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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 see a sample ballot here.  At the top of the …Read more Continue reading Columbus County Voter Guide 2024

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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 see a sample ballot here.  At the top of the …Read more Continue reading Bladen County Voter Guide 2024

Scotland County voters will decide on proposed sales tax hike. Here’s what to know

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org  When Scotland County voters cast their ballots in November, they will decide whether to increase the local sales tax.  If the ballot measure passes, the local sales tax will increase by one-fourth of a cent, from 6.75% to 7%, on most purchases, including restaurants and clothing. It would not apply to gasoline, groceries and medicine.  Local officials say the change would …Read more Continue reading Scotland County voters will decide on proposed sales tax hike. Here’s what to know

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Mark Robinson, under-fire candidate for NC governor, finds support in Columbus County

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org Dot Gore knows Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has a history of making controversial comments. But Gore said she believes Robinson is a good person at his core, which is why she plans to vote for him for governor in November.  Robinson has drawn criticism for his remarks on abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and more. A report by CNN last month said …Read more Continue reading Mark Robinson, under-fire candidate for NC governor, finds support in Columbus County

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 Trump, was in the state and criticized the federal response …Read more Continue reading Hurricane Helene brings climate change to forefront of the presidential campaign

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Trump promises full recognition for the Lumbee. He’d still have to go through Congress

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org  At a rally in Wilmington on Saturday, Republican Donald Trump said he would sign legislation granting the Lumbee tribe full federal recognition if he is elected president.  “The Lumbee tribe has been wrongfully denied federal recognition for more than a century,” Trump told the crowd. “Today I am officially announcing that if I am elected in November, I will sign legislation …Read more Continue reading Trump promises full recognition for the Lumbee. He’d still have to go through Congress

Can Kamala Harris energize NC Democrats to win back Robeson County?

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org  Kamala Harris has opened a campaign office in Robeson County as part of a larger effort to woo rural North Carolina voters.  The campaign office, which opened in July, is in Pembroke, where the Republican National Committee opened an office in early 2022 to keep up the momentum of local voters’ support of GOP candidates. Democrats handily won Robeson County for …Read more Continue reading Can Kamala Harris energize NC Democrats to win back Robeson County?

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Lumberton residents push back against high utility bills

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org  Danny Parsley and his family were excited to move from northern Virginia to Lumberton, where they appreciate the small-town charm and more affordable housing prices. Shortly after they arrived in April and settled in a quaint neighborhood on the north end of town, however, they quickly realized there was a factor they had not accounted for in their house hunting: the …Read more Continue reading Lumberton residents push back against high utility bills

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Robeson County district attorney endorses Democrat Josh Stein for governor

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org  If you’ve tuned into a TV station in North Carolina lately, you’ve probably seen Robeson County District Attorney Matt Scott on your screen. In a 30-second political ad that began airing in August, he endorses Democrat Josh Stein for governor. Scott, also a Democrat, touts Stein’s effort as North Carolina attorney general to clear the state’s rape kit backlog. He tells …Read more Continue reading Robeson County district attorney endorses Democrat Josh Stein for governor

How young entrepreneurs and town leaders are revitalizing downtown Fairmont

By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org  Hip-hop music blared from speakers on a humid August Saturday night. People were sweating from dancing, and the lights pulsed to the beat of the music. It’s been a long time since downtown Fairmont has seen this kind of energy. The Robeson County town, where more than half of the 2,500 residents are Black, has struggled since the loss of the …Read more Continue reading How young entrepreneurs and town leaders are revitalizing downtown Fairmont