The State of Things

A federal court declared North Carolina's drawing of election lines unconstitutional. The three-judge panel said the districts must be redrawn because they are racially gerrymandered. The court will allow the election in November to proceed under the old maps. Host Frank Stasio talks with political junkie Ken Rudin about the decision, its consequences and other political news.

Durham and baseball are intimately connected in the minds of many Americans because of the movie "Bull Durham." But the relationship between the city of Durham and the sport dates back to more than a century before the film. In the late 1800's, Durham's American Tobacco Company played an important role in the creation of the baseball card. Tobacco companies were the first industry to use baseball cards in their advertisements, and the most famous baseball card in history advertised the American

For Gigi Dover & the Big Love, Americana isn't limited to American styles of music. The group hails from Charlotte and composes Southern folk using worldly instruments like the sitar and rebab. Through its latest album, "Travelin' Thru," the band continues to strengthen the grassroots music scene in Charlotte. Host Frank Stasio talks with Gigi Dover about the band's evolution and musical palette. Gigi Dover performs live in the studio on vocals with Eric Lovell on guitar and vocals and John

The state epidemiologist in the division of public health resigned yesterday in protest over the McCrory administration’s handling of a controversy stemming from Duke Energy's handling of well water surrounding coal ash sites. Dr. Megan Davies wrote a resignation letter accusing the Department of Health and Human Services of deliberately misleading the public. Her resignation follows accusations by Governor McCrory’s chief of staff that an employee who worked under Davies lied under oath. Host

North Carolina is among the top 10 states with the highest number of reported human trafficking cases, according to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. Experts say the number of major interstates that cross through the state, the large agricultural population, and the state’s strategic location along the East Coast contribute to the issue. Host Frank Stasio talks with legal experts, victim services advocates, and a law enforcement officer about human trafficking in the state. Victim

Attorneys for a Durham teenager who is being held at an immigration detention center in Georgia say they expect him to be released soon.

When Sen. Richard Burr declared his re-election bid last year, his odds looked good; he had had a large war chest and no clear opponent. But now, Democratic challenger Deborah Ross has emerged as a strong contender and polls show the two in a hot race. Analysts are watching the race closely as it will play a significant role in determining which party controls the U.S. Senate. Host Frank Stasio talks with WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Jeff Tiberii about the latest on the race.

In 1866, communities across western North Carolina were forced to pick up the pieces left by the Civil War. Residents had ties to the Confederacy and the Union. As a result, the region was scattered with divided homes and hostile relations. In his new novel, "That Bright Land" (Turner Publishing Company/2016), Terry Roberts tells the story of a former soldier and spy who is sent down to investigate a serial killer responsible for the deaths of Union sympathizers in western N.C. Host Frank Stasio

There are tens of thousands of transgender individuals living in North Carolina. House Bill 2 sparked a national conversation about one particular aspect of their lives, but the North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival aims to paint a broader picture. One of the documentaries featured this year "Deep Run," is a verite portrait of a trans man named Cole Ray Davis living in Deep Run, N.C., a rural town outside of Kinston. Host Frank Stasio talks with one of the documentary’s producers Chris

In the early hours of Sunday morning, a 20-year old African American man was shot to death in North Raleigh. Tapes of the 911 calls feature the accused shooter, Chad Cameron Copley, declaring himself a member of neighborhood watch who fired what he called warning shots that hit Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas. Copley said there were "hoodlums" on his street and told the 911 operator that he was going out to "secure" the neighborhood. Copley has been charged with first-degree murder. Host Frank