Due South

It’s less than two weeks until Election Day, but we’re not talking about the candidates and the races, we’re talking about the election itself — how it happens, what the rules are, what’s going on behind the scenes to make sure voting happens safely and smoothly, who’s responsible, and what this all has to do with voting rights and democracy itself.  Derek L. Bowens , Director of Elections, Durham...

Duke philosopher and scientist Felipe De Brigard was recently announced as one of 20 winners of the 2026 MacArthur Fellowship. De Brigard talks with Due South's Jeff Tiberii about his research on the role of imagination in recalling memories, and his work with the " Memoria & Perdón " ("Memory and Forgiveness" in Spanish) project in his home country of Colombia. Felipe De Brigard , Professor o...

0:01:00 Former U.S. Congressman Mel Watt looks back on his storied life and family history in new book Notable Charlotte politician and lawyer Mel Watt joins Leoneda Inge to discuss his rise to U.S. Congress and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. His new book, The Sixth Generation: The Autobiography of Mel Watt , reflects on his life, his long career in law and politics and his legacy. Melvin Wat...

On the North Carolina News Roundup... Jeff Tiberii checks back in on if gas stations are actually implementing price reductions from the gas tax. The North Carolina State Fair opens in Raleigh. Thom Tillis tells all in his new book. Early voting has officially started – and a blue wave is predicted to hit North Carolina. Bryan Anderson , Statewide Politics Reporter for the Assembly, creator of the...

Fewer 'Souls to the Polls' as early voting begins in North Carolina  More than twenty North Carolina counties that previously had early voting on Sundays will not have it for this year’s midterm elections. The reduction in Sunday voting will affect a popular mobilization event for Black voters called Souls to the Polls. These events promote voter turnout in Black congregations by either caravaning...

0:01:00 The Poetry Fox visits Due South   By day, Chris Vitiello works as a communications strategist for NC State University’s Libraries. But he moonlights as a purveyor of poetry, typing custom poems at special events and commemorating strangers’ life milestones. Vitiello is the author of several poetry books and currently serves as Durham’s second poet laureate. However, he may be best known as...

0:01:00 The long, winding history of the Blue Ridge Parkway The vast collection of trails and scenic views all along the Blue Ridge Parkway didn’t just happen on their own – the construction of the parkway was part of a big government effort to bring national parks to more concentrated population centers in the eastern United States. Leoneda Inge talks with public historian Anne Mitchell Whisnant...

0:01:00 The North Carolina State Fair rolls back into Raleigh Kent Yelverton, director of the NC State Fair, joins Leoneda Inge to discuss new foods, fun and features in 2026. The fair runs from October 16 through October 25 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.  Kent Yelverton , director, NC State Fair 0:13:00 The Broadside: The mushy guts and glory of giant pumpkins The North Carolina State F...

A special session at the General Assembly means gas prices will lower – for now. The debate over a 6-month data center moratorium in Raleigh heats up. The 11th congressional district race leaves big questions unanswered. And, Michael Jordan makes a big gift to UNC. All that and more on this week’s North Carolina News Roundup. Colin Campbell , Capitol Bureau Chief, WUNC News Dawn Vaughan , Capitol...

0:01:00 HBCU 101: Majorettes Edition At HBCUs, majorettes are as essential to football season as the marching band. Leoneda Inge explores the history of Black dance tradition at North Carolina Central and across the South in the next edition of ‘HBCU 101.’  Dr. Kristi Johnson , director of dance and assistant professor of dance, North Carolina Central University 0:24:29 Longtime Diwali celebration...

We’re less than one month out from the midterms, with early voting beginning next Thursday, October 15. While the candidates on the ballot get most of the attention, we turn today to three proposed constitutional amendments North Carolinians will decide on in the 2026 general election. Colin Campbell , Capitol Bureau Chief, WUNC News  Ronni Butts , freelance journalist  Adam Wagner , reporter/edit...

For more than a decade American politics has been framed by the Trump era, and during that time President Trump's longstanding support from the religious right has hardly wavered. Within that religious bloc exist factions — including Christian nationalism — bringing new meaning to the crossroads of theology and politics. A new book explores the impacts of these dynamics using history as a guide, a...

0:01:00 Intolerance or Parents’ Rights? A Wake Elementary school is in the crossfire  An elementary school in Wake County may become a legal test case for parents’ rights. At the center of the controversy is a music teacher hired last summer in Apex. The teacher identifies as a trans woman. Some parents would like to pull their students from the class but say they aren’t allowed to. WUNC Education...

A nor’easter caused significant damage in the Outer Banks. Advocacy organizations called for   a lawsuit to challenge NC's last-minute rule changes on mail-in ballots. Changes to Medicaid and SNAP coverage took effect on October 1. The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles also implemented changes to new vehicle registrations, taking the process digital on Oct. 1. Corinne Saunders , Editor,...

0:01:00 A new book explores the long friendship between Nina Simone and Langston Hughes Harlem Renaissance icon Langston Hughes first met a 16-year-old Eunice Waymon when she was a high school student in Asheville, NC. Later, Eunice would go on to become a global music sensation under her stage name, Nina Simone. Her friendship with Hughes endured for the rest of the famed poet’s life. A new book...

There’s been a barrage of news about the harmful effects of technology on our children, our schools, our lives, and – our humanity. From the Meta and TikTok lawsuits, to the use of cell phones in schools, and the potential threats of AI -- we're talking about all the ways in which tech can harm us and what we can do about it. Mary Beth Roche , founder of CHCCS Parents for Intentional Tech  Lee Rai...

0:01:00 Redbud Writing Project brings creative writing to Butner prison The Redbud Project is a nonprofit school based in Raleigh with the mission of bringing creative writing to everyone in their community. Redbud’s community classes have been offered to all kinds of populations in need, from people struggling with addiction to domestic violence survivors and most recently, people dealing with in...

0:01:00 What upending the 'roadless rule' could mean for North Carolina's federal forest lands The Trump administration wants to do away with a longstanding, little-known rule that doesn't allow for new roads in federal forests. The move could increase the risk of wildfires and harm water sources. The 'roadless rule' is a vestige from the Clinton Administration that could be upended and pave the w...

On the heels of President Trump’s visit to Gastonia last week, Vice President JD Vance came to Greensboro this week to stump for Republican candidates from Michael Whatley for U.S. Senate to Laurie Buckhout for NC’s 1st Congressional District. As we approach the two-year anniversary of Helene, we get an update from Western North Carolina on the recovery. Plus, Rep. Virginia Foxx weighs in on press...

Helene upended life in many ways, for many people, in Western North Carolina. Though, in other ways, little has changed and this means continued risks for for some particularly vulnerable communities.  Reporter Ren Larson has delved into the issue of people still living in flood-prone regions of our state. We also touch down in Marshall, NC where artist and entrepreneur Josh Copus is working with...

0:01:00 Fall foliage forecast for North Carolina Get ready for those red, orange and yellow bursts of color throughout our region. It's time to check out the fall leaves in the mountains, and soon enough, here in the Piedmont. Howard Neufeld , recently retired professor of biology, Appalachian State University, a.k.a. “The Fall Color Guy” 0:13:00 The long, winding history of the Blue Ridge Parkway...

0:01:00 Holding space for history As the National Museum of African American History and Cultures celebrates its tenth birthday, the museum’s founding director, Lonnie Bunch, is retiring from the top job at the Smithsonian Institution amid pressure from the White House over how American history is portrayed. Leoneda Inge talks with one of the museum’s architects to reflect on its impact, and the c...

North Carolina in the conversation for Major League Baseball expansion As Major League Baseball runs toward home plate with expansion, North Carolina is in the national conversation for getting a team. What would it take to attract a major-league team in terms of money, demographics, land availability, and a good team name? Jeff Tiberii asks two experts who have been crunching the numbers. Michael...

President Trump delivered remarks criticizing North Carolina in Gastonia, erroneously claiming crime is up while threatening to withhold Helene funding. In sports, a new tennis tournament comes to Charlotte, and a Belichick leaves Chapel Hill. We review the week in news on our North Carolina Friday News Roundup.  Claudia Rivera Cotto , Political Reporter, Enlace Latino NC  Bryan Anderson , Statewi...

0:01:00 New book sheds light on the work of an ‘after pastor’ Sarah York spent eight years pastoring a Unitarian Universalist church in Santa Barbara, California during the 1990s. She was appointed in the aftermath of clergy misconduct and inherited the many challenges that come with caring for a congregation rocked by scandal. She talks to Due South about her new memoir on the subject. Sarah York...