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The 21st season of "Charlotte Squawks" debuts this Thursday at the Booth Playhouse, and a wild few weeks of local breaki...
06/01/2026

The 21st season of "Charlotte Squawks" debuts this Thursday at the Booth Playhouse, and a wild few weeks of local breaking news has left producers frantically rewriting the script right up to opening night. The annual musical comedy satire—frequently described as a mash-up of "Saturday Night Live" and Broadway—is set to skewer everything from AI and Panthers football to hyper-local headaches like trying to back out of the parking lot at Pasta & Provisions.

Co-creator Brian Kahn gives us an inside look at what it takes to capture Charlotte's unique political culture and quirky daily habits on stage.

🔗 Read the full preview here https://www.thecharlotteledger.com/p/squawks-finds-plenty-of-charlotte-targets-to-mock

📸 Photo courtesy of Brian Kahn

06/01/2026

👑 Charlotte is looking for a new mayor.

Mayor Vi Lyles is stepping down, and the City Council will choose her replacement later this month.

Want the job? You’ll need to be a Charlotte resident, at least 21, and a registered Democrat.

The question: Will council pick an insider or a fresh face?

Read more at TheCharlotteLedger.com

🎥 by Tony Mecia/The Charlotte Ledger

From political fallout in Raleigh to major shifts on the field and in the streets, it’s been a busy week in Charlotte.Th...
05/30/2026

From political fallout in Raleigh to major shifts on the field and in the streets, it’s been a busy week in Charlotte.

This week, we analyze the potential legislative payback Charlotte could face from the General Assembly following the historic vote to kill the I-77 toll lane project. Meanwhile, a massive pay gap is emerging in local healthcare as office staff could soon out-earn some Medic ambulance workers. Over in sports, our latest Fútbol Friday breaks down what went right—and wrong—following Zaha's sudden departure from Charlotte FC. Plus, our Charlotte in Motion update explores a slimmed-down highway plan that could still bring drivers relief, and Real Estate Whispers drills down into one of Uptown's most complicated building conversion projects.

Get the full breakdown on these stories and stay ahead of the business trends shaping the Queen City.

🔗 Tap this link to subscribe and get smart, noise-free local news delivered straight to your inbox! https://www.thecharlotteledger.com/about

Following a stunning vote to spike the $3.2B project, there’s a scaled-back alternative, WFAE’s Steve Harrison says: aba...
05/29/2026

Following a stunning vote to spike the $3.2B project, there’s a scaled-back alternative, WFAE’s Steve Harrison says: abandoning the complex toll concept to focus on a critical six-mile bottleneck between Nations Ford Road and I-277. By dividing the corridor into smaller segments—a playbook the state already uses to fund massive, toll-free projects on I-85 and Independence Boulevard—the DOT could add one free lane in each direction using purely state dollars.

🔗 Read the full story here https://www.thecharlotteledger.com/p/a-path-to-get-traffic-moving-on-i-77

📸Photo courtesy of Canva

05/29/2026

Dozens of community members gathered both outside the government center and inside the council chambers to voice opposition to new data storage projects, urging city leaders to approve a temporary 150-day freeze on all new telecom and data storage facilities. While critics cited environmental concerns and resource usage, supporters who argued that data centers provide critical local infrastructure faced vocal pushback and booing from the audience. Council members are expected to hold an official vote on the proposed moratorium on June 8.

🔗 Read the full story here https://www.thecharlotteledger.com/p/city-moves-closer-to-a-data-center-moratorium

🎥 Ashley Fahey/The Charlotte Ledger

Last week, a regional panel dealt the I-77 widening a death blow by voting to remove it from state planning documents, e...
05/28/2026

Last week, a regional panel dealt the I-77 widening a death blow by voting to remove it from state planning documents, effectively wiping out $60M in state planning funds spent since 2014. While the cancellation frees up $600M for projects elsewhere in the state, GOP strategists and officials warn that legislators may look to rein in Charlotte’s authority.

Potential retaliatory measures under discussion could include state intervention to end Charlotte's practice of holding partisan City Council elections, an approach the General Assembly has previously used in other North Carolina municipalities to reshape local governance.

🔗 Read the full story here https://www.thecharlotteledger.com/p/charlotte-could-face-fallout-over-i-77-vote-f0c2

📸 Photo: Shutterstock

In a city where real estate prices are skyrocketing, this self-described “nomadic arts organization” has moved eight tim...
05/27/2026

In a city where real estate prices are skyrocketing, this self-described “nomadic arts organization” has moved eight times in five years—completely by design. By moving into buildings that are purchased for eventual redevelopment, the group capitalizes on the "dead time" between a property's sale and its construction date to secure affordable, short-term studio spaces for local artists and musicians who are otherwise priced out of the market.

🔗 Read the full story here https://www.thecharlotteledger.com/p/turning-vacant-spaces-into-activation-hubs

📸 Photo courtesy of Matt Alvis

In the latest edition of our Charlotte in Motion newsletter—produced in partnership with WFAE—we analyze how tightening ...
05/27/2026

In the latest edition of our Charlotte in Motion newsletter—produced in partnership with WFAE—we analyze how tightening inventory, development constraints and rising demand are driving up housing costs in counties like Cabarrus, Iredell and Gaston.

If you want deep-dive local insights on how Charlotte is navigating bumper-to-bumper traffic, rising housing costs, crowded schools and rapid growth, we've got you covered.

👉 Click this link to subscribe to The Charlotte Ledger and opt-in to Charlotte in Motion to get these updates delivered directly to your inbox! https://www.thecharlotteledger.com/about

A pair of newly introduced North Carolina Senate bills are aiming straight at the growing footprint of Atrium Health. If...
05/26/2026

A pair of newly introduced North Carolina Senate bills are aiming straight at the growing footprint of Atrium Health. If passed, the proposed legislation would add local elected officials to the board, subject all committee meetings to state open-door laws, and cap nonprofit hospital CEO compensation.

The move comes as lawmakers and local officials express increasing concern over a lack of public accountability from the $39B multistate giant—especially following a recent four-hour closed-door board session and a rare standoff over the makeup of Atrium's board right here in Mecklenburg County.

🔗 Read the full story here https://www.thecharlotteledger.com/p/hospital-reform-bills-target-atrium-bfe6

📸 Photo by Michelle Crouch for The Charlotte Ledger

05/26/2026

At The Charlotte Ledger, we love celebrating the incredible people making a tangible difference in our city, which is why our annual 40 Over 40 Awards are so special. This year's celebration brought together a phenomenal group of local changemakers including past honorees and our newly crowned 2026 winners. We loved hearing from our 40 Over 40 winners at this years event, including Dress for Success Charlotte CEO, Emily Wheeler.

For nonprofit and community leaders who spend every single day pouring into the Queen City, this event is a chance to step into the spotlight, catch up with old colleagues, and be celebrated for the massive value they bring to Charlotte.

🎥

🔗 View the full photo album from the 40 Over 40 Awards here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17wzQD0uFASGujknt8rmsZGGMNIgWM6lg

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