Records provided to me show a man named Nils Lucander applied to be interim mayor of Charlotte despite not being eligible because he is unaffiliated and lives in the town of Davidson. Applicants were asked to submit their resume but Lucander instead attached this picture of food on the grill. Looks good.

NEW: State lawmakers are going to make the city of Charlotte and other municipalities repay the money spent to develop the I77 toll lanes, per an amendment filed today. That's roughly $60 million, and the draft legislation says new transportation sales tax revenue can't be used.>

Applications for Charlotte Mayor closed at 5 p.m. One applicant with some council support is Carrie Cook, who works in communications at the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond. MPTA chair and former council member David Howard did *not* apply. Others who want the job include:

Revenue stamps for pornography (or "prurient materials" in legislativese)? You just never know what unique proposals the folks at the #ncga will decide to bring up: wunc.org/politics/2026-06-02… #ncpol

Missed today's episode? Be sure to take a listen to the Charlotte Talks Podcast, wherever you get your podcasts. wfae.org/show/charlotte-talk…

Following a decision by the Independent Interscholastic Athletic Appeals Board administered by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors convened in a special meeting on Tuesday morning to consider the matter involving the conclusion of the 2026 8A Men’s Track and Field State Championship. The Appeals Board vacated the disqualification from the 4×400 relay. After review and discussion, the NCHSAA Board of Directors voted to declare Mallard Creek High School and C.E. Jordan High School as co-champions of the 2026 NCHSAA 8A Men’s Track and Field State Championship. The Board also voted to recognize Mallard Creek High School and Hough High School as co-champions in the men’s 4×400-meter relay. The NCHSAA appreciates the work of the Independent Interscholastic Athletic Appeals Board and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction throughout this process. The Association thanks the student-athletes, coaches, school administrators, officials, and member schools involved, including Mallard Creek High School, for using the appeals process provided under state law and NCHSAA policy. That process is designed to promote fairness by enabling informed review of officiating decisions that result in disqualification or suspension. “We recognize that this situation has been emotional for the student-athletes, coaches, schools, and communities involved,” said NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker. “At the center of this matter are young people who have invested countless hours into their sport and their team. We appreciate the work of the Independent Interscholastic Athletic Appeals Board and respect the process that led to today’s outcome. We are pleased that this matter has reached a resolution and that the accomplishments of the student-athletes involved can be recognized.” The NCHSAA remains committed to fair competition, sportsmanship, and the educational mission of interscholastic athletics. The Association recognizes the efforts of all those who participated in the review process.

Who wants to be mayor of Charlotte?

Can counties use occupancy taxes on hotel stays/vacation rentals to fund public safety? The NC Supreme Court said yes in a lawsuit involving Currituck County, but a new #ncga bill would stop the practice: wunc.org/politics/2026-06-02… #ncpol

New: @CLTMayor says she may remain Charlotte Mayor past her announced June 30th retirement date if a new mayor hasn't been selected by City Council by then. Council is supposed to pick a new mayor on June 22, but could struggle to find a candidate who can get six votes

NC Gov. Josh Stein signs executive order prohibiting state employees from using information they've gained from work to participate in prediction markets. He says he's not aware of any worker doing this, but hopes the order will bolster public confidence. #ncpol

New editor at my alma mater

@CLTAirport and airlines, including @AmericanAir, have agreed to extend negotiations on a new long-term operating agreement for up to a year beyond the current June 2026 expiration. Current terms remain in place, with no expected impact to travelers, airport says.

The view from some state lawmakers: We’ll take Charlotte’s $700 million. And we may try to recover the sunk costs while we are at it too.

The #ncga House has approved two constitutional amendments on taxes to put on the November ballot with help from two legislators who recently left the Democratic Party: wunc.org/politics/2026-05-20… #ncpol

Random lobbying tidbit: The city of Charlotte has 11(!) registered lobbyists representing its interests at the #ncga. #ncpol

NCDOT has released all six designs to reconnect west Charlotte. But NCDOT stresses they are dependent on widening I-77 to 10 lanes with tolls. "If support for the P3 were rescinded ... concepts released today would also not move forward." No cost estimates.

North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson warned Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles that if local leaders withdraw support for the Interstate 77 toll lane project, the state would be required to remove it from a long transportation plan. buff.ly/NqDeMM5

Which city grew faster last year than any other city with more than 500,000 people? Charlotte. It's on the verge of crossing the one-million mark, joining a club with only 12 other members. wsj.com/us-news/americas-fas…

On Friday, NC has a budget framework, the fallout from Vi Lyles' resignation, and Charlotte City Council withdraws its support for the I-77 toll lane project. That and more with @farrellj329, @pitkin_ryan, @alexsands_, and @Bentnews at 9am on @WFAE. wfae.org/show/charlotte-talk… .

The CRTPO representative for the town of Cornelius is signaling the town will join Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and Matthews in voting to rescind support of the I-77 toll lane project. That’s a majority of votes on the CRTPO. That means the project can be pulled if this item is placed on an agenda. If a member tries to take action on an item not on the agenda, a supermajority is required. The I-77 project is not on next week’s agenda wsoctv.com/news/local/charlo…