Memorial Stadium will once again serve as a destination for fireworks in uptown Charlotte this Independence Day. Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department will Partner with Presbyterian Hospital to present the “Presbyterian Hospital July 4th Spectacular” beginning with family-fun activities at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Admission is FREE. Alcohol is not permitted. Event is weather permitting. Family fun activities, live music, and food and non-alcoholic drink vendors will be located inside the stadium. Activities include: · Kids’ inflatables: Rapid slide, obstacle course, moon bounce, and double shot basketball (For each child to participate, there is a $5

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Following the death of one dog in York County and the rescue of three more who were left to suffer for four days outside in the heat without food or water while their guardians were on vacation, PETA asks that you take special care of your pets in the summer heat. PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside ashaded car

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Under a new state law that takes effect on July 1, discarded computer equipment and televisions will be banned from landfills in North Carolina. The ban on computer equipment includes CPUs, laptops, keyboards, printers, printer/fax/scanner devices, mice and monitors. All televisions are banned, including flat-panels and projection televisions. Solid Waste Services accepts electronic waste for bulky item collection. Electronic items collected as bulky waste are taken to a facility to be recycled. Residents are asked to schedule a bulky item collection for electronics and not place them in their garbage or recycling rollout carts. To schedule a bulky item collection,

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As the first ever university to host The MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man competition, Wingate University will be in the national and international spotlight later this year when the premier event in strength athletics takes place on the University campus in September and is televised domestically on ESPN as a six-hour program in December and internationally on ESPN2 in 2012. “We are very excited that millions of people around the world will see what Wingate University has to offer, including our beautiful campus,” said Wingate University President Dr. Jerry E. McGee. “As the third ranking NCAA Division II Academic All-America® school

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As the 24 Hours of Booty charity cycling event to fight cancer gears up for its 10th anniversary ride in Charlotte on July 29-30, several riders are going the extra mile to support the organization with team fund-raisers, including two in July. On Saturday, July 9 Team Carpe Diem will be hosting “BBQ for Booty…the Other Biker Night” from 6:30-10:00 p.m. at Mac’s Speed Shop in Cornelius, N.C. (19601 Liverpool Pkwy). Cost is $20 per person with a portion of the proceeds supporting 24 Hours of Booty. The ticket price includes a “pulled pork” plate, dessert and a beverage. The

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The second annual Legends Million returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway Aug. 1 and 2. The largest grassroots race in history will once again offer the largest Legend Car and Bandolero purse of the year, as drivers do battle on the speedway’s frontstretch quarter-mile oval. Registration for the Legends Million begins today and is scheduled to close on July 18. The purse structure for the 2011 Legends Million will be prorated, based on total cars registered, so competitors are encouraged to register early. “As the car count goes up, the purse goes up,” said Don Hawk, vice president of business affairs,

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On Friday June 10th at 8:07am, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers responded to an injury crash on Park Road at the intersection of Abbey Place. The collision involved a 2000 Honda Odyssey minivan and a 2006 Suzuki GSX-R motorcycle. It was reported by independent witnesses that the motorcycle was accelerating quickly after completing a U-turn and was traveling above the speed limit when it approached the intersection. The Honda van, driven by Ibrahim Noora Khaleel (Arabic Female, DOB 12/04/1970), was attempting a left turn from inbound Park Road onto Abbey Place when the two collided. The motorcycle rider was ejected from the

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will be able to keep 570 educators, including 406 classroom teachers, because of an additional $26 million in county funding. However, district officials cautioned that layoffs may still be needed, depending on the final state budget. The $26 million will be applied to three items in Tier 4 of the district’s proposed budget, which included about $101 million in proposed cuts. The items included teachers related to weighted student staffing, class size and instructional support staff in schools. By design, the fourth tier includes the reductions most likely to affect student achievement. District leadership told the Mecklenburg Board

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Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association reports on the residential real estate market in this region based on Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CMLS) data. The number of closings for May 2011 (2,194) decreased 11.5 percent compared to May 2010 when closings totaled 2,480. Compared to April 2011 (1,882), closings were up 16.6 percent. The average sales price for May 2011 ($208,999) was up slightly, 0.6 percent, compared to May 2010 ($207,711), and was up 2.7 percent compared to the April 2011 average sales price ($203,480). The median sales price in May 2011 ($151,995) was down 3.2 percent compared to the May

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News Corporation has announced that Dr. Peter Gorman, Superintendent, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will be named Senior Vice President and work with school districts to implement the division’s programs, as well as review their integrity and effectiveness. News Corporation’s Education Division is focused on individualized, technology-based content and learning opportunities that support world class student and teacher performance, as well as digital assessment tools for K-12 students in the United States that help eliminate the achievement gap. News Corporation recently acquired Brooklyn-based education technology company, Wireless Generation. Said Joel Klein, CEO of News Corporation’s Education Division, “Pete’s success running one of the

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