Under the Dome

Latest Episodes:

Masks, ICE and skydiving coming up at the legislature May 20, 2024

Show notes

Start your week in North Carolina politics with our latest Under the Dome podcast, for the week of May 20, 2024. Dawn Vaughan here, your podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief. On this episode, I’m joined by my colleagues Avi Bajpai and Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guests: Avi Bajpai and Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi

Producer: Kevin Keister

Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It’s sent to your inbox Tuesday to Friday and Sunday. Sign up here.

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Masks legislation and the Shalom Act are pending after UNC protests May 13, 2024

Show notes

For the week of May 13, 2024 Dawn Vaughan talks with colleagues Avi Bajpai and Korie Dean about how the recent protests at UNC-Chapel Hill factor in to significant legislation moving through the General Assembly right now: the SHALOM Act and a mask bill.

You’ll also hear a clip from Senate leader Phil Berger about why he supports a new mask bill post-pandemic and in the wake of protesters wearing masks.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Avi Bajpai, Korie Dean

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

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Under the Dome: Live! feat. Sens. Sawyer and Murdock on police, UNC protests and transit May 06, 2024

Show notes

For the week of May 6, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan talks to Republican Sen. Vickie Sawyer and Democratic Sen. Natalie Murdock during our Under the Dome: Live! event at the N.C. Museum of History in downtown Raleigh.

They discuss everything from the protesters at UNC to the law enforcement officers killed in Charlotte to transportation policy, the budget, this legislative session and the controversial bills passed last session.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Sens. Natalie Murdock and Vickie Sawyer

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Video producer: Kevin Keister

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the session underway, the budget and guns are already issues Apr 29, 2024

Show notes

For the week of April 29, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan talks with fellow state politics reporters Avi Bajpai and Kyle Ingram about how the General Assembly budget process is already underway: you’ll hear audio from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget proposal and Senate leader Phil Berger’s reaction. You’ll also hear Republican Rep. Jason Saine’s take on child care funding, as that issue is also integral to this year’s budget process.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guests: Avi Bajpai, Kyle Ingram

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A legislative session preview, plus more NC eCourts problems Apr 22, 2024

Show notes

For the week of April 22, 2024, host and News & Observer Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by fellow state politics reporter Avi Bajai and investigative reporter Tyler Dukes. Previewing the upcoming legislative session, they discuss potential bills addressing video lottery terminals and the state budget. Tied to the budget are the needs of the Judicial Branch and the troubled rollout of the eCourts system.

Stay tuned until the end for their picks for Headliner of the Week.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guests: Avi Bajpai, Tyler Dukes

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DEI politics in higher ed, the upcoming NCGA session and the actual Dome Apr 15, 2024

Show notes

This week on the Under the Dome politics podcast, host Dawn Vaughan and higher education reporter Korie Dean talk about the possibility of legislation that could defund diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public universities in North Carolina.

After the break, we talk about the new copper dome and roof on the state Capitol building, and what Legislative Services Officer Paul Coble would like to happen, including the chances of getting some of the old copper.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Korie Dean

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Recording: Kevin Keister

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Immigration and the return of the ICE-sheriffs bill in North Carolina Apr 08, 2024

Show notes

For the week of April 8, 2024, podcast host and The News & Observer’s Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan is joined by politics team reporters Avi Bajpai and Danielle Battaglia to talk about a major issue at the state and national levels: immigration.

The two have written stories about the issue that will publish this week. It’s part of a national series of stories that McClatchy newspapers is publishing on immigration.

Bajpai has stories coming about detention requests that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, makes of jails, and legislation planned for this year’s General Assembly session that would require sheriffs to cooperate with those requests.

After the break, Battaglia talks about her coverage of a new facility for immigrant children in Greensboro and all the unanswered questions about it. Plus, how the immigration issue is playing out in Washington.

Stay tuned to the end for our picks for Headliner of the Week.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Avi Bajpai, Danielle Battaglia

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump and Biden target NC for 2024 wins and a new NCGOP leader elected Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

For the week of April 1, 2024, Kyle Ingram fills in as week’s host for Capitol bureau chief Dawn Vaughan and is joined by politics team colleagues DC correspondent Danielle Battaglia and state politics reporter Avi Bajpai. They talk about North Carolina’s perennial status as a "purple state" and what each party's campaign strategies may be to sway the vote.

Plus, a shakeup at the Republican National Committee resulted in NC GOP Chair Michael Whatley taking the reins with Donald Trump’s support. Now, a Trump-backed replacement has won the state party’s top leadership position.

Host: Kyle Ingram

Guest: Avi Bajpai, Danielle Battaglia

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Maria Cervania on life as a freshman Democratic lawmaker Mar 25, 2024

Show notes

For the week of March 25, 2024, host Dawn Vaughan here is joined by a state lawmaker as guest: Rep. Maria Cervania, a Cary Democrat.

Cervania is a freshman representative who previously served on the Wake County Board of Commissioners. She’s also the first Filipino person to serve in the General Assembly, elected in 2022 along with a historic wave of other Filipino Americans winning elections across the country. Cervania talked about how local and state government are “diametrically different,” from demographics to how governing happens. As a Democrat, her party is in the superminority.

Listen to the full podcast to hear more about her retelling of a conversation with Rep. Donnie Loftis, as well as how she became a Democrat growing up in a Republican household, and how she approaches her work because of it. Plus, Headliner of the Week.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Rep. Maria Cervania

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What primary results mean for the NCGA short session feat. WUNC's Colin Campbell Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

We are about a month out from the start of the 2024 legislative short session, which is always held during an election year, so that changes the tone of the entire session. First, it’s usually shorter not just by design of the work itself, since there’s a budget adjustment bill to pass, but also because lawmakers want to have time to go out and campaign.

And the results of the primary earlier this month changes that up.

Case in point, House Speaker Tim Moore, who’s a short-timer now and heading to Congress assuming he wins his Republican-favored U.S. House district. During the first half, we talk about the Republicans dynamics that may play out this year, including between Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger, who is not leaving the legislature.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Colin Campbell

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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