On the North Carolina News Roundup Gov. Josh Stein recently took his oath. And the seemingly never-ending race for the NC Supreme Court seat continues. 

And, Kenny Mann didn’t set out to be a musician, but after some early intervention from family, he realized that he was meant for the spotlight. With his band Liquid Pleasure, Mann has been performing for more than 50 years. Some of the band’s most high-profile gigs have been at presidential inaugural balls, beginning with President Jimmy Carter’s in 1977. 

Guests

Bryan Anderson, reporter of the Anderson Alerts newsletter on Substack 

Colin Campbell, Capitol Bureau Chief, WUNC 

Dawn Vaughan, Capitol Bureau Chief, The News and Observer 

Kenny Mann, leader of Liquid Pleasure 

Ten months after it became legal, North Carolinians will soon surpass $5 billion in money gambled on sports. And, an excerpt from Anisa Khalifa's recent episode of The Broadside "The gambling gold rush is here."

Plus, some of the most exciting upcoming book releases of the new year. From a biography of Mark Twain to the latest in the ‘Legendborn’ series from local YA author Tracy Deonn, there is something for everyone to add to their to-be-read pile.

Guests

Brian Murphy, Sports Investigative Reporter at WRAL and host of the podcast “A Brief History of Triangle Sports”

Maggie Robe, Marketing and Events Manager, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill 

Early 2025 is being called the Winter of the “Quad-demic.” Covid, RSV, flu and walking pneumonia are all going around. A fifth virus is also on the rise nationwide: norovirus. A new strain of the infection, which is also known as ‘stomach flu,’ ‘the stomach bug’ and ‘winter vomiting disease,' is also spiking this season. Dr. Zach Willis of UNC Children's Hospital joins Due South to discuss symptoms, prevention and treatment.

Then, Warren County farmer Patrick Brown bought the plantation where his ancestors were once enslaved. He’s working to build a just and sustainable food system, to enrich both the soil and his community, on land once used to extract and exploit. Due South's Leoneda Inge talks to Brown, as well as to writer Christina Cooke and photographer Cornell Watson about the story they collaborated on about Brown and his work. The piece is called “Black Earth” and it recently appeared in The Bitter Southerner.

How much running is good for your health? A cardiologist breaks down the data. Plus, members of local chapters of Black Men Run, Black Girls Run and Latinos Run join co-host Jeff Tiberii to talk about finding welcoming communities to explore the challenges and joys of running — together.

Editor's note: This show originally aired in January 2024. 

New year, new me? Due South co-host Leoneda Inge considered it timely to sit down with Dr. Nia S. Mitchell, a physician, weight specialist and Associate Professor of General Internal Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine to talk about some tips and challenges for managing one's weight. 

Guest

Dr. Nia S. Mitchell, Associate Professor of General Internal Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine

Then, Ronald Young Jr. joins Due South to talk about his deeply personal podcast, Weight For It, in which he reflects on the impact of weight and body image on various areas of his life. Season two of Weight For It is out now. 

Guest

Ronald Young Jr., host of the podcast ‘Weight For It’

On the North Carolina News Roundup... President Jimmy Carter is laid to rest. We examine his impact here in North Carolina. The state legislature is back with a new speaker of the House and plans to prioritize disaster recovery. And – will we see any snow? What to expect from the winter storm headed our way. Join WUNC's Colin Campbell, Leoneda Inge, and a panel of reporters for a roundup of the week's news. 

Nick Petro, meteorologist for the National Weather Service

Dawn Vaughan, Capitol Bureau Chief, The News & Observer

Sydney Haulenbeek, North Carolina Reporter, Courthouse News Service

Danielle Battaglia, Capitol Hill correspondent, The News & Observer/The Charlotte Observer/McClatchy

Rob Christensen, former political columnist, News & Observer

Known to some during his time on the 1976 presidential campaign trail as a "New South" moderate, former President James Earl Carter came to the White House as a Washington outsider and strived to learn and manage the work of the office both stateside and abroad. 

But the Nobel Peace Prize winner may be remembered more for his human rights, conflict resolution, and humanitarian efforts post-presidency.

Due South takes a look at the life of Jimmy Carter with a historian who dedicated much of her career to the study of his work.

Editor's note: This conversation originally aired December 18, 2023.

Guest

Dr. Nancy Mitchell, professor of history at North Carolina State University and author of Jimmy Carter in Africa: Race and the Cold War.

Leoneda Inge chats with Laura Belcher, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region about President Jimmy Carter's volunteer work; NC State historian Nancy Mitchell discusses President Carter's legacy; standup comedian and author Maria Bamford discusses her mental health advocacy, her long career in comedy and her upcoming standup appearances in Durham and Charlotte. 

How NC Republicans could govern in 2025
Though the GOP lost its supermajority in the state legislature, the party’s priorities will still lead the agenda.
Mitch Kokai, Senior Political Analyst, the John Locke Foundation

Southern Democrats regroup after the election
Some Democratic organizers thought the campaign plan was so bad, they even went rogue to court voters. Maya King's campaign coverage in the South, including in swing states NC and GA, shows what went wrong, and what the party is doing to regroup. NC State Sen. Natalie Murdock shares her own thoughts, and what's next for Democrats in NC.
Maya King, political reporter for the New York Times based in the South
Natalie Murdock, State Senator (Chatham, Durham) and political and coalitions director for Harris for President North Carolina for the 2024 election

Higher education in North Carolina is big business as schools vie for the best and the brightest staff and students. But in 2024, we learned how fragile higher education can be with budget deficits, leadership turnover, war, and politics. Today we take you on a higher ed encore of voices and stories Due South brought you in 2024 – and a glance at what to expect in 2025. 

Leoneda Inge chats with WUNC's higher education reporter Brianna Atkinson about some of the biggest news stories on campus and beyond - from the pro-Palestinian protests at UNC-Chapel Hill to the impact of Helene on campuses across the state. 

2024 saw a major jump in freshmen enrollment at historically Black institutions across the state. We revisit some of the voices from our series 'HBCU 101' including from North Carolina Central University, St. Augustine's University, and Shaw University. 

Finally, a look at the top college sports stories in North Carolina – a little bit of baseball, soccer and a lot of basketball - with WUNC digital producer and sports reporter Mitchell Northam. 

Guests

Brianna Atkinson, Higher Education Reporter at WUNC

Mitchell Northam, Digital News Producer and sports reporter at WUNC

And featuring previous interviews with... 

Michael Bailey, Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Transfer Services at North Carolina Central University.

Ariana White, 2023-24 Student Body President at St. Augustine’s University

Paulette Dillard, President of Shaw University