Articles

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Uncommonly lovely spring shrubs
   May 15, 2014
Ruth Ann Grissom
Mountain laurel, with their masses of light pink flowers, should be at their peak in the coming week, but some of our most interesting spring-blooming shrubs aren’t so abundant. Look for them in mature hardwood forests, along streambanks and tucked in rocky ravines. (Photo: Ruth Ann Grissom) Read more


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Charlotte council wary of proposal to gut tree ordinance
   May 14, 2014
Mary Newsom
Wary of a proposed state bill that would gut the ability of N.C. cities, including Charlotte, to protect trees on private property, Charlotte City Council  will consider strategies for lobbying against it. (Photo: Nancy Pierce) Read more


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Windy Ridge: A neighborhood built to fail
   May 8, 2014

Charlotte's Windy Ridge neighborhood has drawn extensive publicity as an extreme example of a neighborhood "built to fail." In a new article for an academic journal, three UNC Charlotte researchers conclude that one factor in its failure was Charlotte's "growth-machine" culture. A Q-and-A interview. (Photo: Josh MCann) Read more


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Jane's Walk: A weekend of discoveries
   May 7, 2014
Mary Newsom
The whole point of the Jane's Walks - which honor legendary urban activist Jane Jacobs - is to discover things in your own city that you might not have known. And I did. Includes photo slideshow. (Photo: Mary Newsom) Read more


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Film, discussion, reception this Friday to focus on plastics
   May 7, 2014
Mary Newsom
On May 16 the KEEPING WATCH initiative hosts a screening of Bag it: Is your life too plastic?, a panel discussion and a reception with local food and drinks. (Photo: bagitmovie.com) Read more


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Parasitic plants
   May 7, 2014
Crystal Cockman
The term “parasite” may evoke an ugly nuisance, even a gruesome horror story – from common ticks and chiggers to the botfly, which can embed itself in a human eyeball. But parasitic plants can be beautiful. (Photo: Crystal Cockman) Read more


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Lacking incentives, some Mecklenburg businesses lag in recycling
   May 1, 2014
Mae Israel
Charlotte-Mecklenburg ordinances do not require all businesses to recycle, and officials are unable to determine how much they do recycle. (Photo: Nancy PIerce) Read more


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In CMS, recycling's possible but not always practical
   May 1, 2014
Mae Israel
Recycling containers sit in classrooms in every Charlotte-Mecklenburg public school, and students at nearly half of them make the extra effort to dump leftover liquid from milk and juice cartons before tossing them into bins. Read more


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The ups and downs of Charlotte housing prices
   May 1, 2014

Charlotte never experienced the dramatic housing bubble seen in other places in the country, but the local market is still under its August 2007 peak as measured by the Case-Shiller Index. Explore our data dashboard to see Charlotte's highs and lows compared with places like Atlanta and Denver. (Graphic: UNC Charlotte Urban Institute) Read more


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Long dreamed, an urban farm sprouts at Garinger High
   April 30, 2014

One year after a nonprofit group took over a neglected corner of Garinger High's back lot, the grand opening of the Friendship Gardens Urban Farm welcomed the neighborhood, the school and local food enthusiasts to a celebration. (Photo: Marla J. Ehlers) Read more