The Assembly
@theassemblync.bsky.social
North Carolina's new digital statewide magazine. In-depth reporting and writing about the state. Reach out info@theassemblync.com.
Elon University will launch a private primary school specializing in educating children with dyslexia next fall, joining Vanderbilt and two other universities in the South that offer similar programs funded by the same donors.
www.theassemblync.com/education/el...
www.theassemblync.com/education/el...
Elon University to Start Private School For Children With Dyslexia
The plans for the school, which the university says will be the first of its kind in the state, come as Elon is taking big swings to raise its profile.
www.theassemblync.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Elon University will launch a private primary school specializing in educating children with dyslexia next fall, joining Vanderbilt and two other universities in the South that offer similar programs funded by the same donors.
www.theassemblync.com/education/el...
www.theassemblync.com/education/el...
Unequivocally, last Tuesday was a good day for Democrats. But the environment in North Carolina next year probably won’t be as favorable to Democrats in the state. www.theassemblync.com/politics/nc-...
N.C. Dems Ride a Blue Wave
N.C. Democrats did well in some areas that are key to their long-shot hopes of reclaiming the General Assembly in next year’s midterms.
www.theassemblync.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Unequivocally, last Tuesday was a good day for Democrats. But the environment in North Carolina next year probably won’t be as favorable to Democrats in the state. www.theassemblync.com/politics/nc-...
Jared Smith is perhaps the only atheist YouTuber who unironically “loves religion.” Two or three times each month, Smith attends services of various faiths, talks to adherents, partakes in the customs, and offers his take for his online audience to digest. www.theassemblync.com/culture/jare...
The Atheist Who Wants You to Go to Church
Raleigh-based YouTuber Jared Smith has made a name critiquing religion. But he’s not trying to sway people away from faith.
www.theassemblync.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Jared Smith is perhaps the only atheist YouTuber who unironically “loves religion.” Two or three times each month, Smith attends services of various faiths, talks to adherents, partakes in the customs, and offers his take for his online audience to digest. www.theassemblync.com/culture/jare...
🗳️ With this week's election behind us, we're looking toward next year's midterms. For a limited time, you can get an Assembly subscription for just $26 through the 2026 election.
www.theassemblync.com/subscription...
www.theassemblync.com/subscription...
November 6, 2025 at 10:25 PM
🗳️ With this week's election behind us, we're looking toward next year's midterms. For a limited time, you can get an Assembly subscription for just $26 through the 2026 election.
www.theassemblync.com/subscription...
www.theassemblync.com/subscription...
Reposted by The Assembly
New: UNC Charlotte is the first UNC System school to publicly say it’s pursuing accreditation with the Commission for Public Higher Education.
In a letter obtained by @theassemblync.bsky.social, Chancellor Sharon Gaber outlined possible benefits & “unknowns.” www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
In a letter obtained by @theassemblync.bsky.social, Chancellor Sharon Gaber outlined possible benefits & “unknowns.” www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
UNC Charlotte Pursues New Accreditor
UNC Charlotte is the first UNC System school to publicly get on board with the effort to start a new accrediting agency.
www.theassemblync.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:57 PM
New: UNC Charlotte is the first UNC System school to publicly say it’s pursuing accreditation with the Commission for Public Higher Education.
In a letter obtained by @theassemblync.bsky.social, Chancellor Sharon Gaber outlined possible benefits & “unknowns.” www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
In a letter obtained by @theassemblync.bsky.social, Chancellor Sharon Gaber outlined possible benefits & “unknowns.” www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
UNC Charlotte is applying to join the Commission for Public Higher Education, making it the first UNC System school to publicly get on board with the effort by several states to start a new accrediting agency.
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
UNC Charlotte Pursues New Accreditor
UNC Charlotte is the first UNC System school to publicly get on board with the effort to start a new accrediting agency.
www.theassemblync.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:08 PM
UNC Charlotte is applying to join the Commission for Public Higher Education, making it the first UNC System school to publicly get on board with the effort by several states to start a new accrediting agency.
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
Via @notus.com | North Carolina, Wisconsin, Maine, Arizona, and Michigan are among a coalition of states suing the federal government over new restrictions on disaster-relief grants, increasing pressure on the Trump administration from battleground states.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cou...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cou...
N.C. and Other States Bring Lawsuit Against FEMA and DHS
The coalition is suing over new restrictions on disaster-relief grants, alleging that the Trump administration did not follow procedure.
www.theassemblync.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Via @notus.com | North Carolina, Wisconsin, Maine, Arizona, and Michigan are among a coalition of states suing the federal government over new restrictions on disaster-relief grants, increasing pressure on the Trump administration from battleground states.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cou...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cou...
The Assembly Network is looking for an ambitious and visionary newsroom leader in Fayetteville to oversee CityView’s current editorial team and plans for future growth.
Work With Us
See what roles are currently available at The Assembly Network, your go-to source for journalism on power and place in North Carolina.
www.theassemblync.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:02 AM
The Assembly Network is looking for an ambitious and visionary newsroom leader in Fayetteville to oversee CityView’s current editorial team and plans for future growth.
Via @notus.com | Three North Carolina Republicans are asking the governor to send the National Guard to Charlotte, embracing President Donald Trump’s use of the military for local law enforcement.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/hou...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/hou...
House Republicans from N.C. Want the National Guard Sent to Charlotte
Reps. Pat Harrigan, Mark Harris, and Chuck Edwards signed a letter asking Gov. Josh Stein to deploy the state’s guard.
www.theassemblync.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Via @notus.com | Three North Carolina Republicans are asking the governor to send the National Guard to Charlotte, embracing President Donald Trump’s use of the military for local law enforcement.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/hou...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/hou...
Via The Charlotte Ledger | On Tuesday, Mecklenburg County voters gave a thumbs-up to a sweeping transportation plan that aims to spend $25 billion over 30 years in perhaps the biggest public works initiative in state history.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/mec...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/mec...
Mecklenburg County Voters Green-Light Sales Tax Increase
Charlotte area residents approved a plan to add rail, improve bus service, and expand roads, sidewalks, and bike lanes.
www.theassemblync.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Via The Charlotte Ledger | On Tuesday, Mecklenburg County voters gave a thumbs-up to a sweeping transportation plan that aims to spend $25 billion over 30 years in perhaps the biggest public works initiative in state history.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/mec...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/mec...
Via @insideclimatenews.org | A company with connections to the cryptocurrency industry is considering drilling for natural gas near the Deep River north of Sanford in Lee County.
www.theassemblync.com/environment/...
www.theassemblync.com/environment/...
Company Eyes a First Commercial Natural Gas Well in N.C.
Deep River Data, which has ties to cryptocurrency, says it would use the gas to power a data center for 'AI workloads.'
www.theassemblync.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Via @insideclimatenews.org | A company with connections to the cryptocurrency industry is considering drilling for natural gas near the Deep River north of Sanford in Lee County.
www.theassemblync.com/environment/...
www.theassemblync.com/environment/...
The partisan shift has divided candidates, as some worry it will drive a wedge between local officials while others argue it’s unavoidable in today’s caustic political atmosphere.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/gre...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/gre...
Are Non-Partisan Races a Thing of the Past?
Partisan politics has taken hold in North Carolina’s municipal elections–even in the races that are supposed to be non-partisan.
www.theassemblync.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The partisan shift has divided candidates, as some worry it will drive a wedge between local officials while others argue it’s unavoidable in today’s caustic political atmosphere.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/gre...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/gre...
The guy who made ‘Did Duke Win?’ didn't mean to dunk on Duke: The untold story of how a Duke student accidentally made UNC-Chapel Hill basketball fans’ favorite website.
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
The 'Did Duke Win?' Guy Didn't Mean to Dunk on Duke
The untold story behind "Did Duke Win?"—and how a Duke student accidentally made UNC-Chapel Hill basketball fans’ favorite website.
www.theassemblync.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:10 AM
The guy who made ‘Did Duke Win?’ didn't mean to dunk on Duke: The untold story of how a Duke student accidentally made UNC-Chapel Hill basketball fans’ favorite website.
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
North Carolina organizations that provide free legal assistance to help low-income people with concerns like housing, employment, and domestic violence have been dealing with budget uncertainty for months. In 2026, things might get a whole lot worse.
State Lawmakers Put Funding for Nonprofit Legal Help on Ice
Republicans in the General Assembly paused a 40-year-old trust and accused it of “awarding grants to leftist groups.”
www.theassemblync.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:12 PM
North Carolina organizations that provide free legal assistance to help low-income people with concerns like housing, employment, and domestic violence have been dealing with budget uncertainty for months. In 2026, things might get a whole lot worse.
A dispute between an elite Charlotte private school and parents who objected to its responses to the murder of George Floyd and the pandemic has put questions about private schools’ autonomy before the state Supreme Court.
Justices Take Up Questions About Private School Contracts
A dispute between a well-connected family and Charlotte Latin, a prestigious private school, could have broader ramifications.
www.theassemblync.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:55 PM
A dispute between an elite Charlotte private school and parents who objected to its responses to the murder of George Floyd and the pandemic has put questions about private schools’ autonomy before the state Supreme Court.
Records released by UNC-Chapel Hill on Monday appear to poke holes in some—but not all—of the claims the university’s former provost made in a lawsuit against the Board of Trustees.
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
UNC-CH Tries to Poke Holes in Former Provost’s Lawsuit
The documents UNC-CH released don't address Chris Clemens' claim that trustees inappropriately met in private.
www.theassemblync.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Records released by UNC-Chapel Hill on Monday appear to poke holes in some—but not all—of the claims the university’s former provost made in a lawsuit against the Board of Trustees.
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
At least five houses collapsed on Hatteras Island this week. As more homes are lost to the sea, government and homeowners reach a crossroads.
www.theassemblync.com/environment/...
www.theassemblync.com/environment/...
An Outer Banks Village Loses More Homes to the Sea
At least five houses collapsed on Hatteras Island this week. As more homes are lost to the sea, government and homeowners reach a crossroads.
www.theassemblync.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:42 PM
At least five houses collapsed on Hatteras Island this week. As more homes are lost to the sea, government and homeowners reach a crossroads.
www.theassemblync.com/environment/...
www.theassemblync.com/environment/...
The U.S. Supreme Court has forbidden using gender as a reason to remove potential jurors, but North Carolina appellate courts have done little to enforce that. Now two men convicted of murder hope the high court will act.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cou...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cou...
It’s Illegal to Use Gender in Jury Selection. That Hasn’t Stopped it From Happening.
The U.S. Supreme Court has forbidden using gender to remove potential jurors, but N.C. appellate courts have done little to enforce that.
www.theassemblync.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:17 PM
The U.S. Supreme Court has forbidden using gender as a reason to remove potential jurors, but North Carolina appellate courts have done little to enforce that. Now two men convicted of murder hope the high court will act.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cou...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cou...
Reposted by The Assembly
For @theassemblync.bsky.social, I wrote about Winston Salem, NC’s very beautiful Salem Cemetery and the prominent families buried there:
The Most Elite Real Estate in Winston-Salem Is for the Dead
Salem Cemetery, vast and a little mysterious, is the final resting place of many of the city’s best-known families.
www.theassemblync.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:33 PM
For @theassemblync.bsky.social, I wrote about Winston Salem, NC’s very beautiful Salem Cemetery and the prominent families buried there:
Salem Cemetery is the final resting place of many of the city’s best-known families. A lack of public information about the storied grounds adds to its mystique.
theassemblync.com/culture/wins...
theassemblync.com/culture/wins...
The Most Elite Real Estate in Winston-Salem Is for the Dead
Salem Cemetery, vast and a little mysterious, is the final resting place of many of the city’s best-known families.
theassemblync.com
October 31, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Salem Cemetery is the final resting place of many of the city’s best-known families. A lack of public information about the storied grounds adds to its mystique.
theassemblync.com/culture/wins...
theassemblync.com/culture/wins...
The rape and killing of a young woman in Madison County first captivated me as a Duke University student a half century ago. Investigators botched the case, but after decades of research and a recent prison interview, I know who did it.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cri...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cri...
My 50-Year Obsession with an Unsolved Mountain Murder
The rape and killing of a young volunteer named Nancy Morgan has captivated me for half a century. Now I know who did it.
www.theassemblync.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The rape and killing of a young woman in Madison County first captivated me as a Duke University student a half century ago. Investigators botched the case, but after decades of research and a recent prison interview, I know who did it.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cri...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/cri...
Reposted by The Assembly
New @theassemblync.bsky.social: Roughly 1.5 million U.S. college students are among those expected to lose SNAP benefits this weekend.
NC community colleges are already feeling impacts and working to bridge the gap through campus resources, like food pantries. www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
NC community colleges are already feeling impacts and working to bridge the gap through campus resources, like food pantries. www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
How SNAP Delays Could Impact NC College Students
Community colleges are preparing for increased demand at campus food banks if SNAP goes on hiatus due to the federal government shutdown.
www.theassemblync.com
October 30, 2025 at 2:16 PM
New @theassemblync.bsky.social: Roughly 1.5 million U.S. college students are among those expected to lose SNAP benefits this weekend.
NC community colleges are already feeling impacts and working to bridge the gap through campus resources, like food pantries. www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
NC community colleges are already feeling impacts and working to bridge the gap through campus resources, like food pantries. www.theassemblync.com/education/hi...
For 75 years, local pacifists have organized a “Peace Booth” at the State Fair. Is it exactly what our moment needs, or a relic of the past?
www.theassemblync.com/place/state-...
www.theassemblync.com/place/state-...
Give Peace a Chance?
For 75 years, local pacifists have organized a “Peace Booth” at the State Fair. Is it exactly what our moment needs, or a relic of the past?
www.theassemblync.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:49 PM
For 75 years, local pacifists have organized a “Peace Booth” at the State Fair. Is it exactly what our moment needs, or a relic of the past?
www.theassemblync.com/place/state-...
www.theassemblync.com/place/state-...
When Rep. Don Davis runs for reelection in 2026, it will be his third bid for Congress—and the third congressional map he’s had to contend with.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/don...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/don...
Rep. Don Davis Says He Won't Go Down Without a Fight
Rep. Don Davis is seeking reelection for a third time—and under a third congressional map. He has not announced which district he’ll run in.
www.theassemblync.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:00 PM
When Rep. Don Davis runs for reelection in 2026, it will be his third bid for Congress—and the third congressional map he’s had to contend with.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/don...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/don...
A bipartisan coalition of state officials, including North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, sued the Department of Agriculture on Tuesday to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), partially funded through November.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/jef...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/jef...
North Carolina Joins Bipartisan Suit Over SNAP
The coalition of state officials is requesting that a court intervene immediately and release contingency funds to protect SNAP programs.
www.theassemblync.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:46 PM
A bipartisan coalition of state officials, including North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, sued the Department of Agriculture on Tuesday to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), partially funded through November.
www.theassemblync.com/politics/jef...
www.theassemblync.com/politics/jef...