Greetings all, it’s Wednesday February 4. Here’s something to lift you out of the winter slump: what if there was a national day to celebrate local news? Like Earth Day but centered on connecting people with the local news organizations and journalists that are providing trusted information, resources and a better sense of their communities. Where millions across the county come together to take actions, big and small, to amplify the role of local news. 

Mark your calendars for April 9! The inaugural Local News Day, sparked by the folks at Montana Free Press, aims to rewrite the narrative about the decline of local news and draw attention to the vital work you all are doing. We’ll dive into details and how you can get involved.

A few other highlights for today: 

• An NC RFA Corps Member reflects on lessons learned on the rural beat and deciding to make a shift.
  
  

• ISO: journalists, citizens and public servants championing government transparency for this year’s Sunshine Awards. Nominations due 2/15.
  
  

• And, are you the next Eugene C. Patterson Professor of Journalism? A rare opening for this endowed chair with the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy.

Glad you’re here, let’s get started.

‘A cause worth celebrating'

Inaugural Local News Day announced for April 9, 2026

Since Local News Day was announced in early January, more than 100 local news and journalism support organizations have signed up, including NC Local. Organized by Montana Free Press, American Journalism Project, Press Forward and others, the intent is to use an annual day, this year on April 9, to shift the narrative about local news being in a state of decline to highlight and  amplify the really important work that is happening at the local level in some many communities.

Organizers have a few quantitative goals: sign up more than 1000 local new partners and help them generate more than a million new sign ups and subscriptions.

While organizers compare it to Giving Tuesday in terms of reach, this effort isn’t necessarily raising money, but more so awareness, connection and building your audience.

Participation can be as little or as much as you want, from social and email campaigns to organizing events or timing the launch of a new product around April 9th. Organizers are offering national marketing, social media assets and an upcoming Local News Finder tool. 

What do you think NC news and information friends? Can we get 50 orgs to participate? 75 or 100? Imagine the amplification we could have across the Tar Heel state! 

If you’re interested in chatting with NC Local about ideas for collaboration, send me a note at catherine@nclocal.org.

Other details:

✏️ Sign up to participate here (including individuals and non-news organizations who want to support).

❓Questions, get in touch with organizers at info@localnewsday.org.

📆 Attend weekly info sessions, starting Monday February 9

Journalism’s winding river

An NC journalist decides to paddle in a new direction

Nikolai Mather, second from left, with other NC RFA Corps Members during a professional development gathering in Durham last year. (Photo courtesy RFA)

A few years ago, I started reading Bridget Thoreson’s Career River newsletter which reframes how you see and pursue your professional journey from one that is a ladder to climb (not fun!) to navigating the bends and turns of a constantly flowing river.  

In one of those early editions, the longtime journalist wrote that the career ladder concept has failed us.

“We spend our lives trying to follow through on five-year plans, reacting to keep climbing instead of responding to see what twists and turns could open up new horizons,” said Thoreson. “Long-term, the ladder is a lie: nothing stays in place indefinitely. But as ancient philosophers knew, we never step into the same river twice.”

I thought of Thoreson’s framework when I read the news in Ben Schachtman’s Sunday Edition newsletter that they’re bidding farewell to WHQR Reporter and Host Nikolai Mather, who is taking a break from reporting.

Mather, a Report for America Corps Member, has been covering rural communities in Pender, Brunswick and Columbus counties since 2023. Before that, he covered rural communities for the Athens-Banner Herald in Georgia. Schachtman says when they were hiring for the position, Mather stood out for his intentional approach to rural reporting.

"Nikolai was really concerned with avoiding 'parachute journalism,' and all of the stereotyping and preconceptions that come along with that,” said Schachtman. “Getting to know him over the next two and half years, I learned that sprung from a deeper sense of curiosity and open-mindedness, which Nikolai applied to all of his reporting, whether it was chatting with John Waters or covering legislation percolating through the General Assembly."

Nikolai covered PFAS in the Cape Fear region. He shed light on Holly Ridge residents fighting chronic mold at a public housing complex and stayed on top of the story for months, including what happened when the building was condemned. He covered Leland Town Council, Brunswick and Pender county commissions, and contributed to the team’s robust election coverage. And there was the occasional lighter piece, like this interview with David Sedaris where the two connected over their love of Estonia.

Journalistic writing is an art and a craft, said News Director Ben Schachtman, and Nikolai worked both.

"I want to shout out Nikolai's writing. So much of the time in reporting we're just trying to get it out there. Quick, correct, and well-written: pick two. But Nikolai has a gift for writing that put him in a different league,” said Schachtman. “I don't know what he's going to do next, but I hope he keeps a pen handy (and, to torture the metaphor, I hope he doesn't write off journalism forever, because we need more reporters who write and think like he does)."

To mark Nikolai’s last week and celebrate his accomplishments, we asked him to share a few thoughts about where he’s been and what might be next. 

How did your time at WHQR and covering rural communities shape you as a journalist?

I grew up in Chatham County back when most of 15-501 ran through pine trees and little else, so the rural experience has always dominated my writing and by extension my journalism. Southeastern North Carolina presented some minor culture shocks (they don't play about their chicken bog out here), but ultimately I felt very at home. Public radio, however, was brand new to me; as was working in a newsroom full of talented, passionate, and fiercely ambitious reporters. I think my time with WHQR made me better at talking to sources, better at sifting out the minute details, and hopefully better at writing.

Any specific stories or initiatives you're most proud of?

I'm proud of my coverage of the NCGA's anti-trans legislation. I'm not a statehouse reporter, but I thought it was important to cover those laws. 

In the Sunday Edition newsletter, your News Director Ben Schachtman said you are  taking a sabbatical from reporting and "lighting out for the territories." Any other details on what’s next?

I'm not sure how many non-journalists subscribe to this newsletter, but if there are any out there, they'd be delighted to know that the reporters who spend most of their waking moments covering county commission meetings, lawsuits, etc. also harbor secret artistic inclinations. (A few examples from the WHQR team: Kelly dances swing, Aaleah has a crazy ear for music, Ben is a writer - like a legit writer - and Rachel surfs, and if you don't call that an art then you ain't seen her surf.) I'm gonna write an EP, and probably some other stuff, too. I'm hoping to get back into journalism someday, but seeing as I'm still in my 20s and life is long... ETA TK. 

Bonus question, you covered a big area and were on the go a lot. Where did you find the best remote work spots in Pender/Brunswick/Columbus?

Pender: Diver in Surf City, Brown Dog Coffee in Burgaw, or the Bojangles off 17 near Holly Ridge. 

Brunswick: Cafe Ahora in Supply and Southport Coffee Company in Southport. And if you're down there you gotta go to the Dosher Hospital thrift store. 

Columbus: The Columbus County Library or the parking lot of the Cruzers. Best biscuit in North Carolina btw.

Thank you Nikolai for all your contributions to the NC news and information ecosystem! We wish you the best as you paddle through this new river of exploration.

Summit updates & Sunshine Awards deadline approaching 2/15

NC Local and the NC Open Government Coalition are finalizing 25 sessions for the upcoming 3/27 NC News and Information Summit in Raleigh. We're excited to share them with you in the coming weeks but as a sneak peak, we'll have sessions on public records, the 2026 election, lessons from local news entrepreneurs, new approaches for audience engagement and much more. 

Our keynote is: North Carolina's AI Crossroads: Innovation, Investigation, and the Public Interest. Moderated by Poynter's Alex Mahadevan, panelists include Inside Climate News Reporter Lisa Sorg, NC Central's Dr. Siobahn Day Grady and Code the Dream's Ricky Leung. They'll explore how we harness AI's potential for news and information while addressing accountability challenges facing our profession, our state, and the communities we serve.

Tickets are just $100. Get yours today! 

Time is also running out to nominate yourself and others for the 2026 Sunshine Awards and Frank Barrows Award for Excellence in Student Journalism. Recognition is given in the following categories:

• Advocate: Recognizes individuals whose outstanding advocacy on behalf of government transparency, whether in the halls of government, the courtroom or the public, has led to greater access to information and greater understanding of the importance of government transparency.
• Public Servant: Recognizes public employees and government agencies who have provided outstanding access to public information through their programs, policies, best practices, and compliance with access laws.
• Journalist: Recognizes journalists and news organizations that have effectively utilized public records to tell stories of significant importance in their communities.
• Citizen: Recognizes North Carolinians whose persistence in seeking access to government information has improved transparency in their communities.
• Frank Barrows Award for Excellence in Student Journalism: recognizes the accomplishments of a collegiate journalist or newsroom at a North Carolina university (public or private) whose work exemplifies the vital role of open meetings, public records, and press access in public life.

Deadline to submit is February 15! 

 NC Local content for republication 

✅ What is a Fourth Amendment workplace? In response to the Trump administration’s aggressive mass deportation program, several NC businesses and some municipalities are now Fourth Amendment workplaces. This explainer looks at what this  designation means for employers and employees.

✅ From the pulpit to the dais: Beth Kennett’s first weeks as Burlington’s first female mayor

✅ Graham County Sheriff suspended from office
State law allows judicial process to suspend or remove elected sheriffs in North Carolina.

Stories from our partners

✅ BPR/Grist: Town of Canton is the latest to consider banning crypto mining, data centers

✅ Inside Climate News: A Winter Storm Fueled by Global Warming Tests U.S. Disaster Response

✅ Inside Climate News: A Troubled Hog Farm in Wayne County, North Carolina, Is Hit With a New String of Violations

Bulletin Board

Jobs

📌 Accountability Reporter, NC Local (Remote in NC)💰

📌 Editor, QCity Metro, Charlotte 💰

📌 Director, North Carolina Local News Lab Fund, Remote in NC 💰

📌 Reporter/Newsletter Producer, The News Reporter, northern Brunswick County 💰

📌 Breaking News Reporter, The News & Observer, Raleigh 

📌 Endowed Chair in Journalism and Public Policy, Duke-Sanford School of Public Policy, Durham 

📌 Senior National Reporter, Votebeat (Remote)💰

📌 Audience Editor, USA Today (Remote)💰

Opportunities, events & resources 

📅 Health and Community Impacts of Immigration Enforcement: The federal government’s evolving immigration policies and focus on forced deportations are reshaping the lives of immigrants and transforming the communities in which they live. SciLine convenes a panel to discuss the public health implications of these changes, how shifting policies and political rhetoric affect perceptions of safety and belonging, and the ways local institutions are adapting to rapid and ongoing policy change. The final 15 minutes of reporter Q&A is reserved for questions and responses in Spanish. Today, Wednesday February 4, 2:00-3:15 pm.

🌱 Nick Oza Visual Fellowship: Created by Altavoz Lab, this inaugural fellowship honors the late Nick Oza, an immigrant and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist whose compassion, humility, and artistry continue to inspire visual storytellers across the country. Fellows will pursue a community-rooted, photo-based project and receive mentorship, personal development opportunities and a $15,000 stipend. Application deadline: February 23.

🌱 Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference: Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the annual conference is open to high school juniors interested in careers in journalism and media. Selected participants receive a five day trip to DC this June, including a conference and newsroom site visits, networking and mentorship opportunities, as well as a $1,000 scholarship. Application deadline: March 15.

🏆 2026 Poynter Journalism Awards: Newsrooms of all sizes, as well as freelance and independent journalists, are encouraged to submit. Categories include Local Accountability Reporting, Innovation in Journalism, a First Amendment Prize, Distinguished Reporting on Poverty, and Excellence in Climate Change Reporting. Deadline: 6 pm Eastern Time Friday, February 13, 2026. 

🏆 Center for Integrity in News Reporting Awards: Six $25,000 awards for the most fair, impartial, objective news reporting that has the courage to not fear and the discipline to not favor. Categories include print, broadcast, cable, digital and investigative. Deadline: Feb. 16, 2026

🏆Edward R. Murrow Awards: News stations, networks, syndication services, program services, and digital news organizations are invited to enter the Edward R. Murrow Awards. Categories include News Series, Podcast, Investigative Reporting, Feature Reporting, Excellence in Innovation and Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Deadline: 5 pm Eastern Thursday, February 19, 2026

That's it for today, thank you for reading. In case you need another way to break up the winter slump, I spotted another day of action coming up this month: the GBBC or the Great Backyard Bird Count. I'll let you know what I see and hear! As always, know you are appreciated for all you do to support the North Carolina local news and information ecosystem.  —Catherine