LOCAL HERO

Barney Offerman

Barney Offerman is a beloved figure among Charlotte's progressive community, admired as much for his integrity and wit as for his organizing abilities. We honor him for his life of dedication to social justice. After years of labor, racial justice and literacy work in New Orleans and Mississippi, and a stint in the administration of Ohio governor Richard Celeste, Dr. Offerman moved in 1986 to Charlotte, where he was Distinguished Professor of Business and Economics at Johnson C. Smith University for 10 years. While there, he established the Lifelong Learning Center for adults returning to school. He was also one of the movers behind the establishment of Charlotte's first homeless shelter, and he either launched or gave critical support to the North Carolina death penalty moratorium movement, various labor struggles, and efforts to promote peace and immigrant rights. In 1995, he became director of the Charlotte diocese's Catholic Campaign for Human Development. He retired from that position in 2001, but continues to lend advice and support to area progressives who benefit from his knowledge and experience.

LOCAL ZERO

Peter Gorman

More and more people are coming to the realization that Gorman may not be the long-view, visionary superintendent CMS desperately needs. Crowded schools in the 'burbs, lousy inner city schools, bullying, endless official tests, opaque CMS administration, clueless downtown desk-sitters dictating to principals and teachers -- all were problems when Gorman started, all are problems still. The clincher for the Loser award, however, has to be the unimpressive way Gorman has gone about cutting the CMS budget, i.e., canning teachers left and right with little input from the principals, while keeping his own thrilling Q&A show on TV.

BEST ACTIVIST (INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP)

Stop Cliffside Coalition

We think Duke Energy's plan for a new coal-burning plant near Cliffside, N.C., is a terrible idea (don't get us started on the myth of "clean coal"). That's why we're glad there's a group like the Stop Cliffside Coalition to draw attention to the issue, support research, file lawsuits, demonstrate, raise Cain, whatever it'll take. This coordinated campaign of N.C. citizen advocacy groups has led the charge for clean energy in the Carolinas; we salute them for their hard work and hope they'll keep it up. StopCliffside.org

BEST LOCAL CHARITY

Urban Ministry Center

Just a few blocks from the Square Uptown, the Urban Ministry Center is a vibrant, vigorous complex of buildings, programs and committed people, all focused on helping the homeless. And by "helping," we don't just mean a sandwich and a cot. The entire space is an urban oasis with, yes, a daily soup kitchen, but also a laundry, mail service, counselors, art classes, sculpture, an organic garden, and most of all, a welcoming, helpful spirit. They've taken on more and more clients in the current Great Recession without batting an eye. Help 'em out if you can.

945 N. College St.
704-347-0278

BEST NEW SLOGAN FOR CHARLOTTE

"Recommended By 3 Out Of 10 Unemployed Bankers"

Runners-up: "Banking Capital Of The World Without The Capital"; "If We Build It, They Will Come"

BEST MEMBER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

City Councilman Anthony Foxx

A repeat winner. Foxx is rare in Charlotte. He was actually born and raised here. In 2005, he was elected to the Charlotte City Council as an at-large member and maybe his knowledge of the city has something to do with his sage actions on the council. For instance, in a time of budget crisis for Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, Foxx led the charge to give CMS the money that the city owed the school system from the Safelight/Safe Speed program. Of course, everyone else fell in line and voted to give CMS what was owed to them. Foxx is currently running for mayor, hoping to be the first person not named McCrory to lead the city in over a decade.

WORST MEMBER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

School Board Member Kaye "Gay Agenda" McGarry

There were four contenders for this award, and three of them are on the School Board; no wonder Chairperson Molly Griffin is getting out. McGarry, poster woman for rightwing suburbanites, gets the award here for her consistently tight-sphinctered, tight-fisted, and, don't forget, anti-gay approach to running our schools. We're hoping Kaye avoids this award next year, so maybe she can repeat this useful mantra for the next 12 months: "They're public schools, not Bible colleges."

PUBLIC OFFICIAL MOST IN NEED OF TASERING

Mayor Pat McCrory

We've often been critical of Mayor Pat McCrory during his long, seemingly endless tenure -- corporate puppets just affect us that way, we guess. So we figure, why stop now, just because he's leaving? So, Pat, please accept this parting gift from old friends: a quick zap on your way out the door.

WORST POLICING TREND

Driving At High Speed And Killing People

In March, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Martray Proctor killed Shatona Robinson when he slammed into her Ford Escort while doing 90 mph. No blue lights, no siren. Two months later, a Concord police car chase ended in a crash that killed 84-year-old Docia Barber, who was on her way to get a prescription refilled. Police speeders killing citizens is one national trend this area can do without, but Char-Meck Police Chief Rodney Monroe has said he wants to actually loosen regulations on police high-speed chases. We think the police should take their own advice and slow the hell down.

LOUSIEST PROTEST GROUP

Tea Partiers

When you think of tea parties, the first thought is little girls in boas and their mother's high heels. It's no wonder that the Tea Partiers remind serious people of children. Who schedules a protest on July 4? Obviously Tea Partiers don't believe families should celebrate the good old U.S. of A.'s independence together. Another thing these protesters don't believe in is profanity -- even though they are so mad they want to protest. On their Web site, the head of the party apologizes for one of the entertainers at the July rally. Really? And like their hero, Sarah Palin, the Tea Partiers whine and complain about the media. That's probably why no one but a few wackos show up to these things.

BEST USE OF TAX MONEY

Public Transportation

Political factions today don't just disagree; they seem to live in different realities. For some people, choosing to build more roads rather than increase spending for mass transit is a no-brainer. For others, including CL's Best of Charlotte deciders, the opposite choice is equally obvious and clear cut: Mass transit should trump more roads (as long as existing roads are maintained adequately). It's simple: The more we can wean ourselves from our utter dependence on cars, the better off we, our city, and our air will be.

BIGGEST WASTE OF TAX MONEY

NASCAR Hall of Fame

Believe us, we have nothing against NASCAR or auto racing per se, although even huge NASCAR fans will tell you it's not as exciting as it used to be. All that aside, though, you gotta admit that spending public funds on a museum honoring a sport whose fan base was waning before the Great Recession hit, and has shrunk even more since then, is not exactly a smart investment.

BEST LOCAL ATHLETE

Charlotte Roller Girls

If you don't want to be them, you at least have to see them. Since its resurgence in 2001, roller derby has rocketed in popularity ... especially in Charlotte. These bad-ass women on wheels have one of the largest roller derby fan followings in the nation. Emmylou Harrass, Court'her Pound'her, Drew FearMEmore (porn stars can't beat these names) and the rest of the Charlotte skaters aren't out there squealing and pulling hair -- the fast-paced derby action requires endurance and serious athletic ability. And at $4-$10 per ticket, it's also your best value for a spectator sport. See what these hard-hitting bouts are all about at The Grady Cole Center, 310 N. Kings Drive.

BEST THING TO SHOW OFF TO OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

All The Cranes Downtown

We know that the cranes themselves aren't oh-so-exciting, but it's what they represent. Amidst the economic woes, Charlotte's movin' on up. High-rises are sprouting up like daisies (or dandelions, depending on how you feel about them). Commercially speaking, the Ritz Carlton is nearing completion adjacent to a new B of A building, and of course there's next year's controversial NASCAR Hall of Fame. So if your guests aren't impressed with our booming metropolis, they should be soon. See? See? I told you Charlotte doesn't suck.

BEST NEW BUILDING/ATTRACTION

Afro-American Cultural Center

While the new NASCAR Hall of Fame will do as much to improve Charlotte's ritzy cracker image as an Iranian cyclotron, literate folk who still have all their teeth can point with pride to the new Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture a couple of blocks west at the crossroads of Tryon and East Stonewall. Standing boldly like a giant wedge of smoked gouda, Gantt Center's upward aspiring facade triumphs over the design challenges of the site's 45x400 footprint. The four-storey $18.6 million fromage is set to officially open with a "Where You Belong" gala on Oct. 17. That's when the African-American community and the general public can begin to savor the Gantt Center's state-of-the-art galleries and classrooms -- and a new museum store! -- a quantum leap from the Afro-Am Cultural Center's former hub on Myers Street. With a multipurpose theater/lecture hall, the Gantt will glow golden in the night while offering enlightenment within.

MOST MISSED OLD BUILDING

Charlotte Coliseum on Tyvola Road

Sports fans will remember it as "The Hive" (you know, when we actually had a decent basketball team and even better attendance?) and host to 1994's NCAA Final Four. But the lack of luxury seats sent the Hornets further south and TWCA, with all its bells and whistles, books all the big gigs downtown. Sure it wasn't as "centrified" and shiny as its competition, but the Coliseum had its benefits like ample parking... and ample parking.

WORST EYESORE

Calvary Church

Referred to in the past as "that pink church" (to go along with "that pink building" on South Boulevard; see the Readers' Pick in this category), this garish edifice on Hwy. 51 is just the sort of temple of worship one would expect down Ballantyne way: expensive, superficial and calling attention to itself (no wonder intolerant County Commissioner Bill James is a member). So much for the meek inheriting the earth ...

BEST HOTEL

The Westin

With their signature Heavenly Beds, you probably won't want to leave the comforts of your hotel room except to mosey on down to the lobby bar for some people-watching and a well-made (albeit over-priced) cocktail. A light rail stop right outside the hotel doors makes it convenient for travelers to get around, and for locals who want to avoid the sardine-esque parking garage.

601 S. College St.

704-375-2600

BEST MUSEUM

(tie) The Mint Museum of Art & Levine Museum of the New South

Charlotte museums are stoic, grand and vulnerable -- a small stand of giant Sequoias sprouting from an asphalt savanna. Levine Museum of the New South, Charlotte Museum of History and the two Mints are the best bundle in the state, and together boast more high-end shows than most cities. With last year's Andy Warhol Portfolios, Claire Leighton's Quiet Spirit, Skillful Hand and Jiha Moon's Turbulent Utopia, the Mint noses out most of her vaunted competition, but we denizens of Charlotte are the real winners. On the other hand, you won't find a better snapshot of post-Civil War Southern society than at the Levine. Interactive exhibits, events, lectures, workshops and walking tours all come together for a comprehensive look at the city's history and sociological evolution since 1865. Changing Places, a current exhibit that examines Charlotte's increasingly diverse culture, allows and encourages visitors to become part of the project. And the space itself is immaculate -- a great place to throw a party.

Mint Museum of Art
2730 Randolph Road
704-337-2000

Levine Museum of the New South
200 E. 7th St.
704-333-1887

BEST AREA TO LIVE IN CHARLOTTE

Plaza Midwood

"There's no neighborhood as cool as Plaza Midwood in the nation's capital, and your restaurants are certainly better." OK, so Will Smith never actually said this. But anyone can see why folks might've fallen for the Observer's April Fool's Day gag. Living in PM has its perks: Some of the best food and hippest hangouts sit in walking distance of the beautiful historical homes, while new construction reflects the growing popularity of the area, complimenting the eclectic look and feel of what is inarguably the center of Charlotte's melting pot. Ask anyone who lives here, and they'll tell you there's not a better place to hang your hat (in Charlotte, that is).

BEST PRE-GAME HANGOUT DOWNTOWN

Tailgating Parties

Tailgating is a sport in its own right, with folks constantly looking for ways to one-up the competition for "top tailgate" title. (He's picking up fried chicken from Price's? Well, I'm roasting my own pig!) There are several choice locations dotting the downtown parking lots to get your game face on. Due to the recent urban growth, the hottest spots can now be found off Church Street, between Third and MLK. There's nothing better than throwing down with friends in the privacy of your own parking space -- you may not even notice that you missed kickoff.

WORST INTERSECTION

Queens, Queens, Providence and Providence

Anyone who's had to make their way through Myers Park knows that the unholiest of intersections isn't the Bermuda Triangle -- it's the corner(s) of Queens, Queens, Providence and Providence. Whether you're inching away from downtown on your way home from work or trying to give directions to an out-of-towner, the traffic pattern here is nothing but an exercise in frustration. The only redeeming quality is the often-decorated statue of Hugh McManaway, who actually used to direct traffic in that very spot. We could use another Hugh.

BEST FESTIVAL

FemmeFest

Lea Kuhlman's idea for an event that celebrates women has grown into a neighborhood-encompassing festival in only its second year. Attendance exceeded expectations, and the level of talent has grown while continuing to showcase local, regional and national acts. It's a benefit show for a good cause and also helps boost the local economy in NoDa. Inside stages, outside stages, merchandise and more -- it's a great addition to the local music scene that we hope continues for many years to come.

BEST PLACE FOR OUTDOOR EXERCISE

U.S. National Whitewater Center

A repeat winner. It's hard to top this state-of-the-art adventure-sport facility, which is why it's won this category three years running (or paddling, if you will). Choose your own adrenaline rush, from Class III/IV whitewater kayaking and rafting to bouldering and mountain biking. We applaud their efforts to conserve water, but will also admonish you to check their schedule ahead of time if you plan on rafting ... otherwise you'll have to go with the flow.

5000 Whitewater Center Parkway
704-391-3900

BEST PLACE TO GET BACK TO NATURE

McDowell Nature Preserve

This Lake Wylie area gem is the oldest preserve in Mecklenburg County with 1,115 acres of wooded wilderness. Picnic, camp, or hike along seven miles of trails. Flora and fauna fans have the chance to check out more than a hundred species of birds, rare plant life, plus several species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles. And the Nature Preserve's neighbor, Copperhead Island, offers fishing and boating access.

15222 York Road
704-588-5224

BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE-WATCH

Purgatory

A repeat winner. The final show was held this past spring, but Purgatory is, was and always will be known as an atmosphere in which to satisfy all or most of your fetish, S&M and bondage longings. The Single Cell party gave folks the opportunity to gaze upon (or engage in) whippings, candlewax touches, walks across the "human" red carpet, fetish dances and a variety of shocking erotic-themed shows. You could never know exactly what you were going to see, but fishnets, electric tape covering nipples and costumes and attire ranging from sexy, surprising and downright outlandish, were always in the mix. Ahh, how we already miss this bimonthly event.

BEST GOLF COURSE

Quail Hollow Country Club

Every year, the PGA Tour brings the best in the game to the well-groomed greens at Quail for the Quail Hollow Championship (the championship formerly known as "Wachovia"). Hey, if it's good enough for Tiger and Vijay ...

3700 Gleneagles Road
704-552-1800