Leon Levine Foundation Gives a Gift of $500,000 to RMH of Charlotte

Charlotte, NC—November 17, 2008—Leon Levine, along with his wife,
Sandra, have established an enviable legacy of philanthropic support
benefiting the people of the Carolinas. That legacy continues with
their support of the future Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of Charlotte.

The Leon Levine Foundation will generously donate $500,000 to the RMH
of Charlotte to help with its capital campaign. The announcement was
made by Mona Johnson-Gibson, Executive Director of RMH of Charlotte.
The Foundation will fund the House for the next 5 years with
installments of $100,000 every June.

"We are grateful with the support and generosity the Foundation has
bestowed upon the RMH of Charlotte," Johnson-Gibson said. "The
Levines are an excellent example of outstanding citizenship and
personal integrity, and they have demonstrated an extraordinary
interest in service to the people of the Carolinas."

In return, the RMH of Charlotte will name the House's living room the
Levine Living Room.

"We are very excited to partner with such a strong organization with a
successful commitment to a mission so close to the vision of our
founder," said Tom Lawrence, the Foundation's Vice President. "The
Board of Directors decision to support the RMH was unanimous because
the House will provide a comfortable and supportive home away from
home for families with sick children who are being treated at Levine
Children's Hospital."

Levine Children's Hospital is named in honor of the Levines, who
funded a $10 million gift to jumpstart the Hospital's fund-raising
drive prior to it opening last year. Their foundation also committed
a $5 million challenge grant to start a permanent endowment for Levine
Children's Hospital.

The RMH of Charlotte is scheduled to open sometime in 2010 and will
primarily serve children being treated at Levine Children's Hospital
and Presbyterian Healthcare's Hemby Children's Hospital. Located on
the 1600 block of East Morehead Street on land donated by Carolinas
Medical Center, the House will feature approximately 35,000 square
feet of living space complete with 20 to 30 bedrooms (one family per
bedroom/suite), providing more than 10,000 nights of stay each year
for needy families. It is also scheduled to have a family kitchen,
great room, learning center, playground and sitting porch.
Construction will hopefully begin in 2009.

Leon Levine is the founder and chairman emeritus of Family Dollar
Stores Inc., a Matthews-based discount retail chain with more than
5,000 stores in 43 states. At the age of 22, Levine opened his first
store in 1959 on Central Avenue in Charlotte. He built Family Dollar
into a Fortune 500 company before retiring in 2003.

About the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of Charlotte
The RMH of Charlotte is an independent 501 (c) (3) charity managed by
a local board of directors which will oversee construction and
operation of the home. The cost of building and operating the RMH of
Charlotte will come primarily from individual and corporate
donations. The RMH of Charlotte will be funded, constructed and
operated by the Charlotte community. The mission of the RMH of
Charlotte is to provide the families of children being treated in area
medical facilities with a safe, affordable and caring "home away from
home." For more information on RMH of Charlotte, visit www.rmhofcharlotte.org
.

'Augustalee' Is Historic New Name For the Former Village At Lake Norman

CORNELIUS, N.C. –'Augustalee,' a name with deep roots in the history
of the property and the family that lived and farmed there, has been
chosen as the new name for the former Village At Lake Norman project
site, the $500-million-plus, master planned, mixed use development in
Cornelius, N.C.

"We had intended all along to develop a refined, distinctive name for
the project, with the hope of honoring the vibrant history of the
Cooke family, who owned most of the 104-acre site and farmed it for
over 100 years, since before the town of Cornelius existed," said Josh
Rector, Senior Vice President of Cornelius Bromont, LLC, the
developers and now owners of the land. "But we wanted to wait until we
had the rezoning approved and the basic feel of the project planned
before undertaking the branding process. As you can imagine, when
working on a plan of this detail and refinement, we had to prioritize
tasks, and now the name is being addressed with the level of care we
have been dedicating to in every other element of the project."

"The name Augustalee was created after a lengthy process of
researching the rich history of the property, which has been
wonderfully preserved in words and pictures by the current generation
which owned the land," Rector explained. "Our goal was to develop a
name that would be complementary to the Town of Cornelius, fitting
with the culture of the region, appropriate for retail, office,
residential and hospitality, and exemplary of the quality of the
project we are creating. After considering a number of options, the
name Augustalee emerged as the one with the greatest strength and
potential.

"Augustalee is made of the first and middle names of Augusta Lee
Chester Cooke, the grandmother of the generation of Cookes from whom
we purchased the property," Rector said. "She was a very warm, caring
Southern lady. She lived on the farm and took care of her large
family. We chose the name because it conveys the warm, gracious,
Southern hospitality which this project will exude. It has a very
lyrical sound when you say it out loud. We strongly believe that
everyone will enjoy the continued hospitality and character of
Augustalee."

The site is located between I-77 and U.S. 21 on the south side of
Cornelius. A new exit 27, widening of both highways and many other
roadway and transportation improvements are planned by Cornelius
Bromont, who expect to open the first retail stores on the site in
fall 2012. In addition the project will feature luxury residences
above the quality retail, two top-tier national brand hotels on the
main street, extensive Class A office space in multiple buildings,
parks and walking trails, and many other amenities.

"We at Cornelius Bromont have been very busy since we were last in the
news with the completion of our zoning case," Rector noted. "Since
then we have accomplished several major tasks in spite of the downturn
in the economy and the financial stress in the marketplace:

· We have been successful in closing our own financing, allowing
us to purchase the property and commence design of the first phase of
the project

· We have completed schematic design of the project and are in a
pricing exercise currently

· Our Design Team has created dramatic and realistic 3-
dimensional renderings of the Augustalee development from different
angles, which greatly help with understanding how the project will
look when completed

· We have been in negotiations with several major tenants;
leading name-brand hotels; and potential office users

· We have leased space and moved into our new offices on South
Boulevard in Charlotte

· We have continued meeting with transportation authorities at
regional, state and federal levels and have had nothing but positive
feedback from them – our planned improvements will clearly benefit
everyone involved

· All this has provided us more than enough to keep us working
long hours and burning the midnight oil. We could not be more pleased
with all of the excellent work that has been accomplished to date on
the project and the continued progress going forward. We want everyone
in the community to understand how hard our entire team is working to
make this project a reality, and how a project of this complexity
inevitably requires a time-consuming planning and approval process
before construction begins."

Cornelius Bromont, LLC, is a partnership of Bromont Group of
Scottsdale, AZ, and Carlsen Douglas Development of Cornelius. More
information on the project is available at www.corneliusbromont.com
and at www.augustalee.com.

Media Contact: Buck Lawrimore, 704-332-4344, http://www.lciweb.com

Fourth Annual Help the Homeless Walk in Charlotte Scheduled for Saturday Morning, November 22

Charlotte, N.C. – The non-profit A Way Home, Mecklenburg Council on
Homelessness, will host the 2008 Help the Homeless Walk scheduled for
Saturday morning, November 22 to raise awareness for the homelessness
crisis in Mecklenburg County. The event is in concert with the 21st
annual Help the Homeless event in Washington, D.C., a part of the
national effort to raise awareness of the homeless.

Registration for the three-mile walk begins at 8:30 a.m. at 500-A
Spratt Street in front of Crisis Assistance Ministry or participants
can register in advance at www.awayhome.org. The walk will begin at
10 a.m. Other activities and entertainment, as well as a soup kitchen
lunch, will be available to everyone from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
Spratt Street.

According to Chris Wolf, the executive director of A Way Home, the
purpose of this walk is to heighten awareness of the homeless
population in our region, particularly as we go into the winter months
during these tough economic times.

In its fourth year in Charlotte, the Help the Homeless Walk also
includes The Homeless Services Network that supports our community's
homeless population through outreach services, assessment, emergency
shelter, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and
supportive services intended to help people overcome personal issues
that contribute to their homeless. This network is a coalition of
agencies and organizations delivering services to persons who are
homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and those who have a stake in
the prevention and reduction of homelessness.

"A donation of $10 is recommended for adults and teens to participate
in the walk, said Wolf. "And there is no charge for children under 12
years of age. We also ask that everyone leaves their pets at home,"
he added.

Teams of walkers from different organizations, companies, agencies'
clients and the faith-based community will be participating in the
event. Last year the walk added the "Project Homeless Connect" to help
homeless individuals connect to those services available to them. This
year the program has been expanded by the organization Sisters Act
Incorporated who have recruited individuals to provide dental
assistance, health screenings, haircuts and grooming, as well as
clothing and shoes to assist those who need these immediate services
at the event.

Sponsors to date for the event include: Fannie Mae, Apartment Realty
Advisors, LFS Carolinas, Mercer, Paul E. Finnen & Associates,
SocialServe.com, Crisis Assistance Ministry, Mecklenburg County Parks
and Recreation and Mecklenburg County.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities and participating
in the 2008 Help the Homeless Walk, please contact A Way Home at
704-347-3646 or visit their web site at www.awayhome.org.

Hope Stout's story to be major film; shooting begins in Charlotte region in December

For Immediate Release
November 6, 2008

"Hope's Wish" keeps giving - The most any of us can wish for is to
leave this world a better place for our having been in it. Soon the
world will know how 12-year-old Hope Stout left this world a better
place when she died of cancer in 2003. Her inspirational story is the
subject of a feature-length film to be shot in the Charlotte region
during December and January.
The cameras will start rolling at Bank of America Stadium during the
Panther's home game Dec. 8. Hundreds of local crew members will be
hired, including some who will film Charlotte streetscapes for the
movie's holiday segments. Filming will be on hiatus over the holidays,
then the more dramatic segments will be shot in mid-January when
production resumes. Pre-production, which has begun, editing and
finishing all will be done in Charlotte. Joanne Hock, co-founder of
Charlotte-based Emulsion Arts, has written the original script. The
cast, including some well-known stars, will be announced in a few weeks.

When Rick Eldridge, president and CEO of The Film Foundry, a Charlotte-
based film production company, and head of Independent Producers
Alliance (IPA), moved back to Charlotte 13 years ago, he was
determined to help build the regional industry and support local film
community any way he could.

"Although I can't shoot every film here, I try to as much as
possible," Eldridge said. His current release "Running the Sahara,"
which he co-produced with Matt Damon, was filmed in Africa. "However,
this is very much a Charlotte story. The people of Charlotte who
rallied around Hope and her wish are the same people who have rallied
around the film. And the movie will let the world know how thousands
of people were touched by Hope's wish that Charlotte's Make-A-Wish
Foundation grant the wishes of all 155 of the other terminally ill
children on its list."

Beth Petty, director of the Charlotte Regional Film Commission, said
that Charlotte has all the locations and talent needed for this
project. Petty leveraged those assets to recruit movies, such as "The
Patriot," "Talladega Nights" and "Leatherheads," among others.

"We are very appreciative of Rick Eldridge, Bert Hesse, Joanne Hock
and all the other film industry professionals who have chosen to call
Charlotte home," Petty said.

Executive producer Bert Hesse of Charlotte-based film production
company Synthetic Fur, has been working closely with Hope's parents,
Stuart and Shelby Stout, for the past three years to bring Hope's
story to the big screen. He and Eldridge are committed to using the
film as a vehicle to expand Hope's dream of fulfilling other
children's wishes through the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the family's
non-profit, the March Forth with Hope Foundation.

The producers also are working closely with Carolinas Medical Center
to shoot on the floor on which Hope died. Since that floor is being
renovated, filming would not disrupt patient care. The Charlotte
production companies are partnering with Dean River, a production
company based in Los Angeles with which Eldridge worked on "The
Ultimate Gift," to produce the film.

20th Century Fox is handling the theatrical and DVD releases.
PorchLight Entertainment will be the international distributor. The
producers say they plan to release Hope's Wish in time for the 2009
holidays.

OnlineNewsTimes.com Launched By Charlotte Firm To Aggregate Top National News

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Online NewsTimes has been launched by Charlotte marketing and public relations firm Lawrimore Communications Inc. as a free service to help people stay informed of up-to-the-minute national and world news headlines.

"Online News Times (http://www.onlinenewstimes.com) aggregates top story headlines and summaries from Google, Yahoo, CNN, ABC, Fox News, E! and many other sources so that busy people can get their 'news fix' in a matter of seconds," said Lawrimore Communications president Buck Lawrimore.

"We are producing Online News Times as a companion to our Charlotte Area News website, which focuses on news from print and broadcast media in the greater Charlotte area, as well as local weather, sports and related features."

OnlineNewsTimes.com generates news content by using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds from leading online news sources. In addition original news releases sent to the site by companies and public relations firms are reviewed by experienced editors and selectively published on the site as well.

Lawrimore Communications Inc. is a full-service marketing, public relations and communications agency founded in 1979. More information on the company is available at http://www.lciweb.com .

Elliott Davis, LLC, Names Chief Marketing Officer

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 31, 2008 – Elliott Davis, LLC, one of the
largest accounting and business advisory firms in the Southeast,
recently named Denise Reis as chief marketing officer. She will
report directly to Rick Davis, managing shareholder of the firm.

As chief marketing officer, Reis will lead firmwide targeted growth
initiatives focused on increasing the firm's industry go-to-market
strategy and enabling its client servers to continue offering
unparalleled products and services to current and new clients. She is
responsible for setting direction and applying best practices to
marketing and business development programs across the firm's 10
offices in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. In
addition, she will play a significant role in the recruiting process,
working closely with the firm's chief human resources officer in the
development of campaigns and programs to attract and retain
professionals for the firm.

Reis has more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience,
including 10 years spent marketing accounting, tax and consulting
services to emerging and middle market companies in a variety of
industries. Her specializations include marketing and sales, research
and strategy, and corporate communications.

Prior to joining Elliott Davis in September 2008, Reis served as
marketing director for the Carolinas Practice of RSM McGladrey, and
marketing manager for the South Market Circle of Arthur Andersen.

"Our new marketing leadership and structure will allow clients and
prospective clients greater access to our full-range of services and
depth of industry knowledge, and reflects our commitment to serving
clients' business needs," said Rick Davis, managing shareholder.
"Denise's experience and business development knowledge will provide
new insight. We are excited to welcome her to the Firmwide Operations
Team."

Reis earned a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's
degree in public administration from Florida International University
in Miami, Fla. She is a member of the American Marketing
Association's national and Charlotte, N.C. chapters. Reis is based in
the firm's Charlotte, N.C. office.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Photo attached.
ABOUT ELLIOTT DAVIS, LLC
Since 1925, Elliott Davis has been the accounting and business
advisory firm that helps emerging and middle market clients
continually improve their financial management. Today, Elliott Davis
is one of the largest accounting and business advisory firms in the
Southeast, and among the top five companies awarded as "2007 Best
Places to Work in South Carolina." Elliott Davis has 50 shareholders
and 400 employees in 10 offices throughout four Southeastern states.
Elliott Davis' affiliates include Elliott Davis Capital Partners, LLC,
a regional investment banking firm; Elliott Davis Technology
Solutions, LLC, a leading full-service network integration and
security provider; Elliott Davis Wealth Management Services, LLC,
which helps individuals achieve personal financial goals by providing
planning, investment, insurance and brokerage services.
The firm is a member of The Leading Edge Alliance, an international
professional association of independently-owned accounting and
consulting firms based in the U.S., and is strategically aligned with
LEA Europe and LEA Asia Pacific, a worldwide network of 300 offices in
80 countries around the globe.
For more information about Elliott Davis and its services, visit www.elliottdavis.com
.

Charlotte-based Organica Deluxe Signifies New Standard For Eco-Friendly Luxury Gifts

CHARLOTTE, NC, October 29 - Organica Deluxe (www.organicadeluxe.com)
has opened its virtual doors and is committed to setting the standard
for eco-friendly luxury gifts. The online boutique features
gorgeously green gifts and products exquisitely packaged in a
responsible manner promoting a sustainable economy. Although in its
infancy, this unique company has already attracted the attention of
celebrities and the NY fashion industry, most notably as Purveyor of
Flowers for the Organic and Fair-made Sustainable Fashion Exhibition
at NYC Fashion Week in September '08.

Organica Deluxe gift boxes contain eco-friendly products including
organic food and wine, Veriflora flowers, organic spa from France and
organic baby items. The gift boxes range from $35-$410 and the site
makes it easy for eco-savvy shoppers to find the perfect gift,
categorizing by Occasion, Price, Recipient and Item.

Equal care and attention is placed on product packaging. Organica
Deluxe utilizes the unusual practice of single box delivery for most
of their gift packages, serving to reduce paper consumption by more
than 50% and eliminating thousands of pounds of additional landfill
waste every year.

The beautiful aqua boxes contain tissue wrapping paper made from 75%
post consumer recycled paper and completely biodegradable cornstarch
peanuts. Organica Deluxe also purchases carbon credits to help offset
the transportation of each gift sent.

Beyond the company's core principles of sustainability, fair trade and
support of eco-oriented product production, the Organica Deluxe team
links support for an important cause to one of their gift boxes,
donating a percentage of proceeds on all sales of that package to a
chosen charity.

Organica Deluxe Corporate Gift program has the perfect eco-friendly
luxury gift for all corporate needs including holiday and will create
a custom package tailored to meet each client's specifications.

"We created Organica Deluxe to meet the needs of the consumer who
enjoys the finer things in life but also wants to lead an eco-friendly
lifestyle," said Jane Hunter, co-founder and president of Organica
Deluxe. "Our gifts have care built into every component and we are
deeply committed to fulfilling our mission of providing gifts that
support natural sustainability while also offering an uncompromising
sense of aesthetics."

For more product details visit www.organicadeluxe.com. Additional
product information is available at info@organicadeluxe.com or
1-800-272-0546. Product samples and high-resolution images available
upon request.

About OrganicaDeluxe.com:
Organica Deluxe is an online eco-friendly luxury boutique serving
customers throughout the continental United States and is committed to
delivering the finest products in the most responsible and attractive
manner. Founded in 2008, just one Organica Deluxe gift box supports up
to 15 eco-friendly businesses across various industries including
organic farmers, artisans and manufacturers.

Lawrimore Communications Creates Dynamic Website For Gaston County Economic Development

Lawrimore Communications Creates Dynamic Website

For Gaston County Economic Development

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A dynamic new website, www.Gaston.org, has been
created for the Gaston County Economic Development Commission (EDC) by
Charlotte marketing agency Lawrimore Communications Inc.

"We asked for a new website with a fresh corporate look, and that's
what we got," said EDC Executive Director Donny Hicks. "There is a
full-screen flash movie on the home page, dozens of high-quality
photos, a search function across the top, an online database of
available properties, and many other state-of-the-art features. We are
very pleased."

"We designed the site to have a look and feel similar to the websites
of some of America's leading corporations, as well as to meet the
needs of site selection consultants, whom we interviewed for enhanced
understanding of what they are looking for," said Lawrimore president
Buck Lawrimore. "We feel this website gives a deeper understanding and
more positive impression of economic development opportunities and
resources in Gaston County than anything we've done before."

The Gaston County EDC is one of the Carolinas' leading economic
development teams, with a full-time staff of seven and responsibility
for personally developing two high-quality business parks, Gastonia
Technology Park adjacent to Gaston College off Highway 321, and The
Summit At Court Drive adjacent to the Gaston Memorial Hospital
complex. In addition the Commission recruits new business prospects to
the county and helps existing businesses expand.

Lawrimore Communications is the Charlotte Region's most experienced
economic development marketing agency, having served most of the
counties and numerous cities in the Charlotte Regional Partnership for
over 20 years. The firm also serves small to mid-sized businesses,
manufacturers and other government organizations. More information is
available at http://www.lciweb.com.

[Media Contact: Buck Lawrimore, 704-332-4344, Buck (at) Lciweb.com]

Charlotte Condominiums Win "Community of Distinction" Award

Latta Pavilion Condominiums Win
"Community of Distinction" Award

CHARLOTTE, NC - The North Carolina Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) has selected the Condominiums at Latta Pavilion Owners Association, Inc., as the State's 2008 "Community of Distinction," in the category of small townhome/condo.

The CAI cited Latta's achievements in five areas as the basis for its decision, including the Association's (1) successful resolution and settlement with the community's developer, (2) ongoing capital improvements, (3) continuous service improvements, (4) sound fiscal condition, and (5) excellent communications and community unity.

"We are pleased to receive this award, as it recognizes our efforts to manage the Association in a professional manner," said Association president Larry Tilson. "By working as a team, we have managed to overcome a number of construction-based issues in an amiable manner with the community's developer, continued to improve the physical property and services to residents, and maintained a high level of communication with our members. We have also managed our finances in a fiscally conservative manner, aided by the fact that we have two CPAs on our Board.

"We believe Latta Pavilion is a great place to live," Tilson added. "Its prime location in Dilworth allows easy pedestrian access to a wide variety of shops, restaurants, entertainment, recreation and health care resources. It is also minutes from uptown, SouthPark and the growing midtown area."

---###---

(Media Contact: Buck Lawrimore, 704-332-4344,
Email: Buck (at) Lciweb.com)

131 MAIN Adds Wine Bar And Private Dining Room To East Boulevard Charlotte Restaurant

131 MAIN Adds Wine Bar And Private Dining Room

To East Boulevard Charlotte Restaurant

For Immediate Release

CHARLOTTE, NC – A new wine bar and private dining room have been added to 131 MAIN's restaurant at 1315 East Blvd., Charlotte. 

"The wine bar is designed to emulate an authentic Napa Valley wine bar," said 131 MAIN CEO Joe Douglas. "It's very warm, comfortable, with a lot of stained wood, exposed brick and a '50s-style broken tile floor. The bar top is made of hammered copper. We're installing authentic wine barrel heads from Napa Valley, and have special Wine Keeper units to preserve and serve wine by the glass."

The wine bar has bar-height seating and tables, as well as couches and chairs in a living-room type setting. It's designed to seat 50 comfortably. Hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays, and until midnight on weekends.

"We felt that there was a void in the Dilworth-Myers Park area for a nice wine bar like this," Douglas explained. "We believe it's a great amenity for the community, where many upscale professionals and couples live, as well as for Latta Pavilion, the mixed-use development where it's located. It's also a complement to 131 MAIN and will provide additional traffic."

The wine bar stocks an eclectic mix of about 36 different wines from noted wineries around the world, which may be purchased in small glasses, larger glasses, and bottles, as well as flights. A flight is a series of similar red or white wines that allow the customer to experience the different tastes and flavors.

"Our menu was chosen to complement the wines, and vice versa," said COO Mike Vaughn. "We did a lot of research on pairing them, and our servers and bartenders will be able to guide guests toward good combinations. With our menu items priced in the $6 to $13 range, a guest can enjoy a light meal or dessert with several wines for a very pleasant yet affordable experience." 

Simultaneously 131 MAIN has also completed and opened a private dining room adjacent to the main restaurant space. "We can now offer our guests a nice private dining room that accommodates up to 36 people seated," Douglas said. "It's fully audiovisual-capable, including wireless Internet access, for business meetings or presentations. Guests can order off the regular menu or have special meals prepared with sufficient advance notice."

For more information, visit www.131-main.com or call 704-896-9007.

Media Contact: Lawrimore Inc., http://www.lciweb.com or 704-332-4344