Charlotte Blogs

Brewers from all over the Carolinas competed last weekend in the 18th Annual U.S. Open HomeBrew Competition in Mooresville. We’ll talk to amateur and professional brewers about the home-brewing phenomenon and what happens at a beer festival (besides the consumption of said beer).

A couple of weeks ago, Rose Rock, comedian Chris Rock’s mother, was in town and was to join us on the show.  We weren’t able to do that interview live as planned, but talked to her later that day, and on this edition of Charlotte Talks, we’ll air that conversation.  Mike Collins and Rose Rock talk about what it takes to raise over a dozen children, keep a family together, and why Chris Rock still looks to his mother to gauge his success.

Former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros joins us today.  The San Antonio native led a long career in public life that includes several distinctions, among those being the youngest person to be elected to San Antonio’s City Council at 26 and the first person of Hispanic descent to be elected mayor of a large American city.  He served under President Bill Clinton as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development but left office in the midst of a controversy.  We’ll talk with Cisneros about his long career in public service and what he’s doing now, including his work with Charlotte’s Community Link organization.

Oil energy and how it affects the US and the world is our topic today.  Michael Klare will join us.  He’s the author of Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet: The New Geopolitics of Energy and is in town to speak at the request of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.  We’ll discuss his thoughts on geopolitics along with your questions and comments.

It’s our Primary Election roundup on this edition of Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins.  Last week, we met with a panel of political experts to discuss the presidential and gubernatorial contests that were up for primary vote, and today, that same panel joins us to talk about the outcomes and what they’ll mean for us as the November election becomes the next stop at the voting booth. 
Guests:
Dr. Martha Kropf - UNC Charlotte, Department of Political Science
Dr. Scott Huffmon - Winthrop University, Department of Political Science
Rob Christensen - Political writer, Raleigh News and Observer

Keith Parker, the new CEO of CATS joins us on this edition of Charlotte Talks.  Parker inherits the legacy that retired CEO and now head of the trolley operations Ron Tober started in the Lynx Light Rail line.  We’ll talk about the higher than expected ridership of the line, the new lines that are in the works and other transit topics.

For the first time in decades, voters in North Carolina could have a major impact on the nomination of a presidential candidate. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama bring their close battle to the Tarheel state, but there are other compelling races, as well, including the governor’s race, lieutenant governor, and some senate seats. We’ll take a look at some of these races and get some predictions from our panel.
Guests
Scott Huffmon - Assistant Professor, Political Science Department, Winthrop University
Martha Kropf - Assistant Professor, Political Science Department, UNC Charlotte
Rob Christensen - Political Reporter, Raleigh News and Observer; Author, “Tarheel Politics”

We look at the challenges of starting and maintaining a restaurant in the increasingly competitive Charlotte region. Guests Peter Reinhart - Chef-on-Assignment, Johnson and Wales University Tom Sasser - President, Harper Restaurant Group George Couchell - Owner and President, Showmars Restaurants Adam Reed - Owner/Chef, Sante’ Restauran

Today, our Average Joe series continues with a look at what is on the mind of our listeners.  With the North Carolina primary less than a week away, the election is sure to be a hot topic.  Join the conversation here.