The Charlotte region is on track to lose about 19,400 acres of farmland by 2040. The Carolina Farms Fund aims to prevent that.

The Carolina Farms Fund is a new initiative from the Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit dedicated to environmental preservation and economic development. The Carolina Farms Fund aims to protect 5,000 acres in the Charlotte region as working farms and to match farmers to those properties with a path toward ownership.

The fund was started in November of 2023 by Tim Belk, the former chairman and CEO of Belk. Belk’s passion for farming comes from the organic farm he started with his wife, Sarah, in 2017, called Wild Hope Farm, in Chester.

On this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, staff writer Lindsey Banks sits down to talk to Tim Belk, fund program manager Aaron Newton, and Cherie Jzar, who co-owns Deep Roots CPS Farm, which was the first farm to partner with the Carolina Farms Fund, with her husband, Wisdom. They discuss how the fund works and why preserving local farmland is important.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

In this special episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia and elections specialist Sucharita Kodali quickly break down the 14 statewide races on the 2024 general election ballot.

In less than 10 minutes, they zip through the races that will be on the ballot for every North Carolinian: the Council of State — including races for governor, lieutenant governor, agriculture commissioner and so on — as well as statewide judicial races and a constitutional amendment.

Check out the accompanying 10-minute podcast on the Mecklenburg ballot.

For full details on the candidates and the races, be sure to check out the Charlotte Ledger Election Hub at NCElectionHub.com. It has brief biographies of 200 candidates in five Charlotte-area counties (Mecklenburg, Union, Gaston, Cabarrus and Iredell), as well as links to candidate questionnaires and articles from other media.

The goal is to provide you with trustworthy, unbiased information you can use to cast your vote.

Find out more about The Charlotte Ledger at TheCharlotteLedger.com.

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

In this special episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia and elections specialist Sucharita Kodali quickly break down the Mecklenburg County ballot, including state legislative races, county commissioner races, local judicial elections and bonds.

In less than 10 minutes, they zip through the under-the-radar races that many voters haven’t considered but will find on the ballot.

Check out the accompanying 10-minute podcast on statewide races, such as those for governor, lieutenant governor, insurance commissioner and attorney general.

For full details on the candidates and the races, be sure to check out the Charlotte Ledger Election Hub at NCElectionHub.com. It has brief biographies of 200 candidates in five Charlotte-area counties (Mecklenburg, Union, Gaston, Cabarrus and Iredell), as well as links to candidate questionnaires and articles from other media.

The goal is to provide you with trustworthy, unbiased information you can use to cast your vote.

Find out more about The Charlotte Ledger at TheCharlotteLedger.com.

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

In 2019, Melissa Sutherland made a dramatic career shift, leaving her role as a bank executive at Bank of America to join Best Impressions Catering as the company’s chief operating and financial officer. Her move from a global financial institution to a small catering business offered her the chance to take her expertise to a new industry, she says, helping the company expand from a single location in Charlotte to three, including Raleigh and Charleston.

But just as she was settling into her new role, the Covid pandemic hit.

Facing a sudden halt in operations, Sutherland and her team pivoted to launch "Table & Twine," a home delivery service that helped keep staff employed and kitchens running during the shutdowns. Today, Table & Twine remains a successful arm of Combined Caterers, showing how innovation during a crisis can create lasting change.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Sutherland talks with host Steve Dunn about the transition from a big banking job to a small catering company, the challenges of navigating a small business through the pandemic, what she learned from watching Hugh McColl, former CEO and president of Bank of America, and more.

Sutherland was a recipient of The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Award in 2024. The awards celebrate often unheralded people over the age of 40 who are making important contributions to Charlotte.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is presented by Trinity Episcopal School, marking 25 years of creating scholars, nurturing spirituality and embracing diversity in Charlotte's center city. Trinity offers a unique K-8 curriculum with a focus on critical thinking, curiosity about the world around us, and service to the community. Learn more about the admission process for the 2025-26 school year and register for an open house at TESCharlotte.org.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com. This episode is part of a series in which we interview winners of The Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 Awards, which honor people aged 40+ who are making our community a better place. Find out information about those awards at Ledger40Over40.com.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

Many children who are on the autism spectrum or have ADHD also have anxiety or depression, and parents caring for those children experience high stress.

Diane Reid Lyon’s goal is to help parents not feel quite so alone while finding ways to help their kids. As a licensed clinical mental health counselor for more than three decades, she's helped hundreds of children, teens and adults find growth and healing while dealing with challenges like ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief and trauma.

So, she's written a book, “Caring for Yourself - Caring for Your Neurodivergent Child,” to help walk parents through the journey from how to get a child tested for neurodivergence to learning how to support them.

On this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger managing editor Cristina Bolling sits down with Reid to discuss her book and the importance of understanding your child’s diagnosis, navigating school systems designed for neurotypical students, and avoiding “parent burnout” and loneliness.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

Hugh McColl Jr. is a Charlotte household name. As the former chairman and CEO of Bank of America, McColl was a major player in consolidating the banking industry in the 1980s and 1990s that has transformed Charlotte into the financial hub it is today. He was also apart of the group of influential Charlotte leaders that pushed to improve the arts and revitalize uptown.

On September 17, 2024, McColl, 89, was interviewed in front of an audience at Queens University of Charlotte at an event called “Legacy of Leadership: A Conversation with Hugh McColl.” The Charlotte Ledger received permission from Queens to share the audio of the 30-minute conversation on this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast.

At the event, McColl discussed his background, his leadership style, what it was like running one of the country’s biggest banks and his advice for success. He was interviewed by Will Sparks, who is the Dennis Thompson chair and professor of leadership at the McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte.

McColl spoke on the occasion of the launch of a newly designed MBA program from the McColl School of Business. The school describes the McColl MBA as a “dynamic program tailored to meet the evolving needs of Charlotte’s professional community,” and one that offers “unparalleled flexibility, field-based consulting experiences, networking opportunities and a strong leadership focus inspired by McColl himself.” You can find out more about it at www.queens.edu/mba.

(Photo on podcast: courtesy of Queens University of Charlotte)

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Nate Negrin, owner of SouthernEEZ Landscaping, discusses the rapid evolution of the landscaping industry. Once viewed as a basic service, landscaping now involves advanced technology, sustainability practices and professional expertise.

Negrin shares his journey from banking to landscaping, the challenges he faced early on, and the emerging trends such as robo-mowers and corporate consolidations. He also highlights the increasing demand for eco-friendly solutions and offers tips for keeping lawns healthy.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is presented by Trinity Episcopal School, marking 25 years of creating scholars, nurturing spirituality and embracing diversity in Charlotte's center city. Trinity offers a unique K-8 curriculum with a focus on critical thinking, curiosity about the world around us, and service to the community. Learn more about the admission process for the 2025-26 school year and register for an open house at TESCharlotte.org.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

In a pivotal moment for Charlotte’s University City, Keith Stanley, the newly appointed president and CEO of University City Partners, is bringing a fresh vision to the area. Having transitioned from his role in Milwaukee’s Near West Side Partners, Stanley has been focused on leveraging his experience to enhance the vibrancy and functionality of northeast Charlotte.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Stanley discusses the changes afoot in University City, economic trends, development hotspots, arts and cultural events, the importance of UNC Charlotte and the plans for growth in the area. You can find out more about University City Partners at universitycitypartners.org.

This episode is sponsored by HopeWay, a nonprofit mental health organization offering life-changing treatment and education. On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, HopeWay is hosting an evening with Alexi Pappas, an acclaimed Olympian, bestselling author and filmmaker, who will share her story of mental resilience and the lessons she learned along the way. To purchase tickets, visit hopeway.org.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

David Cronenberg’s “Dead Ringers” was an eye-opening film for Brad Ritter. He first saw the horror movie in 1988 alongside college friends — and he hasn’t been able to bring himself to watch it since.

“Dead Ringers” exposed Ritter to the world of immersive film, and although he didn’t know it at the time, it would lead to his current role as the executive director of Charlotte’s only arthouse theater and nonprofit, Independent Picture House, located in NoDa.

On this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ritter shares his take on movie soundtracks, the closure of Charlotte's former arthouse theater called Manor Theatre, how Independent Picture House has found success and what's in the nonprofit's future.

Ritter was a recipient of The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Award in 2024. The awards celebrate often unheralded people over the age of 40 who are making important contributions to Charlotte.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com. This episode is part of a series in which we interview winners of The Charlotte Ledger 40 Over 40 Awards, which honor people aged 40+ who are making our community a better place. Find out information about those awards at Ledger40Over40.com.

This episode is sponsored by HopeWay, a nonprofit mental health organization offering life-changing treatment and education. On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, HopeWay is hosting an evening with Alexi Pappas, an acclaimed Olympian, bestselling author and filmmaker, who will share her story of mental resilience and the lessons she learned along the way. To purchase tickets, visit hopeway.org.

While some Charlotteans might struggle to list even 50 must-do activities in the city, Axios reporter Brianna Crane faced the opposite challenge. In her new book, “100 Things to Do in Charlotte Before You Die,” narrowing it down to just 100 was the hard part.

In this episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Crane talks with The Ledger's Tony Mecia about the challenges and excitement of curating a list that captures the essence of the city, balancing beloved staples with hidden gems that even longtime residents might not know. They also discuss advice for newcomers, what makes Charlotte distinctive from other cities and the process of writing a book.

This episode is sponsored by HopeWay, a nonprofit mental health organization offering life-changing treatment and education. On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, HopeWay is hosting an evening with Alexi Pappas, an acclaimed Olympian, bestselling author and filmmaker, who will share her story of mental resilience and the lessons she learned along the way. To purchase tickets, visit hopeway.org.

This podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks.

For more information about The Charlotte Ledger, or to sign up for our newsletters, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.