>> THIS WEEK ON OFF THE RECORD, THE CITY'S 2040 PLAN PROMISES MORE NEIGHBORHOOD DIVERSITY, LESS RACISM.

SO WHY DO SO MANY BLACK AND WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS OPPOSE IT?

GOVERNOR COOPER'S COVID UPDATE.

MORE VACCINES FOR ADULTS.

MORE HOURS AND CAPACITY FOR BUSINESSES.

EVEN MORE FANS FOR THE HORNETS.

ALSO MORE DAYS ON CAMPUS INSTEAD OF ON A COMPUTER.

AS CMS AND OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS EASE BACK INTO IN-PERSON LEARNING.

PLUS, VACCINATION HESITATION.

WHY SOME DON'T TRUST THE SHOTS THAT CAN KEEP US HEALTHY.

A FATAL SHOOTING BY U.S.

MARSHALS.

WHY SOME DON'T TRUST POLICE NOTIC WEARING BODY CAMS AND CHARLOTTE'S NEW FOR YOU MEDICAL SCHOOL.

WHY DON'T WE HAVE ONE ALREADY?

PLENTY 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 AND FACES AROUND OUR VIRTUAL TABLE.

MARK BECKER FROM WSOC-TV AND DEDRICK RUSSELL FROM WBTV AND ASHLEY FAY FROM THE CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL AND J ELI PORTILLO FROM THE UNC BUSINESS INSTITUTE.

YOU CAN EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO OFF THE RECORD@WTVI.ORG.

LET'S START WITH THE 2040 MAN.

CHARLOTTE HAS A HISTORY OF THESE BIG PLANS AND A ROT OF THOSE PLANS, THE CITY FOLLOWS THROUGH ON THEM WITH THINGS LIKE STADIUMS, YOU KNOW, LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS ANDND ALL THAT.

BUT THIS PARTICULAR PLAN SEEMS TO BE GENERATING A LOT OF CONTROVERSY.

NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE OF ANY OF THE BIG THINGS THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING BUT HOW MUCH OF THE CITY.

HOW MANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THIS NEW 2040 PLAN ACTUALLY TOUCHES.

I KNOW YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME COVERING THE COUNCIL MEETING THIS WEEK WHERE THEY TALKED ABOUT IT.

T DO T YOU WANT TO GET US UP TO DATE ON THIS?

>> THE 2040 PLAN FIRST DRAFT CAME OUT IN OCTOBER.

IT'S A 320-PAGE DOCUMENT AND HAS 10 BIG GOALS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF CHARLOTTE'S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE.

IT'S MEANT TO BE A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW WE GROW AND WHAT THE CITY'S PRIORITIES ARE, WHAT RESIDENTS' PRIORITIES ARE AND THE UDO, UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, WILL CODIFY THAT AND THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PASSED LATEE THEY'RE YEAR.

THE THING ABOUT THE PLAN THAT GENERATED THE MOST CONTROVERSY SO FAR HAS BEEN A GOAL THAT WOULD ALLOW DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES TO BE BUILT ON ALL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONED LAND ACROSS THE CITY.

MOST OF CHARLOTTE'S LAND IS SCONE ZONED TO ALLOW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WHICH WHEN WEE THINK ABOUT THE TRADITIONALAL HOUSE THAT SOMEONE WOULD BUY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WHAT THIS WOULD ALLOW AND THE ARGUMENT THAT PLANNERS ARE MAKING WILL NEED TO INCREASE OUR HOUSING STOCK INVENTORY AND CREATE DIFFERENT HOUSING OPTIONS.

SO THAT THERE'S THIS MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING OF THE RIGHT NOW, CITY PLANNERS AND OTHERS SAY PROPONENT-- PROPONENTS OF THE PLAN SAY WE HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES ORE APARTMENT.

ADDING DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES AND SOME CASES, QUADS, WILL INCREASE THE HOUSING DIVERSITY AND HELP MODERATE SOME OF THE PRICING OF HOMES.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE OPPOSED TO IT.

THEY SAY FOR VARIOUS REASONS, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER.

IT'S GOING TO CREATE INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES, SO PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IT WILL RESULT IN AFFORDABILITY.

SOMEONE WILL BUILD AN EXPENSIVE DUPLEX COMPLEX INSTEAD OF SOMETHING MORE AFFORDABLE.

WE'RE HEARING A HUGE RANGE OF OPINIONS ON THIS SUBJECT.

WHILE IT WASN'T THE ONLY ISSUE DISCUSSED ON MONDAY, IT'S THE ONE CITED THE MOST FREQUENTLY.

>> BACKING OFF ON A VOTE ON THIS FOR NOW AND THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM MORE PEOPLE AND TWEAK THIS THING UP.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE CONTROVERSY HAS CENTERED ON FOLKS IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MYERS PARK AND EASTOVER AND HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT I KNOW, ELI, YOU DID A STORY THAT TALKED WITH FOLKS ON THE WEST SIDE AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS THERE ABOUT HOW EVEN LOW INCOME AND TRADITIONALLY MINORITY NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD BE IN A LOT OF WAYS ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THIS.. >> YEAH THAT'S ONE OF THETH BIG CONCERNS THAT'S EMERGED.

WHAT'S THE EFFECT ON AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDER A LOT OF GENTRIFICATION PRESSURE, A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE.

YOU KNOW THIS IS THE CITY'S FIRST ATTEMPT AT A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SINCE 1975.

SO WE'RE REALLY OVERDO FOR AN UPDATE ON OUR DEVELOPMENT CODE.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THISS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS IN CHARLOTTE.

I LOOKED BACK AND FOUNDOU STORIES THAT I WROTE IN 2015 ABOUT THIS EFFORT.

SO YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN GOING FOR A LONG TIME AND I THINK THAT THE OPPOSITION THAT'S EMERGED AS THEY GOT CLOSE TO THE FINISH LINE IS KIND OF SURPRISING AND DISHEARTENING FOR SOME OF THE PROPONENTS OF THIS PLAN.

IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE THE OPPOSITION IS COMING FROM, DEVELOPERS IN GENERAL ARE OPPOSED TO THIS PLAN IN ITS CURRENT FORM BECAUSE IT MENTIONS THINGS LIKE MANDATING, INCLUDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SOME DEVELOPMENTS, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE NOW BUT IT'S MEPSED AS AN ASPIRATIONAL GOAL.

SOME HIGHER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE OPPOSED TO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT AN INFLUX OF DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES, EVENN THOUGH A LOT OF THEM LIKE DILWORTH, MYERS PARK, ET CETERA HAVE A LOT OF THAT MIXED IN AND A LOT OF THE HISTORICALLY BLACKCKCK NEIGHBORHOODS AND AREAS LIKE WEST CHARLOTTE, AGAIN, ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IF YOU ALLOW DEVELOPERS MORE FREEDOM TO TEAR DOWN SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES AND BUILD DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEXES, WILL THAT ACCELERATE AGAIN GENTRIFICATION.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT SIDES.

CITY COUNCIL STILL WANTS TO HOLD A VOTE ON THIS BY THE END OF JUNE BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE, I THINK, A LOT OF POTENTIAL EXCHANGES TO THE-- CHAINS TO THE PLAN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

>> IT IS INTERESTING THAT SOMEONE SAID HEY, WE'RE ALREADY LIVING THIS.S.

WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

THE PARK RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD,RH CHARLESOO BRIGHTBAR, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY HAVE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.

THEY HAVE DUPLEXES AND CONDOS SO WE WENT OUT THERE TO SEE EXACTLY HOW IS IT GOING AND HE SAYS THERE ARE CHALLENGES.

SOMETIMES THERE'S NO HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION FEES TO MONITOR THINGS.

THEY HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY AND THERE'S A LOT OF PARKING.

THERE'S RENTAL PROPERTIES SO THERE'S S RENTAL PROPERTY AND PEOPLE WILL CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES.

SO HE THINKS THAT IF YOU DO CREATE THIS THAT TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN CHARLOTTE AND IT'S NOT A PROTECT PRETTY PICTURE AND THAT'S WHY THEY WANT CITY LEADERS TO RETHINK AND LOOK AT WHAT THEY'VE DONE SO THEY DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE.

>> LET ME JUMP IN AND I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE WEEDSEE LIKEDS YOU HAVE AND HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING IT ALL.

SOMEONE LIKE JEFF WHO HAS BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, GROWTH HAS BEEN THE SINGLE DEFINING ISSUE AND SOMETIMES PROBLEM IN CHARLOTTE OVER THE YEARS WE'VE BEEN HERE, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE, RIGHT?

BETTER THAN THE OPPOSITE WHERE IN THE CITY YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT SHRINKAGE AND DECAY BUT HAVING SAID THAT, THEY ROLLED OUT 2020 PLANS AND 2000 PLANS GOING BACK IN TIME, AND I'VE NEVER RECALLED ANY SORT OF OPPOSITION TO THEM.

IT'S ALL THROUGH PIE IN THE SKY, THIS IS GREAT.

LET'S SHOOT FOR THAT GOAL.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT THIS TIME THERE IS THIS GROUNDWELL OF AT LEAST QUESTIONING AND EVEN OPPOSITION TO IT.

BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD THIS.

>> I THINKR PART OF IT IS BECAUSE THE UDO IS ALSO KIND OF BEING WORKED ON AT THE SAME TIME AND THE WHOLE IDEADE BEHIND THEA 2040 PLAN IS THAT THE IDEAS AND PRINCIPLES AND VISIONS IN THE 2040 PLAN WILL P IMMEDIATELY FILTER INTO THE UDO.

SO WHILE PASSAGE OF THE 2040 PLAN DOESN'T MEAN IMMEDIATELY YOU CAN BUILD A DUPLEX, PASSAGE OF THE UDO LATER THIS YEAR, ASSUMING ALL THAT, IS HOW IT LOOKS TODAY, WOULD ALLOW THAT.

I THINK THAT MAY BE PARTLY WHY THERE'S MORE CONTROVERSYSY AROUND IT THIS TIME.

>> THIS IS COMING AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF A REAL HOUSING SHORTAGE AND INCREASING THE HOUSING STOCK IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT LESS THAN A MONTH OF SUPPLY FOR HOUSES.

THE LOWEST LEVEL RECORDED IN DECADES AND PRICES ARE REALLY GOING UP THROUGH THAT SO YOU KNOW, IT'S AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CHANGING DEVELOPMENT RULES IN NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU ARE TAWSKING ABOUT CHANGING YOU Y PEOPLE'S HOMES AND THAT REALLY WAKES PEOPLE UP AND GETS THEM PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT CAN BE AN OBSCURE SUBJECT.

>> HERE'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM THAT TAKES A ZONING STORY THAT MIGHT NOT NORMALLY BE A HEADLINE AND TURNS IT INTO THE LETLINE.

YOU HAVE BRAXTON WINSTON SAYING IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT THIS YOU ARE SUPPORTING RACISM.

YOU HAVE OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS LIKE VICTORIA WATLINGTON WHO IS SAYING THIS ISG GOING TO HURT MY MINORITY NEIGHBORHOODS.

WHEN YOU BRING THE CURRENT DISCUSSION AND DISCORD OVER RACE AND EQUITY INTO WHAT IS NORMALLY KIND OF-- NOT NECESSARILY A ROUTINE PROCESS BUT CERTAINLY A PROCESS THAT DOESN'T GET HEADLINES, THAT'S WHERE THE HEADLINES SEEM TO BE COMING FROM.

AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF AN OBVIOUS QUESTION, BUT YOU KNOW, SOME COUNCILMEMBERS SAY IF YOU SUPPORT THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE GOING TO HURT BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS.

OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS SAY IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT THIS, YOU'RE A RACIST.

YOU KNOW, IT'S-- YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE VOTING ON THIS AS A COUNCILMEMBER, YOU'RE WALKING AN AWFUL FINE LINE BETWEEN KIND OF A ROUTINE ZONING ISSUE AND YOU KNOW, REAL CONTROVERSY THAT COULD COME BACK AND BITE YOU ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS POLITICALLY, I SUPPOSE, GOING FORWARD.

>> YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE FRAGILE HISTORY AND REDLINING AND ALL THE THINGS THAT GOVERNMENT POLICY HAS DONE IN THE PAST.

THE WHOLE POINT OF THE 2040 VISION PLAN, A LOT OF THE LANGUAGE SAYS WE'RE TRYING TO CORRECT THE PAST INEQUITIES AND DISPARATE OUTCOMES THAT WE SEE INN CHARLOTTE TODAY.. AS YOU JUST ALLUDED TO, JEFF, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY CONSENSUS ON HOW YOU FIX THAT TODAY IN 2021.

>> YOU GOT TO REMEMBER, WE VOTED ON OUR LEADERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WORK TOGETHER SO THEY CAN COME UP WITH SOLUTIONSH THAT ARE GOING TO BE BEST FOR EVERYBODY AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THOSE TWO COUNCILMEMBERS, THEY DO HAVE COMMON GROUND THERE.

SHE SAYS THAT ZONING AT TIMES INCREASES SEGREGATION.

SO BOTH OF THEM AGREE ON THAT.

SO AS LEADERS, START FROM WHAT YOU AGREE ON, START ON THAT COMMON GROUND AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO OUR HOMEWORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT PHASE IN THIS, THAT WE CAN HAVE COMMON GROUND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

>> YEAH.

>> I THINK IT REALLY BRINGS UP A FUNDAMENTAL TENSION.

COUNCILMEMBER ED DRIGGS SAID SINGLE FAMILY ZONING SOMETIMES AMERICAN DREAM.

BRAXTON WINSTON SAID, IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT CHANGING THIS AND SUPPORT SINGLE FAMILY ZONING, YOU'RE A RACIST.

THAT REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF A LOT OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO ABOUT RACE IN AMERICA, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ARE PARTS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM RACIST AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE, RACIST AGAINST SOME PEOPLE IN AMERICA?

IT'S A REALLY FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION THAT I THINK IS ANOTHER REASON THAT THIS HAS BECOME SUCH A CHARGED TOPIC.

>> AND IN CHARLOTTE, THAT AMERICAN DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP ISN'T JUST ED DRIGGS, SAY, MOSTLY WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WESTOVER OFF WEST BOULEVARD WHERE THOSE ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE THREATENED BY GENTRIFICATION AND DEVELOPERS COMING IN AND TEARING THEM DOWN AND FORCING THEM OUT.

IF THE DEVELOPER WANTS TO BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE TODAY, IT SEEMS LIKE HE WOULD WANT EVEN MORE SO BUILD MULTIFAMILY HOUSING TO GET MORE DOLLARS OUT OF THAT PROPERTY.

AGAIN, I GET THE SENSE THAT BRAXTON WINSTON IS TALKING TO THE MYERS PARK OF THE WORLD AND WATLINGTON IS SAYING OUR NEIGHBORS ARE FEELING THE SAME OPPOSITION, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOVE THE SAME REASONS, EVEN THOUGH OUR HOUSES ARE MUCH SMALLER AND WORTH A LOT LESS THAN THOSE MILLION DOLLAR HOMES IN THE UPPER CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS.

>>ORHO I GUESS THAT'S WHY CITY LEADERS ARE PUSHING PAUSE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE VOTING ON THE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, BUT THEY'RE PUSHING PAUSE.

THAT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE I THINK IN THE SPACE THAT WE'RE IN NOW, YOU KNOW, CITY LEADERS, OUR POLITICIAN POLITICIANS WOULD BE CRAZY NOT TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS IF THEY WANT TO STILL REMAIN TO KEEP THAT JOB.

I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT THEY'RE LISTENING AND WE'LL JUST SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH AND WE'LL SEE IF WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS AGAIN ON OFF THE RECORD.

>> OR SEE A SECOND DRAFT, HOPEFULLY, BY MAY I THINK IS THE GOAL.

>> SEE YOU HERE IN 2040.

>> I'M NOT SURE YOU WILL SEE ME HERE IN 2040.

YOU MAY BE STILL BE TALKING ABOUT IT.

WATLINGTON SAID SHE WELCOMES THE DISCUSSION ABOUT RACE.

SHE SAYS IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT'S HAPPENED INN THE PAST WITH ZONING IN CHARLOTTE, IN PLACES, ALL AROUND CHARLOTTE THAT HAVE RESTRICTED FOLKS FROM LIVING WHERE THEY LIVE.

AGAIN, WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT COMMON GROUND, TRYING TO CRAWL OVER THAT HUMP OF, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL DISCORD IS TOUGH, I WOULDLD THINK.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND AGAIN, I'M SURE WE WILL BEE BACK TALKING ABOUT THIS IF AND WHEN COUNCIL SCHEDULES THAT VOTE A COUPLE OF MONTHS FROM NOW.

>> WE HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR YESTERDAY OR THIS WEEK SEVERAL TIMES, I GUESS THE MOST EXCITING NEWS FOR MOST ADULTS, MOST OF US, IS THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY VERYVE SOON IS GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT AND GET THATNT A VACCINATION.

THIS IS A SURPRISE FOR A LOT OF US WHO DIDN'T REALLY SEE THAT PARTICULAR LOOSENING UP OF THE RULES COMING THIS WEEKEND SO SOON >> IO THINK WHAT THEY'LL TELL YOU IS IT'S BEEN A SUPPLY ISSUE ALL ALONG, RIGHT?

AND THE SUPPLY NOW WITH JOHNSON&JOHNSON OUT THERE AND I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF AVAILABILITY AND HOW MANY VACCINES NORTHN CAROLINA GETS EVERY WEEK, BUT IT-- THE SUPPLY IS NOW THERE.

IN FACT, I READ THROUGH IT TODAY THAT U.S.' NEXT CHALLENGE IS THE VACCINE GLUT.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH SO MUCH VACCINE?

SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S CHANGED THE EQUATION HERE, I THINK.

AND YOU KNOW, NORTH CAROLINA HAS BEEN MOVING BETTER THAN MOST, I GUESS.

NOT TO THE TOP BY ANY MEANS BUT BETTER THAN MOST IN GETTING VACCINES OUT THERE.

SO YEAH.

I THINK IT'S ACCELERATING AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE.

>> I THINK ABOUT 32% OF NORTH CAROLINIANIAN ADULTS HAVE AT LEAST GOTTEN THEIR FIRST SHOT.

IT IS CERTAINLY MOVING AT A MUCH MORE RAPID CLIP EVEN TWO MONTHS AGO AND A MONTH AGO AND IN THE BEGINNING, WE W KNOW WEE HAD A HUGE SUPPLY ISSUE AND PEOPLE WERE CRASHING WEBSITES AND TRYING TO GET AND THE SUPPLY IS RAMPING UP AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO RAMP UP TO THE GLUT EVENTUALLY THAT MARK ALLUDED TO, AND DEFINITELY A POSITIVE SIGN FOR NORTH CAROLINA.

AND I THINK ABOUT THE POLITICS OF IT ALL AND NOW WE HAVE A DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT AND WE HAVE A DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR AND DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT SAYS THAT BY MY 100 DAYS IN OFFICE, I HAVE EXPANDED THAT, I WANT 200 MILLION AND AFTER HE SAYS THAT, THEN THE GOVERNOR SAYS, OKAY, WE WILL OPEN IT UP.

YOU KNOW, IN MY MIND, IT JUST SAYS THAT, OKAY, I'M GOING TO HELP MY OF 200 MILLION OF VACCINES OF MY 100-DAY IN OFFICE.

THAT'S WHAT GOES THROUGH MY MIND WHEN YOU OPEN UP THE GATE.

HERE'S THE THING.

YOU CAN OPEN THE GATES AND MAKE AVAILABLE THE SUPPLY, BUT DEDRICK, YOU DID REPORTING THIS WEEK ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO AREN'T TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

>> IT IS A PROBLEM IF YOU WANT TO REACH HERD IMMUNITY, YOU NEED MORE MINORITIES TO GET VACCINATED AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE WHITES GETTING VACCINATED, THEY ARE OUTPACING THE MINORITY COMMUNITY.

I DID A STORY AND WE TALKED ABOUT WHY THERE IS VACCINATION HESITATION GOING ON.IO SOME PEOPLE CITE THAT THEY DON'T THINK T THE VACCINE IS SAFE.

EVEN THOUGH FDA HAS GIVEN AN EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION USE THAT SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY WANT MORE TESTING.

THE FDA HAS NOT GIVEN ITS FULL APPROVAL OF THESE VACCINES SO THEY'RE HESITANT ABOUT THAT.AN THEY SAY LET'S HOLD UP AND WAIT AND SEE HOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

ALSO, THERE'S THIS MISTRUST IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO THE GOVERNMENT.

THEY DON'T TRUST THAT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS DO THIS AND I AUTOMATICALLY DO IT.

THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT LONG-TERM EFFECTS, DISABILITIES, WILL IT TRIGGER MY DISABILITY?

THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS AND PEOPLE CITE RELIGIOUS REASONS, THAT WE TALKED TO ONE PERSON, THEY SAY THEY'RE JUST NOT AT PEACE AND THEY BELIEVE IN DIVINE INTERVENTION AND THEY BELIEVE THE BODY WILL BE ABLE TO HEAL ITSELF.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A LOTOT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE TRYING TO ADVOCATE AND TRYING TO PUSH AND TRYINGND TO GET MINORITIES TO GET VACCINATED.

ONE MORE THING, BARRIERS.

WE HAVE HISPANIC WORKERS WHO WORK TWO AND THREE JOBS AND SOMETIMES THEY CAN'T GET TO THE VACCINATION SITES AT THE HOURS THAT THOSE SITES ARE OPEN, AND THEN SOME OF THEM ARE TOO AFRAID TO TELL THEM, HEY, I NEED TO TAKE TIME OFF AND GET THIS VACCINE.

IF YOU GET TWO DOSES,LY HAVEAV TOE TAKE TWO DAYS OFF.

SO ALL OF THOSE BARRIERS THERE THAT ARE THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE ARE PUSHING PAUSE ON GETTING THAT VACCINE RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH.

THE VACCINE NEWS WAS GOOD NEWS GENERALLY IN TERMS OF ALLOWING MORE FOLKS TO GET THAT SHOT.

A LOT OF OTHER GOOD NEWS THIS WEEK IN TERMS OF BUSINESSES GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS, AND A LOT OF PROMISING STUFF GOING ON IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT WILL HOPEFULLY HELP THOSE BUSINESSES FIND THEIR WAY BACK, RIGHT IN >> YEAH.

YOU HEARD A LOT OF RESTAURANT OWNERS AND A LOT OF HOSPITALITY-TYPE BUSINESSES SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXCITED.

WE'RE GOING TO ADD SOME MORE TABLES OUTSIDE.

OF COURSE, STILL MASKS IN PLACE.

STILL HAVE TO KEEP SIX-FEET DISTANCE.

A LOT OF BUSINESSES DID SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO THE TOTAL MAX CAPACITY THAT WE ARE NOW ALLOWED TO BUT I THINK THEY ALL ARE KIND OF BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF THAT FINALLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN START TO GET PEOPLE BACK IN OUR BUSINESS AND GETTING HIGHER ON CASE COUNTS DECLINING AND STILL NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET.

OF COURSE, THERE'S SPECULATION THAT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER WAY AND ESPECIALLY IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DIFFERENT STRAINS IN THE STATE AND ELSEWHERE.

AND GET SOME DINNER OUT AND IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS BUT IT'S GETTING THERE.

I THINK AFTER A YEAR OF HOLDING THEIR BREATH, THEY'RE FINALLY LETTING IT OUT AND I THINK WE HAVE TURNED THE CORNER.

NOW HAVING SAID THAT, YOUU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WELL, WE ARE W RIGHT NOW WHERE WE WERE IN MAYBE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.

THIS IS NORTH CAROLINA AND GENERALLY THE U.S. AND IN OCTOBER, WE WERE FREAKING OUT, RIGHT, BECAUSE THE NUMBERS WERE GOING UP.

IT HAS LEVELED OFF AND GONE DOWN.

BUT IT'S ALL A PERSPECTIVE.

40 DEGREES IN FEBRUARY FEELS PRETTY GREAT.

40 DEGREES IN OCTOBER VERY, VERY COLD.

SO YOU KNOW, IT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH.VE WE'RE GETTING BETTER.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET BACK AND WE'RE SEEING THAT.

>> JUST DRIVING AROUND CHARLOTTE IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, I FEEL LIKE TRAFFIC IS BACK.

I HAVE BEEN REACQUAINTED WITH THE IDEA OF HAVING TO WAIT MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THROUGH A LOT.

AND JUST ANECDOTALLY, I HEARD FROM A FRIEND YESTERDAY THAT THEY WERE IN THE FIRST TRAFFIC JAM ON 77 IN A YEAR.

SO TAKE IT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.

BUT WE MIGHT BE COMING BACK.

>> BLOW THE HORN AGAIN.

>> BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR, RIGHT?

ALSO SCHOOLS ARE CHANGING AS THE SITUATION CHANGES AND IMPROVING.

CMS THIS WEEK, DEDRICK, OPENING THE DOOR TO MORE IN-PERSON LEARNING IN THEHE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SIGNS, YOU KNOW, AS THE CASES DECLINE, HOSPITALIZATIONS DECLINE AND THEY SAY THAT WE WILL FOLLOW THE SIGNS AND THEY'RE OPENING BACK UP FOUR DAYS A WEEK, BUT I TALK TO SOME CMS OFFICIALS AND THEY SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A GOOD THING THAT THEY'RE A LITTLE CAUTIOUS BECAUSE YOU HAVE AROUND 61,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL IN FULL REMOTE, IN THE FULL REMOTE ACADEMY.

YOU HAVE UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF APRIL TO DECIDE IF YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP YOUR CHILD IN THAT FULL REMOTE ACADEMY, OR IF YOU ARE GOING TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE CLASSROOM.

SO IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, 60,000 STUDENTS WHO ALL OF A SUDDEN ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO THE CLASSROOM AND THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ALL OF THAT STUFF, THEY HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT AND BY THE TIME YOU FIND OUT IF THEY'RE COMING BACK, THEY WILL BE IN LIKE FIVE DAYS-- FIVE DAYS IN MAY BUT THEN THEY HAVE TO PREPARE FOR ALL OF THAT.

AND THAT COULD BE JUST A QUICK TURNAROUND.

SO EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE READY.

TEACHERS ARE GETTING VACCINATED AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT WILL BE EASY GOINGNG BACK TO THE CLASSROOM, BUT FULL REMOTE LEARNING ACADEMY , HOW MANY STUDENTSTS WILL COME BACK TO THE CLASSROOM IN IN-PERSON LEARNING AND THAT HAS CMS JUST HOLDING THEIR BREATH.

>> IT'S COMPLICATED, IT IS GOOD NEWS AND ANYTHING CLOSE TO NORMAL FEELS LIKE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

NOT TOO FAR FROM OUR STUDIOS IN PLAZA MIDWOOD, WE HAD A DIFFICULT SITUATION INVOLVING A U.S.

MARSHAL TRYING TO SERVE WARRANTS ON A FELON.

MARK, I KNOW YOU OUT AT THE SCENE.SC CAN YOU TELLEN US ABOUT THE ISSUES ON THAT PARTICULAR CASE?

>> YEAH.

THE FACTS FIRST, THERE WAS A MAN WHO ANY WERE GOING TO SERVE A DOZEN WARRANTS ON.

SOME FELONY AND THERE WAS A CONFRONTATION AT A GAS STATION AND THE DEPUTY U.S.

MARSHAL SHOT AND KILLED THE MAN.

THIS WAS NOT A CMPD OPERATION.

THEY WERE VERY-- CMPD WAS QUICK TO POINT THAT OUT.

THEY ARE DOING THE INVESTIGATION.

IT DOES RAISE SOME QUESTIONS THATON HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ANSWERED YET.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS DEPUTY U.S.

MARSHAL WAS PART OF A TASK FORCE THAT GOES OUT IN THESE SITUATIONS WHICH ARE OFTEN, AT LEAST ECOATIONALLY CONFRONTATIONAL AND AS FARAR AS WE CAN TELL, NO ONE ON THAT UNIT HAD BODY CAMERAS ON.

YOU THINK IF YOU WERE GOING INTO POTENTIALLY CONFRONTATIONAL SITUATION, THE BODY CAMERA WOULD BE A GOOD THING, IF NOT MANDATORY TO SORT OF COVER AND-- COVER YOURSELF IF YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING IF YOU'RE AN OFFICER AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT.

THATTENT WHAT THE CASE HERE.

I TALKED WITH THE OWNER OF THE STORE WHO LOOKED AT THE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO THAT THEY DO FROM THE STORE AND HE SAID POLICE HAVE IT BUT HE LOOK AT IT AND HE SAID IT'S HARD TO TELL WHAT HAPPENED.

THEY WERE VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER APPARENTLY AND DID DID THE PLAN HAVE A GUN?

POLICE DID RECOVER A GUN.

NOT CLEAR WHERE THAT GUN WAS.

QUESTIONS THERE BEING RAISED AND WE'RE NOT SENSING THATHA SAME SORTT OF OUTRAGE WE HAD LAST SUMMER, BUT EVERY TIMEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS DOES HAPPEN, IT DOES RAISE THOSE QUESTIONS.

>> THE FAMILY MEMBERS, WE TALKED TO FAMILY MEMBERS AND THEY HAVE QUESTIONS BECAUSE HE DIED ON HIS BIRTHDAY.

THEY SAID NO, HE WASN'T A PERFECT MAN, BUT HE WAS A FATHER, BROTHER, AND THINGSS LIKE THAT.

I GUESS THEY'RE QUESTIONINGG THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE I GUESS THEY USE THAT-- MARSHAL'S USE PERCEIVED LETHAL THREAT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WORD PERCEIVE, YOU GUESS, YOU SENSE AND THIS COMES IN THE WEEK WHERE WE HAD MASS SHOOTINGS IN BOULDER, COLORADO, AND ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND THE PEOPLE AT THE-- FAMILY MEMBERS AT THE VIGIL SAY IN THOSE CASE WHERE YOU HAVE TWO MEN, TWO NON-BLACK MEN, WHO WERE ABUSED CUESED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING S MULTIPLE PEOPLE, THEY CAME OUT ALIVE BUT THEN YOU HAVE THIS YOUNG MAN, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES THIS YOUNG MAN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT PUMPING GAS AT A GAS STATION AND HE DOES NOT LIVE.

THE FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE LOTS OF QUESTIONS AND HOPEFULLY, THIS INVESTIGATION WILL PROVIDE FAMILY MEMBERS THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY ARE DESIRING.

>> WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME FOR THISF WEEK.

WE DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO TALK AT ALL ABOUT THE NEW MEDICAL, ATRIUM AND WAKE FOREST MEDICAL COMBINING FOR THE FIRST FOUR-YEAR MEDICAL SCHOOL FOR CHARLOTTE.

THE BIGGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY WITHOUT A MEDICAL SCHOOL LIKE THAT.

I'M SURE WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THAT ON FUTURE SHOWS.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL, IN PARTICULAR, FOR A TOWN THAT'S KIND OF MADE ITS REPUTATION ON FINTECH AND SEES ITSELF AS A MEDICAL CENTER GOING FORWARD.

I DO WANT TO APPRECIATE AND THANK EVERYBODY FOR JOINING THUS MORNING.

OUR NORMAL GANG WHO ALWAYS MAKES THE CONVERSATION INTERESTING AND STIMULATING.

TOUCHED ON A LOT OF STUFF THIS WEEK.

I'M SURE WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO REVISIT SOME OF THESE ISSUES IN THE NEXT COMING WEEKS AS WELL..

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME RIGHT HERE ON OFF THE RECORD.

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