Good morning, this is Charlotte Local Pulse for Thursday, June twenty sixth. We’re waking up to the latest developments shaping our city. Let’s start with breaking news. Charlotte’s legal landscape is buzzing as a federal judge has ordered twelve NASCAR teams based right here in town to turn over eleven years of top-line financial data as part of an ongoing dispute over charter agreements. This case could have ripple effects throughout the local sports business community, as racing remains one of our city’s proudest economic engines.

Turning to crime and public safety, we had a tragic development out of east Charlotte. Police are investigating after a man was shot and killed on Tuesday night. The incident happened along Central Avenue, and as of this morning, officers have not released a suspect’s name or made an arrest. Our thoughts are with the family affected, and we’ll keep you posted as more details come in. Meanwhile, detectives are also working a homicide investigation in the Steele Creek area, continuing efforts to curb violent crime in our neighborhoods.

On the weather front, we’re seeing cloudy skies early, with a good chance of storms rolling through later in the afternoon. If you’re headed out, especially around Uptown or South End, pack an umbrella and watch for brief downpours. Temperatures will hang in the mid-eighties, and the rain should clear out by late evening, making way for a drier Friday.

Let’s shift to some good news on the business beat. There’s a buzz on Tryon Street, where several new restaurants are opening doors after months of delays. They’re bringing a boost to the uptown dining scene and creating over fifty new hospitality jobs this summer. On the jobs front overall, Charlotte’s unemployment rate is holding steady just below four percent, with healthcare and tech sectors leading growth.

In real estate, the median home price in Charlotte now stands around four hundred fifteen thousand dollars. The market is seeing steady demand—buyers are still moving quickly on homes, especially near Plaza Midwood and Myers Park. For renters, rates are holding, but some new apartment complexes are starting to offer move-in specials in the Ballantyne area.

Over at city hall, council members are finalizing updates to the city’s public transit expansion plan. The latest tweaks could mean faster improvements for the Gold Line streetcar and additional bike lanes along Elizabeth Avenue—watch for those changes to begin rolling out this fall.

We can’t overlook the community spirit that makes Charlotte special. Over the weekend, hundreds gathered at Romare Bearden Park for a summer music celebration, featuring local jazz and food trucks, an event that brought together families and neighbors from across the city.

If you’re looking for weekend plans, the Charlotte Symphony is performing an outdoor concert at Freedom Park this Saturday night, and the South End Art Crawl returns with new galleries opening their doors. In schools, congratulations are in order for Ardrey Kell High School’s robotics team, which just clinched a regional robotics championship.

This has been Charlotte Local Pulse. We’ll see you tomorrow with more local updates.

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