Local News Roundup: Robinson fallout; Trump campaigns in Mint Hill; CMS assignments; Hurricane Helene latest

Featured at WFAE

On the Charlotte Talks local news roundup, the fallout continues after a CNN report accused North Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson of making racist and misogynistic comments on an online porn forum.

Both presidential candidates continue to emphasize North Carolina with high profile visits this week, including a stop in Mint Hill by former President Donald Trump.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education votes to make several changes to student assignments, but it avoids some controversial assignments, at least for now.

And, as Hurricane Helene makes its way toward the southeast, we discuss the impact on Charlotte and the Carolinas.

GUESTS:

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time”
Mary Ramsey, local government accountability reporter for the Charlotte Observer
Hunter Sáenz, WSOC-TV reporter
Lisa Worf, senior editor for news and features at WFAE

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Oct032024 TAGS: , , ,

In battleground North Carolina, a Kamala Harris crowd overflowing with joy — and urgency

Featured at Roll Call

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One rule for politicians and politically inclined citizens: Stay away from Hitler references. They have a “boy who cried wolf” quality and usually end up backfiring, making you appear more extreme than the opponent you’re trying to label.

However, as everyone knows, every rule has an exception. And 93-year-old Ruth Hecht has more than earned hers.

Read the rest atRoll Call
Sep192024 TAGS: , , ,

Local News Roundup: Harris campaigns in Charlotte; Additional funds for Eastland Yards; Former NC Rep. Kelly Alexander dies

Featured at WFAE

Charlotte City Council approves an additional $11 million in funding for the Eastland Yards project. We discuss what this means and get reaction from local residents and officials.

Fresh off her debate with former President Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris is in North Carolina including a stop in Charlotte. This comes after Trump was in the Queen City last week.

We remember the life and career of former Charlotte-area state Rep. Kelly Alexander, who died last Friday at the age of 75.

And it’s been 23 years since 9/11, we hear remembrances from emergency responders and learn how they’re keeping the memory of that day alive with future generations.

We dive 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”
Ryan Pitkin, cofounder and editor of Queen City Nerve
Ely Portillo, senior editor at WFAE News
Ben Thompson, morning and midday anchor at WCNC Charlotte and host of WCNC’s “Flashpoint”

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Sep132024 TAGS: , , ,

The Pandemic Lessons We’ve Forgotten: A long summer COVID surge—and outbreaks of mpox and bird flu—have mostly been met with a shrug

Featured at Slate.com

Rather than coming out of the pandemic with a new toolkit of public health measures or even personal habits, the response to this summer’s long wave of COVID infections has mostly been to continue with business as usual. But business as usual seems inadequate with mpox and bird flu crises on the horizon.

Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, science and global health reporter at the New York Times.

Read the rest atSlate.com
Sep132024 TAGS: , , ,

Should Parents Face Charges for Kids’ Crimes? Prosecuting parents seems like another way to treat a symptom and ignore the disease.

Featured at Slate.com

After the school shooting in Georgia last week, charges were brought against the 14-year-old alleged gunman—and also against his father. Who’s really responsible?

Guest: Josie Duffy Rice, journalist focused on prosecutors, prisons, and other criminal justice issues and host of What A Day.

Read the rest atSlate.com
Sep102024 TAGS: , ,

Who—and Why—Israelis Are Protesting Can a general strike and mass protests sway Netanyahu’s government—or will it just double down?

Featured at Slate.com

Will the deaths of six hostages mark a turning point in how Israelis view the war in Gaza—and how Netanyahu’s government is conducting it?

Guest: Yair Rosenberg, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of its newsletter Deep Shtetl

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Sep072024 TAGS: , , , , ,

Could Arlington Cost Trump Military Votes? We’ve reached that stage where the candidates try to prove they’re the ones who truly love the military.

Featured at Slate.com

How much do military voters and their families care about Trump attempting a campaign stop at Arlington National Cemetery?

Guest: Leo Shane III, deputy editor for the Military Times.

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Sep072024 TAGS: , , , , , ,

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

Featured at WFAE

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”

Read the rest atWFAE
Aug302024 TAGS: , , , , , , ,

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

Featured at WFAE

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

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Aug232024 TAGS: , , , , ,

Looking to the future, with a nod to history at the DNC

Featured at Roll Call

It is fitting that President Joe Biden was the opening night star at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He is the party’s past and present; and the policies he touted in his presidency, the appointments he has made, have shaped the future of the country.

The man from Delaware got his moment in the sun after offering a path to his vice president, Kamala Harris, putting his stamp on the 2024 ticket after outsmarting pundits and poohbahs. Those fantasizing about mini-primaries and an open convention while publicly and not so gently nudging Biden’s exit, stage right, got it wrong, underestimating Scranton Joe and not for the first time.

The president got his chance to place front and center the accomplishments of his administration, which are plenty. He must have smiled when Republican nominee Donald Trump recently tried to steal the spotlight by taking credit for a Biden administration cap on insulin prices. So, he set his record straight.

Read the rest atRoll Call
Aug212024 TAGS: , , , , , , ,
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