Mobile
Thursday, April 27, 2017
News Five Names For Your Irish Pub That Aren't Milestone
Posted By Erin Tracy-Blackwood on Thu, Apr 27, 2017 at 12:46 PM
Earlier this week, a Charlotte Agenda article caused some debate around town when it announced the upcoming opening of a new bar in Dilworth. What’s the fuss? Its owner Jackie McHugh, who recently moved here from New York, plans to name it Milestone.
Though the Agenda article failed to mention it, Charlotte already has a bar called The Milestone. Perhaps you’ve heard of it: world famous, been here since 1969, Nirvana played there, historic local icon…?
You may be wondering why this dude would want to brand his new bar with the same name as one of the city’s most beloved establishments, simultaneously confusing and pissing off potential patrons before the doors even open. The answer: it’s a tribute to his 11-month old son, Miles, who gives zero fux about your precious punk rock mecca.
Here at Creative Loafing, we can appreciate Mr. McHugh’s dedication to his son, but we can’t get behind the name. We’ve come up with other suggestions -- all of which are a better idea:
Smiles
This name is hitting on several levels. Here’s a word that incorporates Miles’ name, conveys the happy feeling customers can expect to have when they visit, and potentially lends itself to a cool Irish tagline (Something about “When Irish eyes are smiling…”).
Daddy’s Pub
Like the fictional “Paddy’s Pub” from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – only this one is a tribute to being a dad. Bonus: It’s likely to become the go-to meeting place for old rich guys and the hot young gold-diggers who “love” them.
The Dilhole
A watering hole in Dilworth? It begs for this name.
CBGB
Because if you’re going to steal the name of an iconic punk club, make it one from the city you just left, not the one you’re setting up shop in.
O’Blivious
It’s a name that says “Around here we’re Irish. Also, we have no idea how to Google a name before claiming it as our own.”
Mr. McHugh, you are free to use any of these. We don’t expect a consultant fee, public acknowledgement or even a free beer (although that would be nice). We consider it a public service.
Oh and by the way, welcome to Charlotte!
Saturday, April 22, 2017
8 Social Entrepreneur Hacks That Can Help Get Your Community Project Funded
Posted By Kia Moore on Sat, Apr 22, 2017 at 6:49 PM
In 2016, Creative Loafing contributor Kia O. Moore was one of two winners of the Knight Foundation's Emerging City Champions program in Charlotte. With the $5,000 grant she received, Moore started Hip Hop Orchestrated to blend hip-hop culture with orchestral-music culture in ways that will engage young people in the arts in Charlotte. In this blog post, Moore shares some tips she got from the Knight Foundation's program director, Charles Thomas, on how others can work with grants programs to make their good ideas about community engagement come to fruition. ⏤ Editor
Have you ever flirted with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur? How about starting a nonprofit? If yes, then there may be an Emerging City Champion in you.
The Emerging City Champions is a fellowship program for young civic innovators who have transformative ideas. You provide the vision, drive and determination, and the ECC provides the guidance and funding to get you started. It's open to anyone between the ages of 19 and 35 with an innovative idea focused on at least one of the following elements associated with a livable community: enhancing civic engagement, improving mobility or activating public life in public spaces.
The ECC is looking for diverse voices with enough passion, talent and commitment to improve their neighborhoods or communities in one of the 26 cities in which the Knight Foundation invests. Charlotte is one of those cities. If you are interested in applying, the deadline to submit your idea is Wednesday, April 26. Head to the ECC website where you can learn more and gain access to the application.
Whether or not you win an ECC fellowship, or if you are over the age of 35 and don't qualify, your idea to help improve Charlotte still needs to be heard. Lots of Charlotte-area businesses have strong community engagement departments looking to provide funds to social entrepreneurs. Also, many nonprofits are looking for partnerships with people who have innovative ideas for social improvement. Through strong community partnerships and a little cash, you can find ways to make your idea happen. But once you take the leap into the social entrepreneurial life, you will need a few business hacks to help you along the way.
Charles Thomas, the Knight Foundation's program director in Charlotte, recently helped me come up with eight social entrepreneurial business hacks that I would like to pass along to you as you work to scale your positive impact in the Queen City.
1) Own your vision. Hone your talent. Delegate the rest.
You don’t have to know how to do everything to run your own social venture. If you have the vision and you can master several aspects of making it work, you then pull in other people who have the skills you lack.
2) Trust in your light.
When you find your light ⏤ your life’s purpose ⏤ you can no longer question it. You cannot let others redirect, dim or steal your light from you. You must trust yourself and the process of learning and growing as a social entrepreneur.
3) Introverted networking works just as well as extroverted networking.
Going to a networking event does not always mean you have to attempt to meet everyone in the room. Sometimes those funders, partners, mentors and clients just need to see your face in places all around town. Just seeing your face over and over works to your advantage. It even becomes a conversation starter. “Hey! I see you everywhere! What’s your name?”
4) Categorize your meetings.
As a founder and/or executive director, there are going to be a lot of people who want your attention and time. To use your meeting time most effectively you have to become very astute at categorizing your meeting interactions. Some meeting requests are emails, other are phone calls, and some meeting requests do not align with your immediate goals at all. Sometimes you are going to need to push those meetings to a later time in the year when you can actually meet with new people.
Have you ever flirted with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur? How about starting a nonprofit? If yes, then there may be an Emerging City Champion in you.
The Emerging City Champions is a fellowship program for young civic innovators who have transformative ideas. You provide the vision, drive and determination, and the ECC provides the guidance and funding to get you started. It's open to anyone between the ages of 19 and 35 with an innovative idea focused on at least one of the following elements associated with a livable community: enhancing civic engagement, improving mobility or activating public life in public spaces.
The ECC is looking for diverse voices with enough passion, talent and commitment to improve their neighborhoods or communities in one of the 26 cities in which the Knight Foundation invests. Charlotte is one of those cities. If you are interested in applying, the deadline to submit your idea is Wednesday, April 26. Head to the ECC website where you can learn more and gain access to the application.
Whether or not you win an ECC fellowship, or if you are over the age of 35 and don't qualify, your idea to help improve Charlotte still needs to be heard. Lots of Charlotte-area businesses have strong community engagement departments looking to provide funds to social entrepreneurs. Also, many nonprofits are looking for partnerships with people who have innovative ideas for social improvement. Through strong community partnerships and a little cash, you can find ways to make your idea happen. But once you take the leap into the social entrepreneurial life, you will need a few business hacks to help you along the way.
Charles Thomas, the Knight Foundation's program director in Charlotte, recently helped me come up with eight social entrepreneurial business hacks that I would like to pass along to you as you work to scale your positive impact in the Queen City.
1) Own your vision. Hone your talent. Delegate the rest.
You don’t have to know how to do everything to run your own social venture. If you have the vision and you can master several aspects of making it work, you then pull in other people who have the skills you lack.
2) Trust in your light.
When you find your light ⏤ your life’s purpose ⏤ you can no longer question it. You cannot let others redirect, dim or steal your light from you. You must trust yourself and the process of learning and growing as a social entrepreneur.
3) Introverted networking works just as well as extroverted networking.
Going to a networking event does not always mean you have to attempt to meet everyone in the room. Sometimes those funders, partners, mentors and clients just need to see your face in places all around town. Just seeing your face over and over works to your advantage. It even becomes a conversation starter. “Hey! I see you everywhere! What’s your name?”
4) Categorize your meetings.
As a founder and/or executive director, there are going to be a lot of people who want your attention and time. To use your meeting time most effectively you have to become very astute at categorizing your meeting interactions. Some meeting requests are emails, other are phone calls, and some meeting requests do not align with your immediate goals at all. Sometimes you are going to need to push those meetings to a later time in the year when you can actually meet with new people.
Friday, April 7, 2017
Police Investigate Hate Crime in East Charlotte
Posted By Ryan Pitkin on Fri, Apr 7, 2017 at 1:52 PM
Police are investigating a hate crime apparently committed by a confused young man in east Charlotte last night.
According to CMPD, officers responded to Central Market on Albemarle Road just before 10 p.m. last night in response to a fire. By the time they arrived, the fire had already burned itself out, only damaging the front door of the business.
Police quickly found that the business had been intentionally damaged, as someone had thrown a large rock through a pane of glass on the front door. The suspect left behind a note explaining why he had broken the glass and set the fire, stating that President Donald Trump "is our nation builder for whites" and that refugees and immigrants "are not allowed to do business anymore." He signed the letter, "White America."
Confusing matters a bit is that the entire incident was caught on surveillance camera, and police say the suspect was actually a black man, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, 200 pounds with a short afro and a goatee.
Kamal Dhimal, owner of Central Market, said he didn't want to speculate on the note or blame any group of people.
"If I focus on somebody else, if I say, 'Oh, you did this,' I don’t know, who is that?" Dhimal said. "I don’t want to blame anybody. That might be my fault to have come to this country as a refugee, but this country welcomed me. They welcomed me and they gave me citizenship. I don't know why at this time, this situation has come up. I have no idea how we can solve this issue, but this is a serious one."
A part of the note reads, "We know you are one and many of other immigrant [sic] doing business here. This is our warning. Leave the business and go back where you came from. If you don't follow this warning then we are not responsible for the torture starting now."
Dhimal, a Bhutanese refugee who has been in Charlotte for 20 years, said he is most concerned with police finding the one person responsible for damaging his business.
"Someone threatened me, they threatened my family. Somebody hit the door of my business, they hit me, I’m understanding it that way," he said.
The incident comes two weeks after 33-year-old Summayah Khan reported that a white man pointed a rifle at her in the parking lot of an Indian grocery store in the University area. Khan was wearing Muslim garb at the time.
CMPD is planning a press conference regarding this incident that will begin at 2 p.m.
-
Veterans Day deals
Veterans Day: Creative Loafing says "thank you." Other companies give you discounts.
-
Question the Queen City: Charlottetown Mall and its nearly forgotten time capsule
A child's coffin contained relics of the past that stood neither the test of time nor the elements
-
Nine of the worst guitar performances ever
Fred Durst, Lil Wayne and a whole bunch of amateurs.
