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Ben Rappaport

Posted inHigher Education

What Remains of St. Andrews

by Erin Gretzinger and Ben Rappaport July 31, 2025August 11, 2025

Following the sudden closure of St. Andrews University, Laurinburg grapples with a now-empty campus at the heart of the community.

Posted inBusiness

Downtown Lumberton, Gritty and Historic, Looks for New Life

by Ben Rappaport July 21, 2025July 21, 2025

For the first time in a long time, business owners and town officials say, Lumberton is on the precipice of becoming a true destination.

Posted inBusiness

Small Businesses Feel the Pain of Tariffs and Economic Uncertainty 

by Ben Rappaport and Heidi Perez-Moreno May 20, 2025May 20, 2025

‘Do I want to raise prices? Yes. Should I? Yes. But if I do, then I feel it would damage my reputation as a passionate member of the community.’

Posted inCourts

Judge Orders Columbus County Sheriff to Release Additional Records 

by Ben Rappaport May 13, 2025May 14, 2025

The judge directed the county to grant access to public records about former sheriff Jody Greene. 

Posted inHigher Education

Saying Goodbye to St. Andrews University

by Ben Rappaport May 8, 2025May 8, 2025

To the dozens of alumni who attended the school’s final graduation ceremony, it felt more like a funeral.

Posted inHigher Education

St. Andrews University to Close on May 5

by Erin Gretzinger and Ben Rappaport April 25, 2025May 1, 2025

Following decades of struggles for the small private school in Laurinburg, officials said it will cease operations in less than two weeks.

Posted inAgriculture

North Carolina Farmers Reel From Trump Administration Payment Delays

by Ben Rappaport March 10, 2025April 27, 2025

Farmers say they’re waiting for federal payments for conservation and climate change programs, as well as emergency loans.

Man with ICE jacket
Posted inPolitics

Rumors, Fear Spread as N.C. Immigrants Brace for ICE Deportations

by Heidi Perez-Moreno and Ben Rappaport February 12, 2025April 27, 2025

Calls to a Durham-based hotline spiked, and schools and churches scrambled to communicate with families as President Trump’s deportation push began.

Posted inPolitics

How Republicans Gained Ground in Rural North Carolina 

by Ben Rappaport and Sarah Nagem November 26, 2024April 27, 2025

Rural counties like the Border Belt shifted further to the right, despite Democrats’ efforts to re-engage working-class voters. 

Posted inPlace

The Abandoned Pools of Columbus County

by Ben Rappaport August 26, 2024April 27, 2025

Columbus County no longer has any public and community swimming pools—a reflection of racism, rural decay, and lost opportunity. 

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