What’s the latest with street vending?

Good morning! Today is Friday, October 23, 2026. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.

Today's Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by T.R. Lawing Realty:

Hi Ledger readers, Ashley here. The city of Charlotte still doesn’t have a clear direction on how it wants to regulate street vendors, an issue that has bubbled up in close-in Charlotte neighborhoods, particularly NoDa. But elected officials say they’re trying to achieve a balance between health and safety concerns and giving entrepreneurs an opportunity to make a living. The Ledger’s Lindsey Banks digs into the issue in today’s lead story.

by Lindsey Banks

It’s been more than a year since Charlotte City Council began discussing what to do about street vendors setting up shop on some of the city’s busiest sidewalks. Last week’s council meeting once again ended without making a decision. 

In their conversations over the past year, when the city’s Public Safety Committee first began discussing the issue, council and safety committee members have struggled to find a balance between keeping sidewalks accessible, addressing public safety concerns and allowing small entrepreneurs to make a living. 

And while city leaders debate what the rules should look like, community members say some vendors are not being held accountable for selling illegal substances and unauthorized food, or blocking sidewalks and parking spots. Merchants also argue that vendors are not held to the same standards as brick-and-mortar businesses and avoid paying taxes. 

As Mecklenburg County commissioners weigh how to deal with $14.6M that Discovery Place owes the county for the yet-to-open Charlotte Museum of Nature near Freedom Park, a key question has emerged: Who, in fact, is leading the charge at Discovery Place right now?

It’s a simple question that doesn’t have an obvious answer.

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Mecklenburg County says it has hired an auditor to take a closer look at Discovery Place’s finances, after the museum said it is unable to pay the $14.6M it owes to the county for the newly renovated Charlotte Museum of Nature.

This story is from The Election Hub, a free, non-partisan resource that empowers voters with unbiased information about statewide and local races in North Carolina.

Ken McCool considered himself an apolitical person for much of his life. That changed when his class at Providence High School was visited by a state politician: Tricia Cotham, a Democrat who had graduated from the school in 1997. She spoke to the class about her work in the legislature, igniting in McCool an interest in running for public office.

Now, McCool, 28 — a former Matthews councilman — is hoping to unseat Cotham in what’s expected to be a competitive race for North Carolina House District 105. After being reelected in 2022 as a Democrat, Cotham in a controversial move switched to the GOP the next year, then narrowly won reelection as a Republican candidate in 2024.

“It has been…‘strange’ maybe is the best way to put it,” McCool told The Election Hub.

“I really looked up to her,” McCool added. “I followed her on social media and kept up with everything she was doing; I was a big supporter of hers. She introduced me to politics, really.” —Rachel Black

The City of Charlotte recently said it would begin enforcing a stricter youth curfew following a series of so-called “teen takeovers” in which large gatherings of teenagers have caused disturbances across Charlotte — but the city also announced earlier this month another way it’s hoping to curb teen behavior. 

Through its Office of Youth Opportunities, the city is offering grants to organizations that provide activities and spaces for teenagers outside of school hours. The OYO Partnerships Grant will award up to $50,000 to two organizations serving teens ages 13 to 17 in Charlotte. 

The funding is intended to expand existing programs rather than create new ones, according to the city’s website. That could include keeping community centers open on Friday or Saturday evenings, adding activities on days when school is out or providing transportation to help teens access these programs. Think nonprofits, faith-based organizations and recreation providers. 

Last month, Charlotte City Council approved a pilot curfew that requires anyone under 18 to be out of public spaces between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., beginning Nov. 1. The move follows several large teen gatherings across the city that resulted in arrests, injuries and damage to property.

The city first shared the idea for the grant in an August City Council meeting in which council members and CMPD discussed ways to prevent teen takeovers. 

Applications are open through Nov. 2, and selected organizations are expected to be notified in December, with funded activities required to wrap up by July 31, 2027. —Lindsey Banks

Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25: “‘Marie Antoinette’ - Movie and Talkback,” 3:20-5:45 p.m., at Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh St. Join the Independent Picture House after the 3:20 p.m. screening of “Marie Antoinette” for a discussion on the film and the work of Sofia Coppola with Amy Monaghan. $10.50/ticket.

OCTOBER 28: “Words + Music: From Darkness to Light,” 7:30-9 p.m., at Sandra Levine Theatre, Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement at Queens University, 2319 Wellesley Ave. In this special collaboration between the Charlotte Symphony and Queens University of Charlotte’s English Department, music and poetry come together to explore the many dimensions of the human experience — from grief and loss to remembrance, transformation and healing. Student writers and performers from Queens pair poetry with powerful orchestral works, creating a dialogue between the spoken word and the symphonic voice. $35/ticket.

OCTOBER 29: “Public Square: Charlotte’s Civic Conversation Series,” 7-9 p.m., at Carolina Theatre at Belk Place, 230 N. Tryon St. Public Square civic conversation series seeks to strengthen the civic fabric of our community through respectful conversations that foster learning, understanding and engagement. The inaugural event’s theme is “Freedom and Responsibility: What We Owe Each Other” featuring moderator Carol Quillen and speakers John Hood and Melissa Murray. $35 General Admission. $15/student ticket.

OCTOBER 30 THROUGH NOVEMBER 15: “Frankenstein,” 7:30-9:30 p.m., at Theatre Charlotte, 501 Queens Rd. Who is the real monster? This October, Theatre Charlotte brings a haunting new perspective to Mary Shelley’s classic with Nick Dear’s acclaimed adaptation of “Frankenstein.” Follow the abandoned Creature as he confronts his creator and searches for belonging in a story of creation, revenge and what it means to be human. $25-$40/ticket.

➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.