County Natural Resources staff will be setting the Latta Nature Preserve on fire as part of a controlled burn.
Novant Health confirmed its commitment to community health and active lifestyles with title sponsorship of the Charlotte Marathon through 2024. Under the agreement, Novant Health will provide all medical care along the event race routes and at the finish line. The Charlotte Marathon will partner closely with Novant Health throughout the year to share training tips, healthy recipes, exercise videos and more as race participants gear up to run
Yesterday the 
