August 1, 2025 • 34 mins
Tune in here to this Friday edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen!
Breaking Brett Jensen kicks off the show by talking about Bill Fountain, who is running for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board in District One. Jensen begins by giving an overview of the School Board in District One, which is currently held by Melissa Easley. Easley is predominantly Liberal, as is another candidate, Charlitta Hatch, who used to work for the City of Charlotte. The School Board election in District One is non-partisan, meaning that all three candidates will be on the ballot together.
Jensen also shares a clip from Reporter David Hodges of WBTV talking about the turnover of employees in the Town of Mooresville. Hodges reports that residents are concerned about the departure of dozens of top-level staff members in all of the town's departments, as well as over 100 more employees. It's an informative segment that explores the specific areas of concern that residents are expressing to town leaders.
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!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
News Talk eleven ten and ninety nine to three WBT.
Brett Jensen here with you on this Friday night edition
of Breaking with Brett Jensen. As we go up until
seven o'clock tonight, telephone numbers to get in on the
show is always seven oh four or five, seven eleven ten.
That's also the exact same number to text the show,
and that of course is being brought to you by
Liberty Buick gmc guys. Make sure you follow me on
(00:22):
except Brett underscore Jensen for all the letters to Breaking
News in and around the Charlotte area. And I have
a just of a jammed packed show for you tonight,
like a lot of different things, stuff about Morisville, stuff
about the school board up in North Mecklenburg County. Also
what's going on up in the North Carolina legislature, and
(00:43):
so we just and also the Carolina Panthers. So just
a lot going on today and so fan Fastest Tomorrow
night with the Panthers. So again a lot of things
going on. But we're gonna start off tonight with Bill Fountain.
Bill Fountain is running for school board up in District
one that is currently held by Melissa Easily Melissa Easily
is pretty far left, and when I say that, I'm
(01:06):
tongue in cheek, I mean extreme far left, extreme, extreme extreme.
But she's got a couple of candidates up. They're running
against her. Another Democrat, Charlie to Hatch, she's running against
She's worked for the City of Charlotte for a long time,
and she claimed that her big thing is transparency, which
I'm laughing at because you work for the City of
Charlotte and there's zero transparency with the.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
City of Charlotte, look at all the lawsuits.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
But so you've got two Democrats going against the Republican
Bill Fountain, and it is a non partisan race. So
all three are going to be on the ballot in November,
and maybe the same thing that happens to the two
Democrats will happen, you know, the same thing will happen
to them. Maybe maybe that happened to run to Cheek
three years ago when you had all these Republicans running
(01:50):
against Melissa Easily, so the Republicans split all the vote
and the Democrat walked in. That may happen this time
with two Democrats splitting the vote with one Republican. Maybe
Bill Felton will walk in, So I caught up with
Bill Fountain to talk to him about his thoughts on
the school board.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
So, Bill, you ran for school board three years ago.
It was a little chaotic up there in District one, yes,
with everything, with all the different people going on and
the different candidates that were going on.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
As of right now, I'm just going to say, there's
only three of you.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
So right now, there's only three of you running for
school board as opposed to what happened a couple of
years ago. So what is different about this election? Why
do you think you have a stronger chance this time?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Well, I think I think I've hold my message a
little bit better about the social and political agenda that's been.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
Dumped into our classrooms.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
That's one of the things when and of course that
leaves and they just stopped looking at well, I don't know,
but stop looking.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
But academic performance is what it suffered through that.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
And I think the other thing is which I'm learning
is that both Melissa and Hatch are our Democrats I think,
which that's a left leaning so the so the the the.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
Voters will have a real choice this time.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
I think you know, of you have a you know
from a left side or a conservative site, and I
think that's great for the voters. And that's one of
the things I wanted to get into it, and I
wanted to do that early.
Speaker 5 (03:21):
You get into it, you know, talk filed early.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Clearly it's a district that can be won by a
Republican because Ron the Cheek won it for so many
years and so many years. So clearly a Republican can
get that seat. And you are the only Republican on
the ballot. So what do you think that does for
your chances?
Speaker 5 (03:35):
Well, I think it improves it.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
But at the same time, same time, the demographics within
the district one has changed. It was leaning more a
little bit more, had more of Republicans earlier during the
round the Chicks time, and there's a lot more of
the Democrats and particularly of undecided or undecided unaffiliated has.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Moved up in there.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
And if you look at that, I guess the vision
of that there's a lot of those are hard Democrats, there's.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Some of the Republicans.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
So my way to win is to knock on doors,
is to get out to convince unaffiliated even Democrats, that hey,
you want a conservative voice in the schools, you want
somebody who's not undermining your family values and that's what's happening.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
And someone who's going to.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
Keep an orderly classroom so everybody in the classroom can learn.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
The CMS has been criticized for a very long time,
for many many years, going back to it's test scores,
and especially over the last five years, the test scores
have gone straight down. It was I think the new
study that I just are staut I just heard the
other day was thirty percent of all students graduate with
a D or less, like they have a D average
(04:51):
below right.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Now, thirty percent of the students. It's just it.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
But yet CMS keeps asking for more and more and
more money, but yet the scores are staying flat.
Speaker 5 (05:03):
Right.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
In fact, what Arthur Griffin.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
Said, it was actually forty percent.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
And not only that, but if you look at the
growth in the district's bureaucracy, I mean that's the not
the teachers, but that thing has grown.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
I don't know we could say exponentially, but it has
grown very high. And in fact, if you look, the.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
Compartment of Education came out with a study of that
is said, hey, all around the States, they've been about
about a ninety five percent growth where teacher growth has
been about seventy percent and student's the same thing.
Speaker 5 (05:35):
But our student level has not really grown.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
If you look at CMS, people are opted out for
other choices because they're not getting it there in CMS.
So the money is there, it's in that huge bureaucracy
that could help supplement teacher pay make smaller classrooms.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I'm glad you brought up teacher pay.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
You know there's been a big division right now up
in Raleigh the cent and the House over teacher pay.
The Senate wants, you know, two and a half three
percent raise, the House wants close to do an eight
and a half percent raise.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
What are your thoughts about all that?
Speaker 6 (06:08):
Well?
Speaker 4 (06:09):
I think I think if you look at the study,
I guess the preparation that a teacher has to do
to go on and get their degree, and some of
them get it a master's degree, there should be a
compensation for that type of a level. But I think too,
I do know of I've heard data where teachers are
(06:30):
leaving CMS to go into other counties where their supplements
are actually less, but they have a at easier time
managed in their classroom, they have more support in their classroom,
they have as I guess less disruptions in the in
the in the classrooms. So teacher pay is a bigger
part of but also the environment you live in is
(06:52):
a big important thing. And if you I think we've
got a suite in net that's what I'm talking about,
the better behavior. And I think, like I said, we
have the money in the CMS that can help supplement
teachers pay.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
So last thing here with Bill Fountain up there running
for school board in District one, is there anything that
you'd want to say to people listening anyone in your district?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Anything you want to say to the voters.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Well, I'm going to hope to be out knocking on
all your doors, and I've been knocking on a lot
of doors, and of course I don't get everybody. A
lot of people are not home when I'm out. But
I'm a traditional guy.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
I am a conservative, and I.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Want to bring family values, school choice, all these supper
things that we know that work back into the classroom.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Bill found I appreciate your time today.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
I appreciate thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Bill definitely has some interesting ideas and some things that
I haven't heard mentioned before. So again, this race is
going to be in November, and we're going to be
talking about this a lot between now and then, but
I just wanted to give you an introduction to Bill Fountain.
All Right, when we return, a lot of craziness going
on up in Morzel shocker. Another Jerry Springer likes situation,
(08:00):
Jerry Jerry. Small towns never disappoint when it comes to politics.
It is unbelievable. So we'll talk about Moresville when we return.
My name is Brett Jenson, and you're listening to Breaking
with Brett Jenson. Now, let's swing on over to the
WBT Traffic Center with Pam Warner News Talk eleven, ten
and ninety nine three WBT. Brett Jenson here with you
(08:22):
on this Friday night of Breaking with Brad Jenson. Okay,
so you guys know, if you listen to the show
with any regularity, that I really like the work that
David Hodges does over there at WBTV as.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
An investigative reporter.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
I've had him on my show many, many, many times,
and I've played his reports many many times. Well, he
did one last night about just Shenanigan's craziness, like a
mass exodus of what's happening up in Moresville with the
government up there, so without me trying to explain it,
I just want you to hear what's going on.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
From David Hodges up in Mooresville.
Speaker 7 (08:55):
In tonight, Mooresville residents are raising concerns about the turnover
in town employees, saying it could make it easier for
developers to just bulldoze their way through zoning decisions. Investigative
reporter David Hodges joins this live in studio to help
explain why the timing of all this turnover is especially interesting. David,
(09:16):
what can you tell us well?
Speaker 8 (09:17):
Dedrick, in response to this report I've been working on
the town told me that employees transition for a wide
variety of reasons, but directories from the Town of Morrisville
over just the past year show it's been dramatic. There
dozens of top level staff have left, and across all departments,
more than one hundred employees who used to work for
the town no longer do your tax dollars pay people
(09:45):
to pick up your track or keep traffic flowing, and
to keep you safe all share I signed up. They
also pay people to plan how your community looks today
and in the future.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
Food's going to ensure any planning staff is not traveled
by the development community.
Speaker 8 (10:03):
Moresville resident Richard Beck recently spoke up at a Moorsville
Planning Board meeting to waive a red flag about the
number of employees leaving the town. He pays his taxes too.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
Director of Parks and Recreation, director of human Resources, director
of facilities, director of it For between one hundred and
one hundred and twenty five employees have departed the Morrisville
Town workforce over the past twelve months.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
The institutional knowledge is very important important.
Speaker 8 (10:29):
Hunter Becoe is director of the Graduate Political Science program
at UNC Greensboro. He says this type of turnover and
local government often comes at a cost.
Speaker 7 (10:39):
Very important to have those people around because not only
do they know where things are, they have experience with
different situations.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Some may believe that departures are to greener pastures, but
that belief would be delusional.
Speaker 8 (10:50):
If we were to get this video, what would we see?
A lot of that turnover took place after this interview
in December. Did police come twice that night? I don't
know if they came, try check that, make sure everything
was okay okay? Who else is there? Michael Buk's person,
Who is the person I had met with. I requested
video surveillance footage from inside town hall that night, but
Moresville's town attorney denied my request and WBTV filed a
(11:14):
lawsuit against the town in June to release the footage.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
I was encouraged to do this to this sport tonight
because this board needs to know.
Speaker 8 (11:22):
But one of Beck's biggest concerns is about the planning department,
where there's been another change in leadership. Beck's message this
night was to town residents who volunteered their time to
sit on the planning board, letting them know that this
much turnover comes with the risk.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
The Planning board must be the guardian to prevent the
town from being overwhelmed by the development wolves that surely
see a rare opportunity to destroy what remains of Morsil
as we know it. Thank you.
Speaker 8 (11:56):
In an email response to this report, a spokesperson for
the Town of Morsville que quote, we are committed to
our team and have demonstrated our commitment to our workforce
in a number of ways, including investing and significantly improved
employee benefits and a new compensation structure and job architecture.
It is also important to acknowledge that employees transition for
a wide variety of reasons in every industry and we
(12:19):
are no exception.
Speaker 7 (12:21):
Wow, interesting story there. Now, a population growth is a
major political issue across North Carolina, specifically in our region.
So tell us kind of a lot of turnover and
town employees really have it impact.
Speaker 8 (12:32):
Yeah, So Hunter Bicco was telling me that, especially in
planning departments when you're talking about zoning and growth over towns.
A lot of the regions around the Charlotte area are
bringing on new ordinances, new rules for how they're going
to grow, and it is complicated. It takes a lot
of work over many different years in order to put
those together, and it takes a lot of experience and
(12:53):
a lot of know how institutionally within the town in
order to be able to track that stuff. So when
you have employees leave and new employees come in, it's
hard or sometimes understand well, why did we do things
this way and how are we doing them now? So
it definitely can make a difference on development.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
The experience is key. Now, now, you did mention the
lawsuit that WATV has against the Town of Morsville and
you report, so has that had any impact on employees leaving.
Speaker 8 (13:15):
It's hard to say whether it's had a direct impact,
But what I can say is that in our lawsuit
and some of the follow up records that we've followed
asking for more information, we believe and records showed that
the IT department specifically has purview. It's kind of their
responsibility to keep track of this video surveillance as well
as the video that we're specifically asking for in this lawsuit.
(13:37):
Since we have filed this lawsuit, since we did that interview,
the director I oft IT has left, and another top
level manager there has also left, so we're asking questions
about that as well.
Speaker 7 (13:46):
Yeah, meanwhile, there's still vacancy. So what is the town
of Moresville doing to retain and recruit employees.
Speaker 8 (13:51):
Yeah, so they did recently complete an entire pay study
in order to try and raise the rates of some
of the employees who work there. And but Coode did
tell me that this is an issue across all these
towns surrounding Charlotte as well as Rawleig where there's a
lot of growth, having to try and keep up with
pay in order to retain that talent. So it isn't
just a Moresville issue, but some of what's going on
(14:12):
in Morrisville does seem to be a Morrisville issue.
Speaker 7 (14:14):
So someone we're tracking, Yeah, well, the help one it's
signed is on in Morrisville.
Speaker 8 (14:17):
Indeed it is. I've seen many of those online. You
can get hired there, I guess.
Speaker 7 (14:21):
But thank you, David, and I know you'll keep up
to date on whatever happens next.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Of course in Morrisville.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
The thing to take out of that is, yes, there's
the mass exodus of everything going on with the government
officials and stuff like that. And is it coincidental that
all this started happening after that wild night up there
at what town hall or whatever it was where all
that stuff was happening with the mayor and who knows what.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Else and who knows who else.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
There's a reason why they're not trying to give over
that videotape. There is a reason, and we could probably
pretty much figure out what the reason is if you
follow the case at all, if you've followed any of this,
and the fact that they're trying not to give this
videotape of what occurred in the wee hours of the morning, Gee,
I wonder why if it was a break in, they
(15:14):
would show that.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
So was there any reason? I don't know. I don't know.
I'll leave that up to.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Your own thoughts, but I certainly have mine, and apparently
so do all the people up in Morrisville. So hopefully,
and I truly mean this because they're trying to hide
public record. I mean, that's the way I view it.
I mean they're like, no, well, wait a minute, this
is a freedom of information. You're paying for all this
with city funds.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
I don't care. We're not giving it to you because.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
You may see something on the video that we don't
want you to see, or certain people don't want you
to see. Okay, okay, Well, so hopefully WBTV will win
that lawsuit. And thankfully WBTV actually sues entities.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Because they're.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Ninety percent of the media outlets, and Charlotte would never
sue on suit.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
For this stuff, and I'm glad that WBTV does.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
They sues the city of Charlotte. They're suing Mooresville like
they will sue you. And they sued CMS and won
that case famously against the CMS after the horrific legal
advice and things that were going on within the CMS
legal department, and so good, good for good for WBTV
for constantly following the lawsuits when they realize local governments,
(16:30):
you know, they're not doing what they're supposed to be
doing or should be doing. All right, When we come back,
I have an interview, sit down, one on one interview
with Representative Jake Johnson. He represents Rudford County and other
various parts down there in western North Carolina, and we're
gonna talk about the budget that hasn't been passed yet.
And we're also going to talk about what's going on
with Lake Loure and Chimney Rock and what's happening in
(16:52):
Isaac's home county and hometown. So we'll talk about that
when we return, but right now we're gonna swing on
over to the WBT newsroom with Anna Erickson. Welcome back
to News Talk eleven ten and ninety nine three a WBT.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
And the Breaking with Brett Jensen show.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Okay, so I was able to catch up with Representative
Jake Johnson, State Representative of Jake Johnson out of Ruthborough County,
and look, he oversees the Lake Lore, the Chimney Rock area,
and a lot of things in that particular area.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
So I wanted to catch up with him to.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
See, hey, I know the state park has reopened, but
what about everything else that's going on down there in
Lake Lord and Chimney Rock. But also what's going on
on in Raleigh with the budget and everything. So here's
my interview with the representative Jake Johnson. Here with North
Calendar representative of Jake Johnson. So, Jake, talk about the situation.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Going on still in the mountains.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I mean, we're, you know, nine months out or so,
and you know you're in Ruthber County, in the Chimney
Rock area, in that whole area. So talk about things
that are going on, because I know they just reopened
the state.
Speaker 9 (17:52):
Park, absolutely and that was a huge groundbreaking out there.
The governor was out there, we had our delegation there
and it again to open the door for we need
to rebuild the houses. Yes, we need to get the
businesses back up and going, Yes, absolutely, but you need
those other economic drivers too that bring people to the area.
(18:13):
We need them out there spending money. A lot of
folks they saw the pictures, they still see the lake
being down out there, They see the town is primarily building,
still damage on them. They do not know there's things
opening back up out there where they need to come
spend money, and that will help the rebuild more than anything.
But we're also working hard and Raleigh to make sure
we get this money out the door and it gets
(18:34):
to where it needs to go.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
I remember when you and I spoke in October, late
October and we were talking about you brought up something
that no one else to this day have I heard
from anyone, and that was the river shifted through Chimney
Rock and the river became Main Street. And the question
was do we try and put the river back to
where it was or do we leave its natural occurrence?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
And so where do you guys stand on that.
Speaker 9 (18:58):
Well, Nature's going to go where it's going to go.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
And I think it's going to be.
Speaker 9 (19:02):
A healthy mix of both reinforcing kind of where the
river is now, reinforcing those banks and building around it,
but also trying to get some of that older characteristic
back of the shape of the river, the depth which
you can do there. So I think it's going to
be a healthy mix of both. And when you talk
about who all you're working with, you've got our partners
at Army Corps out there that are actually removing things
(19:22):
from it, helping us kind of stabilize it as they go.
Then you've got dots putting together the master plan, and
that's still in the works of where everything's going to go.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
And then you've got to look.
Speaker 9 (19:32):
At your ingress to the state park. How do you
get in and out of these places. There's a lot
of factors at play in these businesses. They've been you know,
kind of drug along in the sense of what programs
are going to be available for them, federal or state.
There is a ruling out there that we you know,
says we can't give money directly to small businesses to
(19:53):
assist them.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
However, there are in there.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
There's infrastructure we can put in place to make it
easier for them to come back.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
There may be federal grants to help them come back.
Speaker 9 (20:03):
So and then of course you had some that had
insurance that we know they're coming back. It's just a
matter of where they can relocate and what's going to
be around them.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Speaking North County Representative Jake Johnson, who represents parts of
Rudford County, so if the day before the hurricane, the
Chimney Rock area in Lake Lore was a ten the
day after the.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Hurricane, it was a zero. Where does it stand.
Speaker 9 (20:26):
Now, I would say on the upper end where you're
talking about it replaced Main Street, the river replaced Main Street.
There may be buildings there, but they're being gutted out.
So you're looking at a three to four in those ears.
I mean, the bones may be salvageable in some cases,
you know, but we're still in a lot of cases
(20:46):
not two a five yet not even half of what
it was before. I think a lot of that is
the timeline that it takes these insurance claims to pay out.
Huge issue with We're still kind of up in there
on where these federal programs are. Are they going to exist,
are they going to be moved to the state level
for us to administer? And then you look at primary residences,
which are not anywhere in the realm of the same
(21:09):
path a small business would go through. I would say
a lot of those in my area are making their
way back they were damaged. Wasn't a huge percentage that
were totally done away with. You get up into Dudley
Green's district, we're talking Avery Yancey, up into that part
of the world, I would say it would almost be
reversed that they are still having a lot of struggle
with where they're going to have to rebuild homes. So
(21:31):
it's not a one size fits all when you look
at western North Carolina, I think in my district, primarily
not that there weren't houses hurt, but primarily you're talking
about infrastructure, you're talking about businesses, and you're talking about
utilities that were taken out, and when you're trying to
get those done through government channels, it takes time. And
we've allocated more money faster than I would say for
(21:53):
any disaster in the past. But it's a matter of
getting out the door and drawing those federal matches down.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
All right, So let's switch. Let's talk about the state budget.
What are your thoughts about the budget.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
What do you think the odds are that it actually
gets passed this particular year.
Speaker 9 (22:08):
I can see us piecing together, you know, in the past,
we've called them many budgets to where we go through
each Area Committee I chair it, and Capital Committee. We
have to get some provisions done there to be able
to draw down one point five billion in broadband funding
from the bad program. So I would consider mine extremely
high priority to be able to draw that money so
we don't lose it.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
We have to make sure teachers are still getting paid.
Speaker 9 (22:30):
We have to make sure our obligations on Medicaid to
draw down federal money are getting funded. There are certain
things we have to fund that even with a continuing
resolution that we have, we have to still keep funding
to make sure that it gets.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Done on time.
Speaker 9 (22:43):
The rest of the state budget can operate pretty much
on a cr same thing that Congress would pass just
to keep the doors open, but without those raises that
the House would really love to see. People talk about, how,
you know, we don't fund education enough. We don't, you know,
invest in our K twelve schools. Half of our over
half of our state budget closer to sixty five percent
(23:03):
goes to education. And we're looking at do an eight
point five percent teacher raises over the biennial, getting us
to really number one or two in the Southeast for
starting teacher pay. That's what we're talking about, keeping teachers
in the communities, they're teaching. Those are things that we
would really love to see done sooner rather than later.
As recent as ten minutes ago, I was texting our
(23:24):
whip letting him know the days I can be up
there and saying these are days that we will be
at capacity for being able to vote. Make sure we
get everybody into town and get these things done. But
if not, then it's probably going to be short session
before we have a comprehensive what we would call an
omnibus state budget done.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Last question to hear with Jake Johnson, the North Colin
representative out of Rutherford County, Okay. So one bill that
I talked about last week that I haven't seen reported
anywhere else nowhere, and that is defining legally what is
a man and a woman parental rights when it comes
to books and classes that their kids can take or
re in public schools, and not offering sex changes.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Or puberty blockers or whatever it is for inmates.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
So talk about that particular bill if you can.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
They should it have called it the Common Sense Bill.
That would have been a much better title. Everything in there.
You saw huge issues last election cycle. These were big
issues nationally, not just in North Carolina. Nationally, there's a
reason these national campaigns kept promoting these.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Types of policies.
Speaker 9 (24:26):
It's cause they're extremely extremely popular with the American people,
and they're extremely popular here in North Carolina. The average
person that you talk to, they believe in the things
in this bill as common sense measures to one protect
women that are actually trying to play in these sports.
If you talk to some of the people that have
been victims of and I do consider them victims of
(24:47):
men participating in women's sports, their stories are horrifying what
they've had to go through. So to say it doesn't happen,
which is the first argument I hear from the left
a lot, is this is not an issue.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
It doesn't happen.
Speaker 9 (25:00):
I put you in front of people and absolutely promise
you what happens. Even in our smaller communities, we've had
issues in locker rooms that made the girls extremely uncomfortable,
and I don't do not blame their parents at all
for getting frustrated coming to the school system.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
So they are real problems. I think that's the first
thing to identify.
Speaker 9 (25:15):
This is not something we're sitting in a room as
Republicans making up and then just making sure that when
we're talking about if you are eighteen years old and
you were paying for it yourself and you want to
go get these puberty blockers or something, there's very little
government has against you doing that, right, now, nor should it.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
That is your prerogative.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
Go to it.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Do I believe in it? No, but that is your prerogative.
Speaker 9 (25:38):
But when you were talking about either taxpayer dollars or
and or it being done to a miner who has
little to no say so in this or without the
consent of one parent, I hear a lot of times
these parents are separated, living in two homes.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
One parent is doing.
Speaker 9 (25:52):
It without the consent of the other parent, And I
just I can't even imagine having having to be put
in that situation, you know, seeing this and then teachers
not disclosing that they're calling them by a different name,
that they're classifying them totally different, and the parents having
no knowledge of that.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
That is just horrific.
Speaker 9 (26:10):
And we've got to get that out of our schools.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Representative Johnson, really appreciate your time today.
Speaker 9 (26:13):
Absolutely, Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Some very interesting stuff there, especially about the transgender bill
and what is a woman bill and the pornography bill
and everything else that he just talked about. And then,
let's be honest, it is common sense. But yet people
like Lord Bud just got to be in her bonnet.
She represents Matthews and yeah, that was very interesting. Of
all the hills that she wants to die on, that
(26:36):
was one of them.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Interesting.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
All right, when we come back, Carolina Panthers FanFest is tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Let's talk some Carolina Panthers when we return.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
But right now we're going to swing on over to
the WBT Traffic Center with Pam Warner. All Right, this
is the first installment of what will be some Panther Fridays,
and FanFest is tomorrow with the Carolina Panthers. The first
PRECS game took place last night between the La Chargers
and the Detroit Lions. And so football season it's getting here,
(27:07):
is coming. You know, trading can't spend for a while
with the Carolina Panthers. Well, Dave Canalis the head coach
of the Carolina Panthers. Panthers, and there's a lot of
belief that they could win seven, eight, even nine games
and challenge for the playoffs this year if things go
right and everyone stays healthy. Well, Dave Canallis, the head coach,
met with the media earlier today.
Speaker 10 (27:25):
Dave, you confirmed saw a video where you confirm that
you do plan a player starter. Yes, the first preseason
game went behind that decision. Was that one of the
things that kind of learned from last preseason because you
didn't play them last year.
Speaker 11 (27:37):
Yeah, I just you know, kind of going through it
last year, I think, you know, with we have a
mix of veteran players, but it's it's predominantly a pretty
young team, and I just can't pass up the opportunities,
like the reps in game are valuable. But I think
that it goes to the night before when guys know
they're going to go out there. They got to make
a decision, you know, to play football, and so it
(27:57):
starts the night before with the prep. You start thinking
about your plan, taking care of your body, making sure
you get your rest, you get up, it's your nutrition
plan in the morning, body readiness, you know, kind of
just like your full game day routines.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Those are so valuable.
Speaker 11 (28:11):
You know, we have three opportunities to do that, you know,
in this preseason, and I just really want to take
advantage of that. Plus it's a bunch of new guys
playing together on defense and a couple of new guys
on the offensive side. We have a little more continuity there.
But I just love the thought of them going through
that plan, having a first fifteen type of thought process,
you know, and taking advantage of the preparation price.
Speaker 6 (28:32):
Yes, for the second and third preseason game as.
Speaker 11 (28:37):
Well, that's my plan for the first two and then
the third one. We'll have to kind of decide, kind
of wait and see where we're at there in that
week of practice going into it.
Speaker 9 (28:46):
You as as Vashta said, you didn't play your stars,
I think the first two last year.
Speaker 11 (28:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Was it just something what changed? And did you learn
something from that process? Yeah?
Speaker 11 (28:58):
I think just experimenting with experimenting with an approach. You know,
I'd been a part of in Seattle where we played
our starters all but the last preseason game. They always
got some good work in a couple series, and I
just think about Pete. What he was looking for at
the time was the same thing we talked about, was
you know, that mental preparation and readiness to go out
there and play football, you know, full speed football. So
(29:19):
there's a you think about the hours, you know, there's
a lot that goes into getting your mind right to
go out there and play this game. You know, So that,
as much as anything, is valuable, Dave, you mentioned.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
That Bryce early on in practice refocused the team.
Speaker 8 (29:34):
Yeah, that has.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
That been a common occurrence for Bryce this training camp
and had.
Speaker 8 (29:39):
His speeches leadership.
Speaker 11 (29:40):
I you know, it hasn't been necessary, you know, really
up until today. And I think as we start, we
accumulated three great days of practice, had to read, had
a player day off, you know, and you kind of
come out and the guys are kind of oozing their
way into practice. And so the challenge, you know, and
from Tuba at the end of practice was, guys, we
can't afford to come out and feel our way through
(30:02):
this thing. We have to be ready to go when
that first horn blows. For two hours were working and
to kind of have those habits and and Bryce I
think just sensed it. You know, he hadn't had to
up until this point, but I think he could sense
just not enough urgency and so he just kind of
you know, we went through that first rock, he came
back out and took you know, ten or fifteen seconds
to kind of tell the guys let's go. You know,
(30:23):
it's time to go. So I love that.
Speaker 9 (30:25):
How do you balance in your mind, you said, dominant
day for defense, how you kind of balance good for them,
bad for the other guys.
Speaker 11 (30:31):
Yeah, I'm just looking for the response, you know. And
it's the consistency, right because you know, especially when we
get into the red zone periods, you know, the way
we score it, you know, we give we give a
point for a win, we give three points for a touchdown.
So the defense isn't like that. But what happens is
in games, you could be having a dominant day, but
you give up one go ball for a touchdown and
(30:51):
it's a big swing in momentum, a big shift, you know.
So it's that consistency of play that we're looking for.
But I thought they upheld that. I thought they continue
to play the run game and challenge a run game
and then challenge a pass game. Came up with some turnovers,
you know. So and then what I've been noticing the
guys are doing is the defense is getting together before
every team drill. They're kind of coming together talking, challenging
(31:14):
each other, and they go out there and call it
up again, you know. And so it's just, uh, I
love that refocus. That's what it's gonna take during games.
I expect them to kind of have that chemistry to
come together in between drives. Let's go out and do
it again. How How many times, Can we just do
right longer? Can we finish halves? Can we finish games
that way? So I love the mentality of it.
Speaker 8 (31:34):
Right now, you talked about they wanted to see a
player leg team.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Yeah, it's the balance that you're looking to strike with
really allowing those side.
Speaker 6 (31:43):
To set them up.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (31:44):
I think it's the job of the coaching staff to
set the foundation for our schemes, for our philosophy, and
for our expectations of what it looks like to play
Panthers football. But then it becomes powerful when the players
take that, you know, and the locker room owns it
and they make it show up, play in and play out.
That's when it becomes powerful. That's when it becomes our team,
(32:04):
their team. And because as you all know, at the
end of the day, it's going to be those men
out there on the field. The coaches are going to
be standing back sending in calls, but they're the ones
that gotta do it. They got to call each other,
they got to rebound from, you know, a bad play,
They got to celebrate the good place and keep each
other in tune and focused for a whole game.
Speaker 8 (32:26):
And what do you expect from.
Speaker 11 (32:28):
Robert is amazing. The size, the talent, the quickness, the flexibility.
He's a really intelligent guy and he'll be the first
one to come up here and tell you there are
technique things that he wants to work on, you know,
and being really specific with this hand placement, you know,
playing keeping his weight back. You know, he's such a
big dominant force, he can get away with kind of
(32:50):
just mauling guys and covering them up. But if you
play with technique and you have all that power and athleticism,
that's when you really, you know, take the next steps.
And I just love the thought of like, regardless of
our players are at, there's always more out there for you.
There's always a learning curve. We're constantly growing as coaches,
as players, we're constantly looking for that. So I love
the fact that he's challenging himself and you know, Goodie
(33:12):
Harold Goodwin is challenging him every day and just on
the little techniques, you know, and he's very coachable, very
receptive to that.
Speaker 9 (33:18):
Your first impression on it digital down in distance.
Speaker 11 (33:22):
I think it could be really valuable, you know. I
think for me as a as the head coach, I
think just you know, there are those close like was
it a first down or not? Type of situations that
come up where all of a sudden, I gotta be
ready for it was a first down, what's the play
call there? It wasn't potentially a fourth and inches, you know,
potentially a third in inches or whatever. So I think
(33:42):
that that getting that information quickly does help the flow
of the game.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Dude, that's been fast before season with fans.
Speaker 10 (33:51):
What is your going into tomorrow?
Speaker 11 (33:53):
Yeah, I'm really excited to just get get the extra
energy that comes with, you know, a game like environment.
It feels to me like we used to have four
preseason games. It feels like that first opportunity for us
to suit up, we'll be in full pads, we'll get
all of our special teams units, a couple of full
speed reps to evaluate it. But also just you know,
the just that the gratification of making a playing here
(34:16):
in the fans, you know, making a tackle, making a
you know, making a nice catch or a big run,
you know, and the successes that come with that, and
being able to feed off the energy of the fans.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
All Right, everyone that's gonna do it for us tonight.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
I've got a massive massive show coming up on Monday
and with a special guest in stadium, so make sure
you stick around for that and join me on Monday.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Again.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Thanks to Bill Felt, who's running for school board up
in District one, and also thanks to North Counta state
representative Jake Johnson for joining me earlier.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
All Right, have a great weekend everyone, stay cools.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
The weather's supposed to be turning perfect all next week,
so look forward to speaking to you then. My name
is Brett Jensen, and you have been listening to Breaking
with Brett Jensen.
News Talk eleven ten and ninety nine to three WBT.
Brett Jensen here with you on this Friday night edition
of Breaking with Brett Jensen. As we go up until
seven o'clock tonight, telephone numbers to get in on the
show is always seven oh four or five, seven eleven ten.
That's also the exact same number to text the show,
and that of course is being brought to you by
Liberty Buick gmc guys. Make sure you follow me on
(00:22):
except Brett underscore Jensen for all the letters to Breaking
News in and around the Charlotte area. And I have
a just of a jammed packed show for you tonight,
like a lot of different things, stuff about Morisville, stuff
about the school board up in North Mecklenburg County. Also
what's going on up in the North Carolina legislature, and
(00:43):
so we just and also the Carolina Panthers. So just
a lot going on today and so fan Fastest Tomorrow
night with the Panthers. So again a lot of things
going on. But we're gonna start off tonight with Bill Fountain.
Bill Fountain is running for school board up in District
one that is currently held by Melissa Easily Melissa Easily
is pretty far left, and when I say that, I'm
(01:06):
tongue in cheek, I mean extreme far left, extreme, extreme extreme.
But she's got a couple of candidates up. They're running
against her. Another Democrat, Charlie to Hatch, she's running against
She's worked for the City of Charlotte for a long time,
and she claimed that her big thing is transparency, which
I'm laughing at because you work for the City of
Charlotte and there's zero transparency with the.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
City of Charlotte, look at all the lawsuits.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
But so you've got two Democrats going against the Republican
Bill Fountain, and it is a non partisan race. So
all three are going to be on the ballot in November,
and maybe the same thing that happens to the two
Democrats will happen, you know, the same thing will happen
to them. Maybe maybe that happened to run to Cheek
three years ago when you had all these Republicans running
(01:50):
against Melissa Easily, so the Republicans split all the vote
and the Democrat walked in. That may happen this time
with two Democrats splitting the vote with one Republican. Maybe
Bill Felton will walk in, So I caught up with
Bill Fountain to talk to him about his thoughts on
the school board.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
So, Bill, you ran for school board three years ago.
It was a little chaotic up there in District one, yes,
with everything, with all the different people going on and
the different candidates that were going on.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
As of right now, I'm just going to say, there's
only three of you.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
So right now, there's only three of you running for
school board as opposed to what happened a couple of
years ago. So what is different about this election? Why
do you think you have a stronger chance this time?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Well, I think I think I've hold my message a
little bit better about the social and political agenda that's been.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
Dumped into our classrooms.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
That's one of the things when and of course that
leaves and they just stopped looking at well, I don't know,
but stop looking.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
But academic performance is what it suffered through that.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
And I think the other thing is which I'm learning
is that both Melissa and Hatch are our Democrats I think,
which that's a left leaning so the so the the the.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
Voters will have a real choice this time.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
I think you know, of you have a you know
from a left side or a conservative site, and I
think that's great for the voters. And that's one of
the things I wanted to get into it, and I
wanted to do that early.
Speaker 5 (03:21):
You get into it, you know, talk filed early.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Clearly it's a district that can be won by a
Republican because Ron the Cheek won it for so many
years and so many years. So clearly a Republican can
get that seat. And you are the only Republican on
the ballot. So what do you think that does for
your chances?
Speaker 5 (03:35):
Well, I think it improves it.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
But at the same time, same time, the demographics within
the district one has changed. It was leaning more a
little bit more, had more of Republicans earlier during the
round the Chicks time, and there's a lot more of
the Democrats and particularly of undecided or undecided unaffiliated has.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Moved up in there.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
And if you look at that, I guess the vision
of that there's a lot of those are hard Democrats, there's.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Some of the Republicans.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
So my way to win is to knock on doors,
is to get out to convince unaffiliated even Democrats, that hey,
you want a conservative voice in the schools, you want
somebody who's not undermining your family values and that's what's happening.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
And someone who's going to.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
Keep an orderly classroom so everybody in the classroom can learn.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
The CMS has been criticized for a very long time,
for many many years, going back to it's test scores,
and especially over the last five years, the test scores
have gone straight down. It was I think the new
study that I just are staut I just heard the
other day was thirty percent of all students graduate with
a D or less, like they have a D average
(04:51):
below right.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Now, thirty percent of the students. It's just it.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
But yet CMS keeps asking for more and more and
more money, but yet the scores are staying flat.
Speaker 5 (05:03):
Right.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
In fact, what Arthur Griffin.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
Said, it was actually forty percent.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
And not only that, but if you look at the
growth in the district's bureaucracy, I mean that's the not
the teachers, but that thing has grown.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
I don't know we could say exponentially, but it has
grown very high. And in fact, if you look, the.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
Compartment of Education came out with a study of that
is said, hey, all around the States, they've been about
about a ninety five percent growth where teacher growth has
been about seventy percent and student's the same thing.
Speaker 5 (05:35):
But our student level has not really grown.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
If you look at CMS, people are opted out for
other choices because they're not getting it there in CMS.
So the money is there, it's in that huge bureaucracy
that could help supplement teacher pay make smaller classrooms.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I'm glad you brought up teacher pay.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
You know there's been a big division right now up
in Raleigh the cent and the House over teacher pay.
The Senate wants, you know, two and a half three
percent raise, the House wants close to do an eight
and a half percent raise.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
What are your thoughts about all that?
Speaker 6 (06:08):
Well?
Speaker 4 (06:09):
I think I think if you look at the study,
I guess the preparation that a teacher has to do
to go on and get their degree, and some of
them get it a master's degree, there should be a
compensation for that type of a level. But I think too,
I do know of I've heard data where teachers are
(06:30):
leaving CMS to go into other counties where their supplements
are actually less, but they have a at easier time
managed in their classroom, they have more support in their classroom,
they have as I guess less disruptions in the in
the in the classrooms. So teacher pay is a bigger
part of but also the environment you live in is
(06:52):
a big important thing. And if you I think we've
got a suite in net that's what I'm talking about,
the better behavior. And I think, like I said, we
have the money in the CMS that can help supplement
teachers pay.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
So last thing here with Bill Fountain up there running
for school board in District one, is there anything that
you'd want to say to people listening anyone in your district?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Anything you want to say to the voters.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Well, I'm going to hope to be out knocking on
all your doors, and I've been knocking on a lot
of doors, and of course I don't get everybody. A
lot of people are not home when I'm out. But
I'm a traditional guy.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
I am a conservative, and I.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Want to bring family values, school choice, all these supper
things that we know that work back into the classroom.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Bill found I appreciate your time today.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
I appreciate thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Bill definitely has some interesting ideas and some things that
I haven't heard mentioned before. So again, this race is
going to be in November, and we're going to be
talking about this a lot between now and then, but
I just wanted to give you an introduction to Bill Fountain.
All Right, when we return, a lot of craziness going
on up in Morzel shocker. Another Jerry Springer likes situation,
(08:00):
Jerry Jerry. Small towns never disappoint when it comes to politics.
It is unbelievable. So we'll talk about Moresville when we return.
My name is Brett Jenson, and you're listening to Breaking
with Brett Jenson. Now, let's swing on over to the
WBT Traffic Center with Pam Warner News Talk eleven, ten
and ninety nine three WBT. Brett Jenson here with you
(08:22):
on this Friday night of Breaking with Brad Jenson. Okay,
so you guys know, if you listen to the show
with any regularity, that I really like the work that
David Hodges does over there at WBTV as.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
An investigative reporter.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
I've had him on my show many, many, many times,
and I've played his reports many many times. Well, he
did one last night about just Shenanigan's craziness, like a
mass exodus of what's happening up in Moresville with the
government up there, so without me trying to explain it,
I just want you to hear what's going on.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
From David Hodges up in Mooresville.
Speaker 7 (08:55):
In tonight, Mooresville residents are raising concerns about the turnover
in town employees, saying it could make it easier for
developers to just bulldoze their way through zoning decisions. Investigative
reporter David Hodges joins this live in studio to help
explain why the timing of all this turnover is especially interesting. David,
(09:16):
what can you tell us well?
Speaker 8 (09:17):
Dedrick, in response to this report I've been working on
the town told me that employees transition for a wide
variety of reasons, but directories from the Town of Morrisville
over just the past year show it's been dramatic. There
dozens of top level staff have left, and across all departments,
more than one hundred employees who used to work for
the town no longer do your tax dollars pay people
(09:45):
to pick up your track or keep traffic flowing, and
to keep you safe all share I signed up. They
also pay people to plan how your community looks today
and in the future.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
Food's going to ensure any planning staff is not traveled
by the development community.
Speaker 8 (10:03):
Moresville resident Richard Beck recently spoke up at a Moorsville
Planning Board meeting to waive a red flag about the
number of employees leaving the town. He pays his taxes too.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
Director of Parks and Recreation, director of human Resources, director
of facilities, director of it For between one hundred and
one hundred and twenty five employees have departed the Morrisville
Town workforce over the past twelve months.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
The institutional knowledge is very important important.
Speaker 8 (10:29):
Hunter Becoe is director of the Graduate Political Science program
at UNC Greensboro. He says this type of turnover and
local government often comes at a cost.
Speaker 7 (10:39):
Very important to have those people around because not only
do they know where things are, they have experience with
different situations.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Some may believe that departures are to greener pastures, but
that belief would be delusional.
Speaker 8 (10:50):
If we were to get this video, what would we see?
A lot of that turnover took place after this interview
in December. Did police come twice that night? I don't
know if they came, try check that, make sure everything
was okay okay? Who else is there? Michael Buk's person,
Who is the person I had met with. I requested
video surveillance footage from inside town hall that night, but
Moresville's town attorney denied my request and WBTV filed a
(11:14):
lawsuit against the town in June to release the footage.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
I was encouraged to do this to this sport tonight
because this board needs to know.
Speaker 8 (11:22):
But one of Beck's biggest concerns is about the planning department,
where there's been another change in leadership. Beck's message this
night was to town residents who volunteered their time to
sit on the planning board, letting them know that this
much turnover comes with the risk.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
The Planning board must be the guardian to prevent the
town from being overwhelmed by the development wolves that surely
see a rare opportunity to destroy what remains of Morsil
as we know it. Thank you.
Speaker 8 (11:56):
In an email response to this report, a spokesperson for
the Town of Morsville que quote, we are committed to
our team and have demonstrated our commitment to our workforce
in a number of ways, including investing and significantly improved
employee benefits and a new compensation structure and job architecture.
It is also important to acknowledge that employees transition for
a wide variety of reasons in every industry and we
(12:19):
are no exception.
Speaker 7 (12:21):
Wow, interesting story there. Now, a population growth is a
major political issue across North Carolina, specifically in our region.
So tell us kind of a lot of turnover and
town employees really have it impact.
Speaker 8 (12:32):
Yeah, So Hunter Bicco was telling me that, especially in
planning departments when you're talking about zoning and growth over towns.
A lot of the regions around the Charlotte area are
bringing on new ordinances, new rules for how they're going
to grow, and it is complicated. It takes a lot
of work over many different years in order to put
those together, and it takes a lot of experience and
(12:53):
a lot of know how institutionally within the town in
order to be able to track that stuff. So when
you have employees leave and new employees come in, it's
hard or sometimes understand well, why did we do things
this way and how are we doing them now? So
it definitely can make a difference on development.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
The experience is key. Now, now, you did mention the
lawsuit that WATV has against the Town of Morsville and
you report, so has that had any impact on employees leaving.
Speaker 8 (13:15):
It's hard to say whether it's had a direct impact,
But what I can say is that in our lawsuit
and some of the follow up records that we've followed
asking for more information, we believe and records showed that
the IT department specifically has purview. It's kind of their
responsibility to keep track of this video surveillance as well
as the video that we're specifically asking for in this lawsuit.
(13:37):
Since we have filed this lawsuit, since we did that interview,
the director I oft IT has left, and another top
level manager there has also left, so we're asking questions
about that as well.
Speaker 7 (13:46):
Yeah, meanwhile, there's still vacancy. So what is the town
of Moresville doing to retain and recruit employees.
Speaker 8 (13:51):
Yeah, so they did recently complete an entire pay study
in order to try and raise the rates of some
of the employees who work there. And but Coode did
tell me that this is an issue across all these
towns surrounding Charlotte as well as Rawleig where there's a
lot of growth, having to try and keep up with
pay in order to retain that talent. So it isn't
just a Moresville issue, but some of what's going on
(14:12):
in Morrisville does seem to be a Morrisville issue.
Speaker 7 (14:14):
So someone we're tracking, Yeah, well, the help one it's
signed is on in Morrisville.
Speaker 8 (14:17):
Indeed it is. I've seen many of those online. You
can get hired there, I guess.
Speaker 7 (14:21):
But thank you, David, and I know you'll keep up
to date on whatever happens next.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Of course in Morrisville.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
The thing to take out of that is, yes, there's
the mass exodus of everything going on with the government
officials and stuff like that. And is it coincidental that
all this started happening after that wild night up there
at what town hall or whatever it was where all
that stuff was happening with the mayor and who knows what.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Else and who knows who else.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
There's a reason why they're not trying to give over
that videotape. There is a reason, and we could probably
pretty much figure out what the reason is if you
follow the case at all, if you've followed any of this,
and the fact that they're trying not to give this
videotape of what occurred in the wee hours of the morning, Gee,
I wonder why if it was a break in, they
(15:14):
would show that.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
So was there any reason? I don't know. I don't know.
I'll leave that up to.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
Your own thoughts, but I certainly have mine, and apparently
so do all the people up in Morrisville. So hopefully,
and I truly mean this because they're trying to hide
public record. I mean, that's the way I view it.
I mean they're like, no, well, wait a minute, this
is a freedom of information. You're paying for all this
with city funds.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
I don't care. We're not giving it to you because.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
You may see something on the video that we don't
want you to see, or certain people don't want you
to see. Okay, okay, Well, so hopefully WBTV will win
that lawsuit. And thankfully WBTV actually sues entities.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Because they're.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Ninety percent of the media outlets, and Charlotte would never
sue on suit.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
For this stuff, and I'm glad that WBTV does.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
They sues the city of Charlotte. They're suing Mooresville like
they will sue you. And they sued CMS and won
that case famously against the CMS after the horrific legal
advice and things that were going on within the CMS
legal department, and so good, good for good for WBTV
for constantly following the lawsuits when they realize local governments,
(16:30):
you know, they're not doing what they're supposed to be
doing or should be doing. All right, When we come back,
I have an interview, sit down, one on one interview
with Representative Jake Johnson. He represents Rudford County and other
various parts down there in western North Carolina, and we're
gonna talk about the budget that hasn't been passed yet.
And we're also going to talk about what's going on
with Lake Loure and Chimney Rock and what's happening in
(16:52):
Isaac's home county and hometown. So we'll talk about that
when we return, but right now we're gonna swing on
over to the WBT newsroom with Anna Erickson. Welcome back
to News Talk eleven ten and ninety nine three a WBT.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
And the Breaking with Brett Jensen show.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Okay, so I was able to catch up with Representative
Jake Johnson, State Representative of Jake Johnson out of Ruthborough County,
and look, he oversees the Lake Lore, the Chimney Rock area,
and a lot of things in that particular area.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
So I wanted to catch up with him to.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
See, hey, I know the state park has reopened, but
what about everything else that's going on down there in
Lake Lord and Chimney Rock. But also what's going on
on in Raleigh with the budget and everything. So here's
my interview with the representative Jake Johnson. Here with North
Calendar representative of Jake Johnson. So, Jake, talk about the situation.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Going on still in the mountains.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I mean, we're, you know, nine months out or so,
and you know you're in Ruthber County, in the Chimney
Rock area, in that whole area. So talk about things
that are going on, because I know they just reopened
the state.
Speaker 9 (17:52):
Park, absolutely and that was a huge groundbreaking out there.
The governor was out there, we had our delegation there
and it again to open the door for we need
to rebuild the houses. Yes, we need to get the
businesses back up and going, Yes, absolutely, but you need
those other economic drivers too that bring people to the area.
(18:13):
We need them out there spending money. A lot of
folks they saw the pictures, they still see the lake
being down out there, They see the town is primarily building,
still damage on them. They do not know there's things
opening back up out there where they need to come
spend money, and that will help the rebuild more than anything.
But we're also working hard and Raleigh to make sure
we get this money out the door and it gets
(18:34):
to where it needs to go.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
I remember when you and I spoke in October, late
October and we were talking about you brought up something
that no one else to this day have I heard
from anyone, and that was the river shifted through Chimney
Rock and the river became Main Street. And the question
was do we try and put the river back to
where it was or do we leave its natural occurrence?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
And so where do you guys stand on that.
Speaker 9 (18:58):
Well, Nature's going to go where it's going to go.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
And I think it's going to be.
Speaker 9 (19:02):
A healthy mix of both reinforcing kind of where the
river is now, reinforcing those banks and building around it,
but also trying to get some of that older characteristic
back of the shape of the river, the depth which
you can do there. So I think it's going to
be a healthy mix of both. And when you talk
about who all you're working with, you've got our partners
at Army Corps out there that are actually removing things
(19:22):
from it, helping us kind of stabilize it as they go.
Then you've got dots putting together the master plan, and
that's still in the works of where everything's going to go.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
And then you've got to look.
Speaker 9 (19:32):
At your ingress to the state park. How do you
get in and out of these places. There's a lot
of factors at play in these businesses. They've been you know,
kind of drug along in the sense of what programs
are going to be available for them, federal or state.
There is a ruling out there that we you know,
says we can't give money directly to small businesses to
(19:53):
assist them.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
However, there are in there.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
There's infrastructure we can put in place to make it
easier for them to come back.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
There may be federal grants to help them come back.
Speaker 9 (20:03):
So and then of course you had some that had
insurance that we know they're coming back. It's just a
matter of where they can relocate and what's going to
be around them.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Speaking North County Representative Jake Johnson, who represents parts of
Rudford County, so if the day before the hurricane, the
Chimney Rock area in Lake Lore was a ten the
day after the.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Hurricane, it was a zero. Where does it stand.
Speaker 9 (20:26):
Now, I would say on the upper end where you're
talking about it replaced Main Street, the river replaced Main Street.
There may be buildings there, but they're being gutted out.
So you're looking at a three to four in those ears.
I mean, the bones may be salvageable in some cases,
you know, but we're still in a lot of cases
(20:46):
not two a five yet not even half of what
it was before. I think a lot of that is
the timeline that it takes these insurance claims to pay out.
Huge issue with We're still kind of up in there
on where these federal programs are. Are they going to exist,
are they going to be moved to the state level
for us to administer? And then you look at primary residences,
which are not anywhere in the realm of the same
(21:09):
path a small business would go through. I would say
a lot of those in my area are making their
way back they were damaged. Wasn't a huge percentage that
were totally done away with. You get up into Dudley
Green's district, we're talking Avery Yancey, up into that part
of the world, I would say it would almost be
reversed that they are still having a lot of struggle
with where they're going to have to rebuild homes. So
(21:31):
it's not a one size fits all when you look
at western North Carolina, I think in my district, primarily
not that there weren't houses hurt, but primarily you're talking
about infrastructure, you're talking about businesses, and you're talking about
utilities that were taken out, and when you're trying to
get those done through government channels, it takes time. And
we've allocated more money faster than I would say for
(21:53):
any disaster in the past. But it's a matter of
getting out the door and drawing those federal matches down.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
All right, So let's switch. Let's talk about the state budget.
What are your thoughts about the budget.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
What do you think the odds are that it actually
gets passed this particular year.
Speaker 9 (22:08):
I can see us piecing together, you know, in the past,
we've called them many budgets to where we go through
each Area Committee I chair it, and Capital Committee. We
have to get some provisions done there to be able
to draw down one point five billion in broadband funding
from the bad program. So I would consider mine extremely
high priority to be able to draw that money so
we don't lose it.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
We have to make sure teachers are still getting paid.
Speaker 9 (22:30):
We have to make sure our obligations on Medicaid to
draw down federal money are getting funded. There are certain
things we have to fund that even with a continuing
resolution that we have, we have to still keep funding
to make sure that it gets.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Done on time.
Speaker 9 (22:43):
The rest of the state budget can operate pretty much
on a cr same thing that Congress would pass just
to keep the doors open, but without those raises that
the House would really love to see. People talk about, how,
you know, we don't fund education enough. We don't, you know,
invest in our K twelve schools. Half of our over
half of our state budget closer to sixty five percent
(23:03):
goes to education. And we're looking at do an eight
point five percent teacher raises over the biennial, getting us
to really number one or two in the Southeast for
starting teacher pay. That's what we're talking about, keeping teachers
in the communities, they're teaching. Those are things that we
would really love to see done sooner rather than later.
As recent as ten minutes ago, I was texting our
(23:24):
whip letting him know the days I can be up
there and saying these are days that we will be
at capacity for being able to vote. Make sure we
get everybody into town and get these things done. But
if not, then it's probably going to be short session
before we have a comprehensive what we would call an
omnibus state budget done.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Last question to hear with Jake Johnson, the North Colin
representative out of Rutherford County, Okay. So one bill that
I talked about last week that I haven't seen reported
anywhere else nowhere, and that is defining legally what is
a man and a woman parental rights when it comes
to books and classes that their kids can take or
re in public schools, and not offering sex changes.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Or puberty blockers or whatever it is for inmates.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
So talk about that particular bill if you can.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
They should it have called it the Common Sense Bill.
That would have been a much better title. Everything in there.
You saw huge issues last election cycle. These were big
issues nationally, not just in North Carolina. Nationally, there's a
reason these national campaigns kept promoting these.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Types of policies.
Speaker 9 (24:26):
It's cause they're extremely extremely popular with the American people,
and they're extremely popular here in North Carolina. The average
person that you talk to, they believe in the things
in this bill as common sense measures to one protect
women that are actually trying to play in these sports.
If you talk to some of the people that have
been victims of and I do consider them victims of
(24:47):
men participating in women's sports, their stories are horrifying what
they've had to go through. So to say it doesn't happen,
which is the first argument I hear from the left
a lot, is this is not an issue.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
It doesn't happen.
Speaker 9 (25:00):
I put you in front of people and absolutely promise
you what happens. Even in our smaller communities, we've had
issues in locker rooms that made the girls extremely uncomfortable,
and I don't do not blame their parents at all
for getting frustrated coming to the school system.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
So they are real problems. I think that's the first
thing to identify.
Speaker 9 (25:15):
This is not something we're sitting in a room as
Republicans making up and then just making sure that when
we're talking about if you are eighteen years old and
you were paying for it yourself and you want to
go get these puberty blockers or something, there's very little
government has against you doing that, right, now, nor should it.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
That is your prerogative.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
Go to it.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Do I believe in it? No, but that is your prerogative.
Speaker 9 (25:38):
But when you were talking about either taxpayer dollars or
and or it being done to a miner who has
little to no say so in this or without the
consent of one parent, I hear a lot of times
these parents are separated, living in two homes.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
One parent is doing.
Speaker 9 (25:52):
It without the consent of the other parent, And I
just I can't even imagine having having to be put
in that situation, you know, seeing this and then teachers
not disclosing that they're calling them by a different name,
that they're classifying them totally different, and the parents having
no knowledge of that.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
That is just horrific.
Speaker 9 (26:10):
And we've got to get that out of our schools.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Representative Johnson, really appreciate your time today.
Speaker 9 (26:13):
Absolutely, Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Some very interesting stuff there, especially about the transgender bill
and what is a woman bill and the pornography bill
and everything else that he just talked about. And then,
let's be honest, it is common sense. But yet people
like Lord Bud just got to be in her bonnet.
She represents Matthews and yeah, that was very interesting. Of
all the hills that she wants to die on, that
(26:36):
was one of them.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Interesting.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
All right, when we come back, Carolina Panthers FanFest is tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Let's talk some Carolina Panthers when we return.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
But right now we're going to swing on over to
the WBT Traffic Center with Pam Warner. All Right, this
is the first installment of what will be some Panther Fridays,
and FanFest is tomorrow with the Carolina Panthers. The first
PRECS game took place last night between the La Chargers
and the Detroit Lions. And so football season it's getting here,
(27:07):
is coming. You know, trading can't spend for a while
with the Carolina Panthers. Well, Dave Canalis the head coach
of the Carolina Panthers. Panthers, and there's a lot of
belief that they could win seven, eight, even nine games
and challenge for the playoffs this year if things go
right and everyone stays healthy. Well, Dave Canallis, the head coach,
met with the media earlier today.
Speaker 10 (27:25):
Dave, you confirmed saw a video where you confirm that
you do plan a player starter. Yes, the first preseason
game went behind that decision. Was that one of the
things that kind of learned from last preseason because you
didn't play them last year.
Speaker 11 (27:37):
Yeah, I just you know, kind of going through it
last year, I think, you know, with we have a
mix of veteran players, but it's it's predominantly a pretty
young team, and I just can't pass up the opportunities,
like the reps in game are valuable. But I think
that it goes to the night before when guys know
they're going to go out there. They got to make
a decision, you know, to play football, and so it
(27:57):
starts the night before with the prep. You start thinking
about your plan, taking care of your body, making sure
you get your rest, you get up, it's your nutrition
plan in the morning, body readiness, you know, kind of
just like your full game day routines.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Those are so valuable.
Speaker 11 (28:11):
You know, we have three opportunities to do that, you know,
in this preseason, and I just really want to take
advantage of that. Plus it's a bunch of new guys
playing together on defense and a couple of new guys
on the offensive side. We have a little more continuity there.
But I just love the thought of them going through
that plan, having a first fifteen type of thought process,
you know, and taking advantage of the preparation price.
Speaker 6 (28:32):
Yes, for the second and third preseason game as.
Speaker 11 (28:37):
Well, that's my plan for the first two and then
the third one. We'll have to kind of decide, kind
of wait and see where we're at there in that
week of practice going into it.
Speaker 9 (28:46):
You as as Vashta said, you didn't play your stars,
I think the first two last year.
Speaker 11 (28:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Was it just something what changed? And did you learn
something from that process? Yeah?
Speaker 11 (28:58):
I think just experimenting with experimenting with an approach. You know,
I'd been a part of in Seattle where we played
our starters all but the last preseason game. They always
got some good work in a couple series, and I
just think about Pete. What he was looking for at
the time was the same thing we talked about, was
you know, that mental preparation and readiness to go out
there and play football, you know, full speed football. So
(29:19):
there's a you think about the hours, you know, there's
a lot that goes into getting your mind right to
go out there and play this game. You know, So that,
as much as anything, is valuable, Dave, you mentioned.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
That Bryce early on in practice refocused the team.
Speaker 8 (29:34):
Yeah, that has.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
That been a common occurrence for Bryce this training camp
and had.
Speaker 8 (29:39):
His speeches leadership.
Speaker 11 (29:40):
I you know, it hasn't been necessary, you know, really
up until today. And I think as we start, we
accumulated three great days of practice, had to read, had
a player day off, you know, and you kind of
come out and the guys are kind of oozing their
way into practice. And so the challenge, you know, and
from Tuba at the end of practice was, guys, we
can't afford to come out and feel our way through
(30:02):
this thing. We have to be ready to go when
that first horn blows. For two hours were working and
to kind of have those habits and and Bryce I
think just sensed it. You know, he hadn't had to
up until this point, but I think he could sense
just not enough urgency and so he just kind of
you know, we went through that first rock, he came
back out and took you know, ten or fifteen seconds
to kind of tell the guys let's go. You know,
(30:23):
it's time to go. So I love that.
Speaker 9 (30:25):
How do you balance in your mind, you said, dominant
day for defense, how you kind of balance good for them,
bad for the other guys.
Speaker 11 (30:31):
Yeah, I'm just looking for the response, you know. And
it's the consistency, right because you know, especially when we
get into the red zone periods, you know, the way
we score it, you know, we give we give a
point for a win, we give three points for a touchdown.
So the defense isn't like that. But what happens is
in games, you could be having a dominant day, but
you give up one go ball for a touchdown and
(30:51):
it's a big swing in momentum, a big shift, you know.
So it's that consistency of play that we're looking for.
But I thought they upheld that. I thought they continue
to play the run game and challenge a run game
and then challenge a pass game. Came up with some turnovers,
you know. So and then what I've been noticing the
guys are doing is the defense is getting together before
every team drill. They're kind of coming together talking, challenging
(31:14):
each other, and they go out there and call it
up again, you know. And so it's just, uh, I
love that refocus. That's what it's gonna take during games.
I expect them to kind of have that chemistry to
come together in between drives. Let's go out and do
it again. How How many times, Can we just do
right longer? Can we finish halves? Can we finish games
that way? So I love the mentality of it.
Speaker 8 (31:34):
Right now, you talked about they wanted to see a
player leg team.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Yeah, it's the balance that you're looking to strike with
really allowing those side.
Speaker 6 (31:43):
To set them up.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (31:44):
I think it's the job of the coaching staff to
set the foundation for our schemes, for our philosophy, and
for our expectations of what it looks like to play
Panthers football. But then it becomes powerful when the players
take that, you know, and the locker room owns it
and they make it show up, play in and play out.
That's when it becomes powerful. That's when it becomes our team,
(32:04):
their team. And because as you all know, at the
end of the day, it's going to be those men
out there on the field. The coaches are going to
be standing back sending in calls, but they're the ones
that gotta do it. They got to call each other,
they got to rebound from, you know, a bad play,
They got to celebrate the good place and keep each
other in tune and focused for a whole game.
Speaker 8 (32:26):
And what do you expect from.
Speaker 11 (32:28):
Robert is amazing. The size, the talent, the quickness, the flexibility.
He's a really intelligent guy and he'll be the first
one to come up here and tell you there are
technique things that he wants to work on, you know,
and being really specific with this hand placement, you know,
playing keeping his weight back. You know, he's such a
big dominant force, he can get away with kind of
(32:50):
just mauling guys and covering them up. But if you
play with technique and you have all that power and athleticism,
that's when you really, you know, take the next steps.
And I just love the thought of like, regardless of
our players are at, there's always more out there for you.
There's always a learning curve. We're constantly growing as coaches,
as players, we're constantly looking for that. So I love
the fact that he's challenging himself and you know, Goodie
(33:12):
Harold Goodwin is challenging him every day and just on
the little techniques, you know, and he's very coachable, very
receptive to that.
Speaker 9 (33:18):
Your first impression on it digital down in distance.
Speaker 11 (33:22):
I think it could be really valuable, you know. I
think for me as a as the head coach, I
think just you know, there are those close like was
it a first down or not? Type of situations that
come up where all of a sudden, I gotta be
ready for it was a first down, what's the play
call there? It wasn't potentially a fourth and inches, you know,
potentially a third in inches or whatever. So I think
(33:42):
that that getting that information quickly does help the flow
of the game.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Dude, that's been fast before season with fans.
Speaker 10 (33:51):
What is your going into tomorrow?
Speaker 11 (33:53):
Yeah, I'm really excited to just get get the extra
energy that comes with, you know, a game like environment.
It feels to me like we used to have four
preseason games. It feels like that first opportunity for us
to suit up, we'll be in full pads, we'll get
all of our special teams units, a couple of full
speed reps to evaluate it. But also just you know,
the just that the gratification of making a playing here
(34:16):
in the fans, you know, making a tackle, making a
you know, making a nice catch or a big run,
you know, and the successes that come with that, and
being able to feed off the energy of the fans.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
All Right, everyone that's gonna do it for us tonight.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
I've got a massive massive show coming up on Monday
and with a special guest in stadium, so make sure
you stick around for that and join me on Monday.
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Again.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Thanks to Bill Felt, who's running for school board up
in District one, and also thanks to North Counta state
representative Jake Johnson for joining me earlier.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
All Right, have a great weekend everyone, stay cools.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
The weather's supposed to be turning perfect all next week,
so look forward to speaking to you then. My name
is Brett Jensen, and you have been listening to Breaking
with Brett Jensen.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!