Homeowners Association Dispute Turns Deadly

From Charlotte's WBTV News

Investigators in Cabarrus County say a 50-year-old man is accused of shooting and killing two of his neighbors after getting into a dispute with the men.

Neighbors say Hardy was angry about trees that were cut down behind his house and that the victims were on the homeowners’ association board that approved the removal of the trees.

Deputies were called to a home off Coachman Court, in Harrisburg, on Friday afternoon to the report of shots fired.

When deputies arrived, they found the bodies of 42-year-old Daniel Thomas Kirchner and 64-year-old Gary Wade Stocks in the backyard of Kirchner's home.

Several minutes later, officers say a gunshot rang out from a nearby home.

Deputies immediately took cover and established a security perimeter around the home of 50-year-old Anthony Charles Hardy. According to investigators, Hardy barricaded himself inside the home.

After several hours of negotiations, deputies say they heard two more gunshots from inside the home.

The Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office Special Response Team, assisted by Kannapolis Special Response Team, entered the home and found Hardy's body inside. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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Once Again It Is Easter

Cedar Posts is in Charleston working the real job so instead of the usual Friday Wrap Up you get a strong dose of Southern Style Religion. Originally posted back in 2007.... Once Again It Is Easter.... Please be seated.

Years back, when Charlotte was a lot smaller and the pace of life a lot slower, an Easter Sunrise Service was held at Providence High School.

As the headlights of two hundred or so cars streamed into the parking lot, the crimson and purple hues of the sun's first rays began to touch the far eastern corners of the Carolina horizon, while birds sang in wonderful orchestra we call nature.

It's not hard to see the hand of God on Easter Sunday in the Carolina's. Azaleas, Dogwoods, rainbow colors of flowers all in bloom and Carolina blue skies which might explain the large number of churches in the Carolinas. I think there are 87 on the Charleston Peninsula alone, I know there are twice that many in Charlotte and the biggest of which is Calvary.

Standing at the corner of Rea Road and Highway 51, Calvary is so big that it's pipe organ is second in size only to that of the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. It is a big church, so big it has escalators to the two balconies.

The church was once painted a somewhat a dull shade of pink and, was nick named by members and non-members as "The Pink Church" or the "Mary Kay Cathedral". Calvary was founded by Dr. Ross Rhodes who at the time of this Easter sunrise service was senior pastor.

Charlotte is of course the well known home to the famous preacher Dr. Billy Graham, and a close second to Billy Graham is Dr. Rhodes. I think Ross Rhodes could make a believer out of Satan if given the chance.

My grandmother used to tell us to sit up straight in church so that God knew we were paying attention. On this Easter Sunday, the frosty cold aluminum bleachers of Providence High School Football Stadium made certain we were all sitting up straight and paying attention.

The hot coffee and warm biscuits from Bojangles that the Calvary volunteers handed out, helped ease the chill but it was so cold, that I soon began to plot an early exit back to my car.

I'm a morning person, most of the time and I love to watch the sunrise. Cold on the other hand I'm not nearly as fond of, so I thanked my sister who was kind enough to bring an extra blanket to sit on.

Before the small choir had finished the second verse of the first hymn, my biscuit was cold and my coffee gone.

In the faint half light of the early dawn Dr. Rhodes rose from his seat and walked over to the podium, for all practical purposes it was still dark.

His sermon was simple….. his first words where.....

"He Has Risen!"

And with that voices came to life through the gathered crowd as these words were repeated and rose on wisps of steam from our breath which filled the cold morning air.

Dr. Rhodes continued….

"Now if this had just happened today, on this Sunday morning, we would have proof! There would be satellite trucks, and news media everywhere. Larry King would be live with eyewitnesses to interview, and there would be full page photo spreads in USA Today, the New York Times and the Charlotte Observer. There would be a "film at eleven" on television that would show the massive stone rolled aside and for the next forty days Jesus himself would hold press conferences right up until ascension.

And he would tell the world: "Hey, I'm back for I have risen!"

"But, because this single event occurred nearly 2000 years ago we don't have a film at eleven, but we do have eyewitness accounts and interviews with the Larry King of the day Mark, and his interview is right here".

And as he spoke those words, Dr. Rhodes held up his bible the one he has carried for nearly 40 years and proclaimed.

"It says right here…" HE HAS RISEN!

With that a flock of Canada Geese flew over head no more than a dozen feet above the bleachers, winging their way no doubt to eternity and just as suddenly the sun rose above the horizon and bathed the bleachers in wonderful light and warmth that you could feel all the way through to your soul.

And I have got to tell ya ... I don't know how Ross Rhodes pulled it off but his timing was perfect. Within an instant the chill in the air was gone as a new day had begun.

Now years later Dr. Rhodes message, and that Easter sunrise service is still a very vivid memory.

Dr. Rhodes' message has always been simple… "Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved" Period!

No fancy church or nearly drowning style of baptism, pilgrimage to Mecca, or giving up a certain amount of your paycheck, no course of study, no special communion, no specific number of Sunday school sessions or bible study attendance required, just one simple thing.

"Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved" - Just Believe!

OK I'm done preaching now go color those chickens.

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What Not To Wear To An American Cancer Society Charity Event

Seriously what was she thinking?

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Wednesday Change Up - Cedar Posts Takes On Donald Trump

Cedar Posts has never been one to avoid taking on big names, but frankly I never thought I'd try to go head to head against "The Donald" but America's number one celebrity CEO has been shooting off about how bad our country is long enough.

Trump is worried that the United States is quickly losing its economic power to China, while the country faces debt levels that “no one ever dreamt possible.”

More than once during the 2012 Presidential Campaign Trump claimed that the "US doesn't make anything anymore" well Trump is wrong.

Trump says that China will soon be the biggest economic engine in the world while the U.S. grapples with nearly $17 trillion in debt. Trump’s comments are similar to statements he made last fall during an appearance on Fox News’ “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.”

China's manufacturing output in 2011 exceeded the USA's output by nearly 24%, yet the rest of world can barely keep out, in fact the combined producting of Eurpoe, Barzil and Korea is still less than the USA.

In that interview, Trump said the United States is no longer a rich country. “When you’re not rich, you have to go out and borrow money. We’re borrowing from the Chinese and others. We’re up to $16 trillion in debt.”

He went on to point out that the downgrade of U.S. debt is inevitable.

“We are going up to $16 trillion [in debt] very soon, and it’s going to be a lot higher than that before he gets finished. When you have [debt] in the $21-$22 trillion, you are talking about a downgrade no matter how you cut it.”

Trump contiues, "In 2016, China will become the big economic factor of the world. That was unthinkable if you think back 10 years from now -- you know, from now, you go back 10 years, it was unthinkable. But China will become the big economic power. 2016, that's right around the corner. And we let that happen. And they've become the economic power on our back!"

This is why The Donald is wrong, first the US Dollar has declined by 30% over the last decade. Not good news you say? Well actually a lower dollar makes US goods priced more competitively in world markets.

Trump is wrong about the US and Oil and Trump is all worked up about OPEC.  But the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is of little concern because, US Oil Production has actually increased from 2008 levels and our net imports of oil have drastically declined from a high of nearly 60 % in 2004 to less then 45% in 2011.

Oil is less than 40% of US energy consumption and coal and natural gas prices are a historically low prices.

The bottom line is the US has increased our energy independence over the last decade and will continue to do so.

How many times have you heard Trump say we are losers, we don't make anything? The Donald is right, that iPhone, iPad and flat screen television are not made in the USA.

But we lead the world in, construction equipment, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defense, energy equipment and services, entertainment, computer and software design.

The truth is that that Made in USA is all over the globe, in fact US exports represent nearly 14% of the US Economy vs back in the good old days of the 1950's when is was less than 6%.

The claim that China owns the US, is nice ploy to scare Americans into thinking we are on the road to ruin.

FOXCONN employs more than 1.2 million Chinese workers who assemble more than 40% of the world's smart phones, computers and other electronic devices. Yet their wage rates increased by 25% in 2012 vs the US which increased by only 1.7%. The fact is you can't stay competitive for long with skyrocketing labor costs.

Plus workers in the USA are substainally more productive than their Asian counterparts. While China's production exceeds the US's it’s important to remember that China’s manufacturing workforce is estimated to be around 100-110 million compared to America’s manufacturing employment of less than 12 million.

In other words, it takes ten Chinese guys to screw in a lightbulb where here in the USA it takes only one.

Finally their is the area of growth, how do you grown an ecomony depends on the resources avaiable. Unlike Europe and many emerging market countries that are tied to just one source the US has far deeper pockets to help develope ideas and products. Our souces Commercial Banks, Venture Capital, Private Equity, The Stock Market, The Bond Market, Life Insurance Companies and Real Estate Investement Trusts, vs one single cental bank.

Bottom line is USA is a considerably better builder of a diverse array of products than most people realize including Mr. Trump and Cedar Posts can back this up with a visual.

Seldom am I on the water in Charleston Habor when I don't pass a container ship and it's easy to notice that those going out are sitting lower in the water than when they came in, meaning they are loaded with goods leaving the USA.

Maybe my perspective is just a little better than Mr. Trump's view from that NYC office tower bearing his name.

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Car Hits Tree But Not Just Any Car - Cobra Totaled

WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC

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3 Months After CMPD Takeover Questions Remain at CDIA

Months ago Cedar Posts first reported that Jerry Orr was doing an end run on Charlotte and the City Council in order to pry control away of Charlotte's airport from the City.

We also introduced you to Herbert Judon the CDIA no. 2 who lead the push at the city's expense to fact find the idea of creating an airport authority. It was during this time that we also learned that CMPD Command Staff were in a "tit for tat" ongoing battle with Jerry Orr.

We now know that Jerry Orr prevented CMPD Officers from having complete access to the airport and then photographed CMPD Officers lounging around the concourses, later using the photos to claim that CMPD was doing nothing as far a Airport Security.

We also now know that CMPD is playing hardball as well, leaving more than a dozen former Charlotte Airport Police Officers in the dark and confused as promises are made and then withdrawn.  According to several sources Charlotte Airport Officers were sworn in as CMPD Police Officers on December 15, 2012. But as of this past week they have still not been placed on CMPD's payroll nor are they being paid at the same rate as CMPD Officers.

A check of online records show CDIA Officers are on a pay scale that is less than competitive with the CMPD pay scale based on the same rank and years of service.

Yet a number of former Airport Officers were reportedly given a salary proposal by a CMPD Captain that showed what increases in pay and benefits the former CDIA Officers could expect when CMPD took over law enforcement operations at the Airport. Apparently those proposed increases were later rescinded by some unknown higher ranking member of CMPD's Command staff.

According to sources The City of Charlotte runs two payroll systems, one referred as "broad band" and the other "Public Safety".

Chief Monroe reportedly told CDIA Officers that they would remain on broad band pay system and would not be placed on the public safety pay system, unless they re-applied to work with his agency. In doing so the chief  inferred that former Charlotte Douglas International Airport Officers would make less on the broad band system.

However it is reported that Chief Monroe along with CMPD staff above the rank of lieutenant are ALL on broad band.

CP doesn't understand why the City has two different payroll systems and has emailed interim City Manager Julie Burch for an explanation.

When the merger process began CDIA Officers were told the transition would be seamless, but weeks into the merger/takeover CDIA Officers are now being told they must complete an entire application process. A process that earlier CMPD Chief Monroe personally told the group they would not be required to complete.

As far back as November city staff were calling the change a "merger" and using terms like "integration" and "security increase" but neither seems to be the case.

According to sources CMPD Command swore the airport officers in and had each officer sign the required F5 forms which should have completed the hiring process and made every signed CDIA Officer a CMPD Officer. The F5 forms that each former Airport Officer signed clearly classified them as “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Patrol Officers”, but that may not be the case.

Turns out CMPD staff did not submit the paper back in December and Officers two week ago Officers were required to be sworn in again. Seems there is a 10 day limit to file the forms and apparently CMPD withheld he forms for some reason.  The folks at Training and Standards in Raleigh were unwilling to talk about the paperwork process or confirm if the former CDIA Officer paperwork had arrived in time.

Other irregularities have been exposed, for instance, all "new" Airport Division Officers “required” to attend a shift briefing 15 minutes prior to their shifts. They are not paid for this 15 minutes yet all CMPD officers are paid for their shift briefing time at the airport. A review of pay rates discovered that many former Airport Officers are doing the same jobs as and in many cases training newly assigned CMPD Airport Division officers and call-back hires brought in to fill the vacancies, but at a rate of but  $15,000 to $20,000 less per year.

A walk through the Airport last Friday found CMPD badges and insignia, as well as Charlotte Airport Badges and insignia. It is not clear why if CMPD took over that the two groups are not unified 3 months later.

Many are questioning if the change is even permanent despite the word of CMPD Chief Monroe that the old Airport Police "don't exist anymore"

According to the Training and Standards personnel at the North Carolina Justice Department, former airport Officers are certified to exactly to the same standards as CMPD Officers.

Which mean they should be treated the same and paid the same as current CMPD Officers.

Sources tell Cedar Posts that CMPD Human Resources staff, Miriam Hannon blamed the confusion and frustration that former Airport Officers are dealing with, on the City saying that the city is backing Chief Monroe's decisions and there is nothing that HR can or will do to address the concerns of former CDIA Officers. Ms. Hannon reportedly suggested that Airport Officers file a lawsuit.

In speaking with former Airport Officers they note that CMPD call back and overtime officers not required to take reports, answer alarm calls and are pretty much not expected to engage in police actions of any type while at the airport. In most cases they are just bodies roaming about the airport.

One of the key reasons CMPD wanted to take over Airport Policing was that they could do a much better job in light of the Delvonte Tisdale event. Yet at trip around the airport perimeter shows little change from two years ago. A visit to the general aviation ramp proves it is easy as ever to enter the tarmac and have easy access to aircraft and given a rather long walk access to departing aircraft as young Mr. Tisdale did.

Many current CMPD/Airport Police Officer report being concerned that should the Airport be removed from City of Charlotte control, and turned over to an airport authority they will lose their jobs.

Sources state that Jerry Orr wasn't very encouraging when asked about this scenario and that he reportedly told Officers. "Well, you are now city employees, so the city will have to find a job for you."

Cedar's Take: Being a Police Officer, City of Charlotte or Airport Police is a tough job. Forget the gun toting felons and being a target for the abuse that comes with the badge. The tough part is long hours, weekends, nights and missing your kids soccer games because someone in command screwed up the work assignments last week.

The truth is even standing in the freezing rain directing traffic at 2 a.m. is not nearly as bad as being fed bullshit by your superiors when it comes to your job security and pay.

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Monday Odds and Ends

Michael Jordan Makes a Donation - Charlotte local media swarmed over the Bobcats owner's gift to CMS students who participate in the YMCA's Y Achievers program last week.

From the Charlotte Observer:

"Jordan led by example Thursday by making appearances at three high schools in three hours, announcing a series of surprises for participants in the YMCA’s Y Achievers mentoring program."

"The big news: a $200,000 gift to the program from the team and its broadcast partner, FOX Sports Carolinas/Sports South."

So maybe you were like Cedar Posts when you saw the amount of the gift $200,000.

Seriously I thought it must have been a typo, $200,000.00?

It should have been more like $2 million.

Come on Jordan isn't it time to put down your pom poms and get in there with the rest of the Varsity?

The complete Observer story is here.

TAR ..... HEELS! - Has become just about as annoying as "It's" "In" "The" "Hole" heard over and over again at PGA Golf Tournaments. The twitter world was abuzz with the "TAR" tweets and the requisite HEELS! response that is until the second half got underway. The final score a stunning 70-58.

The loss can be summed up with two words, Jeff Withey. The Kansas 7-foot senior center was amazing. Normally guys at the 7 foot level look just a tad awkward inside the paint. Withey has grace and balance unlike anyone of that height and he made it look easy.

As for the It's in the hole crowd, Augusta National says it discourages that sort of behavior, which is why the drunks at Augusta use the "four part" method with each particiant uttering only one of the four words while located on varying spots around the green.

And to think Bill Murray's unscripted soliloquy was total ad-lib. (See Below)

The First Day of Spring Was When? - Not around here. So much for that global warming alert.

It's In The Hole - Each spring golf jumps to the forefront of the sports world, a combination of basketball exhaustion and lack of NFL football dispondantness, with a good helping of please let the snow stop falling. The first signs of spring to many are the azaleas of Augusta for golfers in the northern states, Augusta and the Masters means that the thaw is within sight.

Along with Augusta comes "It's in the HOLE" and the question asked by many, why do they do that? 

Ahhh, the ancient ritual of drunkenness at a golf tournament, to which we thank Bill Murray's Carl Spackler and the movie Caddy Shack circa 1980.

Dressed as a bum greenskeeper Murray's Carl Spackler stepped in movie lore with this simple lines.

"What an incredible Cinderella story, this unknown comes outta no where to lead the pack, at Augusta.

He's on his final hole, he's about 455 yards away - he's gonna hit about a two-iron I think.

Oh he got all of that one! The crowd is standing on its feet here, the normally reserved Augusta crowd - going wild - for this young Cinderella, he's come outta no where, he's got about 350 yards left, he's gonna hit about a five-iron, don't you think?

He's got a beautiful backswing - that's - Oh he got all of that one! He's gotta be pleased with that, the crowd is just on its feet here, uh - He's the Cinderella boy, uh - tears in his eyes I guess as he lines up this last shot, he's got about 195 yards left, he's got about a - its looks like he's got about an eight-iron.

This crowd has gone deathly silent, the Cinderella story, outta no where, a former greenskeeper now - about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac - It's in the Hole!"

Between major scene takes Bill Murray picked up a hand sling after director Harld Ramis asked Murray if he would elmulate a kid announcing his own fantasy sports moment. Murray improvised the entire "Cinderella story" after asking that four rows of mums be planted along the clubhouse sidewalk. He did the entire scene in one take.

Yep It's in the Hole!

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