You Could Learn A New Language In A Third Of The Time Spent Watching TV Each Year

New research from entertainment experts PlayUSA finds the top time wasters for the American public – and what they could do with the time instead. The average American spends a stunning 1470.6 hours a year watching television – the equivalent of more than 61 days You can now find out how little you’d have to give up of your music, video game, social media, and television time to achieve major life goals If you’ve ever said to yourself that you would tackle a major project if you just had the time, there’s good news – you do – if you’re

Read more

Charlotte Area Firms Lead Design And Construction Of Key Public Safety Facilities

, ,

As the Charlotte Area continues to see booming population growth with increasing urban population densities and sprawling rural areas, the demand for public safety services is also increasing – posing new sets of challenges. Charlotte added more residents last year than all but 10 cities in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and the suburbs are growing at an equally fast pace. Harrisburg, Huntersville, Mint Hill, Charlotte, Cornelius, Indian Trail, Davidson and Concord – all more than doubled the state’s 6.4 percent growth rate since 2010. Charlotte and its suburbs must keep up with this growth while still

Read more

National Pawn Donates Over 100 Musical Instruments To Mecklenburg Public Middle School

,

National Pawn, pawn retailer with 17 locations across the state, is donating more than 100 musical instruments and $2,000 to Mecklenburg Public Schools’ Cochrane  as part of its continued efforts to support music education in North Carolina. National Pawn president Bob Moulton presented the monetary and instrument donation, including trumpets, saxophones, clarinets, flutes, trombones, drums, guitars recorders and more, to students during a dedicated unveiling assembly at the school Friday, Oct. 26. This is the eighth year in which the company has provided donations to support music programs in every county that is home to one of its stores. Since

Read more

Downtown Concord Invites You To Hops And Heat Beer & Chili Festival Nov. 3

,

The Concord Downtown Development Corporation and the Historic Concord Preservation Trust have teamed up to host the 2nd Annual Hops and Heat Beer & Chili Festival, Saturday, November 3, from 1 – 5 p.m. in Downtown Concord. Hops and Heat will feature local and regional breweries, a “taste off” of local chili cookers, and live musical entertainment. Entertainment: North Carolina based Cory Luetjen & The Traveling Blues Band will provide live entertainment with a high energy mix of Blues, Funk, and Beach. Brewery Line-Up: Catawba Brewing Company Pilot Brewing Red Hill Brewing Company High Branch Brewing Company Cabarrus Brewing company

Read more

5 Tips from a Writing Coach that Amateur Writers and Entrepreneurs Can Use

Last year, The New York Times published an article titled “Why Kids Can’t Write.” The article points out that many would-be writers struggle with knowing where to start – and a problem that’s not limited to today’s youth. There are millions of adults in the workforce who feel inadequate when it comes to sharing their thoughts in writing. Clearly, we are a country of citizens who are desperate for some insight into how we can improve our ability to express our thoughts and tell our stories in writing. “We all have stories to tell,” explains Annalisa Parent, fiction writing coach, author, and entrepreneur. “The problem is,

Read more

Walk To End Alzheimer’s In Charlotte Raises Over $575,000

, ,

More than 3,300 people joined the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s® – Charlotte in the fight to end Alzheimer’s disease at BB&T Ballpark on Oct. 13. Participants raised more than $575,000 to fund Alzheimer’s care, support and research programs. Donations are still being accepted through Dec. 31 at http://act.alz.org/charlotte. “Our Walk participants, volunteers, sponsors, staff and the greater Charlotte community went above and beyond to make this year’s Walk a huge success,” said Katherine L. Lambert, CEO of the Western Carolina Chapter. “We appreciate everyone coming together to take steps for Alzheimer’s disease and to raise critical funds for

Read more

Pediatrician Designs App To Create Customized Recipes Using Ingredients On Hand

Millions of busy families around the country opt for unhealthy fast food meals for their family. Often times, this is simply because they don’t know what to make on short notice or how that they can actually get a healthy meal on the table quickly. The Dr. Yum Project, a pediatrician-led nonprofit organization is out to change that, helping families to improve their eating habits while saving money and reducing food waste. The Dr. Yum Meal-O-Matic, an app available in the iTunes store or a free online e-tool optimized for Android mobile devices, makes it easy for people to prepare

Read more

How To Prepare Your Home For Tough Winter Weather Conditions

With the holidays just around the corner homeowners across the country are beginning to plan how they will decorate their homes. These sights can make the time of year more fun, but what we are not looking at could cause problems that are much less enjoyable. Experts suggest that now is the time to make sure that you are prepared for upcoming weather conditions. Fall and winter can bring a mixture of humidity, rain, ice, snow and high winds that will find many Americans unprepared for the havoc it can wreak on their homes. As temperatures turn cooler, homeowners should

Read more

Herb Jackson Exhibiting New And Older Artwork At Hidell Brooks Gallery Starting Nov. 2

, ,

Davidson artist Herb Jackson will open an exhibition entitled “Across Time” on Friday, November 2, 6 to 8 pm, at Hidell Brooks Gallery in Charlotte. He will be showing new work juxtaposed with work from as long as 40 years ago, so that visitors can see how the work has evolved over time. The exhibition will run through the end of the year. Hidell Brooks is located at 1910 South Blvd. The gallery shares the same parking lot with Sullivan’s Restaurant, and there is an adjoining parking deck if the front lot is full. “I am often asked how my

Read more

Jerald Melberg Gallery Opens Solo Exhibition Of New Works By Charles Basham

, ,

Jerald Melberg Gallery is pleased to announce a solo exhibition of new pastels by Charles Basham Nov. 10 – Dec. 29. Aptly titled Ends of the Day, the exhibition will debut large-scale pastels with an emphasis on landscapes at sunrise and sunset. In these works, Basham renders dramatic and compelling moments of indirect morning and evening light, heightened through bold colors such as magenta, gold, lemon, emerald and turquoise. The natural vistas he portrays escape contextual clues that would place it in a specific time and place, sharing with audiences an enhanced version of the universal experience of being outdoors.

Read more