The CMS student placement office wants families to be aware of important information, events and deadlines coming early in the year: • Student assignment notifications will be sent home with students beginning the first week of Jan. • Magnet lottery applications will be accepted online from Jan. 6 through Feb. 13 • The CMS Magnet Fair will take place Jan. 7 Student assignment notifications: CMS will send individual assignment notifications home with all current students beginning the first week of January. This mailing includes each student’s identification and PIN numbers, as well as directions for online application to the magnet

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The holidays generate tons of waste and Solid Waste Services is ready to collect. To ensure items are collected on schedule, Charlotte residents are reminded of the following: · Holiday collection services are provided. Curb It! services – residential garbage, recyclables, yard waste and bulky items – will be provided according to the regular schedule on Friday, December 23. All services except yard waste will be provided Monday, December 26 through Friday, December 30. · Yard waste will not be collected December 26-30. Collection services for yard waste will resume on January 2. · Bag extra garbage. Extra garbage outside

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Mecklenburg County government offices and agencies will be closed on Monday, December 26 and Tuesday, December 27, 2011 for the Christmas holiday and on Monday, January 2, 2012 for the New Year’s holiday. This includes all units of the Department of Social Services, the Tax Office, Elections Office, the Register of Deeds Office, and the Land Use and Environmental Services Office. Mecklenburg County Substance Abuse Center (Detox) is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Department of Social Services Care Line (704-336-CARE or 704-336-2773) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week to receive reports of

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Nearly one million children benefited from the fundraising efforts of the eight chapters of Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) this year, with more than $2.5 million donated to 370 non-profit organizations nationwide for the purpose of helping children in need. “It is truly a blessing that we were able to help so many children this year with the money raised,” said O. Bruton Smith, founder and chairman of Speedway Children’s Charities. “It is our goal to help as many children as possible live healthy, happy lives and I am proud of what everyone at Speedway Children’s Charities has accomplished this year.”

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Due to the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train, Old Statesville Road at David Cox will be shut down until further notice. The Police Department advises the public to use alternate routes around the area. (Stock photo is not of actual train derailment in Charlotte.)

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The Charlotte Area’s first “New Year’s Eve Party in the Sky” has been announced by The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, with the exclusive night-club experience to be presented on the shimmering crystal deck of the hotel’s 18th-floor Aqua Lounge. Ticket sales are currently underway for the December 31 experience, with interest strong as guests anticipate ringing in the New Year at a sky-high location offering floor-to-ceiling windows and stellar views of Center City. The stylish four‐hour party will include a four-hour open bar serving premium drinks, open seating, club tunes played by deejay Tomato Slice and complimentary valet parking. The new crystal

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To maintain Chimney Rock as one of the Southeast’s premier outdoor destinations, the developing Chimney Rock State Park will undergo construction on December 5, 2011, to improve access by upgrading one of its upper trails called the Outcroppings. The Park will remain open to visitors during the winter capital improvements and its lower trails and many points of interest will be open to the public. A new elevator, renovated Sky Lounge Gift Shop & Deli and the Chimney are scheduled to reopen upon completion of improvement projects in spring 2012.Starting December 5, winter admission will be $9 for adults and

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Jacob’s Ladder Job Center, Inc. (Jacob’s Ladder) is holding a ‘USB-Drive’ campaign for the students in their month-long job-readiness programs. From Nov. 28-Dec. 19, Jacob’s Ladder is collecting donated new and unused USB flash drives (minimum of 256MB or greater) at both of its locations Mondays through Fridays between 9:00AM-4:00PM: The Plaza (2304 The Plaza, Charlotte, N.C. 28205) and Jacob’s Ladder West (located at the Center for Employment Services at 2201 Caronia Street, Charlotte, N.C. 28208). For questions, contact Jacob’s Ladder at 704-332-5822. “Unfortunately, we are no longer able to provide flash drives to our students, so we would appreciate

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A slight majority of Americans think doctors write too many prescriptions for drugs to give to their patients. In a Poll Position national telephone survey, 52% said there are too many prescriptions written for drugs by doctors, 25% did not think so and 23% had no opinion. Fifty-nine percent of African-Americans thought doctors give too many prescription drugs to their patients, 24% did not think so and 18% had no opinion. Among whites, 53% thought too many prescription drugs are given to patients, 26% did not think so and 21% had no opinion. Men thought too man prescription drugs were

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The Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services (DSS) Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) will begin taking applications for help with energy bills starting on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. This year DSS was awarded $1,056,285 in LIEAP funds. Last fiscal year, DSS awarded $5,556,743 in LIEAP funds to over 25,000 households. LIEAP has been helping low-income residents with their heating costs in Mecklenburg County for over twenty years in some form, but this year the North Carolina General Assembly has made changes in who is eligible as well as the process by which to apply. Those changes are detailed below:

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