Due South

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Sen. Thom Tillis won't seek reelection
Leoneda Inge talks with Colin Campbell about Sen. Thom Tillis’ announcement that he won’t seek reelection after opposing President Trump’s budget bill.
Colin Campbell, Capitol Bureau Chief WUNC

0:13:00

'Black Folk' and the long history of collective action in the South
Blair LM Kelley, author of Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class, explains how washerwomen across the South, and Pullman porters across the country, wielded the power of community to gain better working conditions for all. This conversation originally aired in September 2024.
Blair LM Kelley, Joel R. Williamson Distinguished Professor of Southern Studies and director of the Center for the Study of the American South at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This week on the North Carolina News Roundup...

A policy dispute over North Carolina waterways ends in celebration for local shrimpers.

A ban on smartphones in public schools could soon become the law of the land.

How many billions would the state lose under the “big, beautiful bill”?

Plus, Gov. Stein’s vetoes and a legislative session wrap up.

Co-host Jeff Tiberii is joined by reporters from the Triangle and DC to dig into the week’s news.

As temperatures reach record highs, Duke Energy is asking customers to reduce their power usage between 3-8pm to avoid exhausting limited power reserves. We talk to a Duke Energy representative about ways to stay cool and conserve energy during this prolonged period of extreme heat.  Guest: Caroline Fountain, Communications Manager, Duke Energy  

Since the late 1940s, when Ocean City was formed as a beach community where Black residents were afforded opportunities to purchase land and homes, the town’s founders and residents have worked to preserve its unique history. One way this is being done is through an annual jazz festival, meant to generate much-needed revenue for the community. Guest: Kenneth Chestnut Sr., Ocean City historian, son of town founder

Finding productive ways for children to spend their summer breaks is becoming increasingly restrictive and cost prohibitive. With registrations filling up days (and even hours) after opening and price tags for sleepaway camps reaching thousands of dollars, parents are looking for alternatives to camp that are socially and intellectually stimulating for their kids. Guest: Katherine Goldstein, writer, researcher, creator of the podcast and Substack newsletter, The Double Shift

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 strengthen individual and community recycling practices across the state. 
Matt James, Recycling Program Analyst, NC Department of Environmental Quality  

At The Scrap Exchange, secondhand goods turn into first-rate creations
When Heather Anne first walked into Durham's The Scrap Exchange, she thought to herself: "I've never been in a place like this before." The organization's dedication to creative reuse of secondhand items, community building, and environmentalism resonated for her, and Heather soon became a Scrap Exchange regular. These days, she's leading the organization through some changes, but at least one thing remains the same -- inside the Scrap’s barrels and bins of leftover fabric, yarn, broken jewelry, and "glorious junk" are countless opportunities for someone’s creativity to turn cast off old items into something new.
Heather Anne, Interim Executive Director at The Scrap Exchange

One reporter gets to the bottom of college student leftovers
Indy Week reporter Lena Geller salvaged $6,000 worth of luxury items from Duke students moving out of her apartment complex. She also found that Duke donates and tracks significantly more than similar private universities in the U.S.
Lena Geller, Staff Writer at The Indy Week

Fewer than one percent of North Carolinians are transgender, according to estimates by the UCLA School of Law. State legislators are considering bills on access to facilities like bathrooms, and to health care options for children.

With state and federal cuts growing more likely, General Manager David Crabtree says PBS North Carolina needs to prepare for the worst. The state’s emergency management communications network could pay the price.

The Venus flytrap is one of the most recognizable plants on the planet, but there are worries about the health of its wild population because the exotic plant only grows in a single place on the planet: a sliver of dirt in a small corner of the Carolinas (from WUNC's podcast The Broadside).

Guests

Nikolai Mather, Reporter at WHQR and author of the article “Nine Years After HB2, Trans North Carolinians Wonder Who Is Looking Out For Them” in May for The Assembly

David Crabtree, General Manager, PBS North Carolina

NC Immigration Update
The Trump administration has recently deported hundreds of thousands of people, using new tactics aimed at speeding up the efforts. Jeff Tiberii talks with a reporter about what's happening in and around Charlotte.
Julian Berger, Race & Equity Reporter, WFAE Charlotte

Durham Tech dean discusses new book, Getting the Most Out of Your College Experience
Chris O'Riordan-Adjah knows a lot about higher education. In addition to earning two bachelor's degrees, two master’s degrees, and a PhD in Civil Engineering, he’s also taught at a range of colleges, including a large 4-year university, small college, and community college. And he wants to share his knowledge with those embarking on college – or thinking about it. “Professor Chris”  talks with co-host Jeff Tiberii about his new book Getting the Most Out of Your College Experience.
Chris O'Riordan-Adjah, author of Getting the Most Out of Your College Experience; Dean of Building, Engineering and Skills Technology Division, Durham Technical Community College

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 impacting security measures here. Co-host Jeff Tiberii talks with a panel of journalists about those stories and more, on Due South.

Guests

Colin Campbell, Capitol Bureau Chief, WUNC

Lucille Sherman, reporter, Axios Raleigh

Lynn Bonner, Investigative Reporter, NC Newsline

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

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 celebrations. 

The 2025 Kindred Spirits: A Convergence of African American Quilters Conference showcases the work of African American artists who are shaping Black historical narratives through abstract and story quilting and other textile arts exploration. Guest: Kimberley Cartwright, quilting artist, educator and Kindred Spirits Quilting Conference director  

On Juneteenth, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is embarking on a two-week literary tour that follows abolitionist Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad route from North Carolina to Canada. The goal of the journey is to keep Tubman’s freedom fighting history alive for new generations, whose access to Black history texts and resources are dwindling. Guest: Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, entrepreneur, motivational speaker

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 Carolinians are accustomed to hearing about the outdoor symphonic drama “The Lost Colony” performed each summer on the Outer Banks. Perhaps less well-known is another outdoor drama across the state in Cherokee, NC. July 1st marks the 75th anniversary of “Unto These Hills.” Due South’s Leoneda Inge talks with Matthew Climbingbear, a 5th generation actor who plays the role of Tsali.

The curb appeal of Modernist homes, and the Millennials who are tearing them up
Why online Gen Z folks hate Millennials’ tendency to turn the inside of modernist homes “gray and boring.” How to protect historic homes from natural disasters, and an effort to restore Modernist homes lost in the California wildfires. (This interview originally aired March 17, 2025)

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 on the street, in coffee shops, and at a baseball game after she was recognized from her TikTok videos, where she covers pop songs by LGBTQ+ artists… on church bells! We take a listen. *encore edition*

Guests

Barnet Sherman, teaches Multinational Finance & Trade at Boston University

Brianna Atkinson, Higher Education Reporter WUNC News

Katelyn MacDonald, volunteer bell ringer at Duke Memorial United Methodist Church, and staff specialist at Duke Chapel