Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins

Donald Trump heads back to South Carolina to campaign for Darline Graham; Charlotte City Council approves an 11-month extension of a data center moratorium; CMPD says it was a deadly week in Charlotte, with five people killed in separate shootings and Muggsy Bogues climbs the rafters.

Big money is flooding into elections nationwide as the two parties fight for control of Washington. The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision 16 years ago helped give the loudest political voice to the wealthiest individuals. We look at how that is affecting races large and small and what it means for voters’ voices.

More than just making art, creativity can help us make sense of the world, connect with others and find purpose in our lives. We discuss how people can discover their creative potential, overcome barriers holding them back from expressing themselves and find ways to make creativity part of their daily lives.

Artificial intelligence has been making its way into this campaign cycle, with concerns about AI-generated campaign ads leading to confusion over content. Two-thirds of Americans are at least somewhat concerned about AI’s use in this year’s midterms. Thirty-one states have enacted some form of regulation for AI in political campaigning, but North Carolina has not. We discuss how AI is shaping our elections.

Mosquito-eating bats eat nearly their entire body weight in insects every night, but bats are under threat of extinction. This Halloween season, we look at efforts to reverse the trend.

Donald Trump comes to the Carolinas to stump for Michael Whatley and Darline Graham in their bids for the U.S. Senate. Whatley trails Roy Cooper while Graham has a slim lead over Annie Andrews, high turnout so far in early voting, and more information revealed about CMPD officers who sent racist text messages.

North Carolina’s healthcare system faces mounting questions about access to affordable care, hospital consolidation and rising costs. The State Health Plan moved the largest hospital system out of network; Duke Health is expanding into the region and Medicaid changes have prompted concerns from state officials.

Early voting is underway and people are lining up to cast their ballots in the midterms. Election officials have been fighting a barrage of mis- and disinformation, but despite their efforts, the attacks continue, and some voters are concerned. A closer look at the integrity of our elections.

While sports betting has been debated in North Carolina for years, bets on the midterm elections are raising new concerns about prediction markets. We discuss the ethics of election prediction markets, whether they constitute gambling or a new financial avenue and potential regulatory measures.

Charlotte is experiencing a bookstore boom, despite rates of reading for pleasure being down nationally. We explore the impact of AI use, social media and more on traditional literacy.