More than being a good reporter or writer, I have always seen myself as a good storyteller. At the heart of the journalism profession, aside from being factual and truthful, is the ability to craft compelling stories that will pull people in.
I started The Cabarrus Compass in April 2025 after I was unexpectedly laid off by the parent company of The Independent Tribune. I took a few weeks to think about what I wanted to do next and, with the encouragement of many people in the community, I took a chance and launched my own new site.
I had thought about a lot of things during my hiatus, including whether to remain in the journalism profession, but the urge to tell good stories never left me.
There is so much fertile ground to explore in Cabarrus County, an area that has never received the consistent news coverage that it deserves, as one of the fastest growing counties in the state (and likely the country).
With this new endeavor, I am own editor and publisher and writer, which is equal parts terrifying and exciting. I control the content and types of stories and how best to tell them. So many writers and reporters have recently found success on Substack, and, while I am still figuring out this new terrain, I am excited about the myriad possibilities this new format has already provided.
My goal is to work on this site full-time to continue producing high-quality journalism, but in order to do that, I need the support of subscribers.
As this is my creation, I feel I can be a little more informal and even show more of myself in my stories. Like a great wine, I always strive for my stories, especially the detailed features, to have space to breathe, so people feel like they really get to know the person or organization that I am writing about.
Before I end, I want people to know a little bit about myself.
I’m a Concord native who has spent most of my life in Cabarrus County, with a few notable detours along the way.
I spent four years at NC State, where I majored in political science, followed by a year traveling the country with AmeriCorps’ FEMA Corps, helping disaster survivors as part of a small response team.
After that, I earned my master’s in journalism from the University of Maryland. While there, I reported across the state on a range of key issues — from immigration during the early days of the Trump administration to police-community relations in Baltimore, a few years after the death of Freddie Gray. I also explored cultural topics, including the 20th anniversary of “The Blair Witch Project.”
I also spent four years with The Stanly News and Press before coming back home in 2023 to write for The Independent Tribune. (A detailed portfolio of some of my past noteworthy stories can be found here. )
A few more fun facts about me:
Though I went to school at NC State and Maryland, I am a die-hard Duke basketball fan. I’m also a Carolina Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and San Antonio Spurs fan.
I am a devoted cinephile who finds solace, especially during hard times, in movie theaters. Anyone can watch a film on a streaming service, but there is something old-school and even sacrosanct about watching a movie in a theater. The lights dimming; the fresh popcorn; the shared communal experience — there is really nothing else like it. I enjoy writing the occasional film review.
I enjoy most types of movies, but I especially have a fondness for old ones (that was probably thanks to two film classes I enjoyed while at NC State), especially film noir or anything directed by Alfred Hitchcock. I have come to enjoy Cary Grant films, including “Bringing Up Baby” (1938), “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), “Suspicion” (1941), “Notorious,” (1946), “To Catch a Thief” (1955), “North by Northwest” (1959) and “Charade” (1963).
I’m also a Star Wars fanatic, the type that has not only seen every movie numerous times, but has several life-size lightsabers and even an autographed movie poster of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” signed by Daisy Ridley, who played Rey. I embrace the nerddom.
I enjoy singing, having been part of the St. James Lutheran Church choir since I was a child. I also took several chorus classes in high school and college.
I also am an avid runner and try and run at least 3-4 times a week. I typically listen to music or, more often, various podcasts, including “The Daily,” a news podcast from The New York Times, “Little Gold Men,” a podcast from Vanity Fair, which focuses on the world of television and movies, and “Omnibus,” where the musician John Roderick and Jeopardy host Ken Jennings riff about strange-but-true stories throughout history.
I look forward to continue telling captivating stories about everything happening in Cabarrus County. I hope you’ll join me.
Thanks.
Chris Miller
