As Raleigh’s Dix Park blossoms into a crown jewel of public space, it also reopens questions about history, progress, and who gets to stay.

In this episode, Steve explores the complicated legacy of the land — from its Indigenous roots and time as Spring Hill Plantation, through its transformation into the Dorothea Dix Hospital, and now into one of the most ambitious urban parks in North Carolina.

You'll hear a quote from Kane Realty’s Stacey Buescher and Dix Park Executive Director Kate Pearce, as well the story of a Wake County schoolteacher whose front yard marks a very real line between growth and displacement.

Then we tumble into something a little lighter: Abby Lampe, an NC State graduate and Johnston County native, just rolled her way to second place at the infamous Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling Race in Gloucestershire, England. Dressed in her Wolfpack shirt and full of grit, Abby tells the BBC and Raleigh’s Adam Gold why she’s already planning a comeback in 2026.

Finally, we meet Benji — a Yorkie found abandoned outside the Wake County Animal Center. With help from Nicole Kincaid and her team at Perfectly Imperfect Pups, Benji’s journey from pain to healing is a reminder of what grace, empathy, and second chances really look like. Steve shares his own story of a rescue dog named Karl, and why these stories stick with us.

From blooming playgrounds to muddy hillsides to cardboard boxes that carry more than they seem — this episode is about second chances, and the hope that transformation can still lead to joy.