Some people would say that schools nowadays are less education and more test preparation. At the elementary level, state-required end-of-grade tests lurk like an ominous storm cloud that gathers strength throughout the year. Yet we are lucky to live in an area where many educators still believe kids learn in a variety of ways.

Four conductors hoping to become the Charlotte Symphony's next leader will have their tryouts in 2008-09, and the season will close with four programs marking the end of Christof Perick's time at the helm.

If you are looking to relocate to an area rich in history and industry you couldn't do better than buying one of the many homes for sale in Charlotte, NC. The city itself has been a central point in many of the country's greatest historical events, but visitors to the city will discover that history is not all that Charlotte, NC has to offer.

Are you looking for real estate in Charlotte, NC but can't seem to find the deal you're looking for? That could be because you're looking in all the wrong places! Getting a great deal on real estate is as easy as 1-2-3 if you know where to look, and Charlotte real estate is no exception. To find the real estate deal that's right for you, whether you're an investor or a would-be homeowner, just follow the steps below:

All you hear about these days is the real estate crisis which has hit the nation. So many areas are devastated because of the amount of foreclosures. Lenders are going out of business faster than you can blink. The average home values are falling. Sales prices are declining. It has become almost impossible to finance any type of real estate. This is not true in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Don't miss Opera Carolina's first production of the New Year – Verdi's spectacular masterpiece, Aida. Bound by captivity and tortured by love, Aida, falls in love with her captor, Radames, an Egyptian commander torn between his love for her and his duty to his pharaoh. As they fight for their forbidden love, they finally find freedom only in paying the ultimate price.

Prepare for an opera spectacle unlike any Charlotte has ever seen. Opera Carolina presents Aida, Verdi's extravagant masterpiece, in an elaborate portrayal of forbidden love. Set in ancient Egypt, a young Ethiopian princess, Aida, is condemned to slavery by the Egyptians.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (including Catholic Schools) will be closed on January 17 for students due to inclement weather. CMS employees should note that this is a CODE A: Optional Teacher Workday. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools employees are encouraged to use good judgment in making the decision to report to work. If travel conditions are not safe, employees should exercise the options available in a CODE A: Optional Teacher Workday. Staff report time is 9:00 a.m. Check news14.com too for updates.

Olga Kern plays the piano with a free spirit. She relishes music that's lyrical, drawing it in to a whisper when she feels the urge. Come time for excitement, she dives in headlong, tossing things off with pizzazz.

Looking for a new way to spend Saturday morning with the kids? Try the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra's Lollipops concerts. Actors, mimes or other performers join the orchestra to take young people on storytelling adventures. At around an hour, they're a congenial length. And they introduce kids to the world of the orchestra. This season's series opens Saturday morning with a new twist on a children's classic.

Live symphony for less than a new CD? Live theater for the price of a movie ticket and a small popcorn? Charlotte's Orchestra performing arts groups are finding innovative ways to lure the masses through their doors.

Opera Carolina presents a season of impassioned repertoire that explores the comic and tragic sides of love.