Charlotte Talks

A new merger doubles the size of Atrium Health. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board releases a letter refuting claims being made by an attorney for recently fired Superintendent Earnest Winston. We'll also give you a recap of budget talks for the city of Charlotte, CMS and state of North Carolina.

On the next Charlotte Talks, the first ambassador from the United States to Ukraine joins us to talk about the country of his parents and the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine and the world.

Charlotte's latest city budget proposal was just released. It contains a lot of goodies but no tax increase. Mayor Vi Lyles and City Manager Marcus Jones will join us to go through the most important line items up for discussion.

The fascinating story of artist Romare Bearden’s life — a Charlotte native — is detailed in a new book by Glenda Gilmore.

A leaked, draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court shows that Roe v. Wade may be struck down this summer. We discuss what the potential impact on abortion rights in North Carolina and beyond.

The leaked Supreme Court Opinion indicating the court may overturn Roe v Wade has had a ripple effect including here in North Carolina. The city of Charlotte considers a $3.2 billion budget with employee bonuses. Madison Cawthorn continues to make headlines. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police call attention to a series of sexual assault cases here and Mecklenburg County Parks are ranked among the worst in the country.

Early voting for North Carolina's primary election is underway, with races ranging from Charlotte City Council to the U.S. House and Senate. We discuss why this is a remarkable year for North Carolina politics and how the results may impact not just the towns and counties of the Tar Heel state, but the nation as a whole.

We hear from UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon Gaber. She took over at a time of COVID-19 chaos. With that behind her, she shares her vision for the school.

The growth of South End and its transformation from a seedy wasteland to a hip, bustling place has presented some challenges that must be met.

From the the Capitol insurrection to Russia’s unprovoked assault on a sovereign nation, democracy around the world is struggling. But one author believes a solution can be found in redefining patriotism. We speak with Yascha Mounk on how democratic ideals can survive the global rise of autocracy.

The interim Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent says he's ready to remove gridlock in the district. U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn is in trouble again after being caught with a loaded gun at Charlotte's airport and is facing a possible ethics investigation. Meanwhile, Panthers owner David Tepper avoids speaking about what happened with the team's project in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

All signs point to our weather becoming more erratic as climate change is causing temperatures to rise. This winter, our temperatures were 2 to 3 degrees above normal. What might that mean for summer?

There are changing attitudes and laws surrounding marijuana. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have fully legalized it with many others allowing its medical use. Federal policy is lagging, as are laws in the Carolinas. A look at what has become a $33 billion industry.

Reporter and author J. David McSwane joins us to discuss how a handful of profiteers took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to line their pockets.

Muggsy Bogues discusses his new book “Muggsy: My Life from a Kid in the Projects to the Godfather of Small Ball.” We discuss the early days of the Charlotte Hornets and his impact as the smallest player in modern NBA history.

Another CMS superintendent is fired with time left on his contract. The future of the Panthers’ headquarters in Rock Hill is up in the air and two Charlotte streets with racist ties get new names. We'll look at those stories and more with guest host Erik Spanberg and a panel of local reporters.

In the aftermath of the Capitol insurrection, former President Trump was suspended from many social media platforms. As a result, in the week after the ban, one study found misinformation across Facebook, Twitter and others dropped 73%. We speak with media and law experts to understand the convergence of deplatforming, social media and free speech in the digital age.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board has decided the time has come for change — again. They decided separation is the best path forward for CMS and Superintendent Earnest Winston, voting 7-2 to fire him. Former interim superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh is the new interim superintendent. We look at what's ahead for the district.

Sara Bareilles joins Mike Collins to talk about her career and the Broadway musical "Waitress," which opens in Charlotte this week, for which she wrote the music and lyrics.