For the second weekend in a row, there's been a seismic, historic shift in the 2024 presidential race.

If you went off the grid (way off): President Biden announced Sunday that he is stepping aside as the presumptive Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential contest. Minutes later he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the new nominee, thrusting the party into territory it hasn't seen since the 1960s, with less than a month until its convention.

Why it matters: You'll see a different Democratic presidential candidate atop your ballot come November. It seems likely to be Harris at this point, but nothing is set until the convention, which begins August 19.

• North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who is term-limited after this year, is on most short lists speculating who will be Harris's running mate.

The big picture: Democrats have high hopes of regaining ground in swing states like ours, and Cooper could help, as evidenced by his track record in recent years.

• Cooper won North Carolina in 2016 and 2020, years that President Trump also carried the state. And for years, he was the only person standing between the Republican-controlled General Assembly and many bills becoming law — including abortion legislation, a top issue for Democrats this campaign.

What's next: Cooper is scheduled to appear on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" this morning, which starts at 6am.

Keep reading

Devil's Logic Brewing and Frothy Beard Brewing are closing in Charlotte Friday and Sunday, respectively.

Why it matters: The number of recent closures signal Charlotte may have hit its craft beer ceiling.

Flashback: Early in the year, we saw several breweries shutter, like Blue Blaze, Weathered Souls and Midnight Mulligan.

Zoom in: Frothy Beard has been open for less than a year in its South End spot, previously occupied by Bhramari Brewing Co., The Salty Parrot Brewery before that and Sunstead Brewing before that.

Books on the House is a nonprofit book collective making reading accessible to people in the Charlotte area.

Why it matters: "If you want to succeed, you read," executive director Kat Varner tells Axios.

Context: Varner co-founded Books on the House with her former mentee, Jesse Brown, in 2023. With a shared value for reading and sustainability, the two came up with the idea of a free bookmobile full of recycled books.

By the numbers: From March 2023-2024, the nonprofit has distributed 25,443 books, impacting 22,263 individuals across the community.

How it works

Former President Trump is holding a campaign rally in Charlotte on Wednesday at Bojangles Coliseum. (Instagram)

🚗 Charlotte Douglas International Airport now requires Express Deck Preferred parking to be booked online at parkCLT.com or via the airport's app. (X)

🐺 N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson will step down at the end of the 2024-25 school year after nearly 15 years at the helm. (Axios)

💉 North Carolina's Medicaid program will cover FDA-approved obesity management medications beginning August 1. (News & Observer 🔒)

🗣️ Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed a room of some 900 Democrats in Raleigh Saturday night. Notably absent from her speech was any mention of President Biden. (ABC News)

• After Biden's announcement to exit the race the following day, she posted to X that "President Joe Biden is a patriotic American who has always put our country first."

💼 See who's hiring around the city.

1. Lead Senior Internal Auditor at Lowe's Companies, Inc.
2. Accounts Payable Specialist at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting.
3. Senior Analyst, Finance at Grubb Properties.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

Ferris Bueller once said, "The question isn't 'what are we going to do,' the question is 'what aren't we going to do?'"

• It'll be hard to choose with everything going on this week, including:

🌹 Tonight: Watch the newest episode of "The Bachelorette" at Streetcar and get half-off martinis and wine. | 8pm | Free | Details

🤘 Tomorrow: Sing with Third Eye Blind and Yellowcard at PNC Music Pavilion. | 6:30pm | $21 | Details

🪴 Wednesday: Paint a planter at Monarch Market with Front Paige Media. | 7-9pm | $35 (all supplies included) | Details

🎄 Thursday: Wear your best Hawaiian shirt and sip cozy cocktails at Great Wagon Road Distilling's "Christmas in July" speakeasy. | 7-11pm | Details

🎥 Friday: Watch an outdoor screening of the comedy "Cool Runnings" at Seoul Food Mill District. | 7:30pm | Free | Details

20 things happening in Charlotte this week

News you can use from our partners.

• 🥘 What's for dinner tonight? Compare Foods has hundreds of free recipes to inspire and entice, from verde chicken enchiladas to tuna croquettes to rasta pasta. Dive in and start salivating.

Chefs across Charlotte are inspired by creamy mayo and ripe tomatoes during Duke's Mayo's Hot Tomato Summer.

Why it matters: Back for the fourth year, the event celebrates summer's best food combo: Duke's Mayo and tomatoes.

State of play: The event runs through Sunday in six Southern cities, including Raleigh and Richmond, the home of Duke's Mayo.

Zoom in: More than 40 Charlotte restaurants are participating this year by serving up specials, per the website, like:

• Moo & Brew's "Hot Tomato Burger," combining mayonnaise and ripe tomato slices with a pimento cheese smothering, aged cheddar and crispy, thick-cut bacon.
• Merchant and Trade crab cake sliders made with mayo, mustard aioli, heirloom tomato and bacon jam, and arugula salad.
• "Grannie's Secret Chocolate Cake" at The Teal Turnip, and you can probably guess the secret ingredient.

How it works: Show up, order, and eat.

• And don't forget to vote for your favorite local dish for the Golden Tomato Award.