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INSIDE ▼ CATS plans fare system changes PAGE 2A Friday, January 23, 2026 • Vol. 26 • No. 3
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Wegmans begins hiring for Ballantyne location CHARLOTTE – Wegmans Food Markets is hiring and training full-time employees for its first store in the Charlotte region.
Wegmans Ballantyne is scheduled to open in fall 2026 at 11550 North Community House Road. The location will employ about 450 people. The majority of employees will be new to the company and hired locally. Full-time job applicants are invited to apply online at jobs.wegmans.com or call 980467-7333 for more information. Interviews are conducted by appointment only and applications are not accepted at the store construction site. Available full-time positions include
everything from entry-level management to customer service positions in bakery, produce, overnight grocery and culinary roles such as chefs and line cooks. Candidates who accept a position will begin paid training immediately at a Wegmans stores in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Hiring for part-time positions will begin at a later date. “We’re looking to hire friendly people who are passionate about food and ready to grow their career with us,” said Store Manager Patrick McGuinness, who began his Wegmans career 26 years ago at the Erie, Pennsylvania store. “We onboard new employees quickly
and provide them with comprehensive training in customer service and product knowledge, qualities that distinguish our stores from competition.” Wegmans offers competitive pay and benefits packages, premium pay on Sundays and holidays, flexible scheduling and tuition assistance through the company’s employee scholarship program for both full- and parttime employees. The company promotes from within and has announced future plans for additional stores in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Wegmans operates 114 stores along the East Coast.
courtesy of Wegmans
Stein holds teacher roundtable at East Mecklenburg High
Gov. Josh Stein met with educators Jan. 13 at East Mecklenburg High School. Photos courtesy of Office of Josh Stein
CHARLOTTE – Gov. Josh Stein visited East Mecklenburg High School on Jan. 13 to hear from teachers about the impact of cell phone-free classroom environments.
Last summer, Stein signed into law a bill that established cell phone-free classrooms. The law took effect on Jan. 1, as North Carolina joined 32 other states restricting cell phones in classrooms. “Cell phone-free classrooms enable students to focus on social studies instead of social media and strengthen relationships with their peers,” Stein said. “The teachers I met today are doing their all for their students, making every effort to set them up for success.” In December, the Governor’s Advisory Council for Student Safety and Well-Being released its annual report and accompanying video report highlighting the positive impact of limiting wireless communication devices, including cell phones, during instructional time.
“When classrooms are free from cell phone distractions, students can fully immerse themselves in learning,” said Crystal Hill, superintendent for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “It gives them the chance to focus on ideas, connect with peers and engage in meaningful discussions, which helps them build confidence and curiosity – important skills that will serve them well beyond school walls.” During the visit, Stein toured East Mecklenburg’s automotive and culinary education programs, offered in partnership with Central Piedmont Community College. The previous week, Stein announced North Carolina was ranked the Top State for Workforce Development for 2026 by Site Selection Magazine. North Carolina was chosen due to its strong public schools, community colleges, universities and innovative workforce development programs. Stein urged the General Assembly to pass a state budget that invests in North Carolina’s
Gov. Josh Stein toured East Mecklenburg’s automotive and culinary education programs.
teachers and public schools. His proposed 2025-2027 budget includes raising starting teacher salaries to the highest in the Southeast by increasing their average pay by 10.6% and reinstating master’s degree pay. It also invests in more school nurses, counselors and social workers and provides free breakfast in public schools.
Swinerton begins construction of Pineville medical office PINEVILLE – Swinerton Builders recently broke ground on a $5.5 million medical office building in Pineville.
The 8,000-square-foot building will be home to Charlotte-based Metrolina Dermatology, an expanding practice providing medical, surgical and aesthetic care throughout the Carolinas. Construction is expected to be completed early spring 2026. “Swinerton is known for delivering quality healthcare environments on-time and within budget,” said Carly Morris, project executive and healthcare market lead of Swinerton’s Carolinas Division. “Some of our most rewarding projects are those that positively impact the health and well-being of our neighboring communities – particularly high-growth markets, such as Pineville, with Story continues, see CONSTRUCTION page 3A
Wegmans Ballantyne, a 110,000-square-foot supermarket, will open in the fall. This drone image shows the location on Jan. 8. Photo
Swinerton Builders recently started work on an expansion of Metrolina Dermatology in Pineville. LJB Engineering serves as the structural engineer. Kimley-Horn provides civil engineering services.
Photo courtesy of Swinerton Builders
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Sustain Charlotte calls on city to bring back red-light cameras CHARLOTTE – Following the death of 25-year-old Lance Sotelo, who was killed when a driver ran a red light on The Plaza, Sustain Charlotte is calling on the City of Charlotte to adopt a red-light camera ordinance to prevent future tragedies and improve intersection safety.
In a recent blog post, Sustain Charlotte outlines how red-light running is a widespread and dangerous problem on Charlotte-area streets. According to North Carolina’s Vision Zero Safety Dashboard, between 2019 and October 2025 there were more than 3,000 intersection-related crashes in Mecklenburg County in which disregarding a traffic signal was identified as the primary contributing factor, involving nearly 9,000 people. “Charlotte already knows where and how people are being seriously injured and killed on our streets,” said Shannon Binns, founder and executive director of Sustain Charlotte. “Red-light running is a documented and persistent danger at signalized intersections, and red-light cameras are one of the most effective tools we have to address it. With the legal barriers now clarified, the question is no longer whether we can act – it’s whether we will.” Charlotte previously operated red-light cameras but ended the program after court rulings required most citation revenue to be directed to public schools, making it difficult for cities to recover operating costs. A 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court ruling clarified that municipalities may recover the reasonable costs of operating red-light camera programs, with remaining funds directed to public schools, removing the primary barrier that led Charlotte to discontinue its program. Sustain Charlotte is urging City Council to: • Adopt a red-light camera ordinance in compliance with state law. • Design the program to recover operating costs. • Direct remaining revenue to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, as required. • Deploy cameras strategically at high-injury intersections as part of a broader safety strategy.