Mary Newsom

Biography

Mary is a lifelong newspaper journalist who spent several decades at The Charlotte Observer as an editorial board member and columnist, concentrating on Charlotte regional urban and suburban growth, planning, urban design, transportation and land preservation. She left the Observer and joined the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute in 2011. She had a year-long Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University 2007-08, and in 2005-06 was a Knight Fellow in Community Building at the University of Miami. Newsom retired from the insitute in 2018 as Director of Urban Policy Initiatives, and is now a freelance writer in Charlotte. 

Education

A.B. Journalism UNC Chapel Hill

Expertise

Urban and suburban issues, Charlotte region and North Carolina politics and government, writing, editing and journalism.

Stories by Mary Newsom

When downtowns come alive again

If you’re thinking downtowns are dead, you haven’t been paying attention. I recently got an earful of downtown success stories from across the state. Commentary.

Hear how one city tamed its mean streets

At a public discussion April 4, hear how this champion for bicycling and pedestrians helped tame New York’s streets.

Safer bicycling? City proposes two protected lanes through uptown Charlotte

With surveys showing plenty of Charlotteans would bicycle more if they felt safer, city planners propose two better-protected bike routes through uptown. 

3 ways to learn about affordable housing solutions

Three upcoming events will examine issues of housing affordability and neighborhood action in Charlotte.

Steele Creek wins first in Autobell Creek Challenge

Teams of fourth- and fifth-graders competed to learn who knew the most about water pollution and local science, history and geography related to the creeks in Charlotte.