Today, in this final week of 2023, we’re sharing some of our picks for the top Charlotte Ledger articles of the year.
Investigations, remembrances, profiles, trends — we covered a lot of ground in 2023.
To be clear, our list below doesn’t contain the most read stories of 2023, and it’s not a list of the top Charlotte stories of the year, either. It’s a compilation of what we consider to be some of our best work — typically original, insightful and well-written pieces that you can’t find elsewhere.
It’s the time of year to reflect on your blessings, and we’re fortunate to work with a stable of outstanding local writers who understand our city and can explain it to you.
Many thanks to our community of paying members for making this work possible. If you’re not a Ledger member and would like full access to our articles and to support smart local journalism, you can do that here:
Some of our top picks for 2023, in no particular order:
Aquamation, a liquid-based alternative to cremation, is one of the funeral industry’s newest trends. A Charlotte funeral home started offering it this year. (🔒, Aug. 4)
State regulators ramped up their oversight of Aldersgate, the east Charlotte retirement community, after years of financial losses. But many residents — including three who quietly slipped out of lunch to meet with a Ledger reporter in one of their private apartments — say they’re not worrying about the company’s finances. (🔒, Aug. 18, Sept. 1)
An east Charlotte family says that when they came home from church in November 2022, every room in their house was flooded with raw sewage — and that the city’s settlement offer of $45,000 doesn’t come close to covering their costs. (🔒, June 23)
A Charlotte developer started naming streets and buildings after “Seinfeld” references. (The New York Times mentioned this one last week as an example of “journalism to savor.”) (Sept. 11)
When the paper mill in Canton, N.C., announced it was closing in March, The Ledger was quick to recognize the significance of losing 900+ jobs in a town whose identity was wrapped up in the mill — and dispatched reporter Lindsey Banks to capture the mood. “I saw grown men with tears in their eyes yesterday, going home to their kids and their spouses and their bills on the table,” Canton’s mayor told her. (🔒, March 8)
Atrium Health and Novant Health own more than $2.4 billion in tax-exempt property in Mecklenburg County, or the equivalent of about $23 million in property taxes, according to our analysis, in partnership with N.C. Health News. The hospitals say they provide millions in discounted medical care, but some critics say they should do more because of their special tax status. (April 3)
Interactions are increasing between Mecklenburg residents and wildlife, the result of increased development and animals becoming more comfortable in urban environments, wildlife officials say. (Dec. 18)
From our weekly newsletter on transit and transportation, in partnership with WFAE:
Troubles with the Charlotte Area Transit System placed the spotlight on City Manager Marcus Jones, who is accustomed to operating behind the scenes. Writer Jim Morrill took a closer look at Jones and his role. (April 27)
WFAE’s Steve Harrison brainstormed some ways that Charlotte’s airport could improve traffic, after traffic jams frustrated travelers over the Thanksgiving holiday. (Nov. 30)
From our weekly subscriber-only obituaries newsletter:
Lee Hansel chose to live 50 years of his life on the streets of Charlotte. He lived life the way he wanted, but those who work with homeless Charlotteans wonder if they did enough to help. (Nov. 21)
We also shared remembrances of Charlotte jeweler Ernest Perry, former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and former Observer publisher Rolfe Neill.
From our weekly newsletter on Charlotte FC:
When one of Charlotte FC’s players didn’t play for a few weeks because of what the team said was a “private” matter, The Ledger’s Carroll Walton found out why: He was linked to a report of a sexual assault, she reported. The player, Andre Shinyashiki, later left Charlotte and signed a contract with a team in Azerbaijan. (May 2)
Alexis Sims recounted the horrible day that she learned her boyfriend, Charlotte FC player Anton Walkes, was seriously injured in a boating accident — and how she and her daughter are coping after his death in January. (Sept. 15)
In-depth series from The Charlotte Ledger
“Trials of the century” — four blockbuster court trials from the last 100 years that captivated local audiences (🔒, April 10-13)
“Faces of AI” — how Charlotte businesses are experimenting with artificial intelligence (🔒, July 11-14)
“The kids are not alright” — inside N.C.’s teen mental health crisis (in partnership with North Carolina Health News) (Sept. 4-8)
“The future of work” — a closer look at the workplaces of the future (🔒, Dec. 5-8)
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If you’re wondering which of our articles were viewed the most this year, we’re counting them down through Dec. 31 on our Instagram and LinkedIn pages.
I can tell you that we have many more exciting projects in the pipeline for 2024.
Thanks for reading. We’ll be back in your inbox later this week with some thoughts wrapping up 2023. Our regular newsletters resume on Jan. 3.
All the best!
—Tony Mecia, Executive EditorThe Charlotte Ledger
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman