WFAE - Charlotte Talks - Latest Audio

Part One: Charlotte Liberty WalkUnder Charlotte’s bright, shiny and new-looking skyline, the Queen City actually does have a fascinating history. Some of that history has been torn down to make new and some has been saved, but either way, you can now take a historical tour through Charlotte and look at the sites of some of our greatest moments in history - and soon, your tour can be enhanced by using your Smart phone! We’ll meet the people behind the Charlotte Liberty Walk.Guests Dr. Tony Zeiss - CPCC President and Author of Backcountry Fury, a Sixteen-Year-Old Patriot in the Revolutionary WarScott Syfert - Charlotte Lawyer and Vice Chairperson of the May 20th SocietyDan Nance - Historical artist and owner of Hand Held History (the developer of the mobile App for Charlotte Liberty Walk) Walking Map of Charlotte's Revolutionary Historic Sites (1775-1780) Details about the Charlotte Liberty Walk app Part Two: American Presidential ExperienceHave you ever wanted to know what it feels like to sit at the desk in the Oval Office, step aboard Air Force One or stand at a presidential podium? Well, during the Democratic National Convention, you may have your chance. A unique exhibit called the American Presidential Experience will set up in Charlotte, allowing visitors a rare glimpse inside the very exclusive life of the president through artifacts and replicas. It includes replicas of the Oval Office, Air Force One, presidential chairs, first ladies' gowns and even Harry Truman's 1951 limousine. The C-SPAN campaign bus will also be on-site for visitors to explore. We'll find out more about this nonpartisan tribute to Presidential history from the curator of the exhibit who himself is a memorabilia junkie. Guest Jim Warlick - Owner and Curator of American Presidential Experience. He has spent the majority of his adult life taking this traveling museum on the road. Morganton, NC native. American Presidential Experience runs Friday Aug. 31 through Saturday Sept. 8 and is located at the corner of West Third and South Mint Streets. Details. Add and read comments

The Middle ClassThe very rich and the very poor are often the subjects of modern presidential campaigns. The rich come up every time there is a battle over tax reform and who should pay their fair share and the poor are often in the middle of battles over so-called entitlement programs and budget priorities. But for the vast millions of Americans in the middle class, this may be the most important election in decades. The Middle Class is being discussed with great fervor on both sides and most experts agree that the next President will be the candidate who appeals most to these voters. But who is the Middle Class, what are their issues and how important are they in this election. We’ll ask those questions and more when Charlotte Talks. Guests Robert Borosage - Co-Director, Campaign for America’s FutureJohn Hood - President, John Locke Foundation  Paul Taylor - Executive Vice President of the Pew Research Center Pew Research: The Lost Decade of the Middle Class The Middle Class.org Add and read comments

CMS: Back To SchoolThe buses have been making their trial runs around the city, hundreds of new teachers have been hired, the pencils, paper and notebooks have been purchased. That's right, it's back to school time at Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools! We'll hear from a trio of journalists about the issues facing CMS as we head into the first day of school next week. Join us for a conversation about the leadership of new Superintendent Heath Morrison, the reaction to test scores around the district and how school officials are planning to improve them, and much more. Guests Lisa Miller - Education Reporter at WFAEAnn Doss Helms - Education Reporter for The Charlotte ObserverHerb White - Editor in Chief at The Charlotte Post Add and read comments

AirAir is all around us, and we breathe 30,000 times a day. We depend on air for life itself, but how much do we know about it? Author William Bryant Logan has asked, and attempted to answer many questions about air that we might never have thought to consider. He’s put them into his new book, Air: The Restless Shaper of the World. He’ll join us to talk about the many ways we interact with air, and the many forms that air takes. Photo credit of William Bryant Logan: Sam Logan. Guest William Bryant Logan - Author of Air: The Restless Shaper of the World. He also wrote Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth and Oak: The Frame of Civilization. (William Bryant Logan's website) Add and read comments

The Campaigns And The Economy - Wednesday, August 22, 2012

September 11th Memorial Designer - Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Cyndy Etler And Straight Inc. - Monday, August 20, 2012

Young People and Politics - Friday, August 17, 2012

A History of Piedmont Airlines - Thursday, August 16, 2012

Transportation Plan for the DNC - Wednesday, August 15, 2012

North America As An Oil And Gas Producer - Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Stalking Jon Stewart and United World Colleges - Monday, August 13, 2012

Madeleine Albright (Rebroadcast) - Friday, August 10, 2012

Democratic Platform and the DNC - Thursday, August 9, 2012

Entering Middle School - Wednesday, August 8, 2012