It’s that time again — time for Creative Loafing to release its biggest and most provocative issue of the year — the Best of Charlotte 2010!

Now in its 23rd year, the Best of Charlotte showcases CL’s — and our readers’ — picks for the best people, places and things in the city. Featuring more than 100 categories — like Best Local Band, Best New Restaurant, Public Official Most in Need of Tasering and Local Zero, among many others — this special edition is sure to be talked about for months to come.

The Best of Charlotte 2010 hits the streets Wednesday, Aug. 4 … but you can see it first online Tuesday at Clclt.com/bestof.

Don’t miss it!

Great news: Charlotte radio personality and Creative Loafing blogger Alysse Stewart — of On Air With Alysse Stewart — is in the running for a show on Oprah's new network. But, if you want to see her win, you've got to help out by voting. Visit the voting page on Oprah's site to cast a ballot for Alysse.

We wish her good luck! Now vote dammit!

This just in from the folks at the local public relations firm Pride PR:

click to enlarge

Pride Public Relations Launches New PR Division to Deliver High Value Communication in the Green Sector

Agency’s Green Division focuses on green outreach in communities of color

Charlotte, NC – April 19, 2010 — Pride Public Relations, a full-service agency based in Charlotte, recently announced it has launched a Green Division that will develop and implement communications campaigns that focus on environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

The firm’s Green Division’s leadership team, which consists of Dee Dixon, Nepherterra Estrada and Brandi Williams, APR, has 10 years of collective experience developing and implementing public relations campaigns that educate and engage local communities about the benefits of going green.

“Pride PR’s green division has a unique understanding of the economic and environmental benefits of going green and has the ability to effectively communicate those benefits to communities of color,” explained Dee Dixon, co-owner of Pride Public Relations.

The agency’s Green Division has successfully implemented green outreach initiatives and marketing campaigns on behalf of local communities, trade organizations and government agencies including the City of Charlotte’s Meta Un Goool Reciclando campaign, the City of Milwaukee’s Recycle for Good neighborhood campaign and Pride Magazine’s new green initiative.

“We are extremely excited about launching our new Green Division with Earth Day on the horizon and feel the timing is perfect,” said Nepherterra Estrada, co-owner of Pride Public Relations. “We are passionate about environmental sustainability and educating our clients and audiences of color about the importance of going green.”

The agency’s Green Division is equipped to work with corporations, local governments, elected officials, recycling coordinators, solid waste industry professionals, waste haulers and others in an effort to evaluate the goals and objectives of their green practices, develop strategic communication programs that meet established goals and objectives, and create compelling, engaging and informative grassroots marketing programs that resonate with multi-cultural audiences.

“Our team has a record of successfully helping clients communicate their green initiatives and we were doing it long before green was the ‘in’ thing,” said Brandi Williams, APR, strategic partner in Pride PR’s Green Division.

For more information about the firm’s Green Division, please call 704.375.9553 or visit www.pridepr.net/green to learn more about our capabilities.

About Pride Communications

Pride Communications produces Pride Magazine, a bi-monthly publication targeting the needs and interests of Charlotte’s African American community that has been in the community for 18 years. Pride Public Relations provides marketing and communications services. In addition, Pride provides event management services and produces the Sunset Jazz Series and the Pride Awards Gala, two of Charlotte’s high profile events promoting diversity, cultural awareness and financial support for worthy causes. For more information about Pride Communications please visit www.pridecommunicationsinc.net. Pride Public Relations is a certified Small Business Enterprise with the City of Charlotte and a member of Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council, as well as a HUB vendor with the State of North Carolina.

click to enlarge

Former Charlotte radio personality/actor (and one-time cover girl for Creative Loafing) Ifé Moore recently joined in an effort to raise funds in the fight against leukemia. Here are more details about the campaign straight from Moore herself:

Dear Friends,

I am honored to say that I am a candidate for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Man & Woman of the Year campaign. I am writing today to ask for your support in my efforts to help LLS find a cure for blood cancers and to assist patients and families as they battle this disease.

I was approached about the prospect of becoming a candidate by my friend Sarah Howe. She knows that I am both competitive and compassionate. She also knows of my own Mother’s experience with brain cancer and how it changed my life. It is very important to me that I participate in this campaign. It will help me give back to cancer research, in a way I was not and have not been personally able. I just knew this was something I had to do.

Lindsay is 4 and has acute monocytic leukemia (AML). Today she is in remission as AML treatment with a success rate of 50%. But, one of every two children will not make it; thanks to life saving research, leukemia is now a disease that can be cured. Had Lindsay been born 50 years ago, she would not have made it to her 4th birthday.

Landon is 5 and has acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Landon has just begun his three and a half year fight with leukemia. It’s hard for child to understand exactly how long that time-frame is. Landon and his mother counted out 1,300 pebbles and put them into a vase. Every night before bed, Landon picks a pebble from the vase and puts it into a box. Once Landon is done with treatment he wants to take his box of pebbles to Fripp Island and throw them in the ocean and celebrate!!!

LLS is funding research for cures and helping patients (and parents). This is an organization that is doing the right thing with the dollars they raise, and I’m proud to be associated with it.

This is where you come in.

My campaign to be the Woman of the Year is all about the contribution I raise. Every dollar I raise is a vote for me and a vote to cure cancer. I am asking you today to join me in this ambitious campaign. I have until May 15th to reach my goal of $50,000 dollars. I’ve enclosed a donation form and an envelope to make it easy for you to send your tax-deductible contribution (payable to: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) to me. Or, if you prefer, you can go to the campaign Web site and make your contribution there.

Then, I’d ask you to reach out to others that know and ask them to do the same. I know many of the people I talk to about my campaign have a personal connection to blood cancer and want to support our efforts. Please encourage people to support my campaign to conquer blood cancer.

L will let you know how the campaign goes. I am grateful for your friendship and your support.

Sincerely,

Ifé Moore

For more info, and/or to donate visit http://wnc.mwoy.llsevent.org/Moore.

click to enlarge

Pop Life Anniversary Party: It's hard to believe that The Sol Kitchen/Creative Loafing-sponsored nightlife event known as Pop Life has been around for two years — but, hey, it's true. On Aug. 29, come celebrate our success by attending a special night filled with art, film and a collection of Charlotte's best DJs spinning an eclectic mix of soul, classic hip-hop, Afrobeat, Brazilian and other musical forms. Oh and we'll be celebrating the one-year anniversary of Pop Life's current home, Apostrophe Lounge, as well. Aaaaannnd we'll be celebrating Michael Jackson's birthday by spinning a special set of rare MJ tracks. And, yes, it's free. 9 p.m. 1440 S. Tryon St.

Tonight, check out this cool event (info on flyer below) and help out a good cause while having fun:

Pop Life: The Erotic Edition puts a sultry end to Tax Day (April 15, ya know) at Apostrophe Lounge, located at 1440 S. Tryon St.

This "erotic" version of the popular Wednesday night party features sexy poetry from local poets, hosted by J.C. The Poet. Romance author and Creative Loafing staffer Cheris Hodges will also be signing and selling copies of her latest novel, More Than He Can Handle, which Publisher’s Weekly called “a sizzling romance." And there will be an exotic demonstration of fun sex toys to spice up your night with or without a mate.

Pop Life is sponsored by Creative Loafing and The Sol Kitchen. Doors open at 6 p.m. and admission is, as always, free. So, file your taxes, then get your freak on.