Author: Jordan Meadows

By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer The 2026 Alpha South Regional Convention and FOCUS HBCU College Fair brought more than 1,500 students to the Raleigh Convention Center last Thursday. Running from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the annual event connected students from across North Carolina with representatives from historically Black colleges and universities throughout the Southeast region of the U.S., offering information on admissions, scholarships, academic programs, and extracurricular opportunities.  In

By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Southeast Raleigh residents are calling out city officials over a series of long-planned parks bond projects that community members say are drifting away from their original vision. At the center of the dispute are several initiatives tied to the South Park neighborhood, including the John P. "Top" Greene African American Cultural Center, the South Park Heritage Trail, Heritage Plaza, and Phase II of the John

[caption id="attachment_17029" align="alignnone" width="1760"] The current Rivers Correctional Institute in Winton, NC is closed but is actively maintained, according to its owner The GEO Group. (Aaron Sanchez-Guerra / WUNC News)[/caption] By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer A growing national debate over immigration detention has found a focal point in eastern North Carolina, where federal officials and private prison operators are exploring new sites for expanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities.

[caption id="attachment_17003" align="alignnone" width="1538"] Screenshot[/caption] By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Lawmakers on the North Carolina Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee spent Tuesday morning grappling with how best to measure student success, modernize curriculum, and address challenges in the state's teacher pipeline, with members raising pointed questions about both instructional methods and long-term outcomes. A recurring theme throughout the meeting was how students are being taught, particularly in early grades. Rep.

By Jordan Meadows  Staff Writer Artist Derwin Knight's work took center stage last Thursday at the Durham Main County Library, where visitors gathered for a showcase with his distinctive paintings and storytelling. Born in Long Island, New York, Knight studied at the State University College of New York at Old Westbury before graduating from North Carolina Central University. He joined the military in 1986, and it was during his time

[caption id="attachment_16662" align="alignnone" width="653"] The NC Court of Appeals ruled in 2013 that Cane Creek Village was entitled to a property tax exemption. (Photo: NC General Assembly Legislative Analysis)[/caption] By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer A growing set of tax incentives meant to encourage development and expand affordable housing in Wake County is now raising alarms among local officials, who say a surge in property tax exemptions could jeopardize funding for

By Jordan Meadows  Staff Writer The Civil War dramatically reshaped the lives of enslaved people in eastern North Carolina, particularly after Union forces captured key coastal towns in 1862. Before the war, the conditions faced by enslaved African Americans in the region were harsh and restrictive.  Union forces launched a campaign to seize the North Carolina coast, with the reluctant approval of President Lincoln, in early 1862. The expedition began

By Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Members of the Wake County Board of Commissioners' Affordable Housing Committee met Monday morning to review programs aimed at expanding affordable housing and addressing homelessness, including new funding initiatives, partnerships and ongoing planning efforts as the county continues to face rising housing costs and a growing population. The meeting focused on the work of the Wake County Continuum of Care (CoC), a collaborative network that

  By: Jordan Meadows Staff Writer Long before the Boy Scouts of America became a nationwide institution, Black communities were already working to bring the ideals of scouting to their youth. In the early twentieth century, African American leaders and volunteers organized some of the first Black Boy Scout troops in the country, helping open opportunities for young people who were frequently excluded from mainstream civic organizations. Historians say identifying

By: Jordan Meadows Staff Writer In 1925, a home rose on the corner of Fayetteville and Brant Streets in Durham, built for the founder of what would become one of the nation's most important historically Black universities. One hundred years later, the Dr. James E. Shepard House at North Carolina Central University still stands. The home was constructed for university founder and first president James E. Shepard and his family