Charlotte Off Topic

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, CharlotteWkndBuzz said:

I didn't want to derail the Ally thread but Re: dog parks...who owns this giant piece of grassy land by the charlotte plaza building across from the hilton. This plot is massive and has got to be one of the largest, centrally located grassy/tree-y areas left uptown and I dont even think it's labelled a park or anything really. I've said this a long time ago in the romare thread when dog parks got brought up, but this plot is super underutilized and would be perfect for a dog park. Plenty of space to throw frisbees and run around. Until a developer builds a tower here, you aren't going to find an area that large and grassy and centrally located than this spot here. 

 

its another one of those dang Rail Road properties that seem like they are going to be vacant forever. I agree though, no brainer for a dog park, only issue I see is its a little far from the established residential areas of uptown. If your dog has to pee, thats a far distance to go.

[ertley]

I have always thought that plot is one of the most-needed-to-be-in-filled in Charlotte. I understand that a dog park isn't necessarily a suggestion for permanent use, but I cannot understand why this hasn't already been slated for serious development. It's not only immediately adjacent to light rail but has an extant parking garage on its north side that could be leveraged (if not to capacity)/and/or expanded... 

It primarily bugs me because it's not graded to street level and just is completely out of character for a major city, to have a straight up empty lot smack in the middle of downtown.     

[videtur quam contuor]

That is owned by the NC Railroad and has been for a Lo-o-o-o-o-ng time

[SgtCampsalot]

Heyyyy, maybe NS was waiting for the new TOD rules so they could sell it to a developer for our first Super Skyscraper (like a Super Shredder, but will last longer)

[DMann]

It’s Sunday evening, in bank America is showing gay pride colors. The VUE is flashing red white and blue.   Does anyone have a clue why those colors are clashing? 

[grodney]

On 2/7/2019 at 3:03 PM, grodney said:

Did you all see the Around The Crown 10K announced last night?  Half the race is *on* 277!  I might run it just for the novelty......as I did a 5K on Lowe's Speedway track once upon a time.  Sep 1.  Info, course map, etc: https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Charlotte/AroundTheCrown10K .  Signup is cheap if you get in early.

The agenda is reporting 4500(!) runners in this.  Yikes, that's a lot.  But with that many, I'm almost certain not to get last!!  Oh by the way, NoDa brewed and canned a special beer for this one.  Hopefully they'll be serving them at the "water" stations on the route!

https://www.charlotteagenda.com/157276/around-the-crown-10k-running-race-1-277-labor-day-weekend/

[Nick2]

This is a cool video from food Lion pledging to help end hunger.

 

[SgtCampsalot]

I'm sure this has been asked before:

What is a good mountain/national park-area NC town one could visit as a vacationing tourist to rent in that has access to hiking, but also family-friendly food/bev/coffee, maybe some parks?

Trying to avoid Asheville.

Edited September 1, 2019 by SgtCampsalot

[eastsider]

Check out Waynesville or Sylva.

[tozmervo]

57 minutes ago, SgtCampsalot said:

I'm sure this has been asked before:

What is a good mountain/national park-area NC town one could visit as a vacationing tourist to rent in that has access to hiking, but also family-friendly food/bev/coffee, maybe some parks?

Trying to avoid Asheville.

Brevard or Blowing Rock. Both have lots of access to trails, waterfalls, good breweries, restaurants, etc

[Bikeguy]

On 9/1/2019 at 4:58 PM, tozmervo said:

Brevard or Blowing Rock. Both have lots of access to trails, waterfalls, good breweries, restaurants, etc

I second Brevard. The upper section of the Davidson River beyond the fish hatchery, is full of deep, bone chilling/born again swimming holes.. 

 

[Nick2]

On 9/1/2019 at 4:00 PM, SgtCampsalot said:

I'm sure this has been asked before:

What is a good mountain/national park-area NC town one could visit as a vacationing tourist to rent in that has access to hiking, but also family-friendly food/bev/coffee, maybe some parks?

Trying to avoid Asheville.

Morrow mountain state park in stanly county. It's a day trip away. Albemarle would have plenty of dinning options. The view from the top is fantastic. 

[Skyybutter]

On 9/1/2019 at 4:00 PM, SgtCampsalot said:

I'm sure this has been asked before:

What is a good mountain/national park-area NC town one could visit as a vacationing tourist to rent in that has access to hiking, but also family-friendly food/bev/coffee, maybe some parks?

Trying to avoid Asheville.

Robbinsville. Joyce Kilmer Natl. Forest is nearby. The forest has some of the only Old Growth areas in the Appalachians. The trees are insane! Its located in the Southern Apps. Pretty long drive as its so remote so plan on staying at least one night. Good luck.

[tozmervo]

4 hours ago, Skyybutter said:

Robbinsville. Joyce Kilmer Natl. Forest is nearby. The forest has some of the only Old Growth areas in the Appalachians. The trees are insane! Its located in the Southern Apps. Pretty long drive as its so remote so plan on staying at least one night. Good luck.

Joyce Kilmer is incredible, hearty second to that.

Just remember to take your own alcohol. Robbinsville (Graham Co.) is the only dry county holdout left in NC

[videtur quam contuor]

And keep it something of a secret if you have it. I stayed at a lodge near Robbinsville and the owner asked if I had brought liquor. I paused and said "Yes..um ...No. Maybe?? As a private club she had one of the five on-site licenses and someone wandering about or outside the walls could jeopardize her standing. So in-room it was for us.

There are a number of "dry" counties in NC. Gaston just approved liquor and wine sales in unincorporated areas last November, for example. Same election Anson stayed dry though Wadesboro has alcohol sales within city limits. Graham is the only completely dry county (except for private clubs) so these other counties prohibit sales in rural and non incorporated areas. Towns and cities may vote independently of the county in most places.

[Nick2]

Serious question, how are there still dry counties? Isn't that literally only pegged to the staunchest Christians who are against alcohol because of their religion? So doesn't that mean religion is controlling the laws which mea s it's violating separation of church and state?

Is it just that it's currently got precedent so it has to actively be changed? 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Nick2

[Windsurfer]

31 minutes ago, Nick2 said:

Serious question, how are there still dry counties? Isn't that literally only pegged to the staunchest Christians who are against alcohol because of their religion? So doesn't that mean religion is controlling the laws which mea s it's violating separation of church and state?

Is it just that it's currently got precedent so it has to actively be changed? 

It's not just the religious. I can remember my grandmother railing against alcohol in her mountain community near Asheville. (She was a suffraget in the 1910s and 20s).  She saw first hand some of the results of alcoholism as her four brothers had stills and provided whisky to some of the resorts. Her cause wasn't religious.  It was personal.  

[Nick2]

3 hours ago, Windsurfer said:

It's not just the religious. I can remember my grandmother railing against alcohol in her mountain community near Asheville. (She was a suffraget in the 1910s and 20s).  She saw first hand some of the results of alcoholism as her four brothers had stills and provided whisky to some of the resorts. Her cause wasn't religious.  It was personal.  

So she was against it because family was bootlegging because alcohol was illegal?

[videtur quam contuor]

These predominantly rural counties remain dry (in unincorporated areas mostly) because the county commissioners have no heart in taking up a losing cause. There is nothing in it for them. The public can travel a short distance to the nearby town or county where it is legal so asking those outside the towns to accept alcohol sales at their crossroads invites the trouble that no one needs or wants. Ansoneers can travel to Wadesboro or Union County if they need it, the good people of the countryside feel righteous, and their electeds can move on to other higher tasks. Who could expect different?

The "local option" was the agreement the rural and traditional legislators and the urban representatives accepted to allow our current situation. In the dry parts of these counties outside local option communities you will find precious few retailers other than a corner or crossroads store or feed store or the like.

[Nick2]

The way small towns around where I grew up in central NC got it passed was basically a monetary route. Why not make it legal and sell it locally and make tax revenue if the locals are going to head just out of town/county to get it elsewhere? I remember that one town specifically had a huge amount of signs, petitions, and protestors against it so everyone thought it would get shot down. It passed with over 70% for beer and wine.

But that's a good point @tarhoosier. Why try to fight a battle you're certain to lose?

Edited September 7, 2019 by Nick2

[15895]

KJ’s Krispy Kreme in DC. 

[videtur quam contuor]

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/03/754044732/as-rising-heat-bakes-u-s-cities-the-poor-often-feel-it-most

Report on city heat and correlation to income. Higher income=more trees and shade+more dispersed building and other heat reducing patterns. Charlotte is in the NC pulldown listing. This is common in many cities as the report indicates.

[KJHburg]

This RoRo ship (Roll on Roll of) f vehicle carrier turned over somehow at the port of Brunswick GA and this is long after Dorian passed.   Witnesses said another ship was coming in the port and passed it but still …..

[videtur quam contuor]

That is a major auto delivery port for SE US. My car came through there earlier this year.

[KJHburg]

27 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

That is a major auto delivery port for SE US. My car came through there earlier this year.

Yes it is #1 auto import port in the east.   Huge parking lots of new vehicles.