Shows / Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Launched in April 1998, Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins has become the region's exclusive forum for the discussion of politics, arts, culture, social issues, literature, human interest, the environment and more.
Episodes
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
The impact of money in the midterms
Big money is flooding into elections nationwide as the two parties fight for control of Washington. The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision 16 years ago…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Unlocking your creative potential: The science, psychology and lived experience of creativity
More than just making art, creativity can help us make sense of the world, connect with others and find purpose in our lives. We discuss how people can…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Artificial intelligence in elections
Artificial intelligence has been making its way into this campaign cycle, with concerns about AI-generated campaign ads leading to confusion over content…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
The value of regional bats
Mosquito-eating bats eat nearly their entire body weight in insects every night, but bats are under threat of extinction. This Halloween season, we look at…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local News Roundup: Trump rallies in North, South Carolina; High early voting numbers; New look Hornets' season starts injured, but with win
Donald Trump comes to the Carolinas to stump for Michael Whatley and Darline Graham in their bids for the U.S. Senate. Whatley trails Roy Cooper while Graham…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Hospital giants and rising costs: what it all means for patients and care
North Carolina’s healthcare system faces mounting questions about access to affordable care, hospital consolidation and rising costs. The State Health Plan…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Early voting is underway, security is on the mind
Early voting is underway and people are lining up to cast their ballots in the midterms. Election officials have been fighting a barrage of mis- and…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsPrediction markets and the rising concerns over ethics, youth engagement and betting on elections
While sports betting has been debated in North Carolina for years, bets on the midterm elections are raising new concerns about prediction markets. We discuss…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
How Charlotte's bookstore boom could impact low rates of adult literacy
Charlotte is experiencing a bookstore boom, despite rates of reading for pleasure being down nationally. We explore the impact of AI use, social media and more…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local News Roundup: CMPD racist texts; Data center decision looms for Charlotte; CMS board hears from community
Charlotte City Council hears from the public about a proposal to extend the ban on new data centers, six CMPD Officers are at risk of being fired in the wake…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Inside the turmoil at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Leadership changes and questions about how Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is governed have raised public concerns. We unpack the latest developments and explain…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsPolitical polling: how it works, accuracy and gaining public trust
As Election Day for the midterms inches closer, the polling industry across the country is focused on getting accurate predictions about what will happen on…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Former ProPublica reporter investigates the lack of Black doctors in the U.S.
Fewer than 6% of American physicians identify as Black, but census data show roughly 12% of the U.S. population is Black. Some experts say that disparity is…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local News Roundup: FBI investigates CMS; General Assembly pushes for relief at pump; televangelist Jim Bakker dies
The FBI launches an investigation into CMS. The county might wait on the outcome of the several probes being conducted before it asks its own questions. But…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
‘Out of This Strife’ author argues free people of color played a major role in Civil War
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…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson on Helene Recovery, PFAS and climate resiliency
Two years after Hurricane Helene devastated communities in western North Carolina, the state is still navigating the long process of recovery, while also…
Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins'Fort Bragg Cartel' author discusses drug trafficking and murders impacting the U.S. Special Forces
A conversation with Seth Harp, author of "The Fort Bragg Cartel," about his book. It covers drug trafficking, murder, and a cover up involving members of the…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsA conversation with The Tiny Chef, Susanne Dillingham, about her new book 'Secret Ingredients of Life'
For Susanne Dillingham, food is more than sustenance. It has opened a world of opportunities for her as a personal chef, sommelier and business owner. Food has…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local news roundup: CMS turmoil continues; Charlotte passes teen curfew; Mooresville's mayor leaves office; Carolinas Senate races hit final stretch
The fallout over the firing of CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill continues with dissension on the board and another CMS executive staff resignation; Charlotte…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Voting absentee this midterm: National and statewide changes to mail-in voting
Mail-in or absentee voting for the midterms began in North Carolina in early September. Though not as popular as early or Election Day voting, it provides…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
New book traces Pat McCrory's path from Charlotte's longest-serving mayor to governor
Pat McCrory is one of the most consequential and polarizing political figures in North Carolina history. From mayor of Charlotte to governor of North Carolina…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Can courage bridge America’s political divide? A Marine veteran shares his take from his new book, 'Courage Can Save Us'
Political division is rampant. But what if courage, not just compromise, could help bring us back together? Marine Corps veteran and author Rye Barcott…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsNC has three constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall. What you need to know
It's not just candidates on the ballot for North Carolinians this midterm election. Voters will also decide on three constitutional amendments. They affect…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local News Roundup: Crystal Hill out; I-77 tolls in; Tiawana Brown sentenced; another Wegmans on the horizon?
A week of ins and outs. The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization reverses their initial rejection of NCDOT’s I-77 toll lanes so, they’re in…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsThe friendship and collaboration of Nina Simone and Langston Hughes
North Carolina native Nina Simone was a classically trained pianist turned singer who blended jazz, blues, classical, gospel and protest music. She also…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Crystal Hill is fired plus, ahead of CRTPO vote, a roundtable of local leaders on I-77
In a vote on Tuesday, the CMS School Board fires Superintendent Crystal Hill. Then, the fate of the I-77 toll lanes: After public opposition, the project was…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in S.C. since 1998, Dr. Annie Andrews hopes to change that
Dr. Annie Andrews is a pediatrician and mother from Charleston. She is the Democratic candidate running for the open U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina. No…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsAge in the workplace: A discussion on bias and opportunity
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…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local News Roundup: More CMS leadership issues; Trump stumps for Whatley; Charlotte may flip on I-77; WTA comes to the Queen City
The back-and-forth between CMS leaders continues. President Donald Trump stumps in Gastonia for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley. Charlotte…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Testosterone: How TRT is influencing our military and culture
Testosterone is getting a lot of attention these days. The defense secretary pushed for new guidelines on testosterone screening for troops, while young men…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
After another blow, the state of local news in Charlotte
Local news in trouble. The media landscape here took another hit last week as McClatchy, the parent company of the Charlotte Observer, eliminated a quarter of…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
After another blow, the state of local news in Charlotte
Local news in trouble. The media landscape here took another hit last week as McClatchy, the parent company of the Charlotte Observer, eliminated a quarter of…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Former NASCAR driver discusses his new book "Never Lift"
NASCAR star Mark Martin rose from the small-town tracks of Arkansas to the speedways of NASCAR, carving a career out of consistency and precision. Now, Martin…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
A look at how Ballantyne and southeast Charlotte continues to evolve
Southeast Charlotte has transformed into one of the region's bustling centers for business, housing and development. We explore how it got here, how the area…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local News Roundup: Crystal Hill speaks, towns mull I-77 vote, Mooresville mayor resigns, mail-in ballots delivered
CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill tells “Charlotte Talks” that the investigation into her found no wrongdoing. As the school board approaches a deadline for a…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
A look back at 9/11, 25 years later.
On Sept. 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked. Two flew into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Panthers season preview, the push for major events in the city, and a new CTE report
The NFL is back on Wednesday and Carolina starts on Sunday. The Panthers 2025 season featured a surprise division crown that's led to some primetime matchups…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
A back-to-school conversation with CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is back in session after a bumpy summer revealing tension between Superintendent Crystal Hill and the school board, even as the…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Harrison's Law and the fight to end hazing at colleges
Nearly two decades after the hazing death of 19-year-old Harrison Kowiak at Lenoir-Rhyne University, North Carolina has enacted Harrison’s Law, expanding the…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsLocal News Roundup: Jail North latest; Two convicted in 'Charlotte's Web' protest trial; Edwards censured; G20 in NC
The reopening of Jail North is just weeks away after the Mecklenburg County Commission voted unanimously to approve it. Two protesters arrested during last…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Charlotte business culture shifts as Gen Z enters the workforce
As unemployment rates among young people continue to rise, Charlotte sees an influx of jobs going to those 25 to 34. The next challenge is keeping them here…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
‘We are ready’: Sheriff McFadden discusses reopening Jail North, overcrowding, Iryna’s Law and more
We sit down with Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden to discuss jail overcrowding, deaths in custody, cooperation with immigration enforcement officials…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsTwo years after Helene, North Carolina's landslide danger
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene swept through western North Carolina. Landslides tore apart families and killed dozens. What more could have been done to…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
‘The Beasts of the East’ follows the unusual story of North Carolina’s red wolves
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…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local News Roundup: CMS begins classes amid leadership turmoil; Bovino makes stop in Charlotte; Graham wins SC U.S. Senate runoff
The CMS board votes to release a summary of its recent investigation into Superintendent Crystal Hill. Former U.S. Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
NC voters are confident about their elections, skeptical of others. Plus, the region’s changing agricultural economy
Ahead of the midterm elections, North Carolina’s early voting locations and hours have been set. We discuss the impact and how voters feel about confidence in…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsSouth Carolina runoff results plus the economic impact of deportations
We recap the results of the South Carolina Senate primary runoff between Rep. Ralph Norman and U.S. Sen. Darline Graham. The winner will run in the November…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Heat, drought and impact: Recapping Charlotte’s summer climate and what’s next
Summers in Charlotte continue to trend warmer, dry spells are lasting longer, and communities are already grappling with dramatic changes in climate trends. We…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Award-winning North Carolina storyteller Donna Washington
On this Charlotte Talks, an exploration of storytelling and what makes for a good story with award-winning storyteller Donna Washington.
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsLocal News Roundup: Hill returns to CMS; negative state audit for CATS; Stein vetoes election bill; Queen City Nerve shuts down
CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill makes her first public appearance since being suspended. A state audit finds CATS has not spent the nearly $2 million set aside…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Charlotte Mayor Rob Harrington on I-77, Data Centers, Teen Takeovers and more
Rob Harrington has served as Charlotte’s mayor for about two months, filling the post vacated by Vy Lyles. He’s only in office until the end of next year, but…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Back to school: Trump administration calls for separate MMR shots, plus other school news around the region
Last week, President Trump signed an executive order that would reduce the number of childhood vaccines recommended for all children by the federal government…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
North Carolina budget expands use of license plate readers as communities raise privacy concerns
Automatic License Plate Readers, ALPRs, have recently come under scrutiny. Police have considered them a force multiplier capable of solving serious crimes…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
The origins of American radio with author Kevin Duffus
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…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsLocal News Roundup: Crystal Hill returns; CMPD pushes for police grants; replacement named for Chuck Edwards; S.C. Senate primary
CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill is back in the driver’s seat, but we still know little about what led to her suspension. Democrats on City Council are uneasy…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Former Observer editor Rick Thames discusses his new book
Local news is in crisis. Newsrooms have shrunk, newspapers have closed, and communities across the country are increasingly becoming news deserts. In his new…
Charlotte Talks With Mike CollinsCMS reinstates Superintendent Crystal Hill; How ICE policy affected summer in NC
First, we address breaking news as CMS reinstates Superintendent Crystal Hill. Then, Operation Charlotte’s Web, last fall’s Border Patrol operation, didn’t…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Ready or not, AI is being integrated into healthcare in North Carolina and nationwide
American medicine is changing, transformed by breakthroughs in gene therapies, innovative approaches to behavioral health, the advent of retail medicine and…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
U.S. Rep. Edwards to be replaced, while Senate confirms Blanche before recess, punting other priorities
U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards ended his reelection bid last week following a House ethics investigation confirming he “violated House Rules related to sexual…
- Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins
Local News Roundup: Chuck Edwards' fall; Charlotte City Council ramps up; Hemp industry survives, for now; Kuechly to the Hall
Western North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards ends his reelection bid after a censure recommendation from the House Ethics Committee. Charlotte City Council holds…