Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins

Five years ago, we had no idea what was about to hit us. We were suddenly faced with trying to figure out what the COVID-19 virus would do. On the next Charlotte Talks, we turn to some of the familiar voices we heard throughout the pandemic to reflect on its impact and what we’ve learned.

Alexander Vindman joins Charlotte Talks to talk about the importance of Ukraine to our safety and how mistakes the West made after the fall of the Soviet Union have led us to where we are today.

Matthews’ opposition to the transit plan may be easing, while wildfires burn across the Carolinas. Overdose deaths in Mecklenburg County have increased dramatically among Black and Hispanic residents since 2019. Meanwhile, the Carolina Theatre prepares to open after 47 years.

We take a closer look at what’s been going on in the General Assembly since it returned to session and which proposed bills have a chance to advance.

A conversation with the man who took Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s careers to legendary heights. From the biggest deals in the history of sports marketing to a campaign against the NCAA, we sit down with Sonny Vaccaro and his co-author, Armen Keteyian, to discuss his new book "Legends and Soles."

Online sports gambling was legalized statewide last March — and as wagers increased, so did calls to a hotline for those seeking help. Who is at risk for problem gambling? How can they get support? We ask the experts.

On the local news roundup, there's movement on the transit plan in Raleigh, while microtransit service begins in north Mecklenburg. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill apologizes for how the system handled threats made to several schools last week. And singer Roberta Flack, born in Black Mountain and a profound influence on American music, dies.

On the next Charlotte Talks, the U.S. has an increasing number of homeless people many of whom are chronically homeless. Dr. Brian Klausner has spent his career taking care of these people as patients and says the time has come to address the problem but that it will require solutions grounded in our shared ideals and values. His book "In the Gaps: Better Understanding the Expensive Human Suffering of Chronic Homelessness," addresses how we can come together to help this population and society as a whole.

In 2024, North Carolina’s passenger trains experienced another bustling year and riding the train has become more popular than ever in the state. We explore what's behind the rising popularity of train travel in N.C. and plans for expanding the places you can go.

On the next Charlotte Talks, a conversation with Mark Jerrell, chair of the Mecklenburg County Commission, elected in 2018 and rose to the top spot in December after George Dunlap decided not to seek another term as leader. Jerrell said he will focus on improving equity and affordability. We’ll ask him about those priorities, the climate, taxes, and more.