Chris Jones

Early voting is underway in Charlotte’s municipal elections. The only competitive district race on Charlotte City Council is the one in District 6, formerly represented by Tariq Bokhari, who stepped down. Now his wife, Krista, is running as a Republican against Democrat Kimberly Owens. Last week we spent time with Owens. Today, a conversation with Bokhari about why she wants the job.

Mecklenburg voters will decide on a referendum to levy a 1-cent sales tax to fund Charlotte’s transit plan. That tax would generate nearly $20 billion over 30 years for various transit projects. Proponents say the time is now to make this critical decision. Others urge a no vote because of who will be hurt by rising taxes. We look at both sides.

The stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail renewed conversations about the need for mental health treatment and led some leaders to examine the involuntary commitment process for people who pose a danger to themselves and others. A crime bill recently passed by the legislature takes steps in that direction and we examine how the involuntary commitment process works and where it might go wrong.

Mankind has always wondered if we’re alone in the universe. Now, a Mars rover has found what looks like signs of life in the distant past on that planet. We’ll explore that possibility and learn more about what scientists are doing as they search for other signs in a conversation with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Violent extremist movements continue to thrive in online spaces. We examine how extreme ideologies spread, why young people are increasingly recruited into violent ideology and what’s being done to push back.

Free speech in America is under scrutiny, from Jimmy Kimmel's suspension to calls for employers to punish speech deemed offensive. We examine the blurred lines between free expression, hate speech and censorship.

After many ups and downs, the film industry in North Carolina is making gains. Last year, film and TV productions here generated more than $302 million in direct in-state spending and Charlotte is taking in some of that money with productions like "The Hunting Wives," "Roofman," "Bad Counselors" and "Top Chef" shooting here. We take a closer look at what this means for our economy, culture and workforce.

Triangle-based Duke Health has crossed into the Piedmont region, expanding its footprint into Atrium Health and Novant Health territory. Duke acquired Lake Norman Regional in Mooresville in April and will rebrand the hospital as Duke Health Lake Norman. What will this mean for health care?

Ben Greene, a trans man, speaker and author of "My Child Is Trans, Now What?," is on a mission to bring joy, humor and humanity into the conversation about raising and supporting trans children. Greene will share his philosophy of “joy-centered” storytelling, why he wrote his book, and what he’s learned speaking with families across the country.

Few people understand the struggles and power of newspapers better than Rob Christensen, who spent decades at North Carolina’s capital newspaper as chief political reporter. In his latest book, he recounts how The News & Observer shaped modern North Carolina in ways both profound and eyebrow-raising.