Countrywide brand is fading away

(By Rick Rothacker, rrothacker@charlotteobserver.com) As Bank of America Corp. officially puts its brand on former Countrywide Financial Corp. offices today, the Charlotte bank is also unveiling new initiatives aimed at improving mortgage lending for consumers ... The changeover follows the Charlotte bank's July 1 acquisition of Countrywide, which had become a symbol of the nation's mortgage meltdown as it neared collapse early last year. The lender came with a damaged name, troubled loans and a

Read     Post Talkback

Delinquent taxpayers owe Mecklenburg $26.7 million

Mecklenburg County is owed more than $26.7 million in delinquent taxes for 2008, with many people citing the poor economy as the reason they weren't able to pay their bills on time ... An advertisement appearing in Sunday's Observer listed more than 28,800 overdue tax bills for land, buildings and business equipment in Mecklenburg, as well as personal property including boats or airplanes ... Click here for a searchable database ... State law requires local governments to publish the ads as a

Read     Post Talkback

Key vote at BofA stirs up hostility

(By Christina Rexrode, crexrode@charlotteobserver.com) Bank of America chief executive Ken Lewis and his board of directors face significant opposition heading into Wednesday's shareholder meeting, but experts and activists say the bank officials have one major advantage: The rules of the game are in their favor ... Lewis and all his directors must stand for re-election at the meeting. But a big chunk of the votes will be cast by stockbrokers on behalf of their clients, and they typically back

Read     Post Talkback

The Sean May question that lingers on

Since the day Adam Morrison was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in early February, I've probably received 50 e-mails posing the same question: ... Why didn't Sean May follow Morrison right out the Bobcats' door? ... I certainly get the frustration: You see May as an out-of-shape underachiever who's been paid millions without really accomplishing anything ... But there are two significant differences between Morrison and May: ... First, Morrison didn't want to be here. His self-confidence was so

Read     Post Talkback

N.C. Bankers backs BofA’s Lewis

The N.C. Bankers Association on Friday expressed its support of Bank of America Corp. Chief Executive and Chairman Kenneth Lewis in advance of the bank’s annual meeting. (BAC) ...

Read     Post Talkback

Police Chase Ends In Fatal Crash

Read     Post Talkback

City's attitude toward blocked restaurants is indefensible

By Tricia Childress ... Most of Charlotte's business focus these past few months has been centered on the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets: the Bank of America tower. However, if you drive south on East Trade, another drama has been simmering. At the intersection of Charlottetowne Avenue, Elizabeth Avenue is barricaded. The City of Charlotte has been involved with a street project of burying utilities and installing streetcar rails for a line which, eventually, will run down

Read     Post Talkback

Fired up: Dan Morgan's Cheese Mo'z Coal Fired Pizza

By Tricia Childress ... Last winter, when folks noticed "Dan Morgan's" on a soon-to-open restaurant sign in south Charlotte, they thought of the retired Pro Bowl and former Panther linebacker who played for seven seasons. After being released from the Panthers, Morgan signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints in March 2008, only to retire two months later. However, Morgan, a first-round draft pick in 2001 who has been plagued with injuries, was reinstated by the NFL in February 2009 and

Read     Post Talkback

Credit Card Reform

Great that Chris Dodd did a guest post at MLN yesterday on his credit card reform.But, what happens when the postal service decides not to handle mail 6 days a week anymore?It's time to get the post office out of the process and revisit this bill that makes the date of payment the postmark date, not the receipt date.Of course, the big bank lobby knocked this down, but I say it's time to put it ...

Read     Post Talkback

Charges have been filed in connection with a fatal crash inWinnebago County. Megan Wolf has been charged with homicide bynegligent operation of a vehicle ...

Read     Post Talkback