WCNC Charlotte Flashpoint

Charlotte's Mayor says the city's troubled transit agency has turned a corner.

"I believe that we are heading in the right direction,' Vi Lyles said on WCNC's Flashpoint.

The transit agency has been beleaguered with problems recently, including changes in leadership, several minor derailments on the LYNX Blue Line, and staffing problems. 

"In the past 130 days, we have invested so much talent in that organization that we're beginning to see the fruits of that investment," she said.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/charlotte-mayor-lyles-promises-progress-at-cats/275-55c75da8-8b6f-43c0-b4a0-39899ed1cad5

Republicans at the General Assembly are considering an abortion ban after 12 weeks of pregnancy, according to State Rep. Jason Saine, Chair of the NC House Republican Conference.

"I think probably the number that we land on is somewhere around 12 weeks," Saine said on WCNC's Flashpoint.

It's not clear what if any, exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the mother would be included in the bill. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/nc-republicans-abortion-ban-flashpoint/275-cf3d1b03-c24a-4b3e-878e-3f8a37500a8a

This week on Flashpoint, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson sits down with US Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra about North Carolina's Medicaid expansion. North Carolina has 2.9 million enrollees in traditional Medicaid coverage. Advocates have estimated that expansion could help 600,000 adults.  

"You've just given people peace of mind," Becerra said. "To all those people who today know that if their child all of a sudden becomes deathly ill and needs to go to a hospital, you don't have to worry anymore." 

Later, Ben talks with North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell, the latest candidate to announce his run for NC governor in 2024. The Republican announced his gubernatorial campaign last week, making him the first republican to declare.

"The governor of North Carolina is the CEO of the largest business in the state, in charge of employing the most people," he said. 

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/nc-treasurer-dale-folwell-campaign-governors-race/275-15afe859-8e33-43ee-bf29-a6dea2c80ce5

This week on Flashpoint, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson Mecklenburg County Commissioner Leigh Altman, who also sits on the Metropolitan Transit Commission about the ongoing CATS 'crisis' amid city leaders pushing for a billion-dollar transit plan.

"If we don't find a way to ensure that CATS is a high-functioning, high-quality organization and go forward with these plans, we will lose billions of dollars in federal money," Altman said.

Last week, the interim CATS C.E.O. outlined three derailments in the last year that were previously not disclosed to local leaders. Additionally, at Wednesday night's meeting, MTC members learned that CATS bridge inspections didn't happen in 2021, meaning inspections are two years past due. The last time they were inspected was in 2019. 

Later, Ben talks with Gaston County State Rep. Donnie Loftis on a bill he sponsored in the NC House that would give NC schools more flexibility over their calendar.

Loftis cosponsored a bill filed in the North Carolina House on Feb. 9 that would allow school districts to choose a start date as early as Aug. 10. It also forces districts to end the school year no later than the Friday closest to June 11. 

"If education is a priority for the future of this state, and we need those bright and best young people to remain here in this state, I'm willing to give them any opportunity that would set them up for success," Loftis said.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/gaston-co-lawmaker-sponsors-bill-nc-schools-flexibility-calendar/275-f12bf53c-a94e-4486-b6a3-040e81cf7c17

This week on Flashpoint, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson talks with former North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue on how both political parties are failing to mentor young women in politics.

"We haven't done a real good job across the state, Republicans or Democrats, of growing our bench," Former North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue said.

Later, Ben talks with State Rep. Zack Hawkins about sports betting, Medicaid expansion and more. A bill filed last week in Raleigh legalizing online sports betting looks to have bipartisan support in General Assembly.

"There's no reason for North Carolina to be sitting on the sidelines, especially in such a sports-rich state and a growing state," said bill sponsor Zach Hawkins, state representative from Durham.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/north-carolina-sports-betting-bill-looks-poised-for-passage/275-c21b3d8d-ca0d-45ff-abf1-7473e2140750

This week on Flashpoint, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson speaks with Ben talks with Charlotte Center City Partners' CEO Michael Smith, & SVP of Economic Development James Labar. Smith laid out his organization's plans for Uptown over the next ten years. He envisions a more "complete" neighborhood, focused on residential growth and tourist activity, in addition to the business presence Uptown is already known for.

"Our goal is not to return to 2019. It's to become better. It's to become what we're supposed to be next," Smith said.

Later, Ben talks with Charlotte City Councilman Malcolm Graham, who said he's excited about the new changes coming to Uptown.

"Over the next ten years, Uptown will look significantly different than it looks today. And I'm really excited about that," Charlotte City Councilman Malcolm Graham, said.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/post-pandemic-leaders-look-to-make-uptown-charlotte-a-more-complete-neighborhood/275-3a924baf-0f1d-4ed0-bc88-8ea987137475

This week on Flashpoint, WCNC's Ben Thompson talks with NC Elections Director Karen Brinson Bell and Iredell County Elections Director Susie Jordan about the status of election offices and equipment in North Carolina. Both agree the state could use more funding and resources.

"So it's time to modernize. We didn't even have smartphones in 1998. So you can imagine that it looks more like Atari than it does any kind of modern technology," Bell said.

The North Carolina Board of Elections is also undergoing significant turnover at county election offices.

"We are growing at a rate of registered voters anywhere from 5-8%. We are over 136,000 registered voters. And so our greatest need right now is we are having difficulty finding polling locations within our precincts," Jordan said.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/we-need-to-modernize-north-carolina-elections-director-calls-for-new-funding-resources/275-9272a5c1-9f41-43d6-b725-8cba25cb75e2

Anderson Clayton, 25, is the newly-elected chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and she's ready to shake things up.

"Our party is ready for change. I think that we are ready to have a generational shift, honestly," Clayton said, on WCNC's Flashpoint.

Clayton, a former chair of the Person County Democratic Party, believes the party has neglected rural voters.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/new-north-carolina-democratic-chair-anderson-clayton-makes-a-play-for-rural-voters/275-f586a9d3-0d6f-47f3-9580-e9f0ec025862

On this episode of Flashpoint, Ben Thompson chats with Percy Mack and CMS board member Summer Nunn about the district's search for a superintendent. Mack explains how his firm has already received interest in the position while Nunn explains what CMS is looking for as it attempts to hire another full-time superintendent.

BWP & Associates, the consulting firm hired by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, will officially begin its search for the district's next superintendent on Monday. 

"We've gotten a lot of interest already," Percy Mack of BWP & Associates, said.

The firm will spend the next two months searching for qualified applicants. Ultimately, Mack said the group's goal is to cull the search down to a select few candidates. 

FULL STORY: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/flashpoint-politics-charlotte-mecklenburg-schools-superintendent-search-consulting-firm-update/275-77046ba2-8537-498b-b6df-fa73f9278145

Next, Julia Kauffman has an update on a proposal to add even more tolls lanes to Interstate 77. These tolls would extend from Uptown Charlotte to the South Carolina state line as transportation leaders consider plans to improve traffic flow through Uptown.

Finally, Jane Monreal shares the story of a Gaston County woman who wrote a check to her mechanic only for it to get get cashed a second time, months later.

This week on Flashpoint, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson sits down with Congressman Jeff Jackson, where Jackson admits his opinion on the recent Chinese spy balloon shifted after speaking to members of the U.S. military.

"I started in a place of skepticism about the timeline for their decision-making and ended in a place of confidence that they handle this in the best possible way," Jackson said on WCNC's Flashpoint.  

Later, Ben talks to Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston and his push for Charlotte's stalled $13.5B transportation plan.

"I have high confidence that we will get there because at the at the end of the day, the Charlotte region is the economic lungs of this state," Braxton Winston said on WCNC's Flashpoint.  

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/flashpoint/charlotte-mayor-pro-tem-pushes-compromise-on-transit/275-2cf8cf79-b7dc-49ad-bdee-073e27511df1