Plus, it's strawberry season.
 
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69º | 10% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:54 a.m. | Sunset 7:54 p.m.
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🚲 New bike lanes coming soon
Two street lanes in the foreground with the Charlotte skyline and trains in the background on a gray, drizzly day.
Matheson Avenue is known for its view to Charlotte’s skyline and easy access to NoDa. | Photo by CLTtoday
Cruising down Tryon Street to NoDa, you’ve likely crossed Matheson Avenue en route to Mattie’s Diner. Matheson is currently a four-lane road with little-to-no sidewalks — leaving cyclists vulnerable to passing cars. The street offers a great view of the city and rail lines, but safety was always a concern. That’s about to change.

Charlotte city leaders approved nearly $13 million to transform the road into two lanes, between North Tryon Street + Jordan Place. The 0.6 mile project will incorporate bicycle and pedestrian paths along the north and south sides of the street. A three-foot-wide curb will also be added, separating the bicycle track from the road.

A rendering of a cross-section of the Matheson Avenue bridge, showing pedestrians and bicyclists on either side of the two-lane road.

The redevelopment of Matheson Avenue would be from N. Tryon St. to Jordan Pl.

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Rendering via City of Charlotte

The Matheson Avenue Street Conversion is part of the city’s bicycle program for safer streets, creating redesigned roadways and connections across the city. People living nearby told WCNC Charlotte the area is difficult for pedestrians and change has been needed for years.

The revamped road will make cycling and walking safer while also creating a stronger link between N. Tryon St. + the Lynx Blue Line, the Cross Charlotte Trail, and NoDa.

“I’ve gotten lots of letters of support for this from the NoDa Business Association and other residents,” says Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Dante Anderson. “This will really give a facelift to the Matheson bridge in a way that has been much needed over the years.”

A rendering showing the existing lanes of Matheson Avenue on the left and a possible design of the changed traffic flow on the right.

The proposed changes to Matheson Avenue will reduce car traffic from four lanes to two lanes and create space for bike lanes.

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Rendering provided by City of Charlotte

This redevelopment is one of two projects in the pipeline to create a safer, bike-friendly area of the city. Matheson Avenue’s restructuring will eventually expand to The Plaza, further down the street from Jordan Place. That project is in the design phase.

Construction is expected to start in the summer or fall of 2024.
Asked

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Events
Friday, April 12
  • Belmont Pollinator Garden Beautification Day | Friday, April 12 | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Belmont Center, 700 Parkwood Ave., Charlotte | Free | Spend the morning planting native flowers for the city’s pollinators.
  • Gilberto Santa Rosa | Friday, April 12 | 8 p.m. | Belk Theatre, 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte | $39.50 | Get moving as the “Gentleman of Salsa” brings his chart-topping hits to the Queen City.
  • Charlotte Symphony: Great Ladies of Swing | Friday, April 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, 420 S. Tryon St., Charlotte | $0-$22 | Superstar vocalist Dee Daniels will dazzle with hits by swing legends Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, and Sarah Vaughan.
Saturday, April 13
  • South End Farmer’s Market | Saturday, April 13 | 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | South End Farmers Market at Atherton, Charlotte | Free | Stroll through vendor stalls while sampling new juices, vegetables, and crafts.
  • Paws in the Park | Saturday, April 13 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Pineville Lake Park, 1000 Johnston Dr., Pineville | Free | Bring your pups, meet dogs in need of homes + help raise funds for local animal shelters and rescues.
  • Piano In The City: Rooftop Day-Party @ The Royal Tot | Saturday, April 13 | 3-8 p.m. | The Royal Tot, 933 Louise Ave. #Ste. 350, Charlotte | $8-$10 | Take in the skyline views while dancing to DJs performing on the rooftop bar.
  • Charlotte FC vs. Toronto FC | Saturday, April 13 | 7:30 p.m. | Bank of America Stadium, 800 S. Mint St., Charlotte | $25-$140 | Rock your blue and purple as Charlotte FC faces off against Toronto under the city lights.
Sunday, April 14
  • Carolina Tiny House Festival | Sunday, April 14 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Pkwy. S., Concord | $20-$40 | Hear from speakers and vendors about the movement to “go tiny” navigating the housing market.
  • Charlotte StrEATs Festival | Sunday, April 14 | 12-5 p.m. | Gateway Village, 900 W. Trade St., Charlotte | Free | Shop local artisans and watch local chefs go head-to-head in neighborhood cook-offs, emceed by celebrity Food Network chef, Aarón Sánchez.
  • SHOUT! Pop-Up Market | Sunday, April 14 | One South Alleyway, 101 S. Tryon St., Charlotte | Cost of purchase | Enjoy the final moments of Charlotte SHOUT! by supporting local artists in this pop-up space.
Monday, April 15
  • Bright Blessings Golf Classic | Monday, April 15 | 10 a.m. | Pine Lake Country Club, 5504 Lebanon Rd., Mint Hill | $175 | Play on the green and support Bright Blessings’ programs to help children experiencing homelessness across the Queen City.
  • Queen Charlotte Fair | Monday, April 15 | 4-11 p.m. | Route 29 Pavilion, 5650 Sandusky Blvd., Concord | $6-$12 | Enjoy a whirlwind of classic fair rides, food, and amusements + children under 6 get in free.
  • SkillPop: Candle Making Basics | Monday, April 15 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Hex Coffee, Kitchen & Natural Wines, Charlotte | $40 | Mix your favorite scents while enjoying a glass of wine during this class for all skill levels.
Friday, May 10
  • Artisphere presented by TD Bank | Fri., May. 10 - Sun., May. 12 | 12-8 p.m. | Main Street, Greenville, SC | Free | Mark your calendars: Artisphere presented by TD Bank is back for its 20th year in downtown Greenville, May 10-12. Enjoy crafts, delicious food, live painting, street performers, and more.*
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board
 
Edu

City

Open doors with USC’s Continuing Education programs
Presented by a CLTtoday Partner
Two women are pictured chatting at the University of South Carolina campus.
The University of South Carolina’s professional education and certificate programs are taught by practicing professionals, selected for their industry expertise and exceptional teaching abilities. | Photo provided by University of South Carolina
Did you know? Getting a professional certificate and putting it on your resume can significantly improve your chances of landing a job — and even lead to a salary boost, according to Forbes.

Whether you’re just starting out in your career or simply looking for a change of scenery, the University of South Carolina has a wide range of professional education and certificate programs designed to boost your competitiveness in today’s job market. These cover areas such as:
  • Supply chain management
  • Grant writing
  • Lean Six Sigma Green and Black Belt (think: problem-solving and data-based decision-making)
  • Paralegal studies
  • Project management
  • Human resource management
Students can attend programs (in-person or online) during the day, in the evenings, or on weekends, according to their own schedule + preferences.
See the full course list + register
News Notes
Community
  • The City of Concord wants to be more walkable. Leaders want public input on how to revamp the corridor connecting Concord Mills and Charlotte Motor Speedway in hopes to reduce traffic. (WCNC)
Edu
  • Teachers with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools may soon see higher pay. Superintendent Crystal Hill wants to use $14 million of the 2025 budget to raise the salaries of teachers who’ve worked in North Carolina for over 25 years. A public hearing is set for Tuesday, April 23. (WCNC)
Civic
  • York County reopened the ability to run for sheriff. The change comes after Sheriff Kevin Tolson took his name off the ballot. The extended filing is open now and ends Thursday, April 17. (WSOC)
Ranked
  • Rock Hill is among the 50 Best Places to Live in the US. The city is known for housing people working in Charlotte but want lower mortgage or rent prices. It’s the only South Carolina city to make the list. Brevard and Durham, NC also made the list. (Money)
Concert
  • Walk this way. Legendary rock band Aerosmith announced their rescheduled tour date in Charlotte. The band postponed their Oct. 17, 2023 show after lead singer, Steven Tyler, injured his larynx. The group will now perform at the Spectrum Center on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (WSOC)
Travel
  • Frontier Airlines is adding more flights out of Charlotte. Starting the week of May 16, people can fly directly to Cincinnati. The new flight comes as service begins to newly-added destinations like New York LaGuardia, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Buffalo, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. (WCNC)
Health
Cause
  • The Charlotte Hornets Foundation awarded its $100,000 Education Grant to the John Crosland School. The school is the city’s only one solely for children with learning differences. The money was used to build a STEAM Lab, equipped with computers, 3D printers, microscopes, and more. (WCCB)
Charlottean
  • A 93-year-old Lincoln County man is attending the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia for the very first time. Robert Velligan became invested in the annual golf championship as early as the 1940s. The tournament runs through Sunday, April 14. (WBTV)
Sports
  • Two weeks until the 2024 NFL Draft. Should Charlotte take a late-round pick for the backfield? Stay up to date on the Carolina Panthers with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
 
Outdoors

🍓 Pick your favorite

It’s a berry good time to go strawberry picking
A bucket of freshly picked strawberries from Bush-n-Vine, a u-pick farm in the Olde English District.
The Olde English District (Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Union, and York counties) has plenty of farms to explore — perfect for a springtime day trip. | Photo by Visit York County
There’s something satisfying about picking your own strawberries and now is the time to do it. Late April through June is prime time for strawberry picking in the Carolinas, according to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Here are three places around Charlotte to fill those buckets. Pro tip: not all farms open at the same time so double check their social media pages.

Bush N Vine Farm, 1650 Filbert Hwy., York
  • Saturdays only, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Strawberries available at $3.75/lb.
Carrigan Farms, 1261 Oakridge Farm Hwy., Mooresville
  • Strawberries not available yet but the farm posts updates on social media.
Cody Strawberry Farm, 44052 Paul’s Crossing Rd., Richfield
  • Tuesday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
  • Sunday, 1-6 p.m.
  • $19 pre-picked gallon container
  • $16 you-pick gallon container
  • Cash or check only
Three more options
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6AM City In-house
 
The Wrap
 
Headshot of CLTtoday author Maria Delgado

Today’s edition by:
Maria
From the editor
The news about Aerosmith coming to Charlotte fills me with Sweet Emotion. Maybe I can save my pennies and attend the farewell tour. Fingers crossed!
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