Today is Monday, August 24, 2026. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
Today's Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by Carnegie Private Wealth. At Carnegie Private Wealth, we bring clarity to complexity. Through thoughtful planning and personal attention, we help you pursue opportunities and reclaim time for what matters most.
Good morning! It’s Tony. Talk about “This Old House.” In our lead story today, Cooper Hall describes what it’s like for one Charlotte couple living in a farmhouse built in 1882 that is a couple of miles from uptown. It has its challenges, they say, but they also find it rewarding to hang onto a piece of history. Plus Preferred Parking might have to pay a big bill for a data breach, an up-close look at Atrium Health’s combination with Wake Forest Baptist as it seeks to merge with WakeMed, 10 back-to-school pieces of info for CMS families and what Charlotte’s new mayor has to say about working with council members vs. working with lawyers. Onward!
How the owners of an 1882 Enderly Park farmhouse strive to preserve its character and history through a careful approach to renovations
The McQuay Farmhouse during Charlotte’s heavy snow this past winter. (Photo courtesy of Justin Lukas)
by Cooper Hall
In 2023, Justin Lukas and his wife, Emily Craft, bought a nearly 145-year-old home in Charlotte: the McQuay Farmhouse.
Robert E. McQuay and his brother, John, built the McQuay Farmhouse in 1882 on a 13-acre farm owned by their family. Robert McQuay grew produce, tended to bee boxes to cultivate honey and raised farm animals, including cows and chickens.
Members of the McQuay family lived in the home until 2002 – 120 years of continual ownership.
Today, the farmhouse is a designated historic landmark. It remains at its original site, at 3200 Tuckaseegee Road, about two miles from Bank of America Stadium in the Enderly Park neighborhood, on almost half an acre of land.
The home is a physical remnant of the rural lifestyle and landscape of Mecklenburg County in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, according to a historic landmark report about the house — a history that’s disappeared as the city has redeveloped.
“It’s this artifact — sitting in the middle of a fast-growing Charlotte neighborhood — of the neighborhood's history,” said Stewart Gray, director of Mecklenburg County’s Historic Landmarks Department.
But Lukas and Craft didn’t set out to buy a historic house. When the family living in the McQuay Farmhouse decided to relocate, and the opportunity to buy a two-bedroom, two-bathroom farmhouse just a few miles from downtown presented itself, they took it. Lukas grew up in St. Louis, a city that, he said, gave him an affinity for older homes.
“There is a very clear story that is told in this home over the course of 145 years, almost of people living in it and caring about it, and I think that is special,” Lukas said.
Living in a house that was built over a century ago does, however, present challenges. Building materials are often cut and constructed differently than they used to be. Lukas said there are constantly things they have to fix or adjust, and they often have to get creative with how they do it.
When they first moved into the house, a problem with the foundation had to be fixed, and because wood is not cut in the same size as it was in the 1800s, the builders had to screw 2-by-4s together to create the right size.
But Lukas and Craft don’t just live in an old house; they live in a historic landmark, meaning fixing problems and renovations come with additional hoops to jump through.
Rules and regulations
Every change to a historic landmark has to be approved by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission.
When Lukas and Craft wanted to install a fence around their home, they had to submit a proposal, detailed plans for the fence and other paperwork. Lukas said that the commission wants to maintain the visibility of the structure for the public.
When the couple needed to replace their single-pane windows, they again had to receive approval, explaining why they wanted the change and what company they would be using. The windows still had to have a wood frame and feature the same brass hardware already in the house.
Gray said these rules and regulations come from the state and are vital to protecting the historical character of landmarks. Reviewing these proposals takes time and energy, and the financial burden tends to fall on homeowners.
Still, Lukas said, he feels that the regulations, limitations and even the cost are worth it to preserve the history of the McQuay Farmhouse.
“Although it probably would — certainly would — be easier for us to do it the modern way, it does lose that character, that personality, the uniqueness,” Lukas said.
Preservation in an ever-growing city
As more people move to Charlotte, new home construction has also increased. Lukas said that while Charlotte does need more single-family homes, specifically affordable housing, historical properties shouldn’t be bulldozed for the sake of progress.
“There are so many things that are lost when you look at land as just that, or dollars and cents, and not about the community that it represents, or the opportunity, or the history behind it,” he said.
Lukas also said that newer houses are often formulaic and lack the character and personality that older homes often have.
There are many unique aspects of the McQuay Farmhouse that Lukas and Craft have kept, including a wraparound front porch, a pump house, picture molding, three fireplaces and three different types of real wood floors.
Beyond maintaining the exterior character of the building during renovations, Lukas and Craft try to keep the history of their home in mind when decorating, painting and furnishing, working to match everything to the aesthetic of the home.
Without preservation of historic sites, Lukas said it’s easy to lose sight of how Charlotte was shaped into the city it is today.
Because Mecklenburg County has experienced radical changes, that places preservation of the city in a new light, Gray said.
“The change here is a huge factor, and so it kind of makes it more important just for a community to understand some history, for a community to have character beyond what's happening today,” he said.
Cooper Hall was a summer 2026 reporting intern for The Charlotte Ledger. She is a junior at UNC Chapel Hill, double-majoring in media and journalism and exercise and sport science.
Today's Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by Carnegie Private Wealth. At Carnegie Private Wealth, we bring clarity to complexity. Through thoughtful planning and personal attention, we help you pursue opportunities and reclaim time for what matters most.
Charlotte-based Preferred Parking discloses June data breach involving thousands of customers
Preferred Parking is disclosing a data breach in June. The precise scope is unclear, but it appears to involve thousands of customers. (Photo: Tony Mecia/The Charlotte Ledger)
Preferred Parking Service, the Charlotte-based manager of parking lots and garages, has indicated that it suffered a data breach involving customers’ credit card information.
In documents filed with the states of Vermont, South Carolina and Massachusetts, Preferred Parking said earlier this month that it had suffered a data breach. Those states list such notifications online. North Carolina does not.
The filings said the breach affected about 5,200 South Carolinians, 142 Massachusetts residents and 11 Vermonters, but the number of Charlotte and North Carolina residents affected is probably far higher, as the company operates much more in North Carolina. Preferred Parking’s website says it operates more than 240 parking locations in 15 Southeast cities, including nine cities in North Carolina.
The company did not return emails from The Ledger this weekend seeking more information about the data breach.
In a filing with South Carolina, Preferred Parking said that an “unauthorized actor” accessed its database on June 7 and 8 and took files containing customers’ names and credit card information.
It is advising people potentially affected by the breach to monitor their financial statements for unauthorized charges and to dispute any with their banks. It also said it has “implemented additional measures to enhance the security of our IT network.”
Over the weekend, several people on the online discussion forum Reddit said they had received letters from Preferred Parking that explained what happened but didn’t seem to offer much help. “I’m less concerned about the data breach and more so annoyed at their seemingly nonchalant attitude toward it,” wrote a user named “barfnation.”
The company is occasionally criticized online for aggressive parking enforcement.
Data breaches can lead to class-action lawsuits that allege companies were negligent in allowing personal information to be accessed.
Other Charlotte companies that have reported suffering data breaches in recent years include Bojangles, Krispy Kreme, Belk, Duke Energy and LendingTree. —Tony Mecia
As Atrium pursues WakeMed, a look inside its last big North Carolina deal
As Atrium Health pushes to join forces with Raleigh-based WakeMed, it has repeatedly pointed to its 2020 combination with Wake Forest Baptist as a model of what the deal could deliver.
There’s plenty Atrium can point to: billions of dollars in promised investment, new facilities, improved finances and credit ratings, higher pay for some lower-wage workers, more jobs, and expanded access to charity care. But a new examination by North Carolina Health News and The Charlotte Ledger finds a more complicated story inside the Winston-Salem hospital.
More than two dozen current and former Baptist employees described what has changed since the deal, with some pointing to tighter staffing, reduced incentive pay and increased pressure to cut costs. Atrium disputes many of those concerns.
The story by health care reporter Michelle Crouch offers an in-depth and nuanced inside look at what happened after Atrium’s last major North Carolina combination — and what it could mean for WakeMed.
10 things for parents to know as CMS students head back to class Tuesday
Tuesday is the first day of classes for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the state’s second-largest district.
That means a return to waiting for buses, early wake-ups, carpool lines and filling out oh-so-many back-to-school forms.
Here are 10 pieces of information that parents should know, gleaned from CMS communications and a media briefing last week:
Tomorrow is the first day, but not for everyone: While most of CMS’ 139,000+ students return Tuesday, high school students participating in programs on college campuses started Aug. 10 and 11. Kindergarten has staggered entry Tuesday-Thursday this week, with the first full day Friday. The first full day of pre-K is Sept. 2.
New bus-tracking app: Forget “Here Comes the Bus.” It’s being replaced by AlphaPortal, which lets parents track buses in real time, receive arrival notifications and more.
2 other apps to download: CMS says that besides AlphaPortal, parents need to download Infinite Campus (grades, schedules, attendance, records, forms) and ParentSquare (messages from teachers, schools and the district).
Back-to-school forms have gone digital: Parents can fill out the required annual student forms on the Infinite Campus app. After logging in, parents should choose “Online Registration Update” and then “Complete Back to School Forms.” CMS is asking families to complete them by the first day of school.
Keep the phones put away: CMS students must keep cellphones, smartwatches, personal tablets and other devices “off and away” during instructional time, a policy adopted last school year following a new state law. Schools can set their own rules for use during non-instructional periods, and CMS is asking parents to review the rules with their children before school starts.
Less screen time for younger students: K-2 students will no longer independently access YouTube on their iPads, but teachers can lead classes in using YouTube. CMS says technology should be used only when needed for learning and not as a substitute for physical activity during indoor recess. (Some parents had expressed concerns about too much screen time for younger students.)
Fewer benchmarking tests: CMS says students in grades 3-8 and high school courses with state end-of-course exams will take two benchmark assessments this year instead of three. Schools that want to administer additional assessments will need approval.
Breakfast still free, lunch costs a little more: Breakfast is free districtwide. Paid lunch prices are increasing by 10 cents because of higher food costs, district officials said: It’s now $2.60 for pre-K, $2.85 for K-8 and $3.10 for high school. Lunch is also free for all at 114 CMS schools with high-need student populations, the district said.
Crime down: State data shows that from 2021-22 through 2024-25, total criminal acts at CMS fell 18%, incidents involving weapons other than firearms declined 62%, and incidents involving firearms fell 93%, from 29 incidents to three, according to CMS officials. Data from 2025-26 will be available in January.
Staffing vacancies: CMS said last week that it had 161 teacher vacancies, or about 50 fewer than last year, and 98 bus-driver vacancies, similar to last year. All the bus routes will still run, using existing employees.
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Superintendent’s advice to parents: ‘Don’t be afraid to ask questions’
Superintendent Crystal Hill and other top CMS officials discussed back-to-school preparations with the media last week. (Photo: Tony Mecia/The Charlotte Ledger)
At last week’s media briefing, The Ledger asked Superintendent Crystal Hill what advice she had for parents.
She replied:
My message would be that parents are always their child’s first and best advocate. So, ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. We welcome them.
Meet with your child’s teacher.
Check their grades and their schedule.
Download those apps, and just stay connected.
Ask your child every single day — even with the ones that are seniors, like mine — “How was your day? What did you do today? Did you turn in your homework? Do you have any deadlines?” All of those things are just extremely important.
—Tony Mecia
Quotable: New mayor says he feels ‘comfortable’ leading City Council — easier than running meetings of lawyers
Charlotte Mayor Rob Harrington, who was sworn in July 1 after serving as president of the N.C. Bar Association for the previous year, in response to a question at last week’s Hood Hargett Breakfast Club about whether serving as mayor has been “what you thought it would be”:
It has, frankly, felt so far quite comfortable. And you know, I spent the last year running meetings of – sounds like a nightmare for some – a very large board of lawyers.
And you know, if you can do that, you have a sense of how to keep people on task, how to make sure — you have to go into every meeting understanding the agenda and the items on the agenda as well as anybody does.
FUTBOL FRIDAY
Futbol Friday is The Charlotte Ledger’s newsletter that gets you up to speed on Charlotte FC, written by longtime sportswriter Carroll Walton. Opt into and out of different Ledger newsletters on your subscriber preferences page.
The 19-year-old Rodolfo Aloko is emerging as one of Charlotte FC’s most promising young players. (Photo by Kevin Young of The 5 and 2 Project.)
⚽ Rodolfo Aloko emerges as Charlotte FC’s latest young playmaker
👶 Why teenagers are making a record-setting impact across MLS
📅 Charlotte FC’s grueling stretch: nine games in 32 days
💇♂️ Brandt Bronico and his 1-year-old son debut matching mullets
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25: “Coffee with the Chamber,” 8:30-9:30 a.m., at Bright Blessings, 1150 Crews Road, Suite C. Join the Charlotte Area Chamber of Commerce for an invigorating morning event that brings together coffee lovers and business professionals from across the Charlotte area. Whether you're a startup founder, a seasoned executive or just a morning person, this event is the perfect opportunity to brew new connections and spark innovative conversations. Registration required. Free for members. $5 for non-members.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26: “August After Hours,” 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Town Brewing Co., 800 Grandin Road. Please join Business Leaders of Charlotte for its monthly networking event. This is Charlotte's best networking event for professionals who build business through relationships. Everyone is welcome to attend. Free for members. $10 for non-members (pre-registration). $15 for non-members (at the door).
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1: “The Day the Music Didn’t Stop: 9/11 at 25 Years,” 7-8 p.m., at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 115 W. 7th St. Music and memory tell a story of hope and resilience, commemorating 25 years since 9/11. The Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke shares his firsthand account from Ground Zero, interwoven with live music by 7th Street Concerts. Featuring string quartet, oboe, piano and organ, this moving program honors remembrance, healing, and the enduring power of music. $30-$45/ticket.
In brief
Former Border Patrol leader visits Manolo’s Bakery: Former U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who led last year’s “Charlotte’s Web” immigration operation, made an unannounced visit Sunday evening to Manolo’s Bakery in east Charlotte, where owner Manolo Betancur — whose bakery became a gathering place for critics of the operation — refused to let him inside and told him he was not welcome, according to an account in The Charlotte Optimist newsletter. Betancur later posted a press release to social media about the encounter entitled “Manolo Betancur Denies Former U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino Entry to Manolo’s Bakery.”
Treasury secretary coming to town: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to speak to Charlotte Economics Club members in uptown on Sept. 2, following a G20 finance ministers meeting in Asheville. (Ledger online)
Could Wells Fargo make a deal? With bank-merger rules easing under the Trump administration, Wells Fargo — which has Charlotte’s second-largest workforce — is seen as one of the few megabanks positioned to make a transformative acquisition, with CEO Charlie Scharf signaling he’s open to a deal if the right opportunity emerges. (CNBC)
Fatal shooting outside Brazwells: A man was fatally shot in the parking lot outside Brazwells on Montford Drive in south Charlotte shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday. Witnesses said the shooting may have begun as an argument inside the popular bar. Police have not made an arrest. (WSOC)
Moore & Van Allen expands to D.C.: Charlotte-based law firm Moore & Van Allen is opening a Washington, D.C., office this fall as it expands its government contracts and national security practices. It will be the firm’s fifth office, joining locations in Charlotte, Raleigh, Charleston and Atlanta. (Moore & Van Allen)
Charlotte doctor arrested in road rage shooting: A 61-year-old Charlotte doctor who owns Family Urgent Care in Monroe was arrested after police say he fired into a Jeep during an I-77 road-rage incident in Virginia, injuring two sisters, ages 12 and 20. (WBTV)
Steph Curry sells California mansion: Basketball superstar Steph Curry, who grew up in Charlotte and starred at Davidson College, and his wife, Ayesha, sold their Atherton, Calif., mansion for $29.1M, slightly less than the $30M they paid in 2020. (SFGate)