Due South

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Fifty years after the Raleigh-Wake County merger, schools face resegregation

Leoneda Inge talks to WUNC K-12 education reporter Liz Schlemmer about the 50th anniversary of the Raleigh-Wake County Schools merger in 1976. 

Liz Schlemmer, K-12 education, WUNC News 

0:13:00

The Michelin Guide Anoints new members

Last week, three new Triangle-area restaurants received acclaimed “Michelin” status. Independent food writer Matt Lardie and News and Observer food and dining reporter Drew Jackson join host Jeff Tiberii for some context and background on the prestigious “Michelin” designation. Also, Raleigh chef Cheetie Kumar reflects on what the new honor means for her restaurant, Ajja.

Drew Jackson, News and Observer food and dining reporter

Matt Lardie, Independent food writer based in Durham

Cheetie Kumar, Chef and co-owner, Ajja

0:33:00

How the Associated Press approaches calling elections

For more than 170 years, the Associated Press has been calling local and national elections. In advance of this year’s midterm elections, AP Washington bureau chief Anna Johnson explains the process of outcome projection. 

Anna Johnson, Washington bureau chief, Associated Press 

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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 or marching congregants to voting sites after Sunday worship services. Leoneda Inge explores the partisan fight over early Sunday voting.

Brian Kennedy, Policy Director of Democracy North Carolina

0:13:00

Election Day in America is fast approaching -- and if you’re like us, you’re probably a little burned out with horse race politics. So, we’re offering something different. This week, The Broadside asks three veteran political reporters a single question: what’s one of the most bizarre stories you've ever covered?

Colin Campbell, Capitol Bureau Chief and host of the WUNC Politics Podcast

Jeff Tiberii, host of Due South

Adam Hochberg, editor of the American Homefront Project

This episode of The Broadside was hosted by Anisa Khalifa and produced and edited by Jerad Walker.

0:33:00

A lot of unsettling claims are being made about North Carolina Senate candidates Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley during the TV timeouts of your favorite college football games. Some of them are truthful, some are outright lies, and many are merely misleading. We fact-check the more memorable ads of these midterms and analyze some of the more colorful ads in the tight legislative race in Congressional District 11.

Chris Cooper, head of the Political Science department at Western Carolina University

Paul Specht, PolitiFact North Carolina reporter at WRAL

On the North Carolina News Roundup... Jeff Tiberii and panelists discuss the elections that are heating up in NC-1 and NC-11. President Trump stumps in Greenville. Early voting has had a big turnout. 

Danielle Battaglia, Congressional impact reporter for the News & Observer and the Charlotte Observer

Adam Wagner, Reporter/editor covering state politics for the North Carolina Newsroom

Claudia Rivera Cotto, Political Reporter for Enlace Latino NC

Dawn Vaughan, Capitol Bureau Chief, The News & Observer

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Medicaid, SNAP changes impact NC’s most vulnerable

Federal changes to Medicaid and SNAP requirements stand to jeopardize coverage for thousands of North Carolinians. The NC Department of Health and Human Services hopes to prevent that.

Dr. Dev Sangvai, Secretary of the NC Department of Health and Human Services

0:13:00

North Carolina and Georgia’s purple politics

Election Day is less than two weeks away, and it still feels like anything can happen in our swingy Old North State. Georgia, roughly the same size as North Carolina, has a similar purple streak. Leoneda Inge talks with Emory University political scientist Andra Gillespie about the Peach State’s big races and the political landscape of the two states.

Andra Gillespie, Associate Professor of Political Science, and director of the James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference at Emory University

0:33:00

Period Prom returns to Durham 

For more than a decade, the Diaper Bank of NC has provided menstrual care products to individuals, families and schools through donations, fundraising and an annual benefit called the Period Prom.

Michelle Schaefer, founder and CEO of the Diaper Bank of NC

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 County Board of Elections  

Jessica Huseman, Editorial Director, Votebeat  

Jason Roberts, Professor of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

Michael Bitzer, Professor of Politics & History and Director of the Center for North Carolina Politics & Public Service at Catawba College

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 of Philosophy, Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, and Core Faculty, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences & Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, and Principal Investigator of the "Memory and Forgiveness" project

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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 Watt, former U.S. Congressman and former head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency

0:33:00

Pearl Cleage’s 'Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous' opens at Playmakers

Playwright and author Pearl Cleage’s 1997 play, ‘Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous’ makes its way to Playmakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill through November 1. Leoneda Inge talks to the stars of the production about what it was like to perform intergenerational conflict, mentorship and grudging admiration... all set to a funky soul soundtrack.

Kathryn Hunter Williams, chair and associate professor, UNC Chapel Hill Department of Dramatic Arts

Delaney Jackson, company member and second-year performer in UNC Chapel Hill’s Professional Actor Training Program

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 “Anderson Alerts” newsletter

Mary Helen Moore, reporter for Axios Raleigh

Danielle Battaglia, Congressional impact reporter for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer

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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 or marching congregants to voting sites after Sunday worship services. Brian Kennedy, Policy Director of Democracy North Carolina, joins host Leoneda Inge to discuss the partisan fight over early Sunday voting.

Brian Kennedy, Policy Director of Democracy North Carolina

0:09:40

Public radio fans probably remember Joshua Johnson from his years as a founding host of the national talk show 1A. His most recent reinvention is as a fake TV news host for the satirical news network, The Onion, a viral TED talk speaker, an expert on overcoming conflict and the creator of an online conflict resolution game called “The Resolution.” He joins host Jeff Tiberii to talk about his career arc and what public radio taught him about humor, neutrality and our democracy.

Joshua Johnson, Actor for the Onion News Network and creator of The Resolution online conflict resolution game

This interview originally aired September 16, 2026.

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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 the Poetry Fox, a costumed performance artist who’s crafted over 50,000 poems for strangers on his many vintage typewriters. This conversation originally aired on April 28, 2025.

Chris Vitiello, Durham poet laureate, writer, educator and performer (the Poetry Fox)

0:22:38

Renowned artist Beverly McIver discusses “The Art of Saving Democracy”

Duke professor and artist Beverly McIver has made a career of political expression in art practice. She joins Due South to discuss her collaboration on a new project called ‘The Art of Saving Democracy.’ This conversation originally aired on July 9, 2026.

Beverly McIver, visual artist and painter