The Charlotte Ledger

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01/13/2026

Elon Law is coming to Charlotte 📚 Dean Zak Kramer discusses plans to establish a full-time law school at Queens University of Charlotte, with the first class of 75 students starting in 2027.

Charlotte is now facing a shortage of more than 40,000 housing units affordable to its lowest-income renters, the larges...
01/12/2026

Charlotte is now facing a shortage of more than 40,000 housing units affordable to its lowest-income renters, the largest deficit in recent history.

The gap affects households earning 50% or less of the area median income, as housing supply has failed to keep pace with demand. City leaders are now weighing new affordable-housing strategies as the shortfall continues to grow.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

Read the full story by Ashley Fahey https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/charlottes-affordable-housing-gap

01/09/2026

Townhouses are popping up everywhere in Charlotte — but buyers are slowing down. 🏘️

Inventory is up, homes are sitting longer and prices are starting to level off.

Read more at the link in bio

Cruises and winter getaways across the Caribbean faced disruptions during the region’s busiest travel season after polit...
01/08/2026

Cruises and winter getaways across the Caribbean faced disruptions during the region’s busiest travel season after political unrest in Venezuela triggered temporary airspace restrictions. While the FAA has lifted the ban, flight cancellations and delays rippled through major cruise ports, forcing itinerary changes and complicating travel plans for thousands. Charlotte-area travel agents say most trips remained manageable — but flexibility was key.

➡️ Read the full story https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/caribbean-travel-impacted-after-us

📸 Photo courtesy of Unsplash

📚Charlotte leaders — from educators to city officials — are sharing the books that stuck with them long after the final ...
01/07/2026

📚Charlotte leaders — from educators to city officials — are sharing the books that stuck with them long after the final page. From leadership and strategy to fiction, history and heartfelt escapes, these recommendations (plus a few from Ledger editors) are the perfect place to start your 2026 reading list.

➡️ See the full list https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/what-charlotte-leaders-are-reading

📸 Photo by Canva and Kevin Young ( )

CMS school choice lottery results are in — and many Charlotte parents are frustrated. Families flooded social media afte...
01/07/2026

CMS school choice lottery results are in — and many Charlotte parents are frustrated. Families flooded social media after results appeared to overlook sibling guarantees and transportation-zone priorities, leaving some students hundreds deep on waitlists. CMS later acknowledged confusion tied to its first fully digital lottery, but questions remain about how placements and priorities were handled.

➡️ Read the full story https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/cms-lottery-spurs-confusion

📸 Photo courtesy of Unsplash

Charlotte’s winter wonderland is back — indoors! ❄️ Discovery Place’s “Snow Days” lets kids (and nostalgic adults) sock-...
01/06/2026

Charlotte’s winter wonderland is back — indoors! ❄️ Discovery Place’s “Snow Days” lets kids (and nostalgic adults) sock-skate, build foam igloos and explore Arctic wildlife without ever feeling the cold. From northern lights projections to cozy hygge corners, it’s mostly joy over science — a chance to play your way through the winter Charlotte rarely gets.

The exhibit runs through Feb. 1 at Discovery Place, 301 N. Tryon St.

➡️ Read the full review https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/the-snow-day-charlotte-misses-and

📸 Photos courtesy of Discovery Place

Do you have an aging loved one in your life? Join our FREE expert-led webinar with Jennifer Szakaly from Caregiving Corn...
01/06/2026

Do you have an aging loved one in your life? Join our FREE expert-led webinar with Jennifer Szakaly from Caregiving Corner to learn how to:

🧠 Spot normal aging vs. changes that need attention
💛 Know when extra support can improve safety, independence, or quality of life
📋 Understand how an Aging Life Care™ Manager helps families make decisions
🌍 Support a loved one from afar
➡️ Take next steps when your gut says it’s time to talk

📅 Jan 14, 2026 ⏰ 12–1 PM | 🖥️ Virtual Webinar

Can’t attend live? A recording will be sent to all registrants.

Register now: https://www.cltledger.com/aging-adults-webinar

Charlotte’s commercial real estate scene is heating up as 2026 approaches — with predictions ranging from new office tow...
01/05/2026

Charlotte’s commercial real estate scene is heating up as 2026 approaches — with predictions ranging from new office towers in South End to the city landing a transformative headquarters. Experts say office vacancies may finally start to drop, multifamily rents could rise and industrial development will keep its resilience.

➡️ See which neighborhoods and projects insiders are watching this year in Real Estate Whispers https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/charlotte-cre-hot-takes-for-2026

📸 Photo courtesy of Rico Marcelo Photography

Sycamore Brewing grew from its original South End taproom into a 21,000 s.f. two-story space with rooftop beer gardens a...
01/05/2026

Sycamore Brewing grew from its original South End taproom into a 21,000 s.f. two-story space with rooftop beer gardens and expanded menus — but from the start, it stayed distant from Charlotte’s craft beer community.

While other local breweries focused on collaboration and supporting each other, Sycamore prioritized rapid growth and its own business ambitions. Even before co-founder Justin Brigham’s recent arrest on serious charges, many brewers and longtime beer fans were skeptical of the brewery’s place in the scene, praising its success but questioning its commitment to the local community.

➡️ Read the full story by Greg Lacour https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/an-outsider-in-charlottes-craft-beer

📸 Photos by Tony Mecia/The Charlotte Ledger

01/01/2026

👶 Who were some of the first babies born in the Charlotte area in 2026? Let’s take a look!

(Photos and info courtesy of Atrium Health)

Do you have an aging loved one in your life? Join our FREE expert-led webinar with Jennifer Szakaly from Caregiving Corn...
12/31/2025

Do you have an aging loved one in your life? Join our FREE expert-led webinar with Jennifer Szakaly from Caregiving Corner to learn how to:

🧠 Spot normal aging vs. changes that need attention
💛 Know when extra support can improve safety, independence, or quality of life
📋 Understand how an Aging Life Care™ Manager helps families make decisions
🌍 Support a loved one from afar
➡️ Take next steps when your gut says it’s time to talk

📅 Jan 14, 2026 ⏰ 12–1 PM | 🖥️ Virtual Webinar

Can’t attend live? A recording will be sent to all registrants.

Register here: https://www.cltledger.com/aging-adults-webinar

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Original, smart business news for Charlotte

The Charlotte Ledger is a digital publication offering original news and insights. Run by two former Charlotte Observer reporters, it is an e-newsletter that comes out four mornings a week. Founded in March 2019. Find out more: https://charlotteledger.substack.com/