Read local this summer: New books by N.C. writers
Plus: Lesson 1 in Teen Talk summer school edition; New Ledger crossword; And top news of the week — lighter Covid travel rules ahead, underground bus terminal, new Hornets coach
Good morning! Today is Saturday, June 11, 2022. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger’s Weekend Edition.
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A local librarian recommends local books that are worth taking up suitcase real estate (or pool-bag space); plus, a couple new reads on the horizon
Whether you’ve got an action-packed summer planned or one that involves plenty of time in a beach chair or a porch swing, chances are you’re planning to read a book or two before the weather cools again.
We’re always looking for new reads by Carolinas authors, so in the interest of spreading the literary love, we asked Sally Deason, an adult services librarian at the Mint Hill branch of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, to tell us which titles have caught her eye in recent months. Deason says she savors the part of her job that involves helping library patrons learn about new books and authors.
Without further ado, here are Deason’s picks, along with her descriptions:
📘The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey. Based in Chapel Hill, Harvey writes light fiction reads that are perfect for the summer. “The Wedding Veil” is split in time between today and 1914, and specifically, the time of Edith Vanderbilt.
📘American Injustice: Inside stories from the underbelly of the criminal justice system by David S. Rudolf. The author has been a respected N.C. lawyer for decades, with high-profile clients including former Panther Rae Carruth and Durham novelist Michael Peterson. Highly recommend this nonfiction. (Editor’s note: If you’ve gotten sucked into watching the portrayal of Rudolf in HBO Max’s “The Staircase” recently, this one might be of special interest.)
📘All 4 Love by Sharain Hemingway was published in 2019 but is now making it into our hands. Regional winner of the Indie Author Awards, this book follows the lives of four Charlotteans as they become mature adults. Facing real conflicts and having to support each other, the characters are easy to identify with, and you will certainly want to find out what happens to each one.
📘The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. Prolific writer and current N.C. resident Diane Chamberlain captures the reader in a tale about the past meeting the present. On one side, you have the story of Ellie from 1965, seeking equal rights for all; on the other side is Kayla, finding a new path after her husband dies. Finding the truth to an old mystery will save them both.
📘The View from Coral Cove by Amy Clipston. This author started with Amish fiction and now writes in young adult and mainstream contemporary romance. “The View from Coral Cove” follows the budding romance of Maya, a romance writer, and Brody, a single father veterinarian. A relaxing read by a great local author. You can also meet her at the Mint Hill Library July 30 for her book talk. Registration at cmlibrary.org.
📘List of Ten by Halli Gomez. This is not a title for the faint of heart. Troy Hayes has Tourette syndrome and OCD. He plans to die by suicide on the 10th anniversary of his diagnosis after completing a list of 10 things.
On the horizon:
📙The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda comes out this July. It’s a thriller that opens with the disappearance of a journalist who’s been investigating a string of vanishings in a resort town. Miranda is best known for her book “All the Missing Girls” (2016).
📙Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen will be released in September. Known for her books, “Garden Spells” and “The Sugar Queen,” Allen pulls together quirky characters in this book set on the S.C. coast.
Is there a recent-ish book by a Carolina author you recommend? Email us the title, author and why you loved it.
Today’s supporting sponsors are Fionix Consulting, which brings an innovative, trusted and award-winning approach to strategic communications. Shaped by more than 25 years of multifaceted experience in a wide range of organizations and industries, our solutions move organizations forward, deliver results and elevate business.
… and Soni Brendle:
Teen Talk — Build your vocabulary
School may be out, but this is a great time to keep learning: Impress and delight the teens in your life by using the words they use! The Ledger shows you how in this occasional Saturday feature.
Today’s word: Mid
Pronunciation: “mid”
Definition: used to describe something that is not good, but isn’t quite the worst.
Used in a sentence:
“I’m feeling mid today.”
“What did you think of the new Morbius movie?” “It was pretty mid.”
Ledger analysis: “Mid” is basically a shorter way to say “mediocre.” You’ll find that teens tend to say it often with a shoulder shrug and an unenthusiastic pout. It’s effective verbal economy — in just three letters and one syllable, it conveys an insult and/or a description of something being of average to poor quality.
—Andrew Bolling, age 15
Today’s Charlotte-themed crossword: ‘Dress Rehearsal’
Our weekly crossword is back!
Heading out of town? Why not print off a few from our dedicated Charlotte Ledger Crossword page? They’re perfect on a plane, at the beach or wherever you might be.
Ledger crosswords are created by Chris King, edited by Tim Whitmire and presented by CXN Advisory. Enjoy!
.PDF (suitable for download and printing):
.PUZ (suitable for use on tablets and computers with Across Lite app):
This week in Charlotte: York County sues Tepper-owned companies over HQ project; former MPHS student sues CMS over handling of alleged sexual assault; some top golfers banned from Charlotte’s Presidents Cup
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
Graduation time: (CMS schedule) Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ high school graduations run today through Thursday, at Spectrum Center, Bojangles Coliseum, Ovens Auditorium and Halton Arena.
Superintendent storms out of meeting: (WSOC) A group of Black religious and political leaders says interim Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh abruptly stormed out of a meeting last week on improving student outcomes. “He folded up his papers, threw them down on the desk, said to us he didn’t have to take it and he wasn’t going to take it and he left,” said the Rev. Jordan Boyd. Hattabaugh issued a statement Thursday saying the meeting had “a confrontational tone” and that after he repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to direct the meeting back to the agenda, he left.
Myers Park lawsuit: (Observer) A former Myers Park High School student is suing Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, alleging that she was raped in a school bathroom and that administrators failed to investigate properly. It’s the latest in a string of accusations that CMS mishandled reports of sexual assault complaints. CMS did not reply to requests for comment.
Politics
Underground bus station? (Transit Time) The City Council heard of city staff’s plans to move the uptown bus station underground and build a Charlotte Hornets training center and retail above it. Our weekly Transit Time newsletter looked at the issue — including at underground bus terminals in other cities and concerns from a transit consultant.
Local news
Covid testing requirement to be lifted for international travel: (Ledger) The U.S. government is lifting the requirement for a negative Covid test to re-enter the country, effective Sunday morning, which removes a headache for international travelers just as the summer travel season gets underway. Local travel agents say they’re bracing for an already-hot market to heat up even more with an increase in overseas bookings.
York County sues Tepper: (WSOC) York County, S.C., sued several companies controlled by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, saying “the Tepper Defendants took money from York County and its taxpayers” and calling the stalled headquarters facility in Rock Hill a “failed vanity project.”
Business
Pricey office tower sells: (Ledger 🔒) A new 16-story office building in South End, The Line on Hawkins Street, sold for $206M last week, which is the third-highest price per square foot ever in Charlotte.
Charlotte commercial real estate: (Ledger 🔒) The number of commercial real estate closings in the Charlotte area is flat or down compared with last year, according to figures from real estate data company CoStar.
Sports
New Hornets coach: (ESPN) The Charlotte Hornets hired Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach. He will replace James Borrego, who was fired in April.
Golfers suspended: (Observer) Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and a handful of other top golfers will be ineligible to play in the Presidents Cup in Charlotte in September after the PGA Tour suspended them for playing in a rival golf tour. The tournament will be at Quail Hollow Club Sept. 22-25.
Good reads
International cheese roller interview: (N.C. Rabbit Hole) Writer Jeremy Markovich catches up with Abby Lampe, the recent N.C. State grad who won the women’s division of the Gloucester Cheese Roll in England last weekend by being first to tumble 200 yards down a hill in pursuit of a nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. She discussed her mental and physical preparation, strategy and how her victory compares to other N.C. State athletic feats. Lampe said: “It was honestly a dream come true. It was just amazing to just bask in the glory of the cheese rolling.”
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Info on legalized sports wagering: Backers of legalized sports gambling in North Carolina say they have the votes in the General Assembly to pass a bill allowing online sports wagers. How would it work, exactly? We talked to an expert.
Ballantyne’s mystery white pipes: In the latest installment of the “You Ask, We Answer” feature on Charlotte development mysteries, The Ledger answered a reader’s question about why dozens of white pipes are sticking straight out of the ground all over Ballantyne roads.
Hotel stalled due to money laundering: A high-profile uptown hotel project was stalled for nearly three years, and we now have insight into why. Federal prosecutors say one of the investors in what was supposed to be a new Even Hotel on Stonewall Street accepted millions in drug money laundered through a scheme known as the “Black Market Peso Exchange.”
Wednesday Ledger (🔒)
Getting answers on big CMS construction plan: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials last month rolled out a list of 125 construction projects costing $5.3B that would be done in the next 10 years if voters approve a school bond in 2023. The projects include demolishing and rebuilding several schools across the county, big renovations at others and the possibility of creating regional athletic campuses. We invited Ledger members to submit questions for top CMS planning consultant Dennis LaCaria, and we published his answers.
Friday Ledger (🔒)
Vitner to leave Wells: Mark Vitner, the Charlotte region’s best-known economist, is retiring from Wells Fargo after 30 years there.
Catching up with new Junior Achievement leader: We check in with Dorothy Gorman, the new head of Junior Achievement of Central Carolinas, a non-profit that provides financial literacy and workforce development lessons for kids in grades K-12. Gorman filled us in on changes to the non-profit’s popular field trip destination, JA BizTown and what’s ahead for school-based Junior Achievement programming.
Ways of Life (🔒)
She cherishes obituaries, so she wrote the book on them: Susan Oleson is drawn to the humanity and universality of obituaries, and she figures she read 60,000 to 80,000 for her new book, “Life Stories — The Book of Obituaries.” The retired Central Piedmont Community College employee published excerpts from about 2,000 obituaries, grouping them into themed chapters. “A family whose mother had already passed wrote this after losing Dad: ‘Sorry, Mom, we did the best we could to take care of him and keep him out of your hair as long as we could. Back in your court now.’”
New Charlotte FC coach: Interim coach Christian Lattanzio makes his debut today, taking over from Miguel Angel Ramirez, who was fired last month. Lattanzio is a seasoned veteran of international soccer. Plus more details come to light on Ramirez firing.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Contributing editor: Tim Whitmire, CXN Advisory; Contributing photographer/videographer: Kevin Young, The 5 and 2 Project