By Sarah Nagem sarahnagem@borderbelt.org Tens of thousands of people in rural southeastern North Carolina are set to lose access to a federal program that helps pay for internet service. The Affordable Connectivity Program allows eligible residents to save up to $30 on their monthly internet bill. But the program for low-income families is set to […]
Sarah Nagem
Sarah Nagem is editor of the Border Belt Independent. She previously worked for The News & Observer and currently attends graduate school at Duke University.
Posted inNews
What does sports betting mean for UNC Pembroke?
By Sarah Nagem sarahnagem@borderbelt.org The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is among the 13 schools within the UNC System that will get money from sports betting. Each school will receive $300,000 next fiscal year from taxes generated by sports betting, which became legal in North Carolina on Monday. In addition, 20% of remaining tax […]
Posted inNews
Helping the homeless in Robeson County
By Sarah Nagem sarahnagem@borderbelt.org Tina Bowen maneuvered “Miss Dorothy,” a 30-foot utility truck she converted to a mobile laundry unit, into the parking lot of CrossWay church in Pembroke. The thrum of the engine stirred Michael Locklear, who was huddled under a sleeping bag next to the church, bracing himself against the cold. Temperatures dipped […]
Posted inNews
One of North Carolina’s poorest cities wants to crack down on panhandling
By Sarah Nagem sarahnagem@borderbelt.org Holt Moore, the attorney for Lumberton, said City Hall gets phone calls almost daily from residents complaining about panhandlers in street medians and parking lots. In one incident, Moore said, someone asking for money tried to open a driver’s door. Now Lumberton, the largest municipality in Robeson County and one of […]
Posted inCulture
‘Lumbeeland’ film explores drug culture’s impact on Native American tribe
By Sarah Nagem sarahnagem@borderbelt.org Malinda Maynor Lowery has long been educating the public about the Lumbee tribe’s history and culture, from its roots in what is now eastern North Carolina to the racism tribal members endured during the Jim Crow era. In a new short film, “Lumbeeland,” Maynor Lowery aims to shed light on a […]
Posted inCourts & Justice
Columbus County jail beating highlights bigger supervision lapses, lawsuit says
By Sarah Nagem and Carli Brosseau Under former Columbus County Sheriff Jody Greene, the supervision at the Whiteville jail was so lax that a man who had told authorities he faced a safety threat in his assigned pod was beaten nearly to death without detention officers taking any steps to intervene, a newly filed federal […]
Posted inPolitics & Government
Casino plan – including one operated by Lumbee in southeastern NC – is dead for now
NC lawmakers say they have reached a budget deal that does not include four casinos, including one that would be operated by the Lumbee.
Posted inPolitics & Government
As lawmakers tie casinos to Medicaid, questions remain for Lumbee and southeastern NC
Newly proposed legislation ties four casinos, including one that would be operated by the Lumbee tribe, to Medicaid expansion in NC.
Posted inCourts & Justice
Native American says North Carolina prison has denied his right to religious practices
James Conley, who is being held at Tabor Correctional Institution, says he has not had access to traditional practices since 2020.
Posted inNews
Idalia moves into southeastern NC. Here’s what to expect from the storm
Much of southeastern North Carolina is under tropical storm advisories on Wednesday as Hurricane Idalia approaches.