Archive for November, 2009
Charlotte: The Soul Of The Community
November 23rd, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte, Charlotte News and Politics
What makes people love Charlotte? Any given Community? What is it about the place that they love?
These were some of the questions asked in the three year study by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation conducted by Gallup polling in 26 metropolitan areas around the country. Charlotte was fortunate to be included, and here is what they found.
Broadly speaking, almost 28000 people were interviewed in 2008 and 2009 in the 26 city study, there were three primary factors in every city.
Social Offerings- entertainment, places to meet, “what’s going on.” This was across age levels too, not just the young.This was #1 in 21 of 26 cities
Openness- how welcoming the place is
Aesthetics- the physical beauty of the place, often a reflection of its parks, trails and natural areas
Access to quality education was also rated highly- K-12, College or Both
Interestingly, these values were measured both in 2008, then in 2009, and the answers didn’t change much because of the economy. Economics was THE Top concern in 2009… but didn’t seem to determine the emotional attachment to the community. Interestingly, crime is a concern, but didn’t make the list regarding emotional attachment.
Charlotte scored high on Aesthetics, and Social offerings, less so on Openness, and scored high on quality education, with 2009 improving over 2008. Young people- college grads’s and folks over 55 with middle to high incomes were the most attached to Charlotte.
I’m just diving into this study, I’ve always been curious about this, and so to this Foundation. Why do people love to live in Charlotte? Anywhere? Details are found a The Soul of the Community
They also found a correlation between peoples passion for the community and the economic well-being though now one is sure which way the causal direction arrow points… Charlotte details here.
Related Pages
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Moving, Relocating? All of your Charlotte information is here, or in our wonderful Charlotte Relocation Guide, free to all who signup on my Search for Charlotte Real Estate Homes.
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Bruce Stewart and A Friends Education
November 18th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte, Charlotte Schools and Education
Last night my wife and I attended a reception for Bruce Stewart, the former Head Of School for Sidwell Friends in Washington DC, a well regarded private school that’s best known for the President’s children who attend, including President Obama’s.
Bruce spoke in support of the Friends School of Charlotte, a K-3 private school in the Friends tradition. What sets a Friends Education apart? Respect for each student, “a spark of the Divine that is in each child,” Peace, Compassion, Justice, Equity, Service- the Quaker tradition of teaching children to question authority and to think… Giving a child’s natural curiosity and creativity room to grow, nurtured and developed daily, is part of the Friend’s School of Charlotte’s daily mantra.
These are values that can make American education great again. Visit the Friends School of Charlotte online or in person704.567.9445 Watch for Bruce as he speaks about a National Teachers Academy, and the need for private school vouchers so that every American child has the same chance. I’ll have an interview with the Head of School in the coming weeks. tm
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Charlotte Updates-Living in Charlotte Real Estate etc
November 16th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte
It’s been a while since I captured the local headlines~ curated them for importance. Here are a few:
Duke Energy HQ Charlotte NC
Duke Energy HQ Charlotte NC
Anthony Foxx the New Mayor, D’s Advance
The election last week left Democrats firmly in control of City Council, with former (D) Councilman Anthony Foxx becoming Charlotte’s Mayor, and adding seats for an 8-3 voting margin in the Council. After 14 years of (R) Pat McGrory, a centrist Republican, this is a minor switch leftward, a center -right to a center-left proposition. Unlike the national scene, the election was about issues and approaches to governing by two respected candidates.
CMS Superintendent Gorman Announces Pay For Performance for CMS Teachers
In a first in the state move, Superintendent Pete Gorman of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced that with in 4 years, the teaches will move from their current pay structure, which rewards advanced degrees with higher pay, to a pay for performance model still to be worked out. Knowing there will be opposition, he plans to work with teachers to arrive at sensible performances standards.
This is good news. There is no correlation between teachers with advanced degrees and quality of outcome for students. None. Nationally, Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan recently called US schools “drop-out factories”… maybe he is right, 1/3 of CMS students won’t graduate, and that isn’t acceptable.
Rt 485 to Complete 5 Years Ahead of Time
Governor Perdue came to Charlotte last week to follow up on a campaign promise announcing that the final leg of Rt 485 connecting Rt 77 and Rt 84 with 8 lanes. It will begin next year, 5 years ahead of time, completing by 2014 or 2015… without delaying Independence Blvd and the widening of I-85, two other long overdue Charlotte road projects.
There is more, I’ll add to this later in the week, have to go sell some real estate.
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Veterans Day 2009| Support Vets Today and Every Day
November 11th, 2009 Categories: Buy A Charlotte Home
Forget US NOT Veterans Day
Thank You Vet’s
Forget US NOT Veterans Day
The Greatest Generation- Korea-Vietnam- Iraq 1991-Afghanistan and Iraq 2003
and to those serving today, here in the US and abroad,
Thank You All.
Only a small fraction of our citizens serve in the military today, while the Yellow Ribbons are nice, lets put them to work, help them heal, and support the Veterans Administration, and yes the taxes needed to support it. 1 out 4 homeless men, over 100,000 are veterans, about half from Vietnam.
A few Veteran Resources – Veteran Service Organizations
us veterans day 2009
Directory of Veteran Service Organizations
Hire Vets First Top 50 Military Friendly Employers
Too many homeless, too many veteran suicides, please support our Vet’s every day.
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Fall Pictures From Charlotte’s Neighborhoods
November 11th, 2009 Categories: Buy A Charlotte Home
Charlotte North Carolina
I really think spring is Charlotte’s best time of year- the city is so greeeen, it is lush and verdant… but some prefer fall and it is easy to see why. The colors have been great the last 2 years, these photos taken from Dilworth, Myers Park and across South Charlotte, and a pic from Lake Norman too… do you have one to add?
Charlotte, The Queen City, The Heart of the New South
a Dilworth street Charlotte NC
Brilliant Colors South Charlotte
a Dilworth street Charlotte NC
Brilliant Colors South Charlotte
Sanctuary Estate Homes at lake Wylie
Beverly Crest Blvd south Charlotte
Sanctuary Street-estate homes 20 minutes to Charlotte
Lake Norman NC Fall day
All the above photos were personally taken and are available free of charge with attribution
©Terry McDonald 2008-2009
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Home Buyer Tax Credit Renewed- Modified for The Better
November 7th, 2009 Categories: Buy A Charlotte Home, Charlotte First Time Home Buyers
First Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended, Move Up Buyers Get New Tax Credit
It is official. President Obama signed the bill Friday. The bill extends the existing first home buyer credit through April 30-and creates a new credit, I call it the “Move Up” home buyer tax credit of $6500 credit for qualifying “move up” buyers, and it increases the income limits to qualify… welcome changes and a shot in the arm for home Buyers and Sellers.
The bill extends the current $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit (which was due to expire at the end of November) through April, 2010-however this is a “contracted by” date and you must close by July 1, 2010.
It also includes a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified move up buyers- you must have used the home as your primary residence for 5 of the last 8 years- and increases the borrower income limits for both credits to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for couples.
Home buyers will qualify for the full credit as long as they have entered a binding contract by April 30, 2010 and they close the transaction by June 30, 2010. The tax credit is limited to homes with a purchase price of $800,000 and below.
More details as we learn them but this is more that we had last February… lets go buy a home!!!
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Girls Leading Girls in Science
November 4th, 2009 Categories: About Charlotte
From our local Belmont Abbey College:
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