Charlotte Center City Partners

The Charlotte Observer was quick to point out this week that "Charlotte Business Leaders" support raising the food and beverage sale tax. As business "leaders" the Observer cites the Charlotte Center City Partners who are hardly "business leaders" they are for the most part city county employees, elected officials, academics and  bureaucrats. Hardly Charlotte's "business leaders". John Belk, was a business leader, Bill Lee (Duke Power)...

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More Otis Taylor - Hey Joe

Cedar's Take: Anne Harris makes this cover of Hey Joe happen....

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Charlotte Civil Service Board Upholds Captain Chuck Adkins Termination

A civilian panel has upheld the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s firing of a formerly high-ranking police captain accused of failing to report that an assault victim came to his home seeking help.Members of the Charlotte Civil Service Board reached their decision after deliberating for four hours Wednesday. That followed nearly three days of testimony about former Capt. Chuck Adkins.After the board’s decision, police attorney Mark Newbold...

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CMPD Promotions

We've known for weeks but now they are official.From: Graue, KatrinaSent: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 4:28 PMOn behalf of Chief Monroe, I am pleased to announce promotions pending Civil Service approval.To Deputy ChiefMajor Eddie LevinsTo MajorCaptain Allan RutledgeCaptain Mike SmathersCaptain Mike AdamsCaptain Freda LesterTo CaptainLieutenant Ryan ButlerLieutenant Rob DanceLieutenant Todd GarrettLieutenant Rich AustinLieutenant Gerard FarleyLieutenant Todd LontzTo LieutenantStaff Sergeant Christian WagnerStaff Sergeant Tom BarryStaff Sergeant Brad...

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CMPD Captain Chuck Adkins Hearing Day 2

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police captain said Tuesday that he did not immediately report that an assault victim had come to his home for help, in part, because he didn’t think he had enough information to be helpful to detectives.Capt. Chuck Adkins testified for more than three hours before the Civil Service Board, which will decide whether to uphold a police department recommendation that he be terminated.Adkins said the 19-year-old woman had rejected his earlier suggestion to call law enforcement, but promised to call for help later as she ran...

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Wednesday Change Up - Nasty Letter

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Odds and Ends - Your Money Edition

CMUD - Despite all the concern over the Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities Department (CMUD) and their failing meter reading operation not much has improved. For example the meter at my home was read on January 30, 2012 but the bill wasn't produced until February 20, and didn't show up at my house until February 25th. Further the bill isn't due until March 13th. Of course much on the delay is because the people who read the meter and supply and service are not the same people who convert the readings into billable numbers and produce the bills. The...

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CMPD Captain Chuck Adkins Hearing Day One

Day one of the Civil Service Board hearing for CMPD Captain Chuck Adkins, is a wrap. Monday's day long hearing focused mainly on CMPD officials presenting their findings to the board.The hearing is unique in that never before in the history of CMPD has a Civil Service Board hearing been open to the public and it is seldom that someone with 21 years of service is cited for termination.The following was reported by the Charlotte Observer's on...

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The Onion Stinks

Someone at The Onion thought Tweeting the "C" word would be funny, and apparently thought directing it at 9-year-old Best Actress Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis. would be funnier. Caution: The Below Image contains the "C" word and is pretty tasteless. Moments after the above tweet appeared @TheOnion received a phalanx of tweets condemning the poor judgement.The Onion deleted the tweet about a hour later and their tweeter feed fell silent....

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In Case You Missed It - CMPD Internal Affairs Division Addresses Citizens Review Board

How CMPD's Internal Affairs fits with the Citizens Review Board.Before citizens take complaints of misconduct to the Citizens Review Board, they must wait for findings from CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau.CMPD disciplined hundreds of officers between 2004 and 2011, Internal Affairs reports show.More than 3,500 allegations accusing police of misconduct were filed during those eight years. A majority of the complaints – more than 2,100 – were levied...

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NASCAR Blocks Fan Video of Saturday's Crash

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Vein Guys Plane Crash Victims Named

GBI Crime Lab positively identified victims in Wednesday's plane crash as Dr. Steven Roth, a managing partner of the Vein Guys, and Vein Guys employees; nurse anesthetist Lisa Volpitto, ultrasound technician Tiffany Porter, and Dr. Roth's Administrative Assistant, Kimberly Marie Davidson, 43.The medical examiner is still working to identify a fifth fatality. However, the family of Heidi McCorkle, an ultrasound technician, said they had been...

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Friday Wrap Up - Sunshine Edition

CMPD Captain Chuck Adkins termination hearing is now set to be called on Monday February 25 at 8:30 a.m. The Civil Service Board hearings are held at The Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center Room 14 Room Basement.CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe is seeking to fire Capt. Chuck Adkins but as with all terminations officers can appeal the termination to the Civil Service Board.The board, which can overturn the firing, was scheduled to take up Adkins’...

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CMPD Promotions

Cedar Posts has been hearing that Eddie Levins will get the Deputy Chief spot and Freda Lester will get a promotion to Major.More to follow.Meanwhile CMPD Officer Cecil Brathwaite remains on the City of Charlotte payroll, as his court date is now set for April 25, 2013. He is charged with false imprisonment and assault with a g...

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Augusta Georgia Plane Crash

Five bodies from last night’s plane crash at the Thomson-McDuffie County Airport near Augusta Georgia, have been taken to the GBI crime lab in Atlanta. The aircraft was much like this Beechcraft Hawker John Bankhead, public information officer for the GA Bureau of Investigation said that the five bodies will undergo autopsies there in the coming days. McDuffie County Fire Rescue Chief Bruce Tanner said that the bodies were removed...

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A Charlotte Streetcar Named Desire

When Tennessee Williams penned his play (A Streetcar Named Desire) in 1947 he set it against the backdrop of changing America, and a clash of cultures. Much as what Charlotte is facing today, a changing city and as Mayor Foxx has pointed out a clash of cultures. But as Williams' story unfolds the illusion of the principle character Blanche DuBois is exposed.Charlotte's Mayor Foxx is a lot like Williams' Blanche:"I don't want realism. I want...

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