Before the bell rings on a new school year, a conversation with CMS superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill

Candidate filing for this fall’s elections is wrapping up — we look at who's running. Attorney General Jeff Jackson has filed lawsuits against the Trump administration over education funding cuts. And Charlotte has been named the host city for next year's MLS All-Star Game.

You may be vacationing, but the folks at CMS are hard at work getting ready for the next school year. It’s just around the corner and before the bell rings, we spend an hour with CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill to discuss the many concerns the district will face, including the presence of ICE agents, absenteeism, and the issue of frozen federal funds.

The Southern accent — one of the most recognizable in the country — appears to be fading. The shifting of the population seems to be causing us to lose our drawl and with it some of our identity. We explore the evolution of the various Southern accents, how they shape the way we talk today and how accents are a powerful symbol of belonging.

The Southern accent — one of the most recognizable in the country — appears to be fading. The shifting of the population seems to be causing us to lose our drawl and with it some of our identity. We explore the evolution of the various Southern accents, how they shape the way we talk today and how accents are a powerful symbol of belonging.

Larry Sprinkle has been a fixture in Charlotte broadcasting for decades, most recently as the morning weatherman on WCNC. He is entering a new chapter in his long career, and we sit down with him to look back and ahead.

Candidate filing for local elections began Monday. The Monroe City Council held a vote of no confidence in Mayor Robert Burns. Parts of Central North Carolina are recovering from Tropical Storm Chantal. And the NAACP national convention comes to town.

On the next Charlotte Talks, the 116th NAACP Convention in Charlotte. Thousands are expected to be at the Charlotte Convention Center for the event, the theme for which is "The fierce urgency of now.” Martin Luther King Jr. coined that phrase in 1963, but organizers believe it accurately describes conditions today. We get a preview of the convention ahead, and thoughts on its theme and its relevance.

The long-discussed transit plan may be coming to a ballot near you. The referendum for a one-cent sales tax for transit has one more hurdle to clear: the Mecklenburg County Commission. If they say yes, you’ll be asked to vote on it in November. But not everyone is on board for what has been described as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We’ll talk about pros and cons.

Mosquito-eating bats eat nearly their entire body weight in insects every night, but bats are under threat of extinction. We look at efforts to reverse the trend.

Candidate filing for Charlotte City Council begins Monday. All 11 council seats, the Charlotte mayor’s seat, and six Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board seats will be on the ballot. The mayor has not yet announced whether she will seek reelection, and one council member is under federal indictment but says she plans to run. We look at what to expect during the short campaign filing window.