After three long years of preparation, the Innovation Barn is looking at a summer opening in the Belmont neighborhood.

• Why it matters: The 36,000-square-foot former horse barn is designed to be the region's new centerpiece of sustainability and proving grounds for a circular economy.

What to expect: The city-funded project, managed by the nonprofit Envision Charlotte, will include:

• A composting lab that employs soldier flies to decompose food waste.
• An aquaponic garden that will work with 100 Gardens to supply greens for local schools.
• A teaching kitchen with classes on how to limit food waste and canning vegetables 101.
• A plastics lab where something like a takeout container can be turned into filament, which can be used in a 3-D printer to create new products.

The big picture: North Carolina is in the middle of the pack among states with an overall recycling rate of 44%, according to a recent Eunomia report.

• But our plastics rate is just dismal: 8%.

What's next: The barn's first big project will be a partnership with Coca-Cola Consolidated to collect and recycle all of the plastic bottles from the Coca-Cola 600 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Full story: 'Recycling is so broken.' Could Charlotte's Innovation Barn help mend it?

Headlines seem familiar?

These are two stories driving the Charlotte news today, on May 13, 2021:

• Black faith leaders are demanding that CMS "stop failing our kids" — and the county manager is threatening to withhold $56 million from the system if it doesn't come up with a plan to fix racial achievement gaps by 2024.
• The gas crunch.

Why it matters: Maybe we're the cicadas.

CATS is offering free rides throughout the city during the temporary shortage.

Why it matters: @gasbuddyguy reported nearly 3/4ths of all gas stations in the Charlotte metro area were out of gas yesterday.

• Gov. Roy Cooper said the outages were largely because of panic buying, and "please don't buy gas unless you're low."

My thought bubble: If unfounded worries lead to panic buying, which lead to founded worries, were the worries founded all along?

• I don't know, but the bus is free.

Follow the Gas Buddy tracker to see where gas is available.

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• Backroom supervisor at Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region.
• Sales associate at Woo Skincare and Cosmetics.

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The FDA and CDC issued an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, and local health care providers say they should be able to offer it to eligible kids as early as today, Axios' Paige Hopkins reports.

What to expect: The two-shot Pfizer vaccine will be the same as the one offered to adults. During trials, kids who took the Pfizer vaccine experienced similar symptoms.

By the numbers: Axios/Ipsos data show that parents are split nearly 50-50 on whether they will allow their children to get vaccinated as soon as possible, Axios’ Marisa Fernandez writes.

• Atrium Health pediatrician Lyn Nuse says she understands parents have concerns, but the benefits of taking the vaccine for children outweigh the risks.

Full story: Where and when to get your 12- to 15-year-old vaccinated, plus advice from a pediatrician

Humble cottage in the front, party in the back.

If you see this Wilmore home, you won't soon forget it, Axios' Brianna Crane writes.

• Address: 1825 Merriman Ave.
• Space: 2,481 square feet, with four beds and two baths.

Full story: $750K “mullet house” for sale in Wilmore

The Elizabeth neighborhood has its own pumpkin wall and 8K run. It has fourplexes next to mansions next to soon-to-be-teardowns. You could spend a week there and not eat everything and never tire of the sound of the wind through the trees.

Here's a short itinerary, pulled from Axios' Symphony Webber's guide to the neighborhood:

• Coffee at Earl's Grocery.
• Browse comics at Heroes Aren't Hard to Find.
• Cocktail at The Crunkleton.
• Dine at The Stanley or The Fig Tree or Cajun Queen.
• Cap it off with tiramisu from Villani's.

My thought bubble: If I may add one of my own, start with lunch at Sandwich Max.

• And stand at the corner of 7th and Pecan and look up at that big new apartment complex under construction, and pour one out for the Philosopher's Stone. Miss you, P-Stone.

Full story: 18 things to do, eat and drink in Elizabeth — from $1 tacos to Cajun Queen's beignets

Trying to up your healthy food game while exploring local spots? OrthoCarolina helped us round up a few of our favorite places around town for a healthy (and tasty) bite. Check it out on our Instagram.

The pros at OrthoCarolina know that a high quality diet filled with fruits and veggies is 🔑 to staying healthy. Check out their blog for more wellness tips.

Good news for a city low on gas: There's stuff to do here this weekend.

🍷 South End Wine & Hops Festival. Saturday and Sunday, 1-6pm. Details and tickets.

🌎 Science on Screen: War Games at Discovery Place. Saturday, 5:15pm. Details.

🐶 Pamper Your Pet Pop-Up at Skiptown. Sunday, noon-5pm. Details.

Full story: 21 things to do this weekend, including a roller skating pop-up and a drive-in concert.

• N.C. Congressman Madison Cawthorn taunted Liz Cheney after her removal from a House GOP leadership position, tweeting "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye Liz Cheney." (Asheville Citizen-Times)
• CMS approved a new elementary school for Mint Hill. It'll cost $24.5 million and is scheduled to open in 2022. (WFAE)
• Regal will reopen three more movie theaters around Charlotte this Friday: Phillips Place in Charlotte, Franklin Square in Gastonia and Manchester in Rock Hill. (Regal)
• In a sign of the hiring times, Mac's Speed Shop is offering paycheck bonuses, signing bonuses and health insurance for those who work more than 25 hours a week. (Mac's)

🌀 News you can use from our super cool, very important Axios Charlotte partners.

• Ballantyne's first high-rise apartment building is now pre-leasing. 🎉 Towerview Ballantyne, a Northwood Ravin community, has gorgeous 1-3 bedroom units and next-level amenities like a rooftop lounge and resort-style pool. 

Waiting for the line to die down is an important piece of my brand, so yesterday I scooted around a few overwhelmed gas stations and finally got one of those Popeyes spicy chicken sandwiches.

• Why it matters: Holy moly! Have you guys heard about these? They're amazing.