Articles

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They’d rather not drive, thank you
   March 24, 2014

Corey Conner
Some hardy local city-dwellers are opting to take transit and bicycle even when they own cars and can just as easily drive. For some, it's about the environment. For some, it's about making the city more livable and urban. And for some, it's becoming a way of life. (Photo: Corey Conner) Read more


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Imagining Charlotte places, remade: Week 2
   March 21, 2014
Mary Newsom
In honor of our second anniversary, PlanCharlotte.org is asking readers to nominate spots in the Charlotte region that need a design makeover. Last week we highlighted spots in Plaza Midwood, along Seventh Street and next to Romare Bearden Park. This week the action shifts to South Boulevard. (Image: CompleteBlocks.com) Read more


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Black bears in the North Carolina Piedmont
   March 20, 2014
Crystal Cockman
Although bear sightings in the Piedmont are not uncommon, they are usually just transient bears. Black bears are gradually expanding their habitat into the Piedmont region, however, and their range now extends over 60 percent of North Carolina. (Photo: LandTrust for Central North Carolina) Read more


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Who are Charlotte-Mecklenburg immigrants?
   March 20, 2014

Charlotte attracts new residents, both domestic and international, from across the socioeconomic spectrum. The data do not bear out the popular image of immigrants as poor and confined to low-wage jobs. As a result, policies are shifting from facilitating access to city services to educating the community about the ways immigrant communities help move the city forward. (Photo: Nancy Pierce) Read more


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High court rail-trails decision won't affect N.C.
   March 19, 2014
Chuck McShane
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision has trail advocates worried about the fate of the national rails-to-trails program, but the ruling is unlikely to affect North Carolina. (Photo: Nancy Pierce) Read more


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When a place needs a design makeover
   March 14, 2014
Mary Newsom
Imagine a spot you think needs a makeover. PlanCharlotte, with urban designers Keihly Moore and Alex Borisenko, invites you to nominate places in the Charlotte region that need some urban design magic. Image: Completeblocks.com Read more


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Smart metros: Charlotte and North Carolina
   March 13, 2014

Charlotte's metro has one of the fastest-growing college-educated populations in the U.S. Where exactly do the educated live in Charlotte? As people with college degrees cluster in metros, what does that mean for rural areas? (Graphic: John Chesser) Read more


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Panning for gold
   March 13, 2014
Ruth Ann Grissom
Casual, recreational gold panning can be a fun pastime – it gets us outdoors and connects us with an aspect of our history – but anything beyond the gentle and occasional use of a pan and shovel can have devastating consequences for our creeks and rivers. (Photo: Marla Coulthard) Read more


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'Dirtways' speed up trail construction in Mecklenburg
   March 12, 2014
Chuck McShane
Instead of waiting for paved greenways, Mecklenburg County is building some natural-surface "dirtways." The first, in the Steele Creek area, opened last month and cost about $5,000. (Photo: Steele Creek Residents Association) Read more


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Backpacking basics and the 2014 Uwharrie Trail thru hike
   March 5, 2014
Crystal Cockman
Thanks to more than 15 years of conservation work, the Uwharrie Recreational Trail trail can now be hiked in its 40-mile entirety. The second annual "thru hike" of the trail will be this May. Do you have your backpacking basics assembled? Here's my list of necessities. (Photo: Crystal Cockman) Read more