Hey North Carolina,

A friend reminded me yesterday that when I’m feeling down, it’s always a good time to count my blessings. Chief among mine are my four rescue dogs and, really, just dogs in general. I think they’re the best things on Earth. 

Then I came across this article about members of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s K-9 Unit that have been in Texas helping with disaster recovery efforts from the catastrophic flooding that took place July 28. 

The dogs have been working 12-hour days and, according to SBI agent and dog handler Ashlee Cowan, as far as she knows, it’s the first time these dogs have ventured outside the Tar Heel state for work.

The pups will be coming home this weekend after putting in lots of hard work in difficult terrain and conditions that are a lot different than what they’re used to here in WNC. Hopefully (and most likely) each of those dogs will be pampered when they get back. And since I can’t spoil those babies, I’ll be sure to kiss and cuddle mine extra hard for the NC SBI K-9 heroes. 

In the immortal words of Aaliyah (R.I.P.), it’s Friday. Here’s what’s in store for you today:

In rural North Carolina, community organizers fight barriers to local government engagement

Downtown Oxford , NC, on a cloudy spring morning. (Wileydoc/Shutterstock)

By Gwen Frisbie-Fulton

One of my favorite photos of my friend Jason Dunkin is a selfie he took where he’s grinning ear to ear. He’s sitting across from his local city commissioners, who are huddled around a table going through the Oxford, North Carolina budget. Jason is the only person in the room besides the commissioners. He’d shown up to their budget retreat. 

Neither Jason nor I can find the photo now, but I can still see it plain as day in my head. I love the photo because it’s very goofy (who gets that excited about a budget meeting?), but also because I know what happened after this picture was taken: Jason and his neighbors discovered some unspent American Rescue Plan funds and successfully petitioned to have a beloved but neglected neighborhood park repaired and reopened. 

I’ve now had a picnic in that park and watched some neighborhood kids play basketball there. If Jason and others hadn’t shown up and dug in, that park would probably still be closed up and overgrown.  

From recreation and sidewalks to schools and roads, local governments have a huge impact on our day-to-day quality of life. But many of us overlook the power we could have in local government. Instead, we spend our time fretting about national issues that, in many cases, impact us less. 

1. Wreck of historic Spanish ship that was attacked in 1748 possibly found in North Carolina. CBS News

Four shipwrecks–including the remains believed to be a 1748 Spanish privateer ship–were recently found at a historical site in North Carolina.

2. Tuberculosis case confirmed in Western North Carolina. BPR News

Public health officials in Jackson and Macon counties are conducting a thorough investigation following a confirmed case of tuberculosis (TB) involving an individual who spent time in both counties during their infectious period.

3. Thousands of NC high schoolers to get college acceptance letters without ever applying to attend. WRAL

During the week of Aug. 18, 63,000 North Carolina high school students will receive college acceptance letters–even though they haven’t applied to college yet.

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