BREAKING: St. Andrews University will close May 5. Ben Rappaport and I have the story for The Assembly and Border Belt Independent, including details about what President Tarun Malik told faculty in a meeting this morning. theassemblync.com/education/high…

Robeson County schools planned to use $14.6 million in federal funds to make necessary upgrades at its buildings. So school leaders were shocked when the U.S. Dept. of Education said late last month the promised money was canceled. More from Ben Rappaport: ednc.org/robeson-county…

St. Andrew’s and Laurinburg have a sort of quirky magic. Its final days were full of personal stories, tears and mourning for the now-closed institution that shaped the minds of so many in the community. #nced #ncpol borderbelt.org/students-alumn…

To the dozens of alumni who attended the school’s final graduation ceremony, it felt more like a funeral. theassemblync.com/education/high…

The Robeson County landfill has some of the highest PFAS levels in the state. The county wants to keep growing it. On Monday, local residents voiced concerns about the adverse effects of the landfill and its persistent issues with toxic chemicals. borderbelt.org/robeson-county…

Many small business owners say they are struggling with rising costs, shipping delays and economic uncertainty. Some say they’re trying to keep prices steady for customers — but that puts the financial burden on them. nrcolumbus.com/news/small-bus…

Sports was one of America's most accessible forms of entertainment. Now it's paywalled, splintered and sold to the highest bidder. Fandom isn't being nurtured. It's being mined. For New York Times Opinion on the state of sports, and what it says about America: nytimes.com/2025/06/16/opi…

BREAKING: UNC System is launching a new accreditor with Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas called the Commission for Public Higher Education The goal is to create a “streamlined, non-ideological” accreditor, Hans told me in an exclusive for The Assembly.

For the first time in a long time, business owners and town officials say, Lumberton is on the precipice of becoming a true destination. But as the town attempts a rebirth, those who have been there for decades know progress never comes easily. Border Belt Independent borderbelt.org/downtown-lumbe…

Entrepreneurs are repurposing a historic firehouse, opening a new jazz bar and organizing events in the downtown plaza. For the first time in a long time, business owners and town officials say, Lumberton is on the precipice of becoming a true destination. theassemblync.com/business/lumbe…

When St. Andrews suddenly closed in May, it left behind a lot of questions. When would employees get their paychecks? What would become of the university’s land? And what does the closure mean for Laurinburg, a rural town of 15,000? me & Ben Rappaport tracked down the answers

Following the sudden closure of St. Andrews University, Laurinburg grapples with the fallout and the now-empty campus property at the heart of the community. For The Assembly and Border Belt Independent theassemblync.com/education/high…

One final piece for Border Belt Independent that encapsulates a lot of what makes the region special: trials of rural communities, resilience in the face of hardship and a deep desire to see opportunity amid the struggle. (W/ Erin Gretzinger) borderbelt.org/laurinburg-nc-…

St. Andrews University was a bedrock of the Laurinburg community for more than 60 years. Now the town is grappling with the school's absence. By Erin Gretzinger and Ben Rappaport borderbelt.org/laurinburg-nc-…

Last month, flooding ravaged the two-tower AM site of WCHL & Chapelboro in North Carolina. Right now, its 1360 AM signal runs off a 4-watt transmitter chief engineer Jim Davis found on eBay. Elle Kehres explains how WCHL is still serving Orange County. 🏗️ radioworld.com/news-and-busin…