Newsletter 12/18: Where the wild things are

Plus: Private school splits with head of school; Lawrence Toppman reviews Cirque's 'Bazzar'; city council passes around legal joint during closed session; mascot revealed for new high school

Good morning! Today is Monday, December 18, 2023. You’re reading The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.

Need to subscribe — or upgrade your Ledger e-newsletter subscription? Details here.

---

Today’s Charlotte Ledger is sponsored by T.R. Lawing Realty:

---

From deer to armadillos and peregrine falcons, wildlife experts say we’re seeing more animal neighbors than we did in the past

Mecklenburg County is home to roughly 50 deer per square mile — far beyond what biologists say is a healthy population density. Here, a buck roams the Stonehaven neighborhood in southeast Charlotte. (Photo by Amber Veverka)

By Amber Veverka

Tony Hill and his dog, Bodie, were enjoying the sunrise on their deck on a recent morning in a neighborhood near Mint Hill. Suddenly, the pyredoodle’s demeanor changed.

“He was acting very strange,” Hill said of his Great Pyrenees-poodle cross. “I caught some movement past the trees and then a second movement and caught the back end of a medium-sized black bear loping away.” 

A bear. In Cresswind Charlotte, a sprawling 55+ community near Mint Hill. 

Eventually, word of the sighting made its way to Sampson Parker, the state’s only wildlife law enforcement officer stationed in Mecklenburg County. 

Parker and others say that while no one group tracks the numbers, calls about human-wildlife encounters have ticked up in Mecklenburg County. More residents are seeing their furred and feathered neighbors than in past years. 

Is it good news — a sign that Mecklenburg is doing a better job protecting the lives of its wild citizens? Or is it a sign that development is devouring dwindling scraps of habitat? 

The answer, as it turns out, is a bit complicated. 

Less room to roam, more food to eat: Parker is employed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), and when it comes to Mecklenburg wildlife, he does it all. Reached on a recent day, he’d just returned from investigating illegal hunting — turns out there’s a lot of it in the Charlotte area — and was still recovering from “Deer Month.”

That would be November, the biggest month for car-deer collisions in Mecklenburg. It’s the time of the rut, when bucks chase does, and both sexes have more exciting things on their mind than traffic. By Thanksgiving week, responding to calls for car-injured deer would consume Parker’s entire workday if he didn’t get a big assist from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. (And in case you’re wondering, injured deer are euthanized. “A full-grown deer can’t be rehabbed,” Parker said.)

But wildlife calls go well beyond deer, and Sampson’s phone is ringing more often. “It’s increasing every year, for sure,” he said. “It’s deer, coyotes, all the way down to raccoons. In the last six years, I’ve seen a ton of change. Massive subdivisions being built. It’s knocking out these big blocks of woods where these animals used to live.” 

Longtime SouthPark resident Lesa Sass has had a front-row seat to the results. “We used to have 30 houses in this neighborhood. Now we have 100-something,” she said. Sass and her husband live in a neighborhood near the intersection of Park and Fairview roads, not far from SouthPark Mall. She’s seen a lot of animals explore yards, including foxes.

She watched one that she dubbed “Redd Foxx” grow from a kit to a healthy adult. Red-tailed hawks hang out in the area, and Sass once saw a bald eagle. Coyotes are regularly captured by her Ring doorbell camera. 

“I tell people, ‘Don’t be scared of these things. Get yourself educated,’” said Sass. “I agree that all of the new construction has taken away land to roam. It has also provided the wildlife ample (food) resources.”

With human interaction comes animal wins and losses (and even reports of Bigfoot): While most of the time human-wildlife encounters go unrecorded — except for the ubiquitous “What kind of snake is this?” posts on Nextdoor — some get logged into a state database by Bret Ladrie, NCWRC human wildlife interaction biologist. So far this year, Ladrie has received 1,047 contacts from Mecklenburg residents, most often about injured animals. (Though, it’s worth noting, at least some callers want to report visits by Bigfoot. “Bigfoot — he’s in some people’s yards, he brings some people gifts,” Ladrie said.)

What Ladrie sees is animals responding to new conditions. Take deer, for example. Mecklenburg County is home to roughly 50 deer per square mile — easily double what biologists consider a healthy population density, Ladrie said. Coyotes will take some fawns, but the deer have no real predators except cars. Those deer persist in the Charlotte area, but they also move to adjoining counties where there’s more space. The highest increases in human-wildlife interaction are in Charlotte and Raleigh areas and in the areas that ring them, Ladrie said. “There’s no hunting pressure,” he explained, “and a lot of calories on the landscape.” 

Species that are moving around for a variety of reasons include eastern chipmunks — common enough around here, but now being spotted for the first time east of I-95 — and armadillos, whose movements the state is asking residents to report. Feral hogs are shifting from South Carolina into N.C.’s Union County, Parker said.

Densely packed human development favors some species over others. 

“You’re going to see our wildlife become more homogenous,” said Chris Matthews, division director of nature preserves and natural resources at Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. That means “animals that adapt well with people — and less of the rare stuff.”

In some special cases, Mecklenburg animals are succeeding because we, their human neighbors, are protecting what’s theirs. 

In October, a Stevens Creek Nature Preserve trail cam captured a shot of a family of river otters. Otters don’t hang out in dirty water, so this is a big win. “The increasing presence of river otters in Mecklenburg County is due to a variety of factors,” Matthews said, “including the purchase and preservation of large open spaces like Stevens Creek Nature Preserve, stream restoration efforts to improve habitat and reduce sedimentation, efforts to control stormwater and improve water quality and the elimination of the need for hunting for fur.”

Otters, like these photographed by Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, are on the rise in Mecklenburg County.

Mostly, however, it’s the opportunists like coyotes, deer, raccoons and barred owls that adapt to human-made landscapes. Even some specialists, like peregrine falcons, find a way.

“There is a resident population of peregrine falcons in uptown Charlotte,” said Sean Bloom, geographic information systems director and biologist for Catawba Lands Conservancy. “They live on top of skyscrapers because it simulates (their natural habitat). Peregrine falcons do well in urban environments.”

Bloom agrees the species that are generalists are adapting to encroachment. “What woods were left are even getting developed now,” he said. “So, deer are being pushed out of what pockets they had left. I think some wildlife is becoming more urbanized. More comfortable. I know for myself for the first time ever I saw a live skunk. I was out with my dog in our backyard and there goes a skunk walking across our backyard like nothing’s going on.”

So, three things are happening: An animal “housing crisis” with fewer corridors between still-wild areas. Abundant artificially introduced food. And some species’ growing comfort with humans.

Which brings us back to bears.

‘They were here before we were’: Anyone who’s spent time in Asheville recently knows the state’s black bear population is booming. The headlines on stories from 2023 attest to it: “Black bear family has a night on the town,” “Asheville man and bear give each other a scare,” “Can Asheville learn to live with bears?” 

Black bears are a big comeback story for the North Carolina, which saw record lows in the mid-1900s. Today, there are roughly 20,000 statewide, in the western part of the state and at the coast, NCWRC’s Ladrie said. They can range more than 1,000 miles, though it’s unusual to see them in the Piedmont outside of late spring and early summer.

But Tony Hill of Cresswind is confident of what he saw a couple of weeks ago, and he has the credentials to back it up. He grew up in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, tagging along with his uncle to observe black bears from the time he was 6. Hill’s uncle was a bear hunter guide and assisted state biologists in tagging hibernating cubs. Hill rattles off facts about the habits of N.C. bears like the self-described “country boy” he is. 

Ladrie isn’t surprised by the sighting. “Bears have been slowly moving into counties where we haven’t seen them before,” said. “I tell people … any county in North Carolina could potentially be bear country.” Bears will likely “make their way back to places they used to inhabit, like the Uwharries.”

Brooke Bunting, senior community association property manager for Hill’s neighborhood, said wildlife encounters are common, in part because the powerline right of way nearby serves as an animal avenue. “At the beginning of spring I sent out a list of what to do if you find this baby animal or that baby animal,” Bunting said. She’s invited reptile experts to educate residents about snakes and explains how to live with the presence of coyotes, especially when their singing unnerves some.

Hill doesn’t need persuasion. He and his wife, Kathy, appreciate the close encounters with wild neighbors. “They were here before we were,” he said. “It’s their land.”

Amber Veverka is a freelance writer and editor. She can be reached through her website, amberveverka.com.

---

Today’s supporting sponsor is Landon A. Dunn, attorney-at-law in Matthews:

---

Charlotte Country Day School abruptly splits with its head of school; no details given about the reason

Charlotte Country Day School has decided to “part ways” with its head of school, who was on the job less than 18 months.

In a letter to parents of the south Charlotte private school, dated Friday, board chair Bill Zimmern wrote:

The Board of Trustees and our Head of School, Marcel Gauthier, have made the decision to part ways. Marcel will transition his responsibilities effective today, December 15, 2023. We thank Marcel for his service to Country Day and wish him well as he moves forward to the next chapter of his career. 

No details: The letter did not detail the reason for the change in leadership. The school’s website quickly updated the change in leadership on Friday, with no mention of Gauthier.

Zimmern said that the board voted unanimously that the leadership change is “the right next step for our school at this time.”

The letter promised a national search for a successor. In the meantime, the board appointed an interim leader, David Mancos, the school’s chief financial officer.

Zimmern said in the letter that the school’s future is bright, with a strong re-enrollment rate and increases in admissions applications.

Gauthier came to Charlotte Country Day in July 2022 from Shanghai American School after an extensive search. [Editor’s note: This article was edited on 12/18/23 to reflect that Gauthier came from Shanghai American School, not Singapore American School.]

Charlotte Country Day’s main campus is located by the corner of Fairview and Carmel roads in south Charlotte, with a middle school campus father south off of Carmel, near Carmel Country Club. It is one of Charlotte’s oldest and most prestigious private schools.—TM

Editor’s note: This article was published on our website Friday. You can check it out here.

---

Taking Stock, sponsored by Topsail Wealth Management

Topsail Wealth Management partners with you to provide personalized advice. Minimizing costs and the complexities of your wealth and investing plan.

How local stocks of note fared last week (through Friday’s close), and year to date:

---

Review: With dance-vibey ‘Bazzar,’ Cirque du Soleil brings its stunt-filled, big-top thrill; A few tips to know before you go.

Ledger arts critic Lawrence Toppman attended Saturday night’s performance of Cirque Du Soleil’s “Bazzar,” which runs through Jan. 14 under a big top across from Charlotte Motor Speedway.

In his review for The Ledger, Toppman writes:

I first encountered Cirque du Soleil 36 years ago in the shadow of Santa Monica Pier. The company was making its first American appearances in Los Angeles after breaking ground in its native Canada, and the utterly charming show consisted of one ring filled with intimate, traditional circus acts.

I’ve seen Cirque many times since, including the spectacular water-themed “O” in Las Vegas. Yet not until Saturday night, when the striped big top opened in a parking lot across from Charlotte Motor Speedway, did I feel the same thrill. “Bazzar” (a play on “bazaar”) revamps the original concept: Acrobats and contortionists and balancing acts and fire juggling, all of it close-up and engaging. It’s like watching a magic show where every performer makes a card disappear instead of an elephant.

There’s a master of ceremonies, as always, in this case a talkative guy who uses up a lot of the 105-minute running time in banter and audience participation. There’s a thread of connecting plot tissue: People wrangle for control of a magical hat that keeps getting lost or broken.

Check out Toppman’s full review, with information if you want to go:

---

City Council members pass around ‘legal joint' in closed session

Local government boards are allowed to go into closed session for a number of legitimate reasons, and the public usually doesn’t know what happens behind closed doors.

But WFAE’s Steve Harrison reported Friday about an unusual move by one council member in closed session last week: passing around a joint.

Harrison reported in his “Inside Politics” newsletter that council member Renee Johnson, who represents University City, “passed around the room a legal, mind-altering cannabis cigarette and a pre-packaged bag of loose cannabis flower.”

But it wasn’t for unwinding amid a stressful meeting: She was trying to illustrate to her colleagues that there are legal forms of cannabis, such as one popular strain known as THC-A. The distinction between legal and illegal cannabis was an issue in the controversial arrest last month of two people approached by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers for smoking marijuana. The two said they were using a legal form of cannabis, but in videos released last week, officers appeared not to know of the distinction. The incident attracted attention after one of the officers was captured on video repeatedly punching one of the suspects, whom police said was resisting arrest.

“My point was to educate my colleagues on THC-A so that we can develop educated and necessary policies,” Johnson told WFAE.

The Ledger published a WFAE story in July about the emergence of legal cannabis products at local smoke shops, but the distinction is apparently not well-known.

The article about the closed-session joint doesn’t say whether council members lit up, so it’s unclear if it was a legitimately smoke-filled back room. —TM

---

Verdict is in: New south Charlotte high school’s mascot will be … the wolves 🐺

With about 8 months left until students walk through the doors of the new Ballantyne Ridge High School on Johnston Road in south Charlotte, plans are gearing up for its opening, including Friday’s announcement of the school’s mascot: the wolves.

Last month, principal Mike Miliote released 10 mascot contenders for the new school, including the blue jays, bengals, badgers and bison. He invited community members to give feedback via an online form.

Choosing the name of the high school was also something of a democratic process. Miliote sent out a community survey with options before that decision, which included names ranging from those honoring local heroes Reginald Hawkins and Thaddeus Tate to Big Rock, named for a local nature preserve. —CB

Related Ledger article:

• “CMS suggests mascot possibilities for new Ballantyne high school” (Nov. 29, 2023)

---

In brief:

• Popular breakfast networking club relaunches: South Charlotte Partners, a nonprofit advocacy organization, is re-launching the former Ballantyne Breakfast Club under a new name: South Charlotte Partners Breakfast Club. The first meeting will be Jan. 25 from 7:30-9 a.m. at the Springhill Suites, 12325 Johnston Road, with speaker Johnny Jennings, chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Tickets are $25 in advance or $35 at the door. (South Charlotte Partners)

• Deadline bell for 2024 election filings: The filing period for North Carolina's 2024 elections ended Friday, revealing a surge of statewide candidates seeking open positions due to redistricting and retirements. With a crowded slate of contenders vying for nominations and key office-holders not seeking reelection, the state is bracing for big leadership changes. Locally, one of the biggest surprises Friday was the announcement that Krista Bokhari, the wife of Charlotte city councilman Tariq Bokhari, is running for N.C. House District 104, which includes a portion of south Charlotte. (WFAE)

• Police shooting: A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer shot and killed a man during a confrontation early Saturday in a neighborhood north of uptown. Police Chief Johnny Jennings said shots had been fired before police arrived at the scene, and more shots were fired when the officers arrived. When a man with a gun pointed it at another individual and refused officers’ commands to put the gun down, police fired multiple shots at the man and he died at the scene. (WCNC)

• Dough for Mayo Bowl players: Fans of the UNC Tar Heels and the West Virginia Mountaineers will be able to support players through name, image and likeness policies as they compete in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The bowl and the Opendorse NIL platform are giving fans the opportunity to buy a shoutout, a social media post, an appearance or an autograph from specific players. (WSOC)

• Finally, a win: In one of the wettest home games the Carolina Panthers have ever played, they beat the Atlanta Falcons 9-7 Sunday, improving their record slightly to 2-12. Tickets for the game sold for as low as $8, as the team’s losing season and the bad forecast kept fans away. (Observer)

---

Need to sign up for this e-newsletter? We offer a free version, as well as paid memberships for full access to all 4 of our local newsletters:

➡️ Learn more about The Charlotte Ledger

The Charlotte Ledger is a locally owned media company that delivers smart and essential news through e-newsletters and on a website. We strive for fairness and accuracy and will correct all known errors. The content reflects the independent editorial judgment of The Charlotte Ledger. Any advertising, paid marketing, or sponsored content will be clearly labeled.

🎁 Need a gift? How about a subscription to the full version of The Charlotte Ledger?

Like what we are doing? Feel free to forward this along and to tell a friend.

Sponsorship information/customer service: email support@cltledger.com.

Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman, BC Creative