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!
Union County, NC – The Monroe Connector-Bypass has received final federal approval of its route, a major milestone for the long-sought project, the N.C. Turnpike Authority announced Tuesday.
video courtesy of News14
The authority can now proceed with seeking permits for the 19.7-mile toll road, detail a list of properties that will need to be purchased because they are in the project’s way, move ahead with financing plans and finalize the process for awarding the massive construction contract Oct. 28.
“This (approval) is the key to basically everything,” turnpike authority Chief Engineer Steve DeWitt said. “It’s a pretty big deal. … The project’s been talked about for 25 years or so.”
The road will link Interstate 485 with eastern Union County to ease congestion on U.S. 74, one of the few N.C. thoroughfares that runs from the coast to the mountains.
Construction costs are estimated to be $824 million, but final figures should be known shortly before construction starts in December. The road is expected to open in late 2014.
About 500 parcels will need to be purchased, including some with homes or businesses on them, because they are in the path of the road or its right-of-way, DeWitt said. The authority intends to contact about 10 percent to 15 percent of the property owners over the next few months if their land is clearly in the right-of-way.
Some property acquisition will occur this year but most will happen next year. Property owners can get more information by calling toll-free 877-550-6009 or e-mailing monroerightofway@ncturn pike.org .
The connector-bypass will start along U.S. 74 near I-485 and the Mecklenburg County line. It will go briefly east and then roughly parallel U.S. 74 until it reconnects with that highway just west of Marshville. The authority has estimated the road will save drivers nearly a half hour per trip driving time on U.S. 74.
Three joint ventures are finalists for the contract to design and build the road, a deal that could be worth about $500 million, according to the state.
Bonds are going to be sold to finance the project, and revenue from tolls will help pay off the bonds. The toll amounts have not been set yet.
The state does not expect to get limited, low-interest federal infrastructure loans to cover a third of the project’s cost, said Grady Rankin, the authority’s chief financial officer. In a tough economy, the loan program received a record number of requests.
Without that loan, the authority will sell additional bonds as the project’s overall financing cost will increase by about $100 million over the 40-year life of the bonds, Rankin said. Total project costs, including construction and bond financing, come to about $950 million.
About a third of the bonds will be sold in October, which is earlier than anticipated, to take advantage of stimulus rebates.
Adam Bell
Charlotte Observer
Monroe Scoop News Partner
Union County, NC – Whether you are expecting a baby, thinking about starting a family, or already have children, you will want to check out MomArama 2010, a free mom and baby fair presented by Carolinas Medical Center-Union and Union Obstetrics and Gynecology. This event will be held on Saturday, September 18, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Union County Agricultural and Conference Center located at 3320-D Presson Road in Monroe.
Both new and expectant parents are invited to MomArama to learn about breastfeeding, prenatal care, well baby care, and much more. Local physicians will be available to answer questions and more than 60 vendors will be on-hand displaying and selling merchandise for babies, toddlers and moms.
All attendees will be registered to win door prizes and the first 500 women will also receive a free gift.
For more information, please call 704-296-4115 or visit www.cmc-union.org.
This event is sponsored by Brown’s Women’s Care, P.A., Indian Trail Pediatrics, Union County Music Together and Union Pediatrics.
Seth Edwards, President of the NC Conference of District Attorneys, announced today that his organization is pushing for a full scale audit of the entire SBI crime lab in the wake of the recent independent review of the blood serology section of the lab. Edwards is the District Attorney for district 2 which includes Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell and Washington counties. “In essence, the District Attorneys are advocating for the law abiding citizens of North Carolina, and in particular, the victims of crime, for it will be this group that suffers mightily if the reputation of the SBI is not rehabilitated quickly,” he said.
Although the recent independent report only addressed cases analyzed by one section of the SBI lab from 1987 to 2003, Edwards stated that he anticipates that every case involving the SBI will be scrutinized unless and until a full scale audit of the lab is performed. While this may not be needed from a practical standpoint due to other review methods already in place, it is crucial from a justice standpoint. Edwards reiterated that his relationship with the SBI has been both positive and professional, citing top notch investigations by the many SBI agents in the field.
“Restoring the public’s confidence not only in the SBI lab, but our entire system of justice, is our paramount concern, and a full scale audit of the lab is a step in the right
direction,” said Edwards. The District Attorneys across the state are urging the Attorney General to commission such an audit, and for the powers at be to appropriate sufficient funds for this purpose.
This statement was released by Union County, NC District Attorney John Snyder
John Snyder can be reached at Twitter, @johncsnyder3
Mrs. Viola P. Harrison, 91, went home to be with her Lord and Saviour on Friday afternoon from her residence, surrounded by her loving family.
Mrs. Harrison was born November 7, 1918 in Chesterfield County S.C., daughter of the late Thomas Jefferson and Martha Jane Harris Polston, she was also preceded in death by her husband: Walter Lee Harrison, a son: Walter Thomas Harrison and a sister Elizabeth Mathiass.
Visitation for Viola will be from 5:00 until 8:00 P.M. Sunday at Center Grove Freewill Baptist Church in Waxhaw.
Funeral services to celebrate her life will be 2:00 P.M. Monday at Center Grove Freewill Baptist Church,with Rev. Robert E. Taylor, Rev. David Robinson and Paul Smith officiating, interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Survivors include daughters: Diane Smith, Etta Leary both of Waxhaw N.C., Brenda Trotter of Fort Mill S.C., Faye Stump of Statesville N.C., Kay Katsaras of Charlotte N.C., Patricia King of Marshville N.C., son: Roger Harrison of Fort Mill S.C., 27 grandchildren, 43 great grandchildren, 7 great great grandchildren, brother: Charles Woodrow Polston of Fort Mill S.C.
Memorials may be made to Center Grove Freewill Baptist Church, P.O. Box 92, Waxhaw N.C. 28173.
McEwen Funeral and Cremation Service of Monroe is serving the family of Mrs. Harrison.
Mr. John Robert Frazier, 89, died Thursday at his residence.
Mr. Frazier was born September 8, 1920 in Wilkes County N.C., son of the late William R. and Atha Wiles Frazier, he was also preceded in death by his first wife: Minnie Lowe Frazier in 1980 and his second wife: Mae Purser Frazier in 2008, a brother Daniel Frazier also preceded him in death.
Visitation will be Saturday from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. at the McEwen Funeral Home of Monroe.
Funeral services to celebrate the life of John will be 2:00 P.M. Sunday, August 29, 2010 at Hillcrest Baptist Church, with Rev. Gene Mullis, Rev. Dallas Pressley, Rev. Don Lisk officiating, interment will follow at 5:30 P.M. at Walnut Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Wilkes County N.C.
Survivors include one daughter: Gladys F. Williams and husband David of Monroe N.C., two grandchildren: Galen Williams and wife Stephanie of Monroe N.C., Jeremy Williams of Monroe N.C., two great grandchildren: Frazier Williams and Turner Williams both of Monroe N.C.
McEwen Funeral and Cremation Service of Monroe is serving the family of Mr. Frazier.
Mr. Homer “Houston” Cox Sr., 83, died Thursday, August 26, 2010 at his residence.
Mr. Cox was born February 26, 1927, in Union County N.C., son of the late Homer Benjamin and Lelia Beauty Hargett Cox, he was the retired owner of Cox Heating and Air Conditioning Company.
Visitation will be Sunday from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. at the McEwen Funeral Home of Monroe.
Graveside Services to celebrate the life of Houston will be 11:00 A.M. Monday at Lakeland Memorial Park, with Rev. Douglas Rumley officiating.
Survivors include his wife: Mrs. Mollie Louise Davidson Cox who is at the White Oak Manor Nursing Home, two sons: Homer Houston Cox Jr. “Butchy” and his wife Ellen of Wingate N.C., Richard G. Cox and his wife Sue of Frog Pond N.C., two daughters: Barbara Collene Baucom of Monroe N.C., Kathern Aldridge and her husband Donnie of Monroe N.C., seven grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren, one great great grandchild, one sister: Mrs. Arthur Marrone of Monroe N.C., close family friend Wayne Baucom.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Union County, 700 W. Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe N.C. 28110. McEwen Funeral and Cremation Service of Monroe is serving the family of Mr. Cox.
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
MONROE, NC – South Piedmont Community College will celebrate the opening ofthe Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Training Center on Sept. 14
from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Golden LEAF representatives will be on hand forthe open house and to present a check for $575,000 to fund this regional initiative.
The training center is located at 1609 Airport Road, the left side ofthe Carolina Money Saver building. The facility is directly across the street from the expanding Charlotte Monroe Regional Airport and in thecenter of the Monroe Corporate Center, both developed by the city of Monroe.
David Roller troubleshoots a three-phase motor control in the Electro-Mechanical class as instructor Russell Carpenter, back right, and other students look on. The class is one of the advanced classes in the mechatronics program at SPCC’s new Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Training Center.
The center covers approximately 4,000 square feet and houses more than$1 million worth of equipment for training in mechatronics, industrial maintenance, robotics, programmable logic controllers and avionics. The centerpiece of the facility is the Flexible Manufacturing System that will allow students to gain hands-on experience troubleshooting a live manufacturing line using skills learned in the program. This system is the only one of its kind in the region.
Monroe was recently highlighted in Southern Business & Development magazine as a hotbed of aerospace manufacturing in the Southeast. Monroe has the highest concentration of aerospace companies in North Carolina, the magazine said, noting 12 within a seven-mile radius and 2,600 people in the area working in the industry
Mrs. Millington, 73, passed away on August 24, 2010 at Presbyterian Harris Hospice.
Julia was born February 5, 1937 in Kingston, NY to the late Horton Patterson and Julia Coan Patterson. She is preceded in death by her mother and father-in-law, Dorothy and George Millington; and son-in-law, John McCarroll.
Memorial services to celebrate her life will be held on Friday 2PM at Eastway Baptist Church with Reverend Michael Owens officiating. The family will begin to receive friends at 1:30PM.
Mrs. Millington is survived by her beloved husband of 55 years, Richard Millington; children, Sandra Millington of Hobe Sound, FL, Cindee McCarroll of Cary, and David Millington of Charlotte; sister-in-law, Arlene Jameson of Schenectady, NY; brother-in-law, Dr. Gerardus Jameson of Schenectady, NY; 3 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made the American Cancer Society, 6000 Fairview Rd, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28210 or visit www.cancer.org.
Arrangements are in care of Heritage Funeral Home, Indian Trail Chapel. Online condolences may be left at www.heritagefuneral.net.
One of the most talked about educational shows is back! Join Jack as he works to cram for his upcoming tests. When his history book magically explodes, Jack comes face to face with some of the most exciting people in our nation’s history. George Washington, Betsy Ross, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Ford and Neil Armstrong are just some of the more than 22 characters who come to life in this 45-minute adventure. This high-energy show features audience volunteers who help write the Constitution, work on Ford’s assembly line and even demand the right to vote.
*Grades 4-5th
*Time: 45 minutes
Monday, September 13
8:30 am Kensington
1:00 pm Waxhaw
Tuesday, September 14
8:30 am Sandy Ridge
1:00 pm Sun Valley
Wednesday, September 15
8:30 am Sardis
1:00 pm Wesley Chapel
Thursday, September 16
8:30 am Rocky River
1:00 pm New Salem
Friday, September 17
8:30 am Poplin
1:00 pm Fairview
Monday, September 20
8:30 am Porter Ridge
1:00 pm Indian Trail
Tuesday, September 21
9:00 am Stallings (NOTE 9:00)
1:00 pm Rea View
Wednesday, September 22
8:30 am Marshville
1:00 pm Benton Heights
Thursday, September 23
8:30 am East
1:00 pm Union
Friday, September 24
8:30 am Unionville
1:00 pm Hemby Bridge
Monday, September 27
8:30 am
1:00 pm Union Academy
Tuesday, September 28
8:30 am Antioch
1:00 pm Rock Rest
Wednesday, September 29
8:30 am Walter Bickett
1:00 pm Wingate
Thursday, September 30
8:30 am Weddington
1:00 pm Marvin
Friday, October 1
8:30 am Western Union
1:00 pm Prospect
Monroe, NC – The Monroe Police Department made two arrests in connection with a fire that destroyed a home at 1000 Bentwood Lane on May 5, 2010. The arrests come after a three and a half month investigation by members of the Monroe Police Department and Monroe Fire Department.
Andrew William Currie, 26, and his wife, Carmin Colette Currie, 25, were arrested at 109 Sandhill VFD Road, Jefferson, SC and charged with fraudulently burning a dwelling and felony conspiracy. In addition, Mr. Currie has been charged with two counts of insurance fraud. Mr. and Mrs. Currie are currently in the Union County Jail and are under a $1,000,000 bond each.
This investigation is continuing and further arrests are pending.
Monroe, NC – When Kristin Dodd invites friends over, she reminds herself not to discuss family business while people are eating, especially the story about the unusually large sewer rats of Monroe.
The family business is pest control, and Dodd, 36, has been involved with cockroaches, vermin and the like for practically her whole life.
As president of Carolina Pest Management in Monroe, she is the fourth generation of her family to run the company founded in 1939 by her great-grandfather, a Depression-era Methodist minister. And Dodd recently became the first female president of the N.C. Pest Management Association.
“When I tell people what I do, they are very taken aback, especially in Charlotte, where most people are bankers,” Dodd said. “But most people also have pest problems.”
She started working for the company when she was 8 or 9, helping with filing but later handling fieldwork that provided plenty of memories. “You don’t forget seeing a couple thousand roaches in someone’s house,” she said.
From an early age, Dodd showed an interest in bugs. Her mother and two sisters would scream at the sight of the creatures, recalled her dad and company owner, Dee Dodd, while young Kristen would calmly capture them and put them in a jar.
The nastiest pests she has encountered over her career are aggressive yellow jackets. And if she encounters a copperhead or other poisonous snake in a client’s crawl space, she said she tries to get out of there slowly and calmly.
She also spoke of a disturbing resurgence of bedbugs in the region over the past few years.
Overall, it’s rewarding work, she said. Dodd feels a sense of accomplishment helping people solve pest problems, especially if customers have limited income or there are children involved.
Dodd also is honored to be the trade association’s first female leader, and hopes to encourage other women to join the traditionally male-dominated field. She said she had to work extra hard when she was younger to prove to skeptical clients that a woman could handle the job as well as a man.
Her father is proud that Kristin is the third generation of the family to lead the association, another first for the 2,600-member group.
Kristin Dodd worked in pest control part time in high school and college and has worked full time at Carolina Pest Management since 2000, serving as president for nearly two years. It has 34 employees.
On the front of her office door is a flag with the words, “Keep calm and carry on.” On the back of the door hangs a brown roach costume used in one of the company’s ads.
Dodd has been offering visitors one of the “pets” she keeps in a glass container in her office. But so far, there have been no takers for the Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Next to it is an ant farm, but they’re all dead now.
But at home, Dodd admits she has trouble disposing of one of their fish after it dies. She lives in the SouthPark area with her husband, Jon, and 5-year-old daughter, Eliza.
And a fifth-generation Dodd might work at Carolina Pest Management someday. Eliza loves to identify insects, and her favorite show isn’t Dora the Explorer or SpongeBob. It’s “Billy the Exterminator” on A&E.
As for the sewer rats, Dodd encountered them in high school.
She said a Monroe food processor was having problems with rats the size of small cats, up to 11/2 feet long. Homeowners reported seeing them in their yards, too, so the city hired Dodd’s company to deal with the rats.
The solution involved using waterproof poison bait in the sewers. It worked, but Dodd was one of the workers who had to put her hand down a sewer drain and grab the dead rats for disposal. Her dad said she was on Monroe’s Main Street reaching for the creatures while her friends drove by, looking on in amazement.
Most people, Kristin Dodd said, probably don’t spend dinner conversations reminiscing about all those old, dead rats.
Adam Bell
Charlotte Observer
MonroeScoop News Partner
MONROE, NC – The City of Monroe’s Police Department is considering outfitting it’s force with Taser guns. The money would come not from taxpayers.
Monroe Police Chief Debra Duncan says it would be another tool for her department, a tool most every Police force her size across the country has except hers. “When people see that the officers have tasers a lot of times they’ll back off they don’t want to get into a confrontation with a taser.”
The residents in Monroe we talked to mostly agree with the idea, but, they don’t want to be on the other end of one. “As long as they’re not pointing at me, I don’t care. It would probably hurt like hell,” said Tim Kainer.
Chief Duncan would like to outfit 70 of the 90 officers on the force with tasers, mostly those on patrol. At $500 a gun, that comes to $35,000 dollars that Duncan says taxpayers would not be on the hook for, “it would be paid for with asset forfeiture funds, these tasers are actually being paid for by our drug dealers and criminals.”
Monroe City leaders will discuss the issue October 5th.
Brien Blakely
Fox Charlotte
Story & Video courtesy of Fox Charlotte
Monroe, NC - On August 17, 2010, investigators with Monroe Police Department arrested Dewey Stanley White, 60, and Willie Sanford Perry, 47, both of 502 North Thompson Street. Mr. White was charged with trafficking Heroin, 4 counts of selling Heroin, 4 counts of delivering Heroin, 4 counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, maintaining a dwelling, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Mr. Perry was charged with manufacturing marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
These charges resulted after a three month long investigation. Mr. White and Mr. Perry were both issued a pending court date of November 4, 2010. Bond information was not available at the time of the press release.
Joseph John Des Plaines, of Charlotte passed away on August 15, 2010 at Hospice House of Union County.
Mr. Des Plaines was born September 2, 1922 in Chicago, Ill to the late Joseph and Christina Des Plaines. He is also recently preceded in death by his beloved wife, Maria.
Joseph served in the US Navy during WWII.
He is survived by his son, Joseph Des Plaines Jr. (Patricia); daughter, Danielle Barr (Ronald); sister, Nancy Zolt; grandchildren, Brian Des Plaines, Tony Des Plaines, Julie Fosado, and Ronald Barr; great-grandchildren, Duke and Charles Des Plaines; and other friends and relatives.
Monroe, NC – The Monroe Police Department made two arrests in connection with a fire that destroyed a home at 1000 Bentwood Lane on May 5, 2010. The arrests come after a three and a half month investigation by members of the Monroe Police Department and Monroe Fire Department.
