Julie Rose

The Charlotte City Council has given up the fight for permission to raise the local restaurant tax as a way to raise money for Panthers' Stadium upgrades.

Councilman James Mitchell says the measure passed by the state house Wednesday is "the best the city will get." It only gives the city flexibility to use existing restaurant tax revenues for the football stadium.

 The City of Charlotte is scrambling to keep its grasp on Charlotte Douglas International Airport as a group of state lawmakers and influential local figures move to create a regional authority that would oversee the airport. The city's latest tactic involves sending regular emails to the media to set the record straight on various claims made by airport authority backers. But sometimes even the fact check needs a fact check. 

A funding plan for Bank of America Stadium renovations has cleared the state House. On Wednesday afternoon, Representative Ruth Samuelson's measure passed with little debate.

"There are no new taxes; there is no new revenues – state or local," said Samuelson, introducing her bill for debate on the House floor. "There are just two new options for the Charlotte City Council – which has joined us here today – to consider."

The five counties bordering Mecklenburg would suddenly have a voice in Charlotte Airport management if Senate Bill 81 passes. That's the measure sponsored by Matthews Senator Bob Rucho to pry the airport from Charlotte's grasp and place it in the hands of a 13-member regional board.

To date, none of the counties included on that board have taken a clear stance on the move, but that may soon change.

"Proceed cautiously" is the North Carolina treasurer's advice to lawmakers trying to place control of the Charlotte airport in the hands of a regional authority.

A Charlotte resident pleaded guilty in federal court this week to running an immigration scheme that parlayed hundreds of temporary work visas into profits of $13.2 million. 

This fraud is textbook in a lot of ways, says Deputy Special Agent in Charge Ryan Spradlin of Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta, because "it fell within the technology sector. That seems to be more of a common H-1B visa concern for us."

"Agnostic" is how one US Airways executive described the company's stance on whether the Charlotte airport should be overseen by the city or placed in the hands of a regional authority.  US Airways CEO Doug Parker carried that same tune while in town Thursday, but also made it clear the airline doesn't want a backseat entirely. 

On Thursday, US Airways CEO Doug Parker paid his first visit to Charlotte since the company announced plans to merge with American Airlines. 

After nearly a year of deliberations, the Charlotte City Council met Wednesday to outline a compromise plan for raising property taxes to fund capital improvement projects.  But they're still hung up over the sticking point that derailed the nearly $1 billion program last year:  the streetcar.

An outside audit lauds the North Carolina Education Lottery for keeping costs down and boosting profits every year since 2007. But that may not be enough to ward off new restrictions state lawmakers have in mind for the lottery.