In 2025, The Conversation’s local news initiative entered its second year. We are adapting The Conversation’s model to produce stories that focus on local issues and support newsrooms that do the same.

Part of the fun is working with journalists with deep roots in our pilot cities and states. A big part of my job is to identify those journalists, teach them how to find great academic contributors – and then watch them shape our content to meet their communities’ needs.

Even if you don’t live in Philadelphia, Detroit, Florida or Colorado, I’d encourage you to keep reading to check out a few of our favorite stories from this year. While our work is grounded in local communities, it often speaks to broad audiences who want to better understand the wider world.

The Conversation Local has a special reason to be looking forward to 2026 – we are welcoming Pittsburgh to our beat. Our first “expansion” city is an endorsement of the work we’ve been doing so far, and we hope it is just the first of many more to come.

Below are two stories from each of the locations we were covering in 2025 − one the local editors felt was well worth a read, and one that deeply engaged readers.

Philadelphia

From Pennsylvania Editor Kate Kilpatrick, a story about how two dozen Philadelphia men worked to rebuild their lives after release from prison, and from our readers, the hidden Philly locations where they feel happiest.

Detroit

Detroit readers especially enjoyed this history of the building of the Gordie Howe bridge slated to open in early 2026 at a cost of about $4.7 billion – paid completely by Canadian taxpayers. From Detroit Editor Eleanore Catolico, an appreciation of garage rockers The White Stripes – part of the soundtrack of her own teen years.

South Florida

From Florida readers: an examination of the legalities of banning books in Florida’s public school libraries. The state is currently appealing a decision in Penguin Random House v. Gibson that found parts of Florida HB 1069 unconstitutional. And from South Florida Editor Katie Flood, a myth-buster on flamingoes and their rightful place in the Sunshine State.

Colorado

From Colorado Editor Claire Cleveland, a story from an ER doc who says what many of her patients need most is a safe place to live. Readers’ pick: How to poop in the woods without harming the environment.

Thanks for reading in 2025. If you’d like to see more of the work of the local editors, you can visit the landing pages for Philly, Detroit, Colorado and South Florida.

Thanks to the other wonderful members of our local team – Tamia Davis, Zack Newman and Jim Verhulst – who have helped out in myriad ways this year. And a shout-out for the newly minted Pittsburgh team: Cassy Stone and Roman Hladio. Welcome.

If you’d like to support The Conversation’s ongoing work supporting local news and other areas, please consider donating to our end-of-year fundraising campaign. Thank you.