Charlotte Talks

Fallout continues after the arrest and rape charge of a Sycamore Brewing co-founder, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden warns Border Patrol may return, President Trump is set to speak Friday in Rocky Mount, and the Panthers face their biggest game of the season.

As 2025 comes to a close, we take a look at the public health developments shaping life in Mecklenburg County and what residents should know heading into 2026. Later in the show, we turn to mental health during the holidays, including exploring the impact of financial stress and practical coping tools.

Charlotte leaders have long committed to bringing more affordable housing to the region. In October, the city announced partnering with Enterprise Community Partners to start the Faith in Housing Charlotte initiative to transform underutilized land from faith-based organizations into affordable housing. We take a look at the intersection of faith, land and policy to reshape our housing future.

After nearly 27 years on the bench, Mecklenburg County’s longest-serving judge — Lou Trosch — is stepping down. He served beginning in 1999 in the 26th Judicial District and later joined the Superior Court in 2018. In that time, he co-chaired the Race Matters for Juvenile Justice Initiative. We look back on that and other milestones as well as changes to the judicial system.

In 1944, Hickory became the epicenter of a polio outbreak. First one case, then dozens more until hospitals in Charlotte and Gastonia were overwhelmed. Hickory didn’t have its own hospital, but a decision was made to build one. That’s the Miracle of Hickory, but there’s a lot more to it.

A second stabbing on the light rail leads to more questions about safety on public transit, Gov. Stein cancels Medicaid reimbursement rate reductions. CMS enrollment is at its lowest point in 14 years, and the Panthers return to the field after last week's bye.

On the next Charlotte Talks, a look ahead to the 2026 midterms. Will they be normal or engulfed in chaos?

From a buttery Bojangles biscuit to a classic cold bottle of Cheerwine — these brands do not just sell a product, they sell the “South.” Through commercials, slogans and stories, we’re diving into the world of Southern brands and how they shape identity, nostalgia, and market the region to itself and all around the world.

Sportswriter Sam Smith and former NBA coach Phil Jackson are longtime friends and now co-authors. Their new book, "Masters of the Game: A Conversational History of the NBA in 75 Legendary Players," dissects the careers of some of the all-time greats, including Jordan, Shaq and Steph Curry. We sit down with Smith to talk about the book and take a look at some players on the list with North Carolina roots.

We look back on some of the biggest economic news of the year for the region. We also take a moment to consider what’s in store for the region in 2026.

The new Charlotte City Council is sworn in, Iryna’s law goes into effect with stricter bail rules for violent offenses, the state auditor plans to investigate the settlement paid by the city of Charlotte to the husband of the new police chief, and Mecklenburg County officials create a new transit authority.

It has been weeks since U.S. Customs and Border Protection descended on Charlotte. Homeland Security says agents detained about 400 people, but there has been very little transparency surrounding those taken into custody. We look at the impact of this operation on the Hispanic community and what the future may hold.

Marie Curie is the most famous woman in the history of science. She coined the term “radioactivity” and traveled the world to share its secrets. Her story is told in a new book by acclaimed Pulitzer Prize finalist Dava Sobel, but, along the way, she tells the stories of other women who trained in Curie’s lab who would pursue their own scientific careers.

History buffs — the wait is over. The second volume of the American Revolution trilogy by author Rick Atkinson is here. In "The Fate of the Day," Atkinson covers the middle years of the Revolution. His account of the bloody conflict between the Americans and the British offers well-researched and spectacularly dramatic history, and explores the demands that a democracy makes on its citizens. He joins us to discuss the book and his collaboration with documentarian Ken Burns.

As her current “Takin’ Care of Biscuits” tour stops in Charlotte, Fortune Feimster joins us to reflect on her Southern roots, her journey through comedy and the deep connections that have shaped her life and career. We also revisit a conversation on navigating politics around friends and family.

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.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrests hundreds of people in Charlotte, pulling them from cars, chasing them down streets. Homeland Security and Republican lawmakers say it’s making us safer by removing criminals from our streets, yet we haven’t been informed of any of the charges against those they’ve detained. These arrests have spread elsewhere in the state. Details on the week of operations.

When the longest government shutdown in history ended, food assistance for 42 million Americans was restored. But the temporary and unnecessary suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program may have long-lasting impacts — and there are new restrictions to those benefits. We look at SNAP, how it started, why it’s needed, who it serves and more.

The Catawba Riverkeeper organization is one of the 10 largest of its kind in the country, but the person responsible for that growth — Executive Director John Searby — is stepping down. As he prepares to leave, we look at his contributions to the organization, its work in keeping the Catawba healthy, and the future challenges to that health. Also, as solar tax credits near expiration, what can you do before time runs out?

A conversation with the man who took Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s careers to legendary heights. From the biggest deals in the history of sports marketing to a campaign against the NCAA, we sit down with Sonny Vaccaro and his co-author, Armen Keteyian, to discuss his new book "Legends and Soles."