20
02 – 202
5
INSIDE ▼ Amp Ballantyne hosting jazz series, PAGE 1B Friday, May 16, 2025 • Vol. 25 • No. 20
thecharlotteweekly.com
@southcltweekly
PGA puts city back in global spotlight CHARLOTTE – Charlotte returns to the global stage this month as the city hosts hundreds of thousands of golf fans and media for the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.
For city staff, planning for the global event, May 12-18, has been in the works for over two years. Planning efforts involving a wide range of departments, including police, fire, economic development and transportation, aim to ensure a seamless experience for attendees. “This has truly been a collaborative effort across the city as we work
closely with tournament organizers and Quail Hollow,” Mayor Vi Lyles said. “We’re ready to provide golf fans with an exceptional experience from the moment they arrive in the Queen City until they depart. We want people to see how awesome Charlotte is.” Lyles said experience hosting major events, including the 2011 Democratic National Convention and the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, has been invaluable as the city prepares for the 2025 PGA Championship. City staff also benefited from seeing operations at last year’s
championship in Louisville. A team that included Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, fire, economic development and transit took notes and shared information as they saw how that city ran the event. The city has worked closely with teams from PGA of America and Quail Hollow on the plan. When Charlotte first hosted the championship in 2017, the event had a $100 million impact and drew 200,000 people to the region. The 2022 Presidents Cup, which also brought sell-out crowds to Quail Hollow, brought in a record setting $131.5 million.
Charlotte also will be showcased to a global TV audience, with first through third rounds broadcast on ESPN and final rounds on CBS. Last year’s tournament had a U.S. audience of 5 million. “There’s a spirit of collaboration across Charlotte that’s truly unique,” said Jason Soucy, championship director for the 2025 PGA Championship. “There’s so much work that goes into executing a world-class event. In my experience over the past two years, Charlotte has proven that there is none better when it comes to collaborating and preparing for Major Championship golf."
CMS LAUNCHING DISTRICT VISION FOR AI IN EDUCATION
CHARLOTTE – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced recipients of its Teacher of the Year, Teacher Assistant of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year at its third annual Gem Awards.
Story continues, see JOBS page 3A
Story continues, see TEACHER page 3A
“Over the past several months, we’ve been on an intentional listening journey to better understand how our CMS community wants us to approach artificial intelligence in our district,” said Candace Salmon-Hosey, chief technology officer. “Whether through focus groups, interviews or surveys, your voice has shaped where we are today. And that’s our commitment to you: to act on what you’ve shared with us, safely, strategically and always in service to our students, families and educators.” The summit served as a platform to The AI Data Privacy Summit brought together educators, district leaders, and community partners.
Charlotte attracts $50M investment from German manufacturer CHARLOTTE – HSP US LLC, a U.S. subsidiary of German-based Trench Group GmbH, has chosen Charlotte for its first U.S.-based manufacturing plant, bringing 74 new jobs.
HSP US CEO Nils von Dietman and Trench Group CEO Bahadir Basdere greet Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. Photo courtesy of City of Charlotte
“Through these investments, we are not only strengthening our presence in the North American market but also laying the foundation for sustainable growth and the further development of the energy
CMS recognizes top teachers
infrastructure in the region,” said Bahadir Basdere, CEO of Trench Group. “In doing so, we contribute to the stability and
CHARLOTTE – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools explored artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data privacy in public education May 7 during its second annual AI Data Privacy Summit.
The company will invest more than $50 million over the next five years and plans to begin operations in early 2026. The facility will manufacture bushings, a key component in high-voltage power transformers. “Charlotte’s growing skilled workforce in key electric and engineering fields combined with its business-friendly climate offers HSP US the ideal environment as we expand our operations globally,” said Nils von Dietman, CEO of HSP US. “The proximity to our key customers also played a role.” Trench Group GmbH, a global leader in the engineering and manufacturing of high-voltage power transmission components and systems based in Berlin, separated from Siemens Energy a year ago to become a standalone company.
Through a partnership with the Charlotte Area Transit Authority, ticketed attendees for the 2025 PGA Championship will receive free rides. They can take the LYNX Blue Line light rail, with a stop at the Sharon Road West Station and a complimentary shuttle providing access to Quail Hollow gates, running every 30 minutes before gates open and 30 minutes after they close. Guests should not park at the Sharon Road West Station.
The award ceremony took place May 6 at Central Piedmont Community College. Winners were as follows: • Teacher of the Year: Gregory Gabriel (Winterfield Elementary). • Teacher Assistant of the Year: Freddie Pinkney (Ardrey Kell High). • Beginning Teacher of the Year: Sean Bryant (Newell Elementary). “Teaching is a hard, yet rewarding, profession. Teachers teach way more than content,” Superintendent Crystal Hill said. “They teach students how to be curious, creative and confident. They help them become the people they are meant to be.” Here is who won Teacher of the Year, Teacher Assistant of the Year and Beginning Teacher of the Year at schools in the south Charlotte area: • J.M. Alexander Middle School: Shemika T. Chun (teacher), Dawn Rappold (teacher assistant), Isabella Westervelt and Casey Polk (beginning teacher). • Ardrey Kell High School: Kervise Walker (teacher), Freddie Pinkney (teacher assistant) and Kelli Crockett (beginning teacher). • Ballantyne Elementary School: DeAnn Crowe (teacher), Julie Gibbons (teacher assistant) and Meredith Warter (beginning teacher). • Ballantyne Ridge High School: Michael Landers (teacher) and Pravitha Aravindakshan (teacher assistant). • Beverly Woods Elementary School: Jennifer Moore (teacher) and Lisa Benninghoff (teacher assistant). • Carmel Middle School: Susan Civi (teacher) and Decklan Kempka (beginning teacher). • Collinswood Language Academy: Jacqueline Oleksiak (teacher), Carmen Lucia Pilonieta (teacher assistant) and Keila Compean (beginning teacher). • Community House Middle School: Caroline Arzonico (teacher). • Cotswold Elementary School: Rachel Perrett (teacher), Ky'Anna Shipp (teacher assistant) and Katherine McDonald (beginning teacher). • East Mecklenburg High School: Kevin Meegan (teacher), Charles T. Moore (teacher assistant) and Kaylen Forney (beginning teacher). • Elon Park Elementary School: Ashley Bryant (teacher), Thais Amaral (teacher assistant) and Kristin Cirone (beginning teacher). • Endhaven Elementary School: Cathi Schulte (teacher), Carolyn Talluri (teacher assistant) and Alura B. Mallonee and Amy Tyndall (beginning teacher). • Alexander Graham Middle School: Kinya Smith (teacher), Antawan Smith (teacher assistant) and Nakayla Simpson and Haley Anspach (beginning teacher). • Hawk Ridge Elementary School: Jennifer House (teacher). • Huntingtowne Farms Elementary School: Dawn Moyé (teacher), Tetiana Kachalovska (teacher assistant) and Samuel Harrison (beginning teacher). • Knights View Elementary School: Leann Stotlenberg (teacher), Anna Paskhina (teacher assistant) and Serena Saedan (beginning teacher). • Lansdowne Elementary School: Angela Gist (teacher), Bram Walzl (teacher assistant) and Erin Shanaughy (beginning teacher). • McAlpine Elementary School: Marianne Wilson (teacher), Ann Beller (teacher assistant) and Makayla Hoyt (beginning teacher). • McKee Road Elementary School: Lisa Rosthal (teacher) and Megha Kandala (teacher assistant).
Rebecca Lehtinen, an educational technology leader for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, chats with Ardrey Kell High School senior Zahara Mushinge about artificial intelligence. Photos courtesy of CMS
Story continues, see AI page 3A
Getting around