I've lived in Charlotte for about ten years and while I've never been a subscriber of the Charlotte Observer, it is my first online stop for local news ahead of the TV and radio station web sites. Plus they have a terrific comics section and they cover local sports well.
I do wish that they were an independent news outlet, but they're owned by the large McClatchy Company that operates two dozen or so newspapers. At least they're still not owned by the Gannett bunch. But it's not enough to get me to subscribe.
My big complaint with the Observer is the constant litter in my neighborhood that can't be unsubscribed. I don't want their "free" paper but I can't make it stop. And when I'm not home, it advertises that fact to anyone going past. This nonsense needs to stop.