Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins

The murder of Iryna Zarutska continues to reverberate. In Raleigh, lawmakers pass a crime bill with her name on it and in Charlotte, a vigil is held in her memory. Elsewhere, J.D. Vance visited Concord to focus on the administration’s commitment to state and local law enforcement. Plus, on the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene, the federal government releases millions in relief funding.

Free speech in America is under scrutiny, from Jimmy Kimmel's suspension to calls for employers to punish speech deemed offensive. We examine the blurred lines between free expression, hate speech and censorship.

Over the last several decades, areas of North Carolina became news deserts where finding local news was difficult, if not impossible. Mostly, that happened in rural areas. During disasters, a lack of news can result in the spread of misinformation, making it harder to get help and increase distrust of those who really do help.

A year after Hurricane Helene, we look at the environmental changes that led to the storm and the environmental impact of the aftermath of that storm.

After many ups and downs, the film industry in North Carolina is making gains. Last year, film and TV productions here generated more than $302 million in direct in-state spending and Charlotte is taking in some of that money with productions like "The Hunting Wives," "Roofman," "Bad Counselors" and "Top Chef" shooting here. We take a closer look at what this means for our economy, culture and workforce.

Queens and Elon universities announce plans to merge, Mecklenburg County Commissioners approve agreements to create a new MTC if voters approve a transit tax, Congress plans to hold a hearing on crime here in Charlotte following the murder of a Ukrainian refugee on the Blue Line, and Charlotte FC aims to make history this weekend.

Meet two of the master minds behind running creatively crafted restaurants in repurposed historic buildings right here in Charlotte. We'll sit down with Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel, who are about to be spotlighted in a 10-part PBS TV series, "Fork & Hammer."

Improving test scores has been a focus of educators at CMS. The pandemic did a number on those scores and the struggle to raise them up has been daunting, but last year showed marked improvement with 72% of students hitting their benchmarks. Still, they fell short of expectations. So, we take a dive into the numbers, look at tools to improve learning, and more.

We get guidance on who is eligible and how to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

Triangle-based Duke Health has crossed into the Piedmont region, expanding its footprint into Atrium Health and Novant Health territory. Duke acquired Lake Norman Regional in Mooresville in April and will rebrand the hospital as Duke Health Lake Norman. What will this mean for health care?

The stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska on the Blue Line is getting national attention and a response from the White House. That comes as city elections take place. The results are in, and we’ll catch you up. Last week, CMS announced good news for testing, but this week brings more sobering news: nationwide declines in 12th grade math and reading scores. In short, they are abysmal. Plus, Charlotte FC goes for history.

Ben Greene, a trans man, speaker and author of "My Child Is Trans, Now What?," is on a mission to bring joy, humor and humanity into the conversation about raising and supporting trans children. Greene will share his philosophy of “joy-centered” storytelling, why he wrote his book, and what he’s learned speaking with families across the country.

We examine the results of Charlotte's primary election as the city gains national attention, including from President Trump, over a stabbing death on the Blue Line in South End.

Hurricane Helene took a severe toll on western North Carolina’s art scene, but it also resulted in uplifting stories of recovery.

Few people understand the struggles and power of newspapers better than Rob Christensen, who spent decades at North Carolina’s capital newspaper as chief political reporter. In his latest book, he recounts how The News & Observer shaped modern North Carolina in ways both profound and eyebrow-raising.

Fallout continues over a stabbing on the Lynx Blue Line as the mayor calls a special meeting of the MTC. The Charlotte municipal primary is less than a week away and turnout has been less than stellar. New state testing data is out and we look at where CMS stands, and the Panthers kick off a new season.

This weekend, the Carolina Panthers return to regular-season NFL action with high hopes to improve their standing in the NFC South. The pressure is on for third-year quarterback Bryce Young and coach Dave Canales to deliver after a slight roster shake-up on offense and defense. The Panthers haven’t made it to the playoffs in seven years. Will this be the year?

Author Dan Fesperman, who grew up in Charlotte and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is no stranger to dangerous situations. He was a foreign correspondent for the Baltimore Sun and reported from Europe and the Middle East. He now writes thrillers full-time. He’ll be in Charlotte at Park Road Books on Sept. 4 to discuss his new novel Pariah.

Among the concerns some parents have heading into the new school year is whether there will be an ICE presence at their child's school. That includes CMS, where community members have expressed concern — even though board members say ICE can't enter campus without a subpoena or warrant. Still, anxiety remains. We explore that and dive into some of the legal questions around this issue.

As NPR founding mother Susan Stamberg prepares to retire, we revisit a special conversation with Mike Collins. Stamberg came to Charlotte in 2017 and joined us for a conversation about her early years in public radio, working in a male-dominated field, and her thoughts on the future of radio.