Beyond the Blueprint with Brad Howard

09/29/2026

Exit 23 to Exit 50. Twenty-seven miles, six towns, one lake.

Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville, Troutman, and Statesville. Every one of them knows exactly what it is, and not one of them wants to be the one next door. I believe that is the asset.

On Sept. 18, NC Representative Beth Helfrich for NC of House District 98 sat down with me for the full hour on WSIC News. She represents three of those six towns and taught at Woodlawn School in Mooresville before Raleigh. We talked about who draws the roads under all of this, legislation important to her, and what she wants north Mecklenburg to look like in 20 years.

The lake doesn't have a county line. The institutions do.

Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwtJ9P49hYM&list=PLAc_W-mw-nm8wp-CppQ7GROuZbBp58ztK

Beyond The Blueprint | Hosted by Brad Howard Episode Guest - ...

09/28/2026

Four ways to weigh in over the next few weeks on the roads, the pipes and your property value.

1. CRTPO - Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization's "Safety Is No Accident" survey is open through Oct. 25 at SafeStreetsForUs.com. Put in the one intersection that tightens your stomach every time you pull up to it. That's how a worry becomes a project.

2. City of Statesville NC council meets Monday, Oct. 5 and Monday, Oct. 19, with public comment at both.

3. Iredell County Government commissioners hold a public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. on the Schedule of Values for the 2027 reappraisal. That's the rulebook for how your property gets valued. The meeting is at the Cooperative Extension building, 444 Bristol Drive in Statesville, and the proposed schedule is available to read beforehand through the Tax Assessor's office, the county libraries and the county website.

4. Town of Troutman holds a public hearing Thursday, Oct. 8 on an Iredell EDC incentive request called "Project Speed." A code name means the company isn't public yet. If you live in Troutman, the hearing is your seat at the table.

09/28/2026

Statesville's busiest sewer plant is permitted for 6 million gallons a day. Making it bigger could cost about $121 million and take 9 or 10 years.

That number decides more about growth around here than any zoning map. It was the spine of Friday's hour on WSIC News.

The City of Statesville NC wants a sewer easement from Town of Troutman so a company can locate in Larkin Commercial Park. A council member estimated it at 1,100 jobs. Troutman wants sewer capacity. As reported by Iredell Free News, Statesville's two plants are permitted for 12 million gallons a day and averaging about 4.3, and the engineers discussed about 800,000 gallons a day for Troutman, with Troutman's money helping pay for the expansion.

Each town is holding the piece the other one needs. That's a deal waiting to be written down.

Also in the hour: CRTPO - Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization's 64 to 5 weighted vote on I-77 South, and the gap between the roughly $150,000 income it takes to buy an average existing home here and the county's $81,000 average salary, per figures presented at the Iredell EDC annual meeting.

Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQCjY4i5UHE&list=PLAc_W-mw-nm8wp-CppQ7GROuZbBp58ztK&index=3

Listen to Beyond the Blueprint with Brad Howard on WSIC News every Friday at 3:00.

Beyond The Blueprint | Hosted by Brad Howard Episode Guest - ...

05/30/2026

On Friday's episode, Brad R. Howard sat down with Congressman Mark Harris on WSIC News.

This conversation covered a lot of ground, but it started with the person behind the title.

Congressman Harris talked about faith, family, being “Poppy” to 11 grandchildren, serving as Senior Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Mooresville, and the opening of Trinity Christian Academy this August at the former Mt. Mourne school.

From there, we talked about the growth happening across the Charlotte region, Mooresville, Lake Norman, advanced manufacturing, workforce training, trade schools, and what it takes to prepare the next generation for the jobs that are already coming here.

We also got into several issues moving through Washington right now:

Cashless bail transparency.
Public safety.
The Farm Bill.
The Save Our Bacon Act.
Equal treatment for farmers.
Border security and DHS funding.
The World Cup and America’s 250th birthday.
And the concerns parents have raised in Cabarrus County schools.

What I appreciated most was the chance to have a real conversation about faith, family, policy, growth, and the values that shape leadership.

Thank you to Congressman Mark Harris for joining me, and thank you to everyone who tuned in today on WSIC.

Watch the full episode here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQmckP4njwc

You can catch Beyond the Blueprint every Friday at 3 PM on WSIC, listening locally on 105.9 FM, 100.7 FM, or 1400 AM, watching at WSICnews.com, on the WSIC News app, or streaming on social media.

Beyond The Blueprint | Hosted by Brad Howard Today's Guest | Congressman Mark Harris | North Carolina’s 8th Congressional DistrictFrom blueprints to booming ...

04/25/2026

On the April 10th episode, Brad Howard sat down with Michael Dupree of BCB Real Estate in Cornelius to break down what’s really happening in commercial real estate across the Lake Norman corridor — and there is a LOT happening.

We covered:

• Downtown Huntersville and how North State Development built retail to feel like an amenity

• The $340M Town One project, Knox Crossing, Mills Market and Alexander Farms

• Cornelius adopting a 25-year downtown master plan and why Cornelius is “the crown jewel”

• The 150 Bridge widening and what it means for Denver, Sherrills Ford and traffic patterns into Mooresville

• Where rents really are right now — Birkdale at ~$70/sq ft all-in vs. Statesville at ~$20, flex space jumping from $8–$10 to $18+ almost overnight

• Why grocery-anchored centers are once again “the Grand Puba” of retail

• The supply-and-demand truth behind housing affordability and zoning denials

• Where the smart money is going next: Eastern and Western Huntersville, Troutman, Maiden, and yes — Davidson is the treasury bond of the corridor
If you care about how Mooresville, Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Denver, Sherrills Ford, Troutman and Statesville are being built — one project and one decision at a time — give it a watch.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/live/kljsF88vfJs

Catch Beyond the Blueprint Fridays at 3pm on WSIC — 105.9 FM, 100.7 FM, 1400 AM, wsicnews.com, or the WSIC News app.

Beyond The Blueprint | Hosted by Brad Howard Today's Guest:- Michael Dupree | Broker, Commercial Real Estate | BCB Real estate From blueprints to booming bus...

04/25/2026

Host Brad R. Howard sits down with U.S. Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10) for one of the most grounded conversations we’ve had on the show.

Pat’s background is impressive — West Point, nuclear engineering, Green Beret with two Bronze Stars, and a manufacturing company he and his wife Rocky started at their kitchen table. But the heart of this conversation isn’t the résumé. It’s what actually moves a community forward:

Strong work ethic. Strong relationships. Federal, state, and local leaders — alongside residents and business owners — choosing to row in the same direction.
What you’ll hear:

• Why Iredell, Statesville, Mooresville, Troutman, and the Lake Norman region keep punching above their weight

• How federal policy can support (but never replace) local leadership

• Pat’s own path from “not political” to Congress — and why disengagement is a choice

📻 Fridays at 3:00 PM on WSIC News — 105.9 FM • 100.7 FM • 1400 AM

▶️ Watch the full episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/L77_ZSHgAVo?si=TbE-wZMIAOZYkEzi

Beyond The Blueprint | Hosted by Brad Howard | 04.24.26

04/07/2026

🎙️ This week, Brad Howard sat down with Dan Hughes of River Rock to talk about smart growth, community vision, and one of the most significant projects redefining Lake Norman’s landscape — the Alexander Farm development in Cornelius.

Once a local farm and landmark at West Catawba and Westmoreland, Alexander Farm is being thoughtfully reimagined by River Rock as a mixed-use gateway for Cornelius — blending neighborhood retail, senior living, green space, and walkable community design. Dan shared how the team worked with the town and residents to preserve the site’s heritage while preparing for the region’s modern needs.

We also talked about what responsible growth really means: authentic design, strong municipal partnerships, and developments that enhance local identity instead of replacing it.

👇 Watch the full discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IymG-PweAfc&list=PLAc_W-mw-nm8wp-CppQ7GROuZbBp58ztK&index=1

📻 Tune in Fridays at 3:00 for more Beyond the Blueprint conversations with leaders shaping North Carolina’s future on WSIC News Radio.

Beyond The Blueprint | Hosted by Brad Howard Today's Guest:- Dan Hughes, Co-Founder | River RockFrom blueprints to booming businesses… from groundbreaking to...

03/30/2026

Senator Vickie Sawyer told me she'd call the Secretary of Transportation nearly in tears — "they will burn my house to the ground if you guys punt this one more time."

That's how close we came to losing NC-150 funding. This week on Beyond the Blueprint with Brad Howard, we went deep.

Senator Sawyer chairs the NC Senate Transportation Committee and co-chairs Appropriations for Transportation. She represents Iredell and Mecklenburg Counties — and she's fighting for us in Raleigh on issues that hit this region every single day.

Here's what we covered:

The funding reality — $144 billion in transportation needs statewide competing for a $32 billion 10-year budget. That's the math. And after Hurricane Helene wiped out the I-40 corridor at a cost north of $1 billion, that pot just got smaller.

NC-150 — first discussed for widening in 1987. We're in 2026. Senator Sawyer and Lisa Qualls fought to keep it from getting kicked again when costs ran 22% over budget. That road serves 120,000 people in south Iredell.

The Red Line — Charlotte approved $37.9 million to design a commuter rail to Mooresville. But the Norfolk Southern contract is basically a triple net lease where Norfolk can reclaim priority at any time. And the city paid $91 million for that deal.

The Boring Company — Senator Sawyer visited the operation in Vegas. A 14-foot diameter tunnel, one mile per month, using state-owned right-of-way underground. No utility relocation. No right-of-way acquisition. Three funding models including one where the Boring Company builds the whole thing at zero taxpayer cost and recoups through tolls. One mile of commuter rail can run $648 million. You could tunnel the entire Charlotte corridor for a fraction of that.

I-77 Cintra toll lanes — the legislature can't renegotiate a signed contract. But if Cintra wants to reopen negotiations to add trucks — which was never part of the original deal — then the state needs to demand a toll cap. $6 a segment? $35 to get to Charlotte? That's predatory.

CRTPO voting power — Charlotte holds 42% of the vote. Iredell County gets 9 out of 74. Mooresville gets 3. Statesville gets 3. If our appointed representatives don't show up to those meetings, we lose what little voice we have.

What you can do right now — Contact your DOT board member. Tony Lathrop is the current board chair and represents our area. Go to NCGO.gov to see the 10-year construction plan and where projects stand. Email Senator Sawyer's office with facts, not just frustration.

She said something that stuck with me: "I don't enjoy the political fights. I want to solve the real issues — roads, water, sewer, education. Stop arguing. Just fix it."

Couldn't agree more.

🎧 Watch the full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v8T3PBslbo

Beyond the Blueprint | Fridays @ 3PM on WSIC
105.9 FM | 100.7 FM | 1400 AM | WSICnews.com | WSIC News App

Senator Vickie Sawyer WSIC News Town of Mooresville NC

Beyond The Blueprint | Hosted by Brad Howard Today's Guest: - Senator Vickie Sawyer | District 37 | Iredell & MecklenburgFrom blueprints to booming businesse...