The August 1998 cover of Charlotte magazine remains my favorite.

• It's a time capsule with a woman holding a cordless (!) phone, and an early urbanist ready to bike to work in a four-button suit (!), all under the headline: "Invasion of the 20 Somethings."

Why it matters: It's a reminder that young professionals have dominated Charlotte's attention for years, long before we put a rooftop pool on every apartment for millennials, and even longer before we had cereal bars for Gen Zers like LaMelo Ball.

State of play: The people in that magazine would be circling 50 now, putting them squarely in the middle of Gen X — a generation that helped create the Charlotte we know today, and now are middle-aged and a decade or two away from retirement.

• In this city that bows to youth, we'd like to focus on this often forgotten generation for once.

The ask: We're looking for reader submissions for your most noteworthy Gen Xers who continue to shape Charlotte. They could be business executives, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, restaurant owners, writers or artists.

• The qualification is they have to be between 42-ish and 57-ish — and have somewhat-vivid memories of the "this is your brain on drugs" PSA.
• We'll select from your submissions for a future story.

So yes, this is for the ones who were entering adulthood while our city was sort of doing the same — back when names like Grandmama and Muggsy ran the old Coliseum floor, when the Panthers were cubs.

• The ones who remember when the top floor of the Cajun Queen was a place where college kids gathered for nightlife.
• The ones who shunned "society," who rode Harleys to the Mount Westmore show last month, and whose hearts skip when they hear the line, "Regulators, mount up."
• The ones who see this ad and still think, That was genius.
• The ones who may carry around iPhones today, but still hear the phrase in their heads, "At the tone the time will be..."
• And the ones like a reader named Candy, who emailed Friday morning to voice her rightful frustration that we didn't include the big Def Leppard/Mötley Crüe/Joan Jett/Poison stadium concert in our roundup of shows worth seeking out in June.

Just reply to this email with a Gen Xer's name and one or two sentences about what makes them worth recognizing. Sorry, no fax machine.

If you're on the hunt for a new job, here are 37 to get you started.  

• Cyber Security Engineer at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates. Apply.
• Advancement Assistant at Charlotte Country Day School. Apply.
• Service Manager, The VUE at Northwood Ravin. Apply.
• Lead Technical Production Manager at Blumenthal Performing Arts. Apply.
• Executive Assistant at Northwood Office. Apply.
• Development Manager at Hospitality House of Charlotte. Apply.
• Associate Provost for Academic Budget at UNC Charlotte. Apply.
• Bridal Stylist/Marketing Director at Bluebird Bridal. Apply.
• Social Media Marketing Manager at Indigo Home Team. Apply.
• Lead .NET Developer at ResourceWise. Apply.
• MBA Student Engagement Event Manager at UNC Kenan-Flagler School of Business. Apply.
• Executive Assistant & Project Manager at Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. Apply.
• University Program Specialist- Advanced at UNC Charlotte. Apply.
• Field Service Technician-Construction I at TDS Telecommunications, LLC. Apply.
• Outside Residential Sales Representative at TDS Telecommunications, LLC. Apply.
• Director of Worship, Arts & Liturgy at Warehouse 242, A Church for the City. Apply.
• Field Service Technician-Construction II at TDS Telecommunications, LLC. Apply.
• Talent Acquisition Partner at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates. Apply.
• Maintenance Line Technician I at TDS Telecommunications, LLC. Apply.
• Front Desk Coordinator at Northwood Office. Apply.
• Manager, Audiology at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates. Apply.
• Operations Supervisor - Matthews/Monroe at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates. Apply.
• PT Weekend Bridal Stylist at Savvy Bride Boutique . Apply.
• Accounting Associate at Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. Apply.
• Program Coordinator at Heart Math Tutoring. Apply.
• Development Associate at Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte. Apply.
• Audiovisual Technician at Blumenthal Performing Arts. Apply.
• Service Technician, Village of Commonwealth at Northwood Ravin. Apply.
• Client Coordinator at Integration Station Pediatric Therapy Services. Apply.
• HR Generalist at Girls on the Run International. Apply.
• Client Experience Specialist at In-Flight Crew Connections. Apply.
• Assistant Director of Annual Giving at Davidson College. Apply.
• Social Media Coordinator at UNC Charlotte. Apply.
• Program Manager (Specialized) at Right Moves For Youth. Apply.
• Category Manager - 360 Reviews at U.S. News & World Report. Apply.
• Program Specialist, Part-Time at Right Moves For Youth. Apply.
• Senior Business Analyst, Autos at U.S. News & World Report. Apply.

Want more opportunities? Check out all openings on our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job. 

Social Media Coordinator at UNC Charlotte.

• Company overview: North Carolina's urban research university featuring undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.
• In this role: Assist with social execution, advise on content ideation, support campaign planning, perform research, and collect data and benchmarks.
• Must-have: Bachelor’s degree and 1-2 years of professional experience.

Interested? Apply here.

🚍 CATS will receive $750,000 from the federal American Rescue Plan to expand transit service to low-income neighborhoods. (Federal Transit Administration)

📉 The Panthers' bankruptcy news dealt a blow to small businesses in the Rock Hill area. (WBTV)

🏅 Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan will receive the 2022 World Citizen Award from The World Affairs Council at a dinner in Charlotte on Tuesday. (World Affairs Council)

☹️ Real Genius will lay off about 74 employees in Charlotte. (CBJ 🔒)

One of the west side's more irritating traffic headaches is over, with the recent opening of a roundabout at the intersection of Tuckaseegee, Berryhill and Thrift roads.

Why it matters: For more than a year, drivers have been like mice in a maze trying to navigate construction at this key point where Wesley Heights, Seversville and Enderly Park converge.

• The project, which turned a five-legged intersection with a stoplight into a free-flowing roundabout, also involved installation of storm drainage, crosswalks and sidewalks.
• At times during construction, four of the five roads were closed at the intersection.

Meanwhile, the owners of Lulu's Maryland Style Chicken and Seafood say they lost countless customers during the process.

• "We've been in the parking lot and watched the same car go to barricade to barricade to barricade and not ever show up," Miketa Davis, who co-owns Lulu's with her husband Jay, told me earlier this spring.

What's next: An approximately 19-foot tall sculpture from artist Douwe Blumberg will be installed in the middle of the roundabout this fall.

Full story: The Tuckaseegee-Berryhill-Thrift roundabout is finally open

A few quick insights about JR III Racing, a local racing competitor and trackside support provider, from owner William Glavin:

• Take note: They lean on Fisher, P.A., a Charlotte-based accounting firm, to power their business. Explore their services. 

What is your business’ biggest financial challenge? 

• Cash flow. There are a lot of expenses when preparing for a big race, and managing those and payroll while waiting for invoices can get stressful. 

What type of start up costs did you experience?

• The Motorsports industry requires significant capital investments just to get operational. And every time we grow into new classes of racing, we need another round of capital investments so we can perform at the highest level. 

Biggest financial curveball early on or with time?

When COVID started, racing came to a halt. Fortunately, we were able to secure a PPP loan which allowed us to keep all of our employees so we were ready when racing resumed.