Columbus County Sheriff Wins Primary; Longtime County Commissioner Out
Here are the results for Columbus County’s 2026 primaries. This page will update regularly after polls close.
RECENT STORIES
Bladen County School With Long History of Educating Black Students Could Close
The school board is considering a plan to shutter East Arcadia School, which was founded as a Rosenwald School in the 1920s.
Election Day is Tuesday in N.C. Here’s What to Know Before You Vote in the Border Belt
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the primary election for federal, state, and local races.
Old Wounds Reopen as Columbus County Prepares to Elect a Sheriff
Four Republicans are running in the primary in the first election since former sheriff Jody Greene stepped down.
Regulators Nix $1.2 Billion Proposal to Dredge Wilmington Harbor
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers failed to explain how it would mitigate environmental harms, including PFAS contamination.
State Elections Board Denies Appeal in Red Springs Mayoral Protest
Candidate Duron Burney, who lost by two votes in November, could ask the Wake County Superior Court to take the case.
Some School Board Elections in the Border Belt Are Now Partisan
North Carolina lawmakers have made more school board elections partisan, including those in Columbus and Scotland counties where voters have shifted to supporting conservative candidates.
Judges Clear Way for Trial in Cumberland County’s Contaminated Water Lawsuit
County wants Chemours, DuPont to pay damages for allowing PFAS forever chemicals into drinking water and fund water infrastructure in affected areas.
Owner of St. Andrews University Campus Files for Bankruptcy
The move stopped a pending foreclosure and land auction filed by one of the creditors of the now-shuttered school in Scotland County.
Politics / Government
Two Republicans Compete for Chance to Flip N.C. House Seat
Ralph Carter and Kirk Lowery both say they can defeat Garland Pierce, a Democrat who has represented Scotland and Hoke counties for years.
Republican Candidates for Scotland County Sheriff Address Crime and Crowded Jail
Four candidates are vying in the Republican primary on March 3 to compete in the general election next fall.
Unaffiliated Voters Surge in the Border Belt as Democrats’ Numbers Shrink
The shift in rural southeastern North Carolina, once a stronghold for Democratic candidates, reflects statewide trends.
911 Calls Record Chaos During Deadly Robeson County Party
Several weapons from the scene will undergo ballistic testing, the sheriff’s office said.
Education
Proposal To Close Bladen County School Rattles Parents
Enrollment at East Arcadia School has been declining for years. Now school officials might close the school as part of a consolidation.
ScoutReach Program in Columbus County Hopes to Expand Access
The Scouting America Cape Fear Council launched a free after-school program at Chadbourn Elementary School.
Public School Districts Continue to See Enrollment Drops in N.C.’s Border Belt
The decline in traditional public schools has outpaced overall population losses in rural southeastern North Carolina, data shows.
N.C. Schools That Rely on International Teachers Brace for Visa Changes
The federal government approved more H-1B visas for K-12 education for North Carolina in 2025 than any other state except Texas.
Health
Healing Rural N.C., One Doctor At a Time
There aren’t enough physicians to treat the nearly 3 million people who live in rural communities. Can this program help?
Michael Nagowski, Longtime Cape Fear Valley Health CEO, Announces Retirement
The health system’s CEO since 2008, he is credited with transforming and expanding the health system while deepening its ties to Fayetteville.
Are Border Belt Schools at Risk of a Measles Outbreak?
A 95% vaccination threshold is necessary to protect against the highly contagious disease, according to the CDC.
Some N.C. Counties Have Reduced Hepatitis B Cases, But New Guidelines Spark Concerns
Local health officials say updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put babies at risk.