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How the government shutdown is impacting NC; focus on crime laws in all 50 states; zydeco-soul musician Marcella Simien

Gov. Josh Stein speaking in a news conference about a shooting in Southport, N.C. on Sep. 29.
State of North Carolina
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Office of the Governor social media accounts
Gov. Josh Stein speaking in a news conference about a shooting in Southport, N.C. on Sep. 29.

0:01:00

How the government shutdown is impacting NC

With what could be a lengthy federal government shutdown underway, we chat with a DC-based North Carolina reporter, about some of the local impacts of the work and service stoppages.

Danielle Battaglia, Capitol Hill correspondent, The News & Observer/The Charlotte Observer/McClatchy


0:13:00

New UNC School of Law report examines patchwork of crime legislation in all 50 states.

Republican state lawmakers in North Carolina passed a wide-ranging crime bill that now sits on Governor Stein’s desk. It follows the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, a brutal murder that garnered national attention and stoked political rhetoric around crime and punishment.

State legislatures across the country have passed laws aimed at improving public safety. But how much impact does legislation have on addressing crime? A report from UNC School of Law finds that more severe criminal laws and punishments do not bring down crime.

Carissa Byrne Hessick, professor of law at UNC School of Law


Marcella Simien
Dan Busler
Marcella Simien

0:33:00

Louisiana zydeco and Memphis soul meld in Marcella Simien’s musical journey back home

On her latest album, Marcella Simien plays piano, harmonium, accordion, guitar, and drums, to name just a few. Bringing a wide range of instruments and musical traditions together is her special sauce. From her Creole roots and Zydeco-infused upbringing in Louisiana to the soul music in her new home of Memphis, Simien weaves together new sounds, while staying true to her heritage.

Simien will be performing with Chicago-based fiddle player and singer-songwriter Anne Harris on October 3rd in Durham as the duo “Magnolias”-- part of PLAYlist, a free concert series presented by Durham Central Park and WNCU 90.7FM. Ahead of that performance, she sat down for an interview with Due South’s Leoneda Inge.

Marcella Simien, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist

Jeff Tiberii is the co-host of WUNC's "Due South." Jeff joined WUNC in 2011. During his 20 years in public radio, he was Morning Edition Host at WFDD and WUNC’s Greensboro Bureau Chief and later, the Capitol Bureau Chief. Jeff has covered state and federal politics, produced the radio documentary “Right Turn,” launched a podcast, and was named North Carolina Radio Reporter of the Year four times.
Leoneda Inge is the co-host of WUNC's "Due South." Leoneda has been a radio journalist for more than 30 years, spending most of her career at WUNC as the Race and Southern Culture reporter. Leoneda’s work includes stories of race, slavery, memory and monuments. She has won "Gracie" awards, an Alfred I. duPont Award and several awards from the Radio, Television, Digital News Association (RTDNA). In 2017, Leoneda was named "Journalist of Distinction" by the National Association of Black Journalists.
Rachel McCarthy is a producer for "Due South." She previously worked at WUNC as a producer for "The Story with Dick Gordon." More recently, Rachel was podcast managing editor at Capitol Broadcasting Company where she developed narrative series and edited a daily podcast. She also worked at "The Double Shift" podcast as supervising producer. Rachel learned about audio storytelling at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. Prior to working in audio journalism, she was a research assistant at the Aspen Institute in Washington, DC.
Erin Keever is the Executive Producer of WUNC’s daily radio show, Due South. Erin comes to WUNC from Charlotte where she spent 16 years at WFAE serving in various roles from on-air announcer, researcher, web editor, to finally senior producer of “Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins.”