Local News Roundup: Tracks for the Red Line price tag; back to school; Panthers make roster cuts

After decades of effort, the city of Charlotte has agreed to buy the Norfolk Southern freight rail line. The $91 million purchase will pave the way for a commuter rail line to the Lake Norman area. We’ll go through the details.

Leaders from the Charlotte region headed to Florida this week to see how Miami’s Bus Rapid Transit program works. The region’s new mobility plan includes BRT, but skeptics aren’t convinced it’s a good option here. We hear what they learned.

It’s back-to-school week for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and there’s no shortage of news about education. In addition to teacher shortages leading up to the first day, there’s news that CMS violated North Carolina’s records law by withholding rape and sexual assaults records within the district. And is the district playing favorites with the media by only inviting certain outlets to a briefing?

And last week, the Carolina Panthers won their first game since last December. It was a preseason game, but put an end to a dismal losing streak by the team. Does it mean more wins are in our future? We discuss.

Mike Collins and our roundtable of reporters delve into these stories, and more, on the Charlotte Talks local news roundup.

GUESTS

Ann Doss Helms, WFAE education reporter
Erik Spanberg, managing editor of the Charlotte Business Journal
Nick Ochsner, WBTV’s executive producer for Investigations & chief investigative reporter
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time.” Mary is also a contributor to a new book, “We Refuse to Be Silent: Women’s Voices on Justice for Black Men”

Local News Roundup: CMS vacancies as first day approaches; frustration over transit planning; Cooper to speak at DNC; Trump and Vance in NC

We’re just days from the start of classes for Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, and the system still has hundreds of teacher vacancies. How does CMS plan to address them?

Matthews Mayor John Higdon is still voicing his frustration with the $25 billion mobility plan for the Charlotte region and its plan to provide Matthews with bus rapid-transit service. This comes in the same week that Cornelius commissioners voted to support the new transit sales tax. We’ll bring you up to date.

This week, Democrats from all over the country gathered in Chicago for the DNC, including many representatives from North Carolina. Gov. Cooper was among them. We’ll hear what role he played in support of the Harris/Walz ticket.

Former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance were in Asheboro this week for Trump’s first outdoor rally since the assassination attempt earlier this summer.

And, Charlotte’s newest professional sports team sells out its home opener.

Mike Collins and our roundtable of reporters delve into these stories, and more, on the Charlotte Talks’ local news roundup.

GUESTS:

Erik Spanberg, managing editor for the Charlotte Business Journal
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time.” Curtis is also a contributor to a new book “We Refuse to Be Silent: Women’s Voices on Justice for Black Men”
Mary Ramsey, local government accountability reporter for the Charlotte Observer
Ely Portillo, executive editor at WFAE News

Local News Roundup: Debby wreaks havoc in NC; Diorio to retire; Truist to sponsor PGA at Quail Hollow; and more

On the next Charlotte Talks Local News Roundup …

Tropical Storm Debby began wreaking havoc on the Charlotte area Thursday with flash flooding, power outages, flight delays and cancellations. A state of emergency is in effect for North Carolina. The weather is also behind the cancellation of campaign stops by Kamala Harris and JD Vance.

Longtime Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio has announced that she’s retiring next year. Diorio made the announcement Thursday, saying she plans to leave her position by July 2025.

We have an update to a story we discussed back in June in which two Mecklenburg County Commissioners blocked a Pride proclamation from being put on the commission’s meeting agenda for procedural reasons. The commission voted this week on Pride proclamations. We’ll bring you up to speed.

Truist Bank, headquartered in Charlotte, is the new sponsor for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club starting in 2026. We learn more.

If you’re a soccer fan in Charlotte you got BIG news this week with the announcement that Charlotte FC has signed Tim Ream, a Premier League defender who is also on the U.S. men’s national team, to its roster. What will this mean for Charlotte FC?

The Carolina Panthers announced this week that quarterback Bryce Young will sit out the first preseason game Thursday against the New England Patriots. The starter in the quarterback role will instead be Jack Plummer. Why this move? We discuss.

Mike Collins and our roundtable of reporters delve into those stories and more, on the Charlotte Talks local news roundup.

GUESTS:

Steve Harrison, WFAE’s political reporter
Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter and host of The Political Beat
Erik Spanberg, managing editor of the Charlotte Business Journal
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time.” Mary is also a contributor to the new book “We Refuse to Be Silent: Women’s Voices on Justice for Black Men”

Kamala Harris is the likely Democratic nominee —what does this mean for Black voters?

On the next Charlotte Talks, we discuss the sea-change in enthusiasm among Democrats since President Joe Biden announced his decision not to run.

The ascension of Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the ticket has been remarkable in the speed with which the party threw its support to her. But what impact has this had on a key Democratic constituency — Black voters?

Polls in recent months showed that Biden was losing support among Black voters, leaving Democrats worried. Would Democrats lose Black voters to third candidates or Donald Trump?

But Harris may be the key to keeping the support of Black voters with the Democratic Party.

We’ll hear from a panel of Black voters to learn about their thoughts and perspectives on a Harris presidential ticket, and what it means for women and people of color.

GUESTS:

Bakari Sellers, former S.C. lawmaker, attorney and author
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Christine Edwards, founder and principal consultant of Civility Localized

Local News Roundup: Shooting spree suspects in custody; Optimism from city manager on mobility; Copa America in Charlotte

On the next Charlotte Talks Local News Roundup …

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are investigating a deadly 24 hours after multiple shootings occurred between Monday and Tuesday. It’s part of a rise in homicides in Charlotte this year, which is bucking the national trend in other cities, where homicides are going down. We’ll discuss the latest, including the capture of two teen suspects.

City Manager Marcus Jones is optimistic about our region’s mobility plan, but he also predicts that the price tag for transit and roads will change from its original proposal. We hear more.

Although City Council didn’t meet this week, Malcolm Graham says it’s time for the council to decide the fate of the Eastland Yards proposal. We’ll talk about the latest proposal and the timing of a likely decision.

And an international soccer tournament, the Copa America, comes to Charlotte this week. What is it, and why is it a big deal? We’ll fill you in on Wednesday night’s contest between Colombia and Uruguay and the brawl that followed, and preview Saturday’s match.

Mike Collins and our roundtable of reporters delve into those stories and more, on the Charlotte Talks local news roundup.

GUESTS:

Erik Spanberg, managing editor for the Charlotte Business Journal
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time.” Mary is also a contributor to a new book “We Refuse to Be Silent: Women’s Voices on Justice for Black Men”
Mary Ramsey, local government accountability reporter for the Charlotte Observer
Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV Reporter and host of The Political Beat

Politics Monday: Are recent national headlines impacting the presidential campaign in NC?

Over the last month or so, the 2024 political season has kicked into another gear.

The Supreme Court continued to hand down decisions that could have a massive impact on how our society and democracy operate. These include decisions on the power of regulatory agencies, the fallout from the Jan. 6 insurrection and the extent of presidential immunity.

Elsewhere, the first presidential debate has come and gone. Former President Trump has been criticized for the number of lies he told on stage. At the same time, President Biden struggled to stick to his talking points, which has lead some to push for him to be replaced on the Democratic ticket.

This is all occurring as both campaigns feel North Carolina, and its 16 electoral votes, are in play this November. Have the last couple of weeks changed that? Is Trump gaining ground on new demographic groups? Would a different candidate perform better than Biden in North Carolina?

We discuss those questions, and more, in the first episode of our “Politics Monday” series. That’s next time on Charlotte Talks.

GUESTS:

Michael Bitzer, professor of politics and history at Catawba College
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Steve Harrison, WFAE political reporter

A federal trial will determine the fate of North Carolina’s voter ID law. We take a closer look as the proceedings begin

On the next Charlotte Talks we take a closer look at the federal trial that could determine the fate of North Carolina’s photo voter ID law. That trial is scheduled to start Monday. Beginning last fall, North Carolina voters had to produce a photo ID, but a federal lawsuit alleges that law violates the Voting Rights Act by discriminating disproportionately against Black and Latino voters. Republican lawmakers disagree.

The trial which will be held in Winston-Salem, is a long time coming. Previous trial dates set in 2021 and 2022 were postponed. We take a closer look at the implications of this trial and what it could mean for North Carolina voters in the future.

GUESTS:

Michael Bitzer, Ph.D., professor of politics & history at Catawba College
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Steve Harrison, political reporter for WFAE
Susan Roberts, professor of political science at Davidson College

Local News Roundup: 4 officers die in shooting; college protests over the war in Gaza; CMS budget; a win for transgender health care in NC

This week saw one of the worst shootings of law enforcement in U.S. history and the worst ever in Charlotte. Four officers and the perpetrator died and other law enforcement officials were injured. We look at what happened, learn more about those killed, and discuss what comes next.

UNC-Chapel Hill is one of the schools across the country where people are being arrested and academics are being disrupted due to protests over the war in Gaza and the relationship these institutions have with Israel.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board voted unanimously to approve a slightly revised budget proposal. It includes pay raises for teachers and staff, technology upgrades for students, and building maintenance. Now the budget heads to the county commission. We break down what we can expect.

And a federal appeals court ruled that gender-affirming care must be covered by state health insurance in North Carolina. This comes as restrictions on transgender health continue to pass in state legislatures across the country.

All that and more on the Charlotte Talks Local News Roundup.

GUESTS:

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Nick de la Canal, WFAE host and reporter
Ann Doss Helms, WFAE education reporter
Erik Spanberg, managing editor at the Charlotte Business Journal

Local News Roundup: VP Harris visits Charlotte; Not enough NC school vouchers; Centene’s HQ gets a new owner

Vice President Kamala Harris visits Charlotte. We’ll have a wrap-up of her visit.

Good news (or bad news) in school vouchers: 13,500 students are granted North Carolina opportunity scholarships, but it’s not even close to the number of students who have applied. We look at the numbers.

On Monday night, City Council member Renee Johnson offered up an alternative way to pay for public transit plans (spoiler alert — she got the idea from Asheville).

CATS will hold Public Meetings about the Red Line Commuter Rail this month in Northern Mecklenburg and Iredell County, and a virtual meeting will take place next week. We’ll hear more.

The defunct Centene headquarters building in University City gets new life this week as Vanguard announces it will buy the building. We’ll give the details.

The Charlotte Knights begin their season with a six game home stretch against the Norfolk Tide.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says he’s got enough votes to be on North Carolina’s ballot in November. If he’s validated in NC, how will this impact the vote here?

Mike Collins and our roundtable of reporters delve into those stories and more, on the Charlotte Talks Local News Roundup.

GUESTS:

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter and host of “The Political Beat”
Ann Doss Helms, WFAE education reporter
Alexandria Sands, reporter with Axios Charlotte

Local News Roundup: Triplexes up for discussion again at City Council; Hornets practice facility approved; Pineville’s controversial substation vote; March Madness in the Carolinas

At City Council Monday night, the city proposed a modification to development rules that would limit triplexes in residential areas to corner lots only. How does this depart from what was laid out in Charlotte’s 2040 plan?

City Council also voted 7-1 this week to move forward with plans for a stand-alone practice facility for the Charlotte Hornets. We’ll remind you of how this changed from the original plan, and fill you in on what will happen next.

Both the President and the Vice President were in North Carolina this week to talk about affordable healthcare. This already made multiple visits to the Tar Heel state for President Biden and Vice President Harris, which will undoubtedly be a major battleground state in this November’s election.

In Pineville, the town council approved a controversial substation this week, but it was a tight vote. We’ll talk about the very short special meeting that ended in a 3-2 vote. The leaders say the substation is crucial to keeping up with the growing demand for utilities. We’ll discuss.

The NCDOT gets positive feedback for its updated plan for a new Amtrak rail yard in South End. We’ll explain.

And March Madness continues for teams in North and South Carolina. We’ll break it down.

Mike Collins and our roundtable of reporters delve into those stories and more, on the Charlotte Talks local news roundup.

GUESTS:

Nick Ochsner, WBTV’s executive producer for Investigations & chief investigative reporter
Mary Ramsey, local government accountability reporter for the Charlotte Observer
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Ely Portillo, senior editor at WFAE News