Ren Larson
@renLarson_
reporter @theassemblync past:@TexasTribune @ProPublica @azcentral @UCBerkeley, always: learning spoken languages, climbing rocks
BREAKING -@TheAssemblyNC spoke with families of two N.C. fathers legally in the U.S. apprehended by ICE & deported to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison. The families think its b/c: 1 They're Venezuelan 2 They have tattoos 🖊️Jeffrey Billman & me #ncpol theassemblync.com/politics/trump…
.@burtrsolomons in @nytimes: I was the GOP chair of the House Redistricting Committee in #txlege. Mid-decade map drawing is "clear partisan manipulation ... that smacks of authoritarian overreach" nytimes.com/2025/07/25/opi… 👀
My latest on a case I've been covering extensively the last two years: An Inmate’s Unlikely Ally theassemblync.com/politics/crimi…
During the first Trump admin, Nathan Albers' firm got caught hiring undocumented workers & hiding it from the feds. Now, Albers is getting paid to build the largest immigrant detention camp in the US. My latest w/ @JeffErnsthausen propublica.org/article/nathan…
5/ Hoy, publicamos una base de datos con las historias de 238 de los hombres. Son padres e hijos. Habían encontrado trabajo dentro de la economía estadounidense – repartiendo comida y cortando barbas. projects.propublica.org/venezuelan-imm…
i sorta accidentally got some unc athletics spreadsheets that show their brainstorming about how to pay for revenue sharing there are estimates for stadium naming rights, jersey ads, even reducing the number of comp tickets athletes get theassemblync.com/education/high…
NEW from @VirginiaBridges and me: UNC-Chapel Hill will pay the family of professor Zijie Yan a $750,000 settlement in a wrongful death claim against the university. Yan was killed in his office during the 2023 campus shooting. newsobserver.com/news/local/cri…
this is extraordinary work by @propublica @texastribune and their fearless partners projects.propublica.org/venezuelan-imm… #txlege
i love this <3
Two moms needed a place for their kids to play while they caught up on or finished work. So they built their own playplace cafe. theassemblync.com/greensborothre…
ICYMI -- Today, members of NC's county elections boards will take the oath of office. Republicans now have 3 of 5 seats on local boards, but despite gaining 100 seats statewide, many GOP incumbents aren't returning, & some say they were pushed out. #ncpol theassemblync.com/politics/elect…
NEW: @UNC_System's Board of Governors has directed campuses to form new committees to scrutinize compliance w/ system DEI policies. Each committee’s work will continue until the BOG "deems its specific oversight no longer needed." @TheAssemblyNC theassemblync.com/education/high…
I’m a big Big Bird fan. Mr. Snuffleupagus*, too. But my biggest concern w/ the public media cuts is not about either, but rather what the cuts may mean for statehouse reporting— &, by extension, our knowledge of state government. (1/8 🧵)
Malcolm Jamal Warner in Winston-Salem journalnow.com/life-entertain… via @JournalNow
I'm excited to share that @TheAssemblyNC has won a North Carolina Press Association award for our higher education coverage! The Duke University/Green-Rossiter Award recognizes outstanding reporting on higher education issues in the state. Revisit the award-winning stories ⬇️
This is a very thorough article. REN singlehandedly turned the corner on my thoughts on The Assembly NC as a serious journalistic read. Great job. Don’t let off the gas on this. North Carolina deserves transparency and accountability in elections-from all parties. 🫡