View This Email In Your Browser
It’s Friday, April 18.
Support free and local independent journalism.
Good morning, readers.
Durhamites took to the streets this week to defend a federal agency that’s been quietly fighting financial predators on your behalf for over a decade.
The demonstration, which drew dozens to the busy corner of Gregson and Club with handmade signs and honking support from passing cars, came as the Trump administration continues its campaign to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—an agency that has returned $21 billion to Americans harmed by financial institutions since its founding in 2011.
“It’s under attack because it’s been so successful,” said Adam Rust, a protester who works in consumer advocacy. “The big banks don’t like it, the payday lenders don’t like it, payment app companies don’t like it.”
Durham has an outsized stake in this fight. The city is home to multiple CFPB employees (including four federally appointed financial regulators) who were among those targeted when the administration, via DOGE, moved to reduce the agency from 1,700 employees to just five in February.
My story is part of our ongoing series looking at how federal funding cuts are impacting the lives of Triangle residents. If you have a story to tell, reach out to us at [email protected].
Read more below, and have a good Friday.
—Lena
Durham
A former deputy Durham police chief filed charges of discrimination and retaliation against the city following her termination last week, INDY’s Lena Geller reports.
From INDY’s Justin Laidlaw: The city of Durham is launching a low-interest loan fund to encourage homeowners to build accessory dwelling units and, in turn, diversify the local housing stock.
Wake
INDY’s Jane Porter has a story illustrating the local ripple effect of federal funding cuts: A Raleigh software engineer whose position on Johns Hopkins research team is being eliminated due to cuts to USAID.
ICYMI: The city of Raleigh is aiming to build 1,345 units of affordable housing and reduce homelessness to “functional zero” by 2030, INDY’s Chloe Courtney Bohl reports.
Orange
The Chapel Hill mural of Dean Smith (and the gas station on which it is painted) is officially coming down, WCHL reports.
North Carolina
The Senate budget seeks to eliminate the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission, a state agency that has exonerated a dozen wrongfully convicted people and investigated misconduct by police and prosecutors, WRAL reports.
Finally, here’s the INDY‘s curated rundown of things to do this weekend.
Today’s weather
Mostly sunny with a high of 83 degrees.
If you’d like to advertise your business to the Daily’s 30,000-plus subscribers, please contact [email protected]
Love The INDY? Join the INDY Press Club.
Support the ambitions of local journalism (plus, enjoy a few perks).
You must be logged in to post a comment.