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Over the last decade, several inmates suffering from mental illnesses have died inside South Carolina jails. An investigation by the Post & Courier dove into the reasons why, how the situation got so bad, and possible solutions. Plus, in the wake of Iryna's Law, we'll see what lessons North Carolina can learn.

On the next Charlotte Talks, everyone is talking about data centers — and so are we. We look at the latest: what impact they might have on our city and surrounding areas, why this region makes for a desirable location, and the community objections. Politicians at all levels have also been weighing in, with some calling for a moratorium on data centers. We’ll hear about all of this — and how their spread could impact your power bill.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles announces her resignation, the state Senate votes to pause property tax assessments for a year, Wake County delays a vote on the merger of Atrium Health with WakeMed, and the PGA is back in town.

Americans are more digitally connected than ever, yet more often isolated from the people living closest to them. A national survey last year showed only about a quarter of adults know all or most of their neighbors. What happens when neighborhood bonds disappear? Can rebuilding them improve our health, trust and resilience?

A bill is moving through the North Carolina General Assembly named after Dominique Moody. The 6-year-old died last year after being beaten and starved. Investigations found that the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services had received reports of abuse but failed to protect the child. We look at that failure, the role local reporting played in exposing it and what this bill would do to address it.

American medicine is changing, transformed by breakthroughs in gene therapies, innovative approaches to behavioral health, the advent of retail medicine and artificial intelligence. Dr. Marschall Runge calls this “the great health care disruption,” but says that understanding what is happening is a way to make these changes work for everyone while lowering costs and barriers to care.

The Charlotte Regional Transit Planning Organization votes down the I-77 project; overcrowding leads the Mecklenburg County Sheriff to announce the reopening of Jail North; amid controversy, Mooresville's mayor hints at possible resignation and the Carolina Hurricanes are in the Eastern Conference Finals.

We examine the constitutional amendment proposals in North Carolina and discuss if they could boost voter participation at the polls. We’ll also get an update from South Carolina on how their redistricting plan has panned out.

We discuss a precious time capsule we have here in North Carolina — our state archives. We'll speak with the state archivist about what it takes to maintain history and how someone can find pieces of themselves reflected in archives. We also find out what you won’t discover in the state's archives, and why that is.

On the next Charlotte Talks, we look at a newly released Mecklenburg County Health Department report on infant mortality. The findings are a mix of good and bad news. Overall birth outcomes have improved, but disparities remain, especially for non-Hispanic Black infants compared with non-Hispanic white infants. We’ll hear about the progress and what’s being done to address those disparities.

Americans are working longer than ever, but many say the workplace isn’t built to support them. Sixty-four percent of workers over 50 report seeing or experiencing age-discrimination. Twenty-two percent say they are being pushed out of their jobs because of their age. Since those 55 and older are the fastest-growing age group in the labor force, what does this mean for the workforce? How can older workers stay competitive?

On the next Charlotte Talks, a story of the courage and tenacity it sometimes takes to open doors. It’s a story set in 1950, before Martin Luther King, Jr. was a household name, before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus. It is the story of a man taking a stand against discrimination who ended up on the front lines of the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott, and it is a story told by his daughter, an award-winning journalist.

Henry David 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. Mike Collins discusses that with Jen McGivney, author of "Finding Your Walden."

On the next Charlotte Talks, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson joins us. Since taking office, he has worked on opioid crisis litigation, consumer scams and housing-cost reforms. He also recently won a case breaking up the Ticketmaster–Live Nation monopoly that could save ticket buyers money. Then we’ll talk with Michael Graff, founder of the Charlotte Optimist, which just celebrated its first anniversary.

Chamber leaders in the NC House and Senate have announced a framework deal for a state budget. Mecklenburg Sen. Caleb Theodros joins to discuss some of the bills he’s proposed during his first term. We'll also dive into the newly approved CMS budget and how school systems in Cabarrus, Union and Gaston are coping with tight budgets and uncertainty.

On the next Charlotte Talks local news roundup, the CMS board rejects Superintendent Crystal Hill’s proposed budget, leaving her to question how to proceed with little direction. Gaston and Cabarrus County schools join others in canceling classes Friday as teachers protest in Raleigh for higher pay. A bill to protect immigrant students from immigration enforcement is filed in the state House, and Duke Energy proposes a June rate increase.

Across the country, the commercial real estate sector is facing problems. Although it’s been years since COVID-19, the impact of remote work lingers, and landlords are still having trouble filling vacant space. In some cases, they’re selling properties at a loss. But locally, a number of companies looking to expand have chosen Charlotte for their next home. We discuss what makes the Queen City different and whether it’s a trend.

On the next Charlotte Talks, former Environmental Protection Agency head Michael Regan shares his record, his views on what’s happening at the EPA now and his connection to North Carolina.

Ahead of the start of this year’s hurricane season, we hear predictions for the number of likely storms and how to brace for whatever may come our way, plus an update on drought conditions and continued Helene recovery efforts.

Legislative leaders break the impasse on the budget. That means state employees and teachers may finally get a raise. In the race to replace Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, calls have come for a Black person to fill that slot. Charlotte City Council withdraws its support for the I-77 toll lanes, and the CMS board approves its $2.1 billion budget.