Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins WFAE

On the next Charlotte Talks, COVID-19 continues to "FLiRT" with us. In fact, that is the name of the new variant making its way through the population.

The author of the book "Who's Your Founding Father" joins guest host Erik Spanberg as we celebrate "MecDec Day." It's a day that commemorates the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 1775.

Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio presents next year's proposed budget. Charlotte city workers have concerns about pay. A private school voucher supporter says North Carolina has gone too far. And the Carolina Panthers will play in Germany. Mike Collins and guests go through this week's biggest local and regional news.

Protesters have impacted many schools including UNC Charlotte and UNC-Chapel Hill. Some graduation ceremonies have been disrupted; others canceled. Schools have taken different approaches to the protests. We look back and ahead to what the summer and fall might hold.

The emergence of two cicada broods this year in parts of the U.S. — including ours — means that trillions of these bugs will be singing their mating song. And who can blame them, they’ve been underground for 13 years. So, let’s find out more about these insects, how they live and why they live such odd lives.

We sit down with the authors of "Witch Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare." Originally written for young adult and teen audiences, the authors shed light on the human stories behind historical events, ensuring that the lessons of the past are not forgotten in today's rapidly changing world. Guest host Erik Spanberg dives into McCarthy's infamous hunt for communists during the 1950s Red Scare.