Mark your calendars! City officials and the Charlotte Bobcats invite the community to attend grand opening events for the new Arena which include:

Friday, October 21
5 pm – Pre-concert entertainment and countdown party on the outdoor plaza stage at Trade St. entrance (open to the public)
7:30 pm – The Rolling Stones concert (ticket holders only)

Saturday, October 22 & Sunday, October 23
Public Open House 2 – 6 pm
Entertainment, prizes, self-guided tours and more

Friday, October 28 at 6 pm
The Bobcats Jump Ball (Black Tie Charity Gala)

Saturday, November 5 at 7:30 pm
Home Opener – Charlotte Bobcats vs. Boston Celtics

Sunday, November 6 at 5:05 pm
Home Opener - Charlotte Checkers vs. Greenville Grrrowl

For more information, watch City Source tomorrow at 5:30 pm on The Government Channel – Cable 16.

The City's Neighborhood Development Department is accepting registration for upcoming leadership classes that are informative, engaging and free to all Charlotte residents.  Class topics include:

Neighborhood Organizing
Good Meetings Toolkit
Officers Board Training
Elections Made Easy
 "Can-Do" Committees

For more information, including class descriptions, dates and locations, click here.

Ever wish you could personally redesign Charlotte's street network?  Here's your chance.  City staff have drafted Urban Street Design Guidelines (USDG) that will be presented to City Council this fall and, if adopted, will shape the way streets are built in Charlotte.  But before City Council votes, the planners would like community input at scheduled open house meetings.

For meeting times and locations, or to see a draft of the Urban Street Design Guidelines, call 704-336-4119 or click here. 

The children of Cultural Heritage will help Solid Waste Services kick-off part two of its Meta Un G-O-O-O-L Reciclando campaign with the live debut of the play A Recycle Tale:

Thursday, October 13
10:30 am
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. 4^th St.

Launched in the fall of 2004, the recycling campaign is designed to increase participation in Charlotte's Latino community. Efforts for the 2005 campaign resulted in a 12% increase in recycling participation in the targeted community.

For more information, contact Brandi Williams at 704-336-6684 or bnwilliams@ci.charlotte.nc.us.

More women than ever are choosing careers in policing with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).  Learn more about the rewards of being a CMPD officer at the:

"Women in Policing" Career Fair
Saturday, October 29 at 10 am
Police & Fire Training Academy
1770 Shopton Rd.

For more information, including job benefits and qualifications, call 704-432-1603, 704-432-1616 or visit www.cmpd.org.     

With the increase in gas prices, commuters are looking for transportation choices that are more economical. With more than 3,000 trips a day and more than 70 local and express routes, Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) convenient and cost-efficient services offer commuters an escape from rising gas prices.

CATS' new web-based trip planner makes it simple and convenient to plan your next trip or work-time commute.  Trip Planner provides customized trip plans indicating which route(s) to take, where to catch the next CATS service, and even how far to walk from the bus stop to your front door.

For more information, call 704-336-RIDE or visit www.ridetransit.org.

Tune into The Government Channel – Cable 16 for the latest government news and information.

City Source - Thursdays at 5:30 pm
This week, take a look at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the use of Tasers.  Find out how the City can help you remove yard waste. Also, check out ways to get involved in local government.

CMPD Today - 1st Wednesday of every month at 8 pm
If you missed the October 5 show, watch an episode repeat tonight at 8 pm.

To learn more about The Government Channel, visit http://govchannel.charmeck.org.