Public Conversations

A Trifling Place, Episode 9: And The Charlotte Accent Is ...

Tasnim Shamma — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:20:46 +0000

Welcome to “A Trifling Place,” a podcast dedicated to exploring the ins-and-outs of Charlotte.

So about a month ago, reporter Lisa Miller handed me a book called How To Speak Southern. It has some funny tips on how to exaggerate a Southern drawl – but it wasn't too surprising – I mean, it's pretty easy to identify a Southern accent. But it got me thinking – I have no idea what a Charlottean sounds like. In New York, I can easily tell what part of the city you're from by your accent. In Charlotte, I still can't tell the tourists apart from the people who live here. So that's one reason we launched The Charlotte Accent Project … on a quest to find the one true Charlotte accent.

What's The Charlotte Accent?

Tasnim Shamma — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:14:00 +0000

When you "talk," do you say "tawk" or "tock?" What does it mean to have a Charlotte accent? If you were born in the Charlotte region (or even if you’re a newcomer like me), we want to know what you sound like.

So we've started a new project to collect your voices called The Charlotte Accent Project. We'll publish your recordings and photos on the radio as well as our web site, Tumblr blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Foxx Won't Seek A 3rd Term

Greg Collard, Lisa Miller and Tasnim Shamma — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:42:49 +0000

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx is not running for a third term.

Foxx announced his decision during this interview with WSOC-TV. Foxx says reports that President Obama is considering him as the next Secretary of Transportation has nothing to do with his decision. He said he's been discussing it with his wife for a few months. Foxx said the big reason he’s leaving because he feels he’s accomplished much of what he came into office to do.

A Trifling Place, Episode 7: Turn Green Already!

Tasnim Shamma — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:27:12 +0000

Welcome to “A Trifling Place,” a podcast dedicated to exploring the ins-and-outs of Charlotte.

Every city has its share of traffic issues. In Charlotte, for example, there are a lot of complaints about rush hour near Ballantyne on I-485. (Relief is coming. That section of the road is scheduled to be expanded to three lanes by December 2014.)

But today we're not talking about the quality of the Charlotte region’s roads. We’ll focus on an issue the Charlotte Department of Transportation has a little more control over: traffic lights.

Citizen's Court: Talking It Out With Your Neighbor

Tasnim Shamma — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The Mecklenburg County Courthouse processes up to 1,600 misdemeanor cases a day. And administrators are always looking for ways to bring that number down so that judges have more manageable caseloads. One of the newest initiatives is mediation. Also known as Citizen's Court.

Charlotte Raps About RAP (Reverse Angle Parking)

Duncan McFadyen — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

There are some new backward parking spaces in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood. The city’s put in reverse angle parking along three blocks of Commonwealth Ave – spaces that are angled against the direction of traffic, designed to be backed into. It’s part of a $4 million project to make the area more pedestrian and bike friendly.

The reverse spaces also serve to narrow the street and slow down traffic. But, the concept of backing into these spaces goes against what we’re used to. And the result is a lot of confusion.

Bill Allows City To Pay For Stadium Upgrades, But Not With New Taxes

Lisa Miller — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 19:53:25 +0000

State lawmakers have introduced a bill that would allow the city of Charlotte to pay for renovations to Bank of America stadium, but not the way the city wants to. The bill sponsored by four Mecklenburg County lawmakers gives the city flexibility to redirect tax money earmarked for the convention center.

A 'Modern Day Scarlet Letter': Protesting Pink Licenses

Tasnim Shamma — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:18:53 +0000

Dozens of immigrants stood on the corner of Trade and Tryon Street yesterday afternoon in Uptown Charlotte to protest the design of North Carolina's driver's license for young illegal immigrants.

Charlotte 2024? A Checklist For The Olympics

Tasnim Shamma — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:11:06 +0000

Learning How To Expunge A Criminal Record

Tasnim Shamma — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:13:42 +0000

We’ve all done things we wish we could take back and start over. It’s harder for some than others – especially if that mistake involves a criminal conviction. But some people with a criminal past can wipe the slate clean if enough time has passed.