Looking back at 2024, the Border Belt Independent brought readers in-depth news coverage about the election, the economy, education, health care and so much more.
Most importantly, we told stories about people who are making a difference in the community.
Here are some of the stories that mattered most to our readers over the past year.
‘Feel more pain’: Southeastern NC is at the heart of a 30-year public education fight

Angus Thompson, a Lumberton native, was one of the original plaintiffs in Leandro v. North Carolina. The case began in 1994 when five low-wealth counties — Cumberland, Halifax, Hoke, Robeson and Vance — filed a lawsuit against the state for underfunding public schools. They claimed their constitutional rights were being violated because they were not provided a “sound, basic education.”
At UNC Pembroke, frustrations about safety reach fever pitch following shootings

Three people were killed and four others were injured in two shootings less than a month apart near the campus of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. For some students and parents, the shootings in February and March brought to a head longtime frustrations about safety on campus and in Robeson County.
Southern Columbus County: Where new development collides with a rural way of life

Developers have pushed to make southern Columbus County the next housing hotspot amid overflowing growth in Brunswick County to the east and Horry County to the south, just over the state line. Local residents have mixed feelings about change in their communities.
Two flood-prone NC towns rebuilt downtown districts on higher ground. Did it work?

Frustrated by their business districts getting battered by floodwaters, officials in the towns of Bladenboro and Fair Bluff decided to rebuild their downtown areas above the flood plain. Tropical Storm Debby in August brought the first real test of the towns’ efforts.
Lumberton residents push back against high utility bills

Many Lumberton residents received higher-than-usual utility bills in 2024. The city attributed the problem to an employee who incorrectly estimated electricity meter readings, recording less power than was actually used. The higher bills were issued in an attempt to recoup money the city lost. But many residents said they shouldn’t be punished for the city’s error.
Robeson County parents say schools are failing their children with special needs

The Border Belt Independent spoke with four parents who say Robeson County public schools are failing to provide an adequate education for their children with special needs. They said their kids are not receiving services outlined in their individualized education programs, commonly called IEPs, and are placed in classes with unqualified instructors. When they voiced concerns, some said they faced retaliation from school officials.
Rural southeastern NC gets more red, even as Democrats win key state races

Voters in Bladen, Columbus and Robeson counties picked Republican Donald Trump for president in November, helping him win North Carolina and another term in the White House. Local voters also picked down-ballot Republicans who lost statewide, including gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, in a sign that the region is moving further away from its decades as a Democratic stronghold.
Divided visions stall progress at Elizabethtown Industrial Park

Bladen County and Elizabethtown leaders have competing visions for a planned 33-acre development of homes and businesses at the Elizabethtown Industrial Park off N.C. 87. More than 90 pages of email exchanges, letters and site plans obtained by the Border Belt Independent reveal rising tensions that could reshape growth in this rural county.
What we’ve learned about the federal probe in Columbus County

Documents obtained by The Assembly and the Border Belt Independent shed light on the shape of the federal investigation into former Columbus County Sheriff Jody Greene. The FBI and IRS have pursued multiple leads, including suspicions of embezzlement involving some of the area’s most prominent business owners. The news outlets filed suit in September seeking additional records related to various misconduct allegations that county officials have delayed or refused to release.