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News + Opinion
10 Great Dates
Sure, a simple dinner-and-a-movie option could cover date night, but where's the fun in that? We've found ten great dates to get you out and about in Charlotte. Get artsy in NoDa, enjoy a leisurely stroll in Waxhaw, and take the big leap (skydiving, that is) in North Carolina wine country. These dates are designed for hours of entertainment -- and, of course, plenty of romance
Looking Ahead
On page 48, you'll find our ideas for ten great Charlotte dates. There's nary a dinner-and-a-movie among them. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Since you asked, here's the story of a first date that didn't make the list.…
The Waiting Game
On a quest for dates in Charlotte, I discover that waiting for my next text is more difficult than finding the next guy
One Man and a River
David Merryman, charged with protecting the Catawba River, has a big job in any year. But in 2010, all 182 pollutant-discharge permits—including one for two high-hazard coal ash ponds on Mountain Island Lake (also known as "our drinking water") -- are up for renewal. It's time for the Riverkeeper to get to work
The Last DJ
Last April, Cal Walker died alone and destitute, having never recovered from the day the music died. Which is no way to go out for Charlotte's—and maybe the country's—last real DJ
The Making of Things
Remember when we used to make stuff? Maybe it's time to get back to that
All the Mayor's Men (and Women)
The Champagne's been drunk, the confetti's been swept away, and the election of November 2009 is a distant memory for most. But there are a few people out there who still have a bit of a swagger in their step because they helped Anthony Foxx pull off a major political feat to become the first Democratic mayor of Charlotte in more than two decades.
Two Takes on the Banks' Comebacks
Both from the New York Times (natch):"Banks Prepare for Big Bonuses, and Big Wrath":"The bank bonus season, that annual rite of big money and bigger egos, begins in earnest this week, and it looks as if it will be one…
2009 Cracked Crowns
This year's dumbest deeds
The Future of Good - Part 2
In the December issue, we launched a two-part series on charitable organizations in Charlotte. In truth, this is not new territory for this magazine. We have long covered the city's important web of nonprofits - usually pointing out who's helping, occasionally shedding light on those who could do better.
This is why we need newspapers
I didn't get to spend a ton of time with the Sunday Observer today, but two stories on the front page blew me away, and offered yet another reminder as to why newspapers are so valuable.First, the story on the…
The Best Private School Programs
When it comes to your child's education, you want only the best. So instead of sifting through countless brochures and online media kits, we've found it for you. Our list of the best private school programs in Charlotte examines the leading drama and science programs, strongest sports teams, tech-savviest schools, and more. Because sometimes you need the CliffsNotes version.
Tale of Two Cities
Over two decades of booming expansion, Charlotte has grown into two separate cities -- one urban, one suburban. So what happens now?
What goes around, comes around
Charlotte got more than its fair share of good press over the years. Now, the story has changed
Will Anthony Foxx be an impractical leader? I hope so
I watched most of the city council and mayoral swearing-in ceremonies on television last night, although I admit turning off the tube after the last of the new council members spoke. Lassiter and McCrory both gave excellent, classy farewell speeches--just…
The Reinvention Continues
Nine months ago in this space, I promised we would faithfully chronicle the new and changing Charlotte. Since then, we have published stories on the future of NASCAR, the new ways Charlotteans are networking to find jobs, and a collection…
Breaking and Entering
I had that anxiety you feel when the school calls. You know it's going to be bad, but you don't know how bad—will it be a bus accident or no lunch money? Debbie and I slowly opened the back door…
The Future of Good
It's well documented that Charlotte's charities, once the beneficiaries of such philanthropic largesse that it was a point of civic pride, have suffered mightily during this recession. The reasons have been equally well documented: health and human services nonprofits have…
Sneak peek at the December cover
The December issue hits the mailstream any day now, but I thought I would offer a quick sneak peek of the cover.
Round-up of the best election analysis
Has it already been a week since we elected a new mayor?The narrow victory of Anthony Foxx over John Lassiter, coupled with a near-Democratic sweep of the at-large City Council seats, prompted a bevy of insightful analysis. Here's the best:Brian…
An alternative explanation of Ken Lewis's retirement
Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal offered a narrative of how Ken Lewis "lost control of a bank he had worked at for 40 years" (here's the link, but the story is for subscribers only).Meanwhile, nymag.com's irreverent blog Daily…
Charlotte mag on the radio
For our November issue, Ken Garfield interviewed nine Charlotteans who are survivors of the Holocaust. Together with Chris Edwards's photographs, the result is a compelling, poignant portrait of a group of people who lived through horrors I can't even imagine.The…
A story I wish we had done
Enjoyed Lawrence Toppman's profle of the Blumenthal's Douglas Young in the Charlotte Observer. Young books the talent at the Blumenthal's cohort of theater spaces, and he's one of the Charlotte arts scene's good guys. He should get a lot of…
Round-up on Stephen Curry's NBA debut
What, we don't have a sports blog on this site? Who's in charge of this operation? Guess I'll have to fill in. I did start my career as a sportswriter, writing for this weekly paper.Former Davidson star Stephen Curry played…
Quick follow-up on newspapers' circ decline
An article in Slate.com, a digital-only publication, albeit one that is consistently contrary in nature, sort of backs up what I wrote yesterday, that the recent precipitous decline in newspaper circulation does not signal the demise of newspapers. (Now that…
Charlotte Observer circulation way down
McClatchy recently released circulation numbers for its papers, and all the numbers went down. In the past six months, the Charlotte Observer lost more than 20,000 daily subscribers over the past six months, bringing total circ down to 167,585 (source).The…
Cocktails and Cleavage
In uptown’s Phil’s Tavern there’s a framed photo of the female staff: about a dozen women all (barely) wearing tube tops. “A strip club!” you might gasp, before tiptoeing out the side door.
