There is just something about Lacy Schnoor that says FUN in all caps. She is as sexy in sweaters as she is in SI's Winter Olympic Swimsuit shoot. If you must the nearly naked Lacy is here.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Hottie of the Week Lacy Schnoor
There is just something about Lacy Schnoor that says FUN in all caps. She is as sexy in sweaters as she is in SI's Winter Olympic Swimsuit shoot. If you must the nearly naked Lacy is here.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Rose Bowl Win Confirms Texas Christian University Horned Frogs Undefeated Season
But What exactly is a horned frog?
A horned frog isn’t a frog at all. It is actually a tiny horned lizard found in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. It is commonly referred to as either a horned frog or a horned toad depending on which part of the country you happened to be visiting. The amphibian nicknames come from its facial resemblance to both the frog and the toad. When you add on some wicked looking horns, it becomes one tough reptile! It uses those spikes to fend of predators and can even spray out blood from its eyes to confuse its potential attackers. The Texas horned lizard (aka the horned frog) is the official state reptile for the state of Texas.
While not exactly intimidating at first glance, the horned frog will be the talk of the nation after winning the 2011 Rose Bowl over better known and considerable larger Wisconsin Badgers.
One big win for the little guys!
09/04/10 vs. Oregon State Arlington, TX W, 30-21
09/11/10 vs. Tennessee Tech Fort Worth, TX W, 62-7
09/18/10 vs. Baylor Fort Worth, TX W, 45-10
09/24/10 at SMU Dallas, TX W, 41-24
10/02/10 at Colorado State Fort Collins, CO W, 27-0
10/09/10 vs. Wyoming Fort Worth, TX W, 45-0
10/16/10 vs. BYU Fort Worth, TX W, 31-3
10/23/10 vs. Air Force Fort Worth, TX W, 38-7
10/30/10 at UNLV Las Vegas, NV W, 48-6
11/06/10 at Utah Salt Lake City, Utah W, 47-7
11/13/10 vs. San Diego State Fort Worth, TX W, 40-35
11/27/10 at New Mexico Albuquerque, NM W, 66-17
01/01/11 vs. Wisconsin Pasadena, CA W, 21-19
A horned frog isn’t a frog at all. It is actually a tiny horned lizard found in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. It is commonly referred to as either a horned frog or a horned toad depending on which part of the country you happened to be visiting. The amphibian nicknames come from its facial resemblance to both the frog and the toad. When you add on some wicked looking horns, it becomes one tough reptile! It uses those spikes to fend of predators and can even spray out blood from its eyes to confuse its potential attackers. The Texas horned lizard (aka the horned frog) is the official state reptile for the state of Texas.
While not exactly intimidating at first glance, the horned frog will be the talk of the nation after winning the 2011 Rose Bowl over better known and considerable larger Wisconsin Badgers.
One big win for the little guys!
09/04/10 vs. Oregon State Arlington, TX W, 30-21
09/11/10 vs. Tennessee Tech Fort Worth, TX W, 62-7
09/18/10 vs. Baylor Fort Worth, TX W, 45-10
09/24/10 at SMU Dallas, TX W, 41-24
10/02/10 at Colorado State Fort Collins, CO W, 27-0
10/09/10 vs. Wyoming Fort Worth, TX W, 45-0
10/16/10 vs. BYU Fort Worth, TX W, 31-3
10/23/10 vs. Air Force Fort Worth, TX W, 38-7
10/30/10 at UNLV Las Vegas, NV W, 48-6
11/06/10 at Utah Salt Lake City, Utah W, 47-7
11/13/10 vs. San Diego State Fort Worth, TX W, 40-35
11/27/10 at New Mexico Albuquerque, NM W, 66-17
01/01/11 vs. Wisconsin Pasadena, CA W, 21-19
Friday, December 31, 2010
Rob Tufano's Email Regarding CMPD Officers Injured in Chase
From: Tufano, Robert
To: Tufano, Robert
Sent: Thu Dec 30 22:20:22 2010
Subject: Officer Grubb and Trietley
Officer Richard E. Grubb, assigned to the Hickory Grove Division and Officer Keith R. Trietley, assigned to the North Tryon Division were involved in separate motor vehicle wrecks this afternoon. The two officers were in the process of trying to apprehend a suspect who earlier assaulted one of the officers when the suspect intentionally rammed his truck into their cruisers.
Officer Grubb was transported to CMC Main after sustaining a broken tail bone.
Officer Trietley was also transported to CMC and sustained two broken arms and a broken leg.
The suspect in this case has been identified as Francisco Rodriguez, DOB: 10/07/1963. He has been charged with DWI and detectives are seeking warrants on multiple assaults charge and felony speeding to elude through the Magistrates Office.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Island Bound
Photo By The Author
Cedar Posts will be out of touch for the balance of the year.
It might look warm but truth is Green Turtle Cay won't get above 60 today and its pretty windy as well.
Look for a year end wrap up, a look forward and a Rodney Monroe behind the doors look at the Marcus Jackson arrest that is pure fiction, well kind of.... Coming on Friday.
Peace Cedar Out!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Hottie of the Week Princess Victoria
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland and Cedar's final hottie of the week for 2010. If you look past the camo face paint you'll find a sexy as all 33 year trouble maker who will one day become the Queen of Sweden.
Meanwhile this globe trotting hottie plays a very active role in promoting Sweden's interests worldwide. Smart, articulate and if you must know, smoking hot in bikini or a little more as you can see here.
Being a "Royal" is not without risks and drama as there is always someone waiting in the wings to take your crown and your throne. Enter Princess Madeline, Victoria's much younger sister. Could she be the first Cedar Posts Hottie of 2011? We shall see....
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Charlotte Gets Snowbound Random Unedited Photos of a Snowy Sunday
Snow covered eagles at Morrocroft.
Ducks at Carson's pond are fearful of people because the neighborhood has declared war on waterfowl.
Snow falling on this fountain frosting on a 3 layer cake.
Chain link fence at Myers Park High School. Notice the Allison Fence badge. I'd guess its been there since at least 1969. The last year they used stamped badges.
Pooh Bear looking for some grass.
Snow covered trees along Charlotte's Queens Road.
Snow falling around the Phoenix better known as the "Disco Chicken".
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
A Christmas Manger
My wife is a Christmas addict, the 12 step program and the long road to recovery, at least so far has failed.
Experts say to correct any disorder you must first determine the cause. Last year, I accidentally discovered the source of my wife’s lifelong obsession with all things Christmas.
She is a person with Christmas boxes. Ornaments and lights, Santas and nativities, angels and stars, teddy bears and stockings all reside in boxes during the off season.
One rather large box has been around since our first Christmas together.
Over the years the box had become what my grandmother would call “dog eared” meaning the flaps to the box were so worn that they were no longer stiff but floppy like the ears on my Labrador Retrievers.
So last year well into January and with much discussion we agreed to replace the worn out box with a couple of plastic tubs.
It was my task to make the orderly transition, out of the old box and into the new tubs.
Deep Inside, at the very bottom of the old and tattered box, among crumpled old newspapers was a small wad of tissue.
So small, that it was almost thrown away.
In a split second of clarity my hand quickly backed away from the trash bag. The paper had just enough weight to cause suspicion. I carefully unwrapped the tissue to reveal a tiny paper box, no larger than an inch wide and two inches across.
A price of 10 Cents was stamped in ink on the top of the box with that symbol of a “C” with a line through it that somehow vanished during the transition of typewriter keyboard to computer keyboard decades ago.
The drawing on the outside of the box, depicted a manger scene complete with 3 lambs and a shepherd, a donkey, a cow, three wise men, Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus with an angel overhead.
Inside a plastic full color replica of the western world’s perception of the birth of Jesus.
The micro sized nativity scene complete with a manger was my wife’s first Christmas decoration purchase and the first hint of a life long love of all things involving her favorite winter holiday.
Her explanation was simple. In elementary school they had a bake and toy sale twice a year. Donated items were laid out on a table for students to peruse all morning, then during the 45 minute lunch break students would buy things that ranged from ten cents to a dollar.
Comic books, and silly putty are things she remembers, in addition to cookies and cupcakes. It seems the manger was a one of a kind.
The only one offered and during lunch while boys jostled for airplane models and the girls turned the pages of Nancy Drew story books my wife scored the tiny manger scene for 10 Cents.
Now nearly four decades later it is dwarfed by all that we possess, yet it is indeed one of the most valuable items in the home we share.
It is a part of her past, and finding it has allowed me to touch a part of her childhood and in the process to begin to understand her love of all things Christmas.
A Christmas Story (Remembering Al Rousso) Redux
This story was written a few years back but the "tradition" of shopping at the last minute continues....
My parents have been married now for more than 55 years and every Christmas my father does “his” Christmas shopping at the last minute.
Times may have changed; he has even embraced the internet with packages arriving through out the year via the Brown UPS Truck. But Christmas has always meant a last minute dash to the jewelry store.
A number of years have passed but for the longest time there was the annual Christmas Eve trip to Brownlee Jewelers in the Johnson Building on South Tryon Street in Uptown Charlotte.
One year, I was privileged enough to witness an event that had been occurring every Christmas Eve since at least the early 70’s.
The familiar jingle of a bell held over the door announced our entrance. Despite several customers crowed into the small store, the owner Al Rousso immediately spotted my father. Calling him by name: “Good to see you, I’ve been expecting you.”
A warm smile sprang to his face. “Come on in I got something I want to show you.” Al offered, as he opened the small half swing door that separated the customers from the other side of the glass counters and the jewelry salesmen.
As we were quickly swept into the back office, Al looked around, obviously checking for anyone within earshot. “I’ve been saving this just for you, something I know your wife (he knew her name as well) will really enjoy.”
My mother would have been happy with red and white Christmas pot holders the one’s with a reindeer on one side and a sleigh on the other. But my father always gave her something that sparkled and came in a small box.
Mr. Rousso reached down, opened a safe and withdrew a small six inch long box covered in navy blue velvet. He looked around again playing his role with exaggerated movements and came closer to my father and me. He opened the box just for the briefest of moments and immediately closed it.
“Well what do you think?” Al asked. “Wow! …. Oh My!…. Honey you shouldn’t have!” he added.
My father nods in agreement.
“I’ve been fighting off my employees for weeks but this I told them is for someone special.” Nervously he looks around and opens the box again. You would have thought we were about to buy a stolen gem the size of your fist. A back alley deal so good we should be arrested on the spot.
“And the price?” My father asks.
Al looks at the bottom of the box and hands it to my father, who shows it to me. Al interrupts by asking us to keep it out of sight for what he is about to do the other customers will most likely riot and all his employees might just quit on the spot.
“The price is blank but for you ….blank” My father looks like a deer in the headlights, no doubt the price is well beyond what he had in mind.
After a long painful pause Al concedes “But since its Christmas blank less blank”… and adds “please I beg you don’t tell anyone what a good deal I’m giving you.”
My father smiles and with a quick signature on a small three part carbon sales bill it is added to my father’s account. The yellow customer copy neatly folded and placed into his wallet and the gift slipped into his suit coat pocket. We all shake hands then the jingle above the door announces our departure, as Mr. Rousso and my father shout Merry Christmas to each other.
Down the glimmering marble lobby and through the heavy brass doors we step back out onto the street a brisk wind at our backs. And that was it, in less than five minutes our Christmas Eve mission was accomplished.
And so I was left to assume that the interchange between the Jewish jewelry store owner and my father the Christian buying a gift for his wife had repeated itself many times before and perhaps years after that, a simplistic ritual, nearly as old as time, merchant and client.
Al Rousso passed away in 2001 at the age of 76, but the small store at 212 South Tryon Street remains and the Rousso family continues the tradition of Brownlee Jewelers. Though I truly doubt it is with the level of theater and salesmanship I witnessed on Christmas Eve so long ago.
My parents have been married now for more than 55 years and every Christmas my father does “his” Christmas shopping at the last minute.
Times may have changed; he has even embraced the internet with packages arriving through out the year via the Brown UPS Truck. But Christmas has always meant a last minute dash to the jewelry store.
A number of years have passed but for the longest time there was the annual Christmas Eve trip to Brownlee Jewelers in the Johnson Building on South Tryon Street in Uptown Charlotte.
One year, I was privileged enough to witness an event that had been occurring every Christmas Eve since at least the early 70’s.
The familiar jingle of a bell held over the door announced our entrance. Despite several customers crowed into the small store, the owner Al Rousso immediately spotted my father. Calling him by name: “Good to see you, I’ve been expecting you.”
A warm smile sprang to his face. “Come on in I got something I want to show you.” Al offered, as he opened the small half swing door that separated the customers from the other side of the glass counters and the jewelry salesmen.
As we were quickly swept into the back office, Al looked around, obviously checking for anyone within earshot. “I’ve been saving this just for you, something I know your wife (he knew her name as well) will really enjoy.”
My mother would have been happy with red and white Christmas pot holders the one’s with a reindeer on one side and a sleigh on the other. But my father always gave her something that sparkled and came in a small box.
Mr. Rousso reached down, opened a safe and withdrew a small six inch long box covered in navy blue velvet. He looked around again playing his role with exaggerated movements and came closer to my father and me. He opened the box just for the briefest of moments and immediately closed it.
“Well what do you think?” Al asked. “Wow! …. Oh My!…. Honey you shouldn’t have!” he added.
My father nods in agreement.
“I’ve been fighting off my employees for weeks but this I told them is for someone special.” Nervously he looks around and opens the box again. You would have thought we were about to buy a stolen gem the size of your fist. A back alley deal so good we should be arrested on the spot.
“And the price?” My father asks.
Al looks at the bottom of the box and hands it to my father, who shows it to me. Al interrupts by asking us to keep it out of sight for what he is about to do the other customers will most likely riot and all his employees might just quit on the spot.
“The price is blank but for you ….blank” My father looks like a deer in the headlights, no doubt the price is well beyond what he had in mind.
After a long painful pause Al concedes “But since its Christmas blank less blank”… and adds “please I beg you don’t tell anyone what a good deal I’m giving you.”
My father smiles and with a quick signature on a small three part carbon sales bill it is added to my father’s account. The yellow customer copy neatly folded and placed into his wallet and the gift slipped into his suit coat pocket. We all shake hands then the jingle above the door announces our departure, as Mr. Rousso and my father shout Merry Christmas to each other.
Down the glimmering marble lobby and through the heavy brass doors we step back out onto the street a brisk wind at our backs. And that was it, in less than five minutes our Christmas Eve mission was accomplished.
And so I was left to assume that the interchange between the Jewish jewelry store owner and my father the Christian buying a gift for his wife had repeated itself many times before and perhaps years after that, a simplistic ritual, nearly as old as time, merchant and client.
Al Rousso passed away in 2001 at the age of 76, but the small store at 212 South Tryon Street remains and the Rousso family continues the tradition of Brownlee Jewelers. Though I truly doubt it is with the level of theater and salesmanship I witnessed on Christmas Eve so long ago.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Forest Ridge Murder Suspect Taken Down By CMPD VCAT Unit
WSOC is reporting that Charlotte Mecklenburg Police have charged Tre Barber with the murder of Chaufa Johnson.
He was taken into custody shortly before 4 p.m. this afternoon by CMPD's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT).
Officers tracked down Barber in a car, driven by a friend of his and VCAT officers initiated a traffic stop. The car was subsequently involved in a crash. No other vehicles were involved, police said.
Barber and the woman who was driving the car were taken to Carolinas Medical Center-University City for observation.
According to police Barber and Johnson knew each other and when they encountered each other in the parking lot on Wednesday, Barber pulled a handgun out and shot her.
He was taken into custody shortly before 4 p.m. this afternoon by CMPD's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT).
Officers tracked down Barber in a car, driven by a friend of his and VCAT officers initiated a traffic stop. The car was subsequently involved in a crash. No other vehicles were involved, police said.
Barber and the woman who was driving the car were taken to Carolinas Medical Center-University City for observation.
According to police Barber and Johnson knew each other and when they encountered each other in the parking lot on Wednesday, Barber pulled a handgun out and shot her.
Annoying Christmas Cards
I get a lot of Christmas cards, most are wonderful and bring to mind fond memories of friends and family.
For some reason more and more of these annual greetings are in some form of Christmas letter as if the sender feels inclined to detail their entire life just in case they might be considered for Time Magazine's "Person of the Year".
Often these are entertaining, but most are either outright bragging or filled with personal medical details that I'd rather not know.
Come on, I didn't take early retirement this year, I didn't go to Spain or Antarctica, my son didn't earn his 3rd PhD and I darn sure don't want to read about your hip replacement, breast enhancement or that thankfully noncancerous lump they removed from your backside. And pleeeesze don't send me pictures of the above.
While Christmas letters are bad, so are those tasteless humor cards, with dead reindeer, Christmas party jokes or drunk and naked St Nick passed out in front of a Christmas tree.
But by far the most annoying Christmas cards are those sent by friends who have landed the perfect gig aboard mega yachts that have fled the cold and are sitting somewhere in gin clear waters, with cobalt blue skies over head. In this case the location is Antigua.
It's bad enough I have to scrape ice off my windshield but what is up with the pine with fake holly berries border?
Another Shooting at Forest Ridge
Just before 5PM on Wednesday Chaufa Johnson was shot at an East Charlotte apartment complex that has become a hot bed of criminal activity and shootings.
Police said there was an altercation in the parking lot of the Forest Ridge Apartments, and several shots were fired at Johnson. She was struck once and died while being transported to CMC Main.
The shooting appears to be a drug deal gone bad, as witnesses report a small bag was taken from Johnson as she lay on the ground.
According to WSOC TV, Johnson graduated from East Meck High School in June. She was enrolled at CPCC and was set to begin classes in January.
"That was my best friend. That was my everything. And she's gone," said Carlon Johnson, the victim's brother. "She's gone and there ain't no coming back."
Police have not named a suspect, but news media reports indicate there were plenty of witnesses, who spoke to detectives after the shooting.
Johnson had been arrested multiple times as a juvenile and at least 3 times this year for crimes ranging from marijuana, assault on a government official, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
The "Local Paper" quotes Valerie Porter, who lives in the apartment above Johnson's family, "It's not uncommon to hear gunshots in the area."
CMPD is reporting that they have no suspects at this time.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Snow Forecast for Charlotte Christmas Morning?
Could be, according to the National Weather Service office in Greenville computer models are cranking out numbers that are calling for 3 or more inches during the Friday Midnight to Sunday Morning period. How much and when the snow starts to fall is still a guess but Cedar Posts will go all in and say you'll wake to a white Christmas the morning of the 25th.
According to the National Weather Service a "White Christmas" would assume at least a inch accumulation on Christmas Day either on the ground or falling by midnight on the 25th of December. If the forecast hold true it would be the first time since 1947 that Charlotte has a "White Christmas".
Normally its a question of rain vs snow, but temps have been well below the freezing mark and another push of cold air will cover the area in advance of the weather system on Thursday.
Having said this, wouldn't it be better if it was all a surprise?
Wednesday's Check This Out!
Yes that's a Porta John on Roswell Avenue in Charlotte's Upscale Myers Park neighborhood.
Mecklenburg County Manager Throws Another Employee Under The Bus
Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones told County Commissioners that mental health director Grayce Crockett had resigned Tuesday. Did anyone else here the flub, dub of Crockett being thrown under the Harry Jone's bus?
Crockett's resignation, effective Jan. 11, follows a host of revelations about Mecklenburg Open Door, one of the county's largest mental health contractors.
According to the "Local Paper" Harry Jones put Crockett on leave in September amid questions about her department's handling of private contractor Open Door.
Mecklenburg commissioners also learned that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will ask the county to repay $465,000 it had received to manage a federal mental health program.
In an audit of how the department oversaw the federal Shelter Plus Care program, HUD found "significant failures," while Mike Moseley, a consultant hired by the county, has concluded the mental health department needs major restructuring.
Based of Moseley's suggestion, Jones told commissioners he plans to consolidate the financial management functions of all county human services departments.
In a year that has seen unimaginable misconduct and outright theft it continues to amaze Cedar Posts that Harry Jones still has a job.
When Harry Jones hired an outside consultant to review the county's mental health department who did he hire? Mike Moseley, who served as North Carolina's mental health leader for four years, and resigned from that job in 2008 following reports of widespread failures in the state's mental health system.
Is anyone even paying attention?
In another Mecklenburg County development Harry Jones announced that he and City Manager Curt Walton want to delay consolidation talks for at least six months, and Jones has argued in a letter some of the proposed mergers don't make sense.
In a Dec. 17 letter to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, Jones listed a number of reasons he believes the city and county should not consolidate four functions: permitting; Medic and fire; government TV; and human resources.
All of this tells Cedar Posts that Harry Jones doesn't get it. Jones lives in a black hole with little understanding of what is up and what is down, a place where red ink looks the same as black ink and where no one is accountable.
A black hole that sucks down taxpayer's money at an amazing rate, that no one seems to notice.
The Local Paper's detailed coverage of Jone's objection to merger discussions is here.
Crockett's resignation, effective Jan. 11, follows a host of revelations about Mecklenburg Open Door, one of the county's largest mental health contractors.
According to the "Local Paper" Harry Jones put Crockett on leave in September amid questions about her department's handling of private contractor Open Door.
Mecklenburg commissioners also learned that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will ask the county to repay $465,000 it had received to manage a federal mental health program.
In an audit of how the department oversaw the federal Shelter Plus Care program, HUD found "significant failures," while Mike Moseley, a consultant hired by the county, has concluded the mental health department needs major restructuring.
Based of Moseley's suggestion, Jones told commissioners he plans to consolidate the financial management functions of all county human services departments.
In a year that has seen unimaginable misconduct and outright theft it continues to amaze Cedar Posts that Harry Jones still has a job.
When Harry Jones hired an outside consultant to review the county's mental health department who did he hire? Mike Moseley, who served as North Carolina's mental health leader for four years, and resigned from that job in 2008 following reports of widespread failures in the state's mental health system.
Is anyone even paying attention?
In another Mecklenburg County development Harry Jones announced that he and City Manager Curt Walton want to delay consolidation talks for at least six months, and Jones has argued in a letter some of the proposed mergers don't make sense.
In a Dec. 17 letter to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, Jones listed a number of reasons he believes the city and county should not consolidate four functions: permitting; Medic and fire; government TV; and human resources.
All of this tells Cedar Posts that Harry Jones doesn't get it. Jones lives in a black hole with little understanding of what is up and what is down, a place where red ink looks the same as black ink and where no one is accountable.
A black hole that sucks down taxpayer's money at an amazing rate, that no one seems to notice.
The Local Paper's detailed coverage of Jone's objection to merger discussions is here.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
NC Trooper M. J. "Curly" Hastings Fundraiser
A barbecue fundraiser for Trooper M.J. "Curly" Hastings will be held Wednesday, Dec. 22. Tickets are $8, with additional donations accepted.
One barbecue will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cramer Mountain Country Club. A second barbecue will be on the same day from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Gastonia City Club on South New Hope Road.
Tickets will be available from Cramer Mountain Country Club, Gastonia City Club, Cramerton Town Hall, N.C. State Highway Patrol office at 2560 W. Franklin Blvd. Gastonia, or at the event.
Barbecue can be eaten at the two venues or taken out.
34-year-old Hastings suffered a severe brain injury from a fall while walking down a stairwell December 10th in New York City while attending a social function with other law enforcement officers.
Hastings, a father of two young children who also coaches baseball at Cramerton Middle School, remains on life support and had not regained consciousness as of a week ago. Doctors list his condition as critical and he remains in the intensive care unit at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens.
More details here.
Breaking News WSOC Off the Air
A woman has entered WSOC TV studios with a gun, shots fired employees are exiting the back of the building and WSOC is off the air.
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Update 5:48PM Police have a woman in custody after massive CMPD response. All WSOC staff accounted for and safe. Meanwhile the lost income due to dead air time continues to add up as the station remains off the air.
Update: 6:08PM WSOC back on the air Wendy Naidis age 51 taken to CMC Main and under arrest. Reports of shots fired are in error. Ms. Naidis never entered the station other than the entrance lobby.
Both Blair Miller and anchor Natalie Pasquarella were well into the 5 PM newscast when Pasquarella suddenly announced "We'll be right back." and the station began a series of commercials. From Cedar Posts perspective it seemed like an odd time for a commercial break, but Pasquarella didn't seem concerned or upset, in fact now knowing what was going on all I can say is Natalie Pasquarella is one cool under pressure lady.
Read Blair Miller's personal account of the afternoon's events here and a video of the woman surrendering to police is here.
In an interview with the "Local Paper", Pasquarella described what happened after she signed off.
"I look back and I see everyone in the newsroom leaving. I grabbed my shoes and I started going out ... I didn't even take my coat.
"The one moment when I had real fear was when I heard ... 'Someone is in the newsroom with a gun.'"
Unable to broadcast because the building was locked down, reporters and others from the station began using cell phones and laptops to post updates and pictures on Twitter and the station's website.
"We are all in back lot," producer Katie Rutland tweeted at one point. "Evacuation happened approx. 5:05 during my show. Screamed at anchors to evacuate..."
The broadcast's other anchor, Blair Miller, tweeted: "Don't know if anyone is with distraught woman with gun in lobby."
Cedar's Take: Wendy Naidas is clearly a local nut case. While her MySpace page looks considerably more tame than Zahara Baker's step mother there are hints of being loony tunes on Wendy's Facebook page.
Chief Monroe rushed to the crime scene from some unknown location. He arrived long after Naidas was in custody but was seen searching out cameras to be interviewed. Some reports via twitter suggested that Monroe wanted to address all the WSOC TV employees before they were allowed to return to their offices.
>
Update 5:48PM Police have a woman in custody after massive CMPD response. All WSOC staff accounted for and safe. Meanwhile the lost income due to dead air time continues to add up as the station remains off the air.
Update: 6:08PM WSOC back on the air Wendy Naidis age 51 taken to CMC Main and under arrest. Reports of shots fired are in error. Ms. Naidis never entered the station other than the entrance lobby.
Both Blair Miller and anchor Natalie Pasquarella were well into the 5 PM newscast when Pasquarella suddenly announced "We'll be right back." and the station began a series of commercials. From Cedar Posts perspective it seemed like an odd time for a commercial break, but Pasquarella didn't seem concerned or upset, in fact now knowing what was going on all I can say is Natalie Pasquarella is one cool under pressure lady.
Read Blair Miller's personal account of the afternoon's events here and a video of the woman surrendering to police is here.
In an interview with the "Local Paper", Pasquarella described what happened after she signed off.
"I look back and I see everyone in the newsroom leaving. I grabbed my shoes and I started going out ... I didn't even take my coat.
"The one moment when I had real fear was when I heard ... 'Someone is in the newsroom with a gun.'"
Unable to broadcast because the building was locked down, reporters and others from the station began using cell phones and laptops to post updates and pictures on Twitter and the station's website.
"We are all in back lot," producer Katie Rutland tweeted at one point. "Evacuation happened approx. 5:05 during my show. Screamed at anchors to evacuate..."
The broadcast's other anchor, Blair Miller, tweeted: "Don't know if anyone is with distraught woman with gun in lobby."
Cedar's Take: Wendy Naidas is clearly a local nut case. While her MySpace page looks considerably more tame than Zahara Baker's step mother there are hints of being loony tunes on Wendy's Facebook page.
Chief Monroe rushed to the crime scene from some unknown location. He arrived long after Naidas was in custody but was seen searching out cameras to be interviewed. Some reports via twitter suggested that Monroe wanted to address all the WSOC TV employees before they were allowed to return to their offices.
NCDOT and Charlotte DOT 485 Fail!
In news passed over by the "Local Paper" even though it affects more than 140,000 people in South Charlotte, North Carolina transportation officials announced earlier this month that they are scrapping the North Bound 521/Johnston Road Flyover at I-485 in favor of adding an extra left turn lane to the ramp for 485 Inner, and extending that land all the way to NC Hwy 51/Pineville Matthews Road.
The removal of the fly-over will save around a million dollars or 20% of the project's cost.
The flyover, as proposed, would have taken the place of the left-turn lane drivers now use as they go north out of Ballantyne. The flyover which is already graded would start on the right side of Johnston Road northbound and take drivers over the roadway before merging in the on-ramp for the I-485 inner loop.
The extra cost of the flyover bridge, which would not require drivers to wait to turn, “would be the best million dollars ever spent,” one resident at the meeting said, drawing a round of applause according to the South Charlotte Weekly.
Twanna Brooks, a project engineer for the DOT, said her agency was planning construction of a flyover bridge until "Charlotte transportation leaders" said they preferred the extra turn lane off of Johnston Road. State and city officials decided to take the less expensive option that gives drivers the extra lane connecting Johnston and Pineville-Matthews roads.
A public hearing on the proposed work, should be scheduled early next year, but don't get too excited as the NCDOT's time table calls for completion not until 2015.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Another Shooting In Charlotte Another Teenage Murder Victim Jamall Pickney
Murder had taken a holiday in Charlotte for the last several weeks with most crimes of violence taking place in communities outside of CMPD jurisdiction and across the state line in South Carolina.
But last night 16 year old Bryon Sadler who had been arrested as recently as December 3rd decided he'd had enough of 18 year Jamall Pickney and shot the victim at close range.
Sadler Mug Shot From December 3, 2010 Arrest for Communicating Threats
Initially the murder at 3720 Ottington Place in the University City Division was reported as an accidental shooting, but CMPD homicide defectives charged Sadler with murder early this morning after gathering evidence and interviewing several witnesses.
The Ottington Place home owned by Nancine R. Bowman.
According to Fox News: University City Division officers responded to a call for service in reference to a person at the residence who had been shot. The call to 911 was placed by a friend of the victim, who stated that he and the victim, along with a third subject, were in the backyard shed when the victim was shot.
Medic pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
But last night 16 year old Bryon Sadler who had been arrested as recently as December 3rd decided he'd had enough of 18 year Jamall Pickney and shot the victim at close range.
Sadler Mug Shot From December 3, 2010 Arrest for Communicating Threats
Initially the murder at 3720 Ottington Place in the University City Division was reported as an accidental shooting, but CMPD homicide defectives charged Sadler with murder early this morning after gathering evidence and interviewing several witnesses.
The Ottington Place home owned by Nancine R. Bowman.
According to Fox News: University City Division officers responded to a call for service in reference to a person at the residence who had been shot. The call to 911 was placed by a friend of the victim, who stated that he and the victim, along with a third subject, were in the backyard shed when the victim was shot.
Medic pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
Charlotte Awaits Lunar Eclipse Doomsday? or Good Excuse to Drink Irish Coffee at 3AM?
A total lunar eclipse combined with the winter solstice should get the local pagans excited tonight. Space dorks and NASA nerds will unite with twitards and Stonehenge fans and take to back yards across the USA in the early hours of December 21st to watch a total eclipse event that runs from 1:33 to 5:01 AM.
Using the Hash Tag #eclipse and following @NASAJPL should give tweeps something to tweet about and for those of the non social network lifestyle you can just visit NASA's Eclipse page which is here, for much info, live feeds and on line chat.
YOU can also hook up with other people in your city by texting IMTHERE to 67463 and the folks at NASA's JPL California provide you with running comentary and viewing suggestions.
Want to share or flip through photos of the eclipsed moon? Join NASA JPL's lunar eclipse Flickr group and connect with other professional and amateur photographers as they capture the moon's path through the Earth's shadow. NASA will choose one lucky photographer to have his or her work featured as official JPL wallpaper at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/wallpaper.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Tweet of the Weekend!
@brofroiwannakno Brotha' Fred: I've almost cried about 10 times in the last 3 days. I have a lot of people to make proud...I hope I can do it.
The Man Who Hated Christmas
Every once and a while I stumble upon a fun read in the "local paper" and usually it's a Tommy Tomlinson story. Another source for a good read is Ken Burger of Charleston's Post and Courier. But when all else fails this southerner turns to of all things the New York Times.
Beal's Island Maine Lobster Pot Christmas Tree which has nothing to do with the story Cedar just thought it was a cool pic.
And so it goes with "The Man Who Hated Christmas:
BOB liked to say how much he hated Christmas. This amazed me and my sister. We’d look at each other: How could anyone hate Christmas? But he’d say it again and again: “Bess, I hate Christmas.” He had a variation on this: “Bess, I hate Christmas trees.” He’d shake his head thoughtfully and chuckle: “They’re nothing but trouble. You struggle with them and fight over them and then they die and drop needles everywhere and you have to drag them out on the street.”
He usually said this while my sister, my mother and I struggled and fought over the tree in our living room, trying to get it to stand up straight on the round wooden table next to the television set. Sagging and dust-covered cardboard boxes of waiting ornaments, just retrieved from the basement, would crowd the floor around us. Radiators would hiss. A football game would be on the television, which was old and tinted everything blue, and was watched by Bob and no one else.
“Bob, is it straight? Can you look for just a moment?” my mother — the aforementioned Bess, or Bessie — would ask him in a voice edged with increasing irritation. She held the top of the tree, leaning; I was beneath it, grasping the trunk, the lower branches scraping my scalp.
Bob would look up, make a visible show of being aggrieved at the interruption, squint and tell us no — a bit more to the right, or a bit more to the left. We’d all struggle and fight some more until we got it straight. He’d go back to his game.
Read the rest of "The Man Who Hated Christmas" by Wendell Jamieson, an editor at The New York Times, who is also the author of “Father Knows Less” (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2007.) here.
Beal's Island Maine Lobster Pot Christmas Tree which has nothing to do with the story Cedar just thought it was a cool pic.
And so it goes with "The Man Who Hated Christmas:
BOB liked to say how much he hated Christmas. This amazed me and my sister. We’d look at each other: How could anyone hate Christmas? But he’d say it again and again: “Bess, I hate Christmas.” He had a variation on this: “Bess, I hate Christmas trees.” He’d shake his head thoughtfully and chuckle: “They’re nothing but trouble. You struggle with them and fight over them and then they die and drop needles everywhere and you have to drag them out on the street.”
He usually said this while my sister, my mother and I struggled and fought over the tree in our living room, trying to get it to stand up straight on the round wooden table next to the television set. Sagging and dust-covered cardboard boxes of waiting ornaments, just retrieved from the basement, would crowd the floor around us. Radiators would hiss. A football game would be on the television, which was old and tinted everything blue, and was watched by Bob and no one else.
“Bob, is it straight? Can you look for just a moment?” my mother — the aforementioned Bess, or Bessie — would ask him in a voice edged with increasing irritation. She held the top of the tree, leaning; I was beneath it, grasping the trunk, the lower branches scraping my scalp.
Bob would look up, make a visible show of being aggrieved at the interruption, squint and tell us no — a bit more to the right, or a bit more to the left. We’d all struggle and fight some more until we got it straight. He’d go back to his game.
Read the rest of "The Man Who Hated Christmas" by Wendell Jamieson, an editor at The New York Times, who is also the author of “Father Knows Less” (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2007.) here.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
CMPD's Major Vicki Foster Spins Murder Arrests
From WSOC News and Other Sources: Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said they have made arrests in 45 out of the 56 homicides in 2010, continuing a trend of clearing more homicides than the national average.
Maj. Vicki Foster held a presser at CMPD Headquarters sans her white CMPD Command Staff uniform to say that the department's 80 percent clearance rate in 2010 is down from 91 percent in 2009, but still well ahead of the national average of 63 percent.
“We're being more proactive on our side as far as getting out into the community and asking people what have they seen and what have they heard," Foster said. “We've had an increase in tips coming in, so we definitely want to say the community is really engaged and really involved.”
Foster goes on to say: "If you commit a murder in Charlotte-Mecklenburg then we are going to catch you. What I say it's just a matter of time,"
Watch some of Major Foster's Presser here.
Maj. Vicki Foster held a presser at CMPD Headquarters sans her white CMPD Command Staff uniform to say that the department's 80 percent clearance rate in 2010 is down from 91 percent in 2009, but still well ahead of the national average of 63 percent.
“We're being more proactive on our side as far as getting out into the community and asking people what have they seen and what have they heard," Foster said. “We've had an increase in tips coming in, so we definitely want to say the community is really engaged and really involved.”
Foster goes on to say: "If you commit a murder in Charlotte-Mecklenburg then we are going to catch you. What I say it's just a matter of time,"
Watch some of Major Foster's Presser here.
Chipotle Grill Rocks
Cedar Posts is totally anti fast food, but my life running wide open means at least 3 out of 7 nights a week its bag food.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Cotswold to the rescue!
The stuff is good, fresh, fast and real. The guys who work at the Cotswold location are awesome, never anything but top shelf service. Made to order good food to go in Charlotte is hard to find but Chipotle is on target everytime.
Prices: under 20 bucks for two!
Chipotle Mexican Grill
2921 Providence Road
Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28211
(704) 366-7280
Google Map Location is here.
Bonus info: CMPD and CFD, dinner is on Chipotle.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Cotswold to the rescue!
The stuff is good, fresh, fast and real. The guys who work at the Cotswold location are awesome, never anything but top shelf service. Made to order good food to go in Charlotte is hard to find but Chipotle is on target everytime.
Prices: under 20 bucks for two!
Chipotle Mexican Grill
2921 Providence Road
Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28211
(704) 366-7280
Google Map Location is here.
Bonus info: CMPD and CFD, dinner is on Chipotle.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Musical Interlude
Changing things up just a little, Cedar Posts is hearing a lot of bitching and moaning about the cold weather here in the Carolina's and all I can say is try spending a winter in Russia.
The video below was shot in the city of Chelyabinsk, located in the foothills of the Ural Mountains, where the forecast this weekend includes a rather balmy high of 4F and nice cool low of -23F. But that is not a big deal since five months of winter is normal in this place comrade.
During the Cold War the city did not appear on any official maps and was a closed off atomic zone, which produced tanks and the first atomic bombs of the Soviet Union. Chelyabinsk, was closed to all foreigners and journalists for 45 years. Then in January of 1992 President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree that openned this city to the world.
For decades the atomic complex Mayak has let out radioactive water directly into the Techa - Chelyabinsk's largest river. Scientists and environmental organizations call the area, "one of the the most polluted places" on earth.
In a stunning contrast to its war industry, the city has a very vibrant dance scene. Masha Greif featured in the video is well known through out Eastern Europe but completely unknown in the West.
The song "Eyes on Fire" by Blue Foundation will be familiar to Twilight fans, its haunting lyrics and vocals combined with images of Chelyabinsk's cold post soviet look, should give you an idea what real cold weather is like.
But once you embrace the cold there is much to do in this city of 1 million, check out Christmas at Chelyabinsk's Revolution Square here.
Cedar Says:
Погода может быть холодно, но русские девушки так жарко.
The video below was shot in the city of Chelyabinsk, located in the foothills of the Ural Mountains, where the forecast this weekend includes a rather balmy high of 4F and nice cool low of -23F. But that is not a big deal since five months of winter is normal in this place comrade.
During the Cold War the city did not appear on any official maps and was a closed off atomic zone, which produced tanks and the first atomic bombs of the Soviet Union. Chelyabinsk, was closed to all foreigners and journalists for 45 years. Then in January of 1992 President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree that openned this city to the world.
For decades the atomic complex Mayak has let out radioactive water directly into the Techa - Chelyabinsk's largest river. Scientists and environmental organizations call the area, "one of the the most polluted places" on earth.
In a stunning contrast to its war industry, the city has a very vibrant dance scene. Masha Greif featured in the video is well known through out Eastern Europe but completely unknown in the West.
The song "Eyes on Fire" by Blue Foundation will be familiar to Twilight fans, its haunting lyrics and vocals combined with images of Chelyabinsk's cold post soviet look, should give you an idea what real cold weather is like.
But once you embrace the cold there is much to do in this city of 1 million, check out Christmas at Chelyabinsk's Revolution Square here.
Cedar Says:
Погода может быть холодно, но русские девушки так жарко.
Tweet of the Week!
@NicoleDarin: Somehow locked myself out of my own bedroom so I had to go all Steven Seagal & kick the door down! Exhilarating! http://yfrog.com/h329sbrj
Runner Up:
@washingtonpost: Urine damage to Harvard books on gay issues an accident http://wapo.st/dLSTSq
Runner Up:
@washingtonpost: Urine damage to Harvard books on gay issues an accident http://wapo.st/dLSTSq
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