5 Things to Know: First Presbyterian Church Pastor Ousted for Inappropriate Behavior

First Presbyterian Pastor Ousted for Inappropriate Behavior

The senior pastor at one of Charlotte’s best-known historic churches has been ousted from his post following an investigation by church officials into allegations of “inappropriate online behavior and extramarital affairs,” as reported by The Charlotte Ledger.

Pastor Pen Peery of First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte wrote a letter to his congregation in which he admitted to breaking his marriage vows and ordination vows.

“Five years ago I began a destructive pattern of anonymous but inappropriate activity online,” he wrote, “ultimately leading to multiple instances of consensual physical infidelity. What started as a curiosity turned into secret life hidden from the family who loved me and from you.”

Peery continued, stating that someone reported him to Presbytery of Charlotte despite the fact that his actions did not involve anyone from the congregation, and that following a resulting investigation he will be “temporarily excluded from ordered ministry, censured, and suspended” for at least three years.

A statement on the First Presbyterian Church website alludes to the controversy, reading, “With support and guidance from the Presbytery of Charlotte, First Presbyterian Church, its leaders, and congregation are navigating this time prayerfully, with care and transparency. The church will continue all regularly scheduled worship services and ministries … We ask that you keep our community in your prayers as we cope with recent news.”

Tariq Bokhari Out at Federal Transit Administration

Just five months after resigning his seat on Charlotte City Council to take a role as deputy administrator for the Federal Transit Administration under President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday that he is no longer working in the US Department of Transportation and will return to living in Charlotte full-time.

It’s unclear exactly what led to Bokhari’s departure, though his statement on social media insists that he left because his time as part of “the first wave of this new administration” was up.

“The timing is right for me to hand the baton to the next wave of leaders to carry on the amazing work that’s underway, and head back to my beloved North Carolina where I can focus on my wife’s important campaign, my family, and business,” Bokhari wrote.

Bokhari’s wife, Krista, is currently running to fill his former seat as a District 6 rep in south Charlotte. Fellow Republican Edwin Peacock III beat out Krista in a council vote in May to fill the seat temporarily. Peacock is now running for an at-large seat.

In his personal statement this week, Bokhari held up his team’s work clearing grant backlogs, establishing “an AI framework for the future,” and launching a 10-year plan for autonomous transit.

“Although 5 months may seem brief, it felt a lot longer, and I really loved getting to know some amazing people that care immensely about this country.”

Metro School Launches Student-Run Café

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Metro School on Thursday unveiled the new Metro School Café, a space designed to help students to gain real-world job training experiences in a supportive school environment.

The café is staffed by students participating in Metro School’s Community Based Instruction (CBI) and Community Based Training (CBT) programs. The students prepare and serve food and beverages, manage orders and practice customer service with staff and visitors.

“This project is important because it creates meaningful, inclusive learning opportunities for our students while preparing them for life beyond Metro,” said principal Fermandi Dyson. “The revitalized café and [Career and Technical Education] space give our students the chance to practice real-world job skills, build independence, and showcase their abilities.”

Located in Uptown, Metro School serves approximately 250 students, all of whom are cognitively disabled and range in age from 3 to 22.

Mother Arrested for Fentanyl-Related Death of Infant

A mother is facing murder charges for the death of her 9-month-old daughter in July after the medical examiner found that the infant died due to having ingested fentanyl.

On July 7, police responded to the Orchard Trace Condominiums in north Charlotte, where they located an unresponsive 9-month-old infant. Medic transported the girl to the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead.

On Aug. 11, the NC Medical Examiner’s Office informed detectives that the baby’s cause of death was related to fentanyl ingestion. On Sept. 1, detectives signed warrants against the infant’s 35-year-old mother. She was arrested the next day and charged with murder and felony child abuse.

The arrest warrant, obtained by WCNC, cites the mother’s “grossly negligent omission in care” as the root cause of the infant’s fentanyl overdose.

New Data Shows Improvement in CMS Metrics

Data released this week from the NC Department of Public Instruction shows improvements among Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) across numerous metrics, including school performance and academic growth, according to a release from the district.

The annual report showed that, in the 2024-25 school year, CMS schools outperformed others around North Carolina in overall grade-level proficiency, with significant increases in reading for grades 3-8 (+5.2%), math for grades 3-8 (+4.6%), and math III (+8.2%).

The report, which ranked CMS No. 10 out of 115 public school districts in North Carolina for percent of schools meeting or exceeding growth, found that 156 (89.1%) CMS schools met or exceeded growth, the highest number and percent in CMS history.

The report also found that 31 schools no longer have a state low-performing designation, the largest single year decrease in that category in the district’s history.

“These results are a testament to the hard work and perseverance of our students, teachers and families,” stated CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill in the release. “We are not just improving numbers — we are expanding opportunities, raising expectations and proving what’s possible for every student in CMS.”

Read more about the report’s findings here.