Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins

On the local news roundup, the North Carolina Legislature gets busy further weakening the office of the governor, requiring sheriffs to cooperate with ICE and choosing their next speaker. And after 53 days without municipal water, clean water flows through Asheville’s taps.

Last year, trucks and SUVs made up 80% of new car sales. Some drivers like sitting higher in the cab of a big car. They might feel safer, but are they? In truth, traffic fatalities have only increased with more big cars on the road. We examine this consumer preference — and hear from experts on how this trend is impacting city planning, safety and the climate.

What the GOP-dominated North Carolina congressional delegation — and the large number of new faces who are part of it — may mean for the state and Congress.

For decades, most Americans got local news from newspapers, but the digital revolution destroyed a business model that paid for that coverage. Daily newspaper circulation has declined from 60 million in the 1990s to about 20 million today. Newspapers continue to downsize and shutter nationwide. We examine the alarming trend and look at startups attempting to fill the void.

Things have been changing for women in and around sports. Today, women can coach, manage and report on both men’s and women’s teams — but that wasn’t always the case. And for women taking on the role of reporter, getting in was a struggle. Journalist and author Melissa Ludtke is one of the women who paved the way and knows what the fight was like.

Reports of a negative working environment created by Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden. Charlotte settles a lawsuit with the family of a man shot and killed by police in 2017. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools begins the second phase of its comprehensive student assignment review. And Charlotte FC's goalie gets recognized by the league.

On the next Charlotte Talks, a conversation about decency — or the lack of it — during the recent political campaign and the impact of that rhetoric on young people.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles will be here Wednesday to talk about the election, transparency and more.

Donald Trump’s victory doesn’t just have domestic implications. The world is watching, and world leaders are making their calculations about how another Trump presidency might affect international relations. Ukraine, the Mideast and NATO are just a few entities in awkward positions. We look at Trump’s new White House and what his transactional approach may mean to world security.

We speak with mental health experts and a veteran about the state of veterans' mental health in the U.S., and how the country treats veterans when they return home.

We look at the role North Carolina played in Trump's victory. Josh Stein wins the governor’s race and may have an easier time of things as it appears the N.C. GOP loses its supermajority. The Panthers win and now head to Munich, with some members of city council joining the trip — but at what cost to taxpayers? Plus, Charlotte FC looks to move on in the MLS postseason.

On the next Charlotte Talks, a new documentary details racial strife, political turmoil and a bloody insurrection in 1898 — the only successful coup in U.S. history.

What decisions did voters make? We look at that, at turnout, and at what kind of role North Carolina played in the presidential contest. Plus, congressional and statewide results.

Many believe our politics and our government are broken — both sides seem able to agree on that. Part of the problem may be that our 18th-century system isn’t a good fit for 21st-century realities. Law professor Maxwell Stearns has analyzed our democracy, looking at what works and what doesn’t.

On the next Charlotte Talks, a final look at early voter turnout, what we can glean from polls, and how those polls are conducted.

On the next Charlotte Talks, the “do-or-die” moment for Charlotte FC. This week, they’re back at home with a must-win game if they want to stay alive in the MLS Playoff Cup. They’ll be at Bank of America Stadium Friday night for a second of three series game against Orlando City. If they lose, their playoff hopes are over.

A look at what it means to be a fascist, whether candidates for president meet that definition, and what the language means for the future of our democracy.

By now, you’ve probably boned up on all the candidates in this election, but how much do you know about the constitutional amendment or the three bond referenda you’ll be voting on? The constitutional amendment doesn’t appear to be controversial, but it is. And the referenda may or may not put transportation and road improvements on a fast track.

Former President Trump continues lying about the federal response to Helene in North Carolina even as he stumps for votes, the latest numbers on early voting, and Charlotte F.C. begins postseason play against Orlando.

Affordable housing is in short supply but there may be a solution that serves a dual purpose. Preserving and repurposing older or historic buildings could be the key rather than locating land and trying to build our way out of the problem. Ahead of his Oct. 24 talk, Donovan Rypkema brings his ideas and research to Charlotte Talks to discuss how historic preservation can significantly generate affordable housing for the Mecklenburg County area.