Between billable hours and family life, few professionals find time to chase the stories in their heads — but one Charlotte attorney did. As a trial attorney, Mathew Flato has spent decades in litigation. Now, he’s turned his eye for detail and structure into a new kind of brief: a debut novel.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Steve Dunn talks with Flato about “Ocean Child,” his first book — a sweeping story of three half-sisters raised oceans apart who must confront the imprint of a broken father and define belonging on their own terms. Flato shares how he carved out writing time, the lessons he brought from law into fiction, and the balancing act between storytelling, editing and vulnerability.

We hope you enjoy the conversation with Mathew Flatow. To learn more about Flatow and his debut novel, visit MEFlatow.com.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks. For more ifnormation on The Charlotte Ledger, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

Today’s episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Child Care Search, a service of Child Care Resources Inc. Looking for child care? Our team provides guidance every step of the way! Search online at www.FindChildCareNC.org or call 1-888-600-1685 for live assistance and free, customized referrals.

Uptown Charlotte’s cultural block is home to three museums that opened within months of each other, helping define the city’s modern arts identity. Among them is the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, a compact, instantly recognizable building anchored by the mirrored “Firebird” sculpture — one of the most photographed artworks in North Carolina. Inside, the museum holds a world-class collection of European and American modernism, much of it acquired by the Swiss Bechtler family through personal relationships with artists.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, host Steve Dunn talks with Todd D. Smith, executive director of the Bechtler, about how the museum fits into Charlotte’s artistic ecosystem, its partnership with neighbors like the Mint and the Gantt, and why modern art still matters in a world overflowing with images. Smith also discusses the museum’s recent work to make art more accessible — from therapeutic “art on prescription” programs to collaborations with visually impaired artists that reimagine how we experience texture, sound and space.

For more information on the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, visit Bechtler.org.

This episode is sponsored by Coca-Cola Consolidated, Charlotte’s local bottler and the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the US. Coca-Cola Consolidated demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting veterans and military families through initiatives like the Veterans Resource Group, Hiring Our Heroes partnerships, and community engagement events, recognizing the value of their service and skills. Learn more at www.cokeconsolidated.com/BehindtheBottle.

For more information on The Charlotte Ledger, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com. This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

In this live video chat recorded Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, Charlotte Ledger reporters discuss some of their coverage from the week:

* Tuesday’s election

* Michelin ratings of Charlotte restaurants

* The effect of the government shutdown on food-assistance benefits and flights at Charlotte’s airport

* The prospect for new office construction

* The upcoming shutdown of Charlotte magazine

* Trends in home decor from the High Point furniture market

* A new padel complex near uptown

* “Hunting Wives” casting call at Coyote Joe’s

… and more!

After nearly a decade covering Charlotte’s skyline and business growth — first at the Charlotte Business Journal and then on a national real estate beat — journalist Ashley Fahey is returning to her local roots. Now, as managing editor of The Charlotte Ledger, she’s helping steer the newsroom’s next chapter of growth and community reporting. Fahey officially joined the team in September 2025.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, host Steve Dunn talks with Fahey about her path back to Charlotte media, her vision for the Ledger and what she sees as opportunities to reach new readers and tell deeper stories about the city’s evolution.

We hope you enjoy the conversation with Ashley Fahey. For more information on The Charlotte Ledger, please visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

In this special episode, we quickly break down what’s on the ballot in Mecklenburg County for the 2025 election — from the Charlotte City Council races to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education contests and the closely watched transit tax referendum.

Tony Mecia of The Charlotte Ledger and Sucharita Kodali of The Election Hub explain what each race means for the future of the community, how the proposed transit sales tax referendum could reshape the region’s transportation network and what’s at stake in local leadership and education policy.

For reliable, nonpartisan information on candidates and issues, visit TheElectionHub.org. It has biographies on every candidate on the Mecklenburg ballot (including races in Mecklenburg’s towns), plus information on candidates in the Gaston County cities of Gastonia, Belmont and Mount Holly. It’s a project designed to make it easier for local residents to make informed choices.

Tune into this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast for a clear, concise overview of what’s on the ballot and why it matters for Charlotte’s future.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Early voting runs at 21 sites through Nov. 1.

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

When federal funding cuts and grant freezes hit local nonprofits, many in Charlotte’s safety-net community were forced to make painful choices. One of them, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, has spent decades standing up for the region’s most vulnerable residents — and now finds itself navigating a financial and moral test of its own.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, The Ledger’s Lindsey Banks talks with Larissa Mañón Mervin, the organization’s new CEO and its first permanent woman and Latina leader. Mervin explains the toll of federal disruptions, the community partnerships keeping services alive, and why access to civil legal aid remains essential for thousands of Mecklenburg County residents.

We hope you enjoy the conversation with Larissa Mañón Mervin. For more information on the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, please visit CharlotteLegalAdvocacy.org.

Today’s episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Child Care Search, a service of Child Care Resources Inc. Looking for child care? Our team provides guidance every step of the way! Search online at www.FindChildCareNC.org or call 1-888-600-1685 for live assistance and free, customized referrals.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks. For more information on The Charlotte Ledger or to subscribe to our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

In a city full of newcomers eager to make connections, a Charlotte startup found a simple way to bring people together — through learning. From watercolor painting to small business branding, SkillPop has helped thousands of locals discover new skills and friendships by turning breweries, boutiques and coffee shops into classrooms. What began as a handful of pop-up lessons in 2015 has evolved into a thriving business that’s marking its 10-year anniversary and expanding once again.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, SkillPop founder and CEO Haley Bohon talks with The Ledger's Tony Mecia about how the company grew from a one-woman experiment into a self-funded success. The conversation explores the challenges of entrepreneurship in Charlotte, the pandemic pivot that reshaped the company and what SkillPop’s next chapter says about the city’s creative energy and appetite for community.

We hope you enjoy the conversation with Haley Bohon. For more information on SkillPop, visit SkillPop.com.

For more information on The Charlotte Ledger, go to TheCharlotteLedger.com. This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Crimson Park Digital. For Charlotte businesses, getting noticed and staying visible is tougher than ever. That’s where Crimson Park Digital comes in: a boutique marketing agency delivering bespoke strategies for advertising, content, social media, and search engines. They’re helping bold, service-focused brands get seen, capture demand, and turn attention into revenue. Ready to bolster your marketing this Fall? Visit CrimsonParkDigital.com to get started.

In this episode, we talk with Robert Dawkins of Action NC, who explains why he believes raising Mecklenburg's sales tax to pay for transit and transportation is unfair and misguided. Dawkins advocates for a "NO" vote on November's referendum, arguing that the plan puts too heavy a burden on low- and middle-income families, lacks accountability and repeats a pattern of broken promises from previous city transportation initiatives.

In a conversation with Charlotte Ledger editor Tony Mecia, Dawkins shares stories from his work with displaced residents, outlines concerns about transparency and oversight and questions whether the city’s mobility plan truly serves those who rely on public transportation the most. He urges voters to take a closer look at who benefits—and who bears the costs—of the proposed tax.

Dawkins also wrote a column expressing his ideas in a recent edition of Transit Time, a weekly newsletter on transit and transportation produced by The Charlotte Ledger and WFAE.

THE OTHER SIDE: This episode and accompanying column are part of a two-part series exploring the arguments for and against Mecklenburg's transportation referendum, which is on the Nov. 4 ballot. Be sure to check out the perspecive of the "VOTE YES" side, in a conversation and column with Shannon Binns of Sustain Charlotte.

Together, these different perspectives provide a balanced look at both sides of the transportation sales tax debate.

The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is produced by Lindsey Banks.

After more than 40 years in commercial real estate and banking, Sallie Jarosz thought she was ready for rest. But just a few months into retirement, she realized that slowing down completely wasn’t in her nature.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, host Steve Dunn talks with Jarosz about rediscovering purpose, mentoring others and why she traded spreadsheets for service — joining Fields of Hope, a Charlotte nonprofit supporting survivors of sex trafficking.

Jarosz reflects on a career that spanned Charlotte’s explosive growth, from financing the first renovation of SouthPark Mall to watching neighborhoods like South End transform. She also shares candid insights on how the city’s real-estate scene has evolved, what it was like being a woman in a male-dominated industry and why she’s optimistic about this next chapter.

In this conversation, Jarosz shares how retirement taught her the importance of staying connected and purposeful, her path from banking executive to nonprofit leader at Fields of Hope, the challenges facing commercial real-estate financing today and mentoring the next generation of women in real estate.

Jarosz received The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Award in 2025. You can learn more about Fields of Hope here.

This podcast episode is part of a series highlighting winners of The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 awards, which honor and celebrate often unheralded people over the age of 40 who are making important contributions to Charlotte. It’s hosted by Steve Dunn of Miles Mediation and Arbitration. Find out more about the 40 Over 40 awards by going to Ledger40over40.com.

This episode is sponsored by Coca-Cola Consolidated, Charlotte’s local bottler and the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the U.S. From package recycling, emissions reduction and water leadership, Coca-Cola Consolidated is championing industry-leading sustainability solutions and best practices that put the planet first. Learn more at CokeConsolidated.com/sustainability.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

In this episode, we hear from Shannon Binns of Sustain Charlotte, who makes the case for a “YES” vote on the proposed transportation sales tax referendum. Binns argues that investing in transit, roads, sidewalks and bike lanes is essential to keep up with the region’s explosive growth, improve safety, reduce congestion and make Charlotte more competitive for the future.

In a conversation with Charlotte Ledger editor Tony Mecia, Binns explains why he believes the plan offers a balanced approach — funding roads and safety improvements, expanding bus and rail service, and creating cleaner, healthier communities. He urges voters to seize this rare opportunity to build a transportation system that serves everyone.

Binns also wrote a column expressing his ideas in a recent edition of Transit Time, a weekly newsletter on transit and transportation produced by The Charlotte Ledger and WFAE.

THE OTHER SIDE: This episode and accompanying column are part of a two-part series exploring the arguments for and against Mecklenburg's transportation referendum, which is on the Nov. 4 ballot. Be sure to check out the perspecive of the "VOTE NO" side, in a conversation and column by Robert Dawkins of Action NC.

Together, these different perspectives provide a balanced look at both sides of the transportation sales tax debate.

The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is produced by Lindsey Banks.