Top Stories for April 16, 2025
Mecklenburg County provides this weekly rundown of top stories from the Board of County Commissioners meetings and the Public Information Department’s newsroom. The Board met on Tuesday, April 15. The agenda is available online and the meeting can be viewed on MeckTV. The Board’s next budget and public policy meeting is scheduled for April 22 at 2:30 p.m.
1. Latta Place Reimagined: The Board of County Commissioners received a report on the future design of Latta Place. In a presentation from the design team, the concept outlined features a new interpretive trail, a new visitor center and updates to the farmstead. The design is intended to uncover the entangled stories of the people and cultures that shaped Latta Place and its natural environment, including enslaved people, Indigenous people, tenant farmers, artisans, historic landowners and more recent stewards. Construction is anticipated to start in late 2025 with a reopening in 2026. The Board has appropriated more than $11.2 million in capital improvement dollars to create a new chapter for Latta Place.
2. Second Chances: The Board proclaimed April as N.C. Re-entry Month, encouraging residents to support the transition of people with criminal histories back into the community. Formerly incarcerated people are 10 times more likely to become homeless. To serve those residents upon their release, Mecklenburg County’s Reentry Services promotes employment stability, service engagement, and continuing education. Plus, the RAMP Up pilot program is supporting 60 residents with a $600/month stipend for 12 months.
3. Senior Day: Mecklenburg County residents are invited to join County Commissioner Vilma D. Leake (District 2) for a senior-centric event. Residents will learn about Mecklenburg County programs and services for seniors and will have the opportunity to ask questions about services for seniors. The event will feature remarks from Mecklenburg County leaders. Senior Day Lunch and Learn will be held on Thursday, April 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Valerie C. Woodard Conference Center, 3205 Freedom Drive, Entrance D, Charlotte, NC 28208.
4. Love Your Local: N.C. Cooperative Extension, Mecklenburg County Center, is gearing up for a celebration of local food, sustainability, and community connection. Love Your Local is a series of events highlighting our local food system. Festivities kick off on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22 and offer a diverse lineup of engaging activities for all ages—gardening and cooking demonstrations, trivia, a farmers market tour, youth cook-off, and more. Love Your Local is a call to action to support local farmers, businesses, and food producers while fostering a deeper connection to the food we eat and education about our food system.
5. Baby Bundles: Public Health has partnered with Baby Bundles in a new initiative to assist more high-risk pregnant women enrolled in the care management program. Baby Bundles provides products including baby supplies and health education materials. Each bundle is valued at $350 and includes baby clothing and essentials, diapers, and wipes. The bundles will also include important health information on vaccines in pregnancy and childhood, mental health resources and the importance of the ABCs of infant safe sleep (alone, back, crib).
6. Safe and Healthy Workplaces: Several Mecklenburg County departments were recognized with N.C. Department of Labor Safety Awards for their efforts in promoting a safe, healthy workplace. The awards are based on maintaining good safety records and achieving safe work criteria, including days away from work or job transfers due to injuries or illness. The departments are Tax Collector, Land Use and Environmental Services Agency, Park and Recreation, and the Legal department.
7. Happy Easter! Mecklenburg County offices and services will be closed on Friday, April 18, for the Good Friday holiday.