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Due South

Jeff Tiberii, Leoneda Ingewww.wunc.org

“Due South” is WUNC News’ weekday current affairs radio program and podcast. Broadcast from the American Tobacco Historic District in downtown Durham, co-hosts Leoneda Inge and Jeff Tiberii put life in the Triangle region into perspective and present a unique sense of place.  

From interviews with state lawmakers and local luminaries to Friday news roundups with statewide journalists, “Due South” puts current events into context and offers audiences a greater sense of connection. Each hour-long show sparks deeper conversation and understanding of life in and beyond the Triangle.

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Episodes

Higher education dominated much of NC's headlines in 2024. A look back and what's ahead in 2025.

Higher education in North Carolina is big business as schools vie for the best and the brightest staff and students. But in 2024, we learned how fragile higher education can be with budget deficits, leadership turnover, war, and politics. Today we take you on a higher ed encore of voices and stories Due South brought you in 2024 – and a glance at what to expect in 2025. Leoneda Inge chats with WUNC's higher education reporter Brianna Atkinson about some of the biggest news stories on campus and ...

Jan 06, 202550 min

Local chefs talk Southern food; Pat "Mother Blues" Cohen on singing the blues

In the summer of 2024, Due South hosted its first-ever live show at Motorco Music Hall in downtown Durham. Co-hosts Leoneda Inge and Jeff Tiberii sat down with blues performer Pat "Mother Blues" Cohen to discuss her life and career. Then, they were joined on stage by four local award-winning chefs to talk about biscuits, barbecue and business. Today we listen back to a special one-hour broadcast of that event. This encore edition of Due South originally aired October 30, 2024. Guests Pat "Mother...

Jan 03, 202550 min

'Dry January' by the numbers; Petey Pablo on his Greenville roots and musical inspirations

Many Americans will swear off alcohol for the month through “Dry January,” but many Southerners already abstain. Two Pew Center researchers on the data, and how the South fits into the national landscape. (This conversation originally aired on Jan 22, 2024.) Then, it was no surprise to Petey Pablo that he would grow up to be a superstar. "Superstar" was his mother's nickname for him during his childhood in Greenville, NC. After a few rocky years of adolescence and a 6-year prison stint, he would...

Jan 02, 202550 min

The South's best gas station food; Duke prof.'s research and restoring Notre Dame

Forget Gatorade and a bag of chips – the American South is home to a more advanced style of gas station cuisine. Photographer Kate Medley knew this growing up in Mississippi. And, the Asheville van-life couple behind media production company Authentic Asheville. (encore edition) When Duke professor Caroline Bruzelius started studying the architecture of Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral in the 1970s, she couldn’t have guessed she’d be asked to help rebuild it. Guests Kate Medley , freelance photograph...

Dec 23, 202450 min

NC News Roundup: From the election to Helene, the biggest stories that shaped NC in 2024

On the North Carolina News Roundup… our 2024 Year-in-Review edition. From Helene to the veepstakes... 'power grabs' to expensive elections.... Final Fours to national titles... we reflect on the biggest stories of the year. Join Jeff Tiberii and a panel of reporters for context and analysis of the news that shaped North Carolina in 2024. Guests Colin Campbell , Capitol Bureau Chief, WUNC Dawn Vaughan , Capitol Bureau Chief, The News & Observer Lucille Sherman , reporter, Axios Raleigh Mitch ...

Dec 20, 202450 min

Due South's Christmas tree hour: Helene's impact on one Christmas tree farm, plus The Broadside's "Can we save Christmas (trees)?"

A North Carolina farm family who lost tens of thousands of Christmas trees to Helene will celebrate their own Christmas with a five-foot "hurricane tree" that's "perfect for us this year." Then, an excerpt from The Broadside's recent episode "Can we save Christmas (trees)?" And, we revisit a conversation from spring 2024 about Fraser fir Christmas trees and the threats they face during their ten-year growing cycle, especially from climate change. Guests Logan Avery and Graham Avery , manager at ...

Dec 19, 202450 min

Giorgios Bakatsias still opening new restaurants after more than 40 years in business; 'Golden Years: How Americans Invented and Reinvented Old Age'

If you live in the Triangle and eat at local restaurants, you’ve likely indulged your palate at one of Giorgios Bakatsias’ cafes, bistros, or tavernas. Giorgios’ restaurant empire dots the region’s culinary landscape, from Chapel Hill to Durham to Raleigh to Wake Forest, and in recent years even expanding out to Wilmington. And after more than four decades in the business, the eatery entrepreneur does not seem inclined to slow his pace anytime soon. Then, from the social movements underpinning S...

Dec 18, 202450 min

HBCU 101: Sports Edition

Sports are a cornerstone of HBCU culture. They secure exposure, sponsorship and funding for storied and longstanding African American academic institutions that have often been chronically underfunded. For this edition of HBCU 101, Leoneda Inge takes a trip into the world of college sports and the critical role sports play at historically Black colleges and universities. She chats with Vaughn Wilson of HBCU GameDay about this season's football results and basketball prospects. Then CIAA Commissi...

Dec 17, 202450 min

Outgoing NCSU Chancellor; Best NC albums of 2024

N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson is one of the longest serving at a major public research university in recent years, especially in North Carolina. He talks with Leoneda Inge about what he's learned on the job, the highs and lows, and reflects on his long career at NC State. *encore edition - this segment originally aired in August 2024* WUNC’s Music Reporter Brian Burns shares NC albums from this year that you should listen to. Guests Randy Woodson , Chancellor, N.C. State University Brian B...

Dec 16, 202450 min

NC News Roundup: Power grab at the legislature; Tillis seeks re-election; Belichick joins UNC-CH football

Jeff Tiberii discusses the week's news with a panel of reporters, including the GOP vote to override Gov. Cooper's veto and the appointment of Bill Belichick to head football coach at UNC Chapel Hill. Guests: Colin Campbell , Capitol Bureau Chief, WUNC; Mitch Northam , Digital Producer, WUNC; Dawn Vaughan , Capitol Bureau Chief, The News & Observer; Lynn Bonner , Investigative Reporter, NC Newsline; Danielle Battaglia , Capitol Hill correspondent, The News & Observer/The Charlotte Observ...

Dec 13, 202433 min

Hard year for NC farms; Mezzo Soprano Denyce Graves; A modernized 'Christmas Carol'

In 2024, farms in North Carolina already faced challenges in the form of drought and extreme heat. Then, Tropical Storm Helene brought landslides and flooding to western NC, eroding topsoil and depositing contaminated debris on farmland. North Carolina Opera is staging a new play based on the life and work of Mary Cardwell Dawson, a voice teacher, opera singer and the founding director of the National Negro Opera Company. The Walltown’s Children’s Theatre in Durham has worked for years to bring ...

Dec 12, 202450 min

Bill Belichick to lead UNC Tar Heels, sending a seismic splash through NC sports world

Bill Belichick, who amassed eight Super Bowl victories and more than 300 wins across an illustrious professional coaching career, has signed on to be the next head football coach at Carolina. The deal is pending final approval from the Chapel Hill board of Trustees and UNC Board of Governors. WUNC's Mitch Northam chats with Due South co-host Jeff Tiberii about the latest. Guest Mitch Northam , digital producer at WUNC

Dec 12, 202412 min

UNC women's soccer back on top; author of 'On the Swamp: Fighting for Indigenous Environmental Justice'

After 12 years, the UNC women’s soccer team has reclaimed its title as the NCAA women’s soccer national champion. The News & Observer contributing writer Shelby Swanson was at the game in Cary, where the Tar Heels beat the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and tells Due South’s Jeff Tiberii about the goal that won the championship and how the team's "interim" head coach is interim no more. Then, Ryan Emanuel is a member of the Lumbee Tribe and a professor of hydrology at Duke University. He talks w...

Dec 11, 202450 min

Private School Vouchers in NC and ProPublica investigates the history of "segregation academies"

North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarships grow. Some schools started as “Segregation Academies” in NC that are still operating and more than 85 percent white are receiving taxpayer money. And, the politics of School Choice in NC. Guests: -Liz Schlemmer, education reporter WUNC -Jennifer Berry Hawes, is a reporter with ProPublica’s South hub who focuses on criminal justice, religion, race and the welfare of women and children -Josh Cowen, a Professor of Education Policy at Michigan State Universi...

Dec 10, 202450 min

Dr. Damon Tweedy on destigmatizing mental illness care and his new book, 'Facing the Unseen'

In his new book, Facing the Unseen: The Struggle to Center Mental Health in Medicine , Dr. Damon Tweedy writes about the many barriers to access and makes a case for destigmatizing mental illness and care. Dr. Damon Tweedy is professor of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine and a staff physician at the Durham VA Health Care System....

Dec 09, 202450 min

NC News Roundup: protests at the legislature; HB10 goes into effect; three NC teams in NCAA women's soccer semifinals

On the North Carolina News Roundup… Protesters gathered on Jones Street at the state legislature this week in opposition to a bill aimed at stripping some powers from Democrats. In Carrboro, local leaders are suing Duke Energy over climate change. A deep dive into what House Bill 10 means for immigration enforcement in North Carolina. And, the final four teams competing for the 2024 NCAA Division 1 women's soccer championship include three teams from North Carolina. Join Jeff Tiberii and a panel...

Dec 06, 202450 min

Isolation in juvenile detention centers; Youth and college football updates; 'The Christmas Case of Hezekiah Jones'

Jeff Tiberii talks to Rachel Crumpler about her reporting for NC Health News on a lawsuit alleging that that three teens at a juvenile detention center in Cabarrus County experienced daily isolation for up to 23 hours a day. Then, Leoneda Inge visits the Oak Grove Pirates as they prepare to head to a national youth football competition in Naples, FL and sits down with WUNC digital producer Mitch Northam to check in on the state of local college football. And the director and star of a new holida...

Dec 05, 202450 min

NoLa restaurants support AVL; Fortnite's NC ties, and UNC-G gaming

New Orleans restaurants are helping Asheville restaurants for hurricane recovery with a dinner series called Cooks for Carolina.. An excerpt from The Broadside's recent episode " The world's biggest video game is from North Carolina ." And, Education and Esports are the basis for UNC Greensboro’s biannual weekends for middle and high school students, and educators. The goal: inform and prepare the next generation for jobs in the growing Esports industry. Guests : Katie Grabach and Peyton Barrell...

Dec 04, 202450 min

Due South's tree hour: 'Leave the leaves' campaigns; a history of the longleaf pine and bald cypress

If you have a yard, you may spend a lot of time each fall raking or blowing leaves. But many experts recommend residents just “leave the leaves”—it’s part of a widespread effort to reduce waste, promote more ecological diversity, and save energy. Co-host Jeff Tiberii talks with Dr. Ken Bridle of the NC Native Plant Society, as well as Greensboro's Chief Sustainability Officer, Dr. Shree Dorestant, and Masey DeMoss, Recycling and Waste Reduction Educator with the city. Then, we return to an exten...

Dec 03, 202436 min

Small city and town leaders in North Carolina grapple with the challenge of attracting residents

A local reporter explains why young residents are leaving the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, and how local leaders are trying to attract them to stay. A long-time North Carolinian, and demographer, helps us understand the long-term trends in our shifting population And, the mayor of Princeville shares the unique challenges his town faces, including two devastating floods in recent decades. Guests Ryan Murphy , WHRO’s business and growth reporter Na...

Dec 02, 202450 min

From food to plants to land to music, Justin Robinson connects it all

Justin Robinson defies categorization. He’s a botanist, cook and culinary historian, who teaches classes with titles like "The Ethnobotany of Thanksgiving" and “Soul Food Genius.” Justin is also a Grammy Award-winning musician and vocalist and an original member of The Carolina Chocolate Drops. He is a founding member of the Earthseed Land Collective, aiming to deepen the relationship of Black, Brown and Indigenous people to the land. Justin has so many passions and talents, and they're connecte...

Nov 27, 202450 min

Los Jets celebrate 20th anniversary of historic soccer championship; Durham Public Schools bus driver shortage update

Twenty years ago, the Jets (or Los Jets) of Jordan-Matthews High School in Siler City won the North Carolina 1-A men’s high school soccer championship, becoming the first predominantly Latino team to win a statewide North Carolina high school championship in any sport. The path to the championship was fraught: from the resistance organizers faced getting the team started, to the racist taunts the teenage players faced once they finally got on the field. But win, they did. Paul Cuadros was the co...

Nov 26, 202450 min

Walking pneumonia case spike; Duke offers Cherokee language course; infant feeding in Western NC

Walking pneumonia cases are on the rise, especially in children. Dr. Zach Willis , UNC Children's pediatric infectious disease specialist joins Jeff Tiberii to discuss symptoms and prevention. Duke University now offers a Cherokee language course. Leoneda Inge talks to Dr. Courtney Lewis , Crandall Family Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology, and inaugural director of Duke University's Native American Studies Initiative and Gil (Doyi) Jackson , Cherokee instructor for Duke University. An...

Nov 25, 202450 min

NC News Roundup: GOP moves to redistribute election oversight; fresh water returns to Western NC

On the North Carolina News Roundup… State lawmakers returned to Raleigh to vote on a Helene relief bill that also includes measures to strip power from Democratic state officials. Major changes to election administration and school funding are on the move. Several local races are still undecided, including a key NC Supreme Court seat, destined for a recount. And fresh water is again flowing in Asheville. Join Jeff Tiberii and a panel of reporters for context and analysis of the week's news. Gues...

Nov 22, 202450 min

Meet the Mascots: Tuffy III, NC State Wolfpack's live mascot; former Blue Devil and Rameses mascots on life behind the mask

We’re deep into football season and early in basketball season, so you know this is an important time of year for college sports fans, especially here in the Triangle. And whose job is to make sure those fans get whipped up into a frenzy? The mascots, of course! If you're a Wolfpack fan, you know North Carolina State’s Mr. and Ms. Wuf, but another NC State mascot has emerged in recent years: a live mascot named Tuffy III. Co-host Leoneda Inge talks with Tuffy III’s owners, Lisa and Joe Downey, a...

Nov 21, 202436 min

How Asheville coped for almost two months without drinkable tap water; public radio theme song composer BJ Leiderman

Asheville residents can now turn on their faucets and get something they haven’t had for almost two months — drinkable water. Laura Lee, News Director at Blue Ridge Public Radio, tells Due South how residents are responding. Then, if you’re an avid public radio listener, you’ve heard composer BJ Leiderman’s name countless times in the credits of NPR shows like “Morning Edition” and “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” But have you ever heard his voice? Due South hosts Leoneda Inge and Jeff Tiberii get t...

Nov 20, 202437 min

Thanksgiving trends; 'When Southern Women Cook'

Leoneda Inge chats with food historian and UNC Chapel Hill associate professor Kelly Alexander about Thanksgiving trends and traditions. Then, the editors of a new cookbook called When Southern Women Cook stop by to discuss the process of assembling more than 300 recipes from women from the American and global South.

Nov 19, 202437 min

Spanish-language broadcasts in WNC post-Helene; a push to employ more people with intellectual disabilities in NC

Jose Sandoval shares Spanish-language broadcasts with BPR listeners after Helene Jose Sandoval was one of the voices on Blue Ridge Public Radio sharing that life-saving information in the aftermath of Helene. And he started sharing it in Spanish to make sure people who speak Spanish in the region were staying informed, too. Jose Sandoval , All Things Considered host at Blue Ridge Public Radio A push to employ more people with intellectual disabilities in North Carolina There are nearly 7.5 milli...

Nov 18, 202438 min

NC News Roundup: Campus protests, counting ballots and the Governor-elect's transition picks

Final ballot counts, the incoming Governor's office, what's next for Roy Cooper, the UNC could implement protest policy system-wide all on Due South's North Carolina News Roundup. Guests Dawn Vaughn – Capital Bureau Chief, The Raleigh News & Observer Gary Robertson – Statehouse Reporter for the Associated Press Lynn Bonner – Investigative Reporter, NC Newsline Brianna Atkinson – WUNC’s Higher Education Reporter...

Nov 15, 202435 min
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