Proposed Charlotte Budget focuses on investments for City's future and property tax increase

Charlotte City Manager Curt Walton has presented to the Mayor and City
Council his budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2013 and for the
City's five-year Capital Investment Plan. His proposal includes a
total $1.97 billion FY2013 budget that maintains core operating needs
and invests in capital projects necessary for a growing community. In
2011, Charlotte added 8,500 new jobs with almost $700 million in
investments. Local building permits totaled 3,975 from January 2012
to March 2012 compared to 3,170 for the same period last year, a 25%
increase. Unemployment in Charlotte also dropped from 10% in July
2011 to 8.5% in February, and despite the economic downturn, the City
added over 75,000 residents between 2006 and 2011.

Capital Investment Plan (CIP)
A cornerstone of the proposed budget includes a $926 million capital
investment plan, which would be funded by a 3.6¢ property tax
increase. The goal of the plan is to ensure adequate capital
investments to ensure neighborhoods and businesses have the necessary
foundation to thrive and compete in a global economy. If the capital
program is approved by Council, the projects would be placed on the
ballot in four separate bond packages over the next seven years.

The capital investment plan is segmented into three areas: Investing
in Corridors, Increasing Connections, and Improving Communities.

The Investing in Corridors package project highlights include:
· $43 million for roadway extensions supporting economic
development in the Airport/West Corridor
· $25 million for transportation connections along the East/
Southeast Corridor Infrastructure
· $102.5 million for vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle access
improvements for the Northeast Corridor to complement the extension of
light rail service to the University area

Increasing Connections investments include projects such as:
· $24.9 million for City-wide sidewalks and pedestrian safety
· $119 million for continued development of the Charlotte
Streetcar from French St. near Johnson C. Smith University to
Sunnyside St. past Presbyterian Hospital
· $35 million for a 26-mile Cross-Charlotte multi-use trail

The Improving Communities package includes project highlights such as:
· $56.5 million for six new police stations
· $120 million for neighborhood improvements in the Prosperity
Village, Whitehall/Ayrsley, Sunset/Beatties Ford, West Trade/
Rozzelles Ferry, and Central/Eastland/Albemarle communities
· $60 million for Affordable Housing

General Fund
On the General Fund side, the budget includes:
· $500,000 for four crime analysts and three telecommunicators
for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police
· $1.1 million to offset increased fuel costs
· $1.4 million increase for maintenance and repair of City
vehicles and equipment

CATS, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities and Storm Water
The budget also includes some increases in rates and charges to fund
infrastructure expansions that accommodate growing service demands.
The average monthly water/sewer bill will increase $3.30 going from
$56.23 to $59.53, and the average monthly storm water fees will rise
42¢ from $7.06 to $7.48. The FY2013 Charlotte Area Transit System
budget builds on programs of past years and is responsive to service
and revenue challenges. A 25¢ base fare increase is recommended for
implementation in FY2013 to support program efforts.


Employee Compensation and Benefits Summary

As part of his presentation to Council, City Manager Walton also
presented his compensation and benefits recommendations for City
employees:

Compensation
· Includes a redesign of the Public Safety Pay Plan and
funding for merit steps of 2.5%
or 5% for those below the maximum pay step and a 1.5 % market adjustment

· Includes funding for a 3% merit budget for the Broadbanding
Pay Plan

Benefits
· Modify the medical plan designs to ensure the City's plans
continue to contain costs, promote in-network utilization and remain
competitive with market practices

· Increase of 2% in City's cost

· Increase of 2% for medical premiums in the higher "plus"
medical plan for City employees

· No increase in medical premiums for employees choosing the
base medical plan

· Extend benefits to same sex domestic partners

· Evaluate offering a network based dental plan with a high
and low dental option

· Amend the Shared Sick Leave policy to allow use of shared
sick leave for a catastrophic Workers' Compensation covered illness or
injury

The Mayor and Council will discuss the City Manager's recommendations
in several work sessions over the next few weeks. Residents may speak
at the public hearing on May 29. To sign up, call (704) 336-2248.
The next steps in the budget process include:

Council Budget Adjustments 3 pm, May 16
Public Hearing 7 pm, May 29
Budget Adjustments Straw Votes Noon, May 30
Budget Adoption 7 pm, June 11

For more information, visit citybudget.charmeck.org or keep up with
the latest budget developments on City Source, the City's bi-weekly
news show, which airs Thursdays at 7 p.m. on The GOV Channel Cable-16.


The City of Charlotte provides services to more than 700,000 residents.
The City's focus areas are Housing and Neighborhood Development,
Community Safety, Transportation, Economic Development and the
Environment.
For the latest news about city government, visit the Citywide Newsroom
at newsroom.charlottenc.gov.
From our website, you can sign up to receive email updates on City
topics that interest you through the Notify Me service.

Charlotte Regional Realtors report home sales increasing in April 2012

Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association reports that the number of
closings for April 2012 (2,170) increased 15.3 percent compared to
April 2011, when closings totaled 1,882. Both the average and median
sales price showed positive increases for a third consecutive month.
The average sales price in April 2012 ($214,779) was up by 5.6 percent
compared to the same period last year ($203,442), and the median sales
price ($159,995), the best measure of trends over a period of time,
showed prices up by 4.6 percent compared to April 2011 when the median
sales price was $153,000.

The average list price in April 2012 ($272,358) increased 9.2 percent
when compared to the average list price for the same period last year
($249,500), bringing the percent of original list price received
measure to 92 percent as compared to 88.9 percent last April. April
2012 pending contracts totaled 2,317, an increase of 7.8 percent over
last April's pending contracts (2,150) for the CMLS region.

New residential listings in March 2012 totaled 4,526, up slightly 1.5
percent compared to the same period last year when new listings
totaled 4,460. Overall inventory continued its downward trend, down
18.7 percent compared to April 2011, leaving the CMLS region with a
9.7-month supply of homes for sale as compared to 13.7-month supply
during the same time last year. The average number of days a property
was on the market from the time it was listed until it closed (list to
close) totaled 145, which is a decrease of nine days when compared to
last April when the list to close count totaled 154 days.

The share of new listings that were distressed in April was 11.3
percent, compared to 18.7 percent the previous year. 15.6 percent of
all closed sales in April were distressed, compared to 31.5 percent in
April 2011.

For more residential-housing market statistics, visit the
association's website at www.CarolinaHome.com and click on "Community
Data." For an interview with 2012 association/CMLS President Jennifer
Frontera, please contact Kim Walker.

The Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association is a trade association
that leads, educates and equips members to be productive. It provides
more than 6,600 Realtor® members with the resources and services
needed to conduct ethical, professional, successful and profitable
businesses. The association is dedicated to being the region's primary
resource for residential real estate information. The association
operates the Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Inc. (CMLS), which
has approximately 7,200 Subscribers and is the private cooperative
Realtors® use for access to tens of thousands of residential listings
in a 10-county service area, including the high-growth Charlotte area,
as well as listings outside this service area.

Relax and breathe ... School Testing coming soon

It is officially crunch time; a time when students must review
academic material from the entire school year in preparation for End-
of-Grade (EOGs) and End-of-Course (EOCs) tests. Teachers are preparing
students with classroom studies, but there are some extra tips parents
can take to give their children a helping hand.

Fahnie Shaw, an instructor for Parent University's Preparing for EOGs
courses, said she realizes this time of year can be stressful for
children. She said it is important for the family to remember that the
purpose of the tests are to show what the student has mastered and to
help evaluate teaching methods in the classroom.

"We tell the parents to make the tests no big deal," said Shaw. "You
need to reassure students that they know this information already.
Show them what they have mastered. Build their confidence."

While testing is only a few days away, Shaw said it's not too late to
review, but do not attempt to review everything in one night.

See more tips from Parent University on preparing for the EOGs and EOCs:

Before the test

· Encourage your child to get a good night's sleep before the
test.
· Provide your child with a nutritious breakfast before the
test.
· Minimize outside activities during the week of testing. This
will help reduce stress at home.
· Set your alarm a little early each morning and make your
time together at home pleasant and encouraging.
· Make sure your child arrives at school on time.
· Give your child a hug and let them know you have confidence
in them.

Rock Band Halestorm to Heat Up Miller Lite Stage May 25

Pennsylvania rock band, Halestorm, will become a part of Food Lion
Speed Street's history book when the group performs on the Miller Lite
stage, located near the corner of South Tryon Street and East
Stonewall Street, on May 25 at 9:30 p.m.

Founders of Halestorm, siblings Arejay and Elizabeth "Izzy" Hale began
writing and performing in 1997 at the age of 10 and 13 years old,
respectively. In 2005, the band, inclusive of guitarist Joe Hottinger
and bass player Josh Smith, signed a recording contract with Atlantic
Records and released albumOne and Done.

Four years later, Halestorm distributed a self-titled album featuring
top-10 single "I Get Off," "It's Not You," "Love/Hate Heartbreak," and
"Familiar Taste of Poison." Halestorm sold more than 300,000 copies.

In 2012, the quartet delivered its second full-length album, The
Strange Case of … Loaded with 17 tracks, The Strange Case of …
features "Loves Bites (So Do I)," "Freak Like Me," "Daughters of
Darkness," and "Here's To Us."

Food Lion Speed Street delivers an unprecedented consumer experience
to an estimated 400,000 fans by means of live entertainment, access to
racing's brightest stars, and displays from sponsors Food Lion, Coca-
Cola, Miller Lite, General Mills, Chevrolet and many more.

Musical performances for the three-day festival will begin Thursday,
May 24 at one of two stages. The Coca-Cola stage will be located on
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Brevard Street and Caldwell
Street at the NASCAR Hall of Fame entrance. The Miller Lite stage
will be located in the parking lot near the corner of South Tryon
Street and East Stonewall Street, across from the Mint Museum.

The event provides multi-day entertainment for fans attending the Coca-
Cola 600 on Sunday, May 27 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Admission to Food Lion Speed Street is free. The festival opens each
day at noon. For a schedule of events, visit www.600festival.com or
Facebook.

Community Blood Center of the Carolinas' Pints for Patriots Campaign to Honor Wounded Veterans May-July

The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) is joining forces
with Military Family Lifestyle Charitable Foundation (MFLCF) to kick
off a three-month-long blood drive campaign called "Pints for Patriots."

For every pint of blood collected from May 1-July 31, 2012, CBCC will
make a financial contribution to support military families and to
thank hospitalized veterans in the Carolinas with a "Freedom Coin,"
through the MFLCF Products for Good Program. Each coin will include a
thank-you note listing the CBCC donor's name.

"We value partnerships like that with the Community Blood Center of
the Carolinas to help further our mission," said Lane Ostrow, Chairman
of the MFLCFProducts for Good Program. "We appreciate all that CBCC
and their generous donors are doing to thank and honor our veterans
and our men and women in uniform while giving blood that will save
many lives in the communities they serve."

The Military Family Lifestyle Charitable Foundation raises money for
wounded military and their families through a wide range of programs
including emergency assistance, scholarships and support of the USO
and its programs. MFLCF is also committed to assisting the wounded and
their families with the long term needs resulting from the sacrifices
made by the wounded.

"As we gear up to celebrate Memorial Day and Independence Day,
bringing our communities together to donate blood is a noble way to
honor and support our injured military service members," said Martin
Grable, president and CEO of Community Blood Center of the Carolinas.
"We urge the public to roll up their sleeves and participate in the
'Pints for Patriots' campaign to let a veteran in the Carolinas know
that his or her service will not be forgotten."

For businesses, civic organizations and churches interested in hosting
a blood drive with CBCC, call Kim Jones, director of sponsorship
development, at 704-972-4727. Donors can give blood at one of CBCC's
four donor centers or at a community blood drive available at www.cbcc.us/donate
.

About MFLCF
The Military Family Lifestyle Charitable Foundation, Inc. (MFLCF)
provides military members and their families the dignity and respect
for their commitment and selfless service in preserving the freedoms
we all enjoy. It is dedicated to creating activities that provide
additional funding to existing and future organizations, helping
patriots and their families fulfill their dreams with the greatest
degree of respect and admiration. For more information about theMFLCF
Products for Good Program, visit http://www.mflcf.org/.

About Community Blood Center of the Carolinas
The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) is a non-profit
community-based blood center and the primary blood supplier to 21
regional hospitals, serving 16 North Carolina and three South Carolina
counties. CBCC focuses exclusively on gathering red blood cells,
platelets and plasma from volunteer donors to save local lives – every
drop of blood collected remains here to help people in the Carolinas.
CBCC is a member of America's Blood Centers, North America's largest
network of community-based, independent blood centers providing more
than 50% of the nation's blood supply.

For more information on hosting a blood drive or donating blood in
your area, visit www.cbcc.us or call 704-972-4700.

Follow the Community Blood center of the Carolinas on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BloodCenter
and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CBCCarolinas.

City of Charlotte Celebrates Small Business Month

Mayor Anthony Foxx and the Charlotte City Council declared May as
Small Business Month at a kickoff event this morning where more than a
dozen small businesses were recognized for their contributions to our
economy. Over the course of the month, the City and its partners will
host several events to celebrate, educate and inspire the more than
30,000 small businesses operating in Charlotte.

"Small Business month provides us an opportunity to stop and recognize
the many contributions of the entrepreneurs and small businesses that
make Charlotte great, not just by providing needed goods and services,
but by driving innovation, creating jobs, and investing in our
community," said Mayor Anthony Foxx.

Small businesses are an essential ingredient to growing and sustaining
our economy. As such, the City, County, Chamber and other partners
have been working collaboratively to make Charlotte the premier place
for small business investment and growth. One of these collaborative
projects is Charlotte Business Resources.com, a web portal to connect
business owners with information and resources related to the stage of
their business or important topics such as financing, licensing and
permitting and contracting.

In addition, the City and its partners have created events throughout
the month where small businesses can learn new skills, receive
information on critical business issues, network and be celebrated. A
complete list of events is attached. For more information about
Charlotte Small Business Month and the thousands of small businesses
and entrepreneurs that make the community great, please visit:
CharlotteBusinessResources.com <http://www.charlottebusinessresources.com/
>.

Trayvon Martin is topic of public meeting sponsored by the 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte

The 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte, a nonprofit organization
committed to improving the lives of the Charlotte region's African-
American youth, are sponsoring a community meeting to discuss the
implications of the Trayvon Martin tragedy and how it impacts the
youth of Charlotte. The event will be held at UNC-Charlotte in
McKnight Hall in the Cone Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Panelists
include Dr. Patrick Graham, CEO of the Urban League of Central
Carolinas, who will serve as moderator; Reggie Singleton, director of
"A Male's Place"; Adrian Sundiata, Dean of Students at the Crossroads
Charter School; and Attorney Erin Taylor of the Federal Defenders of
Western North Carolina. The public is welcomed to attend this free
event, and are asked to bring their children to learn from the
discussion.

When: Saturday, May 5, 2012, 11 a.m.

Where: UNC-Charlotte, Cone Center-McKnight Hall

9201 University City Blvd.

Charlotte, NC 28223-0001

Why: Trayvon Martin's unfortunate demise is a matter of
national concern for African American parents and mentors. This event
illustrates the 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte's mission, "to
strengthen community support and involvement for African American
youth."

Food Lion Speed Street Welcomes Night Ranger, LoverBoy and Clay Walker to 18th Annual Festival

After 18 years of providing live entertainment, Food Lion Speed Street
will welcome Night Ranger, LoverBoy and Clay Walker to the consumer
festival on May 26. Night Ranger and Loverboy will perform on the Coca-
Cola stage starting at 8 p.m., while Walker will kick off his
performance on the Miller Lite stage at 9:30 p.m.

As a preview to the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which
takes place the following day, Food Lion Speed Street delivers an
unprecedented consumer experience to an estimated 400,000 fans by
means of live entertainment, access to racing's brightest stars and
displays from sponsors Food Lion, Coca-Cola, Miller Lite, General
Mills, Chevrolet and many more.

Night Ranger – Coca-Cola Stage
Appearing on May 26 at 8 p.m., the San Francisco rock
band, Night Ranger, will take attendees back to a variety of 1980s
hits including fan favorite, "Sister Christian." In 1982, Night
Ranger debuted on the rock scene and began opening concerts for
artists such as ZZ Top and Ozzy Osbourne. From 1982 to 1988, the band
released five albums selling more than 10 million copies worldwide.
Not long after, the band splintered with some pursuing solo efforts or
joining other musical groups. Beginning in 1995 and culminating with
the most recent album, Somewhere in California, Night Ranger has
issued five studio albums.

Loverboy – Coca-Cola Stage
Taking the stage after Night Ranger, Loverboy will join
Food Lion Speed Street attendees at 9:45 p.m. The Canadian rock group
is known best for hit singles, "Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the
Weekend." Loverboy has earned four multi-platinum albums since first
signing with Columbia/CBS Records Canada in 1980.

Clay Walker presented by Frito Lay – Miller Lite Stage
Frito Lay will present multi-platinum recording artist,
Clay Walker, on the Miller Lite stage May 26 at 9:30 p.m.
Making an entrance in the country music scene in 1993,
Walker topped the Billboard country singles chart with "What's It to
You" and followed with a second consecutive No. 1 hit, "Live Until I
Die." Since then, he's placed 31 titles on Billboard's singles chart
toppers as "Dreaming with my Eyes Open," "If I Could Make a Living,"
"This Woman and This Man," and "Rumor Has It." He's scored four
platinum-selling albums and two gold albums. Walker has released
eleven albums, including a greatest hits album and a Christmas album.
In 2010, he released a new album, She Won't Be Lonely Long. Most
recently, he issued a new single, "Like We Never Said Goodbye."

Musical performances for the three-day festival will
begin Thursday, May 24 at one of two stages. The Coca-Cola stage will
be located on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Brevard Street
and Caldwell Street at the NASCAR Hall of Fame entrance. The Miller
Lite stage will be located in the parking lot near the corner of South
Tryon Street and East Stonewall Street, across from the Mint Museum.
Admission to Food Lion Speed Street is free. The festival
opens each day at noon. For a schedule of events, visit www.600festival.com
orwww.facebook.com/FoodLionSpeedStreet.

About Food Lion
Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., is a Delhaize America Company,
which is the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (NYSE:
DEG) and operates more than 1,100 supermarkets. The company employs
approximately 57,000 associates delivering quality products, low
prices and service to customers in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic
states. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

People Miserably Fail Local Mother's Day Alzheimer's Quiz

It may hit you and your siblings when you visit Mom this Mother's
Day. She's not as sharp as she used to be - very forgetful and
confused. Is it just old age or Alzheimer's? You don't have a clue
and you're not alone.

Half of all Americans know someone with Alzheimer's, the deadly
disease that affects five million of us - more women than men. Yet
just in time for Mother's Day - in a recent Senior Helpers Alzheimer's
Quiz taken by more than one thousand people, 67% or 2/3 failed (they
got fewer than 60% of the questions correct)! Have your readers/
viewers take the full quiz below.

That's why Senior Helpers, one of our nation's largest providers of in-
home senior care, with an office in our area, has launched Senior
Gems, a FREE and revolutionary Alzheimer's education program . It
assigns each stage of the disease to a gem, like a diamond or ruby,
and gives step-by-step instruction so people can navigate every mood
and movement of a loved one who is coping with the disease. Please
give your readers a link to the Senior Helper's Senior Gems program
where they can get a free DVD that walks them through every step of
caring for someone with the deadly disease.

"We have a crisis in America because Alzheimer's is a deadly epidemic
yet this quiz shows many people still don't know enough about the
disease or how to best communicate with a loved one who has it. As our
population grows older and lives longer, families will need survival
skills to cope through the various stages of the disease and manage
the stressful toll it takes on everyone,"says Peter Ross, CEO and
founder of Senior Helpers, one of our nation's largest in-home senior
care companies and co-creator of the Senior Gems program. "We
launched Senior Gems to give caregivers and family members a hands-on
guide for education and survival."

Pam's Mother's Day Heartbreak

Pam Huntoon says she didn't know much about Alzheimer's disease until
her 85-year-old mother was diagnosed. "You suddenly do a ton of
research but that doesn't teach you how to handle the person in real
life situations," she says. "Mom used to be witty and sharp with a
great sense of humor. Now she has hallucinations and she's very
confused. It's a struggle."

Pam watched the Senior Gems DVD and hired a Senior Helper's caregiver
trained in Gems to help with her mom five days a week. "It has been
such a blessing to have this help. I've learned it's not Mom's fault
that she acts this way, that she can't help herself. I can't argue or
prove my point. Gems has taught me to be patient and kind and that has
been a lifesaver as we guide Mom through this final stage of her life."

Senior Helper's Alzheimer's Quiz

Tell this story by giving your readers/viewers the Senior Helper's
Alzheimer's Quiz to see how they stack-up (see bottom of release for
answer key):

1. Alzheimer's only affects memory skills (Pick one)

a) True, other parts of the brain are not damaged by Alzheimer's
b) False, it affects memory and language skills
c) True, it spreads through the memory center, eventually keeping if
from working at all
d) False, it affects memory, language, vision, sensation & motor
skills, and decision making ability

2. Can you get Alzheimer's if no one in your family has/had it? (Pick
one)

a) Yes – Anyone can develop the disease.
b) No – Alzheimer's is purely genetic.
c) No – a family member on your mother's side must have had
Alzheimer's to put you at risk of developing it.

3. What's the most common 'early' sign of Alzheimer's disease? (Pick
one)

a) Can't remember NEW information
b) Can't remember OLD information
c) Can't remember ANY information

4. At what age is your working memory the sharpest and fastest it will
ever be? ( Pick one)

a) 10-14 years old
b) 2-10 years old
c) 30-35 years old
d) 14-18 years old
e) 35-45 years old
f) 26-30 years old
g) Late teens to early 20s
h) 45-50 years old

5. What is the difference between Alzheimer's disease and dementia?
(Pick one)

a) Alzheimer's is progressive (gets worse with time) but dementia is not
b) Dementia is not as serious as Alzheimer's, it just affects memory
c) They are actually the same thing, just different names
d) Dementia is a general category and Alzheimer's is a specific type
of brain failure
e) Alzheimer's is treatable, but dementia is not

6. Can you prevent Alzheimer's? (Pick one)

a) Yes –You can prevent Alzheimer's with a healthy diet.
b) Yes - You can prevent Alzheimer's with brain exercises.
c) No – you cannot prevent Alzheimer's.

7. Do people die from Alzheimer's? (Pick one)

a) No – those with Alzheimer's usually die from other causes.
b) Yes – Alzheimer's is ultimately a fatal disease.
c) No – Alzheimer's is memory-impairment disease, not life-threatening
in almost all cases

8. These are all risk factors for Late Onset Alzheimer's – which is
the greatest known risk? (Pick one)

a) Brain injury
b) Increasing age
c) Genetics
d) Heart attack or stroke
e) Stress
f) Diet
g) Diabetes
h) Obesity

9. Alzheimer's is a natural stage of aging ( Pick one)

a) True – All seniors eventually get Alzheimer's
b) False – If you lead a healthy and active lifestyle, you won't get
Alzheimer's.
c) False – Alzheimer's is not a natural stage of aging.

10. At age 85, your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is closest
to:

a) 5%
b) 25%
c) 50%
d) 75%
e) 100%

11. Which of the following is NOT true about dementia? (Pick one)

a) It is terminal
b) It is progressive (gets worse with time)
c) There is no known cure
d) There are more than 80 causes, types, and forms
e) It always results in the person becoming angry and dangerous in the
later stages

Answer Key:
1. d
2. a
3. a
4. g
5. d
6. c
7. b
8. b
9. c
10. c
11. e

To Tell This Story:

• Print/post the quiz in its entirety so your audience can take the
quiz and see how they stack-up.

• Please provide a link so your audience can receive a FREE DVD of the
Senior Gems program.

• We will provide interviews with local caregivers trained in Senior
Gems and in some cases, local families struggling to cope with the
disease.


*Editor's Note: Please cite Senior Helpers as the source for this quiz.
*This online quiz was given by a third party, commissioned by Senior
Helpers.
*The survey included 1,013 respondents: male and female, 40 years or
older, with a living parent. Full survey data available upon request.

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish
to live at home as
opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 300
franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of
personal and companion care services to assist seniors living
independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client
and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the
leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable,
consistent and affordable home care.
For more information, please visit www.seniorhelpers.com

About Senior Gems:
Senior Gems is a revolutionary program to help family members and
professional caregivers properly care for their aging loved ones
through each stage of dementia. Teepa Snow began developing her Gem
Levels in 2006. In 2011, the Senior Gem program was created with her
guidance and assistance. This program puts Senior Helpers at the
forefront of individual and in-home dementia-specialized care giving
as they offer all of their in-home companions and caregivers the
opportunity to become dementia care certified through the training
program.

City Manager Declares Upcoming Events as "Extraordinary Events"

City Manager Curt Walton has declared several upcoming events as
Extraordinary Events. The City Manager, in collaboration with the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, has determined these events
meet the criteria as defined in Charlotte City Code Sec. 15-310.
Charlotte City Council adopted the ordinance January 23, 2012, which
authorized the City Manager to make declarations of Extraordinary
Events.




An Extraordinary Event is defined as a large scale event or an event
of national or international significance which might attract a
significant number of people to a certain geographic area of the city.

The ordinance does not affect the normal way of life for our citizens
who are going about their daily activities. For example, residents
will be able to walk their dog within the extraordinary event
boundaries without fear of arrest. The Extraordinary Event designation
allows the City to modify its permitting process for activities such
as parades and specifies certain items that are prohibited from being
brought into certain boundaries of the event. A list of prohibited
items is included in the following document.





The following events and geographic locations (see attached
declarations and maps) have been declared as Extraordinary Events:

Duke Energy Annual Shareholder Meeting: Investors and Duke Energy
executives will meet in Charlotte's Center City on May 3, 2012.
Current information indicates that:

· A significant number of demonstrators have gathered outside
other major corporations recently during their annual shareholder
meetings.

· Reliable information indicates that significant numbers of
demonstrators are expected to attend.

· In February, some demonstrators erected 20-foot tall tripods
on the sidewalk in front of Duke Energy's headquarters. Others locked
themselves to the legs, while others suspended themselves from the
center of the device.

Geographic area: from the intersection of S. Tryon and Stonewall
Streets to Stonewall at Graham Street; from Graham Street to Martin
Luther King Boulevard; from Martin Luther King to South Tryon Street
and back to Stonewall. Time: 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on May 3, 2012.




BOA Shareholder Meeting: Bank of America's annual Shareholder Meeting
will take place in Charlotte's Center City on May 9, 2012. Current
information indicates that:

· Several organizations are making plans to protest during the
meeting. At this point, information indicates that significant numbers
of demonstrators are expected to attend.

· In the past year, significant numbers of demonstrators have
gathered outside major corporations during their annual shareholder
meetings.

· In November 2011, some demonstrators illegally hung a banner
outside the bank's headquarters.

· In April 2012, some demonstrators entered two BOA branches and
disrupted business.



Geographic area: from the intersection of Tryon and Trade Streets to
the intersection of Trade Street and the light rail line; from the
light rail line to Sixth Street; from Sixth Street to North Tryon
Street and then back to the intersection of North Tryon and Trade
Streets. Time: 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on May 9, 2012.






Speed Street: The Food Lion Speed Street 600 Festival is planned, for
Memorial Day weekend May 24-26, 2012. Current information indicates:

· More than 400,000 people are expected to visit the event, in
the Center City, over its three day duration. Last year, several
fights occurred among the crowd of nearly 80,000 people who attended
the final night of the event.



Geographic area: from the intersection of Seventh and North Tryon
Streets to the intersection of South Tryon and Stonewall Streets; from
Stonewall to South Davidson Street; from South Davidson to Seventh
Street and then from Seventh back to North Tryon Street. Time: 6:00
a.m. on May 24, 2012 to 6:00 a.m. on May 27, 2012.






July 4th Spectacular: The Presbyterian Hospital July 4th Spectacular
is held at Memorial Stadium; however, participation goes far beyond
the official site.

· In previous years, nearly 100,000 people have gathered in the
Center City to watch the fireworks, celebrate the holiday or meet up
with friends.

· Significant numbers of mostly young people have caused
disturbances by blocking sidewalks and roadways, fighting, and
shooting firecrackers in crowds.

Geographic area: from the intersection of Seventh and North Tryon
Streets, to Tryon and Stonewall Streets; from Stonewall to South
Davidson Streets; from South Davidson to Seventh Street and then from
Seventh back to North Tryon Street. Time: 12:01 a.m. on July 4, 2012
to 6:00 a.m. on July 5, 2012.





Democratic National Convention: The official DNC events are scheduled
for Sept. 4-6, 2012 and related events will take place before and
after the convention. Geographic area and time to be provided at a
later date

· The DNC is expected to bring an estimated 75,000 visitors to
Charlotte, including President Obama, governors and other dignitaries,
international media, and thousands of demonstrators.

· High levels of security will be required because the
convention has been declared a National Special Security Event.

· At previous conventions, some groups have caused disturbances,
damaged property, blocked roadways and resorted to violence.