It's back to school today for public schools across North Carolina, including more than 140,000 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students and 19,000 staff members.

Here are some quick facts about the district as we begin a new school year:

• 293 teacher and 38 bus driver positions were unfilled as of Aug. 20.
• Nearly 900 school buses will transport about 104,000 students this year.
• Three electric school buses join the fleet today.
• CMS will add 53 electric buses over the next two school years, the Charlotte Observer reports.
• Two new schools are opening: Ballantyne Ridge High and Knights View Elementary.
• One school is renovated: Bruns Avenue Elementary.
• 175 countries are represented in the student population.

It was all a dream when Hip Hop Smoothies owners Shamika and Roberto Brooks started their first storefront in 2020.

Why it matters: Since then, the Brooks have expanded to include another storefront, two food trucks and, starting in mid-September, a vintage Airstream at Camp North End.

What to expect: In addition to smoothies named after the hip-hop songs playing over the speakers, the shop offers acai bowls and coffee.

• Its Camp North End location will have outdoor seating and old-school hip-hop decor, per a press release.

Why all eyes are on Camp North End

Speaking of Camp North End ... Blasian Asian Way, a Korean BBQ fusion food stall, will open where Saru used to be.

What to expect: Korean-inspired cuisine popularized by the local food truck, the Observer first reported.

• Its menu features rice bowls, loaded fries, fried dumplings, wings and tacos.

What's next: Blasian Asian Way will debut in early September at 1801 N. Graham Street.

• The food truck will continue to operate.

Go deeper: The most anticipated new restaurants and bars in Charlotte

🚍 The Independence Blvd. bus lanes will open today to CATS express bus routes 40x, 46x, 52x, 64x and 74x. (WBTV)

🍻 Olde Mecklenburg Brewery opened a new patio at its LoSo location. (Instagram)

🦪 Stat du jour: 10,000+ — the number of free oysters Fin & Fino has given out in exchange for guests giving up their phones during dinner. Its final complimentary oyster night is tonight.

💼 See who's hiring around the city.

1. Ice Rink Operations Manager at Pineville Ice House.
2. Business Partnerships Manager at Charlotte Area Transit System.
3. Manager at Ignite Philanthropy.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

Summer might be winding down, but the fun this week — like outdoor concerts and dog-friendly sporting events — is just heating up.

🧘‍♀️ Today: Outdoor yoga at the Whitewater Center.

🕵️‍♀️ Tuesday: NoDa Brewing's "Brews & Clues Murder Mystery Party: Pirates Edition."

⚾️ Wednesday: It's "Bark in The Ballpark" night at Truist Field.

🎥 Thursday: Grab the popcorn and blankets for an outdoor screening of "Barbershop" at Camp North End.

👨‍👩‍ Friday: Children can participate in yoga, pottery, dance and more at Urban District Market's Kids Mindful Mixer.

Full weekday planner

Charlotte may no longer rank 50th out of 50 for upward economic mobility, but climbing from its current spot at No. 38 will take transportation investment, according to UNC Charlotte assistant professor Michelle Zuñiga.

Why it matters: A lack of reliable transportation can keep people from maintaining or even accepting jobs. It can also prove a barrier when it comes to voting or even social outings.

Context: Economist Raj Chetty and his Harvard research group, Opportunity Insights, released their study, "Sociological Mechanisms Underlying Growing Class Gaps and Shrinking Race Gaps in Economic Mobility," last month.

State of play: Zuñiga, whose research includes transportation planning, was one of four panelists at an event Friday at UNC Charlotte's Uptown campus discussing its findings.

Zoom out: Earlier this month, the managers of "a majority" of municipalities agreed on draft legislation that would place a 1-cent sales tax referendum for transportation on voters' ballots as early as 2025, Axios' Alexandria Sands reported.

• It was a major move toward a tax increase to fund road and transit projects. Much of the funds would go toward roads, with 40% allocated for rail and 20% for bus.

Keep reading about transit's role in upward mobilty

The Chop Shop, the Asheville butcher shop that's become a favorite of local chefs like Katie Button of Cúrate since its 2011 debut, has opened a Charlotte location in Myers Park.

Context: The whole-animal butcher shop emphasizes its sustainable and ethical farming practices. Expect dry-aged beef, free-range chicken and pastured pork from western North Carolina.

Why it matters: Chop Shop leaders have said they hope to fill a void in a food-loving city with relatively few boutique butcher shops.

Stop by: 2840 Selwyn Ave.

• Open Tuesday-Saturday 10:30am-6pm and Sunday 10:30am-3pm.

Read more about the shop's new spot