From Helene to a forgotten plane crash, these Charlotte stories are sticking with us in 2024

We’ve published some 6,000 stories in The Charlotte Observer this year. And though we put hard work and care into every one of them, some stand out as more memorable than others.

We asked our journalists to pick their one favorite story or image they produced this year, the one that moved them the most or still sticks with them. The result is a collection of some of the Observer’s most indelible work from this year, ranging from covering the aftermath of Helene, to holding officials accountable to warming the heart with compelling tales.

Enjoy taking a spin through our staffers’ favorite stories and photos of 2024.

Fourth law enforcement officer dies, 4 wounded serving warrant in east Charlotte home

Picked by Observer managing editor Taylor Batten

It was a little before 2 p.m. on April 29. Several Charlotte Observer reporters and editors were working at our Wilkinson Boulevard office when a police car flew by outside our window, siren wailing.

Then another. And another. Then a dozen more.

We quickly learned that four law enforcement officers had been shot and killed trying to serve a warrant on Galway Drive. It was the deadliest attack on law enforcement in Charlotte’s history, and one of the nation’s worst in decades.

That story – and the heartbreaking funerals and processions that followed – will haunt me and this city for a very long time.

Once every 10 days, a NC construction worker dies on the job. Many deaths are preventable.

Picked by Observer investigative reporter Ames Alexander

The conversation I had with Amarilis Romero stuck with me.

Her husband, Lenin, was framing windows on a house when he fell from a ladder and was impaled by a steel rod. If a $2.30 safety cap had been on that rod, it likely would have saved his life.

Too often at construction sites, it’s the little things that make the difference between ordinary workdays and tragedy. That’s one of the many disturbing things I learned as I investigated one cost of North Carolina’s rapid growth: Construction workers are dying at a rapid clip.

‘They’ve never let me down.’ Why Ringo Starr’s NC-made Ludwig drums mean so much to him

Picked by Observer arts and business editor Adam Bell

It took me nearly a decade to land this story – getting Ringo Starr to discuss his lengthy love affair for his made-in-Monroe Ludwig drums. I’d written a feature on Ludwig in 2015, and tried like heck to get an interview with Ringo, to no avail. But I’m nothing if not persistent. So I kept reaching out to Ringo’s people over the years. Finally in the spring, they said I could participate in a Zoom presser where they’d read him questions, including mine. I’d finished my journey on the long and winding road to Ringo. Finally, I could let it be.

York County sheriff’s wife files to run for his job. Here’s why they won’t compete

Picked by Rock Hill Herald breaking news and public safety reporter Andrew Dys

Elections in a democracy matter.

And when the elected office is sheriff, York County’s top law enforcement officer, it mattered even more.

The Herald found out first on April 1 that not only did incumbent York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson withdraw from running again after filing for re-election, his wife decided to run for the seat on the last day of filing. The Herald’s coverage led Republicans to re-open filing under an obscure state law. Five current or former cops wanted the job.

As one political observer put it in our coverage: “The sheriff will be the people’s choice.”

The race was so close in the June primary it required a runoff between the top two. Voters - the public - chose their next sheriff.

A look at how Charlotte content creators are shaping the city online and off

Picked by Observer service journalism reporter Chyna Blackmon

My favorite story of this year by far was my deep-dive into the impact of the social media industry in Charlotte.

The city has become a hot spot for content creators. Following a fashion influencer through uptown shooting content and chatting with the founder of a local influencer agency really showcased a behind-the-scenes look at how to break into the industry and its impact on local businesses.

Continuing the conversation with a panel event featuring influencer experts and popular content creators was a great opportunity to shed light on the up-and-coming career with readers in our community.

Behind the buzz: Going inside the hive with longtime Charlotte Hornets mascot, Hugo

Picked by Observer Hornets reporter Roderick Boone

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a mascot and all it entails? You aren’t the only one.

Going behind the scenes to witness a day in the life of Hugo the Hornet, the mascot for Charlotte’s NBA team, and how he operates was a thrilling and unique experience, and something this reporter will never forget.

‘Dig or donate’: What I found in the NC mountains after Helene wrecked Appalachia

Picked by Observer courts reporter Julia Coin

Part of me thought I’d feel at home when I left Charlotte to report on Tropical Storm Helene. I grew up in Florida, where destructive storms have routinely tested my small, barrier-island hometown that sits three feet above sea level.

The wrecked landscapes covering Appalachia in late September were unlike anything anyone had seen before. The scenes set about 3,000 feet above sea level offered no comfort, but the people did.

I published four stories about those people: the ones stranded in the mountains and the volunteers scrambling — by plane, by helicopter, by horse and by foot — to help.

Their impact on each other, and on me, still echoes.

Broken promises: A plan for housing in Charlotte left tenants scrambling for help

Picked by Observer breaking news reporter Jeff Chamer

My stories about the tenants living at the Lamplighter Inn, a rundown west Charlotte hotel, were my favorite. Especially my first investigation published in July.

It was rewarding and transformative. I read through documents, made many phone calls, and drove around the region knocking on doors. I spent long nights working on these stories, worked through illnesses, and sacrificed some weekends.

And it was all worth it. Because in the end I’m a better reporter for it. And my stories, I like to believe, were a part of what made the city finally take action and address the situation.

This 21-year-old plays D-I lacrosse, is in Army ROTC — and now a national NASCAR series

Picked by Observer sports reporter Shane Connuck

Most drivers in NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway aren’t local college students.

Jayson Alexander, now a senior at Queens University, used to sing in choirs and be involved in theater. While the athletic Apex native is a former high school quarterback, he always wanted to be involved with as many activities as he could.

Football has long been his main sport, but Alexander decided to pursue a collegiate lacrosse career after picking it up at Middle Creek High. It brought him to the hometown of NASCAR, where an internship working with a lower-series team exposed him to racing’s intricacies.

Not only is Alexander a part-time NASCAR driver as a 21-year-old, but he’s still a goalie on the Royals’ men’s lacrosse team. He has aspirations of joining the U.S. Army and is active in the ROTC program that Queens offers through UNC Charlotte’s 49er Battalion.

9/11/74: It should have been an easy flight to Charlotte. But then something went horribly wrong.

Picked by Observer sports columnist Scott Fowler

I got interested in a 50-year-old plane crash one day while listening to a podcast in which comedian Stephen Colbert spoke about a terrible Eastern Airlines accident in 1974 that killed three members of his family -- in Charlotte.

What?!

I enlisted two of my colleagues at The Charlotte Observer -- reporter Theoden Janes and visual journalist Jeff Siner -- to help explore what happened to Eastern Flight 212 and why. We spoke to survivors, victims’ families, first responders and dozens of others.

The result: A five-part online series and 30-minute video documentary called “9/11/74: The untold story of Charlotte’s deadliest plane crash.”

Is downtown Concord construction forcing shops and restaurants out of business?

Picked by CharlotteFive writer and editor Heidi Finley

Probably the most important story for me this year was a look at how downtown streetscape construction has affected small businesses in Concord. I spent all day walking up and down the corridor, popping in and out of restaurants and shops talking to folks while navigating construction barrels and changing pathways.

Absolutely by chance, the very first person I talked to was Megan Baranko of Union Street Nutrition, who was closing her shop the next day — and that set the tone for my mindset as I was writing.

It’s still not finished, but vast progress has been made.

He rides a BMX bike all over Charlotte, every day, with a smile. Who is this mohawked man?

Picked by Observer entertainment and features reporter Théoden Janes

I love discovering a great local character, and I found the best I could have hoped for this year: William Bartley, aka “Smiley,” a 62-year-old mohawked Charlotte man who for decades has been spotted riding a kids’ BMX bike all over the city and its suburbs — with an ever-present smile.

But what really made this stand out wasn’t the story’s “Who is this guy?” aspect. Rather, it was discovering the unlikely friendship between “Smiley” and a man who flagged him down in a Qdoba parking lot a few years ago, out of the blue.

In fact, the relationship dramatically changed both of their lives.

Union with little inroads at banks tries to organize Wells Fargo workers in Charlotte

Picked by Observer business reporter Chase Jordan

My favorite story during 2024 was covering a labor union’s attempt to start a chapter for Wells Fargo workers in Charlotte, where the San Francisco-based bank’s largest employment base is. Although the Communications Workers of America made progress at branches throughout the U.S., starting local unions in uptown and throughout Charlotte would be a major victory for the organization.

It took a lot of time and effort to interview members from CWA. I enjoyed showing readers the experiences and challenges of workers and union members.

The NFL ‘quit on him’ but Panthers TE Jordan Matthews refused to shut door on career

Picked by Observer Panthers reporter Mike Kaye

In the NFL, it’s very hard to reinvent yourself when everyone is telling you “no.” Fortunately for some, tenacity outweighs talent, and Jordan Matthews has shown that the combination of advanced age and physical regression isn’t a death sentence in a league that values upside and youth.

After previously covering Matthews in Philadelphia, seeing his growth as a person, professional and father on the way to a comeback, was special. Matthews is a player who is universally appreciated for his work ethic in the building — despite having not caught a meaningful pass since 2019 when half of his teammates were still in college.

From Friday Night Lights to the Carolina Panthers

Picked by Rock Hill Herald visual journalist Tracy Kimball

Who knows how many football games I have shot over my 17 years working at The Herald and as a freelancer? I love football -- everything about it. I love it when I’m on the sideline and a few players come barreling past my feet (except a few weeks ago on a Friday night when I was barreled over myself). I love hearing the sound of their shoulder pads clacking together when they tackle each other.

As a Herald photographer, I have only shot small-town Friday night lights. But I asked visuals editor The’ Pham for the opportunity to shoot Panthers games. And he said yes. My favorite photo of the day was a ball runner not only being tackled, but actually being picked up off the ground as another player tried grabbing his shoe. It was an exhilarating day and I can’t wait to get back out there.

After Helene, some want grant aid for small businesses. What will NC legislators do?

Picked by Observer emerging news reporter Briah Lumpkins

I spent the day in Brevard a few weeks ago to talk with small business owners about the impact of losing “leaf season” – Western North Carolina’s largest revenue source of the year.

Despite meeting with these folks at one of the most stressful moments in their lives, I was met with deep kindness. These business owners wanted to see the entire region rebuild and succeed – not just themselves.

Their empathy for others in the midst of their own struggle blew me away. I think it speaks to the heart and character of the region.

Who is Cecil T. Hinson? After 80 years, the WWII soldier will come home to Rock Hill

Picked by Rock Hill Herald reporter John Marks

Few people are as committed to remembering fallen soldiers as Ronnie Taylor. Then there’s Cecil T. Hinson, much of his story lost to time 80 years ago.

This article brings them together several generations after Hinson left Rock Hill for a fight that would cost him his life. It pieced together what little we know about him. Hinson’s identification through military records and return to Rock Hill also illustrates a point Taylor has been telling people for years: that lives cut short in battle deserve to be remembered by the rest of us. Hopefully this story helps.

Hundreds line up early as Cherokee marijuana dispensary superstore opens to all adults

Picked by Observer breaking news reporter Joe Marusak

“It’s about our people.”

Photographer Melissa Rodriguez and I had finished a tour of the Cherokee Indians’ cannabis operation in the North Carolina mountains in March 2023 when Forrest Parker left us with those words. Parker is general manager of the tribe’s cannabis subsidiary.

Parker’s words provided the theme for my subsequent stories, culminating in this article about our return to Cherokee in September for the dispensary opening.

I silently celebrated and prayed for the tribe (and shed two pounds!) that afternoon with a breath-robbing hike up the Cherokee’s sacred 6,643-foot Kuwohi, the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

DC exhibit highlights incarcerated artists. An NC man curated it from prison | Opinion

Picked by Observer deputy opinion editor Paige Masten

My favorite stories are ones that lift up someone’s experiences or their life’s work. In this story, I wrote about a museum exhibit highlighting work by incarcerated artists — which a North Carolina man curated from prison. The curator, Caddell Kivett, is incarcerated at Nash Correctional Institution. I spoke with Kivett about why it was so important to him to have a conversation about mass incarceration that prioritized the perspectives of those who have been incarcerated themselves. It meant a lot to him to have his story told, and a lot to me because I learned so much from telling it.

‘It feels sacred.’ Preserving these Charlotte church cemeteries protects Black history too

Picked by Observer growth and development reporter Desiree Mathurin

This was my first feature for The Charlotte Observer and a great introduction to the city’s people and history.

I love, as a journalist, having the privilege to learn and share people’s stories. Wayne Johnson gave me that opportunity. He was so patient with me and my lack of knowledge about Charlotte, walking me through his family’s history, overall Black history in the city and why it’s important to keep these stories and places alive, even in the face of growing change.

It was an important story to share and I’m glad I got the opportunity to do so.

Lake Norman towns have curbed incoming development to manage traffic. It’s not working

Picked by Observer service journalism reporter Evan Moore

Traffic is an issue that is discussed daily in the Lake Norman area.

Local officials aren’t approving any new homes, but congestion is getting worse. This story explores why that’s happening in two Lake Norman suburbs: Denver and Huntersville.

I grew up in Denver, so this story was personal to me. I’ve watched it transform from a small community on the western shore of Lake Norman to one of the fastest growing places in the Charlotte area. The growth comes with new restaurants, breweries and shops – but can the roads handle it? Most residents would argue there’s only one agency that can fix the issue.

Charlotte’s thriving Caribbean community is leaving its mark on the city and the islands

Picked by Observer business and retail reporter Catherine Muccigrosso

After writing about several business openings with either a Caribbean theme or owners from the West Indies, my curiosity was piqued. I discovered a lot is going on in the Charlotte area: new restaurants, a brewery, nightlife spots, dance classes, retail stores, and festivals. The three-day Charlotte Caribbean Carnival is growing, too, drawing people from throughout the East Coast. The costumes, dance and music are a reflection of the vibrant people I met who have made Charlotte home. As Vinroy Reid, a Jamaican native and owner of Mama’s Caribbean Grill, said, “Diversity is a great thing for any growing city.” I couldn’t agree more.

‘Still reeling.’ Challenges are just beginning for some Western NC schools after Helene

Picked by Observer education reporter Rebecca Noel

“When there’s no school, the whole community is at a standstill,” parent and Asheville resident Liz Tallant told me.

She and others in Western North Carolina told me about what happened when Hurricane Helene shook their community schools to the foundations – literally – and how they’ve worked together to begin again. Through power outages, a lack of running water and pandemic deja vu, what I found was a community’s steadfast commitment to one another, come hell or high water.

I’ve had the privilege of covering a lot of meaningful education stories in Charlotte since I moved here in February, but few showed me the heart and grit of North Carolinians quite like this one.

Helene’s devastation changed everything about their wedding, except the important part

Picked by Observer visual journalist Khadejeh Nikouyeh

My most impactful photographs have often been found moments. This instance was exceptionally unique and meaningful. I never anticipated encountering a wedding while documenting such a devastating event. I am grateful for the opportunity to share this bright moment amidst the widespread destruction. This experience reminded me how important of creating work that inspires hope and optimism in viewers.

‘You’ve got to fight for everything’: Canton, NC, carries on after floods, mill closure

Picked by Observer public safety and criminal justice reporter Ryan Oerhli

Usually, I’m a criminal justice reporter who writes about misconduct: police shootings, jail deaths and the like.

My favorite story from 2024 was different. After Helene tore through Western North Carolina, I went to Canton to learn about high school football. It’s important there, as is the town’s shuttered paper mill. The two intersect more than you’d expect.

Watching Canton pick itself up — again — affected me in a way few stories have. At their best, people are tough and kind and hopeful all at once.

No warning horn sounded at site of fatal SouthPark fire, state records show

Picked by Observer data reporter Gavin Off

More than a year after the deadly SouthPark construction site fire, the N.C. Department of Labor released the state’s 169-page investigative file to The Charlotte Observer. The file provided new details on how safety code violations likely slowed the escape of some of the roughly 35 workers. In the case of the two workers who were killed, the delays could have prevented them from escaping.

This story showed how important public records are in disclosing important facts that otherwise might be unknown.

New South End apartment ‘The Campbell’ named for former site owner with controversial past

Picked by Observer regional accountability reporter Nora O’Neill

I loved this story because I felt like it spoke to an issue I often heard Charlotteans discuss: Some newcomers have little respect for the city’s history.

This story was an example of what can happen when developers from out of town attempt to reconcile new projects with a piece of Charlotte’s past. In this case, it was naming a new apartment complex after the owner of a once-beloved plant nursery in the same spot. It seems like a good idea at first glance, but people familiar with Jesse Campbell know he was murdered by an employee for alleged extortion.

They bought the town’s oldest restaurant and renovated it. Then Helene destroyed it.

Picked by CharlotteFive editor Melissa Oyler

I’ve never been to Bakersville, but while reporting on Helen’s Restaurant after Hurricane Helene, I was drawn to its quaint shops and eateries, its walking paths along gentle creeks.

Open since 1956, Helen’s was Bakersville’s oldest restaurant. Donna Stafford and her mom bought it in 2023. After Helene, the building was condemned. “I feel like we have been forgotten … so it made my heart leap and smile when I saw your message!” Donna texted me after one of our conversations.

I will never forget Donna; I feel as connected to Helen’s as if I’d been a regular there myself.

Helene slammed Asheville’s homeless community. Aftermath poses ‘insurmountable’ challenges

Picked by Observer local government reporter Mary Ramsey

There were multiple moments that made me emotional while reporting on the impacts of Helene on Asheville’s homeless community.

Micheal Woods of Western Carolina Rescue Ministries noted how many little kids were staying in his organization’s shelter. Renee Maynor, a native Charlottean now homeless in Asheville, teared up explaining what it meant to share her story with her “hometown paper.”

But my emotions pale in comparison to what Asheville’s most vulnerable, and those who help them, are going through. I hope this story serves as a reminder to us all that Western North Carolina still needs our attention and support.

Nine innings in the shadow of uptown

Picked by Observer visual journalist Jeff Siner

I passed this baseball diamond on a late November day and initially drove past the site smiling. Then it struck me: Turn around. This shot had been on my visual bucket list. Some bucket lists are big and impressive; mine is just the joy of seeing regular life.

I have passed this diamond a thousand times. I’ve photographed the skyline, full moons and even a gathering for anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan here and in all those years I had never seen a sandlot baseball game. But this was the day.

When I look at this photograph I see the innocence of a game with the beautiful city that has grown through the years, just like me.

Florida hurricane left a woman, her daughters homeless. Now she lives at Charlotte hotel.

Picked by Observer visual journalist Diamond Vences

Alicia Harvey was incredibly nervous about having her words and her face published forever. I shared that I’m from West Charlotte, that I’m no stranger to poverty, high-risk situations and the inner-city predicaments. I told her that my family was homeless several times and recounted spending Thanksgiving alone in a college dorm. I slept on sofas, let out couches and air mattresses, and squatted on the floor with my mom during Christmas one year. Alicia’s eyes widened. Even though I had a camera, this subject needed to see me as a real person who understood their situation.

Dance Theatre of Harlem returns to Charlotte with ballet, soul music and ... Radiohead?

Picked by Observer race, culture and equity editor Lisa Vernon Sparks

This story has a personal connection for me: I spent my formative years and early adulthood at the Dance Theatre of Harlem. With perfecting classical ballet technique, I learned one very valuable lesson - professionalism is a state of mind. We brought our “A” game daily (+ bloody toes, sore limbs, fragile egos) coupled with artistic discipline. With bittersweet memories, I miss those days. Decades later, it was thrilling to learn the troupe was performing in Charlotte. It was pure joy to interview one of the superstars from my performing era and reconnect with him, now that he’s the artistic director.

‘Oh, you’re the basketball player’: 30 years later, star player still has folks talking

Picked by Observer sports reporter Langston Wertz Jr.

I had not seen Konecka Drakeford in ages. She was/is the best high school girls’ basketball player I’d ever covered and she was tracking to be a WNBA star. Then it all went wrong. She ended up at Division II JC Smith and I kind of lost track of the story, and that was in the mid ‘90s. Catching up with her for a story about the top prep stars of the past 40 years was refreshing and I learned she’d become an overseas star, a mother and was pretty content with her journey. It was an enjoyable trip down memory lane to relive some of her big moments I’d seen long ago and then kind of put the period on her journey. I also got to tell readers about a player who didn’t turn out like Stephen Curry or Grant Williams, but was certainly one of the best ever from Charlotte, in any sport.

Heart of Paralympic Gold: A leg lost in Charlotte paved a new dream to Paris

Picked by Observer sports reporter Alex Zietlow

“Do you surf at all?” That’s my lead quote in this story about Carson Clough, the Charlotte native who in five years went from almost dying out on Lake Norman to becoming a Paralympian triathlete. I found the question charming. Carson is a charismatic guy, after all; the life of any party. But I also saw the quote as an insightful look into how Carson views his “one-legged life” — and how he was able to forge forward when most of us would crumble. Spend some time with Carson and his dog, Calder, in my favorite story of the year.

This story was originally published December 17, 2024 at 5:30 AM.