The Border Belt Independent has received $110,000 in grants to support its reporting team. The Border Belt Independent (BBI) is one of 205 local news outlets to secure a Press Forward grant of $100,000 to be used over two years. The grant is part of $20 million awarded by Press Forward, a nationwide movement to […]
Border Belt Independent
Posted inCulture
Indigenous Peoples Day celebrated with an eye on the election
By Hallie Golden Associated Press As Native Americans across the U.S. come together on Monday for Indigenous Peoples Day to celebrate their history and culture and acknowledge the ongoing challenges they face, many will do so with a focus on the election. From a voting rally in Minneapolis featuring food, games and raffles to a […]
Posted inPolitics & Government
Scotland County Voter Guide 2024
By Sarah Nagem and Ben Rappaport Scotland County voters will cast ballots in federal, state and local races this fall. Early voting begins Oct. 17 and ends Nov. 2. See locations and times here. Election Day is Nov. 5, when polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Find your polling place and […]
Posted inPolitics & Government
Robeson County Voter Guide 2024
By Sarah Nagem and Ben Rappaport Robeson County voters will cast ballots in federal, state and local races this fall. Early voting begins Oct. 17 and ends Nov. 2. See locations and times here. Election Day is Nov. 5, when polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Find your polling place and […]
Posted inPolitics & Government
Columbus County Voter Guide 2024
By Sarah Nagem and Ben Rappaport Columbus County voters will cast ballots in federal, state and local races this fall. Early voting begins Oct. 17 and ends Nov. 2. See locations and times here. Election Day is Nov. 5, when polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Find your polling place and […]
Posted inPolitics & Government
Bladen County Voter Guide 2024
By Sarah Nagem and Ben Rappaport Bladen County voters will cast ballots in federal, state and local races this fall. Early voting begins Oct. 17 and ends Nov. 2. See locations and times here. Election Day is Nov. 5, when polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Find your polling place and […]
Posted inPolitics & Government
Hurricane Helene brings climate change to forefront of the presidential campaign
By Matthew Daly Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene has brought climate change to the forefront of the presidential campaign after the issue lingered on the margins for months. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Georgia Wednesday to see hard-hit areas, two days after her Republican opponent, former President Donald […]
Posted inNews
Why we’re suing Columbus County
By Carli Brosseau and Sarah Nagem Last year, we revealed that dozens of people had been subpoenaed as part of a wide-ranging federal investigation into abuses of power on the part of former Columbus County Sheriff Jody Greene and some of his deputies. Greene, who made national news after a local TV station aired a […]
Posted inNews
Border Belt Independent wins 5 awards from NC Press Association
The Border Belt Independent won five awards at the North Carolina Press Association’s annual ceremony on Thursday. Editor Sarah Nagem and reporters Rachel Baldauf and Ben Rappaport won individual awards. So did Ivey Schofield, who left the BBI last year to attend law school, and Kerria Weaver, who was an intern at BBI before accepting […]
Posted inNews
Red Springs company’s request for $1.1m in state funds would not ‘survive an audit’
By Lisa Sorg This story was originally published by NC Newsline. No payroll. No receipts. No bills or invoices. Lacking any supporting documentation, James Freeman, president of the Emerging Technology Institute, nonetheless asked the Town of Red Springs to reimburse him $1.1 million in state taxpayer funds for “service, salaries and goods” related to his military training […]