Mobile
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
News / Biz Foxx signs climate pledge
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 3:05 PM
Remember, back in May, when we noticed then-Mayor Pat McCrory didn't pledge that our city would cut greenhouse gases? If you missed it, here's a link to John Grooms post: 'Greenest mayors' list: Guess who's not on it?
Considering that the movers and shakers in the city keep talking about how Charlotte is going to be a hub of alternative energy companies, that seemed a little odd.
McCrory, though, refused to sign his own group’s agreement. Why? Because it doesn’t recommend nuclear power as an alternative energy source (he was employed by Duke Energy at the time, and we all know how eager Pat has always been to embrace his inner corporate puppet) — oh, and because the agreement noted that there just may be a problem with global warming, a statement McCrory found to be “too political.”
However, only a couple weeks into his first term, Mayor Anthony Foxx plans to sign the pledge.
Charlotte will finally join more than 1,000 other cities (including Gastonia) in promising to reduce emissions as a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.Mayor Anthony Foxx is set to sign the pledge Thursday, commiting the Queen City to meeting or beating the standards of the Kyoto Protocol.
Read the rest of this Charlotte Business Journal article, by Susan Stabley, here.
Arts / News Columbinus at Duke Energy Theatre
Posted By Anita Overcash on Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 2:53 PM
’Tis the season to NOT be jolly during performances of Columbinus at Duke Energy Theatre. The play, — which starts tomorrow and continues through Dec. 20, p — recalls the massacre that went down at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., by captured excerpts from talks with parents, survivors and other folks in the community where the tragedy occurred. Though the play’s content is seriously heavy-duty, it is also bound to stir emotions with its intense look into what can result from a dark-brooding adolescence. (To read more about this upcoming performance, check out the Holiday Guide here.) Contains adult language and content. Tickets are $7. Performance dates/times are as followed: Dec. 17-18, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 19, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 20, 2 p.m. Duke Energy Theater is located at 345 N. College St. For more information, call 704-372-1000 or click here.
News / Biz Electrolux to bring hundreds of jobs to the Q.C.
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Thank you, Santa.
Swedish home-appliance manufacturer Electrolux AB will establish its North American headquarters in Charlotte, adding 738 jobs to the region. Hiring is slated to begin at the end of the first quarter.The new headquarters will consolidate Electrolux’s offices in six locations — here and in Augusta, Ga.; Pittsburgh; Nashville, Tenn.; and Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio.
Read the rest of this Charlotte Business Journal article, by Susan Stabley, here.
Here are a few of the company's commercials:
News Meck County gives the nod to domestic partners, offers benefits
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 12:07 PM
What took so long?
Waaaay back in 1998, this same type of policy -- offered to me through my employer (a large insurance company) -- allowed my then live-in fiance to sign up for health care insurance. We paid the premiums through a salary deduction. It wasn't a new company policy, by the way. It was standard practice and had been for years.
He was self-employed and trying to grow his small business. At the time (and it's only worse today), it was nearly impossible to find a quality, affordable health plan for a sole proprietor. If it weren't for domestic partner benefit plans, he would have been uninsured for the two, or so, years we shacked up because his business was still in the red and he couldn't afford an individual health insurance policy.
When we broke up (and thank goodness we did), his benefits ended. End of discussion. (P.S. After we broke up, he bought his own coverage from an insurance agent friend of mine and ended up paying three times as much as what we paid through my employer.)
So, you see, domestic partner benefits aren't all about same-sex couples. And, the idea that they are is nothing but political babble.
Keep in mind: This idea of "normal" some members of our society try to push on everyone else, doesn't exist. It's time to acknowledge that and embrace every member of our community as an equal -- regardless of the color of their skin, which deity they worship, where they come from, their age or who they choose to love.
Mecklenburg County will offer domestic partner benefits in 2011 to employees in same-sex relationships, under a plan approved Tuesday night by county commissioners.The board vote split 6-3 along party lines to begin offering the benefits during its next open enrollment period, which would start next fall.
Democratic commissioners said the change could help the county recruit and retain workers who are in same-sex relationships by offering them the same benefits given to married, heterosexual workers.
The board's three Republicans opposed the policy, saying there appeared to be no demonstrated demand among county workers for the benefits and that offering them could violate state laws against cohabitation.
Read the rest of this Charlotte Observer article, by April Bethea, here.
From January:
Arts / Today's Top Five / News Today's Top 5: Wednesday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 8:00 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Dec. 16, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Decade exhibition at McColl Center for Visual Art
• All Arts Market at Neighborhood Theatre
• Aram Shelton's Fast Citizens at 201212
• The Santaland Diaries at Actor's Theatre of Charlotte
• Stand-Up Open Mic at Jackalope Jack's
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Arts / News Gallery Night to benefit United Way
Posted By Anita Overcash on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Artists Maxx Morgan, Reid Bramhall, John Hairston, Kevin Marke, Lana Protsyuk, and more will join forces to sell their art on Sat., Dec. 19, from 5 p.m.-11 p.m., at Sycamore Commons Shopping Center (2225 Matthews Township Pkwy., Ste. A) in Matthews.
Food and wine is set to be provided by Phil and Tony's and Qdoba. DJ Dvonne Soneek will perform. A portion of proceeds from each sale will go to benefit The United Way of Central Carolina. For more information, call 704-714-3377.
Boomer with Attitude / News Lieberman at least as bad as Berlusconi
Posted By John Grooms on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 5:50 PM
It’s funny how inspiring it can be to read the news — sometimes from stories that at first glance seem unrelated. For instance, you might pick up the paper or tune in CNN, and see that Sen. Joe Lieberman (AKA Sen. Droopy Dog) continues to be a pest of biblical proportions. This time, the former Democrat has in effect sunken attempts at real health care reform by opposing the “Medicare starting at 55” compromise worked out last weekend by Dem leaders in the Senate. And then, you may turn the page, or switch channels, and see a story about Italian President Silvio “Babe Magnet” Berlusconi having his nose broken and his teeth knocked out by a man wielding a metal model of a cathedral. “Hmmm,” you might say, “I thought America was supposed to be the violent country, not Italy. Now, what could be done to uphold our reputation? Hmmm.” Then you might look back at the story about Lieberman. And then the Berlusconi story again. Hmmm. Hey, no harm meant; I'm just saying ...
Boomer with Attitude / News Canadian paper on Charlotte's woes
Posted By John Grooms on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Canada’s leading newspaper, Toronto’s Globe and Mail, published a story today titled “Charlotte: The town that Bank of America took down.” It’s the kind of story that drives Uptown boosters and Chamber cheerleaders absolutely nuts — so it’s definitely worth a read.
The story tells the familiar tale of the formerly super-cocky Charlotte business community having to eat crow after one of our two mega-banks left town and the other turned into a “zombie bank,” while real estate prices dropped and suits lost jobs by the Hummerload. The story includes some good interviews with Charlotte business people, real estate agents, and even the bartender at Capital Grille Uptown. It's the kind of story we should see more of in our own daily paper, but hell, they're going broke too!
News / Biz Upton's is going bye-bye (finally)
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 4:30 PM
It's about damn time.
Demolition of an abandoned department store on Albemarle Road is scheduled for this week.A $45,000 matching grant has been awarded to the owners of the vacant Upton’s property. The funds come from the city’s Façade Improvement Grant Program, which helps businesses located in targeted revitalization corridors.
City leaders tweaked the façade grant last year by adding demolition of empty big-box retail stores as a qualified expense and opening up the areas where the grant is eligible.The program provides 50% reimbursement to commercial or industrial businesses or property owners for eligible renovation costs, the city says.
Read the rest of this Charlotte Business Journal article, by Susan Stabley, here.
News / Biz ABC Board loves steak
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 2:03 PM
It's ridiculous that we have an ABC Board, and their stupid stores, to begin with. Do you realize many other states allow you to pick up your liquor at the grocery store? What is the State of North Carolina protecting us from, and why do they think it's their place to protect us?
Give me a break. They can't even figure out that it's unethical to chow down on a liquor company's tab. (Oh, and guys, giving the money back doesn't make taking the bribe any better.)
Mecklenburg County's liquor board has some explaining to do. The ABC Board is trying to explain to state regulators at the ABC Commission why it was OK for dozens of them to take expensive steak dinners from a leading liquor wholesaler.North Carolina is unique among the states in giving local ABC boards a monopoly on liquor. So if liquor wholesalers want their brands to get more shelf space in local stores, the distributors have to convince local ABC board members and employees, who are public officials, to stock more of one brand than another.
Two weeks ago one of the biggest liquor wholesalers doing business in the state, Diageo, treated at least 28 Mecklenburg ABC officials and spouses to drinks and dinner at Del Frisco's, one of Charlotte's best steak houses.
Read the rest of this MSNBC/ NewsChannel 36 story, by Stuart Watson, here.
WRAL has been on this story for a while. You really need to watch these videos:
-
Question the Queen City: The haunting of Love’s Pass
The railroad pass has claimed at least 14 lives
-
More on the United Way 1
-
Question the Queen City: The Disappearance of Denise Porch 6
She quite literally vanished.
