Ben Rappaport, Author at Border Belt Independent

Data Point: Finding Childcare in Rural Communities

The number of so-called childcare deserts are increasing in rural communities across the United States, according to a new report.

Meanwhile, some smaller towns grew or held steady between 2020 and 2025, Census figures show.

A report from Colorado State University anticipates that 13 named storms will develop in the Atlantic Ocean between June 1 and November 30.

The gap between the richest and poorest schools continues to widen, even as low-wealth counties tax themselves more heavily, a report shows.

Public Schools of Robeson County remained slightly above the statewide average with an incident rate of 7.8 per 1,000 students.

More voters turned out for Tuesday’s primary in Columbus and Scotland counties than in 2022. But Bladen and Robeson counties saw decreases.

The shift in rural southeastern North Carolina, once a stronghold for Democratic candidates, reflects statewide trends.