>>Announcer: THIS IS A PRODUCTION OF PBS CHARLOTTE.

>> THIS WEEK ON OFF THE RECORD, JUNE 1st, MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS IT COULD BE THE END OF COVID RESTRICTIONS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

BUT MIGHT WANT TO HANG ON TO YOUR MASK FOR NOW.

ALSO AFTER ONE LONG TRIAL IN MINNESOTA, ONE LONG EXHALE HERE IN CHARLOTTE AS THE JURY REACHES A VERDICT IN THE V DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.

WELL, IT WAS MAYOR PAT AND THEN GOVERNOR PAT AND THEN RADIO PAT AND NOW HOW CANDIDATE PAT McCRORY CHAINS NORTH CAROLINA'S SENATE RACE.

IF YOU ARE SELLING YOUR HOUSE RIGHT NOW, GOOD TIMING.

IF YOU'RE BUYING A HOUSE RIGHT NOW, GOOD LUCK.

AS A HOME SHORTAGE SENDS HOME PRICES THROUGH THE ROOF.

PLUS A NEW NAME FOR NODA.

A NEW RUNWAY AT THE AIRPORT AND NEW ELECTRIC BUSES FOR CATS, MAYBE.

LOTS TO TALK ABOUT NEXT ON PBS CHARLOTTE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ♪♪ >> HI.

I'M JEFF SONNIER AND WE'RE OFF THE RECORD TALKING ABOUT THE STORIES YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK AND IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS, READ THE NEWS AND LISTEN TO THE NEWS, WELL, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THE NAMES ANDIZ FACES AROUND OUR VIRTUAL TABLE.

MARK BECKER FROM WSOC TV AND DEDRICK FROM WBTV.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND ASHLEY FROM THE CHARLOTTE BUSINESS C JOURNAL AND ELI FROM THE UNC-CHARLOTTE URBAN INSTITUTE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION AT HOME.

E YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO OFF THE RECORD@WTVI.ORG.

I WANT TO START WITH A QUOTE FROM GOVERNOR COOPER THIS T WEEKHI.

LET ME SEE.

I ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO LIFT ALL MANDATORY SOCIAL DISTANCING CAPACITY AND MASS GATHERING RESTRICTIONS BY JUNE 1ST.

KIND OF CAUGHT A LOT OF FOLKS IN SURPRISE IN A GOOD WAY.

NO BALLY HOO, AND FOR ALL THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OVER THE PAST YEAR, IT'S NICE TO CIRCLE SOMETHING ON THE CALENDAR.CL >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL RELATIVE.

THE FIRST COLD SNAP IN NOVEMBER AND YOU'RE BUNDLED UP AT 48 AND YOU'RE FREEZING, RIGHT?

48 IN MARCH FEELS PRETTY GOOD.

RIGHT NOW, THE NUMBERS ARE ABOUT WHERE WE WERE LAST FALL AND CERTAINLY MUCH WORSE THAN THEY WERE A YEAR AGO WHEN WE WERE IN LOCKDOWN.

BUT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT HORRIBLE SPIKE JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, SO EVERYBODY'S FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT ITT AND OF COURSE, THE GAME CHANGER IS THE VACCINE.

SO IT'S TIME, I THINK, TO REALLY START LOOKING BACK-- LOOKING AT LET'S GET BACK TO NORMAL.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM A NUMERICAL STANDPOINT, WHILE IT'S GETTING BETTER MARGINALLY, WE'RE STILL A LONG WAY FROM FINISHED.

>> YEAH.

THE STATE IS PLATEAUED AROUNDED 2,000 NEW CASES A DAY I THINK ONE METRIC INN ADDITION TO THE VACCINATIONSNS WE'RE SEEING INCREASES THERE THAT'S REALLY CHANGED FOR THE POSITIVE IS DEATHS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL HAVING PEOPLE PASS AWAY UNFORTUNATELY, BUT YOU'RE TALKING SINGLE DIGITS, MAYBE LOW DOUBLE DIGITS PER DAY WHERE WE WERE OVER A HUNDRED DEATHS A DAY IN THE DEPTHS OF THE WINTER SURGE.

I THINK THAT AS MARK SAID RELATIVELY, IF YOU LOOK BACK A YEAR AQUO, IF WE HAD THESE NUMBERS A YEAR AGO, PEOPLE WOULD BE FREAKING OUT BUT RELATIVE TO WHERE WE WERE IN THE WINTER ESPECIALLY AROUND DEATHS REPORTED, WE'RE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE.

>> RIGHT.

AND GIBBIE HARRIS SAID THIS WEEK, HEALTH DIRECTOR GIBBIE HARRIS SAID THERE HASN'T BEEN A DEATH IN MECKLENBURG COUNTYEC SENIOR LIVING FACILITY, NURSING HOME FACILITY, CARE FACILITY SINCE LATE FEBRUARY.

AND WE KNOW THAT'S, OF COURSE, BEEN SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE WATCHED VERY CLOSELY.

WE KNOW ELDERLY ARE VERY VULNERABLE, BUT WITH THE RATE OF VACCINATION AMONG THOSE WHO ARE OLDER THAN 65 WHICH I BELIEVE IS AROUND 77%, I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST METRICS BEING WATCHED AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL.

>> YOU KNOW, THE CAM PAIN BRINGS BACK SUMMER.

THIS IS COMING AND EVERYBODY READY TO E LET THEIR HAIR DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

YOU KNOW-- >> EVERYBODY BUT YOU.

>> MOSTLY DEDRICK.

RIGHT!

[LAUGHTER] >> HERE I GO.

OKAY.

>> YOU CAN LET YOUR HAIR DOWN.

I'M GLAD YOU SAID IT.

NOT ME.

>>NO EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN LET YOUR HAIR DOWN A LITTLE BIT, YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR MASK UP.

WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT WILL GO AWAY.

I GUESS THE GOVERNOR WAS SAYING, HEY, WE'RE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THE WORK IN AND WHAT I MEAN BY PUTTING THE WORK IN, YOU'RE GETTING THE SHOTS DONE AND THEY SAID IF WE GET TWO-THIRDS VACCINATED AND MAYBE THEY CAN LIFT THE MASK MANDATE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, NORTH CAROLINA-- WHAT DOES NORTH CAROLINA LOOK LIKE?

I GUESS , THE GOVERNOR SAID WITH NORTH CAROLINA THERE'S T A STUDY THAT SAIDHE THAT WE HAVE LESS JOB LOSS AND FEWER DEATHS AMONG ALL THE OTHER 60 STATES SO I GUESS, YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR COOPER IS SAYING, HEY, HE'S FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE.

HE'S LISTENING TO THE HEALTH.

PAUSE OF THIS, WE'RE IN THE PLACE THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

I GUESS PEOPLE ARE JUST BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF AND BUSINESSES THEY ARE EXCITED THAT ON JUNE 1ST THAT MAYBE THEY CAN BE ABLEE TO, YOU KNOW HAVE, SOME SO SENSE OF NORMALCY.

>> YEAH.

I WOULD THINK IN PARTICULAR BUSINESSES HAVING A DATE THAT THEYAT CAN KIND OF PLAN FOR.

I TALKED D TO SOMEONE IN ONE OF THE TOWNS AND IT'S INVOLVED IN PLANNING A BIG YEARLY FESTIVAL IN THE FALL WHO AS SOON AS THEY HEARD ABOUT THIS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PUT THE GREEN LIGHT ON AND SAID LET'S START SEEINGG IF WE CAN DO THIS FALL, UP UNTIL THIS WEEK, UNTIL THURSDAY.

EVERYBODY REALLY WASN'T SURE WHAT THE FALL WOULD LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAD SOME IDEAS, SOME THEORIES BUT YOU KNOW, NOTHING LIKE A DATE ON THE CALENDAR THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY POINT TO.

I KNOW THE VACCINATION CENTER ATAC THE BOJANGLE'S COLISEUM CLOSING DOWN BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH VACCINE AVAILABLE IN OTHERER PLACES NOW AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE T TAKING THE VACCINATIONS OUT TO YOUNGER AUDIENCES NOW.

BREWERIES I THOUGHT WAS AN INTERESTING AND PROBABLY EFFECTIVE WAYR TO REACH A LOT OF FOLKS WHO UP UNTIL NOW MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN AMONG THOSE STANDING IN LINE AT THOSE OTHER VACCINATION CLINICS.

>> YES.

>>>> REALLY DIFFICULT TO OVERSTATE JUST HOW MUCH THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED.

PEOPLE WERE STAYING UP ALL NIGHT REFRESHING WEBSITES, CRASHING SEVERS, DESPERATELY CALLING TO GET THROUGH, JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO AND IN SOME STATES, THERE STILL IS MORE LIMITED AVAILABILITY.

NOW YOU HAVE PLACES THAT ARE JUST SAYING, PLEASE BRING A FRIEND.

PLEASE GET IT.

WE'LL GIVE YOU A BEER DO IT AT A BREWERY, WHATEVER.

[LAUGHTER] WHA THAT'S JUST REALLY A HEAD-SNAPPING CHANGE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT RAISES THE QUESTION AS WE GET TO THE END OF THE SUPPLY OF PEOPLE WHO WANT THE VACCINATION, WHICH IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE.

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT SO IN SUPPLY THAT THEY'RE-- AS THEY SAID, THEY'RE GIVING IT AWAY AT YOU'RERIES NOW, HOW DO WE GET THAT LAST 40, 30 WHATEVER THAT IS PERCENT TO HAVE UPTICK THERE.

BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GETTING PAST THE STAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DESPERATE FOR IT WILLING FOR PIT GOING TO BE IONTO THE STAGE OF CONVINCING PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY HESITANT.

>> IT MAY TAKE MORE THAN A BEER.

COMPANIES, GENERALLY SPEAKING AND I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY COMPANY THAT REQUIRES ITS EMPLOYEES TO GET VACCINATED TO WORK.

YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.

BUT THEY'RE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.BE AT THE SAME TIME, THERE MIGHT BE SOME SORT OF INCENTIVE THAT COULD BE OFFERED TO GET PEOPLE TO TAKE THE VACCINE.

>> COLLEGES ARE REQUIRING STUDENTS TO GET VACCINES BEFORE THEY COME BACK IN THE FALL.

SO THAT MIGHT ALSO BE SOMETHING THAT HELPS INCENTIVIZE SOME OF THE YOUNGER FOLKS WHO MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN AS EXCITED ABOUT GETTING THE SHOT UNTIL NOW.

I KNOW SEVERAL OF THE PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES HAVE ALREADY PUT THAT OUT FOR THEIROR INCOMING STUDENTS IN SEPTEMBER AND AUGUST AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S AN EMPLOYER A SCHOOL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT I MEAN, THERE ARE GOING TO BE INCENTIVES TO GET THESE SHOTS, I SUPPOSE.

>> ONE OF THE INCENTIVES WILL BE, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE HAVE BEEN GETTING SO MUCH VACCINE, MAYBE THEY CAN (INAUDIBLE) PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO STAND IN LINE.

THE MASS VACCINATION SITES AND RAPID LINES AND IF PEOPLE CAN SAY, OH, I CAN GO TO MY DOCTOR, I I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE.

I CAN GET MY SHOT IN MY ARM AND BE ON MY WAY.

AS IT BECOMES MORE AVAILABLE AND EASILY A AND READILY AVAILABLE, I THINK THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, HELP WITH THE INTENTION TO HELP PEOPLE GET THE SHOT.

P >> WELL, EVEN DR. MANDY COHEN SAID THINGS LIKE YOU GUYS WANT TO HAVE FIREWORKS FOR THE 4TH F OF JULY, YOU WANT TO HAVE THINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL, BE OUT IN PUBLIC WITHOUT A MASK, WELL, WE'VE GOT TO GET TO TWO-THIRDS VACCINATION.

ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU MISSED FROM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE CAN GET THERE, GET BACK TO, SOME DEGREE OF NORMAL BUT WE HAVE TO GET TO THAT CERTAIN METRIC OF THE VACCINATION.

IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW PEOPLE GET THAT MESSAGING ACROSS.G I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING STARMED HEALTH CARE ON TWITTER AND THEY'RE TRYING TO COME ONE NEW WAYS AND IDEAS OF GETTING PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED AND MAYBE GET OVER SOME OF THAT HESITANCY.

WE KNOWT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO CONVINCE THEM.

>> YEAH.

THEY'RE TREATING US LIKE KIDS.

KIDS, IF YOU ARE GOOD, IF YOU GET GOOD GRADES, WE'LL GO DISNEY WORLD.

HERE'S AN ICE CREAM CONE.

SO IT'S JUST INTERESTING IF THOSE THINGS WILL WORK.

>> RIGHT.

EXACTLY.

>> A COUPLE OF OTHER LAST THINGS.

SYMPHONY BACK ON STAGE THIS COMING WEEKEND FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE BEFORE COVID AT BELK THEATER.

NOT THE FULL SIM SYMPHONY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE.

THEST MUSICIANS DO AND THEY CAN'T SIT AS CLOSE TOGETHER AS THEY NORMALLY WOULD ON STAGE.

IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT PATRONS, CUSTOMERS, AN AUDIENCE WILL BE BACK IN THE THEATER SINCE BEFORE COVID.

MOVIE THEATERS, INCLUDING STONECREST OPENING UP THIS WEEKEND.

ANOTHER POSITIVE SIGN AND HATS OFF TO OUR FRIENDS AT AXIOS WHO WERE REFERRING TOO THE BREWERY VACCINATION EFFORT AS SHOT AND A BEER.

I LIKE THAT WELL DONE, BOYS AND GIRLS.

>> CAREFUL, CAREFUL.

[LAUGHTER] >> LET'S CHANGE GEARS A LITTLE BIT AND A TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE SERIOUSLY ABOUT THE VERDICT THAT CAME DOWN UP IN MINNESOTA THIS WEEK.

YOU KNOW, THE TRICKLEDOWN EFFECT THAT IT'S HAD ALL OVER THE COUNTRY INCLUDING HERE IN CHARLOTTE.

WE HEARD FROM THE MAYOR, THE POLICE CHIEF ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE VERDICT BEING ANNOUNCED.

I TALKED ABOUT THE CITY EXHALING.

ITHA REALLY DID KIND OF FEEL FOR A WHILE THEY WERE HOLDING THEIR BREATH TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS >> I THINK THE WHOLE COUNTRY EXHALED.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I WAS NOT ON THE JURYOT AND DID NOT HEAR ALL THE EVIDENCE IN THE CASE BUT YOU GET RIGHT BACK TO IT'S PRETTY BASIC.

WE SAW THE VIDEO.

AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND SAY THEY CAME TO THE RIGHTIG DECISION.HT ICI MEAN, IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS, PRETTY QUICK IN MY MIND.

THAT'S MY OPINION.

STILL BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL PROCESS AND THE WAY IT WORKS AND THE WAY IT NEEDS WORK IS NEED FOR A VIGOROUS DEFENSE, AS THEY SAY, WENT THROUGH THE STEPS AND IN THE END, IT WORKED AND I THINK JUSTICE IS NOT A RESULT.

JUSTICE IS A PROCESS.

AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SAY I WANT JUSTICE FOR MY SON OR MY DAUGHTER AND PEOPLE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE DEFENSE AND THE PROSECUTION SIDE WILL SAY THAT.

THE VICTIM'S SIDE, WELL, JUSTICE IS A PROCESS AND I THINK THE PROCESS WORKED HERE.

WE DID HOLD OUR BREATH BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT WAS WHAT CERTAINLY WHAT I EXPECTED AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE EXPECTED.

>> YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY THE PROSECUTION JUST LAID OUT-- THEY HAD A GOOD CASE IN TALKING TO SHERIFF MCFADDEN, HE SAID HE HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE SHERIFF IN MINNEAPOLIS PREPARING FOR, YOU KNOW, IF THE OUTCOME DID NOT COME THE WAY PEOPLE WANTED THAT WHAT SHOULD THE SHERIFF THERE IN MINNEAPOLIS BE PREPARED FOR?

AND SHERIFF MCFADDEN SAID HE TALKED TO SHERIFF HUTCHISON THERE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VERDICT, BUT NOW THEY'RE BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF.

SOME PEOPLE SAY THIS WASN'T JUSTICE.N' THIS WAS JUST ACCOUNTABILITY AND SO NOW PEOPLE-- NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF, THEY'RE SAYING WHAT EX?

WE CANNOT STOP AT THIS.

WE HAVE TO CONTINUE ON TO MAKE THAT-- THAT JUSTICE AND INEQUITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ADDRESSED, TACKLE AND TAKEN CARE OF.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF.

BUT THEY ALSO ARE SAYING, OKAY, THEN NOW THAT WE'RE BREATHING AGAIN, LET US TAKE SOME ACTION SO THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

>> THE CITY WAS PREPARED AS ALL CITIES, I SUPPOSE, WERE PREPARED FOR THE WORST IF THE VERDICT HAD GONE THE OTHER WAY,HE MAYBE A RETURN TO THE PROTESTS WE SAW LAST SUMMER, BUT I THOUGHT WITH THE POLICE CHIEF, JOHNNY JENNINGS SAID WAS INTERESTING.

YOU KNOW, HE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING THAT WHAT AND THE CHIEF MADE A POINT.

HE SAYS WE'RE 1,200 MILES AWAY BUT STILL, IT IS ABOUT POLICING AND ABOUT PEOPLE OF O COLOR AND ABOUT THEF COMMUNITY IN GENERAL AND HOW H THOSEOW ALL INTERACT AND YOU KNOW, I WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT CMPD, HAD ONE OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING LAST YEAR S. LATE LAST YEAR AND IT WAS A CASE WHERE A GUY WAS DOING THE ROBBERY AND POLICE CAME AND HE SHOT AT THE OFFICERS.

THEY SHOT HIM AND HIT HIM IN THE LEG.

IT WAS NOT.

A FATAL INCIDENT.

BUT THE.

POINT I'M GETTING TO IS I BELIEVE THE CULTURE HERE HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN THE POLICE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY ARE VERY AWARE OF THIS AND CAREFUL IN MAKING GOOD CALLS, IN GENERAL, WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, A SHOOTING IN ELIZABETH CITY, WHICH IS WHERE WE HAD ONE IN NORTH CAROLINA RECENTLY, THAT'S GOING TO ECHO ALL OVER HERE ESPECIALLY AS UBIQUITOUS VIDEO WE HAVE SHOWS UP ALL OVER.

EVERYBODY'S AFFECTED AND WHAT HAPPENS IN MINNEAPOLIS CERTAINLY HAS A BIG AFFECT HERE ON ALL POLICE.

IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE THAN ONE PLACE AND ONE OFFICER AND ONE INCIDENT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU TALK ABOUT THE SYSTEM AND YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD AND LISTENED TO COMMENTARY, THEY SAID IF THE SYSTEM WOULD HAVE WORKED, GEORGEE FLOYD WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN B ALIVE.EE THE SYSTEM WORKING IS NOT CHAUVIN GOING TO JAIL.

THE SYSTEM WORKED IF GEORGE FLOYD WOULD HAVE BEEN ALIVE.

I TALKED TO MINISTERS WHO MET WITH THE POLICE CHIEF, THE CITY MANAGER, AND THE MAYOR TALKING ABOUT POLICE REFORM AND HOW CAN WE REIMAGINE HOW WE DO POLICING FROM HERE ON OUT, AND SO WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT, DO WE NEED MORE POLICE OFFICERSERS OR DO WE NEED MORE COUNSELORS OR DO WE NEED MORE PEOPLE WHO CAN DEESCALATE THINGS SO WHEN THEY GO TO A 911 CALL INSTEAD OF A POLICE OFFICER, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE COUNTEL ISERS TO TALK PEOPLE DOWN AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO RIGHT THING INSTEAD OF THE POLICE BEATING TO YOU DO THE RIGHT THING.

WHY DON'T WE HAVE A COUNSELOR TO ENCOURAGE TO YOU DO THE RIGHT THING?

I GUESS THIS OPENED UP CONVERSATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS THAT MANY PEOPLE NEED THAT LEAD INTO ACTION AND POLICY CHANGE C >> IT'SHA THE TRUST THAT THE CHIEF TALKED ABOUT.

YOU CAN HAVE MORE COUNTEL ISERS MORE OF THIS AND MORE OF THAT.

YOU DON'T TRUST THE PEOPLE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS OR BEING INVOLVED IN THOSE DECISIONS AND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY.

LET'S HOPE THIS HELPS BUILD TRUST AND LET'S HOPE THAT THE CONVERSATION CAN CONTINUE BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE OBVIOUSLY.

LET'S SWITCH GEARS TO POLITICS.

THE VICE PRESIDENT IN NORTH CAROLINA THIS WEEK, TODAY MALL LA HARRIS IN THE GREENS BORO AREA TOUTING BIDEN JOBS AND TAKING A SEAT AT THE LUNCH COUNTER IN GREENSBORO AS THE FIRST WOMAN OF COLORS AS VICE PRESIDENT AND ALL OF THAT GETS OVERSHADOWED BY OUR HOMEGROWN SENATE RACE.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THIS WEEK BUT PEOPLE TALK PAT MCCRORY JUMPING INTO THE U.S. SENATE RACE TO REPLACE RICHARD BYRD.

THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THINGS CHANGE AND HOW MUCH OF A-- HOW MUCH OF A BIG DOG THE EXGOVERNOR, EXMAYOR IS IN THIS ELECTION?

>> I THINK HE IS A BIG DOG AT THIS POINT.

>> YEAH.

HE'S GOT THE NAME RECOGNITION.

THE APPARATUS, THE SORT OF STATEWIDE EXPERIENCE BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL THE POSSIBILITY T THAT A TRUMP WILL GET INTO THE RACE.

EVEN IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN DIRECTLY WITH LAURA TRUMP ENTERING, I THINK THE FORMER PRESIDENT WILL LOOM VERY LARGE OVER THIS.

I THINK IT'S THE LATEST STEP IN WITH WE'VE SEEN OF HOW I THINK STATEWIDE POLITICS HAVE MOVED IN MORE POLARIZED DIRECTS.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I MOVED HERE WE WERE AT THE TAIL END OF THE MAYOR PAT ERA IN CHARLOTTE AND YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING TO WATCH HIM GO TO RALEIGH, BE GOVERNOR, MOVE RIGHTWARD ON MANY ISSUES AND JUST SEE THAT KIND OF TRANSFORMATION.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER CHARLOTTE AS A SORT OF BLUE CITY WITH A CENTRIST REPUBLICAN MAYOR.

BUT THAT WAS NOT VERY LONG AGO AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT DYNAMIC HAPPENING AGAIN AND I THINK AT THE END OF THIS SENATE PRIMARY, WHATEVER HAPPENS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE PROBABLY EVEN MORE MOVES TO THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT BY CANDIDATES ON BOTH SIDES.

I DOUBT WE'LL SEE ANY SORT OF COMING BACK TO THE CENTER AS WE SEE PEOPLE TRYING TO WIN THEIR RESPECTIVE BASES.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING.

WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS, I SAID, HAS PAT MCCRORY CHANGED, OR IS HE THE SAME, YOU KNOW?

IS HE THE SAME IN A COUNTRY IN A STATE THAT IS CHANGING, YOU KNOW WHAT I I MEAN?

I READ A COMMENTARYNT BY TOMAR CAMPBELL.

HE WROTE A COLUMN CALLED THE REAL MCCRORY.

HE SAYS HE LIKES MCCRORY BUT HE SAYS, WHEN MCCRORY CAME OUT WITH HIS ANNOUNCEMENT, HE JUST ATTACKED LEFT WING AND RADICAL AND ALL THAT.

SO YOU KNOW, TOM CAMPBELL WAS RIGHT.

IT WILL ADVANCE YOUR CAUSE FURTHER IFSE YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU BELIEVE OR ADVOCATED INSTEAD OF JUST TRYING TO CONVINCE US HOW BAD THE OTHER SIDE IS.

SO YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING THAT AS REPUBLICAN, HE WILL BE AN ATTACK DOG OR EXPLAIN WHY THE DEMOCRATS ARE WRONG AND HE IS RIGHT AND WHY HE CAN EXPLAIN WHY HIS REASONS ARE RIGHT AND WHY HIS STANCE WILL BE BETTER FOR NORTH CAROLINA BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL BRING UP THE HB2 TOLL ROAD,, COAL ASH, AND HE DOES HAVE SOME BAGGAGE, BUT WE WILL SEE IF THAT WILL TAKE HIM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AS AMERICA AND NORTH CAROLINA, AS THE VOTERS ARE GETTING MORE DIVERSE AND CHANGING.

>> HERE'S THE THING.

YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN REDEFINED BY THINGS LIKE HB2 WHILE GOVERNOR.

YOU KNOW, I'M WATCHING TO SEE IF PAT TRIES TO REDEFINE HIMSELF.

HE WAS ALSOEL THE MAYOR THAT WORKED WITH THE MOSTLY DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL FOR 14 YEARS.CO HE WAS ALSO THE MAYOR AS A REPUBLICAN WHO SUPPORTED, YOU KNOW, LIGHT RAIL AND TRANSIT TAXES.

SO I MEAN, IT'S ONE THING TO WIN THE PRIMARY.

HE'S GOT HUGE NAME RECOGNITION AND IT HAS TO BE SEEN AS THE FRONTRUNNER THERE.

ONCE YOU WIN THE PRIMARY, CAN YOU THEN PIVOT AND TALK TO VOTERS ON BOTH SIDES ABOUT THE TRACK RECORD THAT HE HAD IN CHARLOTTE, OF WORKING WITH DEMOCRATS AND WORKING WITH ALL SIDES AND A NOTND NECESSARILY BEING THE TH HARD RIGHT ATTACK DOG THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF REDEFINED HIM AS DURING HIS FOUR YEARS AS GOVERNOR.

I'M REALLY FASCINATED TO WATCH WHAT KIND OF CAMPAIGN THAT MCCRORY MIGHT RUN, FIRST, IN THE PRIMARY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE PRIMARY IN A GENERAL ELECTION.

ITTI WILL BE KIND OF INTERESTING TO WATCH.

>> WHOEVER WINS THAT PRIMARY , YOU HAVE TO GET DEMOCRATS TO VOTE.

BECAUSE THERE ARE MARGINALLY MORE DEMOCRATS IN NORTH CAROLINA THAN REPUBLICANS YOU STILL NEED DEMOCRATIC VOTES AND YOU ARE, IN GENERAL, WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY STAKE OUT THOSE EXTREME POSITIONS INXT THE PRIMARY AND TO OUT CONSERVATIVE AND REPUBLICANS, OUTPROGRESSIVE ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE THEIR CANDIDATES BUT THEN ONCE YOU WIN THAT PRIMARY, LIKE YOU'RE SUGGESTING, WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE ANDOT YOU HAVE TO BE -- APPEAL TO THE MIDDLE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S HAPPENED WITH OUR STATEWIDE ELECTIONS AND WE'LL SEE.

BUT PAT MCCRORY HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.

I THINK POLITICAL STANCE ON A LOT OF THINGS BETWEEN THE TIME HE WAS MAYOR AND THE TIME HE BECAME GOVERNOR AND RADIO PAT AS YOUND CALL HIM.

>> WE'VE SEEN TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THAT.N PRESIDENT TRUMP CARRIED THE STATE AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD SAY HE APPEALED TO THE MIDDLE AT ALL SO I THINK THAT WAS A STATEWIDE RESULT THAT SHOWED SOMEONE WINNING WITHOUT APPEALING TO THE MIDDLE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME AND IN THE SAME ELECTION, YOU HAVE ROY COOPER WINNING QUITE HANDILY AND NUDGE WOULD SAY HE'S A FAR LEFT.

YOU HAVE SOMEONE WITH THE SAME APPEAL AND THE SAME STATE ELECTION WITH A MORE FAR RIGHT APPEAL.

NORTH CAROLINA, A LITTLE BIT OF A AND HAS A RECORD THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE AND POINT A DURING THIS UPCOMING CAMPAIGN AND THESE OTHER CANDIDATES DON'T HAVE THE STATEWIDE NAME RECOGNITION, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE A BLANK SLATE WHO CAN POINT TO, SAY, I SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS POLICIES AND THAT MIGHT BE MORE COMPELLING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT BAGGAGE FOR PEOPLE TO POINT TO.

>> EVERYBODY HAS NAME RECOGNITION BY THE TIME WE GET TO THAT ELECTION DAY.

>> YEAH.

I WANT TO GO AND WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT SPACE RIGHT NOW, PANDEMIC, SOCIAL JUSTICE SO PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO DIFFERENT THINGS OF HOW WE GET TO WHERE WE CAN GET TO A BETTER PLACE AND WHEN NORTH CAROLINA, TRUMP WON BY 1.3% AND I GUESS WE'RE JUST IN A DIFFERENT TIME AND IT'S GOING TO BEME INTERESTING HOW THIS ELECTION GOES.

>> YEAH.

A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.

A LOT OF TALK THIS WEEK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.

BUT AMID ALL THAT, LOOK AT THE HOUSING MARKET IN CHARLOTTE RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, A SHORTAGE OF HOMES AVAILABLE.

SKYROCKETING PRICES.

ASHLEIGH, YOU FOLLOW REAL ESTATE ON A DAILY BASIS.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> I FEEL LIKE EVERY TIME THEIM HOUSING MARKET GETS HOT, I SAY IT'S NEVER BEEN THIS CRAZY BEFORE, I BELIEVE IT THIS TIME.

IN THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE BEEN IN CHARLOTTE, I DON'T THINK I HAVE SEEN A SITUATION LIKE WE'RE SEEING NOW.

18 DAYS OF INVENTORY, IT'S ABSOLUTELY-- THAT'S JUST NOT IN CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG BY THE WAY.

THAT'S THE ENTIRE 16-COUNTY REGION, THAT CANOPY MOS TRACKS AND YOU ARE SEEING SALES PRICES GOING UP, YOU KNOW 10%, 20%, PEOPLE ARE OFFERING WAY OVER ASKING PRICE.

18 OFFERS SOMETIMES ON HOUSES DEPENDING ON LOCATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

BEFORE THEY COME TO MARKET M AND HOUSES TAKEN OFF THE MARKET IT'S REALLYLY TRULY COMES DOWNN TO A SUPPLY AND DEMANDAN ISSUE.D THERE'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH SUPPLY TO KEEP UP WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE MOVING TO CHARLOTTE AND THE NUMBER OF MILLENNIALS LACKING TO BUY A HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THE PANDEMIC HAS ANECDOTALLY SPURRED SOME PEOPLE TO MAYBE GO OUT INTO THE MARKET FOR THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE THEY WANT MORE SPACE.

THEY WANT TO GET OUT OF A DENSE APARTMENT.A YOU SEE THESE THINGS CONVERTING.

LOW INTEREST RATES AND YOU SEE THESE THINGS KIND OF CONVERTING AND IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO BUY O A HOUSE RIGHT NOW YOU KNOW, WE JUST CANNOT BUILD ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND.

>>MA IT JUST MAGNIFIES OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUE AND PROBLEM IN THIS TOWN ASND WELL, I SUPPOSE.

>> IT ABSOLUTELY DOES.

I MEAN, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO BUY A HOUSE, YOU ARE SEEING MEDIAN SALES PRICES ROSE 12% YEAR OVER YEAR.

YOU KNOW, AVERAGE SALES PRICES JUMPED 17.7%.

YOU KNOW, AVERAGE SALES PRICE IS $370,000.

I REMEMBER A YEAR OR TWO AGO, IT WAS BARELY IN THE 300S.

MEAN, IT'S JUST REALLY AN INSANE MARKET.

I DON'T SEE A WAY OUT OF IT.

I MEAN, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INVENTORY.

I TALKED TO A LOT OF HOME BUILDERS AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD AS FAST AS THEY CAN BUT THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION RIGHT NOW, TOO, FOR BUYING LAND AND LUMBER PRICES AND THROUGH THE ROOF.

IT MAY BE A WHILE YET.

BUT SOME REALTORS ARE HOPEFUL BY THE END OF IT YEAR WE MAY START TO SEE A SLOWDOWN BUT IT MAY STILL BE A HOT MARKET.

>> WE WILL HAVE TO BE THE LAST WORD THIS IS THE WEEK WHERE WE COULD HAVE USED AN HOUR INSTEAD OF A HALF HOUR BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH TO T TALK ABOUT.UT I DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL.

JOINING US IN THIS DISCUSSION.

LOTS ON THE PLATE GOING FORWARD AND WE'LL GET TO SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE DIDN'T GET W TO THIS WEEK HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK AND IT SEEM LIKE WE DO THAT EVERY WEEK.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US AT A HOME AS WELL.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME RIGHT HERE ON OFF THE RECORD.

[ THEME MUSIC ] ♪♪