Bank of America today announces the 2012 Museums on Us® roster featuring many of the most renowned arts, culture and educational institutions across the United States, from Miami, Fla., to Anchorage, Alaska. Museums on Us offers Bank of America and Merrill Lynch debit and credit cardholders free admission to more than 150 of the nation’s most exciting cultural venues across 91 cities on the first full weekend of every month. “We invest in the arts because we believe fostering cultural understanding and respect enables local economies and communities to thrive,” said Rena DeSisto,Bank of America global arts and culture executive.

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Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department will hold an orientation for youth participating in the inaugural Recreation Employment Corps Mentor / Mentee program on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., at the Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center, 2921 Tuckaseegee Road. Recreation Employment Corps is a program designed to provide teens, ages 14 – 17, with the opportunity to gain first-time work experience and positive life skills by serving as mentees at various recreation facilities around the County. Each participant will work closely with an assigned recreation supervisor for 10 hours a week through November. Mentees will be compensated

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Precipitous declines in formerly common mammals in Everglades National Park have been linked to the presence of invasive Burmese pythons, according to a study by Davidson Associate Professor of Biology Michael Dorcas and colleagues published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study, the first to document the ecological impacts of this invasive species, strongly supports that animal communities in this 1.5-million-acre park have been markedly altered by the introduction of pythons within 11 years of their establishment as an invasive species. Mid-sized mammals are the most dramatically affected, but some Everglades pythons are as large

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Longtime Charlotte business owner William “Bill” Griffin has announced that he will run for the Mecklenburg County Commission District 5 Seat. “I would like to join the Mecklenburg County Commission to bring stability to the Board,” said Griffin who owns Griffin Home Health Care. “I am deeply committed to the citizens of Mecklenburg County and I want to assure that we are taking care of all our citizens and everyone’s freedom to achieve success. I pledge to make Mecklenburg County a vibrant and fiscally strong community once again. “Commissioner Neil Cooksey has certainly set a high standard representing the district

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“The Dry Grass Of August” by Anna Jean Mayhew Reviewed by Jessica Stafford Charlotte Area News Book Editor “The Dry Grass of August” takes us back to a time in our very own Charlotte and explores the complicated relationship between blacks and whites on the eve of Brown vs. Board of Education. It is an honest look at the feelings of people involved from all perspectives. Charlotte author Anna Jean Mayhew makes her debut into literature with this heart wrenching story. It was long journey to create this book, but for this reader it was worth the wait. Her use

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Before going through a drive through for lunch again, consider a gourmet lunch that will make your taste buds burst but not your budget. At The Artisan Restaurant, a student- run restaurant at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Charlotte, you can savor lunches created and prepared by culinary students whose sights are set on culinary perfection. Tasty entrees range from $8 to $10, and you can choose from additional items such as soups, salads and desserts. In addition to having lunch at The Artisan, your tips are going towards a culinary scholarship fund. It’s the best

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Abigale Corrigan has a resume that stretches a mile long. It reads as if she has been in the “industry” for years, yet the Northwest School of the Arts student is only 13 years old. This Sunday, Jan. 29, at 9 p.m., Abigale “Abby” will star in the Hallmark Premiere “A Smile as Big as the Moon” on ABC. The movie, which stars Sex & the City character, John Corbett, is based on the memoir by teacher Mike Kersjes in the 1980′s. It gives an inside look into the way one educator empowered special needs students by fighting for them

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Davidson College will host the Rev. Dr. Barbara Brown Taylor as its 2012 Staley Distinguished Christian Lecturer on Tuesday, February 7. Her talk is titled “Learning to Walk in the Dark: The Ancient Way of Unknowing,” and will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Duke Family Performance Hall. The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required. Dr. Taylor is the Butman Professor of Religion at Piedmont College in Demorest, Ga. She also taught for many years on the faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga. Ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1982, she served

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Walmart has announced it is expanding its Race Time 2012 program to give fans more accessibility to discounted race tickets, driver appearances and fan events at stores, a greater selection of authentic NASCAR merchandise and a special sponsorship of Bill Elliott at the Coke Zero 400. Walmart’s Race Time program, launched last year as the largest retail promotion in NASCAR history, gives fans authentic merchandise and fan events at Walmart stores in every NASCAR Sprint Cup series race market. This year, Walmart has more than tripled the number of companies offering displays of authentic merchandise, doubled the number of fan

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Mecklenburg County families interested in placing their child in a Pre-Kindergarten program can come to an information session to learn about Charlotte-Mecklenburg NC Pre-K, a child-centered, literacy-based program. The program is open to children in Mecklenburg County who will be age 4 on or before Aug. 31, 2012. Participants will learn of locations and program requirements. They’ll also receive an overview of daily operations, including curriculum, meals and transportation. Spanish language interpreters will be at each event. Date Time Location Thursday, Jan. 26 5:30 p.m. Beatties Ford Road Library (2412 Beatties Ford Road) Tuesday, Jan. 31 4:30 p.m. Hickory Grove

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