The State of Things

The opioid crisis continues to ravage the United States. Children of family members caught up in the epidemic face a particular set of pressures. One of the markers of that extra pressure is the steady rise in foster care rates around the country. In North Carolina the number of children in the foster care system has risen 28 percent in the past five years and is now at a 10-year high.

Ellen Tinsley is acutely aware of the behavior and patterns of bald eagles in North Carolina. The retired equine veterinarian is a bald eagle monitor for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. She spends most mornings at Jordan Lake tracking the behavior of Petruchio, Kate, Hershey and Godiva – eagles who have nested in the area.

A federal voter fraud commission’s request for voter data from individual states has prompted concern from voters and politicians. The commission was formed at the behest of President Trump in reaction to claims of widespread voter fraud. In North Carolina the state elections board is facing a wave of calls from voters who want to voice opposition, or even cancel their voter registration in reaction to the federal data request.

For decades, Hollywood has reigned as an industry that offers entertainment for mass audiences. In his new book “ Hollywood Aesthetic: Pleasure in American Cinema ” (Oxford University Press/2017), Todd Berliner explores Hollywood as an art form that appeals to a mass audience. From “Citizen Kane” to “Starship Troopers,” filmmakers have used unique styles to construct narratives, ideologies and genres that challenge the industry’s standards.

Growing up in the small town of Wadsworth, Illinois, Patrick Read Johnson was enthralled, some might say obsessed, with making movies. As a teenager in the 1970s, movies like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Jaws” inspired Johnson to make Super 8 movies with his friends in his garage, using any prop or special effect Johnson could concoct. But during a trip to Hollywood, Johnson’s life changed forever when he saw a rough cut of “Star Wars” in the spring of 1977. Johnson was blown away when the movie

Nationally the number of people employed in middle-wage jobs rose by 6 percent between 2001 and 2015. But the numbers in North Carolina went in the other direction.

The new play “Licked Cupcake” grapples with how organized religion influences the way young women learn about sexuality. Through a series of monologues , anecdotes and songs, characters process the formative and sometimes-shaming messages they were told in their youth about purity and sexual identity.

When patients began showing up at hospitals with allergic reactions they believed were caused by meat, doctors were quick to dismiss their theories. But patients living in the South who were exposed to a cancer drug containing alpha-gal, a carbohydrate found in beef, pork and lamb, had similar responses.

Katie Wyatt first fell in in love with classical music when she joined her school’s orchestra in third grade. Wyatt played the viola and appreciated being part of a group that created art together. Wyatt was a military kid, so her family moved around about every four years. But no matter where she lived, Wyatt found a way to plug into her community through music.

President Donald Trump meets with world leaders this week at the G-20 summit in Germany. This morning Trump had a highly-anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting comes as questions remain regarding ties between Trump’s campaign and Russia during the presidential election.