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INSIDE ▼ Mint Museum displays sneakers PAGE 2A Friday, August 29, 2025 • Vol. 25 • No. 35
thecharlotteweekly.com
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SouthPark After 5 returns to Symphony Park this fall CHARLOTTE – SouthPark After 5 will return six times this fall, starting Sept. 4.
Each event features live music, interactive family-friendly experiences, food trucks and mobile bars. The event is presented by SouthPark Community Partners and produced by Southern Entertainment. “SouthPark After 5 is one of Charlotte’s signature events, delivering on our vision for a vibrant and connected neighborhood,” said Adam Rhew, president and CEO of SouthPark Community Partners. “As we
transform Symphony Park into a premier public green space, events like this illustrate the fun, safe and community-driven experiences that are core to SouthPark’s identity.” The event runs from 5 to 9 p.m. every Thursday from Sept. 4 to Oct. 10 at Symphony Park (Barclay Downs Drive and Carnegie Boulevard, adjacent to SouthPark Mall). Concerts are free to attend. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to sit and picnic on the lawn. The event will host a wide variety of bands including
SouthPark After 5 has attracted nearly 65,000 attendees since it began in 2023. Photos courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
rock, country, soul and tribute bands. The weekly entertainment lineup will include: • Sept. 4: Java Band and free face painting. • Sept. 11: Landslide
Tribute to Fleetwood Mac and free mobile library with Books on the House. • Sept. 18: Coconut Groove Band and free mobile library with Books on the House.
SouthPark After 5 is a free evening entertainment series at Symphony Park.
• Sept. 25: Bourbon Sons and free sunflowers for the first 500 attendees. • Oct. 2: Y2K Kids and free mobile library with Books on the House. • Oct. 9: Petty Rewind and
a free pumpkin patch. The Sept. 18 event will include a special performance by North Carolina Brazilian Arts Project as part of the Charlotte International Arts Festival.
State officials urge people ArchWell Health strives not to drink and drive to get women 60+ screened early
by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – Law enforcement agencies across the state will be increasing patrols and checkpoints from Aug. 25 to Sept. 7 as part of the state’s Booze It & Lose It campaign.
Mark Ezzell, director of the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program, said the Booze It & Lose It campaign is designed to send the message that impaired driving will not be tolerated. “We know that addressing impaired driving isn’t just an enforcement issue but you cannot do it without strong law enforcement involvement,” he said. “These officers play a vital role in maintaining safe environments across North Carolina and preventing future tragedies from happening.” Law enforcement officers will take impaired drivers into Breath Alcohol Testing units known as BATmobiles. “This is essentially a roving magistrate’s office and jail on wheels that allows law enforcement officers to take someone they have stopped and immediately begin the process to have them go through the criminal justice system,” Ezzell said. “We want this campaign to serve as a reminder to all drivers to continue to pay close attention to driving.” The campaign’s goal is to reduce alcohol-related crashes. Ezzell said there were 353 alcohol-related crash fatalities last year in North Carolina. So far this year, there have been 185. These statewide numbers hit home for Charlotte, where local leaders have been working to curb crash injuries and fatalities. Mayor Vi Lyles noted the city has been part of the Vision Zero Network since 2019. She described Vision Zero as a mindset reminding leaders that one traffic death is too many. “It reinforces that everyone has a role to play, whether you’re behind the wheel, on a bike, crossing a street or designing transportation systems,” Lyles said. “As mayor, I believe we should all take this responsibility seriously. I am committed to investing in safer infrastructure, expanding education and awareness, and supporting public safety teams in enforcing laws that keep us all safe.” She called on residents to do their part by driving sober or speaking up when someone else should not get behind the wheel.
Mayor Vi Lyles welcomed members of the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program and its partners to Charlotte on Aug. 20 to explain the campaign and urge motorists not to drive drunk.
Photos by David Flower/City of Charlotte
Law enforcement officers will step up patrols now through Labor Day weekend.
“We don’t accept fatalities as inevitable,” she said. “We believe they are a public health crisis and one we must be able to solve. Let’s move forward together: sober, alert and committed to a safer Charlotte for everyone.” Her call for safer streets was echoed by Tony Lathrop, chair of the N.C. Board of Transportation, who pointed to sobering statewide and local crash data. North Carolina tallied 11,399 alcohol-involved crashes last year, including 944 in Charlotte, according to Lathrop. He added that 38 of the 111 traffic deaths in Charlotte last year were alcohol-related. Lathrop said the N.C. Department of Transportation strives to keep motorists safe. “We're building roads now all over the state with new technology, new designs and management tools that have been proven by research to significantly reduce crashes,” he said. “You also need a strong public outreach effort like those that our agency is working on with partners like the City of Charlotte and AAA.”
Soul Gastrolounge gets reincarnated within NoDa
Fans of Soul Gastrolounge remember the good food, drinks and vibe.
Photo courtesy of Soul Gastrolounge
Tony Lathrop, chair of the N.C. Board of Transportation, asked for a commitment from everyone in the public to be safe on the roads. “It can’t be said enough: don’t speed, avoid distractions, wear seat belts, and of course never drink and drive,” he said.
Tiffany Wright, public affairs director for AAA Auto Club Group, said her company is also committed to safety. “Whether you’re stranded with a flat tire or a dead battery alongside the road, AAA is going to be there,” Wright said. “Last year during the Labor Day holiday alone, we rescued 380,000 motorists nationwide.” Wright also co-chairs the North Carolina Alliance for Safe Transportation. The nonprofit promotes safe driving behaviors across the state. She said the four leading contributors to traffic injuries and fatalities are preventable. Those are impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding and not wearing a seat belt. She said designated drivers, ride shares and AAA can prevent impaired driving. In the Charlotte area, AAA offers a service to pick up drivers if they’ve had too much to drink and tow their vehicle home. “We're your last line of defense because again, there's just no excuse to get behind the wheel impaired,” Wright said. CHARLOTTE – Soul Gastrolounge has reopened to the public almost three years to the date of its closure.
More than twice the size of the original restaurant, the new space at 4100 Raleigh Street spans more than 4,700 square feet in its new home at The Pass, a mixed-use development in NoDa along the light rail. The restaurant can seat up to 221, with a semi-private dining room for more intimate celebrations and an additional 30 seats on the outdoor patio. “Walking into the new Soul should feel like seeing an old friend you haven’t seen in years but instantly pick back up with,” managing partner Andy Kastanas said. “We loved being the place where our guests celebrate milestones big and small, and that legacy matters to us. From the food to the design, every detail was to ensure those memories, Story continues, see SOUL GASTROLOUNGE page 3A
CHARLOTTE – ArchWell Health is encouraging women 60 and older to prioritize and schedule their breast cancer screening early and in advance of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month frenzy.
The healthcare company provides an advanced model of primary care for adults 60 and older. This marks the third year that ArchWell Health has been promoting mammogram screenings through its Pink Letter Project initiative. “Mammograms are essential and honestly, the most easily available protocol for detecting breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages,” said Dr. Judith Ford, chief clinical officer at ArchWell Health. “Distressingly, an astounding one in four women between the ages of 50 and 74 are not up to date with their breast cancer screen - a concerning figure given that breast cancer causes more than 42,000 deaths in women each year in the United States.” Many factors can hinder women from scheduling and receiving their regular mammogram screen. Some of them are as follows: • Lack of awareness and information: Some women may not be fully informed on the importance of regular screenings, the procedure itself or insurance coverage. Lack of knowledge often leads to misconceptions about the importance and effectiveness of screening. • Socioeconomic factors: Concerns about the cost of mammograms, including copayments or deductibles, and even lack of health insurance, especially for women with limited insurance or low incomes, are often top of mind. • Psychological fears: Some women may avoid scheduling and receiving their regular screen because of a fear of receiving an abnormal result or breast cancer diagnosis. They may also fear the actual screen, believing it will be uncomfortable and painful. They may also believe they are too old to go through such pain. • Scheduling constraints: Many women tend to delay scheduling until October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, only to find that screening centers are fully booked, leading to further delays or missed screenings. • Screening access: Inadequate access to healthcare providers, a lack of provider recommendation or endorsement for a screen, difficulties with transportation to screening facilities, and social isolation can limit the desire and ability to schedule and attend screening appointments. • Age misperceptions: Some maturing women may perceive their life expectancy is limited, leading to a lack of motivation or belief in the benefits of continued and regular screening. ArchWell Health’s Pink Letter Project addresses barriers women 60 and older face in their breast cancer screening journey. What this means for members Story continues, see ARCHWELL page 3A