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INSIDE ▼ Melt n Dip opening in Arboretum PAGE 2A Friday, June 13, 2025 • Vol. 25 • No. 24
thecharlotteweekly.com
@southcltweekly
Charlotte leaders happy about no property tax rate increase by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – City Manager Marcus Jones’s recommended $3.6 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year won over every member of the city council as they unanimously approved a budget with no property tax rate increase.
Dimple Ajmera, who chairs the council’s finance committee, said the budget reflects members’ priorities, including housing, public safety, infrastructure and economic development. “What I really like about this year's budget is our intentional
focus on our youth, especially investing in our youth, supporting our youth,” Ajmera said, alluding to the establishment of the Office of Youth Opportunities to promote economic opportunity and positive youth development for ages 13 to 24. “As we know, time is so critical as federal dollars have dried up for some of the organizations, especially grassroots organizations that do get funding from the city. This also invests in our workforce to recruit and retain the best talent that we have and obviously Mr. Jones has kept up with our legacy of having affordable cost service. No property tax increase, lowest tax rate among our peers in the entire state.”
James Mitchell, an at-large council member, also credited Jones and his team for their work on the budget.
A budget is really the guidance of what you believe and what you want to accomplish.” – Mayor Vi Lyles, mentioning opportunities for housing and young people as well as engagement with city partners “There are so many needs in our community and to balance those needs without a property tax increase is a statement that we
understand that these are tough times for our citizens but at the same time we got to continue to provide public services to make sure your quality of life improves,” Mitchell said. A balanced budget without a tax increase won over Reneé Perkins Johnson and Ed Driggs, two of the three remaining members of council that voted against last year’s budget. “I’ve worked with finance professionals in big cities for a long time and they don’t know anything you don’t know,” Driggs told staff. “Well done.” Driggs, who represents the Ballantyne area, did caution colleagues
Bucket list project encourages families to give back
that they have some challenges ahead. Mayor Pro Tem Danté Anderson picked up on Driggs’ remarks. “We are in a cycle where we're in an inflationary process here and we're not sure where that will be this time next year,” Anderson said. “But we will at a certain point – unless the city manager has some more rabbits in the hat to pull out – eventually we will have to raise taxes. Just the inflationary environment that we've been living in over the last several years will necessitate some type of increase of funding but to be able to stave that off for another fiscal year is really important.”
Native training to become aviation rescue swimmer By Alvin Plexico Contributor
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Keira Makkar is assigned to the Navy’s Aviation Rescue Swimmer School, where the next generation of aviation rescue swimmers are taught to execute life-or-death rescues in the most extreme conditions.
Michael, Arturo Jr. and Jazzive Vizcarra pick up litter July 8, 2024, at a Charlotte park as part of their JustServe Summer Bucket List.
Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints By Kristen Anderson Contributor
Come together, serve together and strengthen your community. That is at the heart of the sixth annual JustServe Summer of Service Bucket List, an initiative that invites families, friends and neighbors to make meaningful service a part of their summer plans. Originally launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to bring hope and connection through service, the Summer Bucket List continues to inspire participants across the Carolinas to turn compassion into action. Getting involved is easy. Families or friend groups complete three service projects listed on JustServe.org and three other
fun activities of their choice, like baking cookies, going on a hike or playing a board game together. After submitting photos of their group completing each bucket list activity, their team will receive a bucket of summer fun and be entered into a drawing for free JustServe T-shirts. “Participating in the JustServe Summer Bucket List last year helped me and my brothers feel more connected to our community and gave us meaningful ways to serve with purpose,” said Jazzive Vizcarra, a 2024 Summer Bucket List participant. “Serving together made our summer unforgettable. I think everyone should experience that joy.” JustServe.org is a community-focused platform that connects volunteers with local service opportunities. The site is free for both
the organizations posting their needs and the individuals, families or groups looking for ways to give back, thanks to its sponsor, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Whether it’s sorting food at a pantry, organizing a hygiene drive for a shelter or writing letters of encouragement to servicemembers, there’s something for everyone, regardless of age, schedule or experience. JustServe.org features both in-person and remote “serve from home” projects. As community needs grow, many nonprofit organizations face shortages in both supplies and volunteers. At the same time, people are craving more connection and purpose, especially in the face of rising division and hostility. “We live in a world that needs
more kindness, more unity and more people looking out for one another,” said Bryan Jenkins, a local leader with the Church of Jesus Christ in Charlotte. “When we serve together, we build bridges, soften hearts and feel an increased sense of peace as we follow the second great commandment to love our neighbor.” The JustServe Summer of Service Bucket List initiative runs now through July 15. For details and printable instructions, visit JustServe.org and click the “JustServe Carolinas Summer of Service” banner on the homepage. Kristen Anderson serves as communication director of Charlotte and Western NC, Northwestern SC, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
College celebrates law enforcement grads MONROE – South Piedmont Community College has graduated a new class of law enforcement officers, who are now protecting and serving seven different agencies.
BLET Class 50 graduated June 5 during a ceremony at the college’s Monroe campus. BLET provides future law enforcement officers with essential knowledge and skills they will need to begin their careers. The program spans 16 weeks and uses state-mandated topics and methods of instruction. All members of the graduating class have already been hired by local law enforcement agencies. “This graduation marked an important milestone in the history of South Piedmont’s Basic Law Enforcement Training program,” said Mike Smith, director of law
South Piedmont Community College recognizes Basic Law Enforcement Training graduates June 5 at its Monroe campus. Photo courtesy of South Piedmont
enforcement training. “With Class 50, we are celebrating our ‘golden anniversary’ of producing highly trained law enforcement professionals who are making a difference
in our communities every day. We are proud and thankful for the opportunity to play a role in local law enforcement education, and to every South Piedmont BLET alum,
thank you for all you do.” Members of BLET Class 50 and their agencies include: • Gastonia Police Department: Julian Fernandez. • Matthews Police Department: Mason Pernay Gore and Thomas Edward Hett. • Monroe Police Department: Trevor Christopher Munn, Milena Rose Raines, David Ramos-Pastor, Niklas Allan Tarczynski and Jared Jeff Stevenson. • Pineville Police Department: Andrew Ryan Ferrer, Nicole Marie Master and Ramon Antonio Salas. • Stallings Police Department: Ryan Jake Goldstein and Jacob Altman Grimes. • Union County Sheriff ’s Office: Connor Patrick D’Apice, Paul Henry Garcia, Maxwell Bernhardt Green, Anthony John Keating and Cayden Martin Osuch.
Makkar, a 2023 graduate of Myers Park High School, joined the Navy six months ago. She serves as a student rescue swimmer. “I joined the Navy looking for other opportunities,” Makkar said. “I was looking for a positive change that would challenge me and set me up for a better future.” The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Charlotte. “Growing up, I learned to always speak the truth because others can be going through their own challenges,” Makkar said. “Sometimes you have to be the bigger person and do the right thing, supporting the people around you.” Aviation Rescue Swimmer School provides initial aviation water survival training and CPR qualification at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Aviation rescue swimmers are a team dedicated to being the top emergency response unit in the world. Leaping from helicopters, swimming through raging seas and saving victims whose lives are on the line, aviation rescue swimmers complete search and rescue missions in some of the most extreme environments imaginable. Their motto is “so others may live.” The Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year. With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize the prosperity of the U.S. is linked to recruiting and retaining talented people across America. “Serving in the Navy gives me the opportunity to defend others while doing the best job possible,” Makkar said. “Others have made sacrifices to provide the lives that we have today, so now it’s my turn to serve others.” Makkar is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible. “I want to thank my family for all the help they provided,” Makkar added. “They taught me lessons that make all this possible.” Alvin Plexico serves in the Navy Office of Community Outreach.