All Beacon Stories
A government official encounters disinformation after Helene
A Town Council member fights for people — and the truth.
The fight for public education
The devastation brought by Hurricane Helene to western North Carolina has left communities grappling with significant loss and upheaval. And while there are so many areas that will need help, how our people recover will most assuredly pass directly through North Carolina’s public schools.
Mayor Smathers: Let’s come together and deliver for WNC
Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers calls on lawmakers in Raleigh to deliver for hurricane victims By Zeb Smathers From the moment Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury on North Carolina, we’ve witnessed the best of humanity. Neighbors of all beliefs, political parties,...
How do we find candidates who represent the working class?
This election shows that those who lead us should be the same people who make our society go. By Gwen Frisbie-Fulton I grew up tagging along behind my dad at construction sites. He would find a hard hat for me to wear, and it would wobble around on my too-small...
Being Frank: Sometimes, history rhymes in North Carolina
After the election, I keep thinking back to Frank Porter Graham’s progressive run for U.S. Senate in 1950. By Jeremy Markovich N.C. Rabbit Hole Like millions of North Carolinians, I have many questions about the results of Tuesday’s election. One that came...
Donald Trump is Betting his Anti-Trans Culture War wins on Election Day
Former President Trump’s campaign is spending millions on ads that focus on anti-trans and drag messaging. By Gwen Frisbie-Fulton Voting has started in North Carolina and across the nation, and early reports say the lines are healthy and long. That’s exciting...
Students: Helene Made Climate Change And This Election Personal
By Lili Jones, Sam Ogburn and Lydia Pate When we said “climate change is real,” this is what we meant. When we said that inaction would cost us, this is what we were afraid of. When we were told to calm down, to compromise, to be patient, we grew frustrated. We were...
The presidency is important. So is local office.
Alexa Roberts reflects on the importance of local office before our consequential November election. By Alexa Roberts The first time I walked into my daughter’s kindergarten classroom at Sandhills Farm Life Elementary as a volunteer, only a few weeks into the...
Helene forces return to the old school Town Hall
In Black Mountain town leaders are getting information out with a method that's been around for centuries. By Jeremy Markovich N.C. Rabbit Hole I’ve been doomscrolling quite a bit lately, mostly because there seems to be no end to pictures of the destruction left...
Act now: Save our lives before the next school shooting
North Carolina’s 2023 Teacher of the Year asks why politicians refuse to protect students and teachers through meaningful action after the school shooting in Winder, Georgia. By Kimberly Jones Last week, something happened that we must stop accepting as a mere...
Beyond belief in Ashe County
Organizer Nancy Weaver, who lives on multigenerational land, wants to make sure government dollars are spent on those who most need them By Nancy Weaver One Sunday morning in November of 1977, my little sister Ann woke us up and said “The field is full of...
Leadership is not for someone else
Especially in the wake of the deadly hurricane, seeking political office shouldn’t be about an insider’s game or internet celebrity. By Gwen Frisbie-Fulton The last few days in North Carolina are a head-turning study in contrast. For weeks, we’ve had Mark...
Combating gun violence takes empathy, commitment
The mayor of an Eastern North Carolina town offers lessons on how a town went from a gun violence epidemic to a milestone anniversary of no gun deaths. By Weyling White One day in 2019, we were celebrating my grandmother’s birthday. We took her to the church for a...
North Carolina expanded Medicaid. Now what?
Medicaid expansion is a lifeline, but in rural North Carolina, a lack of healthcare providers leaves many still struggling for care. How can we bridge the gap?
When a monster truck crossed the Currituck Sound
On July 4, 1994, Dennis Anderson drove the legendary monster truck, Grave Digger, across the Currituck Sound, making history.
Flor Herrera-Picasso: How North Carolina fails its farmworkers
Justice after the horrific death of José Arturo González Mendoza would mean we ensure dignity for farmworkers across North Carolina. By Flor Herrera-Picasso One year ago this September, José Arturo González Mendoza, 30, was headed to work in Nash County, picking sweet...
Great Dismal Swamp isn’t as great, dismal or swampy as it used to be
Once vast and wild, the Great Dismal Swamp is now wooded, restored, thriving, and perfect for solitude seekers.
The real reason we’re being told to hate Pride
Small-town pride events showcase the best of us. Why do some want to stoke hate? By Gwen Frisbie-Fulton From Sylva to Wilson, from Boone to Shelby, small towns across North Carolina are celebrating Pride – turning small parks and main streets into brightly colored,...
Can a billionaire make North Carolina’s public schools poor?
Veteran campaign finance expert says political donations are driving school privatization By Bob Hall NC Newsline Despite strong opposition, the North Carolina Senate voted this month to boost enrollment in privately run K-12 schools by doubling state...
For Latinos, ‘parent’s rights’ should be about support and respect
Growing up, I aimed to leave rural North Carolina, but now I help Latino families navigate education through Casa Azul.