• INDY Stories That Stood Out in 2025
  • ICYMI: Students Work to Raise $2M
  • Winners: Best of the Best of the Triangle
  • Op-Ed: We Need a Fighter in Congress
  • Cary’s Bike Plan and Other Bike Links
Credit: Illustration by Aiden Siobhan

Good morning, readers.

We published hundreds of stories at the INDY this year. We wrote about salvaging Duke students’ discarded treasures, attempting to take the train between Raleigh and Durham, and everything in between. 

But beyond our biggest hits, looking back through this year’s stories, some broader themes emerged. Some were perennial: continued challenges of growth and affordability, elections that shook up local leadership. Others were distinctively 2025: Devastating federal funding cuts, looming threats of deportations.

As the year draws to a close, we rounded up the stories that defined 2025 in the Triangle. And if these stories stood out to you, too, we’ve also highlighted some of the many local nonprofits working on related causes that you can support.

Our last print edition of 2025 hits stands today. We’ll be back in print in mid-January, and of course, you can find our stories every day at indyweek.com.

—Sarah W.

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The latest from INDY, plus other stories around the state you’ll want to read. Handpicked every day by INDY Editor-in-Chief Sarah Willets.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Enloe Charity Ball

Raise the Roof

Since 2004, Enloe High School students have raised nearly $2 million for local groups in an impressive, months-long annual fundraising endeavor, INDY’s Jane Porter reports.

The Winners Are

Our readers have spoken: Here are the ultimate winners of our Triangle-wide Best of the Triangle contest. Did your fave make the cut?

Credit: Courtesy of the author

Fighting for NC-04

The co-chair of the Chapel Hill High School Young Democratic Socialists of America calls for a primary challenge in the upcoming 4th Congressional District race.

Sponsored Content

If you’d like to advertise your business to The Daily’s 20,000-plus subscribers, please contact [email protected].

LOCAL: The 11th annual Bull City Foodraiser aims to feed 5,000 Durham Public Schools families over winter break, ABC11 reports.

STATE: A quarter of all deaths in U.S. prisons occur at the Butner federal prison complex north of Durham, an NPR investigation found.

EDUCATION: School district leaders in Wake County begin discussions this week about next year’s budget. More budget cuts are likely due to state and federal funding uncertainty, WRAL reports.

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  • The Town of Cary is seeking resident input on the town’s Bike Cary Plan, which will guide future investment in bicycle infrastructure.
  • Continuing yesterday’s thread of holiday tours of fancy government buildings—you can tour the State Capitol Thursday evening.
  • Got bike problems? Triangle Free Bike Repair is popping up in Carrboro Saturday with tools, workspaces and assistance with repairs.
  • Want to see your message here? Contact [email protected] to learn how you can reach The Daily’s 20,000-plus subscribers.
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