Sign in

Sarah Willets

@sarahwillets.bsky.social
418 followers 208 following 106 posts

Editor-in-Chief @indyweek.bsky.social

PostsRepliesMedia
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
In addition to this being the Pride edition, it's also packed with beefy news stories!! We have two investigations (looking at ICE detainers at the Durham jail and, separately, a scammy children's clothing boutique) plus a deep-dive into how the WakeMed-Atrium deal will affect Southeast Raleigh.
000
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
ICYMI - @indyweek.bsky.social published an investigation last week by writer Abraham Kenmore. Digging through hundreds of courts records, Abe found that judicial officials in Durham have put people on ICE's radar when they weren't required to by state law. indyweek.com/news/durham-...
indyweek.com
Durham Judicial Officials Are Unnecessarily Putting People on ICE's Radar for Low-Level Crimes
Durham judicial officials flagged people for citizenship checks when they didn’t need to, landing some in ICE custody, INDY found.
262
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
@indyweek.bsky.social's annual Pride edition is out!
1105
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Great article on how sheriff's deputies in Durham, N.C. are referring people to ICE for very minor offenses. The cooperation between local cops and the immigration goon squads is a growing stain on America indyweek.com/news/durham-...
indyweek.com
Durham Judicial Officials Are Unnecessarily Putting People on ICE's Radar for Low-Level Crimes
Durham judicial officials flagged people for citizenship checks when they didn’t need to, landing some in ICE custody, INDY found.
9356145
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Mark Simpson-Vos @simpsonvos.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
This right here is why I read IndyWeek and why it is an indispensable local treasure. (Country Junction is, too. IYKYK)
0134
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
For the first time, flag football is a sanctioned sport in North Carolina high schools, and Durham Public Schools has teams across the district vying for the first state championship.
indyweek.com
'Going Big or Going Home': The Girls Vying for Flag Football's First N.C. Championship
Flag football is now a state-sanctioned sport in N.C. high schools. Durham Public Schools' varsity teams have their eyes on the prize.
043
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Sarah Edwards @eddysarah.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
In this @ccourtneybohl.bsky.social story, professional pickleball 🤝 private equity
indyweek.com
Relishing the Sights, Sounds, and Sales Pitches at the Veolia Pickleball Tournament in Cary
Relishing the sights, sounds, and sales pitches at the Veolia pickleball tournament in Cary
022
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Type in where you live and find bios for everyone on your ballot ⬇️
052
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
In a Q&A with the INDY, North Carolina Courage owner Steve Malik says the clock is ticking on securing updates to the team’s future training facilities at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary and a new Raleigh stadium.
indyweek.com
‘There’s An Urgency’: NC Courage Owner Gives Six-Month Timeline to Figure Out New Stadium, Training Facilities
‘There’s an urgency’, said NC Courage owner Steve Malik about the timeline for a new stadium and training facilities.
082
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
"Language Barrier" lends itself remarkably well to a remix format, with styles often diverging sharply from one song to the next.
indyweek.com
With “Language Barrier at 10,” Shirlette Ammons Celebrates an Album, and a Career of Radical Collaboration
On September 17, the musician commemorates her 2016 album in characteristic fashion, reinventing it live alongside a cast of collaborators.
021
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
A conversation with Valerie Hillings, whose eight-year tenure as director of the North Carolina Museum of Art drew to a close on August 31.
indyweek.com
Valerie Hillings On Fundraising, the Role of Regional Museums, and What Piece of Art She’d Most Like to Live Inside
INDY talks with Valerie Hillings, whose eight-year role as director of the North Carolina Museum of Art ended on August 31.
042
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Are you over the age of twenty-five, with your most limber days long behind you? Same here, but that’s no reason to stay on the bench forever.
indyweek.com
So You’re an Adult Who Wants to Play a Sport
Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill offer many ways to get involved in recreational sports, from beginner-friendly baseball to weekly run clubs.
021
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Wild story
131
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Newsrooms across NC worked tirelessly to cover last November's immigration enforcement operation. I'm really proud of the work our @indyweek.bsky.social and @theassemblync.bsky.social teams did. indyweek.com/news/indys-r...
indyweek.com
INDY’s Reporting on 2025 Immigration Operation Wins National Journalism Award
Breaking news coverage by the INDY and The Assembly Network received a prestigious Edward R. Murrow award.
0114
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
The Olympics for student athletes is coming to the Triangle ⬇️ - 12 days - 7,000 athletes and officials - 150 countries represented - 600,000 spectators across NC - 300 million+ viewers worldwide indyweek.com/news/culture...
indyweek.com
In Three Years, this “Generational” Global Sports Event Will Descend Upon the Triangle
In 2029, the Triangle and parts of the Triad will play host to the World University Games—the world's largest event for student-athletes.
022
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Edible Atlas, a lab based at Duke, studies the human diet “not just as a health input, but as a window into culture, economics, and how communities live." indyweek.com/news/what-wi...
indyweek.com
What Will These Scientists Do with Durham’s Poo?
A Duke University lab took wastewater samples from across the state to study how diet relates to socioeconomic characteristics. Now, they want to narrow their scope to Durham neighborhoods and help lo...
040
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A legal loophole has opened the door for developers to take advantage of a tax break meant to help nonprofits build affordable housing. An @indyweek.bsky.social investigation looks at the small industry that has cropped up to help them walk them through it. indyweek.com/news/the-mil...
indyweek.com
The Million-Dollar Industry Built Around NC’s Affordable Housing Tax Break
A small group of lawyers, brokers, and nonprofits are profiting from the Blue Ridge loophole—a tax break meant to support affordable housing.
075
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
As of August 10, 135 families in Durham have been approved for subsidized childcare but are waiting for a seat to open up due to a lack of providers. indyweek.com/news/as-prov...
indyweek.com
As Providers Struggle to Hire, Durham Child Care Seats Go Empty
Child care centers are struggling to cover costs and pay teachers. In Durham, a provider shortage is leaving families on a waitlist.
010
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
@indyweek.bsky.social has a new staff writer covering Durham schools and government—and she has her first cover story out this week on an issue I keep hearing about: A dearth of child care providers. Everybody welcome Tori Newby and give her story a read: indyweek.com/news/as-prov...
indyweek.com
As Providers Struggle to Hire, Durham Child Care Seats Go Empty
Child care centers are struggling to cover costs and pay teachers. In Durham, a provider shortage is leaving families on a waitlist.
0104
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
When he would get home from school in the afternoons, one of the first things 14-year-old Kyler Prescott would do was head to the family pool to check for bees in the water. If there were any, he’d fish them out and rest the insects on nearby flowers so their wings could dry.
indyweek.com
In New Documentary, a Moving Tribute to North Carolina's First Openly Trans Homecoming King
'What Will I Become?', which plays at OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival, looks back at the legacies of Blake Brockington and Kyler Prescott.
0106
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
“Is Cosmos aware of this?” Tim asks. “Wait, is Cosmos a real person?” “Yes, the owner. I have his autograph on a napkin.”
indyweek.com
Lunch Money: An Existential Crisis at Cosmic Cantina
A visit to Durham hole-in-the-wall Cosmic Cantina prompts a reckoning with memory, change, and Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey.
1533
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Sarah Edwards @eddysarah.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
The wait is over — @writingthings.bsky.social has at last written a Lunch Money column about Cosmic.
0124
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Especially after COVID-era grants ran out, child care centers are struggling to cover costs and pay teachers. In Durham, a provider shortage is leaving families in need of subsidized care on a waitlist.
ift.tt
As Providers Struggle to Hire, Durham Child Care Seats Go Empty
Child care centers are struggling to cover costs and pay teachers. In Durham, a provider shortage is leaving families on a waitlist.
043
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
For Durham native Andie Morgenlander, bringing her debut feature film, Whistle Down Wind, to the Carolina Theatre is a homecoming.
indyweek.com
“Creating the Conditions for Care”: Durham Native Andie Morgenlander On Making Her First Feature and Humanizing Film Sets
‘Whistle Down Wind,’ Morgenlander’s debut, is deeply rooted in North Carolina and will screen at this year’s OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival.
021
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
A small group of lawyers, real estate brokers, and registered nonprofits are profiting from a tax break designed to support affordable housing, some raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, an INDY investigation found.
ift.tt
The Million-Dollar Industry Built Around NC’s Affordable Housing Tax Break
A small group of lawyers, real estate brokers, and registered nonprofits are profiting from a tax break designed to support affordable housing, some raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year,...
074
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
“Head Start is federally funded, and it’s not a priority of the administration. Some people have left the field because they don’t feel that this field, long-term, may serve their best interest,” David said.
indyweek.com
As Providers Struggle to Hire, Durham Child Care Seats Go Empty
Child care centers are struggling to cover costs and pay teachers. In Durham, a provider shortage is leaving families on a waitlist.
042
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
A Duke University lab took wastewater samples from across the state to study how diet relates to socioeconomic characteristics. Now, they want to narrow their scope to Durham neighborhoods and help local advocates improve food access.
ift.tt
What Will These Scientists Do with Durham’s Poo?
A Duke University lab took wastewater samples from across the state to study how diet relates to socioeconomic characteristics. Now, they want to narrow their scope to Durham neighborhoods and help local...
042
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Sarah Edwards @eddysarah.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
🚨 must-read on the blue ridge loophole @indyweek.bsky.social
indyweek.com
The Million-Dollar Industry Built Around NC’s Affordable Housing Tax Break
A small group of lawyers, real estate brokers, and registered nonprofits are profiting from a tax break designed to support affordable housing, some raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, ...
1248
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
This Thursday!
121
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Come skate with the INDY team for a good cause! 🛼🌈 Thursday 8/6, 6:30 p.m., Wheels Durham www.eventbrite.com/e/rollin-wit...
eventbrite.com
Rollin' with Pride
Skate, celebrate, and support Durham's LGBTQ+ community at Rollin' with Pride, all proceeds directly support the community.
041
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Moore also took third place in the Illustrations category. Entries included illustrations for stories about a speed-dating app, a Durham campaign finance deep dive, and a dementia program at the Nasher Museum.
indyweek.com
How Do Triangle Singles Date these Days? For Some, It Involves Getting Shipp-ed
On a recent Saturday afternoon, a group of singles gathered at a Halloween-themed event to try Shipp, a local dating app.
121
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Creative director Nicole Pajor Moore placed first in Newspaper Cover Design for a collection of covers spanning stories on the Durham Symphony, Raleigh’s resident paranormal investigators, a Wake County election race, and more. See all of her cover work here: 👇
issuu.com
indyweeknc Publisher Publications - Issuu
We are an alternative news organization.
101
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Staff writer @writingthings.bsky.social placed first in Lifestyle Reporting for her account of salvaging luxury items left behind by Duke students departing Durham for the summer.
indyweek.com
I Salvaged $6,000 of Luxury Items Discarded by Duke Students. Why Did It Make Me Feel So Terrible?
At the end of the school year, a lot gets tossed by Duke students at my downtown Durham apartment building. This year I decided to dive in.
121
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Finally, @ccourtneybohl.bsky.social has spent two years enmeshed in dogged reporting on the demise of Saint Augustine’s University. Her stories placed third for the Duke University/Green-Rossiter Award for Distinguished Newspaper Work in Higher Education Reporting.
indyweek.com
Saint Augustine’s University Loses Accreditation, Promises Legal Action Against Accreditor
Saint Augustine's University has lost accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
031
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Lena Geller’s two-story report on Yes for Durham, a shadowy, new-to-the-scene 501(c)(4) that cropped up shortly before Durham elections and turned out to have ties to one of the candidates it endorsed, placed third in Investigative Reporting.
indyweek.com
Anonymous Durham Political Group Has Ties to Candidate It Endorsed
Yes for Durham made candidate endorsements. But the group, which hasn’t disclosed its leadership, has ties to one endorsed candidate.
141
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Porter also placed third in Beat News Reporting for her reporting on Raleigh law enforcement. One story covered the release of footage showing that a state trooper and his supervisor lied about a 2024 police chase that left 31-year-old Tyrone Mason dead.
indyweek.com
Recordings Show NC Trooper, Supervisor Lied to Raleigh PD About Tyrone Mason Crash
Recordings show NC trooper, supervisor lied to Raleigh police about crash that killed Tyrone Mason.
102
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
“We Gave Them a Pledge to Never Forget,” Wake County Editor Jane Porter’s haunting story on drastic federal funding cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program—which provides health care to 2,000 North Carolina 9/11 responders—placed third in Enterprise Reporting.
indyweek.com
"We Gave Them a Pledge Never to Forget": Health Care Under Threat for Thousands of 9/11 Survivors in NC
The World Trade Center Health Program provides health care to some 2,000 9/11 survivors living in North Carolina.
112
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Creative Director Nicole Moore’s eye for design graces many of the stories in the Assembly network; this year, she was recognized in the Illustration/Photo Illustration/Print or Interactive Graphics category, placing second for her illustration on a power grab at the DCBE.
indyweek.com
Durham County Board of Elections Flips to Majority Republican
A Republican power grab of local elections boards this week flipped the balance of the Durham County Board of Elections.
101
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Chase Pellegrini de Paur and @ccourtneybohl.bsky.social's dynamic reporting package on the heated 4th Congressional District election between Nida Allam and incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee placed second in Election/Political Reporting.
indyweek.com
The Road to Victory in NC-04 Runs Through Western Wake County
Rep. Valerie Foushee and challenger Nida Allam are working to win over 170,000 Wake voters added to the district since their 2022 matchup.
111
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
@eddysarah.bsky.social took first place in Profile Writing for her intimate, perceptive look at the various versions of North Carolina singer Tift Merritt on the occasion of the 20th anniversary reissue of Merritt’s debut album, Bramble Rose.
indyweek.com
Tift Merritt, a True North Carolina Gem, Still Has Plenty of Material to Mine
This month, Tift Merritt releases a 20th anniversary reissue of "Tambourine," as well as a compilation of demos and unreleased songs.
152
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Former INDY reporter Chase Pellegrini de Paur, who left the INDY earlier this summer to join the D.C.-based newsroom NOTUS, placed first in Education Reporting for a package on a tumultuous year in Durham Public Schools.
indyweek.com
Durham Public Schools’ Requested Budget Increase Creates "Impossible Choices" for the County
The district is seeking $28.5M more in funding than last year. County officials funding DPS’s needs without tax increases will be hard.
141
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Culture Editor @eddysarah.bsky.social's placed first in the Arts and Entertainment Reporting category with stories on the Eno River as a muse for local artist Sylvia Heyden, the life of the late artist Allan Troxler, and North Carolina’s historic influence on modernist architecture.
indyweek.com
The Archive Tells the Story
On October 26, the Durham artist Allan Troxler died. A trailblazer in the fight for gay rights, he leaves an indelible legacy behind.
132
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
With a submission package that included reporting on a heated lawsuit around nut butter trademark infringement and coverage of a quest to break the Guinness World record for biggest Bloody Mary, staff writer @writingthings.bsky.social's food coverage bagged first place in Beat Feature Reporting.
indyweek.com
Big Spoon v. Smaller Big Spoon
Could two Big Spoons coexist? When Hillsborough’s Big Spoon Roasters alleged trademark infringement against Big Spoon Sauce Co., things got ugly.
152
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
“WRAL-TV Fights to Succeed in a New Media World,” @ccourtneybohl.bsky.social's months-long deep dive into the changing mores of a local media dynasty, placed first in Business Writing.
indyweek.com
WRAL-TV Fights to Succeed in a New Media World
Television viewership and advertising revenue are down nationally, and locally owned stations are fading. Jimmy Goodmon, the fourth-generation president of Capitol Broadcasting, confronts a precarious...
141
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
010
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Woohoo! Super proud of our smart, scrappy, talented @indyweek.bsky.social team.
062
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
If not a hot dog, which concessions should a Durham Bulls fan pursue?
indyweek.com
Durham Bulls Concessions, Ranked: A Hot Dog Monogamist Plays the Field
Whiskey-glazed pecans, a cartoonishly thin chicken cutlet, and more Durham Bulls concessions, rated from strikeout to home run.
051
Reposted by Sarah Willets
INDY Week @indyweek.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
NEW DATE: We're hosting a community skate party to benefit the LGBTQ community. Join us 8/6 at Wheels! We'll have a DJ, raffle prizes, and pizza - 100% of ticket sales support Durham's LGBTQ community! www.eventbrite.com/e/rollin-wit...
eventbrite.com
Rollin' with Pride
Skate, celebrate, and support Durham's LGBTQ+ community at Rollin' with Pride, all proceeds directly support the community.
074
Sarah Willets @sarahwillets.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Unfortunately we are having to postpone Rollin' with Pride! If you already bought a ticket, you'll get a refund and an email from us. We're working on setting a new date later this summer--stay tuned and please join us then to support Durham's LGBTQ community!
043
Reposted by Sarah Willets
Sarah Edwards @eddysarah.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Update: Naomi Dix and Club ERA have filed a lawsuit against Meta (@indyweek.bsky.social)
0128