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Robeson County elections board dismisses Pembroke mayor’s protest, again
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org Just off the main drag in Pembroke, behind a plaza with a convenience store, an auto repair shop and a gas station, about a dozen people live in tents. The unhoused people in the small tent community are central to the ongoing legal dispute surrounding last year’s race for mayor in the Robeson County town. Allen Dial, who owns the property …Read more Continue reading Robeson County elections board dismisses Pembroke mayor’s protest, again
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Whiteville’s new gunshot sensors have been rejected by some other cities
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org When the small southeastern North Carolina town of Whiteville decided to install sensors to detect gunshots, the police chief said the devices would allow officers to respond more quickly to emergencies and ease residents’ fears. But some other law enforcement agencies that have turned to the technology quickly abandoned it. Flock Safety is expected to install between 20 and 30 sensors …Read more Continue reading Whiteville’s new gunshot sensors have been rejected by some other cities
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North Carolina sheriff promises transparency. Is ‘On Patrol: Live’ the way to get it?
By Rachel Baldauf rachelbaldauf@borderbelt.org Robeson County sheriff’s deputy Donel McCallum approaches the passenger side door of a car he’s pulled over. It’s nighttime, and the blue and white flashing lights from his patrol vehicle illuminate the scene. “Hey look boss. Just turn that way and it won’t be in your damn face, all right?” McCallum tells the man in the passenger seat before ordering him …Read more Continue reading North Carolina sheriff promises transparency. Is ‘On Patrol: Live’ the way to get it?
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Former St. Andrews student serving more than 23 years for on-campus sexual assaults
By Sarah Nagem sarahnagem@borderbelt.org A former St. Andrews University student-athlete accused of sexually assaulting three women on campus in 2022 and 2023 was sentenced to serve more than 23 years in prison. Mison Mickle, 24, pleaded guilty in March to four felony counts of sex offenses and failure to register as a sex offender. The Border Belt Independent recently learned of Mickle’s conviction and sentencing …Read more Continue reading Former St. Andrews student serving more than 23 years for on-campus sexual assaults
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Fighting back against prostate cancer in Scotland County
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org Greg McMillan’s barber shop in the northeast corner of Scotland County is more than a place to get a fresh lineup and a clean shave. It’s a community space where people share everything from tall tales to heart-to-hearts. McMillan’s shop in Wagram, Next Cuts, hosted Cuts and Conversations on Saturday in partnership with the Prostate Cancer Coalition of North Carolina. The …Read more Continue reading Fighting back against prostate cancer in Scotland County
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Robeson and Scotland counties are growing, slowly, for the first time in years
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org Robeson and Scotland counties grew between 2020 and 2023, mirroring population increases across much of rural North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic. Robeson County grew by 0.91% during the three-year span, accounting for an increase of 1,056 people, according to a new report from the North Carolina Rural Center. Neighboring Scotland County grew by 0.25%, an increase of 86 people. While …Read more Continue reading Robeson and Scotland counties are growing, slowly, for the first time in years
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Schools in NC’s Border Belt say they need more county money to replace COVID funding
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org School boards in rural southeastern North Carolina are asking for increases in local funding to increase employees’ pay and fill gaps left by the loss of federal COVID-19 relief money. School leaders in Bladen, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland counties have asked county commissioners to bump up funding for the fiscal year that begins July 1. In North Carolina, the General Assembly …Read more Continue reading Schools in NC’s Border Belt say they need more county money to replace COVID funding
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In this Robeson County town, high school seniors say they don’t plan to vote
By Ben Rappaport benrappaport@borderbelt.org Samere Yates sees plenty of problems in his hometown of Fairmont, a town of 2,500 residents in the southern end of Robeson County. “Everyone here winds up shot, dead or in jail,” said Yates, 18. “There’s just nothing here. It’s terrible.” But Yates, who will graduate this month from Fairmont High School, doesn’t see any solutions to his community’s woes coming …Read more Continue reading In this Robeson County town, high school seniors say they don’t plan to vote
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Stabbings bring renewed scrutiny to Scotland Correctional Institution
By Rachel Baldauf rachelbaldauf@borderbelt.org Two stabbings in less than a month at Scotland Correctional Institution in Laurinburg have brought renewed scrutiny to the prison that has been plagued with reports of mistreatment, unsafe conditions and overcrowding. The most recent incident, on April 30, resulted in the death of 39-year-old Christopher Michael Edwards, who was found in a common area with multiple stab wounds. He died …Read more Continue reading Stabbings bring renewed scrutiny to Scotland Correctional Institution
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Horace Locklear, a Lumbee trailblazer in North Carolina law and politics, dies
By Sarah Nagem sarahnagem@borderbelt.org Horace Locklear saw the injustices of the segregated South while growing up in Robeson County, where schools, the local hospital and water fountains were separated into thirds — white, Black and Native American. The prejudices he endured as a Lumbee ignited in Locklear a commitment to serve his community and advocate for tribal rights. He became the first Native American licensed attorney …Read more Continue reading Horace Locklear, a Lumbee trailblazer in North Carolina law and politics, dies