News

Last month, U.S. News and World Report ranked the Durham-Chapel Hill area as the best place in the country for gender equality in the workplace. As one reason, the magazine cited the area’s percentage of highly-educated women. It might seem obvious that the area’s progressive universities are part of the reason… but the truth is, universities are lagging in equal pay for women. 

Nan Keohane was a young, ambitious political science professor at Swarthmore when she got her first taste of gender inequality. 

Patients are spending hundreds of dollars a month for out- of-pocket expenses while they're being treated for cancer - even if they're insured. 

The new study led by Duke researcher Yousuf Zafar queried more than 200 cancer patients - all but a handful were insured and most had prescription coverage. Zafar says he found patients were spending an average of $712 a month on out-of-pocket expenses. And Zafar says 30 percent of patients reported having a significant financial burden as a result of care.

Transportation issues will be the focus of a series of public meetings this week in Durham, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. State and local officials are trying to deal with clogged roads and highways with plenty of growth still to come. Andrew Henry is a transportation planner for the Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization. He says there are at least two answers to the problem.

This year's harsh winter has led to a steep decline in North Carolina's shrimp catch. That's according to state wildlife officials, who say cold waters killed the majority of white shrimp in North Carolina water. That species usually spends the winter near the shore and swims out to sea around the beginning of June. Carlyle Gilgo is a seafood dealer in the town of Sealevel near Morehead City. He says he hasn't caught any shrimp yet this year.

The key to greater peace and health is as simple as "mindfulness" - the act of paying attention on purpose. However, practicing mindfulness isn't as simple or as easy as it sounds. Dr. Jeffrey Brantley helps patients find their way to mindful living and a stronger connection between their minds and their bodies.

A non-profit organization has released a report that claims private utilities are not providing affordable or healthy water to some small communities in North Carolina. The report from Clean Water for North Carolina says private companies charge their customers using a system called single tariff. It allows them to raise rates if they make more investments in water systems. Katie Hicks is the lead author of the report.

It was nearly two years ago that U.S. Airways flight 1549 bound for Charlotte had to make an emergency landing on the Hudson River. Everyone on board survived what was called a miracle landing. This week the plane is making one last journey to the Queen City where it will go on display at the Carolinas Aviation Museum. Shawn Dorsch is the president of the facility. He says the plane will arrive Friday for a special event with the crew and passengers including Captain Sullenberger before going on public display Sunday. 

John Edwards' indictment today marks the beginning of what may be a long courtroom battle over whether or not he violated campaign finance laws. Some North Carolinians who worked on his campaigns say regardless of the legal outcome, they still feel betrayed by the affair he conducted with his mistress when he was a presidential candidate in 2008. Linda Gunter is the President of Democratic Women of Wake County. 

Educators across the state are reacting to the state budget making its way through the legislature today. 

 Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata prepared his budget on the premise that the state’s largest school district would receive 5 percent less than it did the previous year from the state. The current budget is more like 6 percent. But Tata isn’t complaining. 

The Beaver Queen Pageant is a mix of costumes, excess and shady dealings. It boasts participants with names like Scarlett O'Beavah and Cherry Cherry Bang Bang DaBeava. Saturday is the 7th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant, and it's all for a good cause: raising money for the Durham-based Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.