Breaking With Brett Jensen

Tune in here to this ​Thursday edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen! Breaking Brett Jensen opens the show with details from a press conference held today by U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson and the Charlotte FBI office. The briefing addressed the two most recent stabbings on the light rail, including the August attack that resulted in the death of Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska. Among the key updates was that Oscar Solarzano, the suspect in the most recent stabbing, has been charged federally with illegal reentry and committing an act of violence on a mass transportation system. Later, Jensen interviews several key local figures: former CMS board member Lisa Cline, North Carolina Rep. David Willis and U.S. Rep. Tim Moore. With Cline, he discusses the inner workings of the school board and the recent raise given to Superintendent Crystal Hill. Willis talks about the committees that continue to meet despite the General Assembly not being in session. Finally, with Moore, Jensen covers developments in Washington, D.C., as they relate to North Carolina, including a recent story involving the Lumbee Tribe in the eastern part of the state. Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen. To be the first to hear about Breaking Brett Jensen's exclusives and more follow him on X @Brett_Jensen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in here to this ​Wednesday edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen! Breaking Brett Jensen opens the show by discussing what he calls a “major issue” surrounding the officials Charlotte residents elect to local office. Jensen says, in his opinion, that several people elected to city government over the past two years had no business being in office. He adds that these issues have persisted among individuals serving on roles ranging from the school board to the City Council. Later, Jensen highlights an internal email sent by Brent Cagle, the interim head of the Charlotte Area Transit System. The email was intended to brief the Charlotte City Council on security aboard the CATS light rail. According to a report referencing the email, Cagle told city leaders that security teams do not ride every train for the full duration of their shifts. He also noted that a dedicated transit police force is expected to launch once CATS transitions to an independent authority. The email also references a $3.4 million advertising campaign aimed at encouraging Charlotte residents to ride the light rail. In describing the campaign, Cagle says marketing and communications efforts continue to play a “vital” role in supporting CATS and the customers it serves. He also mentions security concerns related to Friday night’s stabbing incident, noting that no security personnel were on board at the time. Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen. To be the first to hear about Breaking Brett Jensen's exclusives and more follow him on X @Brett_Jensen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in here to this Tuesday edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen! Breaking Brett Jensen kicks off the show by discussing the topics in Mark Garrison’s news report on WBT this morning. The report, which Jensen calls “the best he’s heard,” covered the major issues relevant to Charlotte. Jensen notes that one story stood out - a $3.4 million investment by the Charlotte City Council for an advertising campaign encouraging residents to ride the light rail. Council members chose to focus on this rather than adding more security on the rail system. Regarding the light-rail advertising campaign, Jensen says he believes the concept of “perception” is what motivated the City Council to invest in it. He says “perception,” rather than reality, has frequently guided council decisions. He also says the campaign is misleading to the public because it distracts from significant safety issues that continue to plague the light-rail system. Later, Jensen breaks down numbers released by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department from the first weekend of Operation Safe Season. The figures detail traffic citations, arrests and guns seized. Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen. To be the first to hear about Breaking Brett Jensen's exclusives and more follow him on X @Brett_Jensen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Tune in here to this ​Monday edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen! Breaking Brett Jensen discusses the most recent stabbing on Charlotte’s light rail, which occurred last Friday. The suspect, Oscar Solarzano, is an illegal alien who had been deported from the United States twice. He had also been suspended from riding the light rail, and there are indications he did not have a ticket at the time of the stabbing. Later, Jensen speaks with North Carolina Rep. Mark Harris about the incident. Harris, who calls the attack “unbelievable,” says it highlights the need for elected officials who support law enforcement and Border Patrol. He also points to what he describes as a clear problem in Charlotte - a lack of public support for officers trying to do their jobs. According to Harris, this issue has been evident since “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” which took place last month. Jensen closes the show by discussing an important change coming to WBT later this week. The station will transition to the powerful 100,000-watt 107.9 FM frequency beginning Thursday morning. Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen. To be the first to hear about Breaking Brett Jensen's exclusives and more follow him on X @Brett_Jensen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune in here to this ​Thursday edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen! Breaking Brett Jensen kicks off the show by discussing a press conference announcing a new initiative in the city of Charlotte, dubbed "Operation Safe Season". Among those in attendance were newly appointed Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather, and several others. According to Patterson, the purpose of the operation is to lay the groundwork for “reducing violent crime and disorder” during her first week as chief and into the future. After the opening statements, Jensen notes that a question was raised about juveniles who may gather in the Uptown area and cause trouble during the holiday season. In response, Patterson said she understands that young people want to enjoy the community festivities, but emphasized they must be responsible and follow the law. Another topic addressed was the role the federal government will play in the operation. Ferguson said, in part, that the response will not be based on zone locations but on where crime is occurring. Jensen concludes the show by discussing two additional local topics. The first concerns Mecklenburg County Commissioner Vilma Leake, who represents District 2 and is once again running for a seat on the commission. The second focuses on the current state of the Carolina Panthers, who are on their bye week. Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen. To be the first to hear about Breaking Brett Jensen's exclusives and more follow him on X @Brett_Jensen!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.