The Charlotte Ledger

At 64, Paul Schadt has reached a turning point. For 36 years, he has been playing country music on morning radio in Charlotte, starting at 5 a.m. When he announced on the air on Oct. 16 that he was going to retire in February, co-host Sarah Lee teared up. He teared up. Callers to their show on 96.9 The Kat (WKKT) were teary as well. That morning, Geof Knight, his producer for 28 years, decided he would retire, too. Later, Schadt said, singer Eric Church, who grew up in Granite Falls, “told me he can remember listening to me when he was 6 or 7 years old” — a reminder that the clock has been ticking for quite a long time. “I’ve done this my entire adult life,” Schadt told The Ledger in an interview. Read on for more about the timing of his decision and details of some of his favorite moments, which included meeting Johnny Cash, interviewing Taylor Swift and befriending Dale Earnhardt. 📷 Photo courtesy of Paul Schadt.   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ekDYCrRb #charlottenc #thecharlotteledger #cltradio #clt #wkkt

Parents, here’s something to be on the lookout for if your kids start coughing: Walking pneumonia infections among children are on the rise in the Charlotte area and nationally, experts from Atrium Health and Novant Health say. The respiratory tract infection, often caused by a bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae, can include symptoms such as fatigue, cough, sore throat and fever. It spreads easily, experts say, because it travels by airborne respiratory droplets from an infected person who’s coughing, sneezing, talking or singing. Doctors advise parents to take their kids to their pediatrician or urgent care if they have a cough or fever that lasts longer than two or three days. Doctors make the diagnosis by listening to the lungs or through an X-ray. 📷 Photo courtesy of Carroll Walton. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eky3Z6pj #charlottenc #thecharlotteledger #clt

As North Carolina prepares to roll out a program aimed at easing the burden of medical debt, a new survey from four universities reveals that many N.C. families are feeling the strain of rising healthcare costs. The survey of 601 adults from across the state shows that nearly two-thirds (61%) find it difficult to afford healthcare costs, with about 1 in 5 describing it as “very difficult.” Nearly one in three respondents (32%) said they have had to put healthcare costs on a credit card because they couldn’t afford to pay the bill outright. David Lazer, a political science and computer sciences professor at Northeastern University who directed the survey, said the high level of financial insecurity revealed by the survey related to health care costs was “stunning.”  Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e5xuPgrF #charlottenc #thecharlotteledger #medicalbills #clt

Thousands of Charlotte drivers could be in line for a big payout, following a recent ruling by a federal judge that said the city’s release of motor vehicle accident reports violated the law. Federal district court Judge Robert Conrad sided with a Charlotte woman involved in an accident in 2017 who said she received marketing letters from personal injury lawyers after her wreck. She alleged that the city improperly released her confidential information on accident reports. The suit says there were approximately 6,000 people involved in Charlotte vehicle accidents between 2014 and 2018 whose records were released and meet the eligibility criteria for a $2,500 payout per occurrence. That could mean an eventual judgment against the city of $15M or more.   📷 AI-generated photo illustration/Grok Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/epHY3hUS   #charlottenc #thecharlotteledger #classactionsuit #clt

It's 40 Over 40 Friday! Where we celebrate local unsung heroes aged 40+ who are doing great things in our community. This week we are highlighting 2024 winner Cindy Greer, SMM-C, owner of Transition With Care, LLC. Cindy has been aiding seniors and their families in Charlotte for 15 years, specializing in downsizing and relocation services, with her deep industry knowledge and compassionate approach. Subscribe to The Charlotte Ledger today to receive exclusive updates about the 2025 40 Over 40 Awards!

You don’t have to be a tree-hugger to appreciate just how important healthy trees are to our yards, neighborhoods, city and state. In the summer they give us shade; let’s face it, we need it about two-thirds of the year, if not more. Healthy trees can also help lower our energy bills and raise our property values. In the Ledger’s latest edition of “Backyard & Beyond” writer Amber Veverka makes a compelling case for the importance of planting trees. She also provides expert advice on what trees you should plant and where. 📷Photo courtesy of MrMaple Read the full article here: https: https://lnkd.in/eBJ3ZVzy #thecharlotteledger #cltledger #clt #backyardandbeyond

Charlotte arts critic Lawrence Toppman reviews the stage adaptation of the George Orwell classic, “1984.” In his insightful and thought-provoking way, Toppman takes note of everything from the set and the actors’ semi-British accents to how faithful the play is to the novel and why the limitations of telling this story on a stage shouldn’t matter. He manages to pepper the review with historical perspective while also ever-so-discreetly pointing out its relevancy in modern times. 📷Photo courtesy of Theatre Charlotte Read the full review here: https: https://lnkd.in/eHJ9WdXi #thecharlotteledger #cltledger #clt #1984

Are you one of those people who tries to board a plane before your group is called? Well, American Airlines is on to you. Charlotte’s primary airline is testing new technology that alerts gate agents with a sound if a passenger scans a boarding pass before their boarding group is called. The technology is “designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease and helps improve the boarding experience by providing greater visibility into boarding pr ogress for our team,” the airline told The Associated Press.   📷Photo by Soumya Ranjan, pexels.com Read the full article here: https: https://lnkd.in/epan-Dn2 #thecharlotteledger #cltledger #clt #americanairlines

Kristen Miranda leaves WBTV after nearly 17 years and will become the director of community impact and partnership at Blumenthal Arts

Parenting young children can be stressful, tiring and lonely. Three new local businesses recognize that and are offering luxury services to help: a $900/night postpartum retreat in SouthPark, a New Mom School franchise in Ballantyne and a private social club for families with young kids in Myers Park. Read on for details about how these pricey new services are upping the baby game. 📷Photo courtesy of The Grove. Read the full article here: https: https://lnkd.in/eHWEBSei #thecharlotteledger #cltledger #clt