INDY Week
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Progressive news, culture, and commentary for Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. | Support local news: http://indyweek.com/support.
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"Stylistically, I keep the music going in a lot of different directions,” says Katharine Whalen, former singer and banjo-picker of the celebrated Squirrel Nut Zippers.
Katharine Whalen Flexes Verve and Versatility On Two New Records
A pair of brand-new records from Katherine Whalen’s Jazz Squad and Certain Seas showcase the Efland musician stretching her stylistic wings.
indyweek.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:22 PM
"Stylistically, I keep the music going in a lot of different directions,” says Katharine Whalen, former singer and banjo-picker of the celebrated Squirrel Nut Zippers.
Reposted by INDY Week
beautiful story on today’s cover about Emanuel Food Pantry, Durham’s largest food assistance program.
If you’ve ever driven on Roxboro Road on a Wednesday, the pantry’s distribution day, you’ve doubtless encountered the hundreds of cars that wind throughout the neighborhood in line
If you’ve ever driven on Roxboro Road on a Wednesday, the pantry’s distribution day, you’ve doubtless encountered the hundreds of cars that wind throughout the neighborhood in line
November 26, 2025 at 7:03 PM
beautiful story on today’s cover about Emanuel Food Pantry, Durham’s largest food assistance program.
If you’ve ever driven on Roxboro Road on a Wednesday, the pantry’s distribution day, you’ve doubtless encountered the hundreds of cars that wind throughout the neighborhood in line
If you’ve ever driven on Roxboro Road on a Wednesday, the pantry’s distribution day, you’ve doubtless encountered the hundreds of cars that wind throughout the neighborhood in line
Talking with the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition’s Loftin Wilson about the coalition’s work, how the opioid epidemic is changing, and county efforts to distribute opioid lawsuit settlement funds to save lives.
“We Have an Obligation to the People that We've Lost:” How the Opioid Crisis is Playing Out in Durham
Talking with the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition’s Loftin Wilson about the coalition’s work, how the opioid epidemic is changing, and county efforts to distribute opioid lawsuit settlement fun...
indyweek.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Talking with the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition’s Loftin Wilson about the coalition’s work, how the opioid epidemic is changing, and county efforts to distribute opioid lawsuit settlement funds to save lives.
A developer is planning to turn one-third of the Northgate Mall property into a shopping center. Community members hope they can still influence the future of the site.
After Years of Neighborhood Advocacy, Developer Files “Underwhelming” Plans for Part of Northgate Site
A developer is planning to turn one-third of the Northgate Mall property into a shopping center. Community members hope they can still influence the future of the site.
indyweek.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:53 PM
A developer is planning to turn one-third of the Northgate Mall property into a shopping center. Community members hope they can still influence the future of the site.
“Once you know that almost 50,000 people are food insecure in this community that has so much brain power and so much wealth, you cannot turn a blind eye—it’s almost inconceivable that this was such a hidden issue for so long.”
The Country Is Facing a Hunger Crisis. In Durham, As Need Grows, So Does Emanuel Food Pantry.
In five years, the small church initiative has become Durham County’s largest emergency food assistance program.
indyweek.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:42 PM
“Once you know that almost 50,000 people are food insecure in this community that has so much brain power and so much wealth, you cannot turn a blind eye—it’s almost inconceivable that this was such a hidden issue for so long.”
Rosenberg says the Heritage Communities project was created as a response to “accelerated growth and pace of development” in Durham County. There is a desire to raise awareness about existing communities that development may affect, she says.
Merrick-Moore Named Durham's First Heritage Community
The program honors communities that have never been formally recognized by the city or county. For the historic neighborhood, it’s a way to preserve the past, and protect its future in a growing city.
indyweek.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Rosenberg says the Heritage Communities project was created as a response to “accelerated growth and pace of development” in Durham County. There is a desire to raise awareness about existing communities that development may affect, she says.
“I began taking [the term art monk] more seriously when I entered a stage of total nomadism that was precipitated,” Stephanie Elizondo Griest says, “by the realization that I could either write or I could pay rent—I couldn’t do both.”
In “Art Above Everything,” Stephanie Elizondo Griest Offers a New Kind of Road Manual
Stephanie Elizondo Griest has written a soulful new book that takes a big question across the globe: Is art worth the sacrifice it requires?
indyweek.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:27 PM
“I began taking [the term art monk] more seriously when I entered a stage of total nomadism that was precipitated,” Stephanie Elizondo Griest says, “by the realization that I could either write or I could pay rent—I couldn’t do both.”
An enrollment drop in Durham Public Schools (DPS) will cost the district $4.7 million this year, as well as state funding for 33 teacher positions next year.
Durham Public Schools Face Another Shortfall as Enrollment Drops
More Durham students attended charter schools this year than anticipated, leaving the district with a $4.7 million budget gap.
indyweek.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:57 PM
An enrollment drop in Durham Public Schools (DPS) will cost the district $4.7 million this year, as well as state funding for 33 teacher positions next year.
“How do you continue to keep people in awe? That’s the challenge,” says William Lewis, Cary’s cultural arts manager. “You raise the bar and raise the bar and raise the bar.”
100,000 Feet of Wiring, 20,000 Lights, and 14 Acres: Inside the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival
A decade into a tradition, Koka Booth's annual Chinese Lantern Festival continues to up the ante and keep visitors in awe.
indyweek.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:33 PM
“How do you continue to keep people in awe? That’s the challenge,” says William Lewis, Cary’s cultural arts manager. “You raise the bar and raise the bar and raise the bar.”
"With tax and tip, my total comes to $14.41. While Melvin is ringing me up, he asks if I’m looking for a server job. I tell him I’m not. He invites me to the staff Christmas party anyway."
Lunch Money: Three Tacos with Chicken Tinga at The Burritaco Burger Grill
‘80s Hits and a Christmas party invitation at The Burritaco Burger Grill, a minimalist restaurant in Mebane.
indyweek.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:06 PM
"With tax and tip, my total comes to $14.41. While Melvin is ringing me up, he asks if I’m looking for a server job. I tell him I’m not. He invites me to the staff Christmas party anyway."
Op-Ed: With Immigration Officers in The Triangle, It’s Time to Reactivate the State Defense Militia.
Op-Ed: With Immigration Officers in The Triangle, It’s Time to Reactivate the State Defense Militia
After federal agents swept up his client in Durham, an immigration attorney advocates for invoking a state law to mobilize a civilian militia to protect each other and our rights.
indyweek.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Op-Ed: With Immigration Officers in The Triangle, It’s Time to Reactivate the State Defense Militia.
Reposted by INDY Week
“They saw my North Carolina Real ID,” he said. “They were looking for an ID or some sort of documentation, so at that moment, they could have let me free. But no, they decided to take me.”
When he told them he was born in Raleigh, the agent questioning him grew angry, Vazquez said. They abruptly pulled off the road into the parking lot of a carpet cleaning company, where they dumped him, a half mile away from where they picked him up.
‘They Basically Just Kidnapped Me’: US Citizen Taken by Border Patrol in Cary
This article originally published online at NC Newsline. The first thing they asked Fernando Vazquez was “Where are you from?” When two unmarked SUVs full of Border Patrol agents arrived Tuesday at th...
indyweek.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:48 PM
“They saw my North Carolina Real ID,” he said. “They were looking for an ID or some sort of documentation, so at that moment, they could have let me free. But no, they decided to take me.”
When he told them he was born in Raleigh, the agent questioning him grew angry, Vazquez said. They abruptly pulled off the road into the parking lot of a carpet cleaning company, where they dumped him, a half mile away from where they picked him up.
‘They Basically Just Kidnapped Me’: US Citizen Taken by Border Patrol in Cary
This article originally published online at NC Newsline. The first thing they asked Fernando Vazquez was “Where are you from?” When two unmarked SUVs full of Border Patrol agents arrived Tuesday at th...
indyweek.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
When he told them he was born in Raleigh, the agent questioning him grew angry, Vazquez said. They abruptly pulled off the road into the parking lot of a carpet cleaning company, where they dumped him, a half mile away from where they picked him up.
Reposted by INDY Week
New way to recycle bourbon barrels just dropped
Walking among the trolls takes about an hour, and that hike is part of Dambo’s goal. “My art is about getting people off of their screens and getting children out to experience all that magic that I experienced growing up, like searching in the forest,” he said.
Into the Woods With the Dix Park Trolls
Danish artist Thomas Dambo's family of five recycled troll sculptures now cavort across the Raleigh park's 308 acres.
indyweek.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
New way to recycle bourbon barrels just dropped
Walking among the trolls takes about an hour, and that hike is part of Dambo’s goal. “My art is about getting people off of their screens and getting children out to experience all that magic that I experienced growing up, like searching in the forest,” he said.
Into the Woods With the Dix Park Trolls
Danish artist Thomas Dambo's family of five recycled troll sculptures now cavort across the Raleigh park's 308 acres.
indyweek.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Walking among the trolls takes about an hour, and that hike is part of Dambo’s goal. “My art is about getting people off of their screens and getting children out to experience all that magic that I experienced growing up, like searching in the forest,” he said.
Once the first phase of the new project has begun, retrofitting things like affordable housing and green space will become much more challenging, says Brandon Williams, chair of the Northgate Mall Committee for the Walltown Community Association.
After Years of Neighborhood Advocacy, Developer Files “Underwhelming” Plans for Part of Northgate Site
A developer is planning to turn one-third of the Northgate Mall property into a shopping center. Community members hope they can still influence the future of the site.
indyweek.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Once the first phase of the new project has begun, retrofitting things like affordable housing and green space will become much more challenging, says Brandon Williams, chair of the Northgate Mall Committee for the Walltown Community Association.
North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District was the hardest hit by DOGE cuts in the entire country. Could that come back to bite Republicans in 2026?
Federal Funding Cuts May Drive Triangle-Area Dems to the Polls in 2026
North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District was the hardest hit by DOGE cuts in the entire country. Could that come back to bite Republicans in 2026?
indyweek.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:32 PM
North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District was the hardest hit by DOGE cuts in the entire country. Could that come back to bite Republicans in 2026?
Reposted by INDY Week
“I’m just doing it for the people that can’t,” says Edith Zavala, a Raleigh resident who says the city felt fearful and “heavy” Tuesday. “I know there are so many people in our community that are afraid to go to work, even go grocery shopping.”
“A Horrific Moment in Our Nation”: Day 1 of Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions in Wake County
More than a dozen people were detained across the Triangle yesterday as hundreds gathered to protest, organize, and volunteer.
indyweek.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:48 PM
“I’m just doing it for the people that can’t,” says Edith Zavala, a Raleigh resident who says the city felt fearful and “heavy” Tuesday. “I know there are so many people in our community that are afraid to go to work, even go grocery shopping.”
An ESL class in Durham had six students present Tuesday and a Spanish-language immersion school in Knightdale saw a third of students absent as thousands of kids stayed home from school across the Triangle.
indyweek.com/news/northca...
indyweek.com/news/northca...
K-12 Absences Spike as Federal Immigration Agents Arrive in the Triangle
An ESL class in Durham had six students present Tuesday and a Spanish-language immersion school in Knightdale saw a third of students absent as thousands of kids stayed home from school across the Tri...
indyweek.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM
An ESL class in Durham had six students present Tuesday and a Spanish-language immersion school in Knightdale saw a third of students absent as thousands of kids stayed home from school across the Triangle.
indyweek.com/news/northca...
indyweek.com/news/northca...
Three nights of “Next-Gen Hip Hop,” the 2025 Sundance Indigenous Shorts Tour, and more events around the Triangle that we recommend this week.
INDY Selects: What to Do in the Triangle This Week
Three nights of "Next-Gen Hip Hop," the 2025 Sundance Indigenous Shorts Tour, and more events around the Triangle we recommend this week.
indyweek.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Three nights of “Next-Gen Hip Hop,” the 2025 Sundance Indigenous Shorts Tour, and more events around the Triangle that we recommend this week.
How many people were detained in Durham on Tuesday is unclear. Local officials and organizers say hundreds of volunteers mobilized to intervene.
A Day of Fear and Community Support as Federal Immigration Agents Detain People in Durham
How many people were detained in Durham on Tuesday is unclear. Local officials and organizers say hundreds of volunteers mobilized to intervene.
indyweek.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:37 PM
How many people were detained in Durham on Tuesday is unclear. Local officials and organizers say hundreds of volunteers mobilized to intervene.
“I’m just doing it for the people that can’t,” says Edith Zavala, a Raleigh resident who says the city felt fearful and “heavy” Tuesday. “I know there are so many people in our community that are afraid to go to work, even go grocery shopping.”
“A Horrific Moment in Our Nation”: Day 1 of Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions in Wake County
More than a dozen people were detained across the Triangle yesterday as hundreds gathered to protest, organize, and volunteer.
indyweek.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:48 PM
“I’m just doing it for the people that can’t,” says Edith Zavala, a Raleigh resident who says the city felt fearful and “heavy” Tuesday. “I know there are so many people in our community that are afraid to go to work, even go grocery shopping.”
Reposted by INDY Week
Meredith College Students, Faculty, and Alumni Protest Cuts and On-Campus Living Conditions indyweek.com/news/wake/me...
Meredith College Students, Faculty, and Alumni Protest Cuts and On-Campus Living Conditions
Meredith College students, faculty, and alumni on Monday protested cuts and on-campus living conditions.
indyweek.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Meredith College Students, Faculty, and Alumni Protest Cuts and On-Campus Living Conditions indyweek.com/news/wake/me...
Reposted by INDY Week
The organizing principle for everything on the walls is a sense of place: there’s a Flying Dog neon sign from one of the old Sam’s Quik Shop locations; a 1950s accordion, as a wink to their predecessor; and a cow skull from Gunipero’s family farm.
The Old North Bar Is Keeping Accordion Club’s Spirit Alive (And Affordable)
Opened in September, the Geer Street dive bar will feel familiar to most patrons—with just a few updates thrown in the mix.
indyweek.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:37 PM
The organizing principle for everything on the walls is a sense of place: there’s a Flying Dog neon sign from one of the old Sam’s Quik Shop locations; a 1950s accordion, as a wink to their predecessor; and a cow skull from Gunipero’s family farm.
Reposted by INDY Week
BREAKING: Federal agents detained at least three people in Durham on Tuesday, chasing them through a shopping center parking lot as stores locked down and shoppers fled.
“They’re Just Kind Of Grabbing People”: Fear Grips Durham As Federal Agents Arrive
Federal agents detained at least three people as volunteers mobilized to track the agents through Durham.
indyweek.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:16 PM
BREAKING: Federal agents detained at least three people in Durham on Tuesday, chasing them through a shopping center parking lot as stores locked down and shoppers fled.