Public Conversations

The final episode of WFAE's podcast She Says is out this week, wrapping up — for now — the story of a woman seeking justice after a sexual assault three years ago. Panelists at a WFAE forum last night on the topic agreed that survivors have a difficult road. But they say the system is improving.

A year after the killing of Keith Scott, Charlotte is still debating both police shootings and the social and economic inequality that led to a week of protests. Just how well CMPD and the city are doing was the question Wednesday night during a two-hour Charlotte Talks Public Conversation at Spirit Square in uptown Charlotte.

Thursday, September 21, 2017 The shooting of Keith Lamont Scott on September 20, 2016 and the protests that followed shook Charlotte. It started conversations, sometimes uncomfortable ones, across the city that continue today. On the one year anniversary of the shooting, a WFAE Public Conversation examined what has changed, what hasn’t, and looked at some of the work that’s been done over the past year.

Mike Collins hosted a special Charlotte Talks Public Conversation about Charlotte’s rising homicide count. CMPD Chief Kerr Putney and others spoke at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on July 11th to share what’s being done to quell homicide in Charlotte, what is left to do and its impact on our city. Beyond the conversation: We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts about this problem by calling 704-879-3536.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 A special two-hour Public Conversation about the Trump Administration’s new stand on immigration. Who do his policies affect? What is law enforcement’s role? And we hear some personal stories as Mike Collins hosts a special edition of Charlotte Talks from McGlohon Theater in Uptown Charlotte.

The recent shooting by police of Keith Scott and the unrest that followed has revealed problems in Charlotte, not unlike those we’ve witnessed in other parts of the country. But, what happened here doesn’t sit well with longtime Charlotteans who thought we had a tradition of solving problems “the Charlotte Way.” In a special two-hour Public Conversation, we examine what happened, look back on the city’s history and how it may have contributed to this, look forward to where we go from here and hear from you.

The impact of HB2 is now beginning to be felt. Last week, the NBA announced they were pulling their All-Star weekend from Charlotte. City businesses are now set to lose an estimated $100 million. But there has also been an impact on the city and the state’s image, and on LGBTQ individuals who have lost protections against discrimination. We discuss this and more during a WFAE Public Conversation. This public forum was recorded in front of a live audience at McGlohon Theater on Tuesday, July 26.

This forum addressed common choices and challenges that individuals, their families and health care providers face surrounding end-of-life planning and care. We looked at things like living wills - What are they? How do they work? Are they effective? Ethical considerations regarding how we die. Hospice and palliative care. Plus more. We've compiled these documents and articles to help you prepare: New York Times: Teenagers Face Early Death, On Their Terms Medical choices and planning tools. News Director Greg Collard and Public Conversations coordinator Mark Rumsey, who moderated the forum, shared some follow-up thoughts on the discussion in our weekly podcast, WFAE Talks . National Healthcare Decisions Day National Healthcare Decisions Day is an initiative to encourage patients to express their wishes regarding healthcare and for providers and facilities to respect those wishes, whatever they may be. Advance Directives Booklet NPR host Diane Rehm emerges as key force in right-to-die

As the new school year gets underway, this community forum explored the changing climate for public education in the Charlotte region. Panelists addressed recent moves to raise teacher pay and discussed the future of student achievement standards and Common Core guidelines. The forum also examined the role of charter schools, their successes and challenges to date in the Charlotte area, and the outlook for charter programs.

From class size and teacher pay to charter schools, changing test standards and the common core, public education has been big news of late. Tuesday night, WFAE will hold a public conversation on the State of Public Education. The event begins at 7 at the UNC Charlotte Center City Auditorium. WFAE’s Tom Bullock will moderate the conversation. He spoke with WFAE Morning Edition host Marshall Terry.

At WFAE's Public Conversation on "What's In Our Water," reporter Ben Bradford opened the community forum by presenting an overview of the Catawba River Basin including the lakes that provide Charlotte's drinking water supply, threats to the regions water quality, and the water treatment process.

Thousands of Charlotte-area residents live in neighborhoods that have a local Homeowner Association. HOAs are often praised for keeping communities cleaner, safer and more livable. But some homeowners complain that HOA boards can be too rigid and arbitrary in enforcing covenants and restrictions, infringing on homeowners’ rights. This WFAE Public Conversation explored the pros and cons of living in an HOA community, along with the rights and responsibilities of HOA residents and boards. Panelists discussed current state laws that govern Homeowner Associations in North Carolina, and proposed changes to those laws.

We’ve all heard the horror stories about an authority that tells you what’s allowed, what’s required, and what you can’t do regarding your property. No, it's not the government, or even Charlotte's tree police. We’re talking about private authorities empowered by the government known as Homeowners Associations. HOAs are the focus of WFAE’s Public Conversations forum Thursday at 7 p.m. at Davidson Day School. The program is called: Your HOA and You: Who Rules The Neighborhood? (To register, click here ). WFAE News Director Greg Collard will serve as the forum's moderator. He spoke to WFAE's Kevin Kniestedt to preview the event. Kevin: Sounds like an easy job you have tonight… Greg: Well, the subject of HOAs certainly evokes strong opinions from people who love and despise HOAs, and those viewpoints will certainly be expressed this evening. But there’s also a lot of confusion about HOAs – what are the rights of homeowners, for example? How easy is it for HOAs to impose fines for

Arts and cultural organizations in Charlotte are struggling financially in the wake of the recession and cutbacks in community funding and donations. Many of these non-profits have had to reduce staff and cut costs and services. A few organizations have suspended all or parts of their operations, and others say they have little or no cash reserves to sustain them through any future financial droughts. This WFAE Public Conversation explored the challenges faced by these organizations, how they hope to build a stronger future, and what’s at stake for the community.

WFAE’s Public Conversation on the local film industry provided insights into how movies, television shows and commercials are cast, shot and produced in the Charlotte area. Panelists and audience members also discussed how the film industry impacts the region’s economy. And the forum explored contrasting views on North Carolina’s financial incentives for the film industry.

A community forum to highlight and explore the ways in which food brings people together – from food festivals to holiday meals. Panelists and audience members shared experiences and observations on how gatherings around food impact families, neighborhoods, workplaces, churches and other community institutions. The Public Conversation explored the role of food in creating cultural identities, facilitating conversation, and marking key life events. Discussion also addressed how the ‘Gathering Power of Food’ can be preserved in today’s “fast food society” and amid busy lifestyles.

Charlotte needs to find new ways to increase its tax base. In the past, annexation provided low-hanging fruit. But there's almost no more space to annex. Today, south Charlotte property taxes provide half the city’s revenue. Policymakers have presented initiatives and projects, such as affordable housing and the street car, but what do neighborhood residents want?

WFAE's Public Conversations Series examined the current debate on guns and gun violence in America. Panelists and audience members discussed recent proposals designed to reduce gun violence. Moderated by WFAE's Ben Bradford, the forum also addressed Second Amendment issues, enforcement of gun laws, underlying causes of gun violence, and the politics of the gun control debate.

This community forum explored what many people see as a widespread culture of disrespect permeating our society and communities today. Panelists and audience members discussed the causes and effects of this apparent breakdown in common respect. The forum also examined the roles of parents, schools, public figures, the media and other groups in fostering an atmosphere of respect, or disrespect, in the local community.