Good morning! Today is Wednesday, September 23, 2026. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
Today's Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by Arts+. Arts+ offers several packages with lessons ranging from 30-60 minutes.
Hi Ledger readers, Ashley here. I feel a bit like a broken record at this point, but last night’s vote by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education to fire Superintendent Crystal Hill — not to mention board member Stephanie Sneed stepping down as chair — was a shocking turn of events and comes about a week after a blistering memo was sent by Hill that questioned the board’s financial practices and four days after Mecklenburg District Attorney Spencer Merriweather ordered a criminal investigation into CMS. Tony Mecia breaks down more details about the contracting troubles swirling the board in today’s lead story.
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A month before Tuesday’s CMS leadership shake-up, emails showed concerns building; Sneed looked to $1M in city money for reimbursement of contractor
Several CMS leaders under scrutiny include new school board chair Gregory “Dee” Rankin (left) and former chair Stephanie Sneed, seen with consultant Raki McGregor in April 2025 (photo: Dee Rankin on Instagram); and Superintendent Crystal Hill, who was fired Tuesday (photo courtesy of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools)
by Tony Mecia
On Aug. 12, her first full day back at work after two months on paid leave, Superintendent Crystal Hill received a troubling email from CMS’ chief financial officer, Kelly Kluttz.
At 2:06 p.m., Kluttz forwarded an email thread between her and board chair Stephanie Sneed, in which Kluttz had told Sneed earlier that day that she couldn’t process a payment to law firm Poyner Spruill because she was “unable to locate a contract and an associated purchase order supporting the expenditure.”
Sneed, who had checked on the status of the $30,000 invoice the day before, replied to Kluttz that she “did not know you did [not] have the necessary documentation” and would check with CMS lawyers.
Kluttz forwarded the email exchange to Hill and wrote: “Welcome back. Just keeping you in the loop.”
The decisions that led up to those discussions from mid-August now appear to be the focus of a criminal investigation into CMS’ hiring and paying a law firm earlier this year for work on a project to build affordable housing for teachers and to conduct a human resources and finance compliance assessment.
The CMS saga took another big and unexpected twist on Tuesday, when Sneed announced she was stepping down as school board chair and the board voted 5-4 to fire Hill.
The leadership shake-up comes less than a week after a memo from Hill to the school board suggested that Hill and many board members knew little about the arrangements with the law firm, including its $30,000-a-month hiring of a subcontractor, Raki McGregor, at CMS’ expense. McGregor is a former CMS contractor and Sneed ally who was a member of Hill’s leadership team until last year.
The emails among CMS leaders, which were contained in more than 200 pages of exhibits in Hill’s memo last week, explain some of the thinking as it dawned on senior CMS staff and board members that they might have a problem.
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Board’s $379,000 investigation into Hill found no improper conduct
After firing Superintendent Crystal Hill on Tuesday by a 5-4 vote, the school board made public a summary of its investigation into her, which “did not find evidence of improper conduct by the superintendent.”
The investigation into Hill, by law firm Brooks Pierce, also “did not identify conflicts of interest or improper activity related to contracting” by Hill.
The report said it did identify areas where the district could improve, such as around personnel decisions and workplace culture.
It also recommended enhancing internal and external communications, including hiring a crisis communications firm.
The summary also said: “The total investigation cost to date of $379,000 represents approximately 0.0002% of the district's 2026-2027 operating budget of $2.1 billion.”
WAYS OF LIFE
Ways of Life is our obituaries newsletter honoring friends, neighbors and family members who made an impact on Charlotte through the ways they lived their lives.
Don Lee had a fiery personality, but he was known as someone quick to help people. (Photo courtesy of the family)
Remembering Don Lee
As an architect, Don Lee was known as an award-winning professional who designed some of the region’s best-known buildings. To friends and family, however, he is remembered most fondly for building relationships with other people.
🚲 New 20 mph speed limit on Mecklenburg’s greenways, in response to growing e-bike concerns
Park and Recreation has painted “20 mph speed limit” on 136 sections of Little Sugar Creek Greenway. The marking above is at the section crossing Belmont Avenue near Alexander Street Park. (Photo: Lindsey Banks/The Charlotte Ledger)
Mecklenburg County greenways now have a speed limit of 20 mph, a response to growing concerns about e-bikes and other motorized devices sharing paths with pedestrians and traditional cyclists.
🎭 TOPPMAN ON THE ARTS
Local arts criticism — from touring Broadway shows to community theater and museum exhibits — from longtime critic Lawrence Toppman.
Chelle Barbour’s “Surreal Plantation” in the Gantt Center’s “Repossessions” exhibit, on display through Jan. 3. (Courtesy of Chelle Barbour)
Three new exhibits at the Gantt Center — “Repossessions,” “Yashua Klos: Cornerstones” and “Sown Together: New Voices in Contemporary Textile Art” — are about the ability to stand tall after tragedy, acknowledgement of a horrific past and refusal to be laid low by it, Toppman writes.
Sir Edmond Halley heist: Pub seeks answers after surveillance camera captures thieves making off with memento
A screenshot of a surveillance video, posted on Sir Edmond Halley’s Instagram page, shows an unidentified man taking a framed photo off the wall. He then put the photo in his bag and walked out. (Screenshot from Sir Edmond Halley’s Instagram page)
On the night of Sept. 17, two men with backwards baseball caps sat at Sir Edmond Halley’s bar.
At 9:57 p.m., a surveillance camera shows one of the men glancing right — then left. He takes a framed photo off the wall, looks at it and puts it into a bag. The two men then seem to walk out of the pub.
The photo (and frame) don’t carry monetary value, only sentimental value to those pictured: the pub’s owner, Andy Hollis, and his friends at a wedding. But Hollis is hoping to track down the individuals and get the picture back.
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26: “Potters Market at the Mint,” 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Rd. Shop one-of-a-kind works by more than 50 of North Carolina’s top ceramic artists, plus live music, pottery demos, a flower market, beer garden and cafe. All tickets purchased help to support arts education and community programs at The Mint Museum. $25/ticket.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26: “Zepeddie’s Second Annual Give Back Block Party,” 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Zepeddie’s Pizzeria, 4516 Nations Crossing Rd. Join Zepeddie’s and Lower Loft Brewing for a day of community and fun! The event will include a Red Cross blood drive, a local vendor market, a chance to meet adoptable dogs, pet rescue raffles and a pet parade at 6 p.m. Free.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 THROUGH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27: “Parade of Homes,” 1-5 p.m., in the Charlotte area. The annual Parade of Homes is a free, self-guided tour of new homes for sale, decorated models and build-ready communities. As the Charlotte Region's largest open house, it showcases fresh design, craftsmanship and trends across townhomes, active adult, luxury living and more. Buying now or just browsing, there's something for everyone. Free.
SEPTEMBER 29: “Food Fight: Hunger Action Day @ The Bulb,” 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at The Innovation Barn, 932 Seigle Ave. Roll up your sleeves for Hunger Action Day. A hands-on day of sorting produce, packing food and serving neighbors at The Bulb’s mobile markets. This day caps off Hunger Action Month, but you don't have to wait to get involved. There are ways to volunteer, give, or support all month long… and beyond! Free.
In brief
Council reverses course on I-77 toll lanes: Charlotte City Council voted 7-4 to restore support for the I-77 South toll lane project after Malcolm Graham and Joi Mayo switched their earlier votes. Graham cited a proposed $300M community benefits agreement, while opponents continued to raise concerns about displacement, state pressure and the project’s broader impacts. (Ledger Breaking News)
Tiawana Brown sentenced to 10 months in prison: Former Charlotte City Council member Tiawana Brown was sentenced Tuesday to 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to steal Covid-19 relief funds, which prosecutors said she used for lavish birthday party expenses and luxury merchandise. Her two daughters, who also pleaded guilty in the scheme, were each sentenced to two years of probation and four months of house arrest. (Observer)
Wake commissioners advance Atrium-WakeMed deal: Wake County commissioners voted 5-2 to move forward with the proposed combination after months of debate and public opposition. Approval is conditional on final contract language covering a $2B Atrium Health investment and a five-year cap on price increases. (N.C. Health News)
Wegmans eyes Cornelius expansion: Wegmans has reached an agreement with Atrium Health to buy a site in Cornelius as it evaluates a potential second Charlotte-area store. Any north Mecklenburg location would likely be years away, while the grocer’s first local store is set to open in Ballantyne in October. (Ledger online)
Regulators reject gas plant proposal: The North Carolina Utilities Commission denied Duke Energy permission to build a proposed $584M combustion turbine near Hamlet, citing questions about whether the project is necessary and how much data centers would contribute to its costs. Commissioners left open the possibility that Duke could address those concerns and submit a new application. (WFAE)
HBO series highlights Lake Lure cult: The new HBO docuseries “Bring Me the Beauties” revisits the bizarre story of Eternal Values, a Lake Lure-based cult of models whose members prepared for the apocalypse and believed they would eventually be rescued by aliens. (The Assembly)