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INSIDE ▼ CRTPO rescinds support of I-77 South project
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PAGE 2B Friday, May 29, 2026 • Vol. 26 • No. 21
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Planning board OK with Alton Retail changes by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
MINT HILL – The Mint Hill Planning Board is recommending town commissioners allow John Street LLC some additional flexibility to develop Alton Retail. The three-acre site was rezoned in March 2025 to allow for three commercial buildings at N.C. 51, between Phyliss Lane and Roe Creek Drive. It is being marketed
as Alton Retail, with a Chase Bank, Chipotle Mexican Grill and a multi-tenant commercial building. John Street LLC wants to remove some trees at Phyliss Lane and N.C. 51 as well as allow for a more visibly appealing approach to the building. “The site would still comply with your requirements in terms of tree save and undisturbed open space, but this would allow that corner to be opened up a little
bit, have a pedestrian connection and have a little more visibility to that building,” attorney John Carmichael told the planning board May 18. “Then there’d be an outdoor dining area at that corner as well.” The site plan calls for transportation improvements to be completed before the first certificate of occupancy is issued but John Street LLC is hoping the
A traffic signal is set for the intersection of Phyliss Lane and MatthewsMint Hill Road. Roe Creek Drive would become rightin, right-out. Photo courtesy of Town of Mint Hill
see RETAIL, Page 3A
Mint Hill has clean but late audit report by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
CMG file photo
GRADUATION SEASON Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is preparing for graduation season. CMS ceremonies tend to follow the same template. The ceremony will typically start with graduates entering the arena to Pomp and Circumstance and cheers from the crowd. A student speaker tends to acknowledge school leaders and special guests. Schools may sprinkle in musical performances by students. Other speakers may include student government representatives or top academic performers. The principal will offer inspiring words before students are handed their diplomas on stage.
MATTHEWS-MINT HILL
UNION COUNTY
NATIONAL TRENDS
June 12 • Providence: 7 p.m., Bojangles Coliseum June 13 • Rocky River: 8:30 a.m., UNC Halton Arena • Butler High: Noon, Truliant Amphitheater • Independence: 3:30 p.m., Truliant Amphitheater
June 4 • Wolfe School, 5 p.m., CATA auditorium June 5 • South Providence School: 6:30 p.m., June 8 • Monroe High: 8 a.m., stadium • Weddington High, 8 a.m., stadium • Porter Ridge High: 8 p.m., stadium June 9 • Forest Hills High: 8 a.m., Irwin Belk Stadium (Wingate University) • Marvin Ridge High: 8 a.m., stadium • Parkwood High: 8 a.m., stadium • Sun Valley High School, 8 p.m., stadium June 10 • Central Academy of Technology & Arts: 8 a.m., Walter Bickett Stadium • Cuthbertson High: 8 a.m., stadium • Piedmont High: 8 a.m., stadium
Happy dances go too far? Students are going viral for doing dances like the Louisiana Jig right after receiving their diplomas, sparking debate about whether these celebrations are appropriate. Some schools have withheld diplomas. Others have not intervened.
SOUTH CHARLOTTE June 11 • South Mecklenburg: 3:30 p.m., Bojangles Coliseum • Myers Park: 7 p.m., Bojangles Coliseum June 12 • Ardrey Kell: Noon., Bojangles Coliseum • Providence: 7 p.m., Bojangles Coliseum June 13 • Ballantyne Ridge: 3:30 p.m., Bojangles Coliseum • East Mecklenburg: 7 p.m., Truliant Amphitheater
Pick up your feet People say their biggest fear is falling down on stage when their name is called. But a select few grads purposely trip up. They claim a buddy paid them to fall. Stick the landing There are videos of people incorporating gymnastics into their walk across the stage. Some videos show people faceplanting while trying to execute a high kick or a backflip.
Project seeks to collect Matthews memories MATTHEWS – The Matthews Heritage Museum and the Matthews Library are inviting the community to help preserve local history through the newly launched “Matthews Stories Project: Sharing Our Community’s History.” They created the community
storytelling initiative in recognition of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary. The project encourages anyone connected to Matthews to share personal memories, family stories, experiences and reflections that help tell the story of the community.
Submitted stories will become part of a growing online community history archive maintained by the museum. Selected submissions may also be featured in future exhibits, publications, presentations, social media and other public programs.
“We’re excited to partner with the Matthews Library on this meaningful celebration of local history and our nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Bob Aycock, director of the Matthews Heritage Museum. see MEMORIES, Page 3A
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MINT HILL – The Town of Mint Hill received a clean audit for fiscal year 2025 but the town will have to send a letter to the Local Government Commission within 60 days explaining how it will avoid late audits in the future. Elsa Swenson, of Martin Starnes and Associates, told Mint Hill commissioners the town received an unmodified opinion, or clean audit opinion, but the audit produced seven reportable findings, including one for being late. In recent weeks, the Town of Matthews also reported a late audit, which it attributed to issues relating to staffing and a Governmental Accounting Standards Board update. Swenson said other findings in the Mint Hill audit were related to: • Some prior period adjustments and material audit adjustments. • Segregation of duties. • Pre-audit expenditures exceeded appropriations and a purchase order policy was not in place. • Daily cash deposits were not being made. • The contingency appropriation exceeded the statute limit of 5%, and there was deficit fund balance in the stormwater fund. • There was no procurement policy applicable to a State Capital and Infrastructure Fund grant. “I’d like to thank Brian Welch, Naida Sergel, as well as the rest of their staff for all their hard work on the audit this year,” Swenson said.”It has been a long year, but it’s been a good year as far as having a new auditor in place." The town’s fund balance for the general fund increased $2.2 million to $18.1 million. Revenues rose 5% to $23.5 million while expenditures increased 10% to $22.6 million. The top three sources of general fund revenue were property taxes at 58%, unrestricted intergovernmental revenues (primarily sales taxes) at 28% and restricted intergovernmental revenues (primarily grants) at 8%. Property tax revenue increased 4% to $13.5 million, unrestricted intergovernmental revenues rose 19% to 13.5 million, and restricted intergovernmental revenues decreased 15% to $6.5 million. The top three general fund expenditures were public safety at 50%, environmental protection at 13% and general government at 13%. Public safety expenditures increased 15% to $11.3 million, environmental protection rose 3% to $2.9 million and general government went up 8% to $2.8 million.