Orthodontist in Charlotte, NC

What makes an animal a pet?

That they come when called? The way they curl up and rest in your lap while you watch TV? Or that they’ll ride in the car with you — for a morning coffee or on trips to Hilton Head Island?

Mary Schroeder had this and more with what she considered to be her pets — a flock of 62 chickens.

They were kept in a backyard coop at her Waxhaw home, and Schroeder nurtured a deep bond with the birds. The Schroeders don’t eat their chickens but occasionally use their eggs to make omelets.

Each chicken had a name — several were christened by her young daughter, dubbed after family members or the birds’ unique flair.

The coop became a place of refuge. Schroeder would spend at least an hour with the chickens each day. Like any pet, Schroeder said, she could hold them in her low moments, listen to their soft purr and find herself at ease.

“I always said if I was having a bad day or a stressful day, I didn’t spend enough time out in the coop,” she said.

But ask the Oak Grove Farm Homeowners Association about Schroeder’s pets, and they say the birds were anything but.

They were poultry, the HOA alleged, according to court documents. And poultry on Schroeder’s property was a direct violation of the community’s legally binding rules. Lawyers for Oak Grove Farm Homeowners Association declined to comment for this story.

Neighbors were starting to complain, the HOA said. The chickens had to go, or the HOA would impose fines, court documents revealed. But Schroeder and her husband, Craig, refused — resulting in a whopping $31,500 in fines.

Schroeder and her husband sued their HOA and kickstarted a five-year legal battle that will soon be put to rest by the highest court in the state. On Tuesday, the North Carolina Supreme Court will hear arguments from both parties and decide once and for all — can these chickens be considered pets? Or are they just poultry?

The power of HOAs over homeowners has been a tense conversation across North Carolina. Homeowners can find themselves in legal trouble with their HOA over trees or types of windows. A 2023 Observer investigation highlighted how state rules make it easy for HOAs to foreclose on homeowners for the smallest of unpaid fines.

This legislative session, two bills aim to limit HOAs’ power and remove the possibility for homeowners to be fined for things such as parking their cars on the street, offering tutoring classes in their homes and more.

This case is bigger than her situation, Schroeder said.

“(This is) for all the people that want free use of land,” she said. “Maybe people who live in an HOA that are being harassed or that are having issues. Or people who just want to have backyard chickens.”

The first chicken Schroeder ever loved was named Pecker.

She named him after the way “he pecked all around the yard and on the ground.”

Her father, a mechanic in Fayette County, Ohio, worked on equipment for farmers. One day, through some sort of barter, Schroeder’s father came home with the bird. Little did he know he was igniting a love for chickens in his little girl.

Schroeder loved Pecker. She taught the bird tricks and played with him for hours. It was from that moment she knew she was destined to have chickens in her life.

When she and her husband began looking for a house in Union County in 2016, acreage was at the top of their wish list. They needed enough land to build a coop suitable for her chickens, a barn for horses and enough land for their dogs and cats to roam.

The Oak Grove Farm, a gated community in Waxhaw, provided just that. They toured three homes in the subdivision before deciding on a house with 17 acres, she said.

“This was our dream home. This was what we wanted,” Schroeder said. “We fell in love with the home. We fell in love with the neighborhood. We fell in love with the land.”

With each house they toured, they asked their Realtor to ensure with the HOA that chickens would be allowed.

And when the Schroeders first moved in, they were, in practice if not officially. The community’s legally binding rules state that other than horses, “No other animals, livestock, or poultry of any kind, shall be raised, bred, or kept on any lot except that dogs, cats, or other household pets may be kept provided that they (including horses) are not kept, bred, or maintained for any commercial purpose.”

But court records reveal that the HOA was lenient on this particular rule at the time and knew of other households that had chickens. But the numbers were small and complaints were nonexistent.

The Schroeders followed suit and started out with five hens — Laverne, Lizzie, Marie, Evie and Lucy. They were named after the middle names of the couple’s mothers and grandmothers.

The HOA was fine with the few hens initially, according to court documents. But problems arose over the next two years when their flock increased more than 12 fold.

Complaints from neighbors about the smell and the sheer number of chickens pushed the HOA to take a stance, according to court documents. The poultry had to go.

The HOA sent a letter to all residents instructing them that chickens had to be removed. If not, fines would be imposed.

Everyone complied except the Schroeders.

Her chickens had never been a problem, Schroeder said. No one ever complained to her about a smell. And a neighbor once told her that if she never talked about the birds, she would’ve never known they were there.

Getting rid of them was out of the question.

“These are my pets. Why would I get rid of my pets?” she said. “Because you’re telling me that I could have them and then tell me I can’t have them. It didn’t make any sense to me.”

Schroeder’s refusal had consequences. The HOA began charging the couple $100 a day until the birds were removed.

Once the fees hit $31,500, Schroeder found a new home for more than half of her chickens and took the rest to stay with her friend in Lake Norman. She’d make the hour and a half drive every week to spend time with them.

The fines were unfair, Schroeder said. So she and her husband decided to sue.

The first case in Union County Superior Court was a jury trial.

The HOA sought to prove not only that the Schroeders’ chickens weren’t pets, but that the birds were being used for commercial use — another violation of the community’s rules.

Schroeder made a Facebook post in 2019 saying that she sold farm eggs and was looking for places to donate her extras.

After a two-day trial, the 12-person jury decided that Schroeder’s beloved chickens were not pets. The court found that the couple was indeed in violation of the HOA’s legally binding rules and therefore was required to pay the fines.

The Schroeders appealed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Judges there reversed the lower court’s decision, saying the HOA failed to bring a “scintilla” of evidence that Schroeder’s chickens were not household pets or were keeping the birds for commercial use.

In May 2024, the HOA appealed to the state Supreme Court. It will be heard on April 22.

Over the course of five years, the Schroeders have spent nearly $50,000 in legal fees. And although they moved out of the neighborhood, the HOA placed a lien on their home forcing them to pay the $31,500 fine.

The legal battle was only one part of the stress, Schroeder said. Outside of the courtroom, this dispute had driven a wedge between her family and the rest of the neighborhood.

Their daughter would get teased by kids on the bus, people would make comments to them as they walked their dogs and Schroeder said she was even confronted by a neighbor at a Wesley Chapel Harris Teeter.

“Why are you causing all this trouble? You’re such a B. Why can’t you just let people be happy?” she recalled the man yelling at her.

Schroeder was relying on anxiety and anti-depression medications to get through the day. Staying in Oak Grove Farm was becoming too much.

So in 2022, she and her husband decided to sell their home and head to the next town over — Monroe.

Their new backyard has become their own personal farm.

On their 33 acres, the clucks and crows from their flock of 60 chickens and two turkeys is constant. From her barrel seat by the coop Schroeder watches her cows and horses roam on one side of the yard. And she keeps a watchful eye on her donkey, sheep and goats on the other. Once her ducks and geese get tired of the pond, they make their way to land to mingle with their bird friends.

This is the life, Schroeder said. Living in a home that she built and on land that she owns without the watchful eye of an HOA. Here, she can do what she wants without asking for anyone’s permission.

Schroeder said she never expected her case to reach the state Supreme Court. But she hopes her story will act as a cautionary tale about the overbearing power of homeowner associations in the state.

“I would never live in an HOA again,” she said. “It could be the most perfect environment in the world, and if it had an HOA … no.”

This story was originally published April 17, 2025 at 5:00 AM.

BL

The Charlotte Observer

704-228-1016

Briah Lumpkins is the emerging news reporter for the Charlotte Observer. In this role, she finds important and impactful enterprise stories impacting the Charlotte-metro region. Most previously, Briah spent time in Houston, Texas covering underrepresented suburban communities at the Houston Landing. Prior to that, she spent a year at the Charleston Post and Courier for an investigative reporting fellowship through FRONTLINE PBS. When she’s not at work you can find her binge reading on her kindle or at the movie theater watching the latest premieres.

Bee season is all the buzz in North Carolina.

Last week, we told you about carpenter bees, which are one of the most effective pollinators in in the state. Unfortunately, they can also leave behind holes in your deck when they build their nests.

However, there’s another pollinator important for crops and wildflowers that usually makes its first appearance during spring: the bumblebee.

Bumblebees, which are sometimes clumsy, usually live in colonies of up to 200 or more, according to NC State Extension.

But how can you tell them apart from carpenter bees? Here’s what to know.

Carpenter bees have “shiny, iridescent, hairless” abdomens that can reflect blue, black and purple colors, while bumblebees aren’t shiny at all and look furry because they’re covered with hair, NC State Extension says.

Bumblebees also behave differently than carpenter bees. Male carpenter bees typically have a zigzag flight pattern and aggressively defend their territory, while female carpenter bees focus on stocking the nest with food.

“They love habitats that are safe and secure,” Chris Hayes, an extension associate of structural pest management at NC State University who specializes educating the pest management industry on critter habits, previously told The Charlotte Observer. “If there were no houses, they would do it in trees. Wood is the perfect environment for them.”

But bumblebees do not hover for long periods and are cautious around humans, NC State Extension says.

It’s unlikely that you’ll get stung by a carpenter bee.

Male bees can’t sting, and “the male carpenter bees are typically the ones you’ll see hovering around the air,” Hayes said.

Female carpenter bees won’t sting unless they’re confined in your hand or become highly agitated.

The same can be said for bumblebees: Female bumblebees can sting if they feel threatened, but they are typically less aggressive than other bee species, according to Charlotte-based A-1 Pest Control.

“Bumblebees contribute significantly to pollination without posing a significant threat to humans, making them valuable and non-threatening contributors to ecosystems,” the company says.

Bumblebees won’t leave holes in your deck or porch like carpenter bees, but if they’re near your home, their presence will be very apparent.

The most obvious indicators that bumblebees are nearby is if you spot them or hear a frequent buzzing sound, according to Terminix. The presence of a nest could also signal that bumblebees are nearby.

“Things to look out for include frequent sightings of large, slow-moving bees around your yard, garden, or near the ground can indicate an established colony nearby,” Terminix says. “Bumblebees produce a distinct buzzing noise while flying. If you hear this sound near potential nesting sites like under decks or within wall spaces, it may signal a nest inside.”

You can use these tips from Western Exterminator Company to keep bumblebees away from your home:

Like carpenter bees, bumblebees are effective pollinators, and NC State Extension discourages killing them if you can avoid them.

But if they’re causing significant damage, the safest way to get rid of carpenter bees is to bring in a pest control professional — but there are methods homeowners can use to get rid of them.

Liquid and dust insecticides that contain pyrethroids, or synthetic insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers used for insect control, can be helpful for controlling bees, Hayes previously said — but you shouldn’t use them at the same time, since the dust needs to be dry to work.

Have a question about your community you’d like answered? Or maybe a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.

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This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 4:21 PM.

The current measles outbreak has yet to reach North Carolina, but numbers indicate that the virus will arrive soon.

As of Thursday, April 10, there were 712 confirmed cases of measles in 25 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (For comparison, there were 93 cases reported in February.)

“With the growing outbreak in other parts of the country, it would be wishful thinking to think we won’t be affected,” Dr. David Wohl, an infectious diseases expert with UNC Health, told The Charlotte Observer. “Measles is one of the most contagious viruses that affects humans.”

Measles can spread through contact with an infected person or with contaminated air droplets, and the virus can live in an airspace for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area, according to the CDC.

The virus infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body, which, according to the World Health Organization, can lead to symptoms like high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash covering the body.

Luckily, measles tests don’t just detect active infections – they can also be used to find out whether you’re immune from the virus or not, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“If you had a vaccination for measles and mumps or were sick with either infection in the past, your body makes IgG antibodies to protect you against future infection, usually for the rest of your life,” the NIH says. “An IgG antibody test checks for these antibodies in your blood.”

Here’s what to know about the test.

Most patients are eligible for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) testing, but you may not need it.

Wohl explained that there’s a 98% chance that people born before 1957 will test positive, meaning they have already built immunity to the virus.

“Before vaccines, almost everyone became infected with it,” Wohl said, referring to measles. “It was running rampant.”

He also pointed out that those who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine already have immunity.

You can ask your healthcare provider for the measles immunity test, Wohl said.

A test called the Titer test, which measures the levels of antibodies in a blood sample, is available at some national chain pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens.

Most children should receive two doses of the MMR vaccine — one at age 12-15 months and another at age 4-6 years, according to the CDC.

“We do not recommended MMR for infants under a year of age,” Wohl said, adding that there are special considerations for those in areas where there are currently outbreaks or who are traveling internationally.

People who are “highly immunocompromised,” such as children undergoing chemotherapy, may not be eligible for the vaccine, since it contains the live virus, Wohl said.

You can visit any of the following places for MMR vaccines in NC:

▪ Pharmacies: Walk in or schedule appointments at pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens. You can also inquire with local neighborhood pharmacies.

▪ Grocery and big box stores with pharmacies: Walk in or schedule appointments at stores like Walmart, Target, Harris Teeter and Publix.

▪ Your healthcare provider: Of course, you can contact your doctor for an appointment.

Have a question about your community you’d like answered? Or maybe a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.

This story was originally published April 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) extended the deadline again for North Carolinians to file and pay federal tax returns, due to the lingering effects of Hurricane Helene.

North Carolina taxpayers now have until Thursday, Sept. 25.

“The Internal Revenue Service today further postponed until Sept. 25, 2025, a wide range of tax deadlines for taxpayers throughout North Carolina. Previously, the deadline had been May 1, 2025, for Form 1040 filers, among many others,” an IRS release from Thursday, April 17 says.

“The IRS is offering this additional relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This means that individuals and households that reside or have a business anywhere in North Carolina qualify for tax relief,” the IRS’ release says.

The IRS says the new deadline applies to:

North Carolina residents have until Thursday, May 1 to file and pay their income taxes without penalties, according to a recent news release from the NC Department of Revenue.

Individuals residing in counties not designated as disaster areas will incur interest charges if they pay after the Tax Day deadline: “Interest on an underpayment of tax for a non-disaster county will begin to accrue on April 15, 2025,” Dia Harris, public affairs director for the NCDOR, told The News & Observer in an email.

The Charlotte Observer contacted NCDOR to learn if the state tax deadline would also be extended, but had not heard back by the time of publication.

Those who file online can check the status of their returns after 24 hours have passed from the file date.

This can be done on the IRS2Go app or through the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on the IRS website. You can also check on the status of your state refund by going to The North Carolina Department of Revenue site (ncdor.gov) and clicking “Where’s My Refund?”

If it has been at least four weeks since you filed a paper return, you can check on the status of your refund by calling the IRS TeleTax System at 1-800-829-4477. You will be asked to provide the first Social Security number shown on the return, your filing status and the amount of the refund. If the IRS has processed your return, the system will tell you the date your refund will be sent.

President Trump signed an executive order in January that enacted a hiring freeze for federal employees, including those in the IRS, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. That means the IRS could be short-staffed during filing season.

Trump signed another executive order that forced all federal employees who work remotely to return the office. This move could result in a wave of early retirements, Nina Olson, executive director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights, told the Journal of Accountancy.

Some tax returns can take longer to process for many reasons, the IRS says, including when a return:

If more information is needed to process returns, the IRS will contact those taxpayers by mail.

Have a question about your community you’d like answered? Or maybe a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.

This story was originally published April 18, 2025 at 2:31 PM.

If you’re new to the Charlotte area, you’ll soon find that strawberry season is kind of a big deal here.

Starting in mid-April, fresh, ripe berries will start to flood into the area’s farmers markets, and there are plenty of places you can go to pick them yourself, too, before the season comes to a close in May.

Then, you can gorge on all the strawberries you’ve scored, make them into strawberry shortcake or jam, or even make one of my favorite spring recipes, chef Greg Collier’s Grilled Gus with Toasted Almond Vin and Strawberries.

Pro tips: Weekends are often pretty crowded in the Charlotte area’s strawberry fields, so if you can go on a weekday, you won’t be fighting the crowds. You’ll also want to check social media for your farm of choice before you go, as conditions are often subject to change.

Here are farms where you can pick your own strawberries near Charlotte.

Location: Farm, 1650 Filbert Hwy, York, SC 29745

Location: Rock Hill farm stand (next to Dollar General), 1662 Ebenezer Rd, Rock Hill, SC

Location: Lake Wylie farm stand (next to Bagel Boat), 4090 Charlotte Hwy, Lake Wylie, SC

What to know: Bush & Vine’s pick-your-own strawberry patch opens mid-April and typically closes in mid-May, but is subject to change depending on the weather and other factors. You can pick as soon as Saturday, April 19.

It will be open on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., and they suggest you come early. Buckets are provided. (Follow the farm on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram to receive updates.)

Cost: $4.25/pound

Location: 1261 Oakridge Farm Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28115

What to know: Carrigan Farms offers strawberry picking across 5 acres with no reservations needed. The farm is open for strawberry picking starting April 24, and owners anticipate the season lasting through the end of May. (Check the website before you go for availability.)

Cost: $22 per 4 quart basket and $8 per 1 quart container. Pre-picked quarts are $24.

Pro tip: The farm also has fresh asparagus and heirloom leaf lettuce available through early May.

Location: 445 W Rebound Rd, Lancaster, SC 29720

What to know: Hall Family Farms has opened the strawberry fields for picking this year.

Hours are Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. with varying times for ticketed activities and food, especially on school holidays and during school field trips. (The farm recommends you stay tuned to its Facebook and Instagram accounts for updates, or call ahead at (704) 562-4021 to hear its daily update before you head out to the farm.)

Cost: U-pick and pre-picked strawberries are $3.99/pound.

Location: 8525 Van Wyck Rd, Lancaster, SC 29720

What to know: The Ivy Place’s strawberry season has begun and will last until June. (Its website includes updates on picking availability and conditions.)

Cost: $3.89/pound. Pre-picked strawberries are also available for $8/quart, $12/half gallon and $24/gallon.

[HIDDEN GEMS: 5 best underrated places to hike within 90 minutes of Charlotte.]

Location: 906 Dallas Stanley Hwy, Dallas, NC 28034

What to know: Strawberry picking is available from mid-to-late April through June at the Lake Norman area farm that grows its berries the old-fashioned way — on straw. The playground is free to visit, as well. This year, you can start picking Saturday, April 19.

Cost: Pre-picked berries are $10/1/2 gallon, and this year’s u-pick prices are $9 for 1/2 gallon or $16/gallon.

Location: 10390 Caldwell Road, Mount Ulla, NC 28125

What to know: Patterson Farm’s strawberry picking fields, northeast of the Lake Norman area, have a growing season that typically runs from April to mid-June. This year, it hasn’t announced an opening date yet.

Cost: Last year’s pricing was set at $1 online or $3 per person admission at the gate, plus $9 per basket. For access to the barn and playground, as well, tickets are $13 online or $15 per person at the gate on the weekend (including a cow train and wagon ride) and weekdays are $10 online or $12 per person at the gate. Purchase tickets online.

Pre-picked strawberries can also be purchased at the farm for $6 per quart, $20 per bucket or $20 for a 4 quart basket.

Location: 835 Springfield Parkway, Fort Mill, SC 29715

What to know: Springs Farms’ strawberry fields will be open starting Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. They’ll remain open through the end of May, and no reservations are needed. Its indoor market stocked with local and handmade items, ice cream and slushies will also be open. (Follow its Facebook and Instagram for updates.)

Cost: Pricing has not yet been released. Last year’s pricing was set at $4.25 per pound, with a fully picked gallon container estimated at $25.50 — and its pick-your-own stand only takes credit cards.