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Despite a rising demand for services, slower revenue growth and uncertainty in support from the state and federal government, County Manager Mike Bryant's proposed budget for FY 2026-2027 calls for no reduction to services, no property tax increases and strategic new investments. He joins us to discuss how he came up with it.

America’s role in the world is changing. The thought used to be that a post-Soviet Russia and a more global China could become more friendly to the West. That has not happened. We hear from New York Times White House and national security correspondent David Sanger about these shifting tides and what they mean.

North Carolina’s prison system is facing a crisis, from severe staffing shortages and budget pressures to the growing needs of an aging inmate population. We sit down with Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes to talk about the mounting concerns. Then we hear the story of Kerwin Pittman, a former inmate who is now transforming an abandoned prison into a space focused on opportunity, healing and second chances.

Charlotte is now accepting applications for mayor. Meanwhile, Mecklenburg County leaders testified before the House Oversight Committee in Raleigh about the death of Dominique Moody, a child who suffered years of abuse. The Carolina Hurricanes are in the running for the Stanley Cup Final.

As the city grows, getting around has become increasingly challenging. Efforts to relieve congestion on I-77 recently came to a halt when leaders rescinded proposed toll lanes. Public transit has grown slowly, with commitments to build the Red Line and the east-west Silver Line. However, those projects could take a decade or longer to complete. We untangle the ins and outs of transit in Charlotte.

For the first time in nearly 20 years, professional women’s basketball has returned to the Queen City. The head coach of the Charlotte Crown joins us to discuss the team’s inaugural season. We also examine the latest on the Hurricanes, Hornets, soccer and other sports when we take a timeout for sports.

Black family reunions are often remembered for cookouts, family photos and matching shirts, but the centuries-long tradition runs much deeper. We explore how Black family reunions came to be, why they endured and what they continue to preserve.

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.

South Carolina calls off redistricting as early voting begins, a timeline is set for Charlotte City Council to accept applications from interim mayor candidates, a North Carolina House committee readies for a hearing on the death of 6-year-old Dominique Moody, and the Carolina Hurricanes remain on the road to the Stanley Cup.

We’re speaking with the three new faces on the Charlotte City Council. All ran on keeping communities safe, expanding affordable housing and improving transportation. Charlotte has been grappling with those issues for years — and now that Joi Mayo, JDMazuera Arias and Kimberly Owens have started their terms, we’ll see how their priorities translate into action.

North Carolina has become a major player in the booming weight-loss drug industry, helping drive the next generation of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. We look at how the state became a hub for these drugs, how they work and the risks that remain, plus the debate over coverage, costs and who gets access.

Proposed plans to reduce toxic chemicals in North Carolina’s waterways face pushback from the public because some argue they don’t do enough to stop pollution or hold polluters accountable. Meanwhile, the EPA is in the process of weakening federal chemical regulations.

Millions of bison once roamed North America, from Alaska to North Carolina. After being hunted to near extinction, fewer than 1,000 were left by the late 1800s. Today, bison and a handful of other large animals are having a surprising renaissance. We speak with the author of a new book about why many animal populations have plummeted and why some are making an unexpected comeback.

Over 12% of North Carolinians were living in poverty in 2024. However, a new report finds a much larger group in North Carolina still struggles to make ends meet. An additional 28% of the state’s households earn above the federal poverty threshold but not enough to afford basic expenses. We discuss the study and the affordability crisis impacting families.

For more than a century, the Outer Banks has been acclaimed as the birthplace of flight — but what if it was also the birthplace of the wireless world we live in today? We revisit the origins of American radio with author and historian Kevin Duffus and explore how a stretch of the North Carolina coast helped give voice to the world.

Charlotte City Council approves a moratorium on data centers and decides to use a property tax increase to fund raises for some city officials and employees. The man accused of killing Iryna Zarutska last August is deemed incompetent to stand trial. Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes continue their quest for the Stanley Cup.

The Civil War was the deadliest conflict in American history. Yet more than 160 years later, its legacy is still being written, and one historian argues a key part of that legacy involves free people of color. At the beginning of the war, nearly half a million people of color were free, and he says their stories ultimately helped lay the groundwork for a more expansive vision of American freedom.

North Carolina’s outdoor industry continues to grow and contributed nearly $18 billion to the state’s economy in 2024. We explore what’s behind this boom, how to increase accessibility and participation, and practical tips for staying safe outdoors — including how to avoid interfering with wildlife and what to do if you do.

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.

Social prescribing is changing how health care is traditionally thought of by linking patients to community-based activities to address stress, loneliness and overall well-being. Through partnerships at hospitals and museums, Charlotte is beginning to explore how creative expression can support mental and physical health. We explore how social prescribing works and the research behind it.