Drawing Bigger Circles

Change for Monroe
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Drawing Bigger Circles is a podcast about what's really happening in Monroe, NC. We cover the political, social, and civic issues shaping our community—without the spin. Each episode breaks down local news, events, and decisions that affect your everyday life. Our goal is to inform, connect, and help build a more engaged Monroe.

  1. 6d ago

    This Episode Has Absolutely Nothing to do with How Much David Matthews Band Sucks

    Homelessness is complicated. So we tried something radical: we talked to someone who actually knows what she’s talking about. This week on Drawing Bigger Circles, we sit down with Melissa McKeown, Executive Director of the Community Shelter of Union County, for a real conversation about homelessness in Union County: who is experiencing it, what is driving it, what the Shelter actually does, and what approaches have been shown to help people move toward stability. It’s an especially important conversation right now. Homelessness has increasingly become a political talking point, and simple, punitive solutions can sound awfully appealing when you don’t have to deal with the complicated reality behind them. Melissa does. She works with this population every day. She knows the people behind the statistics. She understands the barriers, the resources, the gaps in the system, and what happens when policy ideas collide with reality. So before we decide that the answer to homelessness is another ordinance, another punishment, or another way to move people somewhere we don’t have to look at them, maybe there’s value in hearing from the people who have spent years actually doing the work. We know. Listening to subject matter experts before developing public policy is a pretty wild concept. This is a conversation worth hearing, especially if you think you already know the answer. And yes, we are wearing ties because we are serious people.   Guest: Melissa McKeown, Community Shelter of Union County #DrawingBiggerCircles #UnionCountyNC #MonroeNC #Homelessness #CommunityShelter #Housing #AffordableHousing #HousingFirst #CommunityMatters #ChangeforMonroe

  2. Sep 15

    Dave Matthews Band Sucks

    Wow! Usually I just grab a phrase from the episode to pick the title, but the whole group unanimously agreed...Dave Matthews Band Sucks should be the name of this episode. This week we touch on the Monroe Downtown Economic Development Grants and give an update on the fight against Flock cameras. Finally, during this week's top x list, we ask the question...where does Michelle Ball get her money from?

  3. Sep 1

    Get My Rat Thing On!

    With the death of Dolly Parton still hanging heavily in our hearts, we take some time to examine one of they mayor's campaign issues. Is he bringing crime down in Monroe? Every time he leaves the city! One local resident who doesn't own a dictionary gets his 15 minutes of fame...but rejoice as we will never say his name again after this podcast. Finally, in Behind the Kirton this episode, Barb drops some fun trivia knowledge about a beloved icon. A woman who was true to herself, funny, and definitely displayed the kind of heart we should all admire.

  4. Aug 17

    I'm Blessing Your Heart Over Here!

    This week on Drawing Bigger Circles, Monroe politics continues its determined effort to make sure we never run out of material. We start with the latest on Gary Anderson, because apparently that story still has chapters left. Then we check in with Mayor Robert Burns, who once again demonstrates that understanding the issue is apparently not a prerequisite for having very strong opinions about it. Next, we turn to Michelle Ball, who recently tossed a political dog whistle into the middle of Facebook and, wouldn't you know it, every dog in town came running. And finally, a historic moment for the show: Barb gets her own segment! We debut the first installment of “Behind the Kirton,” where Barb pulls back the curtain, or Kirton, as the case may be, on whatever has caught her attention this week. Gary. The Mayor. Dog whistles. Barb unleashed. Just another perfectly normal week in Monroe.

  5. Jul 28

    1:22 a.m.

    An update on Gary Anderson, a conversation about the mayor bullying people into voting his way, and the age old question of what is our mayor doing in Anson County at 1:22 a.m.? A sale on tight shirts? We take our best stab at it as we continue exploring life in Monroe.

  6. Jun 14

    It's Always Neck Day!

    While the mayor supposedly dug up the dirt on a scandal, he still didn't miss neck day! We get into the ridiculousness of another episode of the Burns Show and how much of our tax dollars he's going to waste this time.  Additionally, remember when William Dotson pretended to care about the humane society? His act fell apart last week when he not only voted against raising the outside agency funding cap, but made an impassioned campaign speech (author: unknown) about how much taxpayers don't want their money spent on this stuff.  Swing and a miss, Willy Dot!

  7. May 10

    We're Only Human!

    No Agenda, No Sense. We hit record and let the mood take us where we wanted to go. We discuss campaigning strategies (shameless plug for Kevin's latest blog) and why going on a press tour while your wife is laid up is actually disgusting. Also, another colonoscopy for Barb already? There's only one way to find out if that's true! If there's an issue that you want us to look into and talk about, email us at info@changeformonroe.com and visit our website, changeformonroe.com, to get all the latest rantings and ravings of Kevin.

  8. Apr 27

    No Wrong Answers!

    Business in the front, party in the back. Is Barb thinking about getting a mullet? Maybe. But today we just have a fun chat and learn a little more about each other by asking trivial questions that have No Wrong Answers.  Remember, if you have an issue you'd like to discuss, or would like for us to discuss for you, reach out to us at info@changeformonroe.com!

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About

Drawing Bigger Circles is a podcast about what's really happening in Monroe, NC. We cover the political, social, and civic issues shaping our community—without the spin. Each episode breaks down local news, events, and decisions that affect your everyday life. Our goal is to inform, connect, and help build a more engaged Monroe.

Information

  • Creator
    Change for Monroe
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Drawing Bigger Circles
  • Show Website
    Drawing Bigger Circles