Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins

The Carolinas are in the eye of the storm when it comes to feeling the impact of climate change. Mike Collins and guests discuss why and what’s being done about it.

On this week's local news roundup: homicides are up in Charlotte this year by 31%. A new development is coming to Ballantyne with housing and a new school. Plus – the popular grocery store Wegmans is coming. Those stories and more.

Set amid the Great Depression, the novel tells the story of a painter who travels to a rural town in Wyoming. Guest host Erik Spanberg sits down with Frazier to discuss the book, Frazier's past work and the role North Carolina plays in his writing.

President Biden and Vice President Harris have been spending a lot of time in North Carolina touting their accomplishments as part of their reelection campaign. That said, a Democratic presidential candidate has only won the state twice in about 50 years. What would need to happen to flip the script?

On the next Charlotte Talks, an alarming 15% of Mecklenburg County households are food insecure, meaning they have a reduced quality and variety of diet and/or may eat less because of a lack of money. But in our area, the Carolina Farm Trust is about to open phase one of a new market this spring to bring jobs and food to what is now a food desert. A look at that and other food insecurity solutions.

Mo Green discusses his time as superintendent of Guilford County schools and the state of public education in North Carolina.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools wants an additional $83 million for certain operating expenses. Plus, after some discussion, it appears unlikely the hospitality tax will be used for anything other than tourist projects. Those stories and more on the local news roundup.

StoryCorps — it’s a public radio mainstay and it's bringing its Mobile Tour to Charlotte later this month. Find out how you can tell and preserve your personal stories for posterity.

A discussion with the chairs of Charlotte City Council's committees that help govern the Queen City, including transportation, jobs and economic development, and housing and safety. We hear about the priorities each committee has set, why they’ve set those goals and where they are in achieving them.

On the next Charlotte Talks, with the filing deadline for taxes less than a week away, we explore a topic that is probably top of mind: Why is our tax system so complicated? Why does it take so long to gather the information for your tax preparer? And why do average people with mostly W-2 income need tax preparers — or do we? Can you really do it yourself?

Charlotte has traditionally used tourism tax revenue for large projects like upgrading sports facilities. City leaders have said state law mandates that, but some believe the money could be spent differently.

School vouchers are a hit...too much of one. There aren’t enough to go around. CATS holds public meetings about the Red Line. Centene’s defunct headquarters in University City gets new life as Vanguard buys the building and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says he has enough signatures to be on our state's November’s ballot. Those stories and more.

Joe Posnanski has set out to chronicle special moments in baseball history. His book, “Why We Love Baseball,” details instances such as Babe Ruth's called shot and the Japanese pitcher who went to extreme lengths to achieve a strikeout record. Posnanski joins guest host Erik Spanberg to discuss those moments and more.

The rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump has left a lot of people looking for alternatives. Third-party options have historically siphoned votes, and some say this year will be no different. We look at that prospect and what third parties tell us about our current political landscape.

Tuesday is opening night for "Message in a Bottle" at the Knight Theater in Charlotte, presented by Blumenthal Arts. The production features the music of Sting. We meet the creators.

On the next Charlotte Talks, we discuss the science behind the use of psychedelic drugs to treat PTSD, depression and other conditions.

Charlotte City Council considers another change to the 2040 plan and moves ahead with plans for a Hornets practice facility. And Pineville approves a controversial substation. Those stories and more.

Fake news is a phrase that's enveloped our politics over the last decade. A recent Ipsos poll found most people, regardless of ideology, blame social media, cable news and politicians for its rise. As for what qualifies as fake news, it depends on who you ask. We’ll examine the evolving role fake news and misinformation play in our society, how they're influencing this year's election, and how they impact the future.

Charlotte SHOUT!, a celebration of art, culture and community, begins this weekend. It's billed as an “inclusive and inspirational sensory feast for all ages.” Last year, nearly 2 million people ventured uptown during this 17-day event, and they’re hoping to beat that number this year. Meet some of the people responsible, a London artist, and hear about the economic impact of this event.

Award-winning writer Kelly Barnhill tells her story of perseverance and of triumph over a brain injury that left her unable to put words together.