Regional News and In-Depth Reporting

Parlor Tricks

Amazing Spa, which police raided last September. (Carolyn de Berry for The Assembly)

A dust-up over illicit massage parlor busts in Greensboro led to the state’s first policy on sexual acts and police.

The Assembly Launches A New Bureau in Greensboro

The Assembly launches its Greensboro bureau.

Announcing the launch of our Greensboro bureau and the team that will help make it a new journalistic force in the region.

The Fading Star

The Wilmington StarNews has undergone painful transitions under the control of multiple media giants. (Photo by Johanna F. Still)

The nation’s biggest media behemoths have left Wilmington’s flagship newspaper a diminished version of its former self.

Shrimpin’ Ain’t Easy

Hannah Davis beheads fresh-caught shrimp at Davis Seafood for a customer order. (Photo by Johanna F. Still)

Shrimpers are fleeing the industry as cheap imports flood the domestic market. They’re fighting for relief before it’s too late.

Lift All Boats

Water outside the USS NC's visitor center on Friday. (Photo by Ben McNeely)

Guests had to wade through ankle-deep water for the groundbreaking of a project to preserve the USS North Carolina.

TikTok’s Prince of Poverty

The Assembly

Thomas Cruz gloats about building his fortune off a government housing program, but left a trail of liens and code violations in Wilmington.

Time For Some Traffic Problems in Wilmington

Closures on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge are sure to upend life for commuters. (Photo courtesy of the City of Wilmington)

A traffic nightmare arrives on the eve of a consequential infrastructure vote and raises questions about Wilmington’s political sway.

The dormant offices of The Wilmington Journal, one of the state's oldest Black newspapers, are nestled in a century-old building in a quiet residential neighborhood on 7th Street. (Photo by Johanna F. Still)

One of the state’s oldest Black newspapers is clinging to life in Wilmington, but some are optimistic for its revival.

My Ancestors Won’t Have the Final Word

A new North Carolina highway historical marker to the 1898 Wilmington Coup is unveiled during a dedication ceremony in November 2019. (Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)

While I don’t feel responsible for my ancestor’s role in the Wilmington massacre, I do feel compelled to help repair what he helped destroy.

Public-Private Pitfall

More than 4 acres of vacant land in downtown Wilmington, where the city’s dream of developing the Gateway Project, hit a major setback. (Johanna F. Still for The Assembly)

A failed attempt to include affordable housing in a downtown mixed-use development highlights the complications of big ideas in cooler economic times.

Tag: Regional