On today’s show, we’re looking back at the year that was 2025 with my colleagues, Rachel Keith, Aaleah McConnell, Kelly Kenoyer, and Nikolai Mather. From the local impacts of DOGE and the Trump Administration to the struggles over education funding, from rural reporting to community engagement, we’ll recap the toughest, most rewarding, and some of the most fun stories of the year.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of unhoused families who go uncounted in New Hanover County each year. Many of them work, often full-time jobs, while living in motels, cars, or bouncing from couch to couch. Today's episode digs into those problems, and what could be done for them.

Citizen Warrior is an autobiographical account of Gene Merritt’s lifelong efforts to improve Wilmington — work that was at times contentious, creative, and even inspired.Merritt fought to change the downtown nightlife scene, pushing for liquor-by-the-drink while also evicting topless bars and sex shops. His next battle was an industrial coal pile planned where the modern-day riverwalk and concert venue exist. Then there was the struggle to bring 1-40 to Wilmington, and later, to keep the county from selling its hospital. And, of course, there were many other challenges along the way. Merrit joined us along with co-author John Meyer, who helped cover these stories as a veteran StarNews reporter and editor.

On today's show, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Kelly Kenoyer look at the highlights from the recent candidates forum, held by WHQR, WECT, and Port City Daily, featuring candidates running for Wilmington City Council. We'll add some context and analysis to the seven candidates' answers to some tough questions.

On today's show, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Kelly Kenoyer look at the highlights from the recent candidates forum, held by WHQR, WECT, and Port City Daily, featuring candidates running for Wilmington office. We'll add some context and analysis to the three mayoral candidates' answers to some tough questions.

On today's show, WHQR's series CAFO Country, featuring environmental journalist David Boraks, takes a deep dive into North Carolina's hog and poultry industry — it's a major economic driver for the state, but also the source of serious environmental concerns. Plus, we sat down with Inside Climate News' Lisa Sorg to catch up on her latest reporting on CAFOs.

On today's show, a candid sitdown with Spence Broadhurst, who helped steer the hospital sale that led to the creation of The Endowment, served as its first board chair, and has, in his words, acted as a watchdog for its founding documents. We discuss the challenges and debates the board has faced. And we touch on some of the tension around the recent county commissioner vote, which effectively removed him from The Endowment board.

All throughout the northside of downtown Wilmington, there are little markers of the past — a past filled with the sound of metal wheels clattering down the tracks. The Northside was once home to a sprawling railyard and passenger rail station — and it could be the home of passenger rail again.

The chemical GenX has plagued the Cape Fear Region for decades — though we only found out it was in the river eight years ago. Since then, there’ve been myriad fights: for regulation at the state and federal level, for filtration, and for accountability against the polluter. This week, we’ll have an update on the status of this slow-moving crisis in the Cape Fear.

On this edition of The Newsroom, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Rachel Keith unpack the New Hanover County Schools' budgetary needs — for the current year, and for longer-term facility needs. It's hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars — and it's not clear right now where all that funding is going to come from.