Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins

Our restaurant choices have come a long way from chains, steakhouses and some meat and three places. Prior to the pandemic, the number of restaurants and variety of food offerings was exploding. Have we recovered? Several restaurant owners and chefs talk about where we are on our food journey.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s final State of the State speech was given on Monday. The Democrat laid out some of his accomplishments and goals for his final two years in office, but with a Republican majority in the legislature he may hit some roadblocks.

CinemaBlend movie critic Sean O’Connell rejoins us to talk about his podcast, two bestsellers and more.

The Broadway musical “Come from Away” returns to Charlotte this week and it’s one you should see. The Tony Award-winning show tells the very human story of the impact of the 9/11 attacks on a tiny town in Newfoundland, Canada, where 7,000 airline passengers were diverted in the days following the attack. We hear from the writers and two of the actors.

The number of people dying as victims of drunk drivers is rising nationwide and in Mecklenburg. We talk with Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and others about why the number of DWI convictions has plummeted.

On the local news roundup, we bring you reactions after the death of Carolina Panthers first owner Jerry Richardson at the age of 86. We get details on the CMS request to the County Commission for a $3 billion bond referendum. Street takeovers are on the rise and causing chaos on Charlotte streets. What are they and what's CMPD doing to crack down? And the verdict is guilty in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh in South Carolina.

Public radio journalist Stephanie Foo’s latest story is her own. She talks about her diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder from an abusive childhood and her new memoir, “What My Bones Know."

After narrowly failing last year, North Carolina lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are confident they will pass legislation to make sports betting, including online betting, legal this year. We discuss the impact and examine what legalization has looked like elsewhere in the country.

An update on business and development. Residential and commercial real estate appear to be slowing down as is construction on new apartments. Is this the result of an abundance of caution or is a recession on the horizon? We take a look.

An update on business and development. Residential and commercial real estate appear to be slowing down as is construction on new apartments. Is this the result of an abundance of caution or is a recession on the horizon? We take a look.