Simply Cheris. . .

I'll be the first to congratulate Occupy Wall Street. The Occupy Wall Street movement changed the national conversation about wealth. Talk is cheap, though. While we loved the President's State of The Union address , at the end of the day, if Congress continues to do nothing, we won't see any changes. Let's bring this conversation home, Charlotte more specifically. Occupy Charlotte kicked off in September. Sadly, the local conversation in Charlotte has not changed much. Occupy Charlotte has been covered by the city's alternative newspaper on a near weekly basis and covered by the mainstream media when something headline grabbing happened, like the burning of an American flag . Occupy Charlotte may have unwittingly made life for homeless people in the city hell . See, city council passed an ordinance which makes it illegal to camp on property. "Any temporary shelter located on city property is deemed to be a public nuisance," said Charlotte-Meckle...

Tracy Montross, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx's aide, was cold busted. She sent a threatening email to the Charlotte International Cabinet demanding that the group pay for the mayor's business class ticket to China. Foxx was going to China following his re-election to mayor. According to The Charlotte Observer , this is what she wrote: If it's not reimbursed," she wrote, "please expect hell with your presentation to (City) Council on next year's budget ... There is no reason for (Foxx) to support this expenditure in years to come. His position had not changed but has become more resolute. Thanks for your consideration in advance of our return." There it is in Black and White.  A city employee who earns $72,000 a year acting like a bully. Her punishment? A three day suspension. Of course, it became a political issue with Republican city councilmembers Andy Dulin and Warren Cooksey puffed their chests out against her and Foxx. Dulin says, "I...