-
News & Opinion
Why Pollinator Gardens Are Important (and Now Legal) in Charlotte
Perfectly manicured turf grass lawns have not only become the norm in America but, in many cases, the law. A vast majority of cities across the country have some form of overgrown vegetation ordinance incorporated in its municipal health and sanitation codes, and Charlotte is no exception. The issue with…
Read More » -
Guides & Events
How to Start a Garden in Charlotte on a Tight Budget (With Pro‑Approved Beginner Plants)
I am known to be incredibly cheap. When I first became interested in gardening, the sheer amount of information and upfront costs overwhelmed me so much that I put off planting for months. While gardening is a hobby that can easily become expensive if done with intention, I was less…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
New SNAP Eligibility Rules Will Limit Access to Workforce Training Programs
In fall 2025, after Congress failed to agree on federal funding allocations for the new fiscal year, resulting in the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, the US Department of Agriculture told state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) agencies that the government would discontinue allocation of benefits for the program…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
The 704 Way Project Tackles Youth Violence in Charlotte
The city of Charlotte is partnering with marketing agency CMRignite and local youth mentoring organization My Brother’s Keeper Charlotte-Mecklenburg (MBKCM) to ensure that young people in Charlotte have a seat at the table in the fight against community violence — and it’s not the kids’ table. The 704 Way project…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
Abortion Providers Stand on Unstable Ground Three Years After ‘Dobbs’
Shannon Bauerle was at A Preferred Women’s Health Center (APWHC) in southeast Charlotte on June 24, 2022 when the landmark decision to overturn the constitutional right abortion established in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case was announced. APWHC operates as an abortion clinic six days a week, providing services to…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
How the Deal to Reopen Government Could Kill the NC Hemp Industry
The longest government shutdown in US history came to end on Nov. 12 after the Senate finally passed a spending bill. One consequence of the deal missed in many national news stories about it at the time could lead to the fall of a $28 billion industry. The new regulation…
Read More » -
Arts & Culture
704 Shop Launches (En)Vision Line in Partnership with Lions Services
Charlotte-based lifestyle brand 704 Shop today launches a new partnership with local nonprofit Lions Services, which provides employment opportunities to blind and visually impaired folks, providing them with meaningful training and independence. The new (En)Vision upcycling initiative will transform donated and thrifted apparel into unique pieces handcrafted by employees of…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
Educators Scramble to Support Students Amid Hunger Crisis
For Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) students, Nov. 12 was always going to be a nerve-wracking time: Report Card Day. Yet for the nearly 25% of CMS students who rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), November has seen more pressing matters arise as families have had to consider where…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
Voting Rights Advocates Speak Against Racial Targeting in NC Redistricting Effort
A coalition of North Carolina voting rights advocates held a press conference Monday condemning the Republican-led NC redistricting effort to flip a US House seat by dismantling the historic “Black Belt” district through gerrymandering. The NC Senate Elections Committee met Monday to hear public comment before passing a new congressional…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
CMPD Reports Continued Downward Trend in Crime During Q3 Presentation
CMPD held its third-quarter public safety report on Wednesday, covering January through September of 2025, amid ongoing discussion and debate around public safety concerns in Charlotte. CMPD officials reported that overall crime is down 8% compared to the same point last year while violent crimes including homicides, rapes, robberies and…
Read More » -
Unlocked
A Guide to Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s 2025 Local Elections
It’s that time of year again, folks. If you didn’t get the chance to vote in the primaries in September — and with an 8% turnout, we know a lot of you didn’t — now is the time to make up for it. This year’s general election will decide who…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
Center City Leaders Discuss Public Safety Measures in Uptown
City leaders held a press conference Wednesday to discuss initiatives being carried out by the Center City Public Safety Task Force, implemented in late July to address concerns about crime and safety in Uptown. The group is composed of leaders in business, local government, health care, CMPD and the nonprofit…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
Summit Coffee NoDa Staff Suspects Hate Driving Vandalism Incidents
Management and staff at Summit Coffee in NoDa say the coffee shop has been targeted by vandals who have repeatedly torn down and in at least one case defaced an LGBTQ+ pride flag that waves in front of the storefront. Alexis Oliva, manager of the NoDa location for the Davidson-based…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
Exploring Both Sides of the Transit Tax Debate
It was 1998 when Mecklenburg County residents voted in favor of the 2025 Integrated Transit/Land Use Plan, an ambitious strategy aimed at expanding rapid transit throughout the area. The plan instated a county-wide half-cent sales tax that went toward the formation of the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), paving the…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
Community Leaders Protest Politicization of Iryna Zarutska’s Murder Outside Hearing
Around 50 people gathered in front of the Charles R. Jones Federal Building ahead of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight’s public hearing for Victims of Violent Crime on Monday to protest the use of Iryna Zarutska’s murder for partisan gain and fearmongering. Zarutska was murdered on a Blue Line…
Read More » -
News & Opinion
Sheriff’s Office Settles Lawsuit Over Forced Hijab Removal for Mugshots
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Thursday that their legal team reached a settlement with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) over the removal of a Muslim woman’s hijab for a booking photo at Mecklenburg County Detention Center Central (MCDCC). The deal includes a monetary settlement along with an…
Read More »
