A bunch of folks in Charlotte, including me, are starting a challenge today. We’re trying to drink more water. A lot more water! It’s called 60 in 60. It starts today and you can get all the info here at NoFizzCLT (@NoFizzCLT). In a nut shell, they’re asking us to drink 60 ounces of water every day for the next 60 days.
This started in May when personal trainer Bobby DeMuro (@bodemuro) asked people around here to give up soda for 30 days. I spoke to him for Health Headlines: The Show and he said the response was so good that he’d do more. So here’s the latest challenge.
I already drink at least 30 ounces of water a day, so I think it’s going to be interesting to see if I can actually get up to 60. I’m going to ask Bobby if I can count the plain seltzer I switched to this summer. (Sorry NoFizz, I still like the fizzy!). My new go-to cocktail is seltzer with a splash of cranberry juice, garnished with lime. I know – you want to party with me!
It suddenly hit me when I opened the mail just a couple of days ago. I knew it was coming, but the official letter from the preschool along with the class roster, teacher’s name/contact info and supplies list made it all too real. It’s happening….in a matter of weeks.
This back to school season is bittersweet for our family as our eldest is starting school for the first time. The past four years have flown by and as clichéd as it sounds, it truly does seem like yesterday that I was holding her in my arms in the hospital that early summer morning. Nearly 20 hours of labor later and feeling exhausted and weary, I stared into her wrinkly face and was mesmerized by my little baby. And now my “baby” will be starting school! Time, please slow down a little bit. If the next 4 years fly by as quick, she’ll be in middle school, high school and college before I know it!
But despite my emotional rollercoaster, I’m truly very excited for her. I’m excited for her to embark on her school journey, to make new friends and learn new things. I personally loved going to school, the supplies shopping, the smell of new books, new clothes. Yes, I must admit I was a bit of a nerd when it came to all this. But I just loved being a student! So much so that I went all the way to graduate school.
And as I went about the back to school shopping for my little one, the excitement once again enveloped me. This was the start of back to school shopping for her that most likely wouldn’t end until after college! What a special time!! I must have looked really strange to other shoppers because I couldn’t help but smile lost in my own thoughts as I imagined all the future afternoons of homework, helping her study for tests, chaperoning field trips, bake sales, parent-teacher conferences, PTAs…..and to think I’ll be going through this again once my three other kids start school. Wow!
Both my husband and I are getting quite emotional over this. I can’t imagine the morning she starts. The teacher will have to yank her from our overprotective grasps and we will wave goodbye to let her own into her first adventure outside of home. Aww…….
Do you remember when your first child started school?
Ivanna Campbell is mom of three and expecting her 4th child. She is the Founder or www.empoweredmommies.com.
You can follow Ivanna on twitter and facebook by clicking here….
Ballantyne, NC – Ballantyne Scoop would like to welcome their newest contributing partner Josie Mazzaferro. Josie is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate’s Ballantyne office. She lives in the Touchstone neighborhood and loves walking on the Four Mile Creek Greenway with her little black poodle, Pepe le Piu, and her beagle/basset hound mix, Sabaka. Josie loves to help clients better understand the entire real estate process. Please feel free to send your real estate questions to Josie.Mazzaferro@allentate.com and Josie will either respond to you directly or respond in an upcoming column.
Josie’s first column deals with an issue that has been sent in repeatedly to the Scoop: the impact of foreclosures on the Ballantyne real estate market. You can keep up with Josie on facebook by clicking here.
“How’s the real estate market? Are there a lot of foreclosures out there?” These are some of the questions I routinely get when I tell people that I am a Realtor ®. There is no doubt that the real estate market is tough right now and yes, there are a lot more foreclosures out there than there were back in 2007. However, Ballantyne is not as hard hit with foreclosures as Northwest Charlotte. There are two main reasons why Ballantyne home prices are going down: the tight credit market and the basic principle of supply and demand.
The tight credit market means that it is now harder for potential buyers to obtain a mortgage. During the market peak, buyers could obtain a mortgage with no documentation to verify their income and their assets, and credit scores below 600 were still acceptable to a lender. Lending standards are now higher, and generally, a buyer needs to have a minimum credit score of 620 to buy a home. Lenders are also verifying all sources of income and ensuring that buyers can afford to make the mortgage payments. These higher lending standards have reduced the pool of potential buyers, and therefore, decreased demand.
The slow economic recovery is creating another issue: an increased supply of houses. If you watch a business news channel, you might often hear the question “Is this a jobless recovery?” Regardless of how you would answer that question, it points to a key piece of data: the unemployment rate. At the beginning of the recession, the unemployment rate trended downward at a dizzying pace as the tightening credit markets made it difficult for businesses and they were forced to cut costs by laying people off. More and more people became unemployed and remained unemployed for several months. Some found a job in a different city or state, and needed to move. Some people could no longer afford their mortgages and decided to downsize. Others needed to sell short or were foreclosed upon. All of these situations combine to create a large supply of homes on the market.
When supply exceeds demand, prices fall, and that is why Ballantyne area home prices have decreased over the past two years. This has been especially true in the neighborhoods that have higher price point homes. There were 301 home sales that closed in the Ballantyne area from April 1 through July 31. The median sales price of these homes was $272,000 and the median days on the market was 72.
Another buzzword typically discussed by the media is “shadow inventory”. These are homes that are either in pre-foreclosure or are bank-owned but not on the market. In a search of all foreclosure activity in the Ballantyne area as of August 2, there were a little over 250 properties. About 80 were bank-owned, and the rest were in “pre-foreclosure”, which means that the owner is behind on mortgage payments and the lender has begun foreclosure proceedings. Once foreclosure proceedings have begun, it still can take several months before the property actually foreclosed upon. Some of these houses may currently be on the market, but many are not. These properties do present a future risk to Ballantyne home prices, as they might come on the market as short sales or bank-owned sales in the future. However, these homes are distributed throughout the various Ballantyne neighborhoods. Statistically, only a small percentage of homes in each neighborhood are in the foreclosure or preforeclosure stage. So, it’s not the foreclosure per se that is causing home prices to fall. It is the oversupply of homes that is causing the home prices to fall.
If you would like to receive monthly e-mail updates of market activity in your particular neighborhood, just send me an e-mail at Josie.Mazzaferro@atcmail.com with your name, address, and subdivision name. I would be happy to send these updates to you each month and answer any questions you might have.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of Josie Mazzaferro, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Allen Tate Company, the Carolina Multiple Listing Service, or the Charlotte Regional Realtors Association.
Ballantyne, NC – There will be three bonds on the ballot this November. The new city bonds were one of the hot topics at the August 27th morning meeting at the Ballantyne Hotel. There will be no city council meeting this coming Monday, August 30th, 2010. The Neighborhood Improvements Bond is one of these bonds. The neighborhood bonds will pay for sidewalks, street lighting, storm drainage and other projects. This bond is $47 million. The goal is to bring older neighborhoods up to ‘modern’ city standards.
Things in court recently turned nasty in the case against Demetrius Montgomery. Detective Fant, C.M.P.D. Homicide Unit, was hired before Police Chief Monroe was hired. Detective Fant did throw away some of his notes in addition to several other ‘game changers’ in this double murder case. Evidently Detective Fant has done things like this before and his supervisors were aware. Charlotte’s Chief Monroe has made Detective Golden the new head of homicide. Recently on the radio, Tara Servatius interviewed a former C.M.P.D. officer. A few years before Chief Stephens, was Chief Nowicki and his top priority was patrol. This same former C.M.P.D. officer did talk about priorities and the chief of police. Is Community Policing Bad? Chief Monroe and Chief Nowicki have both used a very similar policing model. Currently the Sheriff’s Office, C.M.P.D. and the D.A.’s Office are not getting along well. In Atlanta, a four year old case, there was a warrant issued for a house. The owner of this house, a 92-year-old woman, was shot and killed BEFORE the police found that she was innocent of all of the drug charges. Two years ago when Charlotte was searching for a new police chief, the Deputy Chief of Atlanta was a candidate to be our chief of police. Happily, Charlotte has it’s own crime lab where forensics procedures occur. There was a mix up about exactly what type of degree that Chief Monroe earned from Virginia Commonwealth University. Officers Clark and Shelton were shot on March 31st and died April 1st of 2007, when Chief Stephens was still in charge. Will justice be served? City Council Member Andy Dulin will again be on Facebook and twitter while at the rest of the Demetrius Montgomery Trial.
Last Monday night at the city council meeting, five people spoke on the new bond issue. One of these people was Erin McKeithen. Erin McKeithen has just filed a Fair Housing Violation Complaint with the city. There was a somber mood at the city council meeting when Erin McKeithen spoke about this complaint. Tim Morgan talked about how inclusionary zoning is illegal in all of Mecklenburg County. The town of Davidson technically does have inclusionary zoning but has been allowed to do this for some odd reason. Right now, the town of Davidson has a cap on low income housing of ten percent. There are people in east and west Charlotte who do not like the new housing bonds. James Mitchell is chairperson of the locational housing committee. The city has a Housing Trust Fund. Last Wednesday, was a meeting of this locational housing policy committee. This October, the city council will look at revisions to the locational policy.
Low-income housing is built to ‘look like’ market-rate apartments. City Council Member Barnes is protesting low-income housing. Here is the count by district: the lowest amount of low-income housing is District 7 and the second lowest is District 4. Michael Barnes is the representative for District 4. Districts 1, 2 and 3 have the highest concentrations of low-income housing. Actually, Berkeley and Ayrsley do not have mixed income housing but low-income housing. Where there is subsidized housing there are more restrictions. What is the intention of the city council? Is the goal dispersal of low-income housing or is the goal to help as many people as possible? It is NOT possible to do both because these goals work against each other. Tom Bowers would like to see dispersal be the goal. City Council Member Warren Cooksey and Mayor Anthony Foxx would like to help as many as possible. Mayor Foxx would like to veto anything that does not follow the city council’s priorities. Mayor Foxx has also spoken recently about the Ayrsley Waiver. 17,000 units are needed all around Charlotte for low-income housing. Sometimes, the city waives it’s own policy. Can the city council put the 17,000 units in half of Charlotte?
Eastland Mall has five parcels and the city was willing to subsidize but Eastland recently sold. Eastland sold for the low price of $2 million dollars for the core of the mall. The Epicentre in the uptown of Charlotte is experiencing a myriad of problems. The general contractor is Gassi and he was supposed to pay the subs but this never happened. The city is thinking about paying the subs in four payments of $500,000 each. As of now, there are only temporary C.O.’s (certificates of occupancy) at The Epicentre. The value of this property is plummeting quickly. Will the city have to pay the subs?
Susan J. Spaulding
Public Policy Writer
Ballantyne Scoop
The Expendables starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Terry Crews, Let Li, Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren, “Stone Cole” Steve Austin, Eric Roberts with cameos from Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. A group of mercenaries are hired to take out the president of an opium producing island. The dictator is being manipulated by a CIA outcast. This movie is like the A Team on Steroids. Lots of testosterone, pyrotechnics blood and guts. If you like action films, you will like this. Story is so so, there is hardly any love interest but seeing these tough guys take out the bad guys was a lot of fun.
I rate The Expendables 4 of 5 for an action film.
The Switch Movie Review
Kassie is a business executive in New York who is obsessed about the ticking of her biological clock. She decides to get pregnant by a sperm donor. She has a party to celebrate the impregnation to be given by donor Roland played by Patrick Wilson. Her best male friend, Wally played by Jason Bateman is a neurotic obsessive security analyst. At the party he gets drunk and while in the bathroom he examines the specimen and accidentally spills it. He replaces it with his own issue. A few weeks later Kassie moves back to Minnesota.
Seven years have past and Kassie calls Wally to say she is moving back to NYC. She tells him she has a 6 year old son, Sebastian-Thomas Robinson. When Wally visits with the child he realizes that this is his child. Kassie is starting to have a romantic relationship with Roland.
Although this is a predictable story, it is well done and a lot of fun. We felt it was an enjoyable film and in good taste. Good acting by little Thomas Robinson. We may see big things from him in the future.
I Rate The Switch a 3 3/4 of 5 for a romantic comedy
Ballantyne, NC – CHARLOTTE, NC. The Morrison Family YMCA in Ballantyne will host Inspire! Ballantyne, an art and culinary festival highlighting area artists, performers and restaurants, Saturday, October 23rd through Sunday, October 24th.
This is the 3rd year for this annual event. The YMCA hopes to make this festival a South Charlotte tradition that builds community and celebrates creativity.
Local artists and performers are asked to submit their art by September 3rd, 2010. Email morrisonevents@ymcacharlotte.org for application details. Selected artists will be notified by September 18th. Over $1500 in awards and prizes. There are also several sponsorship opportunities available ranging from $500 to $5,000. For sponsorship information, contact Brooke Beddow at (704) 716-4657.
Inspire! Ballantyne will include live entertainment, artist booths including photography, sculpture, painting, jewelry and ceramics, and samples from local restaurants. Sunday, October 24th is also Kid’s Day and will also feature youth artists from 8-17 years old and performances from local schools.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Morrison YMCA Annual Giving Campaign, which helps provide children’s literacy programs, teen programming and scholarships for youth who could otherwise not afford programs such as afterschool and day camp.
About the YMCA of Greater Charlotte
The YMCA of Greater Charlotte, a United Way member agency, is comprised of 15 branches and many more program sites in Charlotte, Lake Norman, Lincoln County, Matthews and Mooresville, as well as Camp Thunderbird, the Hemby Activity Center, and Camp Harrison at Herring Ridge. The 132-year-old non-profit organization serves one in every six individuals in its service area with a continuum of educational and recreational programs that foster growth in spirit, mind and body. The YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Program and membership financial assistance is available. www.ymcacharlotte.org.
Ballantyne,NC – What will long city council meetings yield? The August 20th morning meeting started with talk of the next long agenda day for city council. Starting with a noon meeting, a 3:00 pm meeting, a dinner meeting, a regular meeting and a lastly a closed door meeting, Monday’s schedule will be a time of testing for some. This Monday, August 23rd, starting at noon there will be a Transit and Planning Committee meeting. How does the city attorney inform council members of important decisions? City Council member Warren Cooksey recently was informed of an important judicial ruling by the head of his apartment complex instead of the city attorney. Will the city attorney get a bonus soon? Will the city manager get a bonus? Both the city attorney and city manager generally do well on their yearly evaluation forms. Last year, while on the city council, Anthony Foxx talked about not giving the manager a bonus. City Council Member Warren Cooksey did suggest that there should be a warning given in January 2010. This was the suggested warning: “Due to budget constraints in 2010, there will be no bonus money given to the city attorney or city manager”. This warning was not given to either the manager or the attorney.
At the 5:00 pm dinner meeting there will be talk of the Federal Legislative Agenda Update. Holland & Night are the BR Lobbyists for the City of Charlotte. The city pays approximately $3,000 to this group to lobby on behalf of the city. Also under review is a package of stimulus money in the amount of $6.5 million for an energy grant project. The city is also working on distressed neighborhoods, air quality, various neighborhood projects and building efficiency. The city council adjusted their schedule recently on the tree ordinance. This public forum has been moved from the 23rd of August until September 13th. Also on the agenda are awards for the following: The Junior League, The Dilworth Home Owner’s Association and The American Cancer Society’s 2010 Promotion. In addition to all of the other activities, the city council will also have an updated group photo. Currently the photos of the city council show an empty seat for Susan Burgess. Susan Burgess’ son Jason Burgess is now on the council and will be present for his first official photo.
Zoning is another important part of the agenda. This includes: vacant apartments, Brantly Oaks and a voluntary annexation. The city plans annexation in parts of Mecklenburg County every two years. 2011 is the time to annex. In the western part of the county, Rhyne and Whitehall are scheduled to be annexed. In the eastern part of the county, Camp Stewart South. Camp Stewart South is rural and does not want to be annexed in part due to some chicken farmers’ worries. Currently in the City of Charlotte there is an active, working sheep farm. Perhaps a similar agreement can be had for these chicken farmers. Tim Morgan reminded all that annexation does actually pay for itself. Charlotte has only had one increase in property taxes in fifteen years due to the amount of land annexed during that same time period. The annexed areas get police services, $500 garbage roll-outs, sidewalks, water and sewer services with the annexation. The State of North Carolina stipulates that there must be a minimum of two people per acre before any area of land can be annexed. The city of Stallings did annex part of Mecklenburg County near Matthews. The city of Matthews had the idea to annex this area but did not annex fast enough. In addition to annexing every two years, all of the districts are redrawn after areas are annexed.
Recently, USA Today had an article on mortgage tax exemptions. Are these a good idea? Are cutting taxes bad? Also on the agenda for August 23rd is the Fair Housing Procedures. Are there perceived impediments to lack of access to affordable home ownership? Is education the key to solving this problem? Is there gatekeeping of protected classes? How many complaints of impediments to lack of access to affordable home ownership have there been in Charlotte in ten years (from January 2000 until 2010) ? There have been 225 complaints filed with the city during this time period. 14 are now pending, 39 have administrative closure, 164 have no cause and eight have finding of cause. Community input on this housing issue is important. A H.U.D. Fair Housing Report will be done on these Fair Housing Findings.
The City of Charlotte also has three bonds that will be voted on in the November 2010 election.
Street Improvement Bond – $ 156 million.
Neighborhood Improvement Bond.
Affordable Housing Bond.
Warren Cooksey is anxious to advertise and implore all to vote ‘yes’ for the affordable housing bond. Bonds will NOT equal a tax increase. If the bonds fail can the city use the “pay-go” fund method to get the work done?
The city now owns two vehicles to evacuate pets in case of an emergency. Where are these two vehicles? We do not want to play “musical plans” when it comes to potential zoning changes. Warren Cooksey most likely will vote ‘no’ on the subject of the Student Energy Plan. Also there will be a vote on the lead based paint reduction plan for the Waylon One Apartment Complex. The city council will also talk about the old city hall. Is there a frame or vision for future area plans? After the regular city council meeting there will be a closed session meeting. During this meeting, the city council will need to talk about the Charlotte Airport Projects. A roof repair and a tree save project are just some of the projects needed at the airport. Almost one square mile of trees had to be cleared when building the new runway. The Charlotte Airport funds it’s own projects. Also the council will discuss the new Ballantyne Commons Parkway sidewalk construction near J.M. Robinson Middle School. Another project is for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. The main police building on 600 East Trade Street will get a $519,000 remodel for internal affairs.
The city will be rejecting the bid from Cox and Schepp Construction for the remodel of the police station on providence road. The city will be accepting the bid from Camps Construction for the $3.2 million project. The bid from Cox and Schepp does not follow the small business enterprise guidelines. Camps Construction does have the bid and does have subs doing work as well. Goodwill Industries will be getting $200,000 for a project to help 750 young people.
C.A.T.S. will be getting a second transit center soon. This might be near ‘The Gateway’. Kimley Horne is being paid to do a study on this second transit center. Also being discussed on Monday will be the $793,000 Franklin Water Treatment Project. The city is paying Duke Energy to move a power line. Also being discussed is raw water reservation and it’s treatment. The city is overseeing a blast survey. This is on McKee Road near Hood Road. This is a gravity sewer line.
An upcoming event is on August 26th is the Southern Mecklenburg Republican Club Meeting at Harpers at Carolina Place Mall. Warren Cooksey will be helping with the event. More information at:
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcrosshelps.org or join our blog at http://redcrosshelps.org/crossblog.
Ballantyne, NC – Want to flex your creative muscles? Then check out these fun opportunities at the Civic & Cultural Arts Center in Pineville!
Oil Painting Class, Mondays-Thursdays 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
The CCAC offers a creative atmosphere for both the novice and the professional to enjoy and prosper. Friendly, nurturing, and professional art instruction in the techniques and application of oil paint is provided by Master Painter Lee Baumgarten. These nightly/weekly workshops are conveniently located on Main Street in historic downtown Pineville. Grab your canvas, paint and brushes and head to Pineville – at only $20.00 per session what are you waiting for? For a limited time, any second class during the same week is ½ off!
Paint Til You Drop, Fri, 8/20, 7pm until?
Looking for something fun to do on date night or girl’s night out? Come celebrate your creativity at the next Paint Til’ You Drop with the Civic & Cultural Arts Center of Pineville! Find out how fun it is to create a painting in one night surrounded by beginners, intermediate and advanced painters! No experience is necessary – just a willingness to have fun! All materials and paints are provided with personal guidance by Master Painters Lee Baumgarten and Denise Torrance. Sign up today on line at www.ccacpineville.org and Come Explore Your Potential! Group Discounts are available! Pizza feast included in price of admission. $100 per person or $180 per couple.
Spend the Morning with Phil Morgan
Join Phil Morgan (world renown potter) on Aug. 28 from 11-2 at the Civic & Cultural Arts Center in Pineville for an inspirational morning of pottery! Class size is limited to 20 so don’t delay register today. The class will begin with hands-on demonstrations and finish up with a custom-made piece of pottery created on-site by YOU.
Michelle Greenberg, a Healing Artist and member of the CCAC, is a State and Nationally Certified Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist who will be providing 10 minute Seated Chair Massage sessions to benefit the CCAC exclusively for just $10.00 per person.
Treat yourself or a loved one on select Saturdays (8/28; 9/11 and 10/16) to “take a deep breath and RELAX”!
Studies have shown that the brain and the body benefit from an increased sense of well being when rejuvenated with Therapeutic Touch. Experience stress reduction, pain relief, and quality sleep! Improve flexibility, posture and circulation! Even boost your Immune System with Seated Chair Massage!
Additional information on classes and the CCAC is available on the web at www.ccacpineville.org or follow us on Facebook or give us a call at 704-889-2434.
The CCAC is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization offering a place where artist of every discipline have an opportunity to network and enhance their gifts. The CCAC is a gathering place for emerging and established artists of all ages to present, create and collaborate in giving life to their art, with a goal of embracing and promoting the artistic, creative and entrepreneurial possibilities available in our community. Come and Explore Your Potential!
Ballantyne, NC – The Ballantyne Breakfast Club will host CMS leader Dr. Peter Gorman on Saturday, August 21. School Board representative Tim Morgan, City Councilman Warren Cooksey and Michael Barnes are also expected to attend. The meeting will be at the Ballantyne Hotel in the Fairway Ballroom on the second level. Presentations will start at 9:00am.
This meeting will provide neighbors with an opportunity to learn first hand from Dr.Gorman the status of the changes CMS has had to make and will be looking at making based on the recommendations of the School Board. This could have an impact on future assignments throughout the entire system.
In addition to Dr.Gorman we will also have a brief presentation by the Mecklenburg Sheriff Chipp Bailey.
The BBC has been an integral part of the Ballantyne Community since it was founded in 2001 by local residents with the goal of connecting residents with local business leaders, developers, elected officials and service providers. The BBC has a regular meeting schedule that can be found at BallantyneBreakfastClub.com. Each meeting includes an update from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and features guest speakers from the community.
The meetings have an informal feel to them and attendees are encouraged to arrive at 8:30 to participate in a meet and greet session by getting to know your neighbors. This is a great forum for local residents to be informed of “goings on” in the area as well as ask questions of your public officials.
Over the years this group has grown dramatically and has established itself as a voice for the community. The meetings are free and open to the public with everyone having a chance to get updated on local news and ask questions.
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Charlie St. Cloud stars teen heart throb handsome Zac Efron in the title role. A high school senior with a passion for sailing and good grades, he graduates with a full ride sailing scholarship to Stanford. He lives in a sea coast town in Massachusetts. He and his eleven year old brother Sam, played by Charlie Tahan get along well. Charlie promises his brother that he will coach him on baseball every night until he leaves for college but he cautions the brother that he better be there on time. That evening Charlie is driving with his brother when they are struck by a drunken driver. His brother is killed. Charlie’s heart stops but he is saved by an EMT. He realizes he is getting a second chance on life.
Fast forward five years. Charlie did not go to college rather he took a job as the caretaker in the cemetery where Sam is buried. Every evening at sundown, Charlie goes into the woods to play catch and talk with Sam. He is obsessed with his promise to his brother and haunted by the fact that he has been given a second chance.
He meets a girl, Amanda Crew, with whom he went to school. She is a master sailor and is preparing to sail around the world. Charlie falls for the girl causing him to choose her over his brother. Without giving away a couple of good twists the story holds the interest. This story is well presented and heartfelt. Although it takes place in Mass it was filmed in British Columbia. The cinematography is wonderful. I totally enjoyed it and recommend this. While not for little guys, it is okay for children. The one lovemaking scene is not graphic and the language is okay. Zac Efrom will be a big star.
I Rate Charlie St. Cloud a 4 out of 5 for a drama
The Other Guys Movie Review
Police detectives Allen Gamble played by Will Ferrell and Terry Hoitz played by Mark Wahlberg are working desk duty in a New York City Precinct. Allen was hired as a police accountant. He is an stereotypical anal naive geek. He apologizes for his wife who he describes as not being so good when in fact she is really hot. Eva Mendes is a sexy emergency room doctor and met Allen in the emergency room. Terry played by Mark Wahlberg has desk duty because he accidentally shot baseball player Derik Jeter. He is nicknamed ‘the Yankee Clipper’. One of his fellow officers ask why he could not have shot A-Ron instead.
In the station there are two superstars played by cameo players Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson. They are start the film with a steroid filled car chase. They do $12 million of property damage to get a couple of bad guys with a small bag of drugs. They are the star cops and everyone else are the Other Guys. Due to their stupidity, they are both killed jumping off a building trying to get a couple of bandits.
Through dumb luck and against the wishes of their captain played by Michael Keaton, Allen and Terry fall upon a case of a Bernie Madoff Ponzi schemer. The set out to get him with hilarious results.
This is a very funny movie with Will Farrell playing a less obnoxious character than in several of his other films. His character is quirky and naive. Terry keeps trying to find out why beautiful women are attracted to Allen. This is a rare comedy role for Mark Wahlberg and he pulls it off well. You have to listen closely because a lot of the aside dialogue is really funny. Remember this is a comedy and don’t take it too seriously.
I recommend the film and aside from a few naughty words it is not bad for older children.
Ballantyne, NC - The hot topic for this August 6th morning meeting was cutting budgets. Former School Board member, Ken Gjertsen was talking about C.M.S. and ideas to save money. Can schools be used as community centers? What about using libraries as community centers? Several people talked about ideas on consolidating local governments. A crisis will always drive the need for consolidation. There needs to be better communication and coordination between C.M.U.D. and the Parks and Recreation Departments. Can the city build greenways AFTER installing new pipes for water and sewer? Can city bus drivers coordinate to also drive school buses? Should Charlotte be divided into districts in order to consolidate local governments in a better fashion?
The next city council meeting will be on August 23rd. This just might be a long meeting for the council. The tree ordinance is one of many items on the agenda. The America Forestry Website lists the target tree canopy percentage range between 44% – 46%. These same recommendations have been amended for Charlotte and they are now suggesting 50% for our city. The city has an approved tree list, fifty percent of the trees must be native. Harry Jones, the county manager, has stated that the public forums coming soon will be “messy”. The city is also coordinating more locational public housing forums soon. George Dunlap, a county commissioner, recently recommended an increase in the local sales tax from 8.25% to 8.5%. Mr. Dunlap’s concern was to raise more money for road improvements. Dumont Clarke, the board of county commissioners, would like to use $3.5 million in tax money for the libraries.
Mayor Anthony Foxx now has a new board: The Charlotte Area Housing Board. The board’s charge is to deal with all housing policies. Warren Cooksey has suggested this board needs fewer politicians, more lawyers, more real estate professionals and financial professionals.
The City of Charlotte has a AAA rating and can borrow money at 2.6%. Can we consolidate local government. Will this new “one” government be full-time? How will the debt be consolidated since the county and the city manage debt very differently? There is talk that with one government that C.M.S would be given tax authority.
Next week the city’s committees will be meeting. James Mitchell will be the new chairperson of the Economic Development Committee. The Safety, Transportation and Housing and Neighborhood Development Committees will also be meeting.
Susan J. Spaulding
Public Policy Writer
Ballantyne Scoop
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Aug. 10, 2010 – The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education adopted guiding principles at its Aug. 10 meeting. The principles were created and revised during the first phase of a comprehensive district review that began in June. Board members held work sessions and public forums to get input from the community on the guiding principles in place since 2005 and more than 1,000 people provided input.
“These principles are not perfect but take us in the right direction of meeting the needs of all children in our district,” said Eric C. Davis, chairperson of the Board. “What these guiding principles call on in the end is a partnership with the community as a whole to address issues that this district — more specifically, our teachers—see every day.”
The Board will use the revised guiding principles to review CMS programs, transportation, student assignment, bell schedules and capital needs as it develops a comprehensive plan for the 2011-2012 school year.
Board of Education – 2010 Guiding Principles
Our Guiding Principles for Student Assignment are based on our Vision, Mission, Core Beliefs and Commitments; our Theory of Action; and input from the community.
The Mission of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is to maximize academic achievement by every student in every school. Effective school-based leadership and teaching, differentiated staffing, and equitable and differentiated allocation of resources as expressed in Policy ADA (Equitable Distribution of Resources) have the greatest potential impacts on individual student learning. In addition, an effective student assignment plan can contribute to positive, supportive learning environments. The Board of Education is committed to creating such environments.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education commits to these Principles for student assignment issues and to the decision-making rubric to guide our Superintendent and staff.
Home Schools
Home Schools are the foundation of our academic instruction delivery model. Since accomplishing our mission requires that every home school maximize student achievement, home schools are our first priority when making student assignment and operational decisions. Every student will be guaranteed an opportunity to attend a home school within proximity to where he/she lives.
Magnet Schools
Magnet Schools (Full and Partial) offer students opportunities for learning outside the assigned home school in environments that combine three characteristics: 1. A track record of consistently high student achievement 2. A track record of narrowing achievement gaps at a rate that exceeds the aggregate rate of home schools
3. One or more of the following: an academically distinct program, demonstrated innovation in creating high academic growth, and/or a student population that is distinctly more diverse than neighboring home schools.
Stability and Predictability
In order to generate and sustain community support, the student assignment plan must provide students and families with stability and predictability. To that end, the Board of Education commits to the following: 1. The Board shall consider current and future population growth, potential demographic shifts, and other factors in order to create assignment patterns that are sustainable over time. 2. The Board shall consider undertaking a comprehensive district-wide review of the student assignment plan every six years. 3. The Board reserves the right to make changes to the assignment plan on a localized basis due to the following factors: the opening and/or closing of schools, overcrowding, or underutilization. With the exception of situations deemed to constitute an emergency threat to the safety of students and/or staff, the Board will notify students and families of potential changes no fewer than nine months in advance and will approve any decision no later than November 15 affecting the school year beginning in the following calendar year, while striving to provide more ample notice whenever possible. 4. The current sibling guarantee that includes meeting eligibility requirements for magnet programs remains in effect.
Diversity
The student assignment plan will reflect the demographics of the school feeder areas in order to create diverse learning environments that better prepare students to live in our increasingly diverse country and to compete successfully in the global workforce.
Effective use of Capital Resources
The student assignment plan must be cost effective and make efficient use of our facilities and transportation resources. We will develop a facility use policy that includes overcrowding and underutilization, as well as alternative teaching delivery methods to maximize student achievement while reducing facilities and transportation costs.
Decision Matrix
While the Board will be mindful of our Mission, our commitment to Equity, and all aspects of our Guiding Principles when making student assignment decisions, only certain components currently can be measured objectively. Therefore, in order to provide fact-based starting points, the Board directs the Superintendent and staff to include the following prioritized decision- making rubric in any proposed changes to the student assignment plan.
1. Home Schools – Proximity will be based in priority order on: A. travel distance from home to school, B. keeping entire neighborhoods assigned to the same school (staff shall use its discretion in considering commonly accepted neighborhood boundaries, zoning decisions, covenant agreements, HOAs, etc) and C. to the extent possible, keeping whole elementary zones intact in middle and high school feeder patterns.
2. Stability and Predictability – the likelihood that the proposed assignments may be sustained over a period of time without adjustment.
3. Diversity – consideration for creating a relative balance of economically disadvantaged students (EDS), with the understanding that there is currently a predictive link between poverty levels and achievement gaps.
4. Effective use of capital resources – the total projected operating and replacement costs of facilities and transportation resources over a defined period of time.
Community Involvement: Along with our commitment to these Principles, we call upon our community to join us in preparing our students to become productive citizens. For all our students to succeed, they need the support of more than just the CMS staff. Students, families, community members and groups, businesses, philanthropic groups, and other governmental bodies must become more aware of how their decisions impact students and join us in making educating all students a top priority. We call upon our entire community to act now to support individual students and schools.
Doris M. Vigdor, 86, of Waxhaw, NC, formerly of Roanoake, died on August 10, 2010.
Burial will be privately held at Arlington National Cemetery.
Mrs. Vigdor was preceded in death by her husband, Leon Vigdor.
Loving mother and grandmother who dedicated her life to her family.
She is survived by her children, Richard Vigdor and his wife Cynthia of Portsmouth, NH, Janet Danner and her husband Dee of Dublin, VA, and Bob Vigdor and his wife Cindy of Waxhaw, NC; grandchildren, Rich, Mike, Thomas, and Christopher Vigdor, Chad Danner, Cory Danner and his wife Tracey; and other relatives and friends.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to Hospice of Union County, 700 W. Roosevelt Blvd, Monroe NC 28110.
Arrangements are in care of Heritage Funeral Home, Indian Trail, NC. Online condolences may be left at www.heritagefuneral.net.
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