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INSIDE ▼ Ballantyne hospital designated as Baby-Friendly
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PAGE 2B Friday, June 19, 2026 • Vol. 26 • No. 24
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YMCA to sell Morrison property
CHARLOTTE – The YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s board of directors has approved entering into a $42.5 million Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Morrison YMCA property. The buyer, Moments of Hope Church, plans to redevelop the property into its new home, expanding its ministry through community outreach initiatives such as sports programming and a possible future school. The Morrison YMCA will remain open and fully operational through the anticipated closing in summer 2027. All programs, services, camps and member
offerings will continue as scheduled during this time. Community partners that lease space within the facility will have the opportunity to continue to operate as usual through the anticipated closing date. The YMCA said it remains committed to serving families in Ballantyne and across South Charlotte. Members at the Morrison center will continue to have access to all YMCA locations, including nearby Sara’s YMCA in Ballantyne as well as Brace YMCA, Hemby Program Center and Harris YMCA.
As planning continues, the YMCA plans to offer many of the programs currently available at Morrison through nearby YMCA centers or other alternative neighborhood locations. Additional details about how and where those programs and services will be delivered will be shared in the coming months. Leaders from the Morrison YMCA and the Morrison Advisory Board will play a role in reimagining how the Y can best serve that area. In addition, a portion of the sale proceeds will be reinvested in a broader South Charlotte strategy
that includes expanding program capacity, enhancing nearby YMCA facilities and developing additional community-based programming for local members and families. “We know the Morrison YMCA has been a meaningful place for many members, families and staff,” said Sue Glass, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. “We are approaching this transition with care and respect for the relationships built there. While this decision represents a significant change, it also creates an opportunity to strengthen how
we serve communities across our region in the years ahead.” The Morrison sale is accelerating several priorities identified through YMCA’s strategic plan, including projects at the Johnston YMCA, Stratford Richardson YMCA, Harris YMCA and Hemby Program Center, with additional investments planned across its network of centers. At the Johnston YMCA campus in NoDa, the YMCA is pursuing a redevelopment approach that preserves its presence see YMCA, Page 2A
String Cheese Incident thrives live
WHAT'S INSIDE
by Bill Forman Contributor
Investigation CMS suspends superintendent, 2A
Bob’s Discount Furniture staff celebrates the grand opening of its newest location June 12 at 9575 South Boulevard. Photo courtesy of Bob's Discount Furniture
Open letter Budd weighs in on I-77 South legislation, 2A
Regional politics Monroe attempts to reverse I-77 vote, 3B
Bob's opens new store
CHARLOTTE – Bob’s Discount Furniture celebrated the opening of its South Charlotte store June 12 with a ribbon cutting and two check presentations. Brand leaders presented $2,500 checks to Roof Above, a nonprofit that works to end homelessness, and Pineville Elementary School at the new store, located at 9575 South Blvd. Bob’s Discount Furniture strives to offer furniture that’s comfortable, stylish, durable and affordable. It has more than 200 showrooms across the U.S., including two in Charlotte. Bob’s Discount Furniture celebrated the opening of its University City store (8215 University City Blvd.) last month with $2,500 check presentations to Charlotte Family Housing and University Meadows Elementary School.
Bob’s Discount Furniture presents a $2,500 Random Acts of Kindness donation to Pineville Elementary School. Principal Earl French (second from left) accepts the donation from Bob’s leaders Peter Bermudez, regional sales director; Debbie Brown, vice president of retail operations; Tyron Williams, manager; and Adam Abbassi, divisional vice president. Photo courtesy of Bob’s Discount Furniture
Keith Moseley’s introduction to the jam band phenomenon was promoter Bill Graham’s 1991 Mid-Summer Music Festival, which featured the Allman Brothers, Hot Tuna and Widespread Panic, in Telluride, Colorado. “Seeing Telluride and the Allman Brothers for the first time had a massive impact on me,” said Moseley, bassist/songwriter for The String Cheese Incident. “The overall vibe of combining an incredible band Watch them live String Cheese with an outdoor The Incident brings its environment came Just Keep Spinning to TD Amp together as a super Tour Ballantyne on June powerful, emotional 19. Doors open at 5 The show starts experience. I just had p.m. at 7:15 p.m. TD Amp the feeling: ‘I want to Ballantyne is located 11115 Upper Ave., be part of something at Charlotte. Buy tickets like this. How can I at tdampballantyne. be on the other end of com/event-calendar. it and help create this experience for others?’ That was an early draw for me.” The String Cheese Incident dove headfirst into the jam band circuit, playing festivals and plenty of smaller venues along the way. The band, which includes original members Moseley, Michael Kang (mandolin, guitar, violin), Michael Travis (drums, percussion) and Bill Nershi (guitars), as well as keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth (who joined in 1996) and percussionist Jason Hann (a member since 2006), also see CHEESE, Page 4A
Oakey reflects on Human League's evolution English synth-pop band to perform a concert this weekend at TD Amp Ballantyne by Dave Gil de Rubio Contributor
For music fans of a certain age, their first taste of synth-pop came by way of Human League, thanks to the 1981 multi-platinum charttopping single “Don’t You Want Me,” which also became a heavyrotation favorite during the early days of MTV. Fast forward to the present and the natives of Sheffield, England are embarking on The Generations Tour, a string of dates on which they share a bill with fellow veteran new wave Brits Soft Cell and Alison Moyet. Fresh off a
pre-tour rehearsal with bandmates Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley, Human League vocalist Philip Oakey was ebullient about what fans can expect on this live music jaunt. “It’s going to be more or less a variation of what we always do, maybe a little bit more of an emphasis on making sure we touch on the different periods we do and touching on representations of all the ages and that,” Oakey said. “We’re mainly a touring band, but very slightly a set of ambassadors to a time that doesn’t really exist anymore.” That era was the early 1980s,
Watch them live Human League brings the Generations Tour to TD Amp Ballantyne on June 20. They’ll be joined by Soft Cell and Alison Moyet. TD Amp Ballantyne is located at 11115 Upper Ave., Charlotte. Buy tickets at tdampballantyne.com/ event-calendar.
when they emerged from a hugely industrialized urban environment that also proved to be the epicenter of an early techno-pop music scene that included ABC, Cabaret Voltaire, Thompson Twins and Heaven 17 (which split off from Human League in 1980. And while Oakey became more known for his see EVOLUTION, Page 4A
Human League is touring the country for its Generations Tour. Next year, they’ll play dates in Australia and New Zealand. Perou photo
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