Charlotte just landed another major corporate headquarters, bringing 276 new jobs with average salaries approaching $134,000.

Daimler Truck Financial Services USA officially opened its new North American headquarters in Ballantyne on Tuesday. Gov. Josh Stein joined company leaders for the ribbon cutting.

The company is investing more than $7.8 million in the Charlotte operation. New positions will average $133,940 annually, well above Mecklenburg County’s $86,830 average.

Combined, the jobs could generate more than $36.9 million in annual payroll across the region.

The new headquarters occupies roughly 60,000 square feet in Ballantyne. DTFS is consolidating existing operations from Michigan and Texas into the Charlotte facility.

Employees there will handle administration, human resources and financial operations.

DTFS provides financing and leasing services for Daimler Truck North America customers. Its brands include Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses.

The company also provides customized financing and insurance solutions for owner-operators, fleets and municipalities.

Charlotte’s financial-services sector played a major role in attracting the headquarters.

The city ranks as the nation’s second-largest banking center. North Carolina’s financial-services industry has also expanded rapidly in recent years.

Stein also attended the opening of Capital Group’s new East Coast operations hub while visiting Charlotte.

That project is expected to create 600 additional jobs and more than $116 million in annual payroll. State officials estimate it could add over $5 billion to North Carolina’s economy.

Together, the two headquarters projects add nearly 900 financial-services jobs to the Charlotte region.

Charlotte’s growing number of empty storefronts and former big box retailers are being resurrected again as Spirit Halloween spreads across the region for spooky season starting today.

For 2026, the seasonal retailer is planning to open more than 1,550 stores across North America.

In Charlotte, confirmed locations include the Northlake Mall, Pineville, Matthews, and 5 other locations across our city, all set to open on September 30th.

The stores sell costumes, masks, decorations, props and the oversized animatronics that have become a Spirit Halloween trademark.

The company is also extending its seasonal takeover beyond Halloween. Its newer Spirit Christmas concept is expanding across the Carolinas for the first time this year. North Carolina’s first confirmed Spirit Christmas will open in Mebane, while South Carolina will get one in Charleston.

Spirit Christmas converts vacant retail space into holiday stores filled with decorations, animated displays and seasonal merchandise. The concept began with a small test in 2024 before growing to 30 locations last year. At least 43 stores are currently listed for 2026.

Spirit recently announced plans to hire a record 50,000 seasonal employees across North America, from sales associates to store managers.

Here in Charlotte, they’ve already posted 32 jobs a full 4 months before Halloween. Anyone interested in joining the invasion can apply at Work4Spirit.com or text “Reaper” to 85000 for more information.

North Carolina’s largest DMV office is now open in Charlotte, bringing more capacity and new technology to one of the state’s busiest regions.

Gov. Josh Stein cut the ribbon Monday at the relocated East Charlotte Driver License Office. The facility is located at 5525 Albemarle Road, Suite 200.

“Every North Carolinian relies on the DMV at some point – and they want to get in, get out, and get on with their day,” said Governor Josh Stein in a press release. “We’re making steady progress to shorten wait times, provide better service, and improve the DMV experience statewide. To date, we have cut wait times by 86%. We will continue our work to get people back on the road safely and efficiently.”

The opening comes as NCDMV rolls out several technology and service upgrades Charlotte drivers can now use:

• Live online wait times showing current conditions at driver license offices before customers leave home.
• Online document quizzes that tell customers which identification and paperwork they need before arriving.
• Phone-based document uploads for items including insurance records, proof of address and teen driving logs.
• New document scanners installed at every driver license office to speed paperwork processing.
• Digital check-in and remote waiting, allowing customers to receive alerts instead of sitting inside the office.
• More transactions completed entirely online, eliminating an office visit for hundreds of thousands of residents.
• Mobile driver licenses planned for early 2027 through a new North Carolina digital wallet.
• NCMAX, a new cloud-based platform being developed to replace the state’s aging driver license computer system.

The improvements are already affecting wait times. As of August, the statewide average had fallen to 23 minutes, down 86% from one year earlier.

North Carolina has also filled 64 additional driver license examiner positions. Another 68 positions are authorized through July 2027, with recruiting underway.

More than 400,000 residents have also gained access to transactions they can complete remotely instead of visiting a DMV office.

The Charlotte project is one of four major DMV facility upgrades funded through House Bill 125. Five additional offices are scheduled to open or relocate in 2027.

For Charlotte drivers, the new Albemarle Road office combines more physical capacity with a broader push toward faster, increasingly digital DMV service.

Charlotte teenagers will soon face a much earlier bedtime under a sweeping new citywide curfew that was just approved.

Last night, the Charlotte City Council voted 9-2 to require everyone under 18 to follow a 10 p.m. curfew. The rule takes effect November 1.

The curfew will run from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. every night through August 31, 2027. City leaders approved it as a 10-month pilot rather than a permanent change.

The measure follows months of concerns about large teen gatherings, street takeovers and other public-safety problems. CMPD arrested dozens of teenagers during several large gatherings over the summer.

Police originally recommended an even stricter 9 p.m. curfew for everyone under 18. Council ultimately settled on the 10 p.m. starting time.

Charlotte’s previous rules depended on age. Children 12 and younger faced a 10 p.m. curfew, while ages 13 through 15 faced 11 p.m.

The new ordinance also brings 16- and 17-year-olds under the curfew for the first time. However, several exceptions will remain.

Minors can still be outside for jobs, school activities, religious events and emergencies. They can also remain out with a parent or qualifying guardian.

CMPD Chief Estella Patterson said officers could cite minors and parents when violations occur. Police would not stop vehicles solely because officers suspect a curfew violation.

The city will track enforcement and youth-related incidents during the pilot period. Officials will then evaluate whether the earlier curfew should become permanent.

The new policy marks one of Charlotte’s biggest youth-curfew changes in years. Beginning November 1, the same 10 p.m. rule will apply to nearly every minor citywide.

Currently, the overall median rent in the city stands at $1,378, roughly the same as last month. Prices are now down 2.6% year-over-year. Read on to learn more about what’s been happening in the Charlotte rental market and how it compares to trends throughout the broader Charlotte metro area and the nation as a whole.

Charlotte’s skyline is about to get another massive corporate logo, reigniting debate over how much branding Charlotte’s iconic skyline can absorb.

Huntington National Bank plans to install its name near the top of One South at 101 South Tryon Street. The illuminated sign will face South Tryon and become highly visible across Uptown.

“The addition of Huntington signage and our planned expansion at our regional headquarters in Charlotte are powerful reflections of our commitment to the Carolinas and the importance of this region to our long-term strategy,” said Huntington President Brant Standridge in a press release.

The sign will measure roughly 13 feet tall and nearly 89 feet wide. Programmable lighting will allow it to glow green or change colors for special events.

Rock Hill-based SouthWood Corporation will fabricate and install the signage.

The move follows previous backlash over corporate branding on Charlotte skyscrapers.

Truist faced heavy criticism after adding oversized signs to its Uptown tower. Thousands signed a petition calling for their removal.

Wells Fargo later drew similar debate after adding large letters to Charlotte’s iconic “handlebar” building.

Huntington’s new signage comes as the bank expands inside One South. It will occupy the entire 39th and 40th floors, bringing its total footprint to four floors.

The bank already employs several hundred people across the Charlotte region. It has also announced plans for roughly 55 branches across the Carolinas.

Huntington opened its Carolinas regional headquarters at One South in 2023.