On this edition of the local news roundup, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools officially have a new superintendent- Clayton Wilcox was sworn in on Monday for his first full day on the job, after spending a few months observing. We’ll hear about his first week at the helm.

Charlotte’s homicide number has risen again, to 49 currently. In advance of WFAE’s public conversation next week,we’ll talk about the latest murders and reaction from police and community groups.

Charlotte’s election season is approaching (local filing period starts Friday), and so we’ll take a look at some of the stories developing in the races for Charlotte mayor, city council and Charlotte Mecklenburg School board.

In state politics, a look back at the legislative session that just concluded in Raleigh.

Nationally, North Carolina will submit public data to President Trump’s voter integrity panel, while South Carolina chooses not to cooperate. And former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley makes news internationally with her reaction to North Korea’s missile tests.

Host Mike Collins will discuss these stories and much more with our roundtable of reporters on the Charlotte Talks Local News Roundup:

Guests:

Tom Bullock, WFAE reporter.

Nick Ochsner, reporter for WBTV News

Mary C.Curtis, columnist at Roll Call and a contributor to other publications including WCCB News Rising and NBCBLK.

Ann Doss Helms, reporter for The Charlotte Observer.

A gunman opens fire at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, wounding five people, including Rep. Steve Scalise, the House Republican whip. A witness to the shooting, Greensboro Congressman Mark Walker, saw the incident as  politically-motivated, saying the gunman “obviously planned to kill many Republican members.”

In a follow-up to last week’s hearing with former FBI Director James Comey, Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The committee chairman, North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, told Sessions he had an “opportunity to separate fact from fiction” about Russian involvement in last year’s election.

Charlotte’s City Council unanimously passed a $2.4 billion city budget that adds police officers, but doesn’t include a property tax increase. And Mecklenburg County commissioners took a straw vote on Monday night, signaling approval of the county’s $1.7 billion budget plan, but decided to delay a decision on county funds for a possible Major League Soccer stadium.

As the number of homicides in Charlotte continues to grow, crime and public safety are becoming top issues in the city’s mayor’s race as Republican Kenny Smith blamed incumbent Democrat Jennifer Roberts for the city’s crime.

Mike Collins and our panel of reporters analyze the week’s top local stories on the Local News Roundup.

GUESTS

Tom Bullock, reporter, WFAE (@TomWFAE)

Glenn Burkins, editor and publisher, QCityMetro.com (@glennburkins)

Mary C. Curtis, columnist, Roll Call; contributor, WCCB News Rising (@mcurtisnc3)

Erik Spanberg, senior staff writer, Charlotte Business Journal (@CBJspanberg)

This week on the Friday News Roundup: Former Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones loses his battle with cancer. Charlotte immigrants are nervous in the face of ICE arrests.  Governor Cooper strikes out with his HB2 compromise. Mike Collins and area journalists discuss those stories and more.