Local News Roundup: a milestone for the proposed Charlotte tennis complex; a crack in a beam at Carowinds shuts down ride; a lawsuit against Tim Moore is resolved; USMNT comes to the Queen City

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The proposed tennis complex slated for Charlotte needs funding from local government to go through. We discuss where the project stands after a milestone this week.

A crack in a support beam on the largest roller coaster at Carowinds forces it to shut down while repairs are made.

A lawsuit against North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore has been resolved. He had faced allegations of destroying a marriage and exchanging sex for political favors.

And, for the first time, the U.S. men’s national soccer team played in Charlotte, beating Trinidad & Tobago 6-0 in the Gold Cup group stage. More than 40,000 fans showed up for the match. What does this mean for the future of international soccer in the Queen City?

Guest host Erik Spanberg and our panel of guests discuss those and other top stories from the week on the next Charlotte Talks.

GUESTS:

Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”

Ely Portillo, senior editor at WFAE News

Alexandria Sands, reporter with Axios Charlotte

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Jul072023 TAGS: , ,

Local News Roundup: Officials look for answers after Charlotte Preparatory fire; Vi Lyles announces reelection campaign; SCOTUS hands down decisions impacting NC cases

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There are millions of dollars of damage at Charlotte Preparatory School after a fire ripped through the building this week. Reports say there were no sprinklers in the section of the building where the fire broke out.

Touting her record on jobs and affordable housing, Mayor Vi Lyles has announced she’s running for another term. The Democrat has held the position since 2017.

The U.S. Supreme Court struck a blow to North Carolina Republicans, rejecting their argument for the independent state legislature theory that would have restricted the power states courts have over elections.

And the North Carolina legislature has revamped its abortion bill that was already vetoed by Gov. Roy Cooper. We explore the changes and what they mean for access to health care in the state.

Those stories and more on this week’s Charlotte Talks local news roundup.

GUESTS:

Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”

Ann Doss Helms, WFAE education reporter

Nick Ochsner, WBTV reporter

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Jun302023 TAGS: , , , ,

Local News Roundup: How did NC delegation vote in debt ceiling deal? Protest over CMS boundaries; video released of CATS bus shooting; County narrowly approves CMS bond request

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How did North Carolina’s congressional delegation vote on the debt ceiling deal?

The controversy surrounding the southern Mecklenburg County Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools boundary changes continues as students and parents form a human chain in protest of the proposed changes in boundaries in that part of the district.

Video released this week shows the moment when a Charlotte Area Transit System driver and a passenger shot at each other on a moving bus last month, showing the argument that happened leading up to the shooting.

Charlotte Fire officials are discussing new potential fire-prevention requirements at construction sites after a massive, deadly fire at an apartment building under construction in SouthPark last month.

And Mecklenburg County Commissioners are split on CMS’ request for a $2.5 billion bond package, which narrowly won approval in the budget straw vote this week.

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”
Hunter Saenz, WSOC-TV Reporter
Ely Portillo, Senior Editor at WFAE News

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Jun022023 TAGS: , , , ,

WFAE’s EQUALibrium Live conversation on advancing maternal health equity

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The maternal mortality crisis continues to impact the country.

The U.S. has the highest number of pregnancy-related deaths of any developed nation. During the pandemic, those numbers increased. In North Carolina in particular, maternal health gets poor marks. The numbers here, and around the country, are astounding.

Why do Americans continue to die during childbirth? And what resources do expecting parents have to combat the crisis?

Last week, WFAE set out to shine a light on maternal health in North Carolina and around the U.S. with an important conversation.

Through our partnership with the Novant Health Foundation, WFAE presented “EQUALibrium Live: Advancing Maternal Health Equity” hosted by Mary C. Curtis. The discussion explored birth equity, such as accessible prenatal care, and talked about what needs to be done to improve infant and maternal health nationally and in North Carolina.

Panelists:

Dr. Jacquelyn McMillian-Bohler, certified midwife and the director for educational excellence at Duke University School of Nursing
Rebecca Severin, maternal health innovation program supervisor for the Division of Public Health, Maternal Health Branch
Dr. Jaleema Nanton Speaks, obstetrics and gynecology specialist at Novant Health in Winston-Salem
Lisa Lefler, director, culturally-based Native Health Programs at Western Carolina University

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May312023 TAGS: , ,

Local News Roundup: Break Point proposal in River District; County tax hike probable; No 4-year terms for council; Cooper on statewide tour on abortion veto

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Gov. Cooper visits Davidson to talk about his plans to veto the abortion bill on his desk, saying he just needs one Republican member to defect and vote to keep his veto.

City and County officials are considering plans for an international tennis tournament project in the River District, west of the airport. Project Break Point would be a public-private partnership and developers hope it would be the home of the Western and Southern Open.

Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio says additional funds are needed to fund all the county’s proposed projects in the upcoming budget, which means a property tax is likely. The budget will be presented next week.

This week – the Charlotte City Council voted against holding a referendum this year on four-year terms.

We’ll have more information on last week’s story about the hotel and food taxes that Mecklenburg County legislators proposed to be extended.

And the naming rights are up soon at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

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”
Steve Harrison, WFAE’s political reporter
Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter
Shamarria Morrison, WCNC reporter

Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins

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May122023 TAGS: , ,

Local News Roundup: CMS continues superintendent search as Gaston County’s superintendent resigns; Tricia Cotham sponsors private school voucher bill; NC legislature bill on trans athletes and more

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On the next Charlotte Talks Local News Roundup…

The search for a new CMS superintendent continues, as the board receives candidate bios, and over in Gaston County, the superintendent resigns.

Plus, potential boundary changes in the southern part of the CMS district are cause for concern among many parents and students. We’ll bring you up to speed on those and other education headlines.

The North Carolina legislature advances a bill barring trans-athletes.

A new North Carolina bill would make drag shows where minors can see them, illegal. We’ll talk about what the bill, which was filed Tuesday, says.

Mecklenburg County’s air quality report came out this week, and we got an “F.” We’ll look into what the grade really means and what officials are saying.

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”
Katie Peralta Soloff, reporter for Axios Charlotte
Ann Doss Helms, WFAE education reporter

Read the rest atWFAE
Apr212023 TAGS: , , ,

Local News Roundup: Tricia Cotham switches parties; NCDOT tells CATS to fully staff; Mecklenburg Commissioners frustrated at revaluations for golf courses; Leon Levine dies

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North Carolina Representative Tricia Cotham announces she’s switching parties. The former Democratic representative from Charlotte has changed her party affiliation to Republican, giving the GOP a supermajority in the North Carolina House. We’ll talk about what happened.

More news about the Charlotte Area Transit system this week, as the North Carolina Department of Transportation conducts a surprise inspection and tells CATS the light rail needs more workers in the control room or risks being shut down. And we’ll bring you the latest on further investigation into the CATS derailment and its aftermath, including decisions regarding outside or third-party investigations into the matter.

Mecklenburg County commissioners react with frustration to revaluations of golf courses in the county.

Plus, the reaction from North Carolina lawmakers on the arrest and arraignment of former President Donald Trump in New York City this week.

And Family Dollar founder and Charlotte philanthropist Leon Levine has died. We’ll have a remembrance.

Guest host Erik Spanberg from the Charlotte Business Journal 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”
Steve Harrison, WFAE’s political reporter
Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter
Shamarria Morrison, WCNC reporter

Read the rest atWFAE
Apr072023

Local News Roundup: CATS goes off the rails, political maps back at NC Supreme Court, ‘Banktown’ reacts to SVB collapse

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On the Local News Roundup, the Charlotte Area Transit System goes off the rails. At least one Lynx train did in a derailment last year that officials are just now hearing about. They also discovered that every train car in the fleet needs repairs and until that happens, trains will be slowing down.

North Carolina’s voter maps are back in front of a now-Republican-controlled State Supreme Court. They’re rehearing a case at the request of the legislature.

Meanwhile, the legislature calls Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget “unrealistic.”

And we look at possible reverberations here from the collapse of a Silicon Valley bank.

Our roundtable of reporters fills us in on those stories and more.

Guests

Steve Harrison, WFAE’s political reporter

Erik Spanberg, managing editor for the Charlotte Business Journal

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”

Danielle Chemtob, investigative reporter with Axios Charlotte

Read the rest atWFAE
Mar172023 TAGS: , , ,

Where does North Carolina stand in the national culture war?

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Republicans in the North Carolina legislature are moving forward with legislation that is fanning the culture war flames. The state Senate has just passed SB 49, also known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights.

Supporters say it gives parents a voice in their children’s education. Critics say the bill targets the LGBTQ+ community. It bans curriculum on gender identity and sexuality for elementary students in kindergarten through fourth grade. Democratic Governor Roy Cooper said if the House passes the measure, he’ll veto it.

The measure is similar to the “Don’t Say Gay” legislation that passed in Florida last year. That state’s governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, said this is a pushback on what he called “woke” culture. Along with LGBTQ+ legislation, there have been changes to what can be taught regarding race, with a limit on curriculum on the history and culture of people of color.

On the next Charlotte Talks, Mike Collins and our panel of guests discuss whether North Carolina is following the culture war path of Florida and how these issues are shaping the future of education and politics in our country.

GUESTS:

Laura Leslie, capitol bureau chief at WRAL

Ana Ceballos, state government reporter at the Miami Herald

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”

Read the rest atWFAE
Feb142023 TAGS: , , , , , , ,

Local News Roundup: CATS Bus driver strike averted; naming rights proposed to generate money for city; pioneering judge Shirley Fulton dies at 71

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A strike by Charlotte Area Transit System bus drivers is averted and discussions begin regarding a new deal with the drivers’ union this week. In addition, CATS will look for a new company to run the bus system. We’ll dig into details and hear what Interim CATS CEO Brent Cagle said to city council’s transportation committee this week.

A consultant for the city of Charlotte thinks naming rights in the new proposed Hornets practice facility and the new festival district could generate nearly $140 million.

Mecklenburg County Commissioners have passed their 2023 legislative agenda. This week, the county leaders are asking state and federal lawmakers to expand Medicaid, and additional funding for public education. Will they get what they want?

A bill was passed by the North Carolina Senate this week that would require teachers to alert parents before calling a student by a different name or pronoun in class. This comes after warnings to the senate about how this could endanger LGBTQ students.

Shirley Fulton, the first female African American Superior Court Judge in North Carolina, died this week at the age of 71. We’ll talk about her accomplishments and her legacy.

And a look at North and South Carolina lawmakers’ takes on the State of the Union address this week.

Mike Collins and our roundtable of reporters delve into those and more.

GUESTS:

Erik Spanberg, managing editor for the Charlotte Business Journal

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”

Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter

David Boraks, WFAE reporter

Read the rest atWFAE
Feb102023 TAGS: , , , ,
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