Elvis Menayese

If you plan to pass by or stop in the Historic West End this weekend, you can expect it to be more lively than usual as the festival ‘A Vibe Called Fresh’ returns to the area. The festival aims to provide a platform for artists to showcase their work and spotlight Black culture that includes music.

Mecklenburg County is set to receive almost $75 million over the next 18 years to tackle the opioid crisis. To help people understand how those funds are being allocated, officials held a community meeting on Monday on how they plan to spend $28.5 million of it through the 2028 fiscal year.

Representatives with Mecklenburg County announced at a community meeting on Monday that they plan to launch a post-overdose response team and a program that aims to support those dealing with substance use and mental health challenges.

A Republican running for Charlotte City Council and a former City Council member have been speaking out on Wednesday after a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman, Iryna Zarutska, was stabbed last month on the light rail. The death has drawn national attention to Charlotte and criticism from President Trump.

The stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail last month has caused national outrage, with many Republicans, including President Trump, criticizing local leaders. On Wednesday, Charlotte City Council member Malcolm Graham spoke out to address safety concerns.

Seventeen children from Uganda recently flew into North Carolina's capital ahead of their musical performance in Mint Hill on Wednesday. They’re part of the African Children’s Choir, which is now on a tour of about 100 cities. Ahead of their performance, WFAE’s Elvis Menayese spoke with the choir manager, a choir member, and an adult chaperone who had been a choir singer.

Most students around Charlotte returned to school a few weeks ago, but for a small group of minority students, their learning started Monday in a nontraditional environment. The opening is part of an effort to support children who face challenges learning in a traditional setting.

Expect uptown to be a bit more lively than usual on Saturday. The Charlotte Soul Festival will debut as part of an effort to bring joy and address community concerns.

More than 50 people gathered in Charlotte’s low-income Beatties Ford Road corridor ahead of the upcoming municipal election for a forum that aimed to highlight some of the top concerns and priorities amongst Black residents.

The Historic West End Partners has been pushing back on the narrative that the Beatties Ford corridor is unsafe. In part one of a two-part series, WFAE explored the group's new initiative that aim to increase foot traffic for small businesses amidst that narrative. In part two, WFAE continues to look at the Historic West End's efforts to revitalize the area, the challenges, and why many businesses continue to love it there.