Sarah Willets
@sarahwillets.bsky.social
Editor-in-Chief @indyweek.bsky.social
Pinned
Sarah Willets
@sarahwillets.bsky.social
· Jan 15
A letter from new INDY Editor-in-Chief Sarah Willets: Here’s a taste of what you can expect from us going forward. (cc: @sarahwillets.bsky.social)
A Letter from the INDY's New Editor-in-Chief
Dear readers, For nearly 20 years, I’ve been an INDY reader like you. As a student at Carrboro High School, I would pick up a copy at Weaver Street Market during lunch and pour over each smooth page. ...
indyweek.com
Big news - I'm back at the INDY, this time as editor-in-chief! Truly a full circle moment. We have a super talented staff and are in a promising position as an organization - I'm excited to see what we'll do together.
Give us a follow if you haven't already ⬇️
Give us a follow if you haven't already ⬇️
Reposted by Sarah Willets
How party politics, strategy, and money factored into Tuesday night’s results, and what it means for the next town council.
Four and a Half Takeaways from the Cary Town Council Election
How party politics, strategy, and money factored into Tuesday’s results, and what it means for the next Cary town council.
indyweek.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:49 PM
How party politics, strategy, and money factored into Tuesday night’s results, and what it means for the next town council.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Durham’s municipal elections were expensive and at times ugly, with firm lines drawn between candidates. What the results mean for the Durham City Council and its work ahead.
Five Takeaways from Durham’s Elections
Durham’s municipal elections were expensive and at times ugly, with firm lines drawn between candidates. What the results mean for the Durham City Council and its work ahead.
indyweek.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Durham’s municipal elections were expensive and at times ugly, with firm lines drawn between candidates. What the results mean for the Durham City Council and its work ahead.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
The victories mark a blue sweep in the officially nonpartisan race; when the new council members are sworn in, the board will be composed entirely of Democrats.
Incumbent Kohn-Johnson, Political Newcomers Huang and Richards Win Cary Town Council Elections
The victories mark a blue sweep in the officially nonpartisan race; when the new council members are sworn in, the board will be composed entirely of Democrats.
indyweek.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:31 PM
The victories mark a blue sweep in the officially nonpartisan race; when the new council members are sworn in, the board will be composed entirely of Democrats.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
great @eddysarah.bsky.social on the work of Durham artist & gay rights activist Allan Troxler: his paper cuts w titles like 'Earth Heart' & ruminations like "Seems to me that one big difference between the revolutionary and the fascist is that one tries to understand his own heart and one doesn’t."
The Archive Tells the Story
On October 26, the Durham artist Allan Troxler died. A trailblazer in the fight for gay rights, he leaves an indelible legacy behind.
indyweek.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:31 PM
great @eddysarah.bsky.social on the work of Durham artist & gay rights activist Allan Troxler: his paper cuts w titles like 'Earth Heart' & ruminations like "Seems to me that one big difference between the revolutionary and the fascist is that one tries to understand his own heart and one doesn’t."
Final results are in ⤵️
We’re bringing you election updates and results as voters narrow the field of candidates vying for Durham mayor and city council.
LIVE: Durham Voters Head to Polls for Mayoral, City Council Primaries
Durham voters are headed to the polls this morning for primary elections for mayor and Ward 1, Ward 2, and Ward 3 city council seats.
indyweek.com
October 8, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Final results are in ⤵️
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Tonight in Chapel Hill, hear young journalists talk with some of our state’s top journalism minds about the future of what we do.
It’s free and it’s going to be a great time. Tell your students, tell your friends and I’ll see you out there.
youthjournalism.org/top-north-ca...
It’s free and it’s going to be a great time. Tell your students, tell your friends and I’ll see you out there.
youthjournalism.org/top-north-ca...
Top North Carolina journalists to speak at YJI forum in Chapel Hill - Youth Journalism International
CHAPEL HILL, NC – The nonprofit Youth Journalism International will host a panel discussion with four prominent North Carolina journalists at 7 p.m., Oct. 2, at the Varsity Theatre, 123 E. Franklin St...
youthjournalism.org
October 2, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Tonight in Chapel Hill, hear young journalists talk with some of our state’s top journalism minds about the future of what we do.
It’s free and it’s going to be a great time. Tell your students, tell your friends and I’ll see you out there.
youthjournalism.org/top-north-ca...
It’s free and it’s going to be a great time. Tell your students, tell your friends and I’ll see you out there.
youthjournalism.org/top-north-ca...
“Read and hold the testimonies of these queer people with care and understanding. Queer people are in a fight for their lives against fascism. Your resistance and disruption may make the difference in how the fight goes." - Desmera Gatewood in @indyweek.bsky.social
Each of these folks are choosing to speak out and be true to themselves despite attacks against them and their community. Please click through and read what they have to say.
indyweek.com/news/durham/...
indyweek.com/news/durham/...
Portraits of Pride: Fighting for Our Lives in the Face of Fascism
How queer people are under attack today and what it means to stand in solidarity with them during the Trump presidency. Plus, reflections from the staff of the LGBTQ Center of Durham.
indyweek.com
September 25, 2025 at 5:17 PM
“Read and hold the testimonies of these queer people with care and understanding. Queer people are in a fight for their lives against fascism. Your resistance and disruption may make the difference in how the fight goes." - Desmera Gatewood in @indyweek.bsky.social
Each September, @indyweek.bsky.social works with the LGBTQ Center of Durham on special #Pride coverage. It feels extra important this year and I want to thank everyone who contributed for their putting their hearts on the page at a time when it's very scary to do so.
Portraits of Pride: Fighting for Our Lives in the Face of Fascism
How queer people are under attack today and what it means to stand in solidarity with them during the Trump presidency. Plus, reflections from the staff of the LGBTQ Center of Durham.
indyweek.com
September 25, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Each September, @indyweek.bsky.social works with the LGBTQ Center of Durham on special #Pride coverage. It feels extra important this year and I want to thank everyone who contributed for their putting their hearts on the page at a time when it's very scary to do so.
NEWS from @indyweek.bsky.social: Wake Forest residents have recently started celebrating Pride Month in their town in October, and at a town board of commissioners work session last week, the mayor seemed poised to support their efforts - but then quickly walked it back.
“I now realize that by expressing support for our LGBTQ community, I may have unintentionally suggested the Town’s official support for one set of deeply held beliefs over another set just as deeply rooted,” Jones wrote.
Wake Forest Mayor Walks Back “Pride Month” Proclamation
Mayor Vivian Jones decided against issuing a proclamation for LGBTQ History month, which falls in October, leaving many residents upset.
indyweek.com
September 10, 2025 at 7:12 PM
NEWS from @indyweek.bsky.social: Wake Forest residents have recently started celebrating Pride Month in their town in October, and at a town board of commissioners work session last week, the mayor seemed poised to support their efforts - but then quickly walked it back.
Beautifully written @indyweek.bsky.social piece on Tift Merritt by @eddysarah.bsky.social and beautiful photos from Matt Ramey!
on the eve of a special two-part release – a 20th anniversary issue of "Tambourine" and "Time and Patience," a compilation of acoustic demos and unreleased songs - I profiled the magnetic Tift Merritt (for @indyweek.bsky.social)
Tift Merritt, a True North Carolina Gem, Still Has Plenty of Material to Mine
This month, Tift Merritt releases a 20th anniversary reissue of "Tambourine," as well as a compilation of demos and unreleased songs.
indyweek.com
August 29, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Beautifully written @indyweek.bsky.social piece on Tift Merritt by @eddysarah.bsky.social and beautiful photos from Matt Ramey!
Reposted by Sarah Willets
“There’s very few resources to solve the problem, and that has been our only resource,” says Saunders. “We know that handcuffs and hospitals aren’t the solution for most people when they’re in crisis.”
“Handcuffs and Hospitals Are Not the Solution”: Chapel Hill's CARE Team Marks One Year
Chapel Hill leaders hope to expand CARE’s reach. But long-term funding remains uncertain amid widespread federal cuts to mental health support services.
indyweek.com
August 15, 2025 at 5:41 PM
“There’s very few resources to solve the problem, and that has been our only resource,” says Saunders. “We know that handcuffs and hospitals aren’t the solution for most people when they’re in crisis.”
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Read this story! (by @writingthings.bsky.social)
They Can’t Sell. They Can’t Stay. From a Chapel Hill Floodway, The Future Looks Grim.
For Lou Horton and her husband, Chantal was a singular catastrophe and the yearslong culmination of watching their situation grow more precarious.
indyweek.com
August 16, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Read this story! (by @writingthings.bsky.social)
Highly recommend this heartfelt profile by @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social of the NCCU student newspaper's longtime advisor, who retired this summer.
DePyssler not only built an award-winning program but shaped generations of students, including yours truly, who say “DP,” as he is affectionately called by the NCCU community, wasn’t just their professor but a father figure who made the Echo feel like home, and its staff like family.
Bruce dePyssler, Who Led NCCU’s Campus Echo for 26 Years, Retires
Bruce DePyssler, who retired this summer, built an award-winning student newspaper at North Carolina Central University.
indyweek.com
August 15, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Highly recommend this heartfelt profile by @justinlaidlaw.bsky.social of the NCCU student newspaper's longtime advisor, who retired this summer.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
"Growing up in North Carolina, the classic thing is people want to leave. Nobody wants to really stay here. Everybody wants to go. So it’s kind of trying to shift that culture. We can make something special here, too."
LesTheGenius and Ricky Ricardo's In-State Intuition
With Raleighwood Fest 2025, the founders of the homegrown, Carolina-first music festival are dreaming big while doubling down on their roots.
indyweek.com
August 11, 2025 at 4:29 PM
"Growing up in North Carolina, the classic thing is people want to leave. Nobody wants to really stay here. Everybody wants to go. So it’s kind of trying to shift that culture. We can make something special here, too."
Reposted by Sarah Willets
The agency expressed alarm at contamination near a predominantly Black Durham neighborhood. Then the EPA eliminated its civil rights office.
A Test for Trump’s EPA: A Creek That Smells Like Death
The agency expressed alarm at contamination near a predominantly Black Durham neighborhood. Then the EPA eliminated its civil-rights office.
indyweek.com
August 13, 2025 at 1:07 PM
The agency expressed alarm at contamination near a predominantly Black Durham neighborhood. Then the EPA eliminated its civil rights office.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
For this week’s installment of Ask INDY, we take a look at local universities and their interactions with ICE.
Ask INDY: What Are the UNC System's Policies on ICE?
For this week’s installment of Ask INDY, we take a look at local universities and their interactions with ICE.
indyweek.com
August 14, 2025 at 4:48 PM
For this week’s installment of Ask INDY, we take a look at local universities and their interactions with ICE.
Even if you already heard about a Holly Springs bar trying to break the world record for largest Bloody Mary, you should read @indyweek.bsky.social's version bc a) you should read everything Lena @writingthings.bsky.social writes and b) no one else was behind the scenes for this behemoth's creation.
“You can put this in print: we wanted to put our foot in their ass,” says Paul Walters, Alexis’s husband. “That way, next time somebody wants to step up, they just have to pull us out.”
A Private Investigator, 34 Texans, and an $8,887 Bloody Mary Walk Into a Holly Springs Bar
Last week, a group of out-of-towners traveled to local restaurant The Blind Pelican with ambitions of breaking multiple world records.
indyweek.com
August 14, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Even if you already heard about a Holly Springs bar trying to break the world record for largest Bloody Mary, you should read @indyweek.bsky.social's version bc a) you should read everything Lena @writingthings.bsky.social writes and b) no one else was behind the scenes for this behemoth's creation.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
a hilarious and slightly unsettling story about an opulent drink deserves an opulent lede (@writingthings.bsky.social 🦀)
August 14, 2025 at 8:09 PM
a hilarious and slightly unsettling story about an opulent drink deserves an opulent lede (@writingthings.bsky.social 🦀)
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Chapel Thrill, like a lot of uniquely Southern places, has a lot of landmarks and ghosts. This is an excellent story about both, with some details I was not aware of. A good read.
These days, if you drive past Crook’s Corner, you’d be forgiven for thinking the restaurant is still open. Its automatic lights still switch on at night. The famed fiberglass pig still stands guard, casting a small, loin-shaped shadow over Franklin Street.
A New Podcast Revisits an Old Local Mystery: Who Killed Rachel Crook?
Elizabeth Woodman's gripping podcast looks back at the 1951 murder of Rachel Crook, a mystery that's haunted Chapel Hill for decades.
indyweek.com
July 31, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Chapel Thrill, like a lot of uniquely Southern places, has a lot of landmarks and ghosts. This is an excellent story about both, with some details I was not aware of. A good read.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Volunteers have begun moving old skate park equipment from Wheels to Lakewood Shopping Center for a new park that will include Durham’s first public mini ramp.
Lakewood DIY Skate Park Ramps Up
Volunteers have begun moving old skate park equipment to Lakewood Shopping Center for a new park that will include Durham’s first public mini ramp.
indyweek.com
August 12, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Volunteers have begun moving old skate park equipment from Wheels to Lakewood Shopping Center for a new park that will include Durham’s first public mini ramp.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
"We all take for granted that when you just don’t want to be around people, you go to your room, and you close the door. Libraries can provide some of that solitude and space for people.”
How Two Wake County Libraries Are Navigating the Homelessness Crisis
At the two biggest libraries in downtown Raleigh, the homeless crisis has meant librarians must take on new roles.
indyweek.com
August 12, 2025 at 7:22 PM
"We all take for granted that when you just don’t want to be around people, you go to your room, and you close the door. Libraries can provide some of that solitude and space for people.”
Reposted by Sarah Willets
I wrote about Durham old-time musician Joseph Decosimo's beautiful new album, "Fiery Gizzard," with all its layers and textures from past. (@indyweek.bsky.social)
Joseph Decosimo Makes Old-Time Music That Brings People Together
To make responsive new release "Fiery Gizzard," the Durham folklorist and musician pulled together a group of friends far and wide.
indyweek.com
August 13, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I wrote about Durham old-time musician Joseph Decosimo's beautiful new album, "Fiery Gizzard," with all its layers and textures from past. (@indyweek.bsky.social)
Reposted by Sarah Willets
“What you do with them after is none of my business,” she says.
I think that’s as close to a blessing as I’m gonna get. Total with tip: $14.16.
I think that’s as close to a blessing as I’m gonna get. Total with tip: $14.16.
Lunch Money: Wagyu and Pastries at Morning Rolls
You can’t get a cinnamon roll sandwich at the Raleigh restaurant. But you can get morning rolls and a wagyu burger that’s less than $10.
indyweek.com
August 13, 2025 at 3:53 PM
“What you do with them after is none of my business,” she says.
I think that’s as close to a blessing as I’m gonna get. Total with tip: $14.16.
I think that’s as close to a blessing as I’m gonna get. Total with tip: $14.16.
Reposted by Sarah Willets
This is a big deal: “AIPAC, along with its members and affiliated superPAC, became her single largest benefactor in 2022 when it poured over $2 million into her campaign and made the race the most expensive Democratic congressional primary in state history.”
August 8, 2025 at 1:50 PM
This is a big deal: “AIPAC, along with its members and affiliated superPAC, became her single largest benefactor in 2022 when it poured over $2 million into her campaign and made the race the most expensive Democratic congressional primary in state history.”