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North Carolina | Mary C. Curtis

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

If Mark Robinson is your standard-bearer, you might reexamine your standards

A lot of people now know about Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor in North Carolina. Some national and international outsiders looking in were shocked at his Super Tuesday win. But I always thought the Donald Trump-endorsed Robinson was a shoo-in. That’s the red-versus-blue country we live in, when many times the “D” or “R” label means more than the person wearing it.

Yet, I find myself glancing side to side at my fellow North Carolinians, realizing that with Robinson’s win, they either don’t know much about the man other than his party affiliation, or they know him and approve of what he says and how he says it.

And as loud as he screams his repugnant views, there’s no excuse for anyone within state lines pretending he’s an unknown quantity. I swear you can hear him roar from the beach to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

His voters won’t be able to hide now, though, since national newspapers and cable networks are all doing their “Mark Robinson” stories in the same way gawkers slow down for a better look at a car crash on the side of the road.

So, what exactly has Robinson said to make national media finally notice? Take your pick, since the list of racist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic comments and personal insults is long.

The civil rights movement that provided the path for Robinson, a Black man, to rise to his current post of lieutenant governor? He has said it was “crap,” called the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., an “ersatz pastor” and a “communist,” and disavowed being any part of the African American community. “Why would I want to be part of a ‘community’ that sucks from the putrid tit of the government and then complains about getting sour milk?” he wrote, employing every offensive stereotype that would be right at home at a white supremacist get-together.

Women? Robinson’s message to a North Carolina church was that Christians were “called to be led by men,” that God sent Moses to lead the Israelites. “Not Momma Moses,” he said. “Daddy Moses.”

Robinson reserves especially toxic rhetoric for members of the LGBTQ community, unapologetically, and often in sermons. “There’s no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth,” Robinson preached in one of them.

And though Robinson has tried to clean up his record with a trip to Israel, the Hitler-quoting candidate wrote in 2018 on Facebook: “This foolishness about Hitler disarming MILLIONS of Jews and then marching them off to concentration camps is a bunch of hogwash.”

There is plenty more, but you get the idea.

Local News Roundup: Berger and Moore talk Charlotte transit and more; Matthews Town Commission meeting chaos; former City Council member Lynn Wheeler dies

North Carolina’s Speaker of the House Tim Moore and Senate Leader Phil Berger said during a visit to Charlotte this week that the city’s top transportation priority should be roads.

This is our last local news roundup before Super Tuesday — what do you need to know before you head to the polls? We’ll talk voter ID and more.

A Town Commission meeting in Matthews was derailed this week by racist and homophobic comments. We’ll break down what happened in the public comment section of that meeting.

And a former longtime member of Charlotte City Council, Lynn Wheeler dies at the age of 80 after a battle with cancer.

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
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”
Steve Harrison, WFAE’s political reporter

Local News Roundup: complaints about UDO-approved triplexes; CATS ridership up; Tax rebate ahead for new owners of old Duke building

On the next Charlotte Talks Local News Roundup…

Residents near SouthPark are “concerned” and even angry about triplexes popping up in the neighborhood, bringing to fruition the City’s Unified Development Ordinance, put into place last summer. We’ll hear more.

The N.C. Local Government Commission has given the go-ahead to issue $2.5 billion in bonds for CMS renovation, replacement and expansion projects at schools across the district. We’ll discuss.

A property tax rebate may be in the future for the new owners of Uptown’s old Duke Energy building. We’ll talk about what was discussed by City Council on Monday.

And the Hornets’ losing streak continues.

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
· Hunter Saenz, WSOC-TV reporter

Local News Roundup: Tepper fined; Pornhub blocked in NC; NYE violence Uptown; Charlotte banking magnate dies at 82

Carolina Panther’s owner David Tepper is fined $300,000 and issues a non-apology statement for throwing a drink on fans during last week’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The adult website Pornhub has shut down access in North Carolina in response to a new age-verification law that went into effect on January 1.

A mass shooting in Romare Bearden Park on New Year’s Eve left five people injured. It’s the latest subject in the ongoing conversation about safety in Charlotte.

And the man who grew Charlotte’s First Union into one of the largest banks in the country has died. Ed Crutchfield was 82.

Those stories and more on the Charlotte Talks local news roundup.

GUESTS:

Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter
Nick Carboni, WCNC sports director
Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Nick Ochsner, WBTV chief investigative reporter
Ely Portillo, senior editor at WFAE News

BLACK ISSUES FORUM: Local and National Topics Leading to 2024 Elections

A look at topics impacting our decisions for 2024 elections. Plus, renewed debate about monuments and our country’s history of slavery raises a question: are we’re preserving history or our future? Host Kenia Thompson discusses these topics and more with Immanuel Jarvis, chairman of the Durham County GOP; columnist Mary C. Curtis (Roll Call); and Brett Chambers, lecturer at NC Central University.

Local News Roundup: Early voting begins in Mecklenburg; Possible new life for the Red Line; Social District vote Monday; Mecklenburg Commissioners support Israel

Early in-person voting started this week in Charlotte, just a few weeks before Election Day on November 7. What races will bring you to the polls? Be sure to bring your ID.

As President Biden visited Israel this week, Mecklenburg County Commissioners passed a resolution to support Israel and condemn terrorism.

Charlotte City Council’s vote on a new social district will happen on Monday. We give a preview.

Charlotte Area Transit System’s long-planned Red Line commuter train may have a future in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties. We’ll discuss the letter Norfolk Southern sent to the city.

Gov. Roy Cooper sued the North Carolina GOP members this week after an overhaul to the state’s election boards removed gubernatorial power.

And global soccer star Lionel Messi may play against Charlotte FC this weekend at Charlotte’s final home game. This has many fans very excited.

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”
· Joe Bruno, WSOC-TV reporter
· Ann Doss Helms, WFAE education reporter

Local News Roundup: NC’s Patrick McHenry is interim Speaker of the House; CMPD and City Council talk ‘quality of life’ offenses; City works on response about CATS changes

In the aftermath of the ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, North Carolina’s Patrick McHenry of Lincoln County, is now the interim House Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. We’ll talk about the role North Carolina’s delegates played in this week’s historical political vote.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police told City Council this week that it supports making offenses like public drinking and defecation arrest-able offenses. However City Council decided against that move. We’ll update what was said.

Charlotte Councilman Ed Driggs said on Monday the city is working to figure out a response to a letter sent by the mayors of Mecklenburg County towns who want to have a greater say in how Charlotte’s transit system is run. We’ll recap.

And in local sports, the Panthers continue their losing streak and go 0-4, Charlotte FC needs all wins in their final games to make the playoffs, and someone is once again whispering that Major League Baseball could come to North Carolina.

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
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”
Ely Portillo, senior editor at WFAE News