James Mitchell, Jr., Charlotte City Council District 2 representative, will host an Intelligent Leadership Conference (ILC) for District 2 residents to discuss the state of District 2 and district goals and objectives, on Saturday, Feb. 12. Topics will include Public Safety, Job Creation and Corridor Development, Road Widening Projects, and a District 2 website demonstration. The meeting is open to the first 60 residents on a first-come first-serve basis. All District 2 neighborhood leaders are especially encouraged to attend. WHEN: Saturday, February 12, 2011, 9:00am – 2:00 p.m. WHERE: Room 267, The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center at 600 E. 4th Street.

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Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis has unveiled a new online tool called My Next Move. The tool is aimed at providing jobseekers with information on more than 900 occupations, as well as local job openings and training opportunities in a simple, user-friendly format. Accessed at http://mynextmove.dol.gov, My Next Move is intended to assist all jobseekers. It may be especially useful for students, young adults and other first-time workers as they explore potential careers based on their interests. The new tool complements the department’s “mySkills myFuture” site at http://www.mySkillsmyFuture.org, which is designed to help those with previous work experience match

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Easter Seals UCP will launch Charlotte’s first specialized after school program for children with and without disabilities in kindergarten and first grade starting February 7, 2011. The five-star Easter Seals UCP Irwin and Carol Belk Children’s Center will accommodate the new after school program, which offers children dedicated teachers to assist with homework, and educational and fun activities from 2:15 – 5:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. “While there are numerous after school programs for children without special needs, there is a shortage of programs for children with special needs,” said Courtney DeTemple, Easter Seals UCP program manager for Mecklenburg County

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Davidson presents an impressively diverse range of musical performances on campus, but an upcoming concert developed in the classics department might be among the most uniqueever. The public is invited on Tuesday evening, February 15, to a concert by a student string band interpreting the music of ancient Greek drama. The concert begins at 8 p.m. in Tyler-Tallman Hall of Sloan Music Center, and there is no charge to attend. The project began last summer as a Davidson Research Initiative project between Keyne Cheshire, Professor of Classics, and Jon Springfield ’11. Cheshire had just completed two years’ work on a

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Mecklenburg County Assessor Garrett Alexander has announced that revaluation Notices of Value are being mailed Feb. 8 to nearly 300,000 County property owners. The notices reflect the new value of these residential properties based on a thorough review of home sales as of January 1, 2011. The notices will have a date of Feb. 8, 2011, and the last day to appeal at the informal level is March 10, 2011. This mailing contains 297,584 parcels totaling $58.9 billion in value (263,704 improved properties and 33,880 vacant parcels). The State of North Carolina requires counties to revalue property at least every

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Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association reports that the number of closings for January 2011 (1,414) was up 3.7 percent compared to January 2010 when closings totaled 1,363. Compared to December 2010 (1,885), closings were down 25 percent. The average sales price for January 2011 ($188,147) was down 6.2 percent compared to January 2010 ($200,592), and was down 3 percent compared to the December 2010 average sales price ($193,910). The average listing price in January 2011 ($217,809) was down 5 percent from last year’s average listing price of $229,214, and was down 1.1 percent from the December 2010 average listing price of

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The Democratic National Committee today announced that Charlotte has been selected from four finalists to host its 2012 convention. The other three outstanding American cities being considered were Cleveland, Ohio; St. Louis, Mo.; and Minneapolis, Minn. “We’re honored that the Democratic National Committee chose Charlotte to host its 2012 convention,” said Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx. “Thanks to the hard work and support of so many throughout our community, we have an unmatched opportunity to show the world what a beautiful, energetic, innovative and diverse city we are building in Charlotte. As we tell the story of Charlotte, and what a

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Charlotte City Councilmember Edwin Peacock has released the following statement concerning possible City-County consolidation: “Recently, Mayor Foxx & Chairman Roberts have suggested that the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County should reconsider consolidating our governments. I will be making a motion at this evening’s meeting regarding the subject of the composition of the governing body of a consolidated government be placed on our February 14, 2011 business meeting agenda. The City of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County’s previous efforts to address the subject of City & County consolidation have ultimately resulted in a number of combined functions such as police, planning,

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The Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association Housing Opportunity Foundation has awarded nine local Habitat for Humanity organizations a total of $22,500 through its Habitat Support Program. The foundation is dedicated to making a difference in the regional community by creating housing opportunities, promoting homeownership, and positioning and educating Realtors® as leaders. The Habitat Support Program provides monetary support to area Habitat for Humanity organizations in areas served by the Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CMLS). Association/Carolina Multiple Listings Services, Inc. (CMLS) President Laurie Knudsen said, “We recognize the role that Habitat for Humanity plays in meeting crucial housing needs at a

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Not only do people with Alzheimer’s disease have more difficulty expressing thoughts and emotions, they also have more trouble understanding others. Yet the ability to exchange our ideas, wishes and feelings is a basic need. How can you best communicate with a spouse, parent, or loved one who has dementia? Learn strategies at a free workshop from the Alzheimer’s Association Western Carolina Chapter and The Ivey, the adult day care center in the SouthPark area of Charlotte. The two non-profits will host “When Your Valentine Has Alzheimer’s: Enhancing Communication “on Tuesday, February 8 from 2 to 4 pm, repeated from

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