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Environmental Quality of Life by the Numbers
   November 3, 2010

How do you paint a picture of the region’s progress on environmental issues? The Charlotte Regional Indicators Project does it by the numbers. “Environment” is one of several areas covered by the Indicators Project, and includes quantitative measures for air, water, and land. Specifically, the indicators include: unhealthy air quality days, vehicular emissions, water consumption, impaired streams... Read more
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Casting for Recovery
   October 28, 2010
Ruth Ann Grissom

Four years ago, my sister, Amy, was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Her treatment – six rounds of chemo, two surgeries and 33 sessions of radiation – took a toll on her right shoulder.  Her surgeon suggested some basic exercises for strength and mobility.  She also started swimming laps.  She liked being buoyant in the warm water and found the backstroke especially helpful....

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Literary Trails of the North Carolina Piedmont
   October 28, 2010
Jeff Michael
As a guide to the literary trivia of the Piedmont, Georgann Eubanks’ new book, Literary Trails of the North Carolina Piedmont (UNC Press), is a gem. The book will be treasured by those who love literature and the rich tradition of homegrown and imported talent that has not only celebrated this region in words, but at times taken it to task for its prejudices and occasional insularity. Read more
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The Surge in Free and Reduced Lunch Applicants in CMS
   October 28, 2010

Nothing is more heartbreaking than seeing a child go without. During tough economic times, more families and children must face their daily struggles with fewer resources. As the unemployment rate increased over the past several years, these struggles became more challenging and affected more people in the community. Last school year was no exception in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System (... Read more
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Farm Boy
   October 21, 2010

Christy Shi

Sunday night I received a photo from Tommy Barbee, showcasing his supper.  “Look at what a farm boy can create,” he said.  The picture displayed a bright green salad, replete with cucumbers, tomatoes, and more; all of which he had grown there at Barbee Farms.

As a locavore (someone who eats a local diet), this notion of sharing...

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Southern hognose snakes
   October 21, 2010
Crystal Cockman
Last week, Ruth Ann Grissom’s article focused on seed collection of longleaf pines. Few would argue with the fact that the longleaf pine ecosystem is definitely one of the most beautiful and diverse there is, with a variety of rare and really cool plant and animal species. Unfortunately, longleaf pine forests and savannahs are also a dwindling ecosystem. Read more
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Piedmont Longleaf Pines
   October 14, 2010
Ruth Ann Grissom

The ground between Roberdo and Wadeville sometimes shakes when the Warrior football team of West Montgomery High takes to the field, but last October the tremors were due to a special project on land adjacent to the campus.  The “West Montgomery tract” includes an 80-acre stand of mature longleaf that the US Forest Service has managed with fire for many years.  It was...

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Public Pulse: The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Economy
   October 14, 2010
Bill McCoy

In its last annual survey* which was conducted in late winter of 2010, the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute included a few questions on a variety of issues currently facing the people of Mecklenburg County.  Three of the questions directly touched on the state of the economy in Mecklenburg County.  This brief report summarizes the findings from the responses to those...

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Research Triangle West: Bringing knowledge production to the western Piedmont
   October 7, 2010
Bill Graves

In the early 1950s the not yet established Research Triangle Park (RTP) was pitched to Governor Luther Hodges as a cluster of “two medical schools, two engineering schools and a core of preeminent researchers in every field of science.”  Hodges response: he called the presenter (a dean at NC State College) a “huckster.”[i...

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Employment and Wages in Charlotte: Financial Industry and Beyond
   October 7, 2010

Charlotte, like much of the nation, has been affected by the economic recession that began in December 2007.  Job losses and unemployment extend across nearly all economic sectors, leaving virtually no region or industry immune from the downturn.  Due to the tenuous situation of banking and finance industries during the recession, Charlotte’s unique position as a national...

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