The State of Things

Lawmakers Meet Drop-Dead Legislative Deadline

Alex Granados and Frank Stasio — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:53:12 +0000

The deadline for Crossover hit the North Carolina General Assembly yesterday, striking some bills dead for the session. The self-imposed deadline requires that legislation pass at least one chamber to stay under consideration.

A variety of legislation was pushed through this week, including measures that would reform the grievance process for fired state workers, allow health insurers in health exchanges to refuse coverage for abortion and a law that would ban the Muslim Sharia law in North Carolina.

Local Musician Puts Out New Album With The Dead Tongues

Isaac-Davy Aronson and Frank Stasio — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:35:27 +0000

After spending some time on instrumental projects, Triangle music scene fixture Ryan Gustafson decided it was time to write lyrics again. His latest project is The Dead Tongues, which released an album earlier this year.

Education Power Grab In Wake County

Nicole Campbell and Frank Stasio — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:52:31 +0000

County School Boards have long since been in charge of school construction. However, the Senate recently passed a bill that would hand over school construction to county commissioners in 10 North Carolina counties. Many people who oppose the bill argue that county commissioners may have experience building prisons but not schools. This is one bill out of many that have been progressing through the Senate recently.

The Kids Are Alright. In Fact, They're Knitting and Baking Bread!

Shawn Wen and Frank Stasio — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:45:28 +0000

You may have noticed a DIY trend among young people these days. Some are getting into knitting sweaters; others are keeping backyard chicken coups. Otherwise, they are making cheese, canning, beekeeping and growing their own vegetables. These labor-intensive homemaking projects may not be just a trend towards rustic pleasures.

Emily Matchar calls this movement the New Domesticity. And she documents this phenomenon in her new book, "Homeward Bound: Why Women are Embracing the New Domesticity." Generally, she is writing not about people who embrace DIY culture out of necessity, but rather as a voluntary lifestyle.

New Music Incorporates Stories of North Carolina Jews

Isaac-Davy Aronson and Frank Stasio — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:40:02 +0000

The Jewish Heritage Foundation of North Carolina has been collecting the stories of the state's Jews for years. Now, those recorded interviews are part of an original musical composition - "Down Home: The Cantata."

Is The Southern Accent Fading In Raleigh?

Shawn Wen and Frank Stasio — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:27:37 +0000

It’s no secret that Raleigh and other parts of the Triangle have changed drastically in the past decades. But new linguistic research shows that along with social and industrial change, the Triangle is seeing its Southern accent fade.

First Openly Lesbian Presbyterian Pastor, One Year In

Isaac-Davy Aronson and Frank Stasio — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:05:49 +0000

When Katie Ricks became the Associate Pastor of the Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill last year, she was the first openly lesbian pastor in the country ordained by the Presbyterian Church.

Foodie Musician Gathers Huge Ensemble, Releases Album

Alex Granados and Frank Stasio — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:53:07 +0000

Andy McGowan is making his mark on Durham with the restaurant Geer Street Garden, but by night, he and, sometimes, 15 of his closest friends form D-Town Brass and jam until the early hours. They’ve just released two albums, “UR” and “Golden Belt.”

Professor Examines Overlooked Writers Of The 19th Century

Alex Granados and Frank Stasio — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:13:53 +0000

When we think of the classics of 19th Century literature, names like Melville and Hawthorne come to mind. But what about their contemporaries? What makes ones writer a master and another forgotten? Phillip Gura, professor of American literature and culture at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, tackles that subject in his newest book, “Truth’s Ragged Edge: The Rise of the American Novel” (FSG/2013).

How Storytelling Influences The Way We Think And Act

Alex Granados and Frank Stasio — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:07:31 +0000

Joe McHugh says we spend too much time focusing on what information people consume instead of how they consume it. Conservatives may focus on Fox News, and liberals may love MSNBC, but McHugh says that’s not as important as the fact that members of both ideologies are watching television. He says the mediums we use can be as influential as the content they provide.