House Bill 543 and the Families It’s Hurting: A Mother’s Story

House Bill 543 and the Families It’s Hurting: A Mother’s Story

I sat down with Rose Willis to talk about something no parent ever wants to think about: what happens when you're no longer able to care for your child. A recent health scare involving an enlarged aortic aneurysm forced Rose to confront that question head-on. Her daughter, Morgan, is an adult living with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and for years Morgan's care has been a family effort. Since 2012, her older sister Savannah has served as her paid caregiver, providing the consistency and support that helps Morgan thrive. But as Rose began putting long-term plans in place, she discovered a little-known North Carolina law standing in the way. We talked about House Bill 543, legislation passed in 2013 that prevents a non-parent family member from serving as both guardian and paid caregiver. Rose believes the law was originally intended to prevent abuse and financial exploitation in certain care settings, but says its broad language creates unintended consequences for families like hers. Our conversation explored what that means in practical terms—not just for Morgan, but for other North Carolina families trying to plan for the future of loved ones with disabilities. We discussed continuity of care, caregiver shortages, the challenges that come with major life transitions, and why stability can be so important for individuals with complex medical needs. Along the way, Rose shared her efforts to contact legislators, committee members, and state officials in hopes of finding a solution. She also explained why she believes greater public awareness is needed and what she hopes lawmakers will consider moving forward. Because sometimes the biggest challenges families face aren't medical. They're legal. And while laws are often written with good intentions, the real test is how they affect the people who have to live with them every day. This is a conversation about family, caregiving, disability advocacy, and the difficult questions that arise when public policy collides with real life. 00:00 Show Intro 00:45 Health Scare and Future Planning 03:06 House Bill 543 Explained 04:40 Continuity of Care at Risk 06:59 Calling Lawmakers for Help 11:45 How Many Families Affected 14:39 Workarounds and Needed Fix 17:36 Morgan’s Voice and Social Media 19:43 How Caregiver Pay Works 22:19 How to Help and Closing Support Where the Dogwood Blooms: If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us via: * Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/dogwoodblooms] * Cash App [https://cash.app/$DogwoodBlooms] Connect with Where the Dogwood Blooms: * Website [https://www.wherethedogwoodblooms.com/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wherethedogwoodblooms/] * X [https://twitter.com/dogwoodblooms] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wherethedogwoodblooms] Contact: * cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com [cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com] Tags: #SpecialNeeds #DisabilityRights #NCPolitics #CerebralPalsy #NorthCarolina

What Really Happened During the Cooper Years?

I sat down with journalist AP Dillon to talk about something a lot of North Carolinians are still trying to make sense of: the lasting impact of the Cooper years. Like many families, AP's life was turned upside down during COVID. We talked about homeschooling, school mask policies, vaccine concerns, and what it was like trying to navigate those years while also covering state government as a reporter. But our conversation didn't stop there. We dug into transparency in state government, Governor Roy Cooper's record in office, disaster recovery efforts after major hurricanes, school choice battles, public safety issues, and the ways political power gets exercised behind the scenes. Along the way, AP shared what she learned from years of following Cooper's administration—tracking executive orders, public records, vetoes, and the decisions that shaped North Carolina during some of its most contentious years. Whether you agree with her conclusions or not, the conversation raises bigger questions about accountability, transparency, and who gets heard when major decisions are being made. Because politics isn't just something that happens in Raleigh. It shows up in our schools, our churches, our businesses, our communities, and sometimes right at our own kitchen tables. And if there's one thing North Carolina has taught me, it's that the stories worth telling are usually a lot more complicated than the headlines make them seem. 00:00 Lockdown Life Hacks 00:45 Kite Science Day 01:50 Masking School Chaos 02:50 Kids Get Radicalized 03:50 Vaccine Heart Scare 06:16 Cooper Briefings Blackout 06:35 How She Tracks Cooper 08:07 HB2 And The 2016 Playbook 09:35 Vetoes And Progressivism 10:48 Transparency And Records 15:57 Campaign Dirt And Rumors 19:05 Kristin Cooper Controversy 20:43 Make Stuff Cost Less 23:49 NCORR Disaster Recovery Fail 30:22 Helene Aftermath And Volunteers 33:57 Rebuilding and Resentment 35:01 Common Core Clash 37:58 School Choice Fight 43:22 Party Pressure and Veto Power 46:26 COVID Orders and Loss 50:46 Riots and Double Standards 57:26 Untested Rape Kit Backlog 01:00:48 Curated Politics and Transparency 01:02:03 Prison Releases and Soft Crime 01:04:48 National Guard and Next Chapter Support Where the Dogwood Blooms: If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us via: * Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/dogwoodblooms] * Cash App [https://cash.app/$DogwoodBlooms] Connect with AP Dillon: * X [https://x.com/APDillon_] Connect with Where the Dogwood Blooms: * Website [https://www.wherethedogwoodblooms.com/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wherethedogwoodblooms/] * X [https://twitter.com/dogwoodblooms] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wherethedogwoodblooms] Contact: * cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com [cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com] Tags: #APDillon #RoyCooper #NCPolitics #NorthCarolina #ConservativePolitics

Brodie Duke: The Black Sheep

I sat down with my friend Ellie Parker to talk about her ancestor, Brodie Duke—the black sheep of the Duke family. If you’ve ever heard his name, it’s probably been attached to scandal. Brodie had a reputation—alcohol, failed marriages, and headlines that followed him across the country.  For a long time, that’s where his story has started and ended. But here’s the part most folks don’t know: The Duke empire? It traces back to his vision. Brodie was the one who helped pull his family into tobacco manufacturing in Durham, laying the groundwork for what would become one of the most powerful business dynasties in the South. So I asked the question—was he really just the family’s cautionary tale? Or was he something more complicated than that? This conversation digs into both sides of Brodie: the troublemaker the newspapers loved, and the man whose ideas helped shape North Carolina history. Because like a lot of stories around here—it ain’t clean, it ain’t simple, and it sure ain’t one-sided. And in that way, it might just be one of the most North Carolina stories there is. Sponsors: * Knights of Pythias Cumberland Lodge No. 5 [https://www.nckop.com/cumberland-lodge] Support Where the Dogwood Blooms: If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us via: * Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/dogwoodblooms] * Cash App [https://cash.app/$DogwoodBlooms] Connect with Where the Dogwood Blooms: * Website [https://www.wherethedogwoodblooms.com/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wherethedogwoodblooms/] * X [https://twitter.com/dogwoodblooms] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wherethedogwoodblooms] Contact: * cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com [cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com] Tags: #NCHistory #UntoldStories #Storytelling #BrodieDuke #DukeFamily #DurhamNC #TobaccoHistory #SouthernRoots

Divergent Voices: Conservative Versus Liberal

I sat down with Jonah Garson, Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, for a long conversation about politics, culture, and policy here in North Carolina. We start with a softball: why North Carolina voters split their tickets so often. We talk about the state’s long tradition of independent voters, the fact that North Carolina elects a whole slate of executive offices, and how the governor’s power here was intentionally designed to be weaker than in most states. From there, we get into the debate over transgender participation in sports and bathroom access, revisiting the fallout from the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act. Jonah argues that transgender women have become a political scapegoat and that conversations about safety should include everyone. I push back by raising concerns about women’s privacy, trauma, and self-defense, which naturally leads us into a broader discussion about guns and public safety. We also talk about disaster response and rebuilding after Hurricane Helene—from flood-zone rebuilding limits to insurance denials and the question of whether more government actually helps or just adds red tape. Jonah makes the case for better government, not necessarily bigger government. Along the way, we wade into a whole list of thorny topics: the “socialism” label in American politics, healthcare debates like single-payer vs. frustrations with Obamacare, welfare benefit cliffs that trap people in poverty, federalism and local power, crime and prison reform, and the lingering fallout from COVID policies. And yes—we end with the classic political hot seat moment when Jonah declines to answer the simplest question of all. 00:00 — Meet the Guest 01:45 — Why North Carolina Voters Split Tickets 03:20 — Why North Carolina Has a Weak Governor 04:37 — Trans Rights and the HB2 Debate 06:23 — Bathroom Safety and the Scapegoating Argument 13:16 — Guns, Self-Defense, and Public Safety 15:44 — Social Media and Debate Culture 18:40 — Storm Response and Infrastructure 21:16 — Hurricane Helene Recovery vs. Red Tape 26:03 — “Better Government” vs. “Bigger Government” 28:26 — Neighbors Helping Neighbors 29:04 — Teasing the Tougher Questions 29:30 — The “Socialism” Label Debate 31:58 — Healthcare: Single-Payer vs. Obamacare Frustrations 37:29 — Nordic Models and Immigration 40:51 — Federalism and Local Control 50:36 — Welfare Benefit Cliffs 54:50 — Crime, Prisons, and Reform 59:28 — COVID Policy Fallout 01:03:01 — The Gotcha Question Connect with Jonah Garson: * Website [https://www.ncdp.org/leaders/ncdp/] * X [https://x.com/JonahGarsonNC] Sponsors: * Knights of Pythias Cumberland Lodge No. 5 [https://www.nckop.com/cumberland-lodge] Support Where the Dogwood Blooms: If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us via: * Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/dogwoodblooms] * Cash App [https://cash.app/$DogwoodBlooms] Connect with Where the Dogwood Blooms: * Website [https://www.wherethedogwoodblooms.com/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wherethedogwoodblooms/] * X [https://twitter.com/dogwoodblooms] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wherethedogwoodblooms] Contact: * cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com [cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com] Tags: #JonahGarson #ConservativeVersusDemocrat #CivilPoliticalDiscussion #HurricaneHeleneRecovery #TransgenderSportsDebate #WhatIsAWoman

The NC Forward Party

In this episode, I sat down in downtown Raleigh with Lennie Friedman — retired NFL player and Vice Chair of the North Carolina Forward Party — for a real, candid conversation about why he stepped into a third-party movement that says it’sfighting for the political “middle 70%.” Lennie walks through how the Forward Party first came together nationally, led by Andrew Yang and former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman — and why the North Carolina chapter is choosing to stay laser-focused on state issues instead of getting swallowed up in national political chaos. We dig into what they see as the root problem: broken political incentives. That means tackling gerrymandering, pushing for term limits, and advocating for instant runoff (ranked-choice) voting so candidates actually have to earn 50% support — especially in primaries where someone can currently win with roughly 30%. Lennie makes the case that those reforms would reduce the “spoiler” fear around third parties, force candidates to campaign beyond their base, and maybe — just maybe — cool down some of the mudslinging that’s become standard operating procedure. We also get into education. Lennie talks about outcomes over dollars spent, pointing to what’s been called the “Mississippi Miracle” and gains in other Southern states as proof that improvement is possible. I raise concerns about schools drifting away from core academics and toward social and cultural debates. He’s clear: the party’s focus is foundational skills — reading, math, communication, and real workforce readiness. We talk teacher pay too, particularly how compensation connects to performance and student outcomes. Of course, I ask the question conservatives and unaffiliated voters are thinking: where exactly does this party land? Lennie outlines support for the Second Amendment alongside background checks, expanding voting access while maintaining voter ID, and a rejection of the loudest, most extreme partisan narratives on both sides. I share my own positions too — from free speech to medical marijuana for PTSD — and my frustration with the constant polarization. And yes, we talk about my strong opposition to Governor Roy Cooper and why that stance is personal for me. We close on kitchen-table issues: jobs, affordability, and what globalization has done to small towns across North Carolina. We talk trade skills, community colleges, permitting bottlenecks, and regulation. Lennie argues that deregulation could help increase affordable housing supply, and that healthcare reforms — including reducing certificate-of-need restrictions — could boost competition and lower costs. It’s not a shouting match. It’s not a gotcha interview. It’s a long, thoughtful conversation about whether there’s room in North Carolina for something different — and whether the “middle” is as invisible as it feels. Connect with Lennie Friedman: * Website [https://www.ncforwardparty.com/lfried76] * X [https://x.com/LFried76] Sponsors: * Knights of Pythias Cumberland Lodge No. 5 [https://www.nckop.com/cumberland-lodge] Support Where the Dogwood Blooms: If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us via: * Venmo [https://account.venmo.com/u/dogwoodblooms] * Cash App [https://cash.app/$DogwoodBlooms] Connect with Where the Dogwood Blooms: * Website [https://www.wherethedogwoodblooms.com/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/wherethedogwoodblooms/] * X [https://twitter.com/dogwoodblooms] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@wherethedogwoodblooms] Contact: * cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com [cassie@wherethedogwoodblooms.com] Tags: #LennieFriedman #NCForwardParty #NorthCarolinaPolitics #RankedChoiceVoting #ElectionReform #ThirdPartyMovement #RoyCooper