Creative Loafing (Charlotte) editor Carlton Hargro has announced that he will leave the paper on August 31:

Hargro said he plans to pursue “exciting opportunities in journalism” but declined to give specifics.

Wendy Goldstein, who was named associate publisher of Creative Loafing Charlotte in July 2010, said Hargro’s departure does not signal strategic change in the newsroom, where journalists produce content focusing on music, nightlife, entertainment and alternative lifestyles.

“Carlton has done a great job getting us to where we are today, and our goal is not to break any ties out there but to continue on the same path,” she said. “We’re not looking to step backwards in any of our areas of coverage.”

Hargro – who also serves on AAN’s Diversity Committee – has been with the paper since 2006 and has placed a strong focus on raising the publication’s online profile.

In an interview earlier this year he said, “I want to give people a reason to go to the Web every day. And so I built 14 blogs, a social media strategy, and anything you can think of to reach out and engage people. We’ve basically tripled the page views from the time that I took over.”

Last year he was named to “The Root 100” by TheRoot.com, which recognizes “young achievers and pace setters.”