PODCAST · news
WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint
by WCNC
Each week, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson moderates a conversation with newsmakers and community leaders about politics in Charlotte - and across North Carolina and South Carolina.
Episodes
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1-on-1 with new Charlotte Mayor Robert Harrington
Charlotte Interim Mayor Robert Harrington is wrapping up his first week in office after officially being sworn in last week following former Mayor Vi Lyles' resignation. Though he's never held public office, Harrington said his decades of experience as an attorney and his leadership in civic...
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Knights expect up to 4,000 revelers at Truist Field's First New Year's Eve Bash
Charlotte's official New Year's Eve celebration is moving to a new home, as Truist Field prepares to host the city's year-end festivities for the first time, combining the event with the ballpark's popular Light the Knights festival.
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'There's an urgent demand for solutions' | NC group unveils plan for affordable housing
On Flashpoint, Carolina Forward outlines its plan to make housing more affordable.
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Local nonprofits providing opportunities for Charlotte residents to support community needs
On Flashpoint, Share Charlotte and the Salvation Army outline ways to help others
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Trump's economic agenda: Tariffs, tax cuts and potential labor market disruption
On Flashpoint, NBC News reporter Shannon Pettypiece lays out Trump's economic priorities and the likelihood he can achieve them.
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How the youth vote impacted the 2024 election
Both candidates spent millions of dollars and thousands of hours trying to drive young people to the polls, to varying degrees of success.
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Expert: Early voting numbers tell us 'nothing' about election outcome
On Flashpoint, Western Carolina University professor Chris Cooper warned about reading too much into early voting numbers.
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'The People's Lawyer' | Jackson, Bishop speak on role of N.C. Attorney General
On WCNC's Flashpoint, the two candidates differ on priorities, but share similar statements about the job's responsibilities.
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North Carolina Supreme Court candidates bring different ideologies to the bench
The race for a seat on North Carolina's Supreme Court is one of the most significant contests for voters in the 2024 election. Incumbent Justice Allison Riggs, is facing Republican Jefferson Griffin, a North Carolina appeals judge in the race. The seat up for election is one of the Democratic...
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Mark Robinson calls on NC Gov. Roy Cooper to step down
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson are exchanging calls for each other to resign. Robinson sits down with WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson on Flashpoint.
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NC Secretary of State candidate believes office should be modernized
On Flashpoint, the two candidates offer differing views on the office's function in the North Carolina.
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Candidates for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor offer very different approaches to job
Both candidates say they prioritize keeping the North Carolina worker safe. Exactly how they plan on doing that firmly follows party lines.
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'Our work is not done' | NC school superintendent looks to final months in office and expresses skepticism about possible successors
On Flashpoint, Catherine Truitt says she won't endorse fellow Republican Michele Morrow for the job.
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New campaign finance bill would allow 'secret' donations, critics argue
On Flashpoint, the group Common Cause says the change is bad for voters who demand transparency.
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NC leaders 'open' to Charlotte's latest transit plan
After years of back and forth, city leaders might have new reasons to be optimistic about their transit plan. On WCNC's Flashpoint, N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore said he likes the progress he's seen.
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Despite interest rates, more Charlotte homes on the market
On Flashpoint, one realtor predicts the trend will continue into fall and winter.
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Charlotte-area leaders face choice between rail projects
Mecklenburg County Commissioner Leigh Altman has mixed emotions about news this week involving potential mass transit plans. Altman also serves on the Metropolitan Transit Commission. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile...
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Opposing views debate impact of UNC campus protests
Amid pro-Palestinian protests on the campuses of UNC Charlotte and UNC Chapel Hill, debate continues over their impact on student life. At UNC Charlotte, school officials accused some protesters of vandalism and disruption of classes and final exams. On WCNC's Flashpoint, two sides disagreed with...
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'Judicial system needs to change' | Police group calls for change after Monday's attack on officers
As Back the Blue N.C. raises funds for the families of four officers killed while they were trying to serve a warrant at an east Charlotte home Monday, the group's leader is calling for reform. "I would say our judicial system definitely needs to change," CEO Lindsay LiCausi said on WCNC...
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UAW looks to the South, despite pushback by Republican governors
Republican governors in southern states are pushing back against United Auto Workers' effort to organize automotive factories. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is among those saying unions could lead to layoffs and fewer investments. "The reason why the latest effort is happening is largely...
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NCDHHS: Nearly 300 child care facilities closed last year
"In certain parts of North Carolina, it's almost impossible to find child care at this point," U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson said on WCNC's Flashpoint.
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Charlotte mayor 'enthusiastic' Red Line train will happen, unsure of timeline
Charlotte's mayor is expressing renewed optimism that CATS' Red Line commuter rail line will come to fruition. The line, which has been discussed for more than 20 years, would stretch from Uptown to Mooresville. "Here we are decades later talking about this, so I am enthusiastic about the concept...
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Rural communities benefiting from NC's Medicaid Expansion
On Flashpoint, NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley says expansion impacts communities across the state.
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Seeking solutions to youth violence | A Flashpoint special
CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings, Mecklenburg Co. Sheriff Garry McFadden, and MOMO Director Lisa Crawford discuss youth violence crime and how to fix it.
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NC leads the way in recent electric vehicle industry investments
On Flashpoint, an official from the Environmental Defense Fund says it could be 'just the beginning.'
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'Smooth sailing' expected as NC sports betting launches
On WCNC's Flashpoint, operators and the state appear poised for Monday's rollout.
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NC election director says new state law will delay Election Day results
Political observers are used to watching election results come in at the close of polls at 7:30 p.m. but things will be different on Tuesday for North Carolina's Primary. It's all because a new state law prohibits election boards from tabulating early voting ballots until after polls close.
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Renewed push for hate crimes legislation in SC
Nine years after the mass shooting at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston killed nine Black parishioners, South Carolina still doesn't have any hate crime legislation on the books. "It's going to take strong leadership, people would backbone, willing to do what's right," State. Rep. Wendell...
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NC Attorney General Josh Stein warns against 'rehashing culture wars' in governor's race
"It's not the way we should lead. We've actually been down this path before here in North Carolina, and we paid in immense economic costs," Stein, North Carolina Attorney General, said on WCNC's Flashpoint. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is also running for governor, suggested at a campaign event in...
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City, state leaders working behind the scenes to find 'common ground' on transit plan
Nearly four years after the Charlotte MOVES Task Force first recommended a multi-billion dollar transit plan to city council, casual observers might wonder if any progress has been made. City and state leaders have occasionally made news by weighing in on the plan but, so far, the plan's promise…
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Group aims to increase Black voter turnout after 'precipitous drop'
The Charlotte Black Voter Project is working to turn around a recent trend at the polls: A "precipitous drop" in Black voter turnout. "In 2023, you had over 200,000 Black registrants in Mecklenburg County and only 71,000 Black voters cast their ballot," Colette Forrest, the group's founder, said…
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NC GOP candidate says Republicans risk losing governor's race
A little more than a month before the North Carolina Primary, Salisbury attorney Bill Graham has a warning for his fellow Republicans: don't nominate Mark Robinson. "I'm sick and tired of losing," Graham said on WCNC's Flashpoint. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download...
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'A sense of urgency' | 25-year-old inspired to run as youngest lawmaker in Raleigh
Barring some unforeseen circumstance, Jordan Lopez will represent State House District 112 in the General Assembly starting next year. Lopez, who would serve east Charlotte, is running unopposed in the primary and general election. The 25-year-old said a "sense of urgency" drove him to run now.
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'Fundamental freedoms' | Kamala Harris speaks about whats at stake in the upcoming election
WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson spoke to Vice President Kamala Harris during her visit to a Charlotte middle school Thursday. Vice President Kamala Harris was at Charlotte's Eastway Middle School on Thursday to promote the Biden administration's plan to reduce gun violence and announce a $285…
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Charities urge giving beyond the holidays
If you haven't donated to any favorite nonprofits during the holiday season, local charities are encouraging you to start the new year with charitable giving. "Be searching for those ways to support nonprofits all year long," Melissa Hovey, managing director of Share Charlotte, said. "Think about…
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Gov. Cooper ends 2023 with a big victory and looks toward his last year in office
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is ending 2023 with one of his biggest achievements in office: Medicaid expansion. "I think one of the best days I've had as governor is being in an Enrollment Center in Charlotte. And seeing everyday working people finally being able to get health care," Gov....
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'Best job in public service' | Rep. Jeff Jackson on his run to be NC Attorney General
Democratic Rep. Jeff Jackson says being North Carolina's Attorney General would be a dream job. "This would fill any sense of ambition that I have, because it is probably the best job in public service," Jackson said, appearing on WCNC's Flashpoint. Current Attorney General Josh Stein is running…
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'We've got a lot to do' | A new Charlotte City Council starts Monday
A new Charlotte City Council is sworn in Monday, Dec. 4, with familiar faces filling all but one seat. Newcomer Tiawana Brown will be representing Charlotte's District 3. Brown is replacing Victoria Watlington, who will now serve in an at-large position on the council. Watlington and Councilman...
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Advocates say higher parking fees will protect 'most vulnerable'
Earlier this month, Charlotte City Council members approved a motion to increase parking fees, hiking up fines from $25 to $100. Just before the vote, Sustain Charlotte's Meg Fencil appeared on WCNC's Flashpoint and argued why the $25 fine wasn't enough to change motorist behavior.
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Charlotte commercial real estate: A tale of two markets
There's a dichotomy in Charlotte's commercial real estate market: Part of it is thriving and the other, faltering. "The broader retail market is healthier than it's really ever been. We've seen record low vacancy rates. The big exception is the mall space," said Chuck McShane, director of market...
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New NC election laws and the debate over school bonds
On this jam-packed edition of Flashpoint, Ben Thompson interviews David Longo, the co-chair of Vote Yes for School Boards, about the $2.5 billion bond package for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools that will be on November's ballot. Longo is also a part of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and...
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Developer seeking inspiration in converting old Charlotte office buildings
Charlotte Center City Partners announced the Reimagining Vintage Office Design Competition. This fall, the Uptown development group is collecting ideas from architecture, design and building firms on ways to repurpose some of Uptown's underutilized office space. "We still have economic…
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NC teachers return to classroom unsure of pay raises
Teachers are returning to the classroom across North Carolina, wondering what pay raises they're getting. State lawmakers are still trying to hammer out a state budget, weeks late. "We need a pay raise that acknowledges the hard work that our educators do on a daily basis, but also allows them to...
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CLT Pride comes as new laws target LGBTQ+ youth
As Charlotte celebrates Pride this weekend, the North Carolina LGBTQ+ community is facing new restrictions that the General Assembly passed this week. "We've come a long way. But the battle is not over, Liz Schob, communication manager of Charlotte Pride, said. "The journey is not over. We have a...
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Discussing Mediaid expansion in NC
This week on Flashpoint, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson speaks with the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley on the possibility of expanding Medicaid in the state of North Carolina. Later, Bens talks to NC State University professor Shiyan Jiang about incorporating AI in...
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New casino could bring $550 million to North Carolina if approved
It appears plans for a $500 million casino in Anson County are progressing. News of the possible facility only recently came to light. On this episode of Flashpoint, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson interviews Anson County Manager Len Sossamon about the casino and what lawmakers have told him as the...
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Anti-violence group says social media driving Charlotte crime
This week on Flashpoint, WCNC's Ben Thompsons talks to with Mario Black of Millions Youth March of Charlotte about crime in the Queen City. Black said online platforms offer a place for teens to organize. He said a massive July 4th brawl at Romare Bearden Park in Uptown was orchestrated first on...
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Possible restrictions on transgender teens in North Carolina has their parents worried: July 16
This week, the North Carolina General Assembly is expected to try to override the governor's veto of two bills aimed at transgender youth. The house is expected to vote on Wednesday. "Transgender youth have a much higher rate of suicide or suicide attempts. However, when they are affirmed in…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint have?
WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint currently has 172 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint about?
Each week, WCNC Charlotte's Ben Thompson moderates a conversation with newsmakers and community leaders about politics in Charlotte - and across North Carolina and South Carolina.
How often does WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint release new episodes?
WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint publishes regularly with 172 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint?
You can listen to WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint?
WCNC Charlotte's Flashpoint is created and hosted by WCNC.
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