On the next Charlotte Talks, Moshe Gildenman was a civic leader and musician in a small Ukrainian town until — one day in 1942 — Nazis murdered 2,000 Jews in his village, including his wife and daughter. He escaped with his son, carrying a revolver, a handful of bullets and a Yiddish songbook. His story of resilience, resistance and revenge is told in a new book by UNC Charlotte musicologist James Grymes.

In January, President Trump urged Congress to cap credit card interest rates at 10% and said Americans are being “ripped off” by credit card companies. Bankers quickly opposed the idea, with some calling it an economic disaster. There is also debate over capping credit card late fees. We look at the pros and cons of these proposals and whether any of them would lead to more affordability.

It's been a rough week for parents, teachers and students as school goes virtual again, with another winter event possible this weekend. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis calls for Kristi Noem to be ousted from her job. Another measles case has been reported in Mecklenburg, with dozens more in upstate South Carolina. Those stories and more with our roundtable of reporters.

Two years ago, Americans bet $120 billion on sports, a 27% increase from the previous year. That figure grew to $150 billion in 2024. Journalist Danny Funt investigates what's considered one of the most consequential — and least scrutinized — shifts in modern American sports in his new book, "Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling."

On the next Charlotte Talks: freedom of the press. It’s a bedrock principle of American democracy and yet, one year into the second Trump administration, it is under attack. The Associated Press was banned from the White House Press room, journalists refused to comply with Pentagon rules controlling the narrative, the government defunded Public Broadcasting and Trump is suing and threatening networks and newspapers. We look at the damage done and what might be next.

On the next Charlotte Talks, teachers aren’t holding back their frustration over delayed pay raises. Earlier this month, hundreds stayed out of work to hold protests across the state, calling out the General Assembly for not passing a budget. Our state’s teachers regularly rank near the bottom of the country for teacher pay. They say they have an important job and want — need — better pay, so why is this such a big ask? We search for answers.

Drones are being used in new ways across the region. Police departments throughout the state have turned to drones as first responders. Winston-Salem began using them seven years ago, and now Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are considering their use for rapid deployment in emergencies. We look at the capabilities of drones, their increasing use and some of the concerns surrounding that use, like privacy and transparency.

Gov. Josh Stein has declared a state of emergency as the region braces for a major winter weather event. Also raising concern, the flu has been more deadly than last year, with 67 deaths so far in South Carolina and 181 deaths in North Carolina. Meanwhile, for the second year in a row, a person was found dead during a count to assess homelessness.

On the next Charlotte Talks, Donald Trump appears to be sharpening his sword. Earlier this month, the United States conducted a large-scale strike against Venezuela, capturing their president. Trump has threatened Iran and Cuba, and he’s said he’ll take Greenland one way or another. Plus, he’s spoken of plans to send our military to an American city — Minneapolis. No matter what you think about this, North Carolina stands to profit, and so does Charlotte.

On the next Charlotte Talks, a hero for our time. You’ll never guess — so I might as well tell you: Henry David Thoreau. Like us, Thoreau lived in a time of rapid technological and economic change, political division and a pandemic. He reassessed his priorities and decided to pare down to trade up. Local author Jen McGivney helps you Find Your Walden.