Due South

On the North Carolina News Roundup... It’s summer – and not a state budget in sight! We chat spending plans, or lack thereof. Many rural hospitals would face closure if the federal budget proposal becomes law. A plan to regulate psychoactive hemp products gains traction at the legislature. In Winston-Salem, a federal redistricting trial is underway. And, how political violence in Minnesota is impa...

For twenty years, Juneteenth celebrations have been held across the state of North Carolina. The tradition dates back to long before Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021. Leoneda Inge sits down with the North Carolina Juneteenth State Director Phyllis Coley to discuss how commemorations have evolved over the years and what’s in store for the state’s 20th anniversary of Juneteenth celebratio...

A generation gap in the Triangle housing market The News and Observer’s Chantal Allam is back to talk about trends and notable highlights in Triangle housing. She chats with co-host Leoneda Inge about Baby Boomers “boxing out” Millennials from Triangle housing, and a contest for the best Modernist home in North Carolina. ‘Unto These Hills’ outdoor drama marks 75 years in Cherokee, NC North Carolin...

Federal cuts aren’t the only threat to the economic influence of North Carolina’s colleges and universities. Some grants are tied to international students, and would be lost if those students don’t return, or if new enrollees decide not to come to the U.S. for research that was already funded. What a “quadruple whammy” could mean for higher education in NC. And, Katelyn MacDonald has been stopped...

During the 2024-25 school year, Ashe County Schools students missed 33 days following Hurricane Helene. This compounded the districts usual, frequent school closings for inclement weather, to result in only 99 days of in-person school attendance this year. Ashe is one of 31 Western NC public school districts affected by Helene's devastation. We talk to superintendent Dr. Eisa Cox about her plans f...

On this week's NC News Roundup... Protests in Los Angeles spread to other cities across the country, including Raleigh. President Trump touches down in Fayetteville days before his military birthday party parade. At the state legislature, Trump-centric policies advance, including two immigration bills. What happens after a likely gubernatorial veto? In Greensboro, a big job announcement. And, the...

Thousands of soccer fans gathered in Chapel Hill this week to see Mexico playTurkey. It was an exciting match-up, but there was also concern about events like this with a backdrop of immigration raids.  Twenty years after a groundbreaking book on the Ocracoke Brogue accent, the authors worked with a fourth-generation Ocracoke resident to take an even deeper dive into the culture and evolution of t...

Initiative to restore Sugarloaf Island If you summer on the coasts of North Carolina, you may be familiar with Morehead City, a popular port town in Carteret County. But slightly less well-known is the barrier island adjoining the town: Sugarloaf Island. The man-made stretch of land is just off the waterfront and for years has been a draw for tourism. It’s also a layer of protection for the coastl...

Raw milk production and sales remain controversial in North Carolina. After lawmakers rescinded a proposed ban on raw milk sales in May, farmers are hopeful that their business will be able to grow and thrive, despite ongoing safety concerns. Guest: Rob Benor , owner of Benor Farms in Cedar Oak, NC   Kathleen DuVal’s latest book has been called a “magisterial overview of a thousand years of Native...

The federal budget proposal presently before the U.S. Senate would advance much of the President’s domestic agenda. Along with Medicaid cuts, this budget plan would slash food assistance programs and clean energy initiatives, extend tax cuts, and limit income-driven student loan repayment programs. Danielle Battaglia, Capitol Hill correspondent at The News & Observer , joins co-host Jeff Tiber...

On the North Carolina News Roundup... As Congress tries to push through a federal budget, some Republicans are already regretting recent votes in support of it. Meanwhile the state legislature is advancing immigration policy seeking to crack down on "sanctuary cities.” And, Amazon has announced plans to bring hundreds of jobs and invest billions of dollars in Richmond County. Plus, we check in on...

Editor's note: This interview first aired in April, 2024. Since then, all the students we spoke to have graduated and worked in media and journalism. Politicians, parents, and pundits have lots of opinions about how to solve mental health problems affecting nearly every campus. Leoneda Inge speaks with three journalists who worked on and edited stories for The Mental Health Collaborative, a projec...

As hurricane season begins in North Carolina, Due South’s Jeff Tiberii talks to WCNC chief meteorologist Brad Panovich about what may be on the horizon regarding storms this summer. NPR investigative correspondent Laura Sullivan shares her reporting the new PBS documentary, Hurricane Helene’s Deadly Warning, and what the fateful storm revealed about America’s lack of preparedness for future natura...

The recent announcement of a new Michelin guide dedicated to the American South has sent a ripple of excitement through several Southern states, including North Carolina. We’ll talk to a member of one of the tourism boards who help to finance the Michelin guide and learn more about the restaurant selection process. *encore edition* Guest : Scott Peacock , director of tourism, marketing and communi...

Jurassic-era climate research Researchers at Duke University have uncovered information about a major extinction during the Jurassic period that they believe sheds light on how climate change affects our oceans. Mike Kipp , earth and climate science assistant professor at Duke University New burrowing dinosaur discovery by NC scientists Researchers at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and NC State...

On the North Carolina News Roundup... The Trump administration is joining the battle over voter registrations in NC. State House and Senate leaders will soon begin budget negotiations, and one of the many disagreements involves ferry tolls. Also on the coast, famed chef Vivian Howard opened a new restaurant in Duck. And the state has new rules for fishing flounder. Guest host Colin Campbell talks...

Jonathan Allen , professor of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences and the Director of Graduate Programs for Food Science at North Carolina State University, joins Due South to discuss raw milk and safety testing in North Carolina. Landon Bryant discusses his new book, Bless Your Heart: A Field Guide to All Things Southern . And Ashley Oliphant , author of Shark Teeth Hunting on the Carolin...

Roberts talks Harvard, campus protests, hiring a high-profile football coach, and more with Leoneda Inge. Plus, famed Southern Gothic author Flannery O’Connor painted, too, and an exhibit at her home-turned-museum includes previously unknown paintings by O'Connor. Guests: Lee Roberts , Chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill Cassandra Munnell is the Curator for Andalusia the Home of Flannery O’Connor

The story of “The Lost Colony" of Roanoke is one that's been told for generations. But some say the colony was never actually lost. Scott Dawson, owner of the Lost Colony Museum on Hatteras Island, talks to co-host Leoneda Inge about the evidence he and a British archaeological team recently found, which Dawson hopes will change the narrative. Then, the story of The Lost Colony of Roanoke has been...

This time of year, a bevy of sights and sounds emerge in the South. In a recently published book, Georgann Eubanks chronicles fifteen natural phenomena from across the region that are simultaneously routine and breathtaking. Eubanks joins Due South’s Leoneda Inge to talk about The Fabulous Ordinary: Discovering the Natural Wonders of the Wild South . This encore interview originally aired April 9,...

On the North Carolina News Roundup...  Another week of significant budget news. NC Congresswoman Virginia Foxx leads a middle-of-the-night hearing, before passage of a controversial budget bill. What could the spending plan mean for North Carolinians?  The NC House passes their spending plan, setting up a fight with the Senate over teacher pay.  In Charlotte, a city council member has been indicte...

Nearly 80 percent of HBCU students borrow federal loans. Financial aid officers are tasked with preparing students for the impact of loan borrowing on their future. Leoneda Inge talks to Denise Hicks-Mial , director of scholarships and student aid at North Carolina Central University, about student loan borrowing and financial planning. The long-term impact of student loan debt continues to impact...

The recent announcement of a new Michelin guide dedicated to the American South has sent a ripple of excitement through several Southern states, including North Carolina. Leoneda Inge sits down with  Scott Peacock , director of tourism, marketing and communications for Visit NC, to learn more about the restaurant selection process. Due South’s Leoneda Inge and Jeff Tiberii chat with Appalachian St...

May 20, 1775, is a date you may recognize from the North Carolina state flag. It represents what was supposedly the first declaration of independence made by any of the 13 colonies involved in the American Revolution. That date was added more than a century ago, but its authenticity was first contested by Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. A budget proposal passed by the state senate would end the s...

Mayor Harold Weinbrecht joins Leoneda Inge to talk about leading the town he grew up in, managing Cary’s growth, and his proclamation to change the name of Cary to “Carey” for one day — plus, property taxes and pickleball. Then, North Carolina Health News reporter Rachel Crumpler investigated deaths by suicide in North Carolina’s prison system and found an increase in these deaths among incarcerat...