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Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Author: WFAE
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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.
1271 Episodes
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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."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection made arrests in largely immigrant neighborhoods of Charlotte. Residents protested their presence and tactics — such as throwing suspects to the ground, breaking car windows and pulling people out of vehicles. The Department of Homeland Security claims this is about ridding Charlotte of crime.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection may be turning their attention to Charlotte soon. With the transit sales tax approved, attention turns to appointing members of the new transit authority. And the trial in the 2019 murder of Scott Brooks in NoDa continues.
Drones are being used in new ways across the region. Police departments throughout the state have turned to drones as first responders. Winston-Salem began using them seven years ago, and now Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are considering their use for rapid deployment in emergencies. We look at the capabilities of drones, their increasing use and some of the concerns surrounding that use, like privacy and transparency.
Last week, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden announced he is running for reelection. That announcement follows a year of controversy with high-profile resignations, criticisms from staff members and how McFadden dealt with ICE. McFadden has insisted he is following the law when it comes to ICE cooperation and denies accusations by former staff members. Sheriff McFadden joins us to talk about that and more.
Charlotte’s immigration court, which serves North and South Carolina, is among the busiest in the country. To ensure work continues, those courts remain open during the government shutdown and dozens of new judges have been sworn in, some with little to no immigration law experience. This follows firings of previous judges by the Trump administration. We take a look at our immigration court and its trials in tribulations.
It’s no secret that it’s increasingly difficult to maintain a lifestyle, much less get ahead, and that is particularly true of young people who, despite doing the right things, can’t achieve their financial goals. But it’s not all bad news. A recent survey shows that financial planning and professional advice can improve confidence and feelings of control. We look at what it takes to achieve a sound financial footing today and more.
Transit advocates pick up a big win, Democrats run the table in local elections, CMPD announces a new chief, and it’s nail-biting time as Charlotte F.C. comes home to take on New York City in the final playoff game of a three-game series.
"Science Under Siege": That is both a fact and the name of a new book by two scientists who dissect the current attack on science. From a pandemic to climate change, to vaccine skepticism, to the ascendance of unproven theories, these researchers say we’re on an unsustainable path buffeted by political and ideological challenges. We hear Dr. Michael Mann’s theories as to why and what to do about it.
What did voters say in this off-year election where some key local races and the transit referendum were on the ballot? What will those decisions mean for the area’s future? Republican spending in local races was up. Did it make a difference? We look at the outcome of the election and talk with former North Carolina governor and former Charlotte mayor, Pat McCrory, about a host of issues.
We explore what can be learned about character from seven former American presidents. Presidential historian Mark Updegrove profiles Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, the Bushes, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, illustrating the traits that made each suited to their time in the Oval Office.
During the COVID pandemic, Dr. Mandy Cohen was the face of North Carolina's response to the virus. Later, she would go on to serve as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the Biden administration. Now, she is part of the newly formed Governors' Public Health Alliance, focusing on sharing information about health, emergency preparedness and more. She joins us to talk about all that and the future of public health.
The trial begins for two men accused of murdering Scott Brooks of Brooks Sandwich House. More than 100,000 recipients in Mecklenburg County face losing SNAP benefits due to the federal government shutdown. CMS sets rules on the use of artificial intelligence. And it’s do or die for Charlotte FC in the playoffs after losing on Tuesday.
We bring you highlights of a forum between candidates for Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board. The candidates answered questions on issues from test scores to school funding. Hosted by WFAE and the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and moderated by WFAE's education reporter James Farrell.
Thanks to vaccinations, measles in the United States was eliminated in 2000. But, measles is making a comeback and one of the hot spots is the upstate of South Carolina. We discuss the rise in measles here, how it compares to other parts of the country and what this means for public health.
The word "poetry" is often used as a metaphor. Many see the art form as something from the past, associate it with academics or think of it as unapproachable, it is none of those things. Poetry is alive and well, and in North Carolina, it's promoted by the state’s poet laureate Jaki Shelton Green. She's the ninth person to hold that position and joins us to talk about the role of poetry in modern life.
We look at the boom of data centers across the region and what it means for the state. We’ll examine the pros and cons of a sector only expected to continue growing with million and billion-dollar investments from companies.







