Let’s all take a moment to slowwwww down. Some of the best places to do that in Mecklenburg County are free. Today, we’re going to focus on our Park and Recreation nature preserves. The County manages more than 7,600 acres of nature preserves, protecting our natural resources. If you’ve never been to one, you’re missing out, but we’re going to give you a little preview.
Continue ReadingWritten by Betsy Abraham, Community Support Services
Domestic violence is a lot more common than you might realize. It can affect people close to us without us even knowing about it. Victims of domestic violence could be our neighbors, coworkers, family, friends, customers, teammates, church members, or students. That’s why it’s so important to understand what domestic violence looks like and how we can support someone we love if they’re affected.
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When you think of the County, your first thought is probably 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. But some of our departments are working some unusual hours.
We’ll go ahead and get this out of the way: You can use our website any time you want. That’s our number one, super-secret (OK, not at all secret) tip. But there are other County services and staff at work during unusual hours — some even in the middle of the night. This list isn’t all-inclusive (that would get boring fast!), but we’ll walk you through a few that might matter most to you.
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Written by Betsy Abraham, Community Support Services
Escaping a domestic violence relationship is never easy. But, it’s even harder when you can’t communicate with police officers or have to rely on your abuser to translate for you. This is the challenge many Deaf, Deafblind, and hard-of-hearing people face.
There aren’t many studies on domestic violence in the Deaf, Deafblind, and heard-of-hearing community. But one report shows they were 1.5 times more likely to be victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, psychological abuse, and physical abuse. The Justice for Deaf Victims National Coalition says over 60% of Deaf individuals have experienced, or will experience, abuse by a partner in their lifetime. That’s a pretty astounding percentage.
So how does this abuse look different than in the hearing community? How can we help? Let’s dive in.
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It’s that time of the year again! The first Tuesday of August is upon us, and that means its National Night Out. You can expect to see community building events all across the country, with a focus on strengthening and fostering better relationships between law enforcement their communities. So, what does that look like here in Mecklenburg County?
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Summer is here and you know what that means – outdoor cooking! Ain’t nothing like the smell of grilled chicken, smoked brisket and pulled pork! Disagree? You’re weird. That’s right. I said it. I’m a southern boy and the only thing better than good barbecue is good barbecue served with a cold glass of sweet tea. Whether you like barbecue or not, we can all agree that the only thing worse than burnt meat is a burnt chef (or the chef’s house).
Grilling is fun, but it can also be very dangerous if you’re not safe. According to the National Fire Protection Association, July is the peak month for grill fires. So before you grab your apron, spatula, tongs, charcoal, wood and propane tanks, check out these safety tips.
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Get it? Latta, a lotta?
The real story is not about my bad pun but how many fun activities there are available at Latta Nature Preserve in Huntersville. It’s actually one of my favorite nature preserves in the County. Warning: Siri or Google Maps may try to trick you. When you get there, you want to go through the big gate, not the private drive.
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It’s that time of the year again… Independence Day, July 4th… and who doesn’t love a good fireworks show?
But if you can’t make it to one of the many professional shows in the area or don’t feel safe in crowds just yet, there are still some options.
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