Articles

[title_1]
What's in a name? Defining ‘urban’ in the South
   December 16, 2013
Jeff Michael
All three of the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute’s most recent directors came, not from large urban centers, but from small, rural communities. But what we may have lacked in urban sophistication we made up for in our conviction that great metro regions are a healthy mix of urban, suburban and rural communities. (Photo: Nancy Pierce) Read more


[title_1]
PlanCharlotte's 'City of Creeks' project wins ASC grant
   December 10, 2013
Mary Newsom
The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute's online publication, PlanCharlotte.org, has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Arts & Science Council for its "City of Creeks" project. (Photo: Nancy Pierce) Read more


[title_1]
Building a framework for out-of-school time
   December 5, 2013

The Larry King Center of Council for Children’s Rights recently released a new study on out-of-school time.  This report, Expanding Learning: Building a Framework for Out-of-School Time, presents best practice research as well as the landscape of local out-of-school time programs.  Read more


[title_1]
Turn your leaf piles into mulch or compost
   December 5, 2013
Ruth Ann Grissom
You've raked all those leaves into a pile, what now? With a little more or your time and effort, those leaves can pay big dividends. Homemade compost and mulch are priceless additions to your garden, providing winter protection, retaining moisture and amending the soil. (Photo: Ruth Ann Grissom) Read more


[title_1]
Survey: Mecklenburg seen as generally welcoming
   December 4, 2013

Is Mecklenburg County a welcoming place? Most people here think so, according to a survey from the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute. A majority of Mecklenburg residents surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that Charlotte welcomes people regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, immigration status or economic status. (Photo: Nancy Pierce) Read more


[title_1]
City to work with owners of station-area properties
   December 3, 2013
Mary Newsom
Urged on by the city manager, Charlotte planners are taking more initiative to contact landowners along the city's new light rail line encouraging them to follow the city's vision for the corridor, Planning Director Debra Campbell said. (Photo: John Chesser) Read more


[title_1]
A 'peak' of reflection
   December 2, 2013

Steve Copulsky
Less than two weeks after an inspiring visit to Yosemite, I was back at Crowders Mountain State Park on the Kings Pinnacle Trail. I am grateful to have such a destination so near home, and from the top I often reflect on the rich history of the peaks and the Piedmont below. (Photo: Steve Copulsky) Read more


[title_1]
State tax credit ending, land trusts see flurry of preservation efforts
   November 25, 2013

As the Dec. 31 end of a 30-year-old N.C. land preservation tax credit nears, regional land trusts scurry to finish preservation projects from donors hoping to use the credit before they lose it. (Photo: Catawba Lands Conservancy) Read more


[title_1]
Flood-prone site of former temple, school now awaits storm waters
   November 25, 2013

Corey Conner
At a prominent site on Charlotte's busy Providence Road, a one-time synagogue, then school, has been demolished as part of Mecklenburg County's ongoing effort to control flooding and help water quality. (Photo: Mary Newsom) Read more


Interest from women fuels rise in hunting
   November 21, 2013
Ruth Ann Grissom
Hunting seasons come and go without much notice in Charlotte. Not so in the surrounding region, where hunting is much more part of the local culture. Recently, the number of hunters has increased for the first time in generations, largely thanks to a growing interest among women. (Photo: Carissa Shelton) Read more