Rain moves into southeastern North Carolina after wildfires

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org Officials are urging caution in much of southeastern North Carolina as wildfires remain a risk during windy conditions. Wildfires have been burning in the region since last week. More than 200 acres burned in the Evergreen community in Columbus County, and other fires broke out near a sawmill in Riegelwood. Robeson County has seen 15 wildfires that burned more than 220 …Read more Continue reading Rain moves into southeastern North Carolina after wildfires

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Lumbee tribe returns fire to the soil to restore cultural and ecological heritage

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org  Thick white smoke billowed into the Robeson County sky on a crisp December day. Flames lapped the bottoms of the longleaf pine trees. While the sight may sound hazardous, it was met with whooping and hollering of joy from about two dozen people who gathered to watch the fire at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center in Maxton late last year.   The …Read more Continue reading Lumbee tribe returns fire to the soil to restore cultural and ecological heritage

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UNC Pembroke partners with NC State on sustainable protein research center

By Rachel Baldauf rachelbaldauf@borderbelt.org  The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is partnering with N.C. State University to open a new research center that will focus on the production of sustainable protein sources, including plant-based products and meat grown from animal cells.  The Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein that launched last month on N.C. State’s Raleigh campus is funded by a $30 million grant from …Read more Continue reading UNC Pembroke partners with NC State on sustainable protein research center

Elizabethtown needs to prevent flooding. But with little cash, options are limited

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org  Stephen Duffy feels like he is constantly playing a game of Whac-A-Mole. The Elizabethtown public services director is stuck in a stormwater doom loop: filling potholes and sealing broken pipes as needed but never attacking the root cause of the damage caused by stormwater. That’s because the Bladen County town, like most municipalities across rural southeastern North Carolina, lacks any budget …Read more Continue reading Elizabethtown needs to prevent flooding. But with little cash, options are limited

Chemours asks federal appeals court to negate EPA health goal for GenX

By Lisa Sorg NC Newsline This story was originally published by NC Newsline. Chemours, the company responsible for polluting the drinking water of 800,000 people in the Lower Cape Fear River Basin with GenX, is asking a court to negate the EPA’s health advisory for the toxic chemical. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Philadelphia, heard arguments last week. There is not a timetable …Read more Continue reading Chemours asks federal appeals court to negate EPA health goal for GenX