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
WHAT'S INSIDE
Investigation
CMS suspends superintendent, 2A
Open letter
Budd weighs in on I-77 South legislation, 2A
Regional politics
Monroe attempts to reverse I-77 vote, 3B
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.
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
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,
store (8215 University City Blvd.) last month with $2,500 check presentations to Charlotte Family Housing and University Meadows Elementary School.
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,
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
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
YMCA to sell Morrison property
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
Bob's opens new store
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
String Cheese Incident thrives live
by Bill Forman Contributor
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 with an outdoor environment came together as a super powerful, emotional experience. I just had the feeling: ‘I want to be part of something like this. How can I be on the other end of 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
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
Superintendent on paid leave
CHARLOTTE – The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education announced June 17 that it has placed Superintendent Crystal Hill on temporary leave with pay, pending an investigation into matters involving administrative and operational oversight.
The board has asked Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight to take on additional responsibilities to ensure the district has steady leadership during this period.
The board said its responsibility is to ensure appropriate oversight and accountability across the district while supporting the continued operation of its schools. Because this is a personnel matter, the board is limited in what it can say.
This comes two months after CMS announced Hill had won the 2027 Southwest Education Alliance Superintendent of the Year.
"The board of education is proud to see Dr. Hill receive recognition
for her commitment to excellence without exception,” board chair Stephanie Sneed said at the time. “We appreciate
her leadership and her continued work in support of the students of Mecklenburg County."
Budd opposes punishing communities for I-77 vote
by Laura Budd
State Representative
Irepresent House District 103, a portion of which is included within the proposed I-77 South Express Lanes corridor. Elected officials share a collective responsibility to build and preserve public trust, and I want to set out in writing that I publicly oppose any attempt by the General Assembly to punish those municipalities which voted to rescind authority to move forward at this time with the I-77 South Express Lanes project.
While the history of how we arrived at the current moment is important, it is of immediate urgency that those of us in leadership define the values we want North Carolinians to believe that our government stands for. I acknowledge the frustrations on the part of the state-level authorities engaged in this project. I also understand and respect the role of local elected leaders and the significant concerns regarding the project that prompted the Charlotte
City Council vote on May 11 followed by the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization vote on May 20.
It is the announcement on June 11, however, that demands attention. A member of the State Senate has asked that language be inserted into the state budget that would single out and punish Charlotte-Mecklenburg and any municipality that voted to withdraw its approval for the I-77 South Project. Such a response should concern anyone in a position of leadership, and we must stand up and speak out against conduct that is not only unlawful, but it is the antithesis of respect for the democratic processes.
As a Charlotte Mecklenburg resident since 2002, and a State Representative since 2022, I am well-acquainted with the difficulty of developing and executing a strategy that balances the dual objectives
of providing a business and growth-oriented environment while simultaneously preserving a community’s culture, history and way of life. Historically, Charlotte-Mecklenburg has served as North Carolina’s leader in modeling policies of respect and progress while simultaneously maintaining a strong supportive relationship with its business community partners. This partnership has served us well in that we are North Carolina’s economic powerhouse. It is unfortunate that local governments and the business community were unable to reach an agreement regarding how to address the I-77 South Project. What is unacceptable, however, is responding to that disagreement with punitive and potentially unlawful provisions inserted into an already overdue state budget. Such actions threaten both the state and our local economies, chill free speech and disrespect democracy.
It is clear the current situation is emotionally intense for all sides, yet moments of disagreement are precisely when
REASONS
thoughtful leadership matters most. Decisions with longterm consequences should be grounded in sound public policy, not frustration or emotion. North Carolina is watching how we on the state level respond to the situation. Do we reply reactively or do we respond thoughtfully? The path we choose will shape far more than the future of the I-77 South Project. It will define the relationship between Raleigh and Charlotte-Mecklenburg for decades to come, as well as profoundly influence Raleigh’s relationship with other municipalities.
If we are committed to building and preserving the public’s trust in us as representatives of the State, elected or appointed, we must reject efforts to punish local governments for exercising their democratic authority. Leadership requires us to defend the integrity of our democratic institutions, even if one disagrees with the decisions they produce.
Laura Budd represents District 103 in the N.C. House of Representatives.
in the neighborhood while modernizing and strengthening the center.
The Y will continue to own and operate the main facility, and a recently secured $5 million federal appropriation will help support future improvements and further strengthen the campus as a vibrant gathering space for NoDa families and residents, officials said.
“Strong stewardship requires bold decisions and long-term thinking,” said Jeff Brown, chair of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte Board of Directors and Partner at Moore & Van Allen. “Our board is committed to investing in the people, programs and facilities that make the YMCA such an integral part of our community. As we build on more than 150 years of service to the Charlotte region, we are honoring the Y’s legacy while positioning it to meet the needs of future generations.”
As part of this longterm reinvestment strategy, the YMCA is in the early stages of a comprehensive campaign designed to support the next chapter of its mission and impact across Greater Charlotte.
The Morrison sale is an instrumental step toward that vision, officials said.
“Our mission depends on organizational strength,” Glass said. “To scale our impact, we need strong centers, strong teams and strong financial stewardship. This work is about building a YMCA that is ready for the next generation of Charlotte – one that is deeply connected to community need and positioned to deliver long-term impact for families across our region.”
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leader Crystal Hill (right)
listens during an AI Data Privacy Summit in May 2025. Photo courtesy of CMS
Budd
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