Union County Weekly Dec. 10, 2021

Inside: Union hospital wins maternity award • Page 3A

Brought to you by Charlotte Media Group Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 • Vol. 15 • No. 49

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HAVEN hits milestone Chamber of Commerce recognizes creative agency

WAXHAW – HAVEN Creative has been recognized as the 2021 Excellence in Small Business Award recipient by the Union County Chamber of Commerce.

The award was announced in conjunction with the Union County Chamber 2021 Excellence in Business Awards Gala, which took place Dec. 2 in Monroe.

“Eighteen months ago, I wasn’t sure if our business was going to

survive the pandemic,” said Jeni Bukolt, founder and CEO of HAVEN. “HAVEN survived and thrived, in no small Bukolt part, due to the Union County Chamber and our partners throughout the region. To now be recognized by those partners for our contributions to the community is incredibly special,”

HAVEN was one of three finalists for the Excellence in Small Business award category, which recognizes Union County businesses with fewer than 20 employees for their contributions to the community.

HAVEN Creative is a branding agency built around communities.

It works with government agencies, private businesses and nonprofits to develop, design and deploy branding and communications through-

Rotary Club launches charity raffle, 5A

Golf & grub Molli Taylorson and Ethan Peng (above) and Anna Waugh and Aaron Gutman (below) have only been training together for a year but have proven to be formidable teams in competition. Photos courtesy of Mathew Gates

Ice in their veins

Local figure skaters heading to U.S. Nationals Art that pops Artist creates images with data, 1B

VP gives props Harris visits Charlotte for transit, 4B

out their organizations.

Other winners • Employer of Choice: Helms Heating and Air • Excellence in Business: Geological Resources • Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Christine Mann Darden • Nonprofit Innovation: Union Diversified Industries • Rising Star: Leitner, Bragg, and Griffin PLLC

Leaders: Reevaluate quarantine

Giving back

An inside look at a unique new business, 1B

@ucweekly

INDIAN TRAIL – Two Juvenile Ice Dance Teams have qualified to be part of the U.S. National Figure Skating Team.

Molli Taylorson (age 9) and Ethan Peng (age 12) placed second in the U.S. Anna Waugh (age 10) and Aaron Gutman (age 15) placed seventh. They will take part in the U.S. National Development camp next month in Nashville, Tennessee.

The senior-level athletes Gates will be vying for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the upcoming Olympics in Beijing.

The skaters train six days a week at Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail. They are coached by World Zaretsky and International coach, Mathew Gates and two-time Olympian Alexandra Zaretsky. Both coaches relocated to the area with-

Both teams hope to continue training hard over the years to qualify for the Olympics.

in the last several years, and work in a coaching group called Elite Training Team.

The goal of Elite Training Team is to develop young figure skaters up to national, world and Olympic-level competition.

The ice dancers will perform in the Skate A Gift ice show at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at Extreme Ice Center. Get tickets at www. xicenter.com or at the door.

MONROE – The Union County Board of Education passed a joint resolution Dec. 7 in support of ending contact tracing and quarantine requirements for students in North Carolina.

The school board joined the Union County Board of Commissioners in this effort, as county leaders approved the resolution in a unanimous vote Dec. 6.

UCPS says students who are currently in quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 should remain in quarantine/ isolation and continue to follow instructions provided by their school.

Here is how the joint resolution reads: “Continuing the long-standing practice of putting the future of Union County first in all decisions, the Union County Board of Commissioners and Union County Board of Education have put forth a joint resolution calling on the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to adjust protocol for contact tracing and quarantine of public school students related to COVID-19.

“COVID-19 will continue to be a communicable disease we must address and respond to, and we remain committed to doing so. However, we are at a pivotal point in the pandemic where we must adjust our policies to allow us to rely on tried and true public health practices, as we do for all communicable diseases.

“By asking the State to reevaluate the quarantine and contact tracing protocol in schools, it will enable the public health officials and school nurses who have been performing the arduous processes of contact tracing to shift their focus to more productive programs and services.

“This joint resolution does not diminish the importance of caring for all children who are sick whether from COVID-19, flu or any other communicable disease.”

Atrium Health Union donates thousands of bikes to children

MONROE – Atrium Health Union will help holiday wishes come true for underprivileged kids in Union County. For the 10th consecutive year, the hospital will line up hundreds of bikes to donate to the Union County Christmas Bureau.

Teams have been collecting bikes and monetary donations for more than a month to help children who may otherwise receive no gifts this Christmas season.

“For many people, the mem-

ory of their first bike is a lasting and meaningful one,” said Denise White, vice president of facility executive and chief nurse executive at Atrium Health Union. “It’s a feeling our teammates relate to and a program they feel connected to.

We want as many children as possible to share in that feeling – that joy – each and every year.”

Atrium Health Union has always been engaged within the community, from honoring those who serve on Veterans Day to vol-

unteering yearly at the Christmas Bureau.

“Each year the wonderful staff at Atrium Health Union donate bikes to hundreds of the children that we serve,” said Gloria Haney, senior volunteer services coordinator at Union County Christmas Bureau. “Without their efforts, we would have very few bikes. We are especially amazed that, during a time when the hospital staff is being stretched thin due to the pandemic, they still make time and

have the energy to be a part of our outreach efforts to hurting families during Christmas. The Atrium Health Union staff has become a vital part of our Christmas Bureau family and we are so very grateful for all that they do in our community!”

Since officially keeping track of the number of donated bikes in 2011, Atrium Health Union has delivered more than 3,300 bikes to the Christmas Bureau. The hospital also pays for a helmet for each

bike donation, ensuring each child can safely enjoy their new present from the second they unwrap it.

“I love the thought of the kids running to their bikes and, often times, it’s their first bike ever,” said Mike Lutes, senior vice president and South Market president for Atrium Health. “If it wasn’t for the generosity of our teammates, these children may not receive any gifts at Christmastime, let alone a brand-new bicycle.”

Page 2A • The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021

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CHARLOTTE – Gas prices in the Carolinas continue to trend cheaper as fears of a possible COVID-19 economic slowdown caused crude oil prices to plunge into the mid $60s per barrel, a price not seen since August.

“Motorists are catching a break right now at the pumps with lowered gas prices,” said Tiffany Wright, spokesperson, AAA – The Auto Club Group in the Carolinas.

“But an economic slowdown could

very well prompt OPEC to cut production if crude oil prices drop too low.”

Last week, OPEC and its allies announced it would stick to its plan, for now, to raise production by 400,000 b/d in January. The move was likely in response to the Biden Administration’s call to increase supply to curb high fuel prices.

Currently, North Carolina’s gas price average sits at $3.15, having a

4-cent decline on the week. This is 9 cents cheaper than a month ago and $1.16 more expensive than last year.

South Carolina’s gas price average sits at $3.04, having a 5-cent decline on the week. This is 12 cents cheaper than a month ago and $1.13 more expensive than last year.

The national average on Dec. 6 of $3.35 is seven cents less than a month ago and $1.19 more than a year ago.

MANAGING EDITOR Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com

Tips for grinchy bosses to retain staff

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Apple Cranberry Lattice Pie (ABOVE) and Gingerbread Chai Cheesecake (LEFT) are a couple of the dishes that Thoughtful Baking Co. is introducing during the holidays. Photos courtesy of Thoughtful Baking Co.

Thoughtful Baking Co. rolls out new holiday desserts CHARLOTTE – Thoughtful Baking Co. has whipped up a new lineup of modern Southern classic desserts inspired and infused with North Carolina grown produce.

• Orange Crunch Cake: Triple-layered orange butter cake,

with graham cracker crumbs, walnuts and orange-scented Italian buttercream.

• Chocolate Pecan Pie: Old-fashioned flakey crust with dark chocolate and pecan filling.

• Apple Cranberry Lattice Pie: Sweetened North Carolina

mountain apples with tart cranberries and crispy pastry lattice.

• Sweet Potato Praline Pie: Spiced sweet potato with miso caramel sticky pecan topping.

• Gingerbread Chai Cheesecake: Gingersnap cookie crust with a chai cheesecake.

Expert weighs in on Better.com layoffs CHARLOTTE – In the midst of what is considered one of the most bullish housing markets ever, Better.com laid off 900 employees over Zoom, including their diversity and inclusion recruiting team. A clip of the meeting went viral.

According to diversity expert and corporate leadership coach Omar L. Harris, the massive reduction in force demonstrates three things about Better.com and its leadership: • Production drain: The move represents a devastating talent and productivity drain for the employer, while the rest of hiring industry is in a major great resignation.

• Lack of innovative thinking: The organization lacks innovative thinking as it relates to the company’s mortgage policies, putting it at a disadvantage in the market because diverse teams produce much higher innovation than homogeneous ones.

• Embracing profits: The move shows a far riskier financial outlook moving forward due to the company embracing profits above modern leadership principles. Modern leadership principles are about providing value for more stakeholders including employees, customers, communities, the environment and shareholders.

“Pre-pandemic this type of profit-driven leadership may have worked, but in the current climate, Better.com may not be able to recuperate from its continued wrong decision making,” says Omar L. Harris, who also authored "Be a J.E.D.I. LEADER, NOT A BOSS: Leadership in the area of Corporate Social Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion." “This is the exact moment for Better. com’s more evolved competitors to pounce, capitalize on great talent and eradicate their market position.”

On the web: www.servant-leader.online or www.omarlharris.com

Bank of America rewards Neighborhood Builders CHARLOTTE – Programs that help address economic opportunity for women and support for refugee and immigrant children will be able to scale, helping even more people through a multi-year grant from Bank of America.

Dress for Success Charlotte and ourBRIDGE for KIDS have been named as the 2021 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders awardees for their work in Charlotte addressing these issues.

“We are committed to supporting nonprofits experiencing increased demands and in need of additional resources as our community continues to grow,” said Kieth Cockrell, president, Bank of America Charlotte. “Dress for Success Charlotte and ourBridge

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration, total domestic gasoline stocks increased by more than 4 million bbl last week. Meanwhile, gasoline demand dipped from 9.3 million b/d to 8.8 million b/d. The slight decrease in demand contributed to falling prices, while lower crude prices also put downward market pressure on pump prices.

On the web: http://gasprices.aaa. com.

for KIDS are helping women and families chart a path toward stability and economic opportunity.

We are proud to support these two organizations to increase their community impact.”

Each organization receives a $200,000 grant over two years; comprehensive leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader on topics ranging from increasing financial sustainability, human capital management and strategic storytelling; joins a network of peer organizations across the U.S.; and gets the opportunity to access capital to expand their impact.

Dress for Success Charlotte empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing

a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. About 86% of clients who are referred to Dress for Success Charlotte are single and head of household.

“Thanks to Bank of America we will be able to reach even more women across our region and provide them with critical technology resources they have so desperately needed throughout the pandemic,” said Kerry Barr O’Connor, executive director of Dress for Success Charlotte. “Through this partnership we will expand what we are currently doing to help women secure employment as a means of achieving upward economic mobility and offer our

wrap-around approach to help them thrive in both work and in life.” ourBRIDGE for KIDS is a non-faith-based organization that attends to the academic and socio-emotional needs of refugee and immigrant children and their families.

“This partnership with Bank of America will help catapult our efforts to ensuring children arriving for the first time in our community have a safe space to go after school,” said Sil Ganzo, founder and executive director of ourBRIDGE for KIDS. Since 2004, Bank of America has invested over $280 million in 50 communities through Neighborhood Builders.

The holiday season is a reflective time, and as company leaders look back on the past year of challenges and accomplishments, it’s important that they show gratitude to their employees – and not make it a rare occurrence.

Research has shown a strong correlation between employee recognition and employee retention. Specific to the holiday season, one survey found that about 60% of employees would be more likely to stay in their job if they received meaningful holiday gifts from their employer. As the “Great Resignation” sweeps the country, employers should be mindful of making the holidays the “Great Appreciation” for their best employees and making it a habit. says Michele Bailey (www.michelebailey.com), ForbesBooks author of “The Currency of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures into Powerful Business Results.”

“As leaders reflect, those who haven’t made gratitude a core value of their organization should strongly consider it going forward into next year,” Bailey says. “The current context of workers leaving in droves basically demands it.

And the holidays are the perfect time for leaders to set a new tone and show they are sincere about showing appreciation on a consistent basis.

“This really benefits everyone in an organization; led by the leader, everyone is influenced to show gratitude for each other. When you make gratitude a habit and recognize the value of the contributions of your colleagues, you encourage them to strive for greater results. And your business will inevitably grow as your team members champion your brand.”

Bailey offers a few ways leaders can express gratitude to employees during the holidays and make the practice a regular feature of their organization: • Prioritize mental health. The nearly two-year-long pandemic has added anxiety for millions of workers, and every holiday season many people experience increased stress and depression.

Therefore, Bailey says it’s vital that company leaders keep these factors in mind and check on the mental health of their employees. “Lots of employees feel burnout this time of year, and remote workers can feel more isolated,” she says. “Make sure to check in with your people one-on-one and in small groups. Let them know that you care.”

• Give praise. “By publicly praising an employee or team who has done an outstanding job, you make them feel valued,” Bailey says. “This can boost their confidence and their enthusiasm for the company. A personal handwritten note also goes a long way with an employee. The holiday season is an ideal time for the leader to champion their top people and energize them going forward into next year.”

• Make gifts meaningful. Bailey says leaders should put a good amount of thought into gift-giving as a reward for employees, showing a personal touch and making it something useful and memorable. “They don’t have to be expensive,” she says. “The value is in the thought. And along with material gifts, consider experiential gifts, which allow the recipient to have an experience that ties in with their interests.”

• Give paid holiday leave. “Extra time off during the holidays to be with family is a bonus in itself,” Bailey says.

“As work-life balance becomes more important to employees nowadays, this is the time of year when employers should show they’re sincere in making that happen.”

• Survey your teams on what they need for next year. This is a way of paying your gratitude forward, Bailey says.

The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021 • Page 3A

Autry

Harris

Hunt

Lofton

Majeed

Jackson

Marcus

Mohammed

Salvador

Waddell

Arp

Brody

Willis

Johnson

Newton

We will soon learn which of these leaders from Union and Mecklenburg counties will be running for reelection.

Jeff Jackson and Rachel Hunt have announced plans to run for different seats.

Existing state leadership

Four election storylines that have me stirrin’ Justin Vick Managing Editor

It’s a good thing I don’t live stream my workday, because each time I learn of a new candidate that has entered Election 2022, I find myself contorting my face in shock and wonderment.

The first day of filing on Nov. 6 was especially fun. Here are some quick observations I had about races in Mecklenburg and Union counties.

No state filings We didn’t see any filings for state office on the first day due to a court fight. The North Carolina Court of Appeals halted filing for N.C. House, N.C. Senate and U.S. House races on Dec. 6, but that order was reversed later in the day. Filing reopened for those races at 8 a.m. Dec. 7. Union County delegates Dean Arp, Mark Brody, Todd Johnson and David Willis have filed early, while most of Mecklenburg County has been chill.

Union will have large county primary Eight Republicans have entered the Union County Board of Commissioners race. Den-

nis Rape, Stony Rushing and Jerry Simpson’s terms are up for reelection. Rape and Rushing have filed, but Simpson has not revealed his plans. Rape joked this week that Simpson not only keeps his cards close to his vest, but he puts them in his pocket and wears two jackets over them. Melissa Merrell is the highest-profile challenger, having served on the school board since 2014. But Jonathan Thomas and Parker Mills also have name recognition, having previously served as county commissioners.

De La Jara eyes county seat Jennifer De La Jara filed to run for one of three at-large seats on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners just days before the two-year anniversary of getting sworn in as a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education member. Critics may say this is too fast a jump to county commission, but she has a legit shot at a seat.

Union sheriff goes for six-peat Sheriff Eddie Cathey continues to be among Union County’s most beloved politicians. News of Cathey’s intent to secure a sixth four-year term in 2022 drew praise on Union County Weekly’s Facebook page.

Darren Greene wrote, “Best sheriff we ever had. So thankful for him.” Matthews Keefe wrote “Will ALWAYS have my vote!”

Election 2022 ballots so far CHARLOTTE – Election offices in Mecklenburg and Union counties opened filing for the 2022 election on Dec. 6, attracting several candidates. Below are candidates that filed through mid-day Dec. 8 in Mecklenburg County and by the end of business Dec. 7.

Charlotte City Council (District 1) Democrats: Dante Anderson & Billy Maddalon Republicans: N/A Charlotte City Council (District 2) Democrats: Kendrick Cunningham Republicans: N/A Charlotte City Council (District 5) Democrats: Vinroy Reid & Mark Vincent Republicans: N/A Charlotte City Council (District 6) Democrats: Nancy Wiggins Republicans: N/A Charlotte City Council (District 7) Democrats: N/A Republicans: Ed Driggs Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners (At-Large) Democrats: Jennifer De La Jara Republicans: Tatyana Thulien Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners (District 5) Democrats: Laura Meier Republicans: N/A Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners (District 6) Democrats: Susan Rodriguez-McDowell Republicans: Desiree Zapata Miller NC House District 55 Democrats: N/A Republicans: Mark Brody NC House District 68 Democrats: N/A Republicans: David Willis NC House District 69 Democrats: N/A Republicans: Dean Arp

NC House District 104 Democrats: N/A Republicans: Don Pomeroy

NC Senate District 35 Democrats: N/A Republicans: Todd Johnson NC Senate District 40 Democrats: N/A Republicans: Bobbie Shields NC Senate District 41 Democrats: Rachel Hunt Republicans: N/A NC Senate District 42 Democrats: N/A Republicans: Mark Robeson Union County Board of Commissioners Democrats: N/A Republicans: Edwin Elam, Terrence J. Glesias, Melissa Merrell, Parker Mills, Dennis Rape, Stony Rushing, Jonathan Thomas, Travis Wilson Union County Board of Education (At-Large) Democrats: N/A Republicans: Jimmy Bention Union County Board of Education (District 3) Democrats: N/A Republicans: Gary Sides Union County Board of Education (District 4) Democrats: N/A Republicans: Breanne Taylor Union County Board of Education (District 6) Democrats: N/A Republicans: Kathy Heintel Union County Clerk of Superior Court Democrats: N/A Republicans: Wendy Maynard & Sandra Smith Union County Sheriff Democrats: N/A Republicans: Eddie Cathey

Page 4A • The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021

Pineville, Union hospitals Matthews doctor named president of State Association of Family Physicians win maternity awards CHARLOTTE – Atrium Health Cabarrus, Atrium Health Pineville and Atrium Health Union are being recognized by U.S. News & World Report in its inaugural “Best Maternity Hospitals” awards.

All three hospitals are classified as “High Performing,” which is the highest level of achievement possible this year, and considered by U.S. News among the best maternity hospitals in the nation.

Atrium Health is the only health system in the region to be recognized by U.S. News for Best Maternity Hospitals and is home to Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital, named a U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospital for 14 consecutive years.

To be recognized as high performing, Atrium Health Cabarrus, Atrium Health Pineville and Atrium Health Union had to excel on multiple quality metrics that matter to expectant families, including complication rates, C-sections, whether births were scheduled too early in

Atrium Health added a Maternal Fetal Medicine location in south Charlotte last year. Photo courtesy of Atrium Health

pregnancy and how successfully each hospital supported breastfeeding.

Only one-third of the hospitals evaluated by U.S. News for maternity care earned the top rating.

“We are delighted to have three hospitals on U.S. News & World Report’s inaugural list of ‘Best Maternity Hospitals’ and to be included among the best-of-the-best for maternity care,” said Dr. Suzanna Fox, enterprise deputy chief physician executive and Atrium Health Women’s Care enterprise service line

leader. “Our outstanding women’s care teams are dedicated to providing the best possible experience for new moms. This award will help expecting families make informed choices – to reassure them they can receive the highest-quality care for their maternity needs at Atrium Health hospitals.”

Also, Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital was recognized as being among the best-in-the-nation in eight pediatric specialties

by U.S. News & World Report.

RALEIGH – Dr. Dimitrios (Takie) Hondros was installed as president of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians for a one-year term during the organization’s annual meeting in Asheville.

For the past 16 years, Hondros has practiced family medicine in Matthews.

He is in independent practice with Avance Care.

In his inaugural address to NCAFP members, Hondros talked about the importance of mentors and having a community of support.

“The NCAFP is a place where folks come together, interact, exchange ideas and reaffirm why they currently are or will choose family medicine as their ca-

reer. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my mentors,” he said. “As health care quickly changes, family medicine will be at the forefront of how we deliver care to our patients. We can only do that if we support, teach and cultivate the love of family medicine to future generations.”

Hondros has been involved with the academy since the start of medical school, having served on many state committees and as student representative to the NCAFP Board. He later served on the NCAFP Foundation Board of Trustees and has more recently served as an at-large physician member and executive committee member of the NCAFP Board.

Atrium Health appoints board chair CHARLOTTE – The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority Board of Commissioners has a new chair, Angelique “Angie” Vincent-Hamacher.

CMHA elected Vincent-Hamacher to the role at its meeting Dec. 7.

She succeeds Edward J. Brown III, who had held the position since 2013. Brown will remain part of the CMHA board, as well as the chair of the Atrium Health Inc., board of directors.

Vincent-Hamacher has been a member of the CMHA board since 2014.

Vincent-Hamacher works as an attorney with Robinson Bradshaw, where she is a

shareholder and member of the firm’s board of directors.

“As Angie takes the gavel, it is significant to mention that beyond her immense Vincentqualifications, her selection Hamacher to lead our board represents the types of opportunity Atrium Health stands for, becoming the first woman and the first person of color to chair the Board of Commissioners,” Brown said.

CEO Eugene Woods described her as "a tremendous force for the growth and advancement of Atrium Health.”

Novant Health earns national praise for cardiovascular treatment

WINSTON-SALEM – Novant Health has received multiple American Heart Association Achievement Awards for implementing quality improvement measures that ensure cardiovascular patients receive efficient and coordinated care.

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs help reduce barriers to prompt treatment for cardiovascular events.

As a participant in both Mission:

Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs, Novant Health was awarded by demonstrating how the organization has committed to improving quality care for patients.

“We are honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to helping our patients have the best possible chance of survival and recovery after cerebrovascular events,” said Dr. Eric Deshaies, senior vice president and system physician executive of Novant Health

Neurosciences & Psychiatry Institute. “The Mission: Lifeline and Get with the Guidelines programs help put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis to improve outcomes for cerebrovascular patients.”

Area that facilities were recognized with awards include: Matthews Medical Center Gold Plus – Stroke and Heart Failure Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll

Target: Type II Diabetes Honor Roll – Heart Failure Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll Mint Hill Medical Center Silver Referral and Silver – Mission: Lifeline STEMI Presbyterian Medical Center Gold Plus – Stroke and Heart Failure Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll Target: Stroke Advanced Thera-

py Honor Roll Target: Type II Diabetes Honor Roll – Stroke and Heart Failure Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll Additionally, Novant Health received the STEMI regional recognition for the mission: Lifeline program as well as the Target: Blood Pressure Silver achievement level, Target: Type II Diabetes Gold status, and Check. Change. Control.

Cholesterol Gold recognition.

The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021 • Page 5A

Rotary Club of Matthews launches charity raffle MATTHEWS – The Rotary Club of Matthews has launched the Rotary Club Cash Calendar Raffle Fundraiser to help 15 area charities.

The club is selling 2,000 calendars at $100 with $100,000 of the proceeds going to charities and the other $100,00 going to cash prizes for people who bought the calendar.

Beginning Jan. 3, the Rotary Club

of Matthews will start pulling ticket numbers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If the Rotary sells 1,000 calendars, the cash prize will be $250 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If it sells 2,000, then someone can win, $500 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Benefactors to receive donations are as follows: Bright Blessings,

Common Heart, COS KIDS, Greater Matthews Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society of Union County, Idlewild Volunteer Fire Department, Inner Wheel (Auxiliary Rotary Club), Levine Senior Center, Matthews Athletic and Recreation Association, Matthews Free Medical Clinic, Matthews Help Center, Matthews Playhouse,

Matthews Women’s Club Service League, Mount Moriah Child Development Center and Rotary International.

People can buy a calendar by going to www.matthewsrotary.org and click on the Cash Calendar link.

Calendars are also available at the Matthews Chamber of Commerce, Weaver Budd Law Group,

Bright Blessings, Greater Matthews Habitat for Humanity, Matthews Free Medical Clinic, Matthews Help Center,, COS KIDS and Levine Senior Center.

Winners will be notified through email, phone calls or text. Winners’ names will be posted on the Rotary Club of Matthews Facebook and website.

Police investigate break-in at fitness center Aged out of owning MATTHEWS – The Matthews Police Department has asked the public for help identifying suspects in a Nov. 27 break-in at Planet Fitness at 10052 E. Independence Blvd.

Police said personal items were stolen including two wallets containing financial cards. Later that afternoon, the suspects attempted to make purchases at Best Buy and Lowe’s using the stolen cards.

Contact Detective Dan Townsend with any details at dtownsend@matthewsnc. gov or 704-841-6708.

a business? Please!

The suspects were last seen traveling in a burgundy early 2000s Chevy Monte Carlo, according to Matthews Police. Photo courtesy of MPD

Returning to the job market? 5 tips to leverage your skills and find fulfillment The good news for people looking for work is that a large labor shortage continues, and job seekers are gaining leverage as employers, struggling to fill openings, offer extra incentives.

But those positive signs for workers wanting to re-enter the workforce don’t guarantee jobs that are a good fit, and an honest self-reassessment is necessary when weighing possibilities in the changing COVID-era job market, says James Webb (www.jamesharoldwebb. com), a successful entrepreneur in the medical and fitness sectors and author of “A Country Boy’s Journey To Prosperity.”

“The job market has changed in many ways in terms of what some employers and prospective employees are looking for,” Webb says. “From a job seeker’s perspective, they have to look at what they’ve learned about themselves while not working, whether they’ve undersold themselves in the past, where they need to improve and if a company’s culture aligns with their new perspective and overall needs.”

As the “Great Resignation” continues to gain steam, with over 4 million workers having quit in September alone, Webb says that it’s difficult for companies “to find the right talent and frustrating to watch talented, smart people sit on the sidelines.” He offers five tips for those wanting to return to the job market and find a position more satisfying than the one they left: • Be bold; don’t get caught up in having specific job experience. “You have to be willing to take risks in order to reap high rewards,” Webb says.

His own rags-to-riches story was built

on self-confidence, hard work, people skills and venturing outside his comfort zone in order to challenge himself, learn industries and grow. “I have met many people who trust in the philosophy that your next move should be the one for which you’re already prepared,” Webb says. “I disagree. I believe in pursuing your desired path regardless of your level of preparation. Be confident in the fact that if you’re smart and focused, you’ll learn faster when you’re in over your head or out of your depth.”

• Rely on resilience. Webb says failure (getting fired) or being unsatisfied (quitting) can be constructive, one reason being that both build resilience, which he considers the most important trait in life and business. “A resilient person never considers staying down,” Webb says. “Resilience leads to better things. Resilience isn’t just about getting back up; it’s about learning from your mistakes, digging deep to open yourself up to consider new ways, and finding another path that is better than the previous one.”

• Review your experience. “Think about your skills, interests and strengths, and what you value most in a new position and in an employer,” Webb says. “Where are you lacking?

Determine which work activities you enjoy most, and what kinds of people you enjoy working with and for. Focus your search on places that would allow you to spread your wings and prosper.”

• Emphasize your soft skills. A key differentiator between candidates, Webb says, are the soft skills they offer such as adaptability, creativity, time management and communication. “As

companies adapt quickly to rapidly changing consumer demands and business models, they’re hiring people who are able to assimilate and process quickly, learn new skills and problem-solve,” Webb says.

• Build your network. If you’ve been out of work for a year or longer, Webb says it’s vital to tap into and expand your network. “Think about the previous co-workers you’ve had,” he says.

“Attend networking events and conferences; connect with industry people on social media. The more people you share information with, the more likely one or more of them will inform you of opportunities or offer to be a reference.”

“Whether your absence from the workplace was self-imposed or a matter of being laid off, getting back into it requires energy, focus and patience,” Webb says. “Sometimes a reset or a second wind is all we need to be a new and better version of ourselves.”

About James Harold Webb James Harold Webb (www.jamesharoldwebb.com) is the author of “Redneck Resilience: A Country Boy’s Journey To Prosperity.” His career in radiology saw him rise from a technologist to becoming a leader in the industry as the entrepreneur of several companies focused on outpatient medical imaging, pain management and laboratory services. In 2014, Webb turned his attention to the fitness sector and developed, owned and oversaw the management of 33 Orangetheory Fitness franchises throughout North Texas.

Two drivers behind “The Great Resignation” have been unhappiness and boldness – people thinking they can find a more fulfilling job at a different company, or a new career altogether, and then going for it.

One example is the surge in new entrepreneurs. The pandemic has brought out a record number of them. And a high percentage of those who recently quit their jobs say they’re planning to start their own business.

Yet others who consider being their own boss hesitate and one reason is age. Are they too old or too young and inexperienced to start and run a new business or buy and operate an existing company? These are valid questions, but the current economic climate is favorable for entrepreneurship no matter one’s age, says Stuart Robles (www.briggscapital.com), co-author of “The New World of Entrepreneurship: Insiders’ Guide to Buying and Selling Your Own Business in the Digital Age.” “With the great economic reset from the pandemic working its way through the American economic system, there have been many losers and some big winners along the way,” Robles says. “But the biggest winners will be those individuals who step into the entrepreneurial ring in 2022.

“This includes hard-working Americans in the middle.

Now is their time. There are historic opportunities for those poised to start a business or become partners in one.

Tremendous amounts of money are available – in venture capital and other investment vehicles. Chaos has created disruption and new niches for businesses. The markets are overheated and returns are unpredictable with interest rates rising next year. So a great place folks can put their money is in private businesses.”

Robles cautions, however, that historically failure rates for new businesses are high, and learning how to navigate the sometimes rough waters is essential to success. He offers these tips for first-time entrepreneurs: • Bring the bucks to match your boldness. Without sufficient growth capital, promising plans for start-ups or initiatives for existing companies die on the launching pad. “Many first-time buyers or start-up entrepreneurs do not consider the follow-on cash needed to propel the business,” Robles says. “A start-up needs a long runway to profitability because it has no existing sales. You must examine your reserves, understand your limitations and avoid signing up for debt you cannot pay back.”

• Be sly like a fox. Robles says the best start-up operators are “the slyest foxes in the forest,” attracting executives of influence in the sector and trolling through their connections. “These are absolutely key undertakings in your quest,” he says. “The experienced players involved in start-ups admire those founders who whittle and cajole others to do their bidding for no apparent up-front compensation.”

• Be ready for long hours. The pace, demands and hours required of a business owner necessitate honest self-reflection before taking the leap, Robles says. “You really have to critique yourself physically for the rigors ahead,” he says. “We often recommend a physical exam before an acquisition to fully evaluate your health. Find time to get away and exercise. And having a smooth life on the home front, with no static for your long absences, is a must for longevity.”

• Be a storyteller. Robles says the message you convey about your business should combine passion and uniqueness so it connects with people. “Learn to turn your dull widget into a fascinating oracle of the industry,” he says.

Page 6A • The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021

REGIONAL The Regional Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021 • Page 1B

Artist uses data to create work

by Cassie Liu Contributor

CHARLOTTE – Tara Spil focuses on social issues and brings data to life using the media of art.

As a data artist and social worker, Tara’s abstract works use data and statistics to visualize social issues; and as a resident in North Carolina, her landscapes are direct influ-

ences of everyday sights and views around North Carolina.

“I create abstract paintings with purpose and landscape paintings with soul,” she said.

While she constantly switches between painting abstract and landscape paintings, many of her data paintings start to look like abstract landscapes. With thousands of small strokes on a canvas, you

can’t really tell what is in there, but If you look at them from a far distance, you can see the horizon, the field, and the sky. The representational work that she paints from life informs her abstract paintings in both form and color.

Although her abstract paintings can be somewhat representational, this has never been her original intention. Look closely, you

will see that each stroke is like a small human figure, and the entire painting is like a huge crowd of people.

For each painting, Tara counts brushstrokes to create a visual context and make the numbers more tangible. When she begins a painting, she is never sure where the color palette will go but rather lets tones build as she works.

From a large data set, victims of the social issue are generally painted in high contrast to the rest of the painting. For example, she painted a painting to raise breast cancer awareness based on the data that one in eight women experience breast cancer. The dark blue figures on the paintsee ART, Page 3B

Tony Marciano Reverend

Rescuing a stranded boat

With private event spaces, dedicated event staff and swanky lounges, guests can also start booking events and making reservations to plan special occasions. Photos courtesy of Drive Shack

Golf and grub

Play a game of putt-putt like you have never experienced before CHARLOTTE – Drive Shack announced that Puttery Charlotte will open to the public at noon Dec. 17.

This marks the golf entertainment business’s second location since debuting in The Colony, Texas.

“Charlotte is already known for its epic nightlife and culinary scenes,” President and CEO Hana Khouri said.

“From competitive socializing to curated culinary options and inventive craft cocktails, Puttery Charlotte offers everything you need to have a great time.”

Puttery puts a modern spin on putting by combining innovative technology with a high-energy, adults-only atmosphere.

Puttery Charlotte features 15,000-square-feet of entertainment, two uniquely themed golf courses, two bars, garage-style doors for an indoor/outdoor patio experience, and multiple lounges and seating areas throughout the venue.

Guests will be immersed into a one-of-a-kind experi-

“

ence as they choose between two tech-enabled, nine-hole courses: • Conservatory – This lush but challenging nine-hole desert course offers much to take in, including giant redwoods, prickly cacti and dazzling cherry blossoms.

• Library – Browse the shelves, spin the globe, say hi to the Dimetrodon at this nine-hole course.

“Puttery is going to be unlike anything Charlotteans have experienced,” General Manager Clayton Stanley said. “You truly feel transported when you walk through our doors, and with so many different entertainment options available, I know it will become a go-to spot for Charlotte locals and visitors alike.”

Puttery Charlotte is located at 210 Rampart St. Hours of operation will vary, ranging from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m., depending on the day.

Charlotteans can ring in the New Years Eve at Puttery by purchasing tickets. Packages start at $50/person.

Puttery is going to be unlike anything Charlotteans have experienced.”

• General Manager Clayton Stanley

When I signed up to be a volunteer in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, I thought I would be getting on a patrol boat while the skipper (sounds like the theme from “Gilligan’s Island”) had us flying over the lake. We would come up to boats in distress and rescue them.

Was I ever wrong.

After I signed up, I was told I had to take basic training courses. After that, I was put in boat crew training for almost four months. I still hadn’t seen a boat.

However, this past summer I actually got on a boat. I was a boat crew trainee. It was a hands-on learning process of the rigors of being in the USCG Auxiliary. Book learning was one thing. Actual hands-on work was much more difficult.

One night we were wrapping up a training.

As our vessel was heading to the dock, we noticed a ski boat. Normally, we would have assumed they were trading places – skier for spotter. No one was getting into skis. They had the engine cover open. One person was hovering over the motor. That’s never a good sign. We came by and asked if they needed help. They replied that their motor was overheating because the impeller that brings water into the motor was broken. We offered to tow them to safety.

I could tell this was going to be a late-night patrol. Since it was dark, we had to watch for other boats who might cut across the tow rope. We brought it safely to the boat launch where his truck and trailer were located. He backed up the truck and slid the trailer under the boat. Once secured, the grateful driver left as if nothing bad had happened.

What if we didn’t come along? Would they have been stranded on the lake all night long until someone saw them in daylight? Weren’t we commissioned to inconvenience ourselves to ensure boater safety? You already know the answers.

Similarly (don’t write me a letter), one could say that Christmas was like the USCG Auxiliary coming to do for that boater what they could not do for themselves. They needed a rescuer. Not a paddle to row their boat to shore. They needed someone outside themselves to save them. The operator of the boat could have said, ‘Yes, our motor isn’t working. We’ll just hope that the wind and the tide will push us back to the boat launch.”

That would never have happened.

Similar to rescuing the boat from being stranded on the water, at Christmas, we remember that God gets involved in the messiness of our lives and does for us what we cannot do for ourselves – He rescues us. The difference is that His efforts for us was at the cost of His very life.

I’ll be back soon. Until then, live well my friend.

The Rev. Tony Marciano is the president/ CEO of Charlotte Rescue Mission. Visit www.charlotterescuemission.org for details.

Page 2B • The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021

When holiday visits to aging parents spark concerns

The Matthews Chamber of Commerce will continue displaying entries from its gingerbread house contest until the end of the month. Justin Vick/CMG photos

Sweet home, Candy Land

As families reunite during the holidays, it’s not unusual for adult children who haven’t seen their aging parents in a while to begin to worry about them.

Are they experiencing health problems?

Are they still mentally on top of things?

Is it time to start thinking about long-term care?

“The holidays and their aftermath are the busiest time of year for long-term care admissions,” says Chris Orestis, president of Retirement Genius (www. retirementgenius.com) and an authority on retirement planning, long-term care and financial health.

“Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, families get together and many are seeing Mom or Dad for the first time in months. Some will discover their health has declined and he or she should not be left to live on their own any longer.”

Orestis offers a few things to be on the lookout for: • Physical deterioration.

Be aware of potential signs such as significant weight loss, balance issues and falling, and loss of strength and stamina, Orestis says. “You might also see loss in what is known as ADL – activities of daily living,” he says.

“That includes such things as the ability to dress, eat, shower or use the toilet independently.”

• Mental deterioration.

It’s easy and tempting to blow off loss of memory or confusion about names, dates and locations as just a “senior moment,” Orestis says. “But cognitive deterioration is an important warning sign that you should be on the lookout for dementia and Alzheimer’s,” he says.

“These conditions can worsen quickly and can lead to many physical breakdowns and safety issues.”

• Lifestyle deterioration.

Maybe your parent was one of those sticklers for the adage “a place for everything and everything in its place,” but now the home isn’t kept so neatly. “You may even encounter things that are oddly out of place, such as a house plant in the refrigerator or pots and pans in the bathtub,” Orestis says.

“Even more concerning, you might see signs of physical damage because they crashed the car into a fence or the wall of the garage, or there are burn marks on the kitchen wall from a flash fire. It’s important to remember that long-term care is not only a matter of healthcare, but also a matter of safety.”

Certainly, seniors want to remain independent as long as possible, and they don’t want to become a burden on their family, either physically or financially, Orestis says. As a result, they may try to avoid discussions about their health, mental capabilities and the possibility of the need for the assistance. Family members may be inclined to avoid these conversations as well.

“For some people, the need for long-term care can be brought on from a sudden event such as a fall, stroke, advancing dementia or other health-related malady,” he says. “For others, it can slowly creep up over time and without realizing it one or more loved ones have become caregivers.

Confronting the fact that a person has transitioned in life from being independent to dependent in one way or another is difficult.”

Eventually, if it becomes clear professional long-term care is needed, family members should discuss a plan for making that happen.

After that, the conversation should take place with the loved one in question, who may be apprehensive or even resistant, Orestis says.

“That conversation should be handled with compassion and delicacy,” he says. “Emphasize that not only will this move improve their health and safety, but there will be numerous opportunities for social activities, games, art, entertainment and great food.

“The key is for the family to come together. Look for the signs that care is needed, formulate a plan, communicate effectively with your loved ones and change the perspective about longterm care from a negative to a safe, healthy and enriching experience in the continuing journey of life.”

How active learning can propel kids to the head of class A recently released EdWeek Research Center survey on the subject found that 88% of middle and high school teachers said students were less motivated because of the pandemic and 50% of students agreed.

But while the pandemic may have exacerbated the situation, difficulties in getting students engaged is nothing new, says Erika Twani (www.erikatwani.com), author of “Becoming Einstein’s Teacher: Awakening the Genius in Your Student.”

“For too many students, school numbs their brains, causing dissatisfaction, boredom, stress and anxiety,” she says. “The result? Indifference, which they carry with them into the work world and turn into deliberate disengagement.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way, says Twani, co-founder and CEO of Learning One to One, where she and others explore ways to foster achievement through Relational Learning, a more collaborative process between student and teacher.

“Relational Learning puts the

student at the center of the process as an active, rather than a passive learner, with an increase in responsibility and accountability,” Twani says.

How does that play out in a classroom or at home? Twani says the secret is to develop students’ self-direction by the continuous practice to learn using the six steps of the Relational Learning framework. They are: • Goal setting and planning.

Students learn to be specific when setting goals, picking achievable and measurable metrics, and planning precise tasks to reach each goal. This is important, Twani says, because specific daily planning develops goal-setting abilities, organization, work effectiveness, responsibility, accountability and decision-making through prioritization.

• Explore. Students reflect on a lesson’s theme and share their preexisting knowledge. Personal experiences, everyday life, expectations, questions, doubts and curiosity become the starting point for this exploration. “Encouraging stu-

dents to explore helps them connect previous knowledge to new knowledge and accelerates learning considerably,” Twani says.

• Research. When teachers provide all the answers, students come to always expect someone else to know things and to want an immediate solution for all their problems, Twani says. “If conditioned in that way throughout their school years, they will become experts at waiting for answers from someone else, such as an employer, a family member or the government,” she says. But as learners develop research skills, they discover knowledge is out there for them to explore and they hone critical thinking, reading, comprehension and discernment skills.

• Practice. Traditional educational models jump almost directly to this step, after briefly exposing students to the subject’s theory through a lecture, Twani says. “As a result, the learning is unlikely to stick because the students are unable to identify what meaning and value the content has for them,” she says. In Relational Learning,

the practice step fosters creativity, collaboration, leadership, and project-based learning through activities the teacher and students agree upon.

• Relate. Here’s where students realize the real purpose and meaning of the unit by relating what they have learned to their own lives. “You can tell learners thousands of times why you think it’s important that they learn something, and they may remember the information for a test,” Twani says.

“But unless they identify the use of this knowledge by themselves, they will simply not learn.” In this step, students relate new knowledge to their lives and discover its practical applicability by answering this question: How will I use what I learned?

• Self-assess. Questions that can be posed to students to help them self-assess their performance include: How do you feel? How long did it take to finish your unit? Were your goals clear? Have you used more or less time than you allotted to this task? “Students should be encouraged to share their self-eval-

uation and what they will do differently next time,” Twani says.

“I believe students can learn efficiently when we tap into the No. 1 resource they all have: a brain,” Twani says. “I also believe learners are unstoppable when they find their intrinsic motivation.”

About Erika Twani Erika Twani (www.erikatwani. com), author of “Becoming Einstein’s Teacher: Awakening the Genius in Your Student,” is co-founder and CEO of Learning One to One, where, along with experts, she explores ways to foster human achievement through Relational Learning. Before co-founding Learning One to One, Twani was Microsoft’s education industry director for Multi-Country Americas. Twani has advised government officials and education leaders around the world on the use of technology in education, has written various articles on the topic, and has worked with public and private schools to guide the practical use of relational learning.

The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021 • Page 3B

DINING SCORES • Harris Teeter (produce), 1351 Chestnut Lane – 100 • Sileo’s NY Deli, 6455 Old Monroe Road – 100 • The Trail House, 6751 Old Monroe Road – 97.5

Health departments in Mecklenburg and Union counities inspected these restaurants from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2: Charlotte (28209) • Bonchon, 1600 E. Woodlawn Road – 95 • Jeff’s Bucket Shop, 1601 Montford Drive – 93.5 • Little Spoon Eatery, 2820 Selwyn Ave. – 97 • Rock Salt, 512 Brandywine Road – 96.5 • Tony’s Pizza and Wings, 4200 South Blvd. – 98

Tara Spil studied fine art at Western Carolina University.

Below is some of her work. Photo courtesy of Cassie Liu

Matthews • Wendy’s, 11145 E. Independence Blvd. – 96 Monroe • 1942 Mexican Bar & Grill, 5250 Old Charlotte Hwy. – 100 • AJ Family Restaurant, 4829 Old Charlotte Highway – 92.5 • Ala Azteca Butcher Shop, 2300 W. Roosevelt Blvd. – 93 • Benton Crossroads Grill, 6004 Concord Hwy. – 98.5 • Buffalo Wild Wings #5292109 W. Roosevelt Blvd. – 95 • Country Grill The, 4002 Concord Hwy. – 97.5 • Crossroads Diner, 4218 Highway 218 E. – 98.5 • El Paso Mexican-American Cuisine, 5432 Pageland Hwy. – 97 • Jugos Y Antojitos Jalisco, 1806 Walkup Ave. – 96.5 • Little Country Kitchen, 2526 Old Charlotte Hwy. – 98 • New China Restaurant, 1684 W. Franklin St. – 98 • SPI Express No. 7, 2303 Morgan Mill Rd – 90 • SPI Express No. 3, 2623 Sikes Mill Road – 92.5 • Subway, 813 J.W. Roosevelt Blvd. – 98.5 • Taqueria Chuyita, 6101 Daybreak Drive – 100

Charlotte (28210) • Oak Steakhouse, 4777 Sharon Road – 93.5 • Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 6000 Fairview Road – 97 • Whole Foods Market (produce), 6610 Fairview Road – 97.5 • Whole Foods Market (seafood), 6610 Fairview Road – 98.5 Charlotte (28211) • AC Hotel CLT Southpark, 1824 Roxborough Road – 98.5 • Charley’s Philly Steaks, 4400 Sharon Road – 96.5 • K&N Barbeque, 3500 Latrobe Drive –97 • Nori Japan, 4400 Sharon Road – 95 • Publix (deli), 4425 Randolph Road – 99 • The Fresh Market (deli), 4207 Providence Road – 95.5

ART (continued from page 1B)

ing represent the patients.

And since her paintings are based on data that changes, she always cites the date the painting was created. She often counts the figures as she paints them in groups of 50 and keeps track of the totals that generally range from 5,000 to 12,000 people as she goes.

“My missions always focused on arts or children or both,” she said.

She studied fine art at Western Carolina University in the mountains of North Carolina with an emphasis on sculpture and painting. After college, she worked for an artist residency program in New York City and Maine. At the same time, she began writing grants, which led to a decades-long career in nonprofit fundraising.

“My latest position in the child welfare system taught me more about community and social justice than I was ready to learn,” she said.

Maybe this is why she decided to focus more on data paintings than traditional paintings.

In 2019, Tara decided to pursue art full time. It took a lot of courage to do this, especially during the pandemic. Her experience of working with data and accounting and seeing vulnerable populations greatly shaped her art career today.

This journey began three years ago when she started painting figures based on the children she served.

“There is little awareness about children impacted by the child welfare system and their trajectories generationally,” she said, “They were faceless, armless, legless figures because I felt the children I served were invisible to the general public with limited voice and ability to create real change for themselves.”

During that time, she was also becoming a mother of two young children. The experience of motherhood magnified her desire to give vulnerable children in her community representation.

Over time, the focus of her paintings continues to shift. Through serving children and families, she became empathetic to mothers and women who were victims of violence. Many children she served were in the child welfare system because of domestic violence and a woman’s inability to escape. After learning about this, she began supporting organizations focused on domestic violence and learning more about the prevalence of violence against women in American communities.

Lake Park • Puerto Vallarta Mexican Restaurant6120 Creft Circle – 99.5

“The numbers astounded me so much that I was curious what they would look like on canvas,” she said. “That is when I began tracking data and counting the figures in my paintings.”

She has been painting a lot and trying to focus on who she is as a painter since she decided to pursue art as a full-time job. “For the entire first year, all I did was collecting and painting data all the time, but the fact is, I can’t just be a data machine” she said with a smile. “Most data artists use digital means to create numbers, but all my work is original and by hand. I’m looking at how that informs work in a way that still upholds personal mission.”

For her, the action of painting itself is like an ascetic pilgrimage, a ritual she carries out with physical and mental soreness, stroke by stroke, in the flesh of her grief for the victims. As one colorful dot after another symbolizing living life is painted, Tara pours her soul into the giant canvas. When looking at her work, the statistical numbers are no longer cold numbers. They become waves of sparkling water droplets that make up the ocean and inextricably pull the viewer into them. This colorful ocean is beautiful at first glance, but suffocating when one learns the story behind it – like being pulled into the salting water from the seashore, overwhelmingly.

Tara’s data paintings are so big and visually effective that they touched a lot of people. Her favorite part about the project is seeing people’s reactions to the statistics and paintings. One woman reached out to her because one of the paintings made her cry.

“I’ve learned so much since beginning and I’ve been able to cover several amazingly relevant statistics and topics as the time we live in unfolds,” Tara said.

“I also love when I get requests for certain topics that are meaningful to people.”

When asked to describe her relationship with art in one word, she answered me with the word “living”. To Tara Spil, art is her life. She lives with art, and in art.

Just like the small and colorful dots in her own paintings, she is a water drop of a running river, trying her hardest for a brighter future of the ocean of society.

Charlotte (28226) • Bonefish Grill, 7520 Pineville-Matthews Road – 99 • Greco Fresh Grille, 7731 Colony Road – 95.5 • Jet’s Pizza, 8700 Pineville-Matthews Road – 93 • McDonald’s, 3315 Pineville Matthews Road – 99 • Mr Tokyo Japanese, 8334 Pineville-Matthews Road – 96.5 • Nakato Japanese Steakhouse, 8500 Pineville-Matthews Road – 98.5 • Panca Peruvian Street Food, 7510 Pineville-Matthews Road – 97

Pineville • Global Restaurant, 314 Main St. – 99.5 • Tega Cay Coffee Co., 13333 Dorman Road – 98 Stallings • Harris Teeter (deli) 7800 J Stevens Mill Road – 99 • Harris Teeter (meat), 7800 J. Stevens Mill Road – 97.5 • Moochies Tavern, 15060 Idlewild Road – 98.5 • New Asia Market, 4400 Potter Road – 94.5 • Stevens Mill Cafe, 7800 Stevens Mill Road – 94

Charlotte (28227) • China Fun, 5716 Wyalong Drive – 96 • Harris Teeter (deli/bakery), 5706 Wyalong Drive – 95.5 • Perry’s Deli, 6727 Wilgrove-Mint Hill Road – 97

Waxhaw • 701 Main Restaurant, 701 W. South Main St. – 100 • Circle K, 601 E. North Main St. – 97 • Domino’s, 3901 Providence Road – 97 • Dunkin’ Donuts, 8121 Kensington Drive – 91.5 • Jersey Mike’s, 8105 Kensington Drive – 99.5 • Waxhaw Rock Store BBQ, 2538 Cuthbertson Road – 96.5

Charlotte (28270) • Community Culinary School/Encore Catering, 9315 Monroe Road – 97.5 Charlotte (28277) • 12th Man Sports Pub, 12206 Copper Way – 98.5 • Hickory Tavern, 12210 Copper Way – 94 • SPX Market Place, 13320 Ballantyne Corporate Place – 98.5 • TPC Piper Glen Grill And Cafe, 4300 Piper Glen Drive – 91.5 • Wendy’s, 16055 Johnston Road – 99 • Yama Japanese, 11641 Waverly Center Drive – 95.5

Indian Trail • 100 Main Beef and BBQ, 7878 Idlewild Road – 96.5 • Cathy’s Coffee, 606 Indian Trail Road – 99 The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation • First China, 6640 Old Monroe Road – 98 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 • Harris Teeter (Starbucks), 1351 Chestnut – 100 ForLane Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 • Harris Teeter (meat/seafood), 1351 Chestnut Lane –Wednesday, 98.5 For Release April 3, 2019

Crossword ACROSS 1 Do some digging 6 “Good joke!”

10 Phishing scheme, e.g.

14 City whose cathedral is the subject of a series of Monet paintings 15 “Good gravy!”

16 Target of the U.S.-backed Radio Martí 17 Exuded 18 Was afraid of losing 20 Pre-22-Across 22 Go for a stroll 23 Indian bread 24 One who gets booked, informally 26 Pre-29-Across 29 Subject in acting school 32 Features of leopards

ANSWER E L M O

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B O W E

E N S H E A T H E

S U C K L E I D K N E L G R E E B A L S

33 Noted family of German composers 34 Ceiling 36 Some Craigslist listings: Abbr.

37 Red Scare epithet 38 Animal also called a Nittany lion 39 ’70s rock?

40 Some Spanish murals

56 Douglas ___, author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” 58 ___ boots 59 Pod creature 60 Regal maker 61 Flabbergast 62 “All right already!”

63 Skunk’s defense

DOWN 1 Positive 41 Bud of baseball 2 Thatcher’s creation 42 Pre-44-Across 3 Anise-flavored 44 Job in a liqueur monastery 4 Bar snack 45 Inauguration recitation 5 Causes (oneself) to be cherished 46 Enjoy a nice long 6 Long-beaked bath bird 47 Pre-50-Across 7 Soup thickener 50 How emotionally 8 Doesn’t just developed people choose randomly handle things 9 Autoplaying 54 One cabinet in a annoyances, kitchen, typically sometimes 10 Dish that can TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE give you garlic breath D A N K A S A H I 11 Park place?

E M I L B O X U P 12 Ferrara who M A T E O M E G A directed “King of New York” O U R P A L M I R E T R I E S T E 13 Wasn’t late for L T R O I S T I L 19 Supermarket aids E T A S H O U L D 21 Extremely, J O I N T A C T E informally M E T A O K C A R 25 Auto-reply?

I C H A T C L O T S 26 “Stat!”

N T O U T N E 27 Increased O S T R U N A T A B 28 The Teflon Don L W R I T V A N E 29 Virgil’s fellow T A P S E E V A C traveler A R I T E S I L K 30 Eyelike openings

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PUZZLE BY WILL NEDIGER

31 Desert in southern Africa 33 Prominent Gorbachev feature 35 Part of a website 37 Scotch flavorer 38 Suddenly got excited 40 Hotel sojourns 41 Pharaonic symbols

49 Italian word 43 ___ Whitehead, with a grave author of the accent that 2017 Pulitzerbecomes a brand winning novel name with an “The Underground acute accent Railroad” 51 With the bow, in music 44 Tiny amount 52 Where a supervillain 46 Brunch partner schemes of 47-Down 53 Gay anthem of 1978 47 Brunch partner 55 Romantically of 46-Down pursue 57 Where a telescope points 48 Very often

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Page 4B • The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021

OPINION

America must strive Transit systems have value to build back better

by Pete Buttigieg

U.S. Transportation Secretary

Editor’s note: Pete Buttigieg gave these remarks Dec. 2 while visiting Charlotte with Vice President Kamala Harris.

134 years ago, Charlotte unveiled its first-ever public transit system. It was three horse-drawn street cars, each carrying 12 passengers. And that modest beginning actually represented the outset of a transportation revolution. Because it meant that suddenly people didn’t necessarily have to live within walking distance of their jobs.

Soon new homes, new businesses and entire neighborhoods sprung up along those trolley routes. So leaders in Charlotte knew then what we know now. That public transit makes life better for people by increasing access to opportunity.

This is a city that has a great track record of partnering with the federal government to invest in transit. Of course, my predecessor, Secretary Anthony Foxx, someone people here remember, of course, as Mayor Foxx, was a model for that approach and helped bring so many transformative projects to life.

The facility that we’re at today and the

electric bus pilot are products of local and federal investment.

Investing to make it more convenient and quicker and easier to get around by transit pays dividends.

It pays off for people who don’t own a car or don’t want to have to deal with parking and with filling up. Having access to transit means you have better ways to get to jobs and opportunities while saving money.

And for those who do drive a car, doing so in a city with good transit, of course, means less traffic and less congestion when you drive.

For every child who breathes air in this city, transit reduces the pollution that can cause asthma and other health problems.

For small businesses, it brings new customers and lets you recruit employees who live further away.

And for those communities, and there are many, that have been disconnected or divided by transportation decisions in the past, transit holds out the promise of better connecting people to jobs, schools, opportunity and each other.

Pete Buttigieg serves as Secretary of Transportation.

by Kamala Harris Vice President

Editor’s Note: Vice President Kamala Harris gave these remarks Dec. 2 while visiting Charlotte.

This is a day that we are celebrating -- as we will continue to do -- the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. And, North Carolina, you know well: Leaders like Congresswoman (Alma) Adams, like Governor Roy Cooper, like Mayor Vi Lyles, like all of the state and local elected officials who are here today -- leaders like Senator Richard Burr and Senator Thom Tillis -- all made it possible for me and the President to turn the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Because of their work, because of our work together, America is moving again. Because ultimately, that’s what infrastructure is all about: getting people moving.

The way I see it, infrastructure gives people what they need to get where they need to go.

That’s my definition of infrastructure: help the people get where they need to do.

And so think about the buses that are around us, the bus that’s behind me.

People rely on public transportation for all kinds of reasons: to get groceries, to get to school on time, to get to work on time, to get to church on time.

For millions of Americans, public transportation is part of their day every day. And a bus stop within walking distance can make all the difference versus a bus stop you have to walk for half an hour to get to.

And we all know what it means for someone to miss a bus by just one minute and that it can mean being at least an hour late for work.

All of these are issues that we will address by paying attention to the need to put resources into our public transit systems.

And we all know that we just -- we’re on one these beautiful electric railcars, but we all know what it’s like to be on a -- on an outdated railcar. We were talking about that in terms of the frequency that it might break down and the frequency with which it needs repair.

In states across our nation, public transportation is not as fast or as frequent, as safe or as healthy as it can be.

And people who use public transportation for their commute often spend much more of their time in transit -- time that they could be spending with friends and family, helping their children do their homework; time they could spend running essential errands or even relaxing after a hard day at work.

And there is a major repair backlog in our nation: 24,000 buses, 5,000 railcars, 200 stations that are in need of work. Thousands of miles of tracks, signals and power systems in our country need to be repaired.

We need to get to fixin’ all of these things.

We need to get this fixin’ done.

So, North Carolina, public transit is a good public good, and that is why we are investing in it.

With our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will make the largest-ever investment in public transit in our nation’s history.

North Carolina alone will receive $910 million for public transit over the next five years.

And, Governor Cooper, I want to thank you for always being such a very strong and powerful advocate for the needs of this state.

And for here in Charlotte, Mayor, well, you are doing extraordinary work upgrading your bus system with more connections, more frequent service and more electric buses. And I know that the funding that we are delivering will help with all of that important and good work.

And here is the bottom line: World-class cities like Charlotte deserve world-class transit systems. And this law is going to help you build those systems.

On top of public transit, our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will also make the most significant investment to fix our roads and bridges in 70 years.

And I don’t need to tell this group of leaders that across North Carolina there are more than 3,000 miles of highway that need to be repaired -- highways like I-85. Look at all the people nodding.

In addition, our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will modernize our ports and our airports. Among other things, think about what that will mean, not only for the passengers who need to get where they need to go, but also it will help reduce the supply chain bottlenecks that families are experiencing right now.

We will also, with this law, replace lead pipes so that every American can have clean drinking water, so that our babies are not drinking toxic water, which in many cases will have irreparable damage to their ability to learn.

With this work we have done together, we will expand broadband in rural and urban areas. Which I know -- and, again, the Governor and I have talked about this -- is a big

issue for the people of this state.

And why do we do this? We do this work so that every American can have affordable and accessible high-speed Internet connections to do the work that we know, certainly during the course of the pandemic, became so necessary -- whether it is allowing our children to have access to the Internet to get their homework done.

You know, long gone -- I will speak to a certain generation of people that includes myself -- long gone is Encyclopedia Britannica. They need to have access to the Internet to be able to excel and reach their God-given capacity.

Let’s think about access to high-speed Internet for our small businesses and how that helps and is a necessity for them to be able to do their important work.

Let’s think about high-speed Internet and access for the purposes of telemedicine so that folks in rural communities can have access to the kind of care that they deserve and need.

In creating jobs, in investing in what people need to get where they are going, our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will make our country more competitive. It will make our communities more prosperous. And it will deliver on our administration’s commitment to equity.

And as significant as it is, as historic as it is, our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is part one of two. Part two of two is our Build Back Better Act. The President and I know that families are stretched thin. And we take that very seriously. And we have designed the Build Back Better Act to build, to help address the reality of the needs of everyday folks who just need a little support.

Let’s take, for instance, the issue of prescription drug costs.

It is simply not right that seniors are going into debt to pay for their medication. It is not right that because they can’t afford their prescription, they cut pills to try and extend it, and in so doing, expose themselves to greater illness. It’s just not right. So our Build Back Better Act will bring down prescription drug costs.

It’s just not right that parents are being forced to quit their jobs to care for a member of their family. And so our Build Back Better Act will bring down both childcare costs and eldercare costs.

I can’t tell you the number of families and individuals I have met with around our country who are in what we call the “sandwich generation” -- individuals who are raising their young children while they are also giving care to their elder relatives. And what that means, in terms of how they must divide up the responsibilities of their day, requiring two different sets of skills -- probably with the exception of food preparation -- two sets of skills that are required to balance those obligations. We should be helping people.

And so, it’s not right that families have to choose to either buy groceries or pay for healthcare, to either fill up their tank or pay their rent. And so our Build Back Better Act will bring down healthcare and housing costs also.

What we are doing with Build Back Better is saying we need to meet the needs of working families, and we must address the current and immediate needs while not neglecting the needs that are quickly becoming a crisis for us.

And that brings me to the issue of the climate crisis, and the need we also have at this very moment to address it directly.

The climate crisis is an existential threat, and it demands our immediate action.

So with Build Back Better, we will make an historic investment to help families weatherize their home, businesses to produce clean energy and our nation to reduce emissions.

The climate crisis is not slowing down and neither can we.

The House passed our Build Back Better Act just before the holiday for Thanksgiving and the President and I are confident that the Senate will do the same very soon.

And it bears noting: This bill is fully paid for and will not raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000 a year.

And we are determined to get it passed and bring down costs for you and the people of our nation.

In many ways, our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and our Build Back Better Act embody our character as a nation.

When you think about the details of it, they demonstrate exactly who we are, because we are believers through and through. We see what can be, unburdened by what has been.

And we have faith. We have faith in what is possible and what can be. And we have determination -- the determination it takes to bring a better future to bear.

So as we move forward, let us believe in our people and invest in our people. And always, let us believe in what we can do when we stand together.

Thank you all very much. God bless you.

And may God bless America.

Kamala Harris is Vice President of the United States.

The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021 • Page 5B

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Page 6B • The Weekly • Dec. 10, 2021