The new Charlotte City Council is sworn in, Iryna’s law goes into effect with stricter bail rules for violent offenses, the state auditor plans to investigate the settlement paid by the city of Charlotte to the husband of the new police chief, and Mecklenburg County officials create a new transit authority.

The murder of Iryna Zarutska on the Blue Line in August led to the passage of Iryna’s Law by the General Assembly. It took effect on Dec. 1 and is designed to overhaul parts of the judicial system. A Republican bill, it passed with some bipartisan support and was signed by a Democratic governor, yet there were still opponents. We discuss the new law and more with caucus leader Rep. Mary Belk.

Not only has Bob Crawford made significant contributions to the national success of this homegrown band, he's also hosting a history podcast. It's called “American History Hotline,” and he talks with some of the best historians about everything from the American Revolution to rock 'n' roll feuds.

It has been weeks since U.S. Customs and Border Protection descended on Charlotte. Homeland Security says agents detained about 400 people, but there has been very little transparency surrounding those taken into custody. We look at the impact of this operation on the Hispanic community and what the future may hold.

Marie Curie is the most famous woman in the history of science. She coined the term “radioactivity” and traveled the world to share its secrets. Her story is told in a new book by acclaimed Pulitzer Prize finalist Dava Sobel, but, along the way, she tells the stories of other women who trained in Curie’s lab who would pursue their own scientific careers.

History buffs — the wait is over. The second volume of the American Revolution trilogy by author Rick Atkinson is here. In "The Fate of the Day," Atkinson covers the middle years of the Revolution. His account of the bloody conflict between the Americans and the British offers well-researched and spectacularly dramatic history, and explores the demands that a democracy makes on its citizens. He joins us to discuss the book and his collaboration with documentarian Ken Burns.

As her current “Takin’ Care of Biscuits” tour stops in Charlotte, Fortune Feimster joins us to reflect on her Southern roots, her journey through comedy and the deep connections that have shaped her life and career. We also revisit a conversation on navigating politics around friends and family.

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.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrests hundreds of people in Charlotte, pulling them from cars, chasing them down streets. Homeland Security and Republican lawmakers say it’s making us safer by removing criminals from our streets, yet we haven’t been informed of any of the charges against those they’ve detained. These arrests have spread elsewhere in the state. Details on the week of operations.

When the longest government shutdown in history ended, food assistance for 42 million Americans was restored. But the temporary and unnecessary suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program may have long-lasting impacts — and there are new restrictions to those benefits. We look at SNAP, how it started, why it’s needed, who it serves and more.