Charlotte Talks

Mecklenburg County Commission Chair Mark Jerrell gives his first State of the County address after warning of the need for belt tightening and a potential property tax increase. N.C. Sen. Thom Tillis releases records of threats he’s received recently. ICE says it has arrested two dozen undocumented immigrants in the area. And Union County votes to ban "obscene" events from parks.

As you figure out your taxes, the Trump administration is planning changes at the IRS, including more layoffs to shrink the agency. The IRS isn’t exactly popular, but both customer service wait times and revenue collection have improved recently due to an infusion of cash. All of that is in jeopardy.

Need a good laugh? We look at the expanding and serious business of comedy, and how the Queen City is getting in on a booming industry.

We speak with a journalist covering higher education to better understand the fast-moving, far-reaching changes at the Department of Education. We’ll also hear from two HBCU leaders at Johnson C. Smith University and Clinton College about how their campuses are doing as they face potential federal funding cuts.

We break down the rising influence of cryptocurrency and moves by federal and state governments to embrace it, including in North Carolina.

Money troubles face CMS as it prepares to lose $100 million in federal funding. Matthews continues to struggle with the transit plan. Gov. Stein delivers his first State of the State address and the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament is in town.

On the next Charlotte Talks, much of our political divide is centered on morality and what is and is not moral. We seem deeply divided but perhaps we have more in common than we think. Actually, there is science to back that up. Our suspicion of — dislike of — “the other” is rooted in our evolutionary history. We’re hardwired to protect ourselves from perceived threats. So how do we rewire ourselves?

Kwamé Ryan was born in Canada, raised in Trinidad, and studied music in Europe before being officially named to his new position in late 2023. He says he felt connected to Charlotte on his first visit here. We talk about that, his musical philosophy, and his vision for the orchestra.

Five years ago, we had no idea what was about to hit us. We were suddenly faced with trying to figure out what the COVID-19 virus would do. On the next Charlotte Talks, we turn to some of the familiar voices we heard throughout the pandemic to reflect on its impact and what we’ve learned.

Alexander Vindman joins Charlotte Talks to talk about the importance of Ukraine to our safety and how mistakes the West made after the fall of the Soviet Union have led us to where we are today.

Matthews’ opposition to the transit plan may be easing, while wildfires burn across the Carolinas. Overdose deaths in Mecklenburg County have increased dramatically among Black and Hispanic residents since 2019. Meanwhile, the Carolina Theatre prepares to open after 47 years.

We take a closer look at what’s been going on in the General Assembly since it returned to session and which proposed bills have a chance to advance.

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."

Online sports gambling was legalized statewide last March — and as wagers increased, so did calls to a hotline for those seeking help. Who is at risk for problem gambling? How can they get support? We ask the experts.

On the local news roundup, there's movement on the transit plan in Raleigh, while micro transit service begins in north Mecklenburg. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill apologizes for how the system handled threats made to several schools last week. And singer Roberta Flack, born in Black Mountain and a profound influence on American music, dies.

On the next Charlotte Talks, the U.S. has an increasing number of homeless people many of whom are chronically homeless. Dr. Brian Klausner has spent his career taking care of these people as patients and says the time has come to address the problem but that it will require solutions grounded in our shared ideals and values. His book "In the Gaps: Better Understanding the Expensive Human Suffering of Chronic Homelessness," addresses how we can come together to help this population and society as a whole.

In 2024, North Carolina’s passenger trains experienced another bustling year and riding the train has become more popular than ever in the state. We explore what's behind the rising popularity of train travel in N.C. and plans for expanding the places you can go.

On the next Charlotte Talks, a conversation with Mark Jerrell, chair of the Mecklenburg County Commission, elected in 2018 and rose to the top spot in December after George Dunlap decided not to seek another term as leader. Jerrell said he will focus on improving equity and affordability. We’ll ask him about those priorities, the climate, taxes, and more.

Donald Trump and Elon Musk have stopped funding, ended programs and fired thousands of federal workers. Some of that funding comes to North Carolina. Last year, the state got more than 40% of its revenue from federal funding. Some of those workers work in North Carolina, not Washington, D.C. A look at the possible economic hit.

Protests erupt across North Carolina over the still-unsettled state Supreme Court race. Clues emerge in the case of Asha Degree, missing since 2000. And Senate leader Phil Berger is unconcerned about a potential drop in state revenue.