An AI-driven private school is nearly doubling its U.S. footprint, adding eight new campuses, including one in Charlotte.

Why it matters: With tuition starting at $40,000, Alpha Schools is riding the parental school choice movement while embracing the technology that will shape kids' futures — a challenge public schools are grappling with.

How it works: In Alpha Schools, students spend no more than two hours on core academics, then devote the rest of the day to developing life skills.

• AI models generate personalized learning plans for students, who then learn on third-party apps and Alpha Schools' own programs. Each subject is taught in 25-minute sessions, with short breaks in between.
• Afternoon skills workshops, such as a team bike race or running a lemonade stand, are designed to teach practical skills like financial literacy and public speaking.
• Instead of teachers, the schools employ "guides," who start at $100,000 a year. They don't create lesson plans or lectures. Think of them more like coaches, who work to motivate students.

The other side: Skeptics have questioned the effectiveness of replacing teachers with AI and restricting learning to 25 minutes per subject.

Keep reading about Alpha Schools

💼 See who's hiring around the city.

1. Seasonal HR Resource at UPS.
2. Platinum Admin | Event Sales Admin at Topgolf.
3. Social Media & Events Specialist at Carolina Cat.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

Tap In, a new golf entertainment venue, opens in Lower South End next Thursday, Sept. 4.

Why it matters: It'll cater to everyone — not just golf enthusiasts, says owner Miller Safrit, a longtime ESPN creative producer.

What to expect: The 10,000-square-foot facility will have a social putting green at its center, surrounded by 10 bays.

• Eight golf bays will offer the option to play on PGA courses and some fantasy options. Each bay, which comes with real golf balls, can be personalized for skill level and offers performance tracking technology to access metrics like launch, carry and spin rate.
• The other two VR bays let you play on thousands of virtual courses with a gaming headset.

If you go: Golf bays can be booked by the hour, starting at $49. Pricing will vary based on the time of day and size of the group.

Take a look around

🍕NoDa Brewing Co. is teaming up with The Exchange Pizza Depot to offer pizza, quesadillas and salads at its North End taproom starting tomorrow, with $10 pizzas opening week (Aug. 28–Sept. 3), per a release.

✈️ Frontier Airlines is adding year-round flights at CLT to Fort Lauderdale and Detroit starting in November. (🔐 CBJ)

💰 FEMA has awarded North Carolina an additional $28 million in federal funding for ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene and other disasters, bringing the state's total recovery reimbursements to $124 million for August alone. (WCNC)

🚗 Starting Dec. 1, tinted car windows will no longer be inspected by the state. That same day, the law will start requiring drivers with tinted windows to roll them down when an officer approaches the car. (WFMY)

🥪 New sandwich spot Pump Social opened this week in an old service station in downtown Concord. (Instagram)

Every week, Camp North End hosts Crossroads Cinema, a free outdoor movie series featuring classic flicks and free retro arcade games. This year's fall movie lineup includes:

• Sept. 4: "The Cheetah Girls"
• Sept. 11: "The Notebook"
• Sept. 18: "Monsters Inc."
• Sept. 25: "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"
• Oct. 2: "Halloweentown"
• Oct. 9: "Scooby Doo"
• Oct. 16: "Beetlejuice"
• Oct. 23: "The Addams Family"
• Oct. 30: "Hocus Pocus"

If you go: The event takes place on Thursdays in the back lot of the Ford Building at 300 Camp Road.

• Doors open at 7pm and movies start at 8pm.

Go deeper: Free movies in South End ... Classic horror films at Carolina Theatre

📅 Upcoming events around the city.

• $20 Summer at Nothing New Thurs-Sun: It's the last week of $20 Summer. Buy 2 get 1 free on all $20 items through the end of August - sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts, pants, t-shirts, dresses, skirts, and more. Restocked daily.
• Grand Opening at GreenLife Remedies Concord Sat: GreenLife Remedies Cannabis Dispensary will open its 4th retail location in Concord. Everyone who visits will get a free gift. Plus 30% off from 10am-2pm. 21+.
• Austen's Pride at Knight Theater Sept. 2-7: Austen's Pride presents Pride and Prejudice as never before, blending wit and wisdom with a gorgeous original score that whisks audiences away to an era rich with passion and longing. $34.
• Volunteer Tutors Needed 1 Hour Per Week With Heart Math Tutoring at Various CMS Elementary Schools Oct. 6-April 24: Elementary students need volunteers 1 hr/week to play math games & build confidence. Choose your school, day & time. Heart provides a fun curriculum & onsite coordinator. Small commitment; big impact.
• Ties and Tails Gala Supporting the Humane Society of Charlotte at The Revelry North End Oct. 18: Enjoy a pet-friendly, black-tie-optional evening featuring dinner, auctions, and live music—all to benefit animals and programs at the Humane Society of Charlotte. Ticket sales end Oct. 1. $300.

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

Hosting? Purchase an Event Listing.

The Labrador retriever is the most popular dog breed in Charlotte, according to a new U.S. News & World Report analysis.

• American pit bull terriers and Goldendoodles round out the top three.

Why it matters: Charlotte's for the dogs — our city's got restaurants with dog-friendly patios, dog bars, and soon, a dating app that'll find your match based on dog compatibility.

The fine print: The annual report relies on pet insurance data, so it doesn't account for all dogs in the country.

Between the lines: It's tricky to track mutt popularity.

• The study counted "mixed breed," "pit bull," and labels like "German shepherd mix" as separate categories. The goldendoodle was the only mixed breed to crack the top 10.

Go deeper: Check out the national ranking

Your dog does the business during an evening walk around the neighborhood. You scoop it up and are faced with an age-old question:

• Are dog owners duty-bound to tote their pet's waste home? Or should they feel free to use their neighbors' trash receptacles?

Driving the news: We've learned how people do it in Atlanta and Richmond. It's Charlotte's turn to settle the argument that has tested the seams of our societal fabric.

Tell us your thoughts on this question.

• Hit reply or email us at [email protected] and let us know where you stand on the great doo-doo debate and why.
• Or click here to take a poll.