Lots of cool happenings this weekend in the Charlotte area, and we have picked our favorites!

Whether you are looking for music, arts or community functions, Charlotte always has a lot to offer.

There are many other events in the surrounding area if you care to venture out.

To check out all the events in Charlotte (or surrounding areas) this weekend, visit Creative Loafing online!

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The sudden death of Northwest School of the Arts principal, Barry Bowe, has many in the community shocked and saddened. Bowe died on Monday afternoon of an apparent suicide.

One teacher at the school stated, ”I can’t tell you how I feel,”. “This is going to be a very difficult day around here.”  Grief counselors are on hand at the school today to help students and teachers deal with this untimely news.

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Someone is shooting and killing geese in Indian Trail – and they are using razor tipped arrows to do it.

There have been dozens of birds found shot with arrows, pellets and other gun shells in the area of Wesley Chapel Road. The Carolina Waterfowl Rescue group is now offering a reward of $1000 in hopes someone will come forward that has information about these shootings.

Anton Kotestky, one of the area residents whos son one of the geese stated, “Some of these arrows have been broad-head arrows,” said Kotesky. “So (we want to make sure) that it’s not going to come in contact with a human, because you could certainly kill someone.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Union County Sheriff’s Office at 704-283-3768. You can also contact the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission at 800-662-7137

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Producers of “The Bachelorette” announced yesterday that Charlottes own Emily Maynard has been chosen as the next Bachelorette. The show will actually be produced in Charlotte so that Maynard is more comfortable and doesn’t have to leave her young daughter.

People Magazine listed the Top 5 Things that Contestants Need to Know to Woo Emily Maynard:

• She has had many loses  n her life and her next suitor needs to understand that
• Her daughter Ricki will always be first in her life
• She is a cat lover – so the men need to be as well
• Brad Womack, whom she was engaged to, is still is a large part of her life and must be accepted as part of the package
• Whoever she chooses will be financially stable and have the utmost in patience

You can check out the full story on the Charlotte Observer website.

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The Democratic National Convention announced big changes for the upcoming event in Charlotte on September 3rd. They broke from tradition and decided to shorten the convention to 3 days and move some major events to outdoor venues.

President Obama will now deliver his acceptance speech at Bank of America Stadium, even though this facility has no cover in case of bad weather. According to DNC Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, “We wanted to find a way to truly make this convention different than any other in history. We want this convention to be about more than just the pageantry and speeches you see on TV.”  They are seeking to engage a larger group of Americans in a meaningful way.

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Lets face it, everyone is trying to find a way to save money these days and the internet can provide a wealth of opportunities to do just that – SAVE MONEY.

By doing a little research, you can find a savings deal for just about anything you want to buy – from restaurants to groceries.  I never leave home without coupons and I certainly never purchase online without looking for a discount code.

I’ve started a short list for you below, but there are literally tons of resources for coupons!  If you have found a good site, let us know!

Top 5 Places to Find Coupons in Charlotte NC

• Charlotte Rewards – This website features coupons and saving for just about everything you can find in Charlotte and the surrounding areas.  From ice cream to flying lessons, you can find a coupon here!
• Couponer101 - Love this site! In addition to coupons and deals locally, they show national deals as well.  They provide Grocery and Drug store coupon match-ups to maximize your savings and in addition, it saves you a ton of time!
• Shoppe Charlotte – This site includes not only coupons, but business directories, classified ads and general area information
• Local.com – Great place to find the best restaurants, dentists, plumbers, etc along with reviews of their work and coupons if offered
• 360Charlotte - Features coupons, reviews, business directories as well as area attractions, housing and a parents and kids section

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If you are a homeowner in Charlotte like myself, one of the true fears we all have revolves around the number of Foreclosures in Charlotte! Fortunately for myself, I have quite a few Charlotte Realtor friends who help me understand that whole it looks bad, it’s actually getting better!

Why The Foreclosure Trend is Looking Up!

At first glance you may read this and think that ANY foreclosures in Charlotte are bad, the truth is… while the sheer number of Foreclosures in Charlotte are growing, the rate at which they are selling is increasing as well! Sure, nothing about having a house down the street from you go into foreclosure is good, but at least if they are not sitting there for 12-24 months, it increases the likelihood that the local market will return to normal sooner!

Finding Foreclosed Homes in Your Area

There are many ways to get into the foreclosed list on the web but they all cost money to join! Before you put your credit card on the line just to get a list of current offerings, you may just want to get in touch with a local Realtor who can send you weekly lists of all new listings in the market.

A Friend of my own, Buddy Frey, sends out Charlotte Foreclosure Listings to more than 250 people every week, making the task (and cost) of finding the foreclosed homes, almost effortless!

He handles the listings through a no-obligation, no-cost and no junk email delivery system that automatically processes it all for him. I suggest that if you are looking for info, head over to his Charlotte Real Estate Site and read up on the foreclosures in Charlotte.

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Its that time of year again, when Charlotte NC turns into a week long Carnival of NASCAR and Auto Racing!

Food Lion and 600 Festival have once again brought back the show that every race fan and a large majority of Charlotte Residents enjoy… Speed Street!

The full schedule of events surrounding this years Speed Street can be found at the 600 Festival Site

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With the cool mornings we have seen over the last few weeks in Charlotte, it should be taken as a reminder that fall and winter are quickly approaching! One of the most important things we all need to be aware of, is that regardless of whether we are ready for the cold, our Gas Furnaces or other Heating Systems, May not be! Waiting until it breaks is never the right answer and following these 5 basic rules, can spare you the unpleasant awakening of chattering teeth on the first very cold morning!

The following 5 tips were provided by B&E Air Conditioning and Heating of Charlotte NC

Visually Inspect your Furnace

This is pretty basic. just like you look over your automobile for things that may lead to a failure, you can easily do the same thing with your heating system. If you have a Gas Furnace or outdoor package unit, just grab your flashlight and give it a good once-over, looking for obvious signs of trouble. The easiest things to spot are:

• Corrosion or Rust
• Loose or exposed electrical connections
• The tape or bonding has chipped or cracked around the ductwork connectors
• Scorch marks
• Anything that just looks to be in disarray.

Testing your Thermostat

Go to your thermostat and turn it to the heat setting, maybe 5-10 degrees higher than the current temp in your home. You should immediately hear the ignition system on the furnace and within 3-5 minutes at most, you should be able to feel warm air blowing out of your vents.

It is very common to experience a funny smell the first time the furnace lights up in the early fall, however, that smell should dissipate within 5-10 minutes. If it doesn’t, you may want to call out a service company.

Replace your HVAC Filters

This is a standard thing you should be doing every 30 days, regardless! Plugged air filters can lead to the death of a heating or cooling system!

Just imagine if you held a cloth over your own mouth and tried to breath through it after it was there for 45 days! It would be so clogged, you would not be able to get air into your lungs, and would eventually suffocate!

Start and Test Your Heat Today

Most important, do NOT wait until it is 30 degrees outside to find out your furnace doesn’t work! Just like every industry, supply and demand has a large impact on how quickly the service company can come out.

If 10,000 people all call in with no heat, it may take several hours, or even a full day, for the company to come out. Test your heating system when the weather is still somewhat warm, and you don’t mind possibly waiting 24 hours.

Have it Serviced by a Professional

This alone can not be stressed enough. Your heating system is designed to contain noxious fumes (CO2) and keep them out of your breathable home oxygen. An inefficient furnace or even one small crack could endanger your family…

B&E Heating and Air Conditioning specializes in seasonal furnace tune ups and inspections on all types and manufacturers of equipment, and the cost is very affordable. Don’t be fooled by the free tune up offers, the idea is to get a sales person in front of you, where they try to sell you on extras. At B&E, we care about you and have 25 years worth of satisfied customers in the Charlotte NC area, that agree!

Call B&E for your Gas Furnace Service today – 704-333-0363

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