Charlotte Named A Winner In Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge

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Today, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action Michael R. Bloomberg joined Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles at the UNC Charlotte Center City Garden to announce Charlotte as the nineteenth winning city in Bloomberg’s American Cities Climate Challenge. Charlotte joins eighteen other winners announced this year: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Saint Paul, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. Launched in June, the American Cities Climate Challenge is a $70 million-dollar program that will accelerate efforts in 20 winning cities to tackle climate change and promote a sustainable future

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Small Acts of Generosity Can Have a Huge Impact – 12 Ideas You Can Use

The problem: Horrendous news events day after day. Anger and fear abound. People are worried about the future concerned that we are more divided than ever. What do we do about it? It is time to focus on helping others in small ways. Rabbi Daniel Cohen of Congregation Agudath Sholom, in Stamford, CT and Pastor Greg Doll of Norton Presbyterian Church, in Darien, CT have joined together and created the Elijah Moments Campaign which encourages people to be like Elijah and spread light in the midst of darkness. Each of us is encouraged to become our own Elijah by simply

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Bizet’s “Carmen” Continues Opera Carolina’s “The She Season” Jan. 19, 20 and 24

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Opera Carolina’s 70th season is a celebration of strong female characters. And the title character from Georges Bizet’s Carmen (Jan. 19, 20 and 24) is one of the strongest women in opera – or any art form. Carmen premiered in 1875 – and was absolutely scandalous at the time. But scandal sells. It’s been popular ever since. After starting out as a novella by Prosper Mérimée, Carmen has been an opera, a ballet, a flamenco dance movie, a Broadway musical with Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones) and more. “Carmen has a tragic ending, but I don’t view Carmen,

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Duke Energy Invites Applications From Charlotte Area Customers For Solar Energy Rebates

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Another wave of solar energy is expected Jan. 2 when the  window opens for customers to apply for Duke Energy’s solar rebate program. So far in 2018, more than 1,300 customers have installed systems and qualified for rebates. The Duke Energy solar rebate program is one of many customer programs the company is implementing as part of the Competitive Energy Solutions for North Carolina law passed in 2017. The rebates have helped many residential and business customers take the solar leap. “We are proud to make Birdsong the first Charlotte brewery to go solar,” said Chris Goulet, president of Birdsong

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World-Famous Vienna Boys Choir Performs At CPCC’s Halton Theater

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Looking for a fun way to kick-start the holidays? Then look no further. Charlotte Concerts is presenting the Vienna Boys Choir Wednesday, December 19, at Halton Theater on Central Piedmont Community College’s main campus. Dubbed “a world treasure” by the Fort Worth Telegram, the Vienna Boys Choir is an internationally known ensemble with a rich history. In 1498, Emperor Maximilian I moved his court to Vienna, thus founding the Chapel Imperial, and the Boys Choir – even though they had been singing at the Imperial Chapel since 1296. The Boys sang exclusively for the imperial court at masses, celebration, and

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Girl Scout Cookies On Sale Across Charlotte Area

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Starting Saturday, Dec. 15, the Charlotte Area’s youngest female entrepreneurs are on the loose. Armed with an arsenal of business skills like goal setting, marketing and business ethics, the Girl Scouts from the Hornets’ Nest Council will kick off door-to-door sales and digital cookie sales in its eight-county region including Anson, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Rowan, Stanly, Union and York. Booth sales begin Feb. 8. Digital cookies allow purchasers to order through a Girl Scout’s personalized website or mobile app. Girls can sell cookies anywhere, at any time and includes options for direct shipment, girl delivery or a donation option. Cookies

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5 “BITES” – Change Management Strategies to Transform Your Health

By Marissa S. Costonis H.C. What’s one thing you want to change about your eating habits and health in the new year? The answer may not be as complicated as we are often led to believe and isn’t found in the latest fad diet. The secret to making sustainable and positive changes to our health is simply achieved one bite at a time. Here are 5 easy strategies or ‘bites’ to better health: Envision what ‘perfect’ health looks and feels like to you. The definition of health is completely different from one person to the next. Think about health in

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Larger-than-life ‘Bug Lab’ Exhibition Makes U.S. Debut at Discovery Place Science

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Some of the world’s smallest creatures are about to have a big impact at Discovery Place Science in Charlotte. The Museum’s newest traveling exhibition, Bug Lab, opens Dec. 8 and will offer visitors a close-up, larger-than-life look at the world’s smallest geniuses. For the first time in North America, giant bug models will serve as tour guides while Museum-goers learn, through a variety of hands-on activities and experiences, how different types of insects live and what kind of impact they have on human innovation. “Bugs really are high-powered packets of ingenuity. We humans are increasingly adapting their talents to solve

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CATS Spreads A Little Holiday Cheer With Free-Ride “Wrapped” Buses

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Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) will operate free-ride holiday “wrapped” buses now through Dec. 31.  Buses will operate throughout the CATS system along local, express and regional bus routes and will be a free ride to passengers boarding the festive buses. “Our customers are such an important part of CATS, that we wanted to give something back to them,” said John Lewis.  “Customers made nearly 50,000 trips every weekday on our routes in October.  The free-ride holiday buses are all about this season of giving.” There will be two wrapped buses traveling CATS’ routes in the Charlotte region.  Citizens can

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Gymnema Sylvestre – The Plant That Helps Control Your Sugar Cravings

You’ve just finished a meal and you start craving something sweet almost instantaneously. Or perhaps you sneak a spoonful of ice cream and immediately have an overwhelming urge to eat more. It’s no secret that eating sugar leads to more sugar cravings. That’s why more people are turning to Gymnema Sylvestre; it is a natural remedy that can help you cut back on sweets and to stop sugar cravings. Until recently, Americans were constantly warned of the dangers of fats, while the health effects of sugar went under reported. While saturated fats have long been a concern, sugar consumption is

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