The State of Things

Jennah Bell’s love of music started with Disney movies and musicals. By age six she had matured past the soundtrack to “Annie” and discovered the magic of Stevie Wonder and the Beatles and began to understand the wide range of stories that music can tell.

A Triad City Beat investigative piece reveals troubling accusations against United Youth Care Services (UYCS), an agency that provides substance abuse treatment tied to housing for those enrolled in Medicaid.

House Judiciary Committee heard testimony about government reparations for African Americans. For the first time in more than a decade the House held a hearing related to reparations legislation, which was first introduced 30 years ago.

When President Jimmy Carter declared June Black Music Month , the White House hosted performers ranging from gospel singer Aundre Crouch to disco star Evelyn Champagne King. But the holiday was masterminded by the Black Music Association , a group of record executives, who were focused more on mobilizing the economic power of black music than celebrating its artists. Things have changed since then.

Carolina Public Press is taking a year-long look at hunger and food insecurity in Western North Carolina. “ The Faces of Hunger ” addresses many widely publicized facets of the problem, including its impact on the elderly and low-income children will also expose some of the not-so-common victims.

There are 142 inmates on North Carolina’s death row, but the last time the state executed someone was 2006. North Carolina’s history with the death penalty is complicated.

Acclaimed choreographer Mark Morris says that whether or not you love or hate The Beatles, his show “ Pepperland ” is for you. While that may be a bold way to encourage audience members to attend the performance, it is not too far from what critics themselves have to say.

Thousands of military personnel were deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border in the fall of last year. At the time President Donald Trump said their purpose was to bolster security and help reduce illegal border crossings .

The food system is broken and grocery stores are a big part of the problem, according to author Jon Steinman . Steinman spent years researching the money and health and environmental impact of our grocery system, which is dominated by large food conglomerates.

Television shows like “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “The Beverly Hillbillies” exemplified the country stereotype in American culture. Characters were uneducated, naive and often had a strong affinity for guns. North Carolina native Keyetta Mangum grew up in a rural area and is fiercely proud of her country roots, but also finds that most popular culture representations of rural life are tired, cliche and problematic.