Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden fended off three challengers in the competitive Democratic primary and is set to remain in office.

Why it matters: McFadden will enter his third term during one of the most volatile periods of his career. He's under state investigation for misconduct allegations, is facing national scrutiny for immigration disputes, and is accused of running a toxic workplace.

By the numbers: The sheriff secured 34% of votes, with a 2,717-vote lead ahead of Charlotte police Sgt. Ricky Robbins, who had endorsements from Luke Kuechly and Chuba Hubbard, former and current Panthers players.

What else happened on election night:

• Former Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, and Michael Whatley, former chair of the Republican National Committee, handily won their primaries, setting the stage for an expensive showdown to replace U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis.
• Democrats fired state House Rep. Carla Cunningham and Nasif Majeed, electing their opponents, Rodney Sadler and Veleria Levy. Cunningham and Majeed were both shunned by their party for overriding many of Gov. Josh Stein's vetoes.
• Longtime County Commissioner Vilma Leake was defeated by 602 votes by Monifa Drayton, the ex-Mecklenburg County Democratic Party executive director.

Read the full results

💼 See who's hiring around the city.

1. Executive Assistant at Girls on the Run International.
2. Event Manager at Blumenthal Arts.
3. Division Head of Lower & Intermediate Schools at The Fletcher School.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is threatening to disrupt Senate business over Kristi Noem's leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.

Why it matters: Tillis, who is not running for re-election, has spearheaded GOP criticism of Noem in the narrowly divided Senate and seized on Tuesday's oversight hearing to turn up the pressure.

Driving the news: At a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, Tillis berated Noem over stalled FEMA funding and agency responses, including for hurricane recovery in northwest North Carolina, and his outstanding request for information on Operation Charlotte's Web, a surge of immigration officers in Charlotte last fall.

The big picture: In his final year in office, Tillis is becoming a stumbling block for the Trump administration.

• He has also said he will oppose President Trump's nominee to chair the Federal Reserve while the DOJ has an ongoing investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

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🍽️ Charlotte Wine + Food Week returns April 15–19 with vintner dinners, a Collector's Gala, Grand Tasting and Rosé Brunch, raising funds for local children's charities across the region. Tickets go on sale today.

👑 Kon Knueppel was named the NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for the fourth straight month. The Hornets have are at .500 (31-31) after last night's 117-90 against the Mavericks.

🍔 Shake Shack will open in Concord Mills March 11 at 8031 Concord Mills Blvd.

🌸 The Bowl at Ballantyne will host "The Bowl in Bloom" on May 9, a free spring festival featuring local vendors, floral crafts, family activities and giveaways, followed by live music at The Amp.

🍣 Baku will close this April after 13 years in SouthPark. (Instagram)

✈️ Etihad Airways' planned March 20 launch of Charlotte's first nonstop flight to the Middle East is in limbo as regional airspace closures follow U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks, prompting the airline to suspend flights for now. (Observer)

Antagonist is a new Charlotte cocktail bar that locks your phone away for two hours. It opens on Wednesday, March 4, in Dilworth.

The vibe: The swanky, 1,100-square-foot space seats just under 50 people. A wraparound booth frames the room, with about 10 two-tops in the center, all facing a floor-to-ceiling bar that seats six.

Dig in: There are five classic cocktails, each named after famous antagonists — the Regina George is a margarita, and the Patrick Bateman is a Manhattan, for example. Eight seasonal cocktails follow the same theme.

• At the end of the evening, you're presented with the check and invited to write down your favorite antagonist in the checkbook. "We hope to use them as inspiration for future cocktail names," my server told me.
• There's a snack section on the menu, which includes ice cream, candy, chips, pizza rolls and Uncrustables.

If you go: You'll find Anatagonist on the ground floor of The Campbell apartments (2025 Cleveland Ave.).

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📅 See what's going on around the city.

• NC Association of Independent Schools Educator Hiring Fairs at Cannon School Sat: Connect with NCAIS, NC's network of 90+ independent schools, at the Educator Hiring Fairs. Meet school leaders, explore teaching and leadership roles, and find the right community for you.
• Coppélia presented by Charlotte Youth Ballet at Dale F. Halton Theater at Central Piedmont Sat-Sun: Coppélia is a joyful, family-friendly ballet featuring student dancers and global professionals. Follow Swanilda and Frantz into Dr. Coppélius's whimsical workshop for a lively adventure for all ages. $35.
• FFTC Connects: Paws & Purpose - Advancing Animal Welfare in Our Community at The Carolina Theatre Mar 9: Care about animal welfare? Join FFTC and local nonprofits for a look at how fostering, rehoming, therapy animals and innovative approaches are supporting pets and their people in our community.
• SUFFS at Belk Theater at Blumenthal Arts Center Mar 10-15: Behind every powerful woman are more powerful women. Direct from Broadway, SUFFS brings sharp wit, big laughs, and bold spirit to the story of the women who fought for the vote. $46+.
• Building Futures Affordable Housing Symposium at Central Piedmont Parr Center Mar 11: Join Habitat Charlotte Region for the Building Futures Symposium featuring keynote speaker and global housing leader Natosha Reid Rice.

Want more things to do? Check out our Event Board.

Hosting? Purchase an Event Listing.

CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro will open in South End later this year.

Why it matters: The Dallas-based wine bar opening at Linea, the 34-story luxury residential tower developed by Portman, joins a growing list of restaurants and retail tenants at the project.

Zoom out: Other Linea tenants include seafood restaurant Half Shell Oyster, a boutique skincare provider Peachy, high-intensity workout studio JETSET Pilates and Night Swim Coffee.

Zoom in: CRÚ is known for its extensive wine program, which features more than 30 wines by the glass and over 300 bottle selections.

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Results are in for the latest National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) team report cards.

Why it matters: While the Carolina Panthers rose from 25th to 23rd among the league's 32 teams, that's still significantly below where the team was in 2023 (12th) when the NFLPA released its first report card.

How it works: The annual survey allows players to weigh in on everything from ownership and coaching staff to food and travel. The results were leaked last week.

Zoom in: Team ownership rose from a D- to a B- for the Panthers, per the report card.

• The locker room dropped from a C t o a D+, which is something the team will address in its upcoming $800 million revamp of Bank of America Stadium.
• The head coach's grade remained steady with an A-.

Full results