@pitkin_ryan

Journalist. Co-founder, Nerve Media Productions. Editor, @queencitynerve. Books & baseball. Perfect parallel parker. Alliterative asshole. [email protected]

 Charlotte, NC
qcnerve.com
Joined August 2013
  • Tweets31.7K
  • Following3.9K
  • Followers6.7K
8KMedia
My mom gave me some old political paraphernalia today that her father had passed down to her and it includes these Jimmy Carter pamphlets complete with 50-year-old peanuts. They still look good to me. 🥜
1
14
346
Sometimes you gotta spend Friday night linking up to your outdoor speakers as loud as you can and play the ol’ Flex mixtapes that changed everything so your neighbors know…
1
187
Thinking of my seat neighbor Jim from last month’s trip to Fenway. Jim is 81 and retired from his original career, but for 11 years has served as an elementary school crossing guard near his home in Danvers.
1
13
416
This is his final year doing that job, which he loves, before he “really retires.” He wore a hat the kids from his school signed for him. His first time at Fenway was a 3rd grade field trip when he saw Ted Williams play. His most recent trip was Derek Jeter’s final game at Fenway
1
2
131
As we parted ways I told him I hope he doesn’t wait another 12 years before coming back to see a game. The Sox got spanked in both games my wife and I saw to celebrate my 40th, but sometimes it really is about the folks you met along the way. Cheers to Jim. ❤️
6
104
Coming to the end of this 2026 Pulitzer-winning novel by Daniel Kraus (with ties to Wilmington) and I am shook. The book is written as a single 300-page run-on sentence that portrays the hell of WWI more viscerally than any piece of fiction or nonfiction I’ve read, which is a lot
1
232
The structure adds crazy urgency but isn’t hard to read…it’s the content that’s difficult to stomach. Might be my first 5-star fiction I’ve read this year. A beautifully written shitshow.
75
When Charlotte City Council shut down the I-77 toll lane project in May, it gave folks in this city a reason to believe that democracy and community organizing could still work despite all signs to the contrary at the federal and state levels.
4
15
1
78
5,486
That's why last night's decision to pull a 180 and greenlight the project after all that's happened felt like such a betrayal. Many of the council reps involved are expected to run for mayor next year. It will be interesting to see how this decision plays into that primary race.
21
446
Ryan Pitkin retweeted
Bill Simmons
@BillSimmonsAug 26
All these insane Red Sox games are just starting to merge together into one gigantic 2-month insane Red Sox game.
20
93
4
2,888
182,597
I knew I could trust Michael with our story. All the love to him for taking the time to put this together. Beautiful writing, as always. It hits different when you’re the subject. The full story behind our closure: charlotteoptimist.com/queen-…

'It's Been Real': Why Queen City Nerve Closed - The Charlotte Optimist

Queen City Nerve grew revenue 21% a year. Then federal arts cuts hit, a rescue deal collapsed in days, and Charlotte lost its alt-weekly. The inside story.

charlotteoptimist.com
8
27
2
113
5,660
Here is the rub on this grant, BTW.
Queen City Nerve@queencitynerveAug 10
CMPD is seeking a Model City grant from the US DOJ. As part of its presentation to city council tonight, this slide touches on a number of things the department hopes to fund with the grant, including expanding the use of Flock cameras, drones, AI and other tech.
3
3
1
13
2,654
Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden is speaking out about two deaths that occurred in the Uptown jail in the span of five days last week as advocates plan to hold a vigil tonight for all those who have died while incarcerated there. qcnerve.com/jail-deaths/

Sheriff Addresses Deaths in Uptown Jail, Advocates Plan Vigil | Queen City Nerve

Sheriff Garry McFadden addressed two deaths that occurred in the Uptown jail in the span of five days last week.

qcnerve.com
1
1
474
They are really gonna keep us arguing over imaginary trans people in the WNBA as the American rivers that have provided the lifelines for colonialism for 200 years dry up. MAGA, never Trumpers, moderates, progressives …
1
1
8
695
more replies
We are so caught up in midterm primaries in the national news cycle. Who is electable?! Nobody is electable in a fascist state. Trump wants to pass the SAVE Act and we all feel good that he can’t get the votes yet. The damage is done, though!
2
1
174
North Carolina voters’ impact is so watered down we might as well not show up if we’re not going to fight. The SAVE Act is nothing compared to what the NCGA has done to us.
2
99
Already have #RedSox tix behind the plate for the day game on the 2nd, celebrating my 40th, but I had to go ahead and get two more for me and the wifey for the day we fly in. I thought in early June I’d be showing her a throwaway game. Was super bummed. Now it will be everything.
1
245
Jesus Christ this is grim.
The Free Press
@TheFPAug 5
Ever feel like you're being watched? You might be right. But Flock Safety cameras aren't interested in you—unless you're a kidnapper, a thief, or up to no good. @SulkinMaya dives into why people need to stop destroying tech that's actually stopping crime.
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
Flock cameras log plates of all vehicles, creating mass surveillance databases accessible without warrants. Privacy issues and misuse noted. cnn.com/2026/07/26/us/… abc7ny.com/post/privacy-c…
1
7
780
I know it goes against everything she stands for but I’m still checking the weather to make sure we don’t get rained on if we go by that free Natasha Bedingfield concert in the park later.
4
1
17
1,191
Load more