The impeachment proceedings on Capitol Hill, new indicators of a warming climate, the battle over a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, the handling of migrants who’ve crossed the border, what will happen in the 2020 race for the White House: these are all, arguably, worth discussion as the big stories of 2019. But a great deal happened that impacts quality of life for residents in southeastern North Carolina.
It’s the local stories that broke and are still unfolding that we explore today. Project Grace – the controversial redesign of an entire city block in downtown Wilmington; the embattled public transportation system, the possible sale of a county-owned hospital, the development of Wilmington’s north riverfront area – including a public park that has shrunk in amenities and grown in price -- and the tension between citizens and local governments over transparency. These are just some of the issues that grabbed headlines this year and that will continue to unfold in 2020.
We’ll pull the back the curtain on how local reporters approach local stories and what the data continues to show about the correlation between a shrinking local newsrooms, higher levels of governmental malfeasance, and lower voter turnout and civic engagement.
We explore this our friends and partners at Port City Daily.
Guests:
Ben Schachtman, Managing Editor, Port City Daily
Michael Praats, Reporter, Port City Daily
