CPCC accepting reservations to Global Competitiveness II Summit on 2/21

The opening of a major intermodal facility at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, combined with the expansion of thePanama Canal in 2014 will significantly affect trade routes across the globe and present significant entrepreneurial, manufacturing and transportationopportunities for the Charlotte region. Ships from Asia will be able to reach the U.S. east coast more quickly and directly. This change to the world's shipping patterns is expected to position Charlotte as a unique intermodal transportation center and leader in global commerce and manufacturing.

To prepare the region's key decision makers for this global shift, a host of local and national business leaders will gather for this second summit to discuss what opportunities exist for the region to create, make and move products across the global marketplace. Scheduled speakers include:

· Dr. Seth Harris, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor

· Sharon Decker, N.C. Commerce Secretary

· Dr. John Silvia, Managing Director and Chief Economist for Wells Fargo

· Michael Gallis, Global Strategist

· Peter Ammon, German Ambassador to the United States

· Anthony Foxx, Mayor of Charlotte

· Tanja Gonner, GIZ Board Chairwoman

· Mike Manis, Director of Community & Economic Development for Centralina Council of Government

Other featured presentations will include Bob Morgan, president and CEO of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, announcing the Chamber's strategic plan; Ronnie Bryant, CEO of the Charlotte Regional Partnership, presenting the group's marketingplan for the region; and Chris William, host of "Carolina Business Review," moderating two panel discussions with business leaders on what the region needs to do to become more globally competitive.

There are many German businesses in the Queen City; in fact, Germany is the most largely represented country in the Charlotte region. Almost 60 German companies are headquartered in Charlotte and more than 190 companies in the Queen City are German-owned. Therefore, the summit is attracting a strong German contingent. In addition to Mr. Ammon, Tanja Gonner, a GIZ board chairwoman, will also be a featured speaker. GIZ is a German international economic and workforce development agency.

The Global Competitiveness II Summit was created to build upon the success of the first Global Competitive Success event, held in August 2012 at CPCC's Harris Campus, and seeks to inform and engage Charlotte region stakeholders in developing strategies and partnerships that will allow the region to grow a robust and resilient advanced manufacturing economy, workforce pipeline and transportation infrastructure.

WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 21; 7 a.m. – noon

WHERE: Harris Conference Center, CPCC Harris Campus, 3216 Harris Conference Dr., Charlotte, NC

CONTACT: Tickets are $25 and includes breakfast. To register, visit www.cpccc.edu/global<http://www.cpccc.edu/global>.

How Should Our Region Grow? Residents' Input Sought At Open Meetings

Residents in the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County will have a unique opportunity to provide input that will help to build a planning framework to address the region's growth and ensure the continued vitality of local communities.

The first of five "CONNECT Our Future" open houses will be held onWednesday, February 6, from 4-7 p.m., in the front concourse of Bojangles Coliseum, located at 2700 East Independence Blvd., Charlotte.

The open houses will allow participants to drop in anytime during the three-hour period to view exhibits explaining the challenge of future growth and the process to address it, talk to local government staff and fill out a questionnaire to provide their input.

Other open houses to be held within the City of Charlotte include:
Monday February 11, 4p.m.-7 p.m., East Stonewall AME Zion Church, 1729 Griers Grove Road
Tuesday February 12, 4 p.m.-7 p.m., Crossway Community Church, 6400 Prosperity Church Road
Wednesday February 20, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Wells Fargo Atrium, Charlotte Center City
Thursday February 21, 4 p.m-7 p.m., Sharon Presbyterian Church, 5201 Sharon Road

Residents will be asked what they value about their community and region, and what they think are the biggest regional challenges. That input will be developed into evaluation criteria and used later in the process to evaluate scenarios for how the region could grow. Providing input will ensure that the perspective of residents of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County is incorporated into the process.
The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are among the more than 100 local governments, businesses, and non-profits participating in the three-year "CONNECT Our Future" initiative to develop a regional framework for the growth of the 14-county region. The growth framework will help to ensure the region can match growth with good quality jobs, transportation; quality housing that is affordable, clean water, improved air quality and other social and physical infrastructure improvements.

In the past decade, the region surrounding Charlotte has emerged as America's fastest growing region of any area with a population greater than 1 million people. Within 20 years, the population is expected to grow by 50 percent, and double by 2050, meaning the addition of more than 2 million people to the region. The region is also one of the largest in the nation without a framework for growth. The framework will be built on existing community plans, public engagement, and local values. The framework will contain policies, strategies and tools for voluntary use and adoption by local governments, and will also create a network of relationships across the region to address the challenges faced by individual communities and the region as a whole.

Residents are not required to attend an open house nearest to them but may attend the event in another community, based on what is most convenient. Other open houses in the Mecklenburg County region include:
February 5 Belmont Belmont Abbey College, Haid Ballroom, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
February 7 Huntersville Huntersville Town Hall, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
February 18 Matthews Matthews Town Hall, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
February 19 Mount Holly Mount Holly Municipal Complex, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

The three-year planning process to build a regional framework is funded by a federal grant administered by the Centralina Council of Governments in partnership with the Catawba Regional Council of Governments, both of which are helping to coordinate, facilitate and staff the process. To learn more about this initiative, visit www.ConnectOurFuture.org.

City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Release Enhanced Interactive Quality of Life Study

The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have recently released the new Quality of Life Study, performed under contract with University of North Carolina – Charlotte (UNCC) Metropolitan Studies Institute. The Quality of Life Study is a collection of social, crime, physical, economic and environmental conditions that provide a snapshot of the health of our neighborhoods. The study is commonly used by residents, service providers, government agencies, real estate agents, and universities to help understand the dynamics of neighborhoods. The study data also helps organizations develop programs and determine service delivery strategies for Charlotte-Mecklenburg residents.

Between 2003 and 2010, the study included neighborhoods within the City of Charlotte geography. In 2012, the study geography was expanded to include the Towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville through a collaborative effort with Mecklenburg County.

For the first time, the new study report format features an interactive web 'Dashboard' with maps and graphs to display data in a user friendly platform at http://maps.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/qoldashboard/ Each variable contains website links to resources for more detailed information. Another feature of the dashboard is the capability to customize neighborhood reports from the data.

Historic Washington Heights Neighborhood Association President, Mattie Marshall, comments, "After reading an article about the new Quality of Life Dashboard, I immediately logged on to the website and was impressed with how easy I was able to navigate and access information. It's a valuable tool and user friendly. It's loaded with lots of information and data with helpful links that will have a major impact on the quality of life in our neighborhoods. I am so happy the labels (Challenged, Transitioning, Stable) are gone. The Study is a valuable tools and resource.

The City and County invite citizens to attend one of the upcoming community meetings to learn how the new interactive online dashboard can be used to get a snapshot of their neighborhood's health and generate a report. This, in turn, can help neighborhoods develop their future work plans and choose areas of focus based on what they believe a positive quality of life looks like in their neighborhoods.

The following dates and locations across the County have been secured for the public meetings:


East Charlotte
• Independence Regional Library, 6000 Conference Drive, Charlotte
• Tuesday, February 12, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Hickory Grove Library, 5935 Hickory Grove Road, Charlotte
• Wednesday, February 13, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

South Charlotte
• South County Regional Library, 5801 Rea Road, Charlotte
• Friday, February 15, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Morrison Regional Library, 7015 Morrison Boulevard, Charlotte
• Tuesday, March 5, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

North Mecklenburg County
• North County Regional Library, 16500 Holly Crest Road, Huntersville.
• Tuesday, February 19, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

North Charlotte
• Beatties Ford Regional Library, 2412 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte
• Thursday, February 28, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

West Charlotte
• West Boulevard Library, 2157 West Boulevard, Charlotte
• Tuesday, February 26, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
AND
•
• Wednesday, February 27, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Citizens can email qualityoflife@charlottenc.gov with questions, or to request a customized training for their neighborhood or business group. To learn more about the new Quality of Life Study, visit: http://qol.charmeck.org.

Facebook Robbery Safety Tips - Beware Fancy Sneakers

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Robbery Unit would like to remind the community to use extreme caution and be vigilant about their safety when utilizing the internet to arrange the buying/selling of personal property. CMPD has recently experienced a trend of armed robberies, common law robberies, and larcenies where victims are being robbed of their sneakers.

There is a group on Facebook called The Sneaker Head Society of North Carolina. People who are members can go to this site and sell, purchase, or trade used or new sneakers that are usually higher priced and hard to find in a store. The buyer and seller normally agree to a price on this site and may or may not exchange telephone numbers to come up with a designated meeting place.

The Robbery Unit would like to educate the users of Facebook, Craigslist, and other private sector sites/forums on some safety tips to keep them from being a victim of a robbery when using one of these sites to make a purchase of sneakers:

1. After you agree to meet the buyer or seller and that person's profile is no longer on the site do not do business with them.
2. If the buyer or seller changes the meeting place that is agreed upon this should make you very suspicious.
3. Always meet the buyer or seller in a public place where there are plenty of people. Never agree to meet on a side street or a place that is not well lit.
4. Always take someone with you and let the buyer or seller know you will be bringing someone with you to the meeting place. If you decide to go alone advise someone of your location and return time prior to the meeting taking place.
5. If the agreement for the sneakers you are buying/selling seems too good to be true then it is probably a scam.

Anyone with information concerning these robberies is asked to call the Crime Stopper's tip-line at 704-334-1600, or visithttp://charlottecrimestoppers.com.

Solid Waste Services Suspends Yard Waste Collections Due to Inclement Weather

The City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services (SWS) has suspended yard waste collection services for Friday and Saturday, January 25 and 26 due to inclement weather. On Saturday, January 26, SWS anticipates garbage, recycling, and bulky item collections to be delayed until 9 am to allow areas within neighborhoods to clear. Friday customers are asked to leave rollout carts curbside until they are serviced.

In observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, January 21, SWS was on a one-day delay therefore Thursday routes were being collected today. If crews were not able to provide yard waste collection to those residents prior to the suspension of service, those residents will be collected next week on their normal collection day. SWS should resume its normal collection services on Monday, January 28.

Residents are reminded of the following tips to ensure collection:

· Trimmings from shrubs and trees must be no longer than five feet in length and no larger than four inches in diameter

· Yard waste should be separated in piles small enough for one person to carry

· Place collection materials curbside by 6:30 am on the day of collection

· Place collection items within two feet of the curb. Please do not block the sidewalk

· Allow three feet between your garbage cart, recycling cart, yard waste, bulky items and obstacles such as vehicles, mailboxes, phone poles, etc.

For more information on Solid Waste Services, please visit http://curbit.charlottenc.gov or call 311 (704.336.7600).

Charlotte's Resident Furry Forecaster to Make Live Shadow Check for Groundhog Day Feb. 2

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Queen reigns supreme when it comes to predicting the end of the winter season. Charlotte's very own furry forecaster, Queen Charlotte the groundhog (Marmota monax), is burrowed deep preparing for her big day. Will she proclaim a longer winter or are warmer days ahead? Find out at Charlotte's only live groundhog shadow check at Charlotte Nature Museum's February Creature Feature event, Groundhog Day, Saturday, February 2, from10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Charlotte Nature Museum's Queen Charlotte has been preparing to outwit the Queen City's own meteorologists when it comes to foreseeing the forecast. Even as cousin Phil prognosticates in Punxsutawney, Queen Charlotte will emerge from her lair to greet her court - other animals that share characteristics or burrow space with the groundhog - before checking for her shadow at precisely 11:30 a.m. Gnaw on the folklore of Groundhog Day and many other hair-raising fun facts during the Museum-wide special event. Here's a nippy nugget: many groundhogs go into hibernation during winter, which greatly reduces their metabolic rate, and may reduce their body temperature to as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Some people assume a groundhog's internal clock is affected by annual changes in the amount of daylight," said Vonna Brown, coordinator at Charlotte Nature Museum. "However, groundhogs awake depending on their individual responses to cyclic changes in production of melatonin, a sleep-related hormone."

Nature-lovers can excavate deep for the dirt on all things groundhog, including the chance to play groundhog-themed games such as pin-the-shadow-on-the-groundhog and groundhog cornhole. Little ones will especially love "The Shadow Knows" Puppet Show and groundhog-themed story time and crafts which will run regularly throughout the event. Special stories will include "Go to Sleep, Little Groundhog" by Claude Clement, "Wake Up, Groundhog!" by Susan Karman, and "Geoffrey Groundhog Predicts the Weather" by Bruce Koscielniek

Find Queen Charlotte on Twitter @CLTGroundhog.

Creature Features, supported by The Guild of Discovery Place and Charlotte Nature Museum, are monthly special events and include crafts, puppet shows, storytelling and refreshments. Creature Feature activities are free with Museum admission. Admission: $6 ages two and older, younger-than-two and Members are free. Parking is free.

Charlotte Nature Museum is located at 1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte. Hours are: Tuesday-Thursday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Sunday noon - 5:00 p.m.; and closed on Monday.

Charlotte Nature Museum offers visitors the chance to get close to wildlife and walk among free-flying butterflies in Butterfly Pavilion, observe live animals inCreature Cavern, buzz by Insect Alley or just hang out in Our Big Backyard. Visitors can learn together during workshops, summer camps and more. Daily programming including hands-on activities provide the opportunity for structured learning and informal play for kids of all ages. Charlotte Nature Museum is operated by Discovery Place, Inc.

Metropolitan Transit Commission Forms Working Group to Study 2030 Transit Plan Funding

At a meeting of the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) Wednesday night, MTC Chair Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx urged the formation of a working group to study funding for future transit projects. This action follows an October decision by the MTC to convene a workshop, currently scheduled for April, to consider and adopt strategies to fund the 2030 Transit Plan.

The working group will be co-led by Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain and Charlotte City Councilman David Howard, and include MTC staff, MTC member mayors or their designees, and business and community leaders from participating jurisdictions.

"As I and many others have been saying, our funding environment has changed, making it harder to see any future transit projects happening over the next 10 to 20 years," Foxx said. "We need to explore all options available to us to complete, and perhaps accelerate, our long-term regional transit plans. Connecting our region through transit is critical both to our future economic prosperity and to managing our exponential population growth."

"I believe that if we are to have a vision for the future, it's imperative for us as a collective group to look at creative financing mechanisms for our transit plan and explore anything that can help us achieve our goals," Swain said. "Analyzing our future transit issues is at least as important, if not more so, than addressing our current ones."

"There's nothing more important to Charlotte's future than figuring out our mass transit system," Howard said. "I look forward to working with Mayor Swain and the rest of the working group to find ways to make sure we move our transit plan forward as it will be one of the things that will most define us as we go to the next level as a city and a region."

The working group will submit its findings and recommendations to the MTC in a report due no later than April 15. The group will consider such financing strategies as: Tax Increment Financing (TIFs), Synthetic Tax Increment Financing (STIFs), Tax Increment Grant (TIGs), Business Privilege Licensing Tax, sales tax revenue, and incremental property taxes. It will also consider which strategies are currently available to local governments and which would require additional County, voter, and/or North Carolina General Assembly authorization.

The Charlotte Area Transit System will be the lead agency in supporting the working group.

The formation of the working group comes at a critical time for the Charlotte region's transit system:

• Transit sales tax revenues dropped during the recession to 2005 levels, eliminating capacity to fund projects beyond the Blue Line Extension.
• The Blue Line Extension, the single largest capital project in Charlotte's history, has required increased property taxes from at least three jurisdictions.
• The General Assembly has already eliminated $6 million in matching transit funding, increasing concerns that matches for future projects will be eliminated and may require increased local commitments.
• New federal policies and funding approaches may make funding the 2030 Transit Plan less predictable than in previous years.
• The Charlotte region is the fastest-growing urban area in the nation.

More information on the MTC's 2030 Transit Plan is available here.

CMS will operate on a two-hour release schedule today

Ensuring the safety of CMS students and staff is our number one priority. On Friday, Jan. 25, all Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will operate on a two-hour early release schedule. That means all schools will release students two hours earlier than their normal release times, and all afternoon bus routes will operate two hours earlier than their normal route times.

All field trips, after school clubs, athletic practices and games, and all after school enrichment programs will be cancelled. If your child is normally transported to an alternate After-school Enrichment Program site, parents you should plan to pick up their child at that site unless other arrangements are made with the school. No makeup days for students will be necessary.

City offices to close at 3 p.m. today due to weather

Interim City Manager Julie Burch has announced that City of Charlotte offices will close at 3 p.m. today (Jan. 25), with the exception of field operations and essential services. Residents can get updates regarding any service changes through the following media:

• CharMeck Alert Center at http://emergency.charmeck.org features the latest information on City services, including CATS bus schedules and other updates.
• NotifyMe – To receive emergency notifications via email or text, you can subscribe to the NotifyMe service by clicking here.
• GOV Channel – You can tune in to Cable 16 or view the live stream at http://govchannel.charmeck.org. Live tickers will display the latest emergency information.
• Social media – You can also follow the City via social media on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
• Local media – Any closures or delays will be submitted to local media immediately.

Residents are advised to use extra caution when traveling in wintry weather conditions. Drive slowly and allow extra following distance and commute time. Stay back from large vehicles salting and brining roads. Allow emergency vehicles plenty of room to get around you. If salt or brine gets on your car, a good wash should remove it.

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.

Studio Movie Grill In-Theatre Dining Takes Mez Space in EpiCentre

Studio Movie Grill (SMG), known nationwide as the pioneer and leader in the first-run, in-theater dining concept, is proud to announce the opening of the 30,000 square foot SMG EPICENTRE in Charlotte, North Carolina. Formerly occupied by Epicentre Theatres and Mez, this marks the first North Carolina location for Studio Movie Grill and the 12th location in the US.

"Charlotte is a vibrant city, and EPICENTRE is an outstanding entertainment complex. Naturally it felt like a great match for the SMG concept. Events and programming will be a major focus for us as we understand consumers today are looking for unique ways to get more out of their entertainment experiences," said Brian Schultz, Studio Movie Grill founder and owner.

"The EPICENTRE is such an important destination asset for Center City Charlotte with its central location, transit accessibility, retail mix and parking volume," said Michael J. Smith, President and CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners. "The addition of Studio Movie Grill is one more example of the incredible enhancements the new owners have made to improve the EPICENTRE. This fresh theater concept is consistent with their visionary approach and will serve our guests well."

Known for its affordable luxury, SMG EPICENTRE will offer first-run movies with its innovative 100% reserved seating. Once inside, patrons will enjoy crystal clear Dolby audio and the best in today's Barco projection systems. At the push of a button, guests will experience Studio Movie Grill's distinct kitchen-to-chair delivery with skilled servers never compromising the view. "From the moment you purchase a ticket, you become a guest of SMG. We want our guests to come in, enjoy themselves in the theatre or at the bar and never feel hurried to get to their seat. It is important that we provide that no-rush feeling at no extra fee to consumers and
we invite the Charlotte community to come and experience what sets us apart from our competition."
says Schultz, who has spent the last 20 years refining the in-theater dining concept.

With an ever-evolving dining menu, Studio Movie Grill has upped the ante on what to expect from theater food. SMG's menu features an eclectic and varied menu offering Crab Cakes, Kale & Avocado Salad, Sun Dried Tomato & Arugula Pizza, as well as house favorites such as the Steak Sandwich, Crispy Portabella Sandwich and Coconut Chicken Tenders. In-theater or at the premium bar, guests can enjoy an array of drinks including the signature SMG Cellars Cabernet & Chardonnay from Central California. SMG also offers a tempting range of cocktails including the popular Texas Frozen Margarita paying homage to SMG's home state and the signature Studio Blue Grande Margarita alongside perennial favorites such as the New York Cosmo.

Additionally Studio Movie Grill will bring to the city its SMG With A Twist. This alternate programming allows moviegoers the chance to experience cutting edge documentaries, one-night-only concert films, sports and $1 classic movie screenings, as well as themed monthly film series such as "Girls Night Out" and "Brews & Views."

Interested in joining the SMG family? SMG EPICENTRE is currently accepting online applicants for servers, kitchen staff and bartenders. Please apply via the Studio Movie Grill website prior to opening, Tuesday, February 26. STUDIO MOVIE GRILL EPICENTRE will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 3 PM to 12 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 1 AM. To learn more, visit www.studiomoviegrill.com.

About Studio Movie Grill:

The SMG EPICENTRE, Charlotte, North Carolina opening marks Studio Movie Grill's 12th location to date including seven in Texas - five in the Dallas Fort Worth area, two in Houston - two locations in the Atlanta area, as well as locations in Scottsdale, AZ and Wheaton, IL with more expansion on the way and new locations planned to open in 2013. For additional information, please visit www.studiomoviegrill.com.