Local attorney poised to break judicial barrier
Plus: Facial-recognition software at Shalom Park; Mecklenburg Democrats bypass incumbent in endorsements; Podcast on concierge medicine; Historic BOplex marquee celebrated
Good morning! Today is Monday, September 29, 2025. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
Need to subscribe — or upgrade your Ledger e-newsletter subscription? Details here.
Today’s Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by T.R. Lawing Realty:
Former McGuireWoods partner Susan C. Rodriguez has been nominated to become the first woman district court judge in North Carolina’s Western District
Susan C. Rodriguez and fellow judicial nominees underwent questioning at a nomination hearing earlier this month in front of senators.
by Lindsey Banks
Magistrate Judge and former McGuireWoods partner Susan Courtwright Rodriguez is set to make history as the first woman appointed as a federal district court judge in the Western District of North Carolina.
Her nomination, made last month by President Donald Trump, comes at a pivotal moment for the court, which has been managing two vacancies and a heavy caseload. District court judges are appointed for life and preside over federal civil and criminal cases.
Rodriguez, 44, who is originally from Lebanon, Ky., graduated from law school at George Mason University.
“Thanks to the encouragement of my parents, I was the first to go to college in my family, and what a tremendous example they’ve been for me, and that’s where I learned a very strong work ethic,” she said during her nomination hearing on Sept. 17.
She clerked for Judge Frank Whitney in the Western District, and in 2011, she joined the Charlotte office of McGuireWoods LLP as a partner, where she co-led the firm’s financial institutions industry team. She was chosen as a U.S. magistrate judge in 2023, a position that handles arraignments and case management.
(Note: While their names are similar, Susan Rodriguez is a different person from Susan Rodriguez-McDowell, who is a Mecklenburg County commissioner.)
Rodriguez lives in Dilworth with her husband and four children, and works—and would continue to work, if confirmed—at the federal courthouse on West Trade Street in uptown Charlotte.
Judge Whitney recently took senior status, which means a lighter case load, and Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. was promoted to director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Those moves created openings for two new judges in the Western District, which is authorized to have five full-time judges in its territory, with courtrooms in Charlotte and Asheville.
Rodriguez is one of two nominees for a Western District judgeship. The other is Matthew Orso, a partner with Troutman Pepper Locke LLP in Charlotte. He’s a former clerk of Judge Conrad and was formerly a partner at McGuireWoods, too.
At her nomination hearing, Rodriguez reflected on the mentors who shaped her early career in the city.
“Judge Ken Bell is not able to be here today, but he’s the one that had the trust and confidence in me as a young attorney to give me very significant matters upon which I built my career,” she told senators. She also credited Judge Whitney and Judge Conrad, who once gave her a book that she said changed her life. (She did not reveal the title.)
Rodriguez isn’t speaking to the media about her nomination, but her longtime friend and former colleague, Charlotte attorney Jodie Lawson, told The Ledger that it’s been a lifelong dream of Rodriguez’s to be a federal judge and isn’t surprised she was nominated. She recalls their coffee breaks in uptown Charlotte.
“Susan knew the coffee and food order for several of our homeless neighbors, and so I would often be helping her carry things that she had bought to give them a warm drink and meal,” she said. “She just is always thinking about others, which I think speaks a lot to her character.”
Lawson said those who have worked alongside her describe her as someone who has combined professional success with a strong family life.
“Susan is a mom of four,” Lawson said. “She is one of the most hard-working, diligent professional people that I have ever met, and she just has incredible instincts, and her ability to recall things and her gut on things is second to none. She is an incredibly considerate person, and she has quite a lot of patience.”
Lawson added that Rodriguez has “balanced being able to be a wonderful mother and parent, and her children are just sweet and engaged.”
At her hearing, Rodriguez thanks her husband, Bert, a Naval Academy graduate and veteran, and their four children. She said she hoped to put her talents “to good use.”
She also recognized U.S. Marshal Tommy Weeks, who was one of four law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in a shootout in east Charlotte in April 2024.
Rodriguez’s nomination will now go before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Both of North Carolina’s Republican senators have praised the nomination, which would require a simple majority vote in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Lindsey Banks is assistant editor for The Charlotte Ledger: lindsey@cltledger.com
Today’s supporting sponsor is Trinity Episcopal School. Register for a Kindergarten open house on Tuesday, October 7, and learn more about Trinity’s academic program and its community of curious learners who care about the world around them.
Shalom Park installs facial-recognition technology, as part of stepped-up security
The Foundation of Shalom Park is rolling out new security measures, including facial-recognition software, at its campus on Providence Road.
The foundation, which manages the properties and facilities at Shalom Park, said last month that visitors will enter a newly modified security rotunda, where “facial comparison” will be used to verify admission. It describes facial comparison as a closed system that matches the person to a photo on file in its system.
The Levine Jewish Community Center, in a Sept. 17 Instagram post, said the new Shalom Park Security Lobby would be “opening soon” and said its new system would use facial-comparison software or phone-based entry, which requires an app.
When reached by The Ledger last week, Adam Kolett, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte, and Terri Beattie, executive director of the Foundation of Shalom Park, in an email said the “safety and security of everyone on Shalom Park is our highest priority.”
“As a matter of policy, we do not share details about specific security measures, but please know we are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all who visit the campus,” Kolett and Beattie said.
The Foundation of Shalom Park has apparently been improving security measures at its 54-acre south Charlotte facility, which includes two Jewish temples, gyms, fields, a pool, tennis and pickleball courts, and other buildings. The project, which included a $350,000 launch grant from The Leon Levine Foundation, sought to raise $250,000 by last fall. A donation page for the project says it’ll include controlled access into Shalom Park facilities and heightened security measures, such as a guest-registration system, package control and metal detection. It wasn’t immediately clear if the new facial-comparison software is part of this capital project.
In a July letter to the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, the Jewish Federations of North America said a typical Jewish organization spends 14% of its annual budget on security, and those costs collectively amount to $765M each year. It called for Congress to “act to defend faith organizations” amid a rise in domestic terror aimed at the Jewish community. — Ashley Fahey
Here’s your sign: The BOplex holds a ‘rededication’ of its historic marquee, as part of 70th anniversary
The Bojangles Entertainment Complex — also known as the BOplex — held a ceremony last week celebrating the new location of its historic marquee. It also marked the complex’s 70th anniversary. The marquee used to be on the Independence Boulevard side of the Bojangles Coliseum/Ovens Auditorium complex, but was removed to make way for a digital sign in 2023. One of the most famous shots of it was from 1972, when it showcased the impressive range of events at the coliseum and auditorium: “Billy Graham Crusade,” “Wrestling,” “Elvis Presley” and “Ice Hockey.” (Photo courtesy of Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority)
Mecklenburg Democrats decline to endorse one of their own school board incumbents; accusations of ‘party politics’ and ‘skewed’ process
The Mecklenburg County Democratic Party has taken the unusual step of endorsing a single candidate in each of this November’s nonpartisan school board races—and even more unusually, it is bypassing one of its Democratic incumbents.
In the north Mecklenburg District 1 race for a seat on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, Mecklenburg Democrats are endorsing Charlitta Hatch, the city of Charlotte’s chief data and analytics officer, who is challenging incumbent Melissa Easley, a former teacher. Both are Democrats. Republican Bill Fountain is also in the race.
In nonpartisan races like school board, the candidates’ party affiliations are not listed on the ballot. But having party backing can be helpful, as some voters rely on party endorsements found in handouts and mailers to inform their votes.
In a notice on its website, Mecklenburg Democrats said they chose to endorse a single Democrat in each race “in order to combat the constant assault on our public education system.” It said the endorsements were based on votes by executive committee members.
Asked about the party’s endorsement, Easley, who was first elected in 2022, said: “I’m going to let my record speak for itself. I’m going to continue to push this campaign and push it with people over party politics. I feel like this was party politics.”
The party also bypassed endorsing Democrat Toni Emehel in favor of Anna London. There is no incumbent in the race, which is for a seat representing south Charlotte and Steele Creek. Justin Shealy, a Republican, is also running.
Emehel told The Ledger that she believed “the process was skewed from the start.”
“I was told at the beginning of this process that I would not be endorsed because I am an African American and the district was predominantly white,” she said. She wouldn’t say who told her that, other than it was a well-connected member of the Democratic Party.
Mecklenburg Democrats endorsed all other Democratic school board incumbents. They also endorsed Democrat Cynthia Stone in her race against incumbent Lisa Cline, who is the board’s lone Republican. Six of nine school board seats are on the ballot in November, along with city and town elections and the transit/transportation referendum.
Wesley Harris, the chair of the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party, told The Ledger that the party opted to endorse a single Democrat in the races because that strategy provides the best chance to elect Democrats in districts that are not overwhelmingly Democratic. He said that while he recognizes some Democrats are upset, more Democrats would be upset if a Republican wins in November.
“We needed to make sure that we didn’t split the vote and make it easier for a Republican to get through,” he said. —Tony Mecia
🎧 New on The Charlotte Ledger Podcast: A couple builds a concierge medical practice
When Carlos Jorge and Nathalie Simmons Jorge talk about healthcare, it goes far beyond checkups and prescriptions. For them, medicine is equal parts science, integrity and human connection.
Their Charlotte-based concierge medical practice, Companion Health, PLLC, was built on a belief that the best care is rooted in research and compassion, and that sometimes the most powerful thing a doctor can say is, “I don’t know — I have to look into that more.” As entrepreneurs, clinicians and community members, the Jorges are building a model of care that they say puts people first while navigating the complex business of modern medicine.
They talked with Ledger podcast host Steve Dunn about blending medicine and business as both physicians and entrepreneurs:
The Jorges received The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Award in 2025.
This podcast episode is sponsored by Child Care Search, a service of Child Care Resources Inc., which provides guidance for people looking for child care.
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
FRIDAY: “Senior Scholars Weekly Meetings,” 10-11 a.m., at Providence United Methodist Church, 2810 Providence Road. As you grow older, do you find change intimidating? Do you greet new challenges with the confidence you possessed in your younger years? “The next place,” Judy Goldman asserts, “is what preoccupies most everyone I know my age.” If you’ve ever wondered about getting to your own “next place,” join the members of Senior Scholars as Judy Goldman, author of eight award-winning books and memoirist par excellence, offers reassuring advice from her most recent memoir, “The Rest of Our Lives.” Coffee, conversation and great ideas! $5 for guests. $25 annual membership.
OCTOBER 15: “Charlotte Affordable Housing Conference,” 8-11:30 a.m., at The Union at West Station, 919 Berryhill Road., Suite 105. Enhance your business and network by hearing from Charlotte’s top affordable housing developers, city officials, affordable housing advocates and lenders. Learn more about the latest strategies in project financing, preservation and best practices in securing a piece of available funding options. $119/ticket.
OCTOBER 23: “My Breast Friend’s Wedding,” 5-9 p.m., at Hyatt Centric SouthPark, 3100 Apex Drive. Grab your girls and wedding attire for 2025 My Breast Friend’s Wedding, a truly unique women’s networking event and breast cancer fundraiser supporting The Go Jen Go Foundation. Enjoy dancing, champagne, wedding cake, a bouquet toss and wedding favors. $50/ticket.
NOVEMBER 1: “Taste of Hope Charlotte,” 5:30-10 p.m., at The Westin Charlotte, 601 S. College St. Join the American Cancer Society for its fifth annual gala fundraiser. The event features an interactive cocktail reception with viewing of live and silent auction items, door prizes, live entertainment, mission paddle raise and celebration of cancer survivors. There will be over 400 attendees are from all industries in the greater Charlotte area, including financial, medical, media, sports, manufacturing, philanthropic and more. Cancer does not discriminate. Reserved Table/Sponsorship are available at $5,000. $375/ticket.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief:
Southport shooting kills 3: Three people were killed and five others injured Saturday night when a gunman opened fire from a boat at the American Fish Co. bar in the N.C. coastal town of Southport. Police filed murder charges against an Oak Island man who says he’s a combat veteran with PTSD. (WRAL)
New congressional maps for N.C.? N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger said Republicans could redraw the state’s congressional districts this year to help the GOP maintain control of the U.S. House. (WRAL)
Home listings fall: In August, new home listings in the Charlotte region fell 3.5% from a year ago — the first annual drop since March 2024, according to Canopy Realtor Association. (Charlotte Business Journal, subscriber-only)
Hosting Army-Navy game: The CEO of the Charlotte Sports Foundation indicated that Charlotte would like to pursue hosting the storied Army-Navy football game for sometime after 2027. (Charlotte Business Journal, subscriber-only)
Body found in landing gear at CLT: A stowaway was found dead in the landing gear of an American Airlines plane from Europe during maintenance at Charlotte-Douglas Airport on Sunday morning. Police are investigating. (WSOC)
Pizza expansion: The Charlotte-founded chain Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, which operates about 22 locations in the Southeast, plans to grow to 80–100 restaurants nationwide by 2030. (Axios Charlotte)
Need to sign up for this e-newsletter? We offer a free version, as well as paid memberships for full access to all 6 of our local newsletters:
The Charlotte Ledger is a locally owned media company that delivers smart and essential news. We strive for fairness and accuracy and will correct all known errors. The content reflects the independent editorial judgment of The Charlotte Ledger. Any advertising, paid marketing or sponsored content will be clearly labeled.
◼️ About The Ledger • Our Team • Website
◼️ Newsletters • Podcast • Newcomer Guide • A Better You email series
◼️ Subscribe • Sponsor • Events Board • Merch Store • Manage Your Account
◼️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn
Sharing information about new security measures at Shalom Park is just a bad journalism. Just because you have this information does not make it necessary to share it. The Jewish community is under tremendous stress and strain and are being targeted all over the country and world. I don't see any journalistic benefit to your community to share this information. In fact is has the opposite, as it pissed me off and I am sure many of your other Jewish subscribers.