The State of Things

On Tuesday another hog nuisance lawsuit opened in federal court featuring neighbors of a swine farm in Sampson County who complained of smells and noise among other nuisances. These nuisance lawsuits have drawn lots of public attention to the issues of hog waste management.

After nearly a quarter of a century leading the North Carolina Museum of Art , Larry Wheeler is stepping down. During his tenure as director, Wheeler ushered in major changes including launching a popular outdoor concert series, building the light-filled West Building and doubling the museum’s staff. He also made the museum a place to meet and mingle beyond the gallery walls.

How does a documentary change when the director becomes the subject? Filmmaker Daphne McWilliams explored this in her directorial debut “ In A Perfect World .” The documentary features interviews with eight men who were raised by single mothers and includes McWilliams’ own story.

Rampant school shootings, recent mail bomb threats and a massacre at a synagogue give the impression that Americans are angry. And a quick flick through the news provides ample examples of leaders spouting angry rhetoric and encouraging violence. So, are Americans getting angrier?

The book and film “ Hidden Figures ” tells the story of African-American women at NASA in the 1960s who worked as human computers and helped to open outer space to astronauts. And North Carolina has its own “hidden figure” to claim: Christine Darden .

The headlines shifted quickly this week from analysis of the historic midterm elections to news that Jeff Sessions was ousted from the White House. Political Junkie Ken Rudin talks about the fast week in political news, including the appointment of acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker.

The new film “The Most Unknown” from Motherboard is both documentary and experiment. It takes viewers on a stunning visual journey into surprising corners of the world and follows along as nine scientists meet for the first time.

The Pinhook in Durham has won local awards for being the best gay bar in the Triangle, but it is not actually a gay bar. The music venue and bar is an inclusive space that prides itself on belonging to the community — and not just the LGBTQ community.

2018 midterm voter turnout in North Carolina was the highest its been in decades . But not everyone who wanted to cast a ballot was able to do so. A pre-election analysis from WRAL showed that a change in early voting requirements disproportionately affected rural and poor voters in North Carolina.

North Carolina Republicans lost their supermajority in the General Assembly but declared victory in three competitive U.S. House seats. Meanwhile state voters approved four of six constitutional amendments including photo voter ID, but they repudiated the Republican plan to give the legislature more control over judicial and state board appointments.