Good morning all, it’s Wednesday November 5 and week five of an unprecedented federal government shutdown. This affects an estimated 80,000+ federal workers across North Carolina, many who are now on unpaid leave, filing for unemployment and stretching dollars to make ends meet. Federally-funded state programs have been affected, airports disrupted and some 10,000 National Guard members in NC aren’t getting paid or trained. 

In the last week, many of you have also provided essential coverage on the loss of SNAP food benefits, which affects some 1.4 million North Carolinians. Today, we’ll round-up some of your stories and share a new project by NC Local to help compile and distribute information on food resources across the state.

Also in the mix:

• McClatchy slashes news positions & plans to shut down its DC bureau.
  
  

• Passionate about higher ed issues? Open Campus is hiring remote positions for a data and investigations team.
  
  

• Are you a lazy hiker or a hiker’s hiker? Either way, come join us next week for two community listening events (in Sylva and Asheville) to welcome NC Local’s new Senior Reporter Lilly Knoepp.
  
  

• And, ready for connection and inspiration? We open early bird registration and the call for pitches for the 2026 NC News & Information Summit.

Before we jump in, a big round of applause for all of your municipal election coverage, analysis, number crunching and candidate forums. We highlighted some of your terrific work last week and once you all get a little break, we'll start talking about 2026. 

Glad you’re here, let’s get started.

Help us build a statewide food resource directory

More than 1.4 million North Carolinians—about 12% percent of the state’s population—rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. That includes families, students, veterans, seniors, people with disabilities and more than 580,000 children. In short, that’s a lot of people. 

We know that all kinds of mental, physical and financial setbacks can happen when people don’t have reliable access to food. But SNAP also has a big economic impact on communities, supporting local economies as people shop for food at local groceries and farmers markets. 

News and information organizations across the state identified this as a major story and have been exploring these angles, while also helping audiences understand how to get and give help:

➡️ NC Health News talked to a parent about their plans to shift paying for bills to keep their kids fed and the providers who are getting calls everyday: "People are scared, and we’re scared because the resources are slim.”

➡️ The Assembly looked at college students, some of whom work PT and/or are parents, who use SNAP and the growing demand for food resources on campuses. 

➡️ Asheville Citizen Times featured a small, local restaurant (one of my favs, located inside a gas station) that is giving away free lunches, no questions asked, no SNAP card needed. 

➡️ The 9th Street Journal spoke with Durham DHS staff about how they were preparing to fill the gaps for more than 32,000 local residents and calculated some of the economic impact on grocery stores and farmers markets.

➡️ NC Local broke down some of the basics: what is SNAP, how we got here, who it affects and how people will be affected even after partial benefits come back and the shutdown ends.

And many of you are covering the states’ lawsuit and the court order that may bring families some temporary relief, if the Trump administration complies.

But food insecurity will continue to be a problem. NC Local Editorial Director Laura Lee is thinking about this and all the resources food banks, nonprofits, religious organizations and small businesses are offering. How can we assemble all that information in a way that’s easy for people to navigate? For the single parent, juggling two jobs and transporting kids, who might only have a few spare minutes to search on a phone? How can we localize these resources so local news outlets can zoom in on what’s available in their town or county? 

We are getting started on this project, gathering lots of spreadsheets and tapping some really smart people to help us create a food resource directory that you’ll be able to share with people in your community. 

And you can help us build this out! Send us links to your food resource round-ups to food@nclocal.org. See a community org offering details on pantries, meal programs or free fridges? Send us their name and/or screenshot their social post and email it to us. 

Thanks for your help on this and we’ll keep you posted on our progress.

📆 SNAP Cuts: What's the Health Impact? SciLine’s next media briefing will explore what data show about who relies on SNAP, the program’s role in reducing hunger, and barriers to accessing SNAP benefits. Panelists will discuss national participation trends, evidence of the program’s impact on food insecurity and nutrition, how policy decisions and local food systems affect SNAP’s effectiveness, and, as the upcoming holiday season heightens food insecurity concerns, implications of benefits cuts and delays on U.S. families. Panelists include Dr. Lindsey Haynes-Maslow, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Tomorrow/Thursday, November 6, 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET

You’re Invited: Welcome Events for NC Local’s Lilly Knoepp

We're excited to invite you to meet NC Local’s newest journalist: Lilly Knoepp!

A Franklin native, Lilly has strong ties to the region and has spent nearly a decade reporting on Western North Carolina communities. 

We hope you’ll join us at one of two opportunities to meet Lilly, learn more about the work of NC Local and hear about the launch of our WNC initiative: The Trailhead.

We look forward to meeting you next week!

📰 News about the news 📰

McClatchy ‘quietly’ lays off news staff

McClatchy laid off about two dozen people on the national “real-time news desk” and is shutting down its DC bureau, according to Status Reporter Oliver Darcy, who said layoffs also affect local outlets like the Sacramento Bee and Charlotte Observer. 

“Inside McClatchy, the mood this week was described as grim,” wrote Darcy. “Several staffers told me that morale had already been less than ideal after years of slimming down and belt tightening. But they said that this latest round left many questioning the long-term vision for the organization.

On Bluesky, Washington Correspondent for the News & Observer and Charlotte Observer Danielle Battaglia said “Rumors of my demise have been slightly exaggerated. I am employed through Feb. 2, with the option to move back to North Carolina after that date. Please keep the scoops coming.”

Greg Farmer, McClatchy’s executive vice president of local news, briefly referenced the layoffs in an internal email announcing steps to better align the local news division. But he offered no other details. 

“Those affected have been notified. We thank them for their important contributions and wish them well in their next chapter,” wrote Farmer. 

We are heartbroken for any layoffs in the NC local news ecosystem. If anyone affected in North Carolina is looking to chat or to be connected to resources, please reach out to catherine@nclocal.org.

 ‘Stories from the States’ weekly news podcast to launch Nov. 7

States Newsroom, the parent organization of NC Newsline, is launching a new weekly podcast to help listeners understand the impact of new federal policies on the day-to-day lives of people. NC-based publisher Chris Fitzsimon hosts the program, along with producer Mallory Cheng. Each episode of Stories from the States will focus on one issue, with the debut looking at the impact of Medicaid cuts on people with chronic illnesses. New episodes will be released Fridays and you can find a trailer here. 

How do you tell the story of your news organization? 

Enlace Latino NC has produced its first annual impact report, documenting milestones and growth for the immigrant-led news organization. It’s a great model to check out and adapt and might give you ideas for some data points to begin documenting at your own organization. Here’s a snapshot by the numbers:

• 1,000+ stories published on local politics, health, immigration, education, and more.

• 135% growth in their WhatsApp community.

• 7,000 printed guides distributed across the state.

• 56 direct community engagement events: forums, live WhatsApp Q&As, listening sessions, and outreach activities.

• 15,000+ people supported during Hurricane Helene through real-time alerts and resources.

• 3 bilingual candidate forums hosted to promote civic participation.

• 35% increase in community questions submitted — a sign of growing trust and two-way dialogue.

Another take-away from Enlace’s report: remember to take pictures of your journalists in the field and at community engagement events and build a good visual archive with tags that help you find these visuals when you’re ready to put together impact reports.

Have something to share about your news and information organization? Send a note to catherine@nclocal.org.

Early bird registration & session pitches open! 

The NC News & Information Summit returns Friday, March 27, 2026, at NC State's McKimmon Center, hosted by NC Local and North Carolina Open Government Coalition. 

This year, we're offering early bird registration with tickets at just $75 through the rest of 2025. (Price will increase to $100 on January 1).

We are also thrilled to open up our call for sessions! Journalists at any stage of their career (students too!), educators, researchers, media law experts, technologists, fundraisers, engagement specialists, PIOs and anyone with ideas to strengthen local news and information are welcome to pitch.

Find more details and pitch your session by Tuesday, December 31. And don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! Contact NC Local Summit Program Manager Diara J. Townes at diara@nclocal.org.

Bulletin Board

Jobs

📌 Editor in Chief, CityView, Fayetteville 💰

📌 Higher Education Reporter, The News & Observer, Raleigh 💰

📌 News Director, Blue Ridge Public Radio, Asheville 💰

📌 Development Communications Specialist, Blue Ridge Public Radio, Asheville 💰

📌 Digital Fundraising and Marketing Associate, WUNC 💰

📌 Investigative Reporter, Asheville Watchdog (Asheville) 💰

📌 Assistant Professor of Practice or Assistant Teaching Professor, Journalism Program, Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem)

📌 Data Reporter, The War Horse (Remote) 💰

📌 Senior Programs Manager, News Product Alliance (Remote) 💰

📌 Investigations Editor, Data Editor & Investigative editor/reporter, Open Campus (Remote) 💰

Internships:

📌 Summer 2026 News Interns, News & Observer & Charlotte Observer

Opportunities

📅  From Reflection to Release: A Learning & Practice Lab. The Documentary Accountability Working Group (DAWG) and Marwa Consulting, LLC offers a six-phase virtual series designed to help filmmakers, producers & story practitioners center care, integrity, and accountability in nonfiction storytelling. Developed and facilitated by Dr. Kameelah Mu’Min Oseguera, each phase blends interactive learning with self-guided reflection, offering tools for relational ethics, collective well-being, and sustainable creative practice. Phase 1 is November 6 at 1:00 pm and explores the foundational question: Who are you in relation to the stories you tell?

📅 NC 2025 Municipal Elections: The Center for N.C. Politics & Public Service offers a virtual lunch and learn discussion about this year’s elections in 440 N.C. municipalities and the newest Catawba-YouGov Survey Findings. Featuring Dr. Susan Roberts of Davidson College, Dr. Christopher Cooper of Western Carolina University and Dr. Michael Bitzer, Center director. November 12, Noon.

📅 Community Conversation: Lessons From The Troubling Past.  Davidson Local, PBS NC, JLD Community Solutions and partners present a special screening of American Coup: Wilmington 1898, a PBS documentary about how misinformation and outside influence fueled fear, division, and the destruction of a community newspaper in 1898. Following the screening, there will be a public discussion on guarding against misinformation and strengthening community unity. Available with Spanish subtitles. November 13, 5:30-7:30 pm, Lexington.

🧰 Reporting Guide: Rural College Students. The Assembly’s Korie Dean has put together this guide to help journalists covering rural educational institutions and the people they serve. Drawing from a panel at EWA’s 2025 Higher Education Seminar in Detroit, Dean offers perspectives from rural education experts, reporting tips, story ideas and mistakes to avoid. There’s a lot of terrific ideas here, including thinking about how rural colleges serve as anchor institutions for the larger community, including by hosting cultural events and serving as spaces for people to become engaged civically.

🌱 National Press Club Student Scholarships: Six scholarships are available providing stipends of $5,000 (some renewable) to help high school & college students defray the costs of tuition and other expenses. Programs include the Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo and the The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship, which is open to students at any stage of their career and prioritizes applicants from community colleges. Application deadline: March 1, 2026.

That's it for this week. Thank you for reading, serving your communities and supporting each other. As always, know you are appreciated for all you do to support NC's news and information ecosystem. —Catherine