Public Conversations

Public Conversations is an ongoing series of community forums designed to convene Charlotte-area residents for discussion of timely and relevant topics.  Our goal is to create comfortable settings that encourage a stimulating and enlightening exchange of ideas.  By organizing these Public Conversations, WFAE intends to serve as a catalyst for community dialogue.  Participants are encouraged to engage in conversation with a cross-section of community representatives, expert panelists, and with each other.

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Budget
5:09 pm
Thu January 17, 2013

Charlotte Ranks Third In Nation For Funding Pensions

Credit Briana Duggan
Charlotte ranks third in the nation for the funding of its pension system of the nation's 61 most populous cities, according to a new Pew report.

Charlotte is ranked third in the nation for paying its bills on time. Not just any bills – pension bills. That's according to a new report by The Pew Charitable Trusts. They found that the country's largest cities have an unpaid tab of more than $200 billion when it comes to retirement benefits promised to employees. And it turns out Charlotte has been preparing for retirement relatively well when it comes to pension plans.  

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A Trifling Place
11:31 am
Wed January 16, 2013

Who Are Charlotte's Celebrities?

Credit flickr/lorenabuena
Evangelist Billy Graham was honored by President Richard Nixon on Friday, Oct. 15, 1971 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Today, he has a plaque on the north side of the 6900 block of Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

One indicator of how well you've settled into a place is gaining a sense of the city's "celebrity" culture. Admittedly, I'm nowhere close. So I need your help ... 

I'm working on a list of local celebrities that newcomers to Charlotte should be familiar with (in case you run into them on the street!). Here's what I have so far:  

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A Trifling Place
10:01 am
Mon January 14, 2013

Episode 2: Uptown Vs. Downtown

President George Washington called Charlotte a "Trifling Place." That’s how our first president described the city during a visit in 1791.

But it’s certainly changed since then. Welcome to "A Trifling Place," a podcast dedicated to exploring the ins-and-outs of Charlotte.  


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A Trifling Place
3:41 pm
Fri January 4, 2013

A Trifling Place, Episode 1: Where Are You From?

Credit Tasnim Shamma

President George Washington called Charlotte a "trifling place." That's how our founding father described the city during a visit in 1791. But it's certainly changed since then. Welcome to "A Trifling Place," a podcast dedicated to exploring the ins-and-outs of Charlotte.


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Crime
4:49 pm
Mon December 24, 2012

Guns For Gift Cards At Charlotte Church

A Charlotte church invited folks to exchange their guns for gifts over the weekend. The New Life Fellowship Center has been doing that around the holidays for the past six years. This year, the pastor says some of the people turning in their guns had the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut on their minds.

John Kee has been the pastor at New Life Fellowship Center for more than 17 years. He says during his time as pastor of the Double Oaks community, he's learned a lot. Especially about violence in his community.

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Charlotte Talks
12:00 am
Mon December 17, 2012

2012 End-Of-Year News Show

2012 in Charlotte has been anything but quiet. We've had our share of controversy, scandals, political turmoil, budget woes, and time on the national - and international - stage. Now that the year is coming to an end, we'll gather WFAE news reporters to go through some of the major stories to hit the Queen City this year. Join us for a 2012 News Roundup, when Charlotte Talks.

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Music
1:08 am
Tue December 11, 2012

The Holidays Keep Children's Choir Busy

For children's choirs across the country, the holiday season is a busy time. Choirs are in high demand, so that means choristers and their parents are spending long nights at rehearsals and concerts after school. 

The children at Myer's Park Baptist Church are in the middle of their evening rehearsal. They're standing under 120-foot-high ceilings and intricate stained-glass windows.

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Local News
4:49 pm
Thu December 6, 2012

Wells Fargo Banker Charged With Insider Trading

Credit David Paul Ohmer/flickr
The SEC has charged a Wells Fargo investment banker with insider trading.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged an investment banker at Wells Fargo with leading an $11 million insider trading ring while he worked in Charlotte.

John Femenia had access to a lot of confidential information through his job at Wells Fargo. He’s an investment banker (or at least was), and he got the scoop on several mergers because his bank helped with the financing.

That information is as good as money. Mergers often drive a company’s stock price up, so if you buy it before that happens – you're setting up for a nice profit.

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Service
5:27 pm
Thu November 15, 2012

Local Teens Will Serve In Senegal Through YMCA

Deonte Howard is a sophomore at West Mecklenburg High School. His mom had some good news to share with him a few months ago.

"When my mom called me about the interview, said that I passed, I can tell she was crying," Howard says. "I was like, 'Wow, I'm actually going to Africa.'"

Howard, 16, is one of four high school students from Charlotte selected for the nine-day trip to West Africa through the YMCA of Greater Charlotte's Global Service Learning Project. This will be his first time outside of North America. 

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Business
4:43 pm
Mon November 12, 2012

LCD Manufacturers To Pay $1.1 Billion In Price-Fixing Settlement

Credit flickr/Todd Austin
Residents of 24 states and the District of Columbia who purchased an LCD flat screen TV or computer are eligible to file a claim to get money from a $1.1 billion class-action settlement.

In the late 1990s, there were what were called "Crystal Meetings". Top executives from ten Asian-based tech companies met in hotels and bars in Taiwan to set the price of LCD screens.  In other words, price-fixing.

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