Due South

Live from the Outer Banks...  A budget deal has been reached — will it actually end North Carolina’s stint as the only state without an approved budget?  Then, a turn toward the coast — from tourism and infrastructure to beach renourishment and climate change, we check in with three local reporters about the stories that dominate the headlines on the OBX. Colin Campbell , Capitol Bureau Chief, WUN...

0:01:00 North Carolina’s prisons face a crisis of staffing and funding North Carolina’s 55 prisons are operating at minimum staffing, in a steep funding deficit. The state’s Department of Adult Correction is in need of an updated budget that accounts for the growing and aging prison population. WUNC News’ Colin Campbell updates Due South on the current state of the carceral system. This Due South...

0:01:00 Drought, tariffs, and other factors contribute to farming crisis in NC North Carolina farmers are dealing with an array of challenges from an ongoing drought to federal policy decisions impacting the agriculture industry. Jeff Tiberii talks with reporter Phoebe Zerwick about her piece Farming is in crisis for the newsletter ‘Down from DC.’ Phoebe Zerwick , co-author, Down from DC 0:13:00 T...

0:01:00 What film leaders think about the state's incentives After incentives for the film industry dried up in NC, many productions took their work to Atlanta. But the director of the North Carolina Film Office says there’s still an industry here, and a storied history of filmmaking. Guy Gaster , Director of the North Carolina Film Office , which promotes the state to possible productions and stu...

0:01:00 A conversation about new book ‘White Care: The Impact of Race on American Infrastructure’ “Infrastructure” is one of those public policy words that gets thrown around a lot — and for many of us, it doesn’t mean much beyond “roads and bridges.” But, as Cotten Seiler explains, infrastructure is about much more than concrete. It’s about the goods and services that support our communities. Sei...

On this week’s North Carolina News Roundup... The state legislature has reached a bustling pitch – considering a moratorium on some tax changes, making confidential NIL agreements, and a social media ban for some teens. A potential major healthcare merger is on the table in the Triangle. One North Carolina congressman is under investigation. And Charlotte’s mayor will soon step down. Due South hos...

0:01:00 Solar power's ever-changing role in North Carolina's energy grid North Carolina was once an emerging national leader on the solar power front. But disincentives, policy changes and a hold on new projects have changed the solar power landscape. A conversation about energy costs and possible solutions for the future. Liz McLaughlin , climate change reporter, WRAL Matt Abele , Executive Direc...

0:01:00 How to navigate complicated emotions during Mother’s Day weekend Due South's Leoneda Inge chats with a family therapist, who offers advice and recommendations for navigating grief and loss around the holiday. (This Due South encore conversation originally aired May 9, 2024.) Dr. Kristen Wynns , founder and owner of Wynns Family Psychology and author of The No Wimpy Parenting Handbook 0:13:...

0:01:00 The first woman to lead North Carolina’s State Employees’ Credit Union The first woman to head the nation’s second-largest credit union talks overcoming failure, learning to lead, and the growth of female representation in banking. Due South's Leoneda Inge has an extended conversation with the woman at the helm, Leigh Brady. (This Due South encore conversation originally aired January 14,...

0:01:00 Drought conditions persist across North Carolina North Carolina is experiencing its driest season in nearly 20 years. WCNC Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich talks about the drought, how it compares to past record dry seasons in North Carolina and what to expect in the weeks to come.   Brad Panovich , chief meteorologist, WCNC in Charlotte 0:13:00 The Broadside: Where have all the Black far...

On this week’s North Carolina News Roundup...  It’s May Day – and tens of thousands of educators have convened in Raleigh, calling for better pay and support from the legislature. The Voting Rights Act was further gutted – a look at what that means for our state. One local university files for bankruptcy. And we get the latest from a busy week in state politics.  Due South host Jeff Tiberii and a...

An extended version of this Due South conversation originally aired April 9, 2026. From layoffs to AI to social media, the ever-changing news landscape impacts both journalism organizations and consumers. Co-host Jeff Tiberii talks with North Carolina news industry experts about the past, present and future of local media in our state. Marisa Porto , Director of the Center for Innovation and Susta...

0:01:00 For Hayti residents, affordable housing redevelopment is long overdue A revitalization project focused on the long-overlooked historically Black community of Hayti in Durham is still fighting for affordable housing for residents. Henry McKoy, director emeritus of the project, Hayti Reborn, joins Due South to discuss planning efforts and obstacles. (This Due South encore conversation origin...

0:01:00 What Friday’s educator march is all about Several school districts have changed their calendars so school will be out on Friday, clearing the way for educators to attend the march in Raleigh. It’s organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators, which says the goal is to demand more spending on education. Liz will be joining Due South's NC News Roundup on Friday live from Raleigh...

This encore edition of Due South originally aired in April 2024. As the weather warms, many animals emerge — including snakes. Co-host Leoneda Inge talks with a reptile conservation biologist to find out where snakes are likely to be, how they behave and how to love them from afar. Jeff Hall , reptile conservation biologist, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Then, what to do if you are...

The General Assembly is back in session and lawmakers still face a budget impasse. A deal was reached on closing the $319 million Medicaid shortfall – it includes immigration checks and work requirement provisions.  And, what does the future looks like for a proposed property tax referendum? Plus, a playoff update on those Canes. We’ll cover all that and more on this week’s North Carolina News Rou...

0:01:00 Author and voice actor Sarah Vowell  Sarah Vowell was an early contributor to This American Life , before she became a voice actor, and the author of several books. She speaks with Leoneda Inge ahead of an event for Durham County Library on April 23. Sarah Vowell , author, former longtime contributor to This American Life , voice actor for Violet in the Disney animated series The Incredibl...

0:01:00 Brigid Washington’s new memoir explores culinary education and cultural identity A new memoir pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to study at the nation’s top culinary school, the Culinary Institute of America. Trinidad native food writer Brigid Washington talks about her time as a student at NC State, the role that Raleigh played in her culinary career and working with the James Bear...

0:01:00 The do's and don'ts of municipal recycling Recycling has been around a long time and faces relatively little pushback compared to more politically-charged sustainability efforts. Still, recycling has its obstacles, including that it's hard to know what's recyclable and what's not. As Bianca Howard of Wake County Solid Waste Management Division says, "there is nothing intuitive about recycl...

This Due South encore episode originally aired June 25, 2025. 0:01:00 Digging in to the economic and environmental benefits of recycling in North Carolina    A consistent practice of recycling and reusing materials maintains the state’s recycling infrastructure and stimulates a circular economy. We talk to Matt James of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality about ways to strengthe...

On this week’s NC News Roundup... water restrictions set to go into effect on Monday in Raleigh, severe drought conditions impact more than 20 percent of the state, and a legislative hearing tackles ongoing concerns over Medicaid funding and fraud. Colin Campbell, Capitol Bureau Chief, WUNC News Dawn Vaughan, Capitol Bureau Chief, The News & Observer   Zach Eanes, reporter, Axios Raleigh Sarah...

0:01:00 ‘Hyperscale, Hyperspeed,’ a new reported series on the data center boom in North Carolina Data centers are popping up across North Carolina. As some communities welcome them and others consider moratoriums, journalists from BPR, the NC Newsroom, WFAE, and WUNC News explore the data center boom and its impact on our state. Due South talks with three reporters who worked on the collaborative...

0:01:00 North Carolina’s prisons face a crisis of staffing and funding North Carolina’s 55 prisons are operating at minimum staffing, in a steep funding deficit. The state’s Department of Adult Correction is in need of an updated budget that accounts for the growing and aging prison population. WUNC News’ Colin Campbell updates Due South on the current state of the carceral system. Colin Campbell...

We’re all too familiar with the phrases by now: “constitutional crisis,” “slide toward authoritarianism” and “erosion of the rule of law.” Today, Due South delves into what those words really mean — and what’s at stake for our nation — with two local legal experts. Our conversation begins with the Honorable Allyson K. Duncan. When Judge Duncan was a child growing up in Durham, she spent afternoons...

0:01:00 A look at the inner lives of North Carolina’s political wives The Assembly’s Billy Warden discusses his discoveries about the lives of North Carolina’s political spouses in a candid profile that includes interviews with First Lady Anna Stein and Susan Tillis, wife of Sen. Thom Tillis. (This Due South encore conversation originally aired March 24, 2026.) Billy Warden , marketing specialist,...