Digital Driver’s Licenses Coming To North Carolina

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Digital Driver’s Licenses Coming To North Carolina

Governor Roy Cooper signed House Bill 199 into law, allowing North Carolinians to opt for digital driver’s licenses starting next year.

The bill provides an option for a mobile license, similar to using Apple Pay or Google Pay for concert tickets and car insurance cards. North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will issue these digital licenses, which will include the same data as a physical license and can be linked to a mobile device.

According to the text of the bill, “the DMV will study the implementation process, including costs, staffing needs, security, and potential impact on revenue. The findings will be reported to the General Assembly by January 1, 2025.”

Historic Sale: $16 Million Castle Just Became The Highest-Ever Home Sale in North Carolina

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Historic Sale: $16 Million Castle Just Became The Highest-Ever Home Sale in North Carolina
via Cayton Productions

The estate at 120 Summit Park Drive has just made history, selling for $15.85 million and becoming the most expensive home ever sold in North Carolina.

The property, which went under contract in just 12 days, is located within Banner Elk’s Elk River community and showcases a fusion of rustic mountain aesthetics with contemporary luxury.

via Ryan Theede

The sale was handled by Marilyn Wright and Rob Garrett of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, with Chad Vincent and Melissa Boone of Berkshire Hathaway representing the buyer.

“This sale is just an incredible feat in the current state of our region’s market, showcasing the resilience and desirability of Banner Elk as a premier destination,” said Marilyn Wright. “It’s a powerful reminder that buyers still want to move here, invest in our community, and achieve their dreams of owning extraordinary properties like this one.”

via Ryan Theede

Set on 7.64 acres, the estate features over a million dollars in art, furnishings, and décor.

via Ryan Theede

The home includes a great room, a gourmet kitchen, a primary suite with a cave-inspired bathroom, two offices, a library, a gym, and a theater.

via Ryan Theede
via Ryan Theede
via Ryan Theede
via Ryan Theede

Christmastown USA Is Holding Their Official Tree Lighting Ceremony Next Week

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Christmastown USA Is Holding Their Official Tree Lighting Ceremony Next Week

The small Gaston County town of McAdenville, officially known as “Christmas Town USA,” is about to hold its annual tree lighting ceremony on December 2nd at 5:30 p.m.

The town’s legendary light displays will be illuminated nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. until December 26. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, as some roads will close at 5:30 p.m. Public parking is available at several locations, including McAdenville Elementary School and near CaroMont Family Medicine.

Starting in 1956, Pharr Yarns began subsidizing the town electric bills every Christmas, ensuring that nobody paid anything extra on their December bills for putting up lights.

The town itself alone puts up over half a million Christmas lights on over 375 trees (not counting what the residents themselves do). The light display covers a 1.3-mile stretch of road that meanders through town… and every home is lit.

Economic impact studies have suggested the light display brings in $11.8 million in economic activity for McAdenville and the surrounding areas.

Felony Charges Filed Over $223,000 Embezzlement Scheme at Jonas Brothers’ Restaurant in Belmont

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Felony Charges Filed Over $223,000 Embezzlement Scheme at Jonas Brothers’ Restaurant in Belmont

Joy Nichols Auten, a former manager of Nellie’s Southern Kitchen in Belmont—owned by the parents of the Jonas Brothers—has just been charged with five felony counts of embezzlement. According to detectives from the Belmont Police Department, Auten embezzled approximately $223,000 while managing the restaurant between June 2016 and March 2020.

According to the Belmont Police, Auten withdrew over $251,000 from the restaurant’s account, with only $28,798 needed for unpaid tips, resulting in a significant amount of unaccounted cash. Investigators also uncovered that at least $93,039 in cash was deposited into Auten’s personal bank account during the same timeframe.

She was booked into the Gaston County Jail before being released on a $25,000 bond.

This is an ongoing investigation – if you have any additional info, please call the Belmont PD – 704-825-3792.

Charlotte Selected As Official Host City of 2026 National Curling Championships

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Charlotte Selected As Official Host City of 2026 National Curling Championships

USA Curling has officially announced that Charlotte will be the host city for the 2026 National Curling Championships. The iconic competitions are scheduled to take place from February 23 to March 2, 2026 at the Bojangles Coliseum.

Curling has seen a surge in popularity around the Charlotte region, with the opening of the Charlotte Curling Association and Center, and Charlotte recently hosting the Grand National Curling Club Mixed Championship.

The upcoming 2026 National Curling Championships will feature eight men’s and eight women’s teams who earned their spots through the World Curling Team Ranking System and other qualifying events throughout the season. This will be the first time Charlotte hosts a major national curling championship.

“We’re thrilled to bring elite-level curling to Charlotte. We’re confident that our sports-minded community will embrace it, and look forward to helping grow the sport in Charlotte and North Carolina,” said Visit Charlotte manager Amanda Morgan in a press release.

Schedules and ticket information will be released in as the event draws closer. For more information about the national organization, visit the USA Curling web site here.

44,000 North Carolinians Unknowingly Share Intimate Content When Recycling Old Phones

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44,000 North Carolinians Unknowingly Share Intimate Content When Recycling Old Phones

If we lost a cellphone, how many of us would be completely comfortable with the finder not gaining access and scrolling through the camera roll? According to a McAfee study, over 1 in 10 people have “racy” content of themselves on their devices; at the time, we consider taking these pictures or videos to be a bit of fun, never to be shared with anyone we wouldn’t actually want seeing it.

However, brace yourself for some bad news; millions of us may unwittingly be sharing our most intimate photos and videos when we recycle our old devices. That’s because many of us simply forget or do not bother to wipe our data before submitting it for e-waste recycling. And that crucial oversight could well result in our most private moments becoming public. So, just how many of us could be at risk? HostingAdvice decided to conduct a survey of 3,000 respondents to find out just how many Americans are leaving their personal data – and possibly billions of intimate photos – vulnerable each year.

The main, and most startling, finding was that just over a quarter – 26% – of people surveyed said they do not erase the content from devices before recycling e-waste. This means that over 1.6 million devices, which include intimate content of their previous owners, are making their way back onto the market each year! That’s a lot of potentially scantily-clad photos…

When broken down by state, the study found that 22% of North Carolinians say they do not wipe their data before submitting e-waste for recycling, equating to 44,468 people unwittingly hand over intimate content of themselves when recycling their devices. The worst offenders are Minnesotans, with 46% (or 48,000) of them potentially letting others see intimate content of themselves without their knowledge.

Thankfully, there are some states where respondents were much more cautious. Coming out on top is South Dakota, where only 8% (1,332) of survey participants said they put forward their e-waste for recycling with anything potentially incriminating on it.

When asked what the primary reason for not wiping data before disposing of a device, 37% of respondents said they basically just forget, which is pretty understandable, while 22% assume – wrongly as it turns out – that the recycling center will wipe it for them. 21% percent of those surveyed simply aren’t aware of how to do it, while 20% didn’t think it was necessary.

People are split on whether they would pay for a secure data-wiping service before recycling a device: 39% of people in the study said they would be likely to do so, but 36% would be unlikely to, with 25% unsure. The survey also asked what was the most sensitive data survey participants have forgotten to remove from a device before recycling it; 39% said passwords and logins, 22% said their social security number or personal ID info, while the second to last type of data respondents said they forgot to remove was intimate photos or videos (21%), followed by financial account details (18%).

And actually, it turns out about 1 in 5 respondents (21%) said they care less about their intimate photos being found by someone else on an old device than they do having all their personal financial information discovered (79%). In that instance, they would arguably be more at risk of being stolen from, or made financially vulnerable. Over half of people surveyed (59%) wrongly believe that anyone who discovers personal information from someone else on a recycled device is legally required to wipe that data permanently, while the same number of respondents said they would trust a friend or family member to wipe their device for them before recycling it.

And there are a lot of good Samaritans out there; over half (54%) say that if they discovered a stranger’s old device with their personal data still on it, they would delete the data and recycle it properly. A less scrupulous 11%, however, said they would try to access the data out of curiosity. Overall, over half (52%) say they have regretted not taking more precautions with their data before recycling a device.

Charlotte’s Lovin’ Life Music Fest Expands With Grammy Winners and Emerging Artists in 2025

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Charlotte’s Lovin’ Life Music Fest Expands With Grammy Winners and Emerging Artists in 2025

The Lovin’ Life Music Fest has just announced three major headliners for its 2025 event: the iconic Dave Matthews Band, Grammy-winning artist Gwen Stefani, and rising star Benson Boone, nominated for Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards.

This second annual festival, set for May 2-4, 2025 in Uptown Charlotte, will ultimately feature over 50 artists, with additional announcements coming in the weeks ahead.

This past May’s debut of the Lovin’ Life Fest was a major success, drawing tens of thousands of attendees. Although there were minor issues, such as sound overlap between stages, rain on Saturday, and some navigation challenges on the festival grounds, the event received widespread praise. Many attendees expressed positive feedback across social media, highlighting the vibrant performances and the overall festive atmosphere.

 

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The festival aims to bring diverse acts to Charlotte, positioning itself as a large-scale multi-day event that attracts music lovers from across the region. Organizers are looking to build on the success of the inaugural festival and promise even more enhancements and experiences for festival-goers this year. With popular headliners already announced, excitement is building as more artists will soon be added to complete a dynamic lineup for 2025.

Morningstar Church and York County Just Settled Their 12-Year Legal Battle Over 21-Story Tower in Fort Mill

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Morningstar Church and York County Just Settled Their 12-Year Legal Battle Over 21-Story Tower in Fort Mill

MorningStar Fellowship Church and York County have just filed an official settlement to resolve a lengthy dispute regarding the unfinished 21-story Heritage Tower in Fort Mill. This settlement was signed (Oct 9th) just 2 days after York County hired 2 new attorneys (Oct 7th) to help with the onslaught of legal filings over the unlawful permits the county issued for the Silfab Solar factory in Fort Mill.

The new agreement mandates MorningStar apply for a building permit within 18 months, proving the tower can meet current building codes. If they fail to secure it, the church must demolish the tower within nine months.

The county will step in and demolish it at MorningStar’s expense if they fail to comply. The tower was part of Jim Bakker’s Heritage USA, a Christian theme park, which faced bankruptcy in the late 1980s.

Timeline of Events:

  • 1978-1989: Heritage USA, a Christian theme park by Jim Bakker, operates as the third-largest in the country.
  • 1989: Heritage USA closes amid Bakker’s scandal and Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
  • 2004: MorningStar buys part of the Heritage USA site, including the tower.
  • 2012: MorningStar sues York County over tower repair disagreements.
  • 2018: MorningStar files a new lawsuit alleging religious discrimination.
  • 2020: Parties reach a mutual agreement to dismiss legal disputes.
  • 2021: MorningStar announces plans to renovate the tower; York County files a new lawsuit.
  • 2024: MorningStar and York County settle and dismiss all pending suits.

Here is the new settlement agreement signed by Rick Joyner (president of Morningstar) and Allison Love (York County Council co-chair) – you can click here to read the original settlement document filed with the court:

SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND MUTUAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS

This Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release of All Claims (“Agreement”) is made and entered into on October 10, 2024 (the “Effective Date”), by and amongst York County, South Carolina (“County”) and MorningStar Fellowship Church (“MorningStar”) to resolve by compromise settlement all claims, liabilities, and disputes of any kind among them. County and MorningStar are sometimes referred to herein as the “Parties.”

RECITALS

In 2013, MorningStar filed suit against the County in the Court of Common Pleas for York County, SC (the “State Court Suit”), for various claims related to the Heritage Tower (the “Tower”), a 20-story building located on MorningStar’s property at 375 Starlight Drive, Fort Mill, South Carolina, in York County (the “Property”). The State Court Suit was based on the Development Agreement between MorningStar and County, dated January 13, 2008, and bears Civil Action No. 2013CP4600246. The County denied MorningStar’s allegations and filed counterclaims in the State Court Suit, which MorningStar denied. After several years of litigation, the State Court Suit was dismissed pursuant to SCRCP 40(j) and reinstated with a new Civil Action No. of 2022CP4600161.

On November 4, 2022, MorningStar filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina against various officials of York County for claims related to religious discrimination (the “Federal Court Suit”). Defendants denied MorningStar’s claims. The Federal Court Suit bears Case No. 0:22-CV-03855-SAL.

The Parties now desire to enter into this Agreement to avoid further expense, inconvenience, and disruption related to the State Court Suit, the Federal Court Suit, and other disputes related to the Tower and alleged County conduct (the “Disputes”). They hereby settle the Disputes in accordance with the material terms set forth below.

TERMS

  1. Recitals
    The above-referenced recitals are true, correct, and binding in nature.
  2. No Admission of Liability
    Neither this Agreement nor anything contained herein shall be construed as an admission or concession of liability or wrongdoing by any Party.
  3. Agreement
    In exchange for the complete resolution of the Disputes, the Parties agree to the following:
    a. Within 14 days of the Effective Date:

    • The Parties will file a stipulation of dismissal of all claims in the State Court Suit.
    • MorningStar will dismiss the Federal Court Suit.
    • MorningStar will withdraw all pending FOIA requests to the County related to the Tower.
      b. Within 18 months from the Effective Date, MorningStar will submit a building permit application for the Tower.
      c. If MorningStar has not applied for a building permit by the deadline, it will demolish the Tower within 9 months following the deadline. If a building permit expires without renewal, MorningStar will also demolish the Tower within 9 months.
      d. If MorningStar fails to demolish the Tower as required, the County will proceed with demolition and hold MorningStar liable for the costs.
      e. A joint press release will be issued within 30 days after the Effective Date, announcing the settlement.
  4. Agreement and Building Code Compliance
    The Parties select ICC NTA, LLC as their third-party independent architecture/engineering firm to oversee building code compliance.
  5. Complete Mutual and Final Release
    Except for promises and agreements herein, the Parties fully release each other from any claims related to the Tower, the Development Agreement, and the Disputes.
  6. Waiver
    A waiver by any party of a breach of the Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of subsequent breaches.
  7. Time is of the Essence
    Time is of the essence for all obligations under this Agreement.
  8. Modification
    No modification shall be valid unless in writing and signed by all Parties.
  9. No Other Agreements
    This Agreement contains the entire agreement among the Parties and supersedes all prior communications.
  10. Binding and Enforceable Nature
    This Agreement shall be binding upon the Parties and enforceable pursuant to Rule 43(k) of the S.C. Rules of Civil Procedure.
  11. Entire Agreement
    This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the Parties concerning its subject matter.
  12. No Representations
    No representations about the claims or damages have induced either party to enter into this Agreement.
  13. Consent and Authority
    Each Party acknowledges their understanding and voluntarily executes this Agreement.
  14. Counterparts
    This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, with each deemed to be an original.
  15. Choice of Law; Arbitration
    This Agreement shall be governed by South Carolina law. Any dispute will be subject to binding arbitration.
  16. Severability
    If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain valid.
  17. Attorneys’ Fees and Costs
    The prevailing Party in any action related to this Agreement shall be entitled to recover attorneys’ fees and costs.

Charlotte Ranks Among The Top Cities In America Where A Median Income Goes The Farthest

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Charlotte Ranks Among The Top Cities In America Where A Median Income Goes The Farthest
Pew Research Center data shows that middle-class income growth has lagged behind upper-class gains since 1970, reducing the middle class’s share of household income, but some cities have it much better than others. If you’re curious what buying a home in Charlotte would look like for you, you can explore today’s 30-year fixed mortgage rates in North Carolina with Tomo Mortgage.
A new study by GOBankingRates ranked the all the cities in America using US Census data to find the median household income and the annual cost of living for homeowners in each city (which includes grocery costs, housing costs, monthly mortgages, transportation, and other miscellaneous costs).
Note that a positive “cost-adjusted median income” represents the money left over after cost of living; a negative amount indicates families do not have enough to cover the cost of living.
Key findings for Charlotte include:
  • The household median income before cost of living adjustments in Charlotte is $74,070.
  • The household median income after cost of living adjustments in Charlotte is $22,700.

Top 50 Cities To Live In With A Median Household Income

Rank City Median Household Income Cost-Adjusted Median Income Average Home Value
1 San Jose, California $136,010 -$59,995 $1,509,775
2 San Francisco, California $136,689 -$53,224 $1,395,689
3 San Diego, California $98,657 -$30,864 $1,137,772
4 Los Angeles, California $76,244 -$23,789 $1,007,659
5 Seattle, Washington $116,068 -$15,834 $930,981
6 Long Beach, California $78,995 -$15,668 $900,918
7 New York, New York $76,607 -$14,839 $782,625
8 Oakland, California $94,389 -$11,216 $832,773
9 Boston, Massachusetts $89,212 -$8,959 $801,196
10 Washington, District of Columbia $101,722 -$3,016 $709,467
11 Miami, Florida $54,858 +$1,655 $652,144
12 Denver, Colorado $85,853 +$7,946 $601,778
13 Portland, Oregon $85,876 +$11,064 $549,592
14 Austin, Texas $86,556 +$11,546 $550,856
15 Sacramento, California $78,954 +$14,468 $486,093
16 Las Vegas, Nevada $66,356 +$17,402 $449,356
17 Atlanta, Georgia $77,655 +$18,196 $441,737
18 Mesa, Arizona $73,766 +$18,874 $449,109
19 Nashville, Tennessee $71,328 +$19,474 $444,178
20 Phoenix, Arizona $72,092 +$19,949 $428,799
21 Colorado Springs, Colorado $79,026 +$19,994 $458,947
22 Raleigh, North Carolina $78,631 +$20,174 $449,230
23 Virginia Beach, Virginia $87,544 +$20,952 $416,429
24 Charlotte, North Carolina $74,070 +$22,694 $406,095
25 Bakersfield, California $73,827 +$22,864 $392,267
26 Fresno, California $63,001 +$22,915 $391,533
27 Dallas, Texas $63,985 +$26,777 $326,105
28 Chicago, Illinois $71,673 +$27,187 $310,088
29 Minneapolis, Minnesota $76,332 +$27,378 $337,363
30 Arlington, Texas $71,736 +$27,488 $317,951
31 Tucson, Arizona $52,049 +$28,231 $340,764
32 Fort Worth, Texas $72,726 +$28,567 $303,062
33 Jacksonville, Florida $64,138 +$28,934 $306,835
34 Albuquerque, New Mexico $61,503 +$29,499 $334,404
35 Houston, Texas $60,440 +$30,841 $272,279
36 Omaha, Nebraska $70,202 +$31,168 $280,961
37 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania $57,537 +$31,883 $217,897
38 Columbus, Ohio $62,994 +$33,499 $261,636
39 San Antonio, Texas $59,593 +$33,656 $257,044
40 Louisville, Kentucky $63,114 +$33,974 $248,532
41 Kansas City, Missouri $65,256 +$34,679 $239,547
42 Indianapolis, Indiana $59,110 +$35,782 $231,898
43 El Paso, Texas $55,710 +$36,504 $224,164
44 Milwaukee, Wisconsin $49,733 $36,519 $207,494
45 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma $64,251 $36,658 $205,023
46 Baltimore, Maryland $58,349 $36,688 $185,383
47 Tulsa, Oklahoma $56,648 $36,898 $209,866
48 Wichita, Kansas $60,712 $37,586 $200,864
49 Memphis, Tennessee $48,090 $41,402 $147,747
50 Detroit, Michigan $37,761 $42,423 $73,654

UNC Charlotte State of Housing in Charlotte 2024 – 50k People Moving To Charlotte Each Year

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UNC Charlotte State of Housing in Charlotte 2024 – 50k People Moving To Charlotte Each Year

Enough people moved to the Charlotte metro from 2022 to 2023 to create a city roughly the size of Huntersville or Kannapolis, with 49,000+ newcomers relocating to the area. Taking a longer view, from 2014 to 2023, more than 471,750+ people have moved to the Charlotte area.

This brisk pace of growth — combined with a shortage of available housing and high interest rates — means that the Charlotte area faces a shortfall of housing that people with low and moderate incomes can afford. Although interest rates have dropped in recent months, and the supply of housing has improved somewhat, challenges persist, according to the State of Housing in Charlotte 2024 Report.

Published by the UNC Charlotte Childress Klein Center for Real Estate in the Belk College of Business, the practical, use-inspired research takes a close look at issues related to housing. In its sixth year, the report was released Wednesday, Nov. 20 at the annual State of Housing in Charlotte Summit at The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City.

“House prices have increased very quickly in Charlotte in recent years, making Charlotte housing increasingly unaffordable,” said Childress Klein Distinguished Professor of Real Estate and Urban Economics Yongqiang Chu, the study’s primary author.

“While the market has cooled significantly since COVID-19, there are no signs of significant price declines in the near future,” Chu said. “The significant slowdown in construction during the last two years and the easing monetary policy will put significant upward pressure on house prices going forward. Much needs to be done to achieve housing affordability.”

Key takeaways from the report:

  • House price growth has stabilized at a much lower rate than during the COVID-19 years; however, it is still growing. The median home prices in the Charlotte market increased from $414,360 in September 2023 to $429,945 in September 2024.
  • The supply side is catching up; however, significant challenges are ahead. The Charlotte Metropolitan Statistical Area provided a surplus of 5,000 housing units in 2023.
  • The housing market continues to be tight. The median days-on-the-market number is still less than 20 days.
  • Houses with affordable prices have become extremely difficult to find. Only 2% of houses sold for under $150,000, and only about 19% of houses sold for under $300,000 in 2024.
  • Housing affordability is slightly better than last year because of the declining interest rate. It would take a family income of $138,000 to afford a median-priced house in 2024. This compares to the 2023 State of Housing number, which was $152,000.
  • Rents have been decreasing in 2023 and 2024, thanks to the significant increase in multifamily apartment deliveries in the last several years.

In addition to Chu’s talk, a Q&A with industry experts followed, with Charisma Southerland of Canopy Realtor® Association, Bart Hopper of Hopper Communities and Marcie Williams of RKW Residential. The annual report draws upon six data sources and considers owner-occupied, rental and subsidized housing in an eight-county area of Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Union counties in North Carolina and Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina.

Those providing financial support for the work include Canopy Realtor® Association, Faison, True Homes, Hopper Communities and Marcie Williams. The Canopy Realtor® Association provided substantial data contribution from its Multiple Listing Service.

The Childress Klein Center for Real Estate at UNC Charlotte was established in 2005 to further the knowledge of real estate, public policy and urban economics in the professional community through teaching, research and community outreach activities. The center administers the M.S. in Real Estate program, an MBA concentration in real estate finance and development, the M.S. in real estate and MBA dual degree, an undergraduate concentration and certificate programs.

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