Launched in April 1998, Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins has become the region's exclusive forum for the discussion of politics, arts, culture, social issues, literature, human interest, the environment and more.
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The CMS board votes to release a summary of its recent investigation into Superintendent Crystal Hill. Former U.S. Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino stops by east Charlotte, using anti-immigrant language and pushing for more deportations. And U.S. Sen. Darline Graham wins a GOP primary runoff in South Carolina.
Ahead of the midterm elections, North Carolina’s early voting locations and hours have been set. We discuss the impact and how voters feel about confidence in election security. Later in the show, we'll examine a new study that shows how Charlotte’s growth is cutting into its farmland.
We recap the results of the South Carolina Senate primary runoff between Rep. Ralph Norman and U.S. Sen. Darline Graham. The winner will run in the November general election against Democrat Annie Andrews. Then, we'll discuss the impact deportations are having on the economy and how that money could be spent instead.
Summers in Charlotte continue to trend warmer, dry spells are lasting longer, and communities are already grappling with dramatic changes in climate trends. We look back at how the region dealt with another summer of climate impacts.
On this Charlotte Talks, an exploration of storytelling and what makes for a good story with award-winning storyteller Donna Washington.
CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill makes her first public appearance since being suspended. A state audit finds CATS has not spent the nearly $2 million set aside for safety improvements. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein vetoes a bill to change the election process by shortening voting periods. And Queen City Nerve ceases publication.
Rob Harrington has served as Charlotte’s mayor for about two months, filling the post vacated by Vy Lyles. He’s only in office until the end of next year, but he has a lot on his plate as the council grapples with data centers, Interstate 77 toll lanes, teen takeovers and other issues.
Last week, President Trump signed an executive order that would reduce the number of childhood vaccines recommended for all children by the federal government. We discuss what parents need to know. We’ll also talk with two education reporters about what’s happening around the region.
Automatic License Plate Readers, ALPRs, have recently come under scrutiny. Police have considered them a force multiplier capable of solving serious crimes faster. Communities across the country, though, have raised privacy concerns regarding the technology. We'll look at how they're used here in the region.
For more than a century, the Outer Banks has been acclaimed as the birthplace of flight — but what if it was also the birthplace of the wireless world we live in today? Monday, we revisit the origins of American radio with author and historian Kevin Duffus and explore how a stretch of the North Carolina coast helped give voice to the world.
CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill is back in the driver’s seat, but we still know little about what led to her suspension. Democrats on City Council are uneasy about CMPD’s push to apply for a federal “Make America Safe Again” grant. We’ll tell you why. Plus, the latest on campaigns in western North Carolina and South Carolina.
Local news is in crisis. Newsrooms have shrunk, newspapers have closed, and communities across the country are increasingly becoming news deserts. In his new book, “Why Local News: A Memoir and Plea for an Endangered Form of Journalism,” Rick Thames argues that strong, local journalism remains essential for informed communities and democracy.
First, we address breaking news as CMS reinstates Superintendent Crystal Hill. Then, Operation Charlotte’s Web, last fall’s Border Patrol operation, didn’t really end; it just quieted down. ICE officials are still making arrests here and throughout the state. In western North Carolina, there are questions about cooperation with ICE. In eastern North Carolina, a detention center could open. The latest on the impact this is having on immigrant communities and more.
American medicine is changing, transformed by breakthroughs in gene therapies, innovative approaches to behavioral health, the advent of retail medicine and artificial intelligence. Dr. Marschall Runge calls this “the great health care disruption,” but says that understanding what is happening is a way to make these changes work for everyone while lowering costs and barriers to care.
U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards ended his reelection bid last week following a House ethics investigation confirming he “violated House Rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces.” Now, Republicans are left to replace him. We check in with our roundtable of reporters on the latest from Washington and how it could impact North Carolina.
Western North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards ends his reelection bid after a censure recommendation from the House Ethics Committee. Charlotte City Council holds discussions this week on toll lanes, data centers, e-bikes and more. Plus, the state’s hemp industry can chill. House Republicans vote against holding a vote that would have killed the industry.
Thousands of students returned to school for the first day of classes in South Carolina, including those near the controversial Silfab Solar manufacturing plant. Meanwhile, state officials have confirmed for the first time an invasive bee-killing hornet entering the region. We’ll get an update on both.
As e-bikes become more common on Charlotte’s streets, concerns are growing over how some people are riding them and the safety risks they pose. Injury rates involving e-bikes among children and adolescents surged 7.5-fold between January 2023 and May 2026, with nearly 7% of those visits involving traumatic brain injuries. We look at how e-bikes are regulated and what the city of Charlotte may do about them.
Heading toward the midterm election, the North Carolina General Assembly moves to make changes affecting voting access. In a Senate vote along party lines, legislation passed to cut early voting, increase post-election audits, and reduce transparency in campaign financing. Plus, we discuss campaign press access and more.
Charlotte is experiencing a bookstore boom, despite rates of reading for pleasure being down nationally. We explore the impact of AI use, social media and more on traditional literacy.
