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It has been … quite a year. Looking back at what we published in 2024, it’s hard to believe so much happened. There were the highs, lows, and uh-ohs of the election. Both a catastrophic inland hurricane and a mysteriously maybe-pregnant stingray made international news. There was even that hot minute where we thought Gov. Roy Cooper might be the Democrats’ VP pick.

Readers visited our site nearly 3 million times this year, which is three times more than 2023. And the stories that drew you in were as diverse and unique as this place we call home.

Our 10 Most-Read Stories of 2024

These are The Assembly stories that made the biggest waves this year, from beach shades to porn shop allegations to mushroom tourism.

Shibumi Has Taken Over N.C. Beaches. Next, The World.

The ubiquitous sun shade is on a quest for coastal domination—and isn’t afraid to fight.

Ex-Porn Shop Employees Say Mark Robinson Was A Regular. He Denies It.

Six men say the gubernatorial candidate frequented Greensboro video-porn shops in the ’90s and early 2000s.

What Is Really Going On With Charlotte the Stingray?

A Hendersonville aquarium blew up the internet with the announcement of a “miracle” pregnancy.

UNC-Chapel Hill Secretly Recorded Professor’s Classes

An associate dean at the business school said the professor’s permission wasn’t necessary, but IT policy indicates otherwise.

The Most Magical Place in North Carolina

Disney’s new planned development in Chatham County adds to tensions over growth, infrastructure, and the environment.

Is the Long Reign of UNC Women’s Soccer Over?

There are several signs of trouble in Anson Dorrance’s famed program.

Asheville Gets High On Mushroom Tourism

With 2,000 different varieties of fungi, the region is a forager’s paradise and a destination for “find dining.”

A Homegrown Grocery Giant Stumbles After Helene

In Western North Carolina, Ingles is the flagship supermarket. But Helene has dealt the brand a major blow.

Mark Robinson’s Wife to Close Family Nonprofit After Scrutiny

Yolanda Hill’s Balanced Nutrition Inc. had been criticized for “recruiting customers for the social welfare state.”

Why I Left Teaching

I taught in public schools for more than two decades, but I just quit—and you need to know why.

The Assembly is a digital magazine covering power and place in North Carolina. Sent this by a friend? Subscribe to our newsletter here.