Charlotte’s Summer Meals Program Offers Free Food and Fun for Kids

0

Many students rely on the nutritious meals served during the school year through the School Breakfast Program, School Lunch Program, and Afterschool Meals Program. But hunger doesn’t take a summer break. Nearly 1 million children in North Carolina struggle with hunger when school is out.

N.C. Summer Nutrition Programs ensure economically disadvantaged children up to age 18 continue to receive nutritious meals when school is out of session. Summer Nutrition Programs operate in low-income areas (where 50 percent or more of the students qualify for no-cost or reduced-price school meals) and can be found in schools, public housing centers, playgrounds, camps, parks, medical centers, faith-based facilities, libraries and other places where students gather during the summer months. Meals are served to eligible children at no cost. Registration and ID are not required.

North Carolina’s Summer Nutrition Programs served more than 100,000 children per day last year statewide.

Summer Nutrition Programs also help provide educational enrichment. To find out about activities offered by Summer Nutrition Programs near you, search #NCSummerMeals on social media. Mascot Ray F. Sun will be visiting sites across the state this summer to help promote the food, fitness and fun that N.C. Summer Nutrition Programs offer. Follow @Ray4NCKids on social media to learn where Ray will be next.

N.C. Summer Nutrition Programs are administered by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, School Operations Division, with federal assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Last summer, NCDPI worked with 166 local sponsoring agencies to offer Summer Nutrition Programs at 2,906 sites across the state.

For this summer, NCDPI has already enrolled 74 sponsors serving 2,042 sites. Enrollment is in full swing and NCDPI anticipates 170-plus sponsors serving more than 3,000 sites in 98 North Carolina counties. To find a summer meals site near you:

  • Text “FoodNC” to 877-877,
  • Call toll-free 1.866.3Hungry (1.866.348.6479) or 1.877.8Hambre (1.877.842.6273), or
  • Visit the USDA’s Summer Meal Site Finder, https://www.fns.usda.gov/SummerFoodRocks.

Additional information regarding N.C. Summer Nutrition Programs can be found on the NCDPI, School Nutrition Services website. Citizens and organizations interested in getting involved as a sponsor, site, activity provider or volunteer should contact NCDPI Summer Nutrition Programs Manager Cynthia Ervin.

North Carolina Officer Blocked From Kay Jewelers Because of He Was Wearing Service Weapon

0

Earlier this week, a uniformed North Carolina officer was banned from entering a Kay Jewelers because he was wearing his service weapon (a requirement while in uniform).

Yesterday, the Iredell County Sherriff posted the entire incident on his Facebook page.

In the post he notes that;

“A uniformed deputy, while on his lunch break, was notified the engagement ring he had purchased for his upcoming wedding proposal, had been sized and was ready for him to pick up at Kay Jewelers located on Turnersburg Highway in Statesville.

The deputy took his meal break to pick up the ring and was met at the door by the store manager, who informed him he was not allowed to wear his service weapon while on their premises.

The deputy informed the manager he was in uniform and his marked patrol car was in the parking lot, and it would be a violation of policy for him to remove his service weapon while in uniform.”

The post goes on to say that the officer left the premises without the engagement ring that he had already paid for.

The post has since been shared over 8,000 times and has received over 7,700 comments;

The local Kay Jewelers store is located near the intersection of I-40 and I-77 in Statesville, NC;

Kay Jewelers corporate apologized for the local manager’s actions in the comment section, saying;

“Kay Jewelers is reaching out to the customer and the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office to sincerely apologize for the mishandling of this matter.
We have tremendous respect for law enforcement, and we thank the Office for bringing this to our attention. We will be sure to reinforce store training regarding our firearm policy with specific regard to uniformed law enforcement.”

What are your thoughts about the incident?

Oprah’s Newest Show Follows 5 High-Powered Couples Around Charlotte

0

Oprah’s newest show is now following 5 high-powered African-American families around Charlotte.

The new “To Have & To Hold: Charlotte” series documents the real-life challenges that Queen City couples face, from financial stress, to issues with intimacy, to the ups and downs of parenthood.

The tight-knit couples like to let loose and have fun, and while these passionate and often opinionated friends may have their differences, they will ultimately do anything for each other. As marriages and friendships are put to the test, will they have the love and strength needed to thrive or will some of these relationships crack under the pressure?

The series is produced by Truly Original, part of Endemol Shine North America. Executive producers are Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Lauren Eskelin, Stephen Mintz, Lucas Howe, Shari Ortner, and Wendy Credle.

New episodes are now featured each Saturday night at 10/9c.

Death For Beauty: Woman Dies During Plastic Surgery In Hospital

0

A 28-year old woman died during a cosmetic surgery procedure on May 10, 2019 at MIA Aesthetics. According to reports, the victim, identified as Danea Plasencia, died while she was undergoing a Brazilian Butt Lift.

According to the doctor, the victim was being transferred from one table to another when she turned blue. It was around this moment that she went into cardiac arrest. The medical team tried to revive her through CPR but it was ineffective and the victim was later transported to the Baptist Miami Hospital, where she died.

As of the time of writing, an investigation is still being conducted and the cause of the victim’s death still cannot be determined. It’s still unclear what went wrong with the procedure, but what’s completely clear are the consequences should the medical team be found to have had lapses in ensuring that they are adhering to medical standards.

Medical Malpractice, Defined

Medical malpractice is the failure of medical professionals to adhere to general procedural standards agreed upon by the professional medical community.

The primary defining assumption of medical malpractice is that there was negligence on the part of the medical professionals which led to the injury or death of the patient.

Medical Malpractice Penalties

Depending on the gravity of the offense, a medical malpractice violation could be penalized by a fine (which scales higher depending on how bad the neglect of duty was.), the suspension or revocation of the professional’s license, and even jail time.

A medical malpractice lawsuit is also the legal course of action taken in order for victims or the family of the victim (in cases where the malpractice caused death) to claim damages.

Conditions

For a victim to be able to claim medical malpractice, there are three conditions that must be met:

 

  • That there was a duty of care
  • That there was a neglect of duty in that care
  • That the neglect was a direct cause of the injury

 

These three elements need to be established before a victim is able to claim damages because of medical standards, as well as training, varies between medical professionals.

Nurses are not trained the way surgeons are, much like how a pediatrician is not traited the way a neurosurgeon is. Each field of medicine has a different set of standards and practices, and it can be difficult to define boundaries between an honest mistake and downright negligence.

It is exactly for this reason that you need professional help from specialists, like these Seattle malpractice lawyers to help you establish the three aforementioned elements.

These elements are also in place to protect medical professionals from undue and unwarranted legal attacks by distraught victims. It’s important to keep in mind that not all lives can be saved, yet it is the duty of medical professionals to do whatever they can to save or to preserve the life of a patient.

Failure to do so does not necessarily mean that there was malpractice involved. The last thing you want is to ruin the career of an innocent person.

Top 10 Best Restaurants in Cornelius NC

0

lake norman restaurantsTripAdvisor has recently released their new list of the best restaurants in Cornelius and many may be surprised at some of the top spots.

Have you tried all of these places around Lake Norman yet?

1. 131 Main

2. Fresh Chef

3. Mac’s Speed Shop

4. Port City Club

5. Sangam Indian Cuisine

6. Alton’s Kitchen

7. Choplin’s

8. Tenders

9. Prosciutto’s Pizzeria

10. El Toro Mexican Grill

What’s your favorite restaurant?

The Benefits Of A Towing Service When You’ve Broken Down

0

When you are on a road trip, the last thing you would ever want to happen is for your car to break down. Especially if you are on a highway, where rescue services seem a long way off, it can be quite a grueling experience. How do you get your car rescued and fixed? Will there be someone who can help? Yes, certainly, and this is where a professional towing service comes in.

A towing service refers to the business of towing cars into their truck should an emergency happen. This is precisely why it is recommended for you to have the contact details of towing services on hand, like you do with 911 and other emergency hotlines. That said, here are the benefits of calling a towing service after a car breakdown:

  1. You Can Reach The Nearest Mechanic Safely

Supposing your car has broken down, and after trying to do minor repairs yourself, you have made it jumpstart again. Then it breaks down. In this kind of situation, it is best to leave repairs to the experts. You never know if there is an underlying problem that can potentially be dangerous, especially on highways. To be on the safe side, it comes in highly recommended to call a professional towing service for help instead. This towing service can help bring you to the nearest mechanic without you having to worry about any potential risks to your car.

  1. You Are Assured Of A Speedy Response Time

If you decide to call a friend or any other individual, chances are they may never get to you as fast as a professional towing service would. A part of the fee that you pay for includes the speedy response time that you are assured of. Towing companies have affiliates in numerous places, and like 911, it is often the one nearest to your location that is sent to help. For instance, if you are around the Charlotte area, Charlotte Towing is one of the best and nearest professional towing services for you to contact. A good and speedy response time should run from at least fifteen to not more than thirty minutes from the time you made the call.

  1. You Are Given Assistance At Anytime

Professional towing services are often available 24/7. As roadside accidents or car breakdowns can never really be predicted, you want to feel safe in a blanket of assurance that even if you are driving on the highway at 4 o’clock in the morning, there is still a towing company out there that can help you out. With professional companies, you can be assured that a tow truck will come to you at whatever time of the day it is that you need help.

  1. You Have Guarantee Of Reliable Service

Most experienced drivers or roadside travelers would often remind you that, before heading out on a long drive or one that brings you out of the city, you should always have a list of professional tow services with you. Be prudent enough to do this research beforehand, so that you do not have to scamper at the last minute and immediately trust the very first one you come across on the Internet. This mistake is harmful for the following reasons:

  • You might be in a place where the Internet connection is slow, preventing you from making a last-minute search for towing services.
  • You might mistakenly trust an unreliable towing service, or a scam, simply because you were pressured by the time and situation to call the first one you come across immediately.

Supposing any damage to your car is incurred due to the recklessness of the towing company, if you are dealing with a scam or an unreliable towing service, there is little to no way that you can fight for your rights or retrieve damages and compensation. This is extremely crucial for you to be wary about, as the price of car insurance is rising with today’s economy, so any little expense that you can save helps your budget tremendously.

  1. You Will Feel Less Stressed

Going on a road trip is supposed to be a happy time. It isn’t the time for you to get stressed over potential problems that may arise along the way. In fact, others will even say that these bumps along the road make the trip even more memorable. Yes, this is true if you have already made your preparations beforehand. If you do not know or haven’t researched a towing service before your trip, there is absolutely no way for you to feel like this car breakdown is only a part of the adventure. This is especially true when you are in a hurry, or if you have kids on board or there are any other factors that will only add up to the stress.

With a professional towing service to help you, you can be calmer during your trip. Because you know who to call should a problem arise, a car breakdown shouldn’t be too much of a cumbersome situation for you anymore, you would have a tow service to help you out.

  1. You Are Assured Of Better Care

Yes, you can certainly call a friend who lives nearby and might have a truck to help you out. Perhaps they can tie your car at the back of theirs, and you can travel together towards the nearest mechanic. That is a possible solution, but it isn’t one that is highly recommended simply because it is unsafe.

When your car breaks down, it is still best for you to call a towing service. There is no substitute for the years of experience and the expertise that towing companies have on that field. That is their business, after all. Hence, with this, you are assured of better care and preparation for towing your car. Remember that your car has already broken down, and you will already go through the trouble of having it repaired. The last thing you would ever want in this situation is for you to incur additional problems to your car simply because of inaccurate towing or a bad hauling process.

Conclusion

These are only a few of the numerous benefits that you can gain from calling a towing service should an emergency arise. The most important thing for you to remember, however, is always to call one that you can trust. With professional towing services, you will no longer have to fear any possible car breakdowns as you know that there is someone you can call to help you haul your car.

Cornelius Restaurant Found Guilty of Abusing Child Labor Laws

0
After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Cowboy LKN LLC – a restaurant based in Cornelius, North Carolina – has paid a $12,085 civil money penalty for violating the child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). WHD determined the Cowboy LKN LLC – operating as Cowboy Steak Chicken Ribs – violated child labor requirements by allowing 15-year-old employees to work outside of legally approved hours, and for more hours than allowed by law. WHD investigators found minors worked after 7 p.m. on school nights, worked more than 3 hours on a school day, worked more than 8 hours on a non-school day and worked after 9 p.m. during the summer – all FLSA violations. In addition, WHD found Cowboy LKN LLC failed to maintain a certificate of age or any other acceptable evidence of age for some of the minor employees. “Child labor laws exist to strike a balance between providing meaningful work experience for young people and keeping them safe on the job,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Richard Blaylock, in Raleigh, North Carolina. “We encourage all employers to review their employment obligations and to contact the Wage and Hour Division for compliance assistance.” For more information about the FLSA and other laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division, contact the toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).

Matthews Girl Breaks Record by Selling 4,203 Boxes of Girl Scout Cookies

Matthew’s own Madison ‘Maddie’ Miller just sold over 4,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies this season, making her the 2019 Top Seller and Girl Scouts Hornets’ Nest Council Record Breaker.

While many in her girl scout troop were excited about selling enough cookies to possibly win backpacks and T-shirts, 9-year-old Maddie was determined to take home the top prize – a brand new, top-of-the-line laptop (which would require her to more than double her previous year’s sales).

The Bain Elementary School student’s success came down to good-old-fashioned marketing hustle, handing out business cards and custom delivery bag labels all around town, dominating social media, and repetitively pushing her products to friends and family.

Since she was the 2019 top seller, in addition to her new laptop, Maddie also won a Nintendo Switch, a trip to the Atlanta Zoo, sleeping bag, Vans backpack and tickets to the Cookie Coronation at the Charlotte Knights game, where she received special recognition as a Cookie Top Seller before the game.

Maddie is already excited for next cookie season, and said her new goal is to sell at least 5,000 boxes.

Mecklenburg Approves New $1.9 Billion Budget – Tripling Some Resident’s Property Taxes

0

Yesterday afternoon, Mecklenburg’s Board of County Commissioners adopted a massive new $1.9 billion budget for 2020, an increase of 9% over the county’s 2019’s fiscal budget.

The residential tax rate would be reduced from 82.3 cents down to 61.69 cents, but since this year’s property value reevaluation significantly increased resident’s property values, the tax rate decrease will actually increase taxes for most residents.

In a statement about the new budget, the county notes that:

  • 34.58% of residents will see modest decreases
  • 28.85% of residents will see modest increases
  • 36.58% of residents will see moderate to significant increases

While just over half of residents will see a negligible change to their tax bill, some will see their taxes more than triple.

The hardest hit will certainly be fixed-income and low-income residents living in heavily gentrified neighborhoods such as Cherry, Lockwood, and Villa Heights.

In our investigation of the 2019 property tax reevaluation, we found that some homes saw their tax values increase by over 350%.

One of the more extreme examples is 839 Drummond Ave. in Villa Heights. The property was last appraised in 2014 (in a special revaluation review) for $65,300. County taxes on the home have been about $537 per year since 2014. The home has not been sold or significantly renovated since 1978. Last month, the home was reappraised for $303,400 (a 365% increase in 5 years).

Under the new tax rate, the owner of 839 Drummond Ave. will now be required to pay $1,871 per year in county taxes.

The City of Charlotte, meanwhile, is now in the final stages of approving their own $2.6 billion 2020 budget, which would change the city’s property tax rate from 48.87 cents to 34.81 cents, meaning the owner of 839 Drummond Ave. will have to pay an additional $1,056.13 in city taxes if the budget is approved (more than tripling the $319.12 in city taxes they paid last year).

What are your thoughts about the new reevaluation and budgets? 

Forbes Ranked Charlotte The #6 City For African-American Prosperity

0

Forbes recently released a new report ranking the top 10 cities in America where “African-Americans Are Doing The Best Economically”.

To come up with the rankings, Forbes evaluated America’s 53 largest metropolitan statistical areas based on each city’s African-American: home ownership rate as of 2016; entrepreneurship, as measured by the self-employment rate in 2017; 2016 median household income; and demographic trends, measuring the change in the African-American population from 2010 to 2016 in these metro areas, to judge how the community is “voting with its feet.” Each factor was given equal weight.

The Queen City was ranked as the 6th best city in America where African Americans are prospering, with the following stats;

Median Household Income: $42,108
Home Ownership Rate: 41.6%
Share Who Are Self-Employed:11.0%
Change In Population, 2010-16:15.1%

Charlotte came in just ahead of San Antonio (#7) and just behind Raleigh (#5). Atlanta and Washington DC are both tied for #1.

Here is the complete list;

#10 Richmond
#9 Miami
#8 Houston
#7 San Antonio
#6 Charlotte
#5 Raleigh
#4 Baltimore
#3 Austin
#1 (tie) Washinton DC
#1 (tie) Atlanta

Keep up the good work Charlotte!