Joe Marusak

Mooresville

Breaking News Reporter at The Charlotte Observer

Reporter, The Charlotte Observer

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Articles

NASCAR driver sells mansion near Charlotte for a record price, Realtor says

1 week ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has sold his mansion north of Charlotte for a record price, a spokesman for Realtors in the transaction said Wednesday. The mansion east of Mooresville went for $12.2 million, the highest-priced sale in the greater Charlotte area, according to Jack Wagner, spokesman for Corcoran HM Properties. Corcoran agents Josh Tucker and Joey Adams represented Stenhouse.
Huntersville rejects national home builder's plan for Lake Norman-area homes

1 week ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

The Huntersville Board of Commissioners Tuesday night rejected a national homebuilder's plan for homes, pickleball courts and a public park with a fishing pond east of Interstate 77. The board voted 4-2 against a rezoning for the 259-home community proposed by NVR Inc., the parent company of Ryan Homes. The developer would have donated land for the town park and 10-acre public fishing pond and built 2.3 miles of multi-use paths.
About restaurants, historic parks and attractions

1 week ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

Students from Elizabeth Traditional Elementary School play soccer at Independence Park during the school's picnic celebrating the last day of school on Friday, June 9, 2023. CHARLOTTE OBSERVER FILE PHOTO Welcome to Elizabeth, one of Charlotte's oldest neighborhoods established in 1891 southeast of uptown.
Hiker plummets into a ravine near popular NC waterfalls, her rescuers say

1 week ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

A hiker plummeted 20 feet into a ravine in a popular North Carolina waterfalls area on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail Friday, her rescuers said. Crews contended with "difficult terrain" and fog, rain and thunderstorms to rescue the woman about six miles west of Morganton, Burke County 911 spokesman Chris White told The Charlotte Observer on Saturday. The hiker fell just west of Steel Creek Park & Campground, White said. The campground is on N.C. 181.
Thousands expected at Charlotte-area 'No Kings' anti-Trump rallies and marches

1 week ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak |Briah Lumpkins |Maia Nehme

A crowd of over 1,000 people showed up to march on Central Avenue for May Day Trump Protests in Charlotte May 3. A new set of protests are scheduled for Saturday. For to the Observer Thousands of people are expected at "No Kings" anti-Trump rallies and marches in the Charlotte area on Saturday. Besides the rally in uptown Charlotte, at least five other protest events are planned, from Monroe to Rock Hill.
Former NASCAR team owner pleads guilty in tax case, hopes for racing comeback

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

A former NASCAR team owner who pleaded guilty in a payroll tax case in Charlotte this week said he loves the sport and hopes to return as an owner someday. "I love NASCAR," former BK Racing LLC owner and president Ronald Devine told The Charlotte Observer in a phone interview Thursday from his home in Burke, Virginia. "I'm a good guy. I would love to be back in racing." Devine said he flew down to plead guilty to one count of failure to pay payroll taxes in U.S. District Court on Wednesday.
Dale Earnhardt widow riles neighbors with planned $30B data center on her 400 acres

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

Wearing "No Data Center!" stickers, about 50 people attended an information session Wednesday to oppose a $30 billion planned data center campus on 400 acres owned by the widow of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. The Mooresville Board of Commissioners called the meeting at Town Hall to learn more about the proposed Mooresville Technology Park from its developer, Denver, Colorado-based Tract, and express their own concerns.
Cut the height of $20M Lake Norman condo building in half, board tells developer

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

The Cornelius Planning Board Monday night recommended approval of a couple's rezoning request for a six-story, $20 million mixed-use condo building - if they cut the number of stories in half. That's a big "if," as developer Adam Jones earlier told the board that six stories makes the Cashmere Condominiums project economically viable for him and his wife, Iryna.
Dilworth homeowner spread gasoline before house exploded, judge says

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

A judge ordered a Dilworth man accused of blowing up his home on May 2 back to jail without bond Friday, court records show. Michael E. Barnette, owner of 1645 Lombardy Circle, will remain in jail until a June 27 hearing, according to court documents. The judge denied the bond while revealing investigative findings that Barnette poured gasoline in the home before lighting the house on fire. WBTV first reported the judge's statements made during the hearing.
I-77 driver dies after blown tire plunges pickup down embankment, trooper says

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Joe Marusak

A driver died on Interstate 77 and three passengers were hospitalized, after a blown tire spun his pickup down an embankment Friday night, June 6, 2025, a State Highway Patrol trooper said. Getty Images A driver died on Interstate 77 and three passengers were hospitalized after a blown tire spun a pickup out of control and down an embankment Friday night, State Highway Patrol Trooper Christopher Casey said.