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Queens unveils new name amid Elon merger

The Myers Park school will be called Elon University | Queens College as the two universities move toward a merger.

Education

Queens University of Charlotte has a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new name" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2025/09/16/queens-university-elon-university-merge-charlotte" data-vars-content-id="61b09950-5309-49ca-b795-c6d2f06cbde2" data-vars-headline="Queens unveils new name amid Elon merger" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2025/09/16/queens-university-elon-university-merge-charlotte" target="_self">new name</a>: Elon University | Queens College. Why it matters: The new name is part of the Queens-Elon merger, which they announced in September 2025.

Vintage train rides are coming to Charlotte

The magenta train will preview in NoDa with a rooftop deck and bar this fall before rides launch in spring 2027.

Things to Do

Vintage train rides are coming to Charlotte and you&#x27;ll be able to preview the experience aboard a stationary train <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="this fall" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2023/09/08/fall-guide-in-around-charlotte-fall-activities" data-vars-content-id="2a9675b9-4954-47c1-8c87-71a5ed3ee833" data-vars-headline="Vintage train rides are coming to Charlotte" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2023/09/08/fall-guide-in-around-charlotte-fall-activities" target="_self">this fall</a>.Why it matters: Aberdeen Carolina &amp; Western Railway is bringing its popular Pinehurst train experience to NoDa, starting with its magenta locomotive bar, Engine Room 87.

Breaking down the ballot: U.S. Senate

The must-watch race could help decide Senate control.

News

A staunch <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2026/03/04/north-carolina-senate-primary-election-cooper-whatley-win" data-vars-content-id="f7fc6e0b-19e5-4f67-a6a4-a3dbe8c7e5ba" data-vars-headline="Breaking down the ballot: U.S. Senate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2026/03/04/north-carolina-senate-primary-election-cooper-whatley-win" target="_self">Trump</a> ally and one of North Carolina&#x27;s most recognizable Democrats are battling for the state&#x27;s open U.S. Senate seat in a must-watch race nationally.Why it matters: Currently held by Republican <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Sen. Thom Tillis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/24/trump-senate-republicans-save-act-cassidy" data-vars-content-id="f7fc6e0b-19e5-4f67-a6a4-a3dbe8c7e5ba" data-vars-headline="Breaking down the ballot: U.S. Senate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/24/trump-senate-republicans-save-act-cassidy" target="_self">Sen. Thom Tillis</a>, this seat could be crucial to determining whether Republicans maintain control of the Senate or the chamber flips to Democrats.

Ex-Charlotte City Council member sentenced to prison

Tiawana Brown sentenced to 10 months on federal wire fraud charge.

Former Charlotte City Council member <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Tiawana Brown" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2025/05/22/charlotte-city-council-tiawana-brown-federal-charges" data-vars-content-id="99688f8c-433e-4187-a6b4-1e64c83431d4" data-vars-headline="Ex-Charlotte City Council member sentenced to prison" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2025/05/22/charlotte-city-council-tiawana-brown-federal-charges" target="_self">Tiawana Brown</a> was sentenced to 10 months in prison on Tuesday, months after she pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge, reported <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="our news partners at WBTV." data-vars-click-url="https://www.wbtv.com/2026/09/22/ex-charlotte-city-councilmember-sentenced-prison-after-pleading-guilty-federal-charge/" data-vars-content-id="99688f8c-433e-4187-a6b4-1e64c83431d4" data-vars-headline="Ex-Charlotte City Council member sentenced to prison" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wbtv.com/2026/09/22/ex-charlotte-city-councilmember-sentenced-prison-after-pleading-guilty-federal-charge/" target="_blank">our news partners at WBTV.</a>Why it matters: Brown fraudulently obtained tens of thousands of dollars in COVID relief and other small business loan funds. Part of that money was spent on a $15,000 birthday party.

Safety drags Charlotte down in public transit ranking

Charlotte ranked 45th in safety. Raleigh was first.

Charlotte was <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="outshone" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/08/13/charlotte-airport-silver-line-people-mover" data-vars-content-id="855558d4-7332-4393-a244-9a67d13c4e2b" data-vars-headline="Safety drags Charlotte down in public transit ranking" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/08/13/charlotte-airport-silver-line-people-mover" target="_self">outshone</a> by Raleigh in a recent ranking of the country&#x27;s top public transportation systems, particularly on safety.Why it matters: Safety concerns have hurt Charlotte&#x27;s light rail <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="reputation and ridership" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wfae.org/business/2025-12-05/cats-ridership-remains-lower-after-iryna-zarutskas-murder-on-light-rail" data-vars-content-id="855558d4-7332-4393-a244-9a67d13c4e2b" data-vars-headline="Safety drags Charlotte down in public transit ranking" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wfae.org/business/2025-12-05/cats-ridership-remains-lower-after-iryna-zarutskas-murder-on-light-rail" target="_blank">reputation and ridership</a>, and now the city&#x27;s transit system is falling behind Raleigh, a city half its size.

School board votes to terminate Superintendent Crystal Hill

School board voted 5-4 to terminate the superintendent

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/08/17/charlotte-schools-face-new-scrutiny-after-hill-probe" data-vars-content-id="33e3d65b-92b9-468a-997f-592dc643d2e3" data-vars-headline="School board votes to terminate Superintendent Crystal Hill" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/08/17/charlotte-schools-face-new-scrutiny-after-hill-probe" target="_self">Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education</a> voted 5-4 Tuesday night to terminate <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Superintendent Crystal Hill." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/09/08/cms-crystal-hill-investigation" data-vars-content-id="33e3d65b-92b9-468a-997f-592dc643d2e3" data-vars-headline="School board votes to terminate Superintendent Crystal Hill" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/09/08/cms-crystal-hill-investigation" target="_self">Superintendent Crystal Hill.</a>Why it matters: CMS is out a superintendent <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="(yet again)" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2022/04/19/cms-board-to-vote-on-termination-of-superintendent-winston-today-294876" data-vars-content-id="33e3d65b-92b9-468a-997f-592dc643d2e3" data-vars-headline="School board votes to terminate Superintendent Crystal Hill" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2022/04/19/cms-board-to-vote-on-termination-of-superintendent-winston-today-294876" target="_self">(yet again)</a> after a turbulent few months, with executives departing, board member Stephanie Sneed <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="stepping down from her position" data-vars-click-url="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article317344184.html" data-vars-content-id="33e3d65b-92b9-468a-997f-592dc643d2e3" data-vars-headline="School board votes to terminate Superintendent Crystal Hill" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article317344184.html" target="_blank">stepping down from her position</a> as chair, and the district attorney calling for a criminal investigation into the school system.

I-77 South tolls will move forward

Two council members reversed their votes Monday.

Charlotte City Council <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="voted" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/09/15/property-tax-i77-toll-lanes" data-vars-content-id="ad6e63ac-42fa-4108-a462-7a58f565b8db" data-vars-headline="I-77 South tolls will move forward" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/09/15/property-tax-i77-toll-lanes" target="_self">voted</a> 7-4 Monday night to restore support for the I-77 South toll lanes, with Malcolm Graham and Joi Mayo reversing their May votes against the project.Why it matters: The vote clears a major obstacle for the multi-billion-dollar project, which will add 11 miles of tolls from the South Carolina state line to Uptown, after months of paused planning work.

2 major Charlotte Marathon course changes for 2026

The race will include an East Boulevard section this year.

Runners can expect course changes to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Charlotte Marathon in November" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/01/20/charlotte-marathon-growth-csf-novant-health-running-boom" data-vars-content-id="a1e3d526-0de0-44a7-b9ab-3e527bde3150" data-vars-headline="2 major Charlotte Marathon course changes for 2026" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/01/20/charlotte-marathon-growth-csf-novant-health-running-boom" target="_self">Charlotte Marathon in November</a>. Why it matters: This will be the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="first year of the race under new ownership" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/01/20/charlotte-marathon-growth-csf-novant-health-running-boom" data-vars-content-id="a1e3d526-0de0-44a7-b9ab-3e527bde3150" data-vars-headline="2 major Charlotte Marathon course changes for 2026" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/01/20/charlotte-marathon-growth-csf-novant-health-running-boom" target="_self">first year of the race under new ownership</a>. Organizers tell Axios they expect more than 13,000 people, a record number, to participate across the marathon, half-marathon and 5K.

North Carolina is betting millions on Charlotte's biggest events

Sports betting taxes are helping North Carolina compete for the WTA Finals and other marquee events.

<figure><img alt="WTA Finals trophy in front of a sign reading &quot;2027 WTA FINALS CHARLOTTE.&quot; " height="450" id="1ff5d7a8-e515-45dc-97e0-319621e44e81" src="https://images.axios.com/dU_MfxyPWfRWoL9uApC6ptlYVsA=/2026/09/18/1789753413830.gif" width="800"/><figcaption>Video: Ashley Mahoney/Axios</figcaption></figure>Public <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="investment to secure major events" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/09/16/wta-tennis-charlotte-wta-finals-spectrum-center" data-vars-content-id="1dcdc7f2-486e-4cc1-9211-367eac9b41e3" data-vars-headline="North Carolina is betting millions on Charlotte&#x27;s biggest events" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/09/16/wta-tennis-charlotte-wta-finals-spectrum-center" target="_self">investment to secure major events</a> is now part of doing business as cities and states compete for capital, Wake Forest economics professor Todd McFall tells Axios.Why it matters: North Carolina&#x27;s $14.4 million commitment to bring the Women&#x27;s Tennis Association Finals to Charlotte shows how the state is using sports betting tax revenue to compete for marquee events.

Inside the Uptown data center no one noticed until now

We went inside to see how it actually works.

Charlotte is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="talking" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/06/09/charlotte-data-center-moratorium-150-days" data-vars-content-id="7b332f65-4330-4a94-9b9c-3947529048aa" data-vars-headline="Inside the Uptown data center no one noticed until now" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/06/09/charlotte-data-center-moratorium-150-days" target="_self">talking</a> a lot about AI-powering <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data centers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/05/11/charlotte-data-center-boom-electric-bills-water-use-noise-concerns" data-vars-content-id="7b332f65-4330-4a94-9b9c-3947529048aa" data-vars-headline="Inside the Uptown data center no one noticed until now" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/05/11/charlotte-data-center-boom-electric-bills-water-use-noise-concerns" target="_self">data centers</a> lately. But one has existed in Uptown, largely unnoticed, for two decades.Why it matters: Since AI feels invisible, data centers like this one have become one of the most tangible representations of the AI debate, which has evolved beyond NIMBYism and your Duke bill to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="doomsday warnings of human extinction." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/09/11/congress-ai-anthropic-coxon-researcher-democrats" data-vars-content-id="7b332f65-4330-4a94-9b9c-3947529048aa" data-vars-headline="Inside the Uptown data center no one noticed until now" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/09/11/congress-ai-anthropic-coxon-researcher-democrats" target="_self">doomsday warnings of human extinction.</a>

Trump: NC is "one of the most violent" states

The president visited Gastonia to campaign for Michael Whatley on Wednesday.

President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/09/15/trump-gastonia-rally-whatley-cooper-senate" data-vars-content-id="92214253-6b29-4209-88e9-3eb44c5da3e9" data-vars-headline="Trump: NC is &quot;one of the most violent&quot; states" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/charlotte/2026/09/15/trump-gastonia-rally-whatley-cooper-senate" target="_self">Trump</a> called North Carolina criminally dangerous and &quot;one of the worst in the whole nation&quot; while rallying for Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley in Gastonia on Wednesday night.Why it matters: Whatley has framed himself as the tougher-on-crime candidate and an ally who would push Trump&#x27;s agenda forward, despite the president&#x27;s low approval ratings. So far, Whatley is lagging in the polls.

Bar chart shows the best three cities for public transit – San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C. – and the worst three: Buffalo, Jacksonville and Oklahoma City.

News 🗞

Safety drags Charlotte down in public transit ranking

Queens unveils new name amid Elon merger

School board votes to terminate Superintendent Crystal Hill

Ex-Charlotte City Council member sentenced to prison

I-77 South tolls will move forward