Rural
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In rural North Carolina, organizers take a people-first approach to politics
In an election year where abortion is set to loom large, Down Home NC is organizing and knocking on doors in rural North Carolina with in-depth conversations focused on issues rather than candidates.
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Opinion: How North Carolina fails its farmworkers
This isn’t just a rhetorical question. It carries real consequences for the González Mendoza family—and thousands of H2-A visa recipients across the state. North Carolina is home to the fifth-most H2-A workers in the country, nearly 15,000 migrants who labor in the agricultural sector with few protections.
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Josh Stein sues company over closure of Canton paper mill, alleging breach of contract
In an interview with Cardinal & Pine, Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers said he believes that the county and town should receive most if not all of the $12 million, if it’s recovered by Stein’s lawsuit.
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Unless Congress acts, 900,000 North Carolinians could lose access to affordable internet
Despite bipartisan support, Republican leaders in Congress have blocked additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which will run out of money on May 1. Without it, most families in the program will lose a vital utility.
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This town’s response to PFAS shows how government can work
There was little federal guidance when Maysville’s water supply tested positive for dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ in 2019. So town officials acted on their own. Soon after Schumata Brown was named town manager of Maysville, N.C. in 2016, he visited many of the town’s 1,000 residents, nearly all of whom he knew by name, and drank…
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Growing EV industry could boost opportunities in rural NC
North Carolina has become a leader in the electric vehicle industry. With billions of dollars in investments from companies like Toyota and VinFast, the state is poised to see thousands of jobs created. In 2018, Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order that set a goal for North Carolina to have 80,000 registered electric…
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New moms in rural NC are getting better postpartum care thanks to Medicaid expansion
Rural NC physician Laura Ucik says she’s witnessed improvements in post-birth care for patients recently, thanks largely to an expansion in postpartum benefits under Medicaid.
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Meet the woman running for NC Ag commissioner to empower rural residents
North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture candidate Sarah Taber plans to revive the state’s agricultural economy through common-sense business practices, infrastructure, and improvement of farm labor, all things that resonate with her rural constituents.
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Scientists call for using more accurate metrics to gauge extreme heat after farmworker’s death in Nash County
State investigators accused a Nash County farm of a “willful serious” violation of NC labor law, following a 29-year-old migrant worker’s death in September 2023.
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Rural NC communities get grant funding to address healthcare, infrastructure issues
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) this month gave the greenlight to fund eight projects in communities across North Carolina, providing $1.5 million dollars to support a variety of projects and help create 270 jobs. “These funds make strategic investments in our rural communities to help them seize opportunities to prosper,” Governor Roy Cooper…
