Local News

Watauga County’s Ray Hicks drew national acclaim for his storytelling skills focusing on the adventures of a poor but clever boy named Jack. Hicks passed away 20 years ago. Other raconteurs have kept the tales alive, but the High Country way of telling them faces an uncertain future, and changes in the Appalachian region could determine the outlook for this centuries-old tradition.

Climbing out of poverty can be especially difficult for single moms and their children. It's why nonprofits in the Triad area, and programs like Flourish, are taking family-centered approaches to tackle this.

On December 1, roughly 600,000 North Carolinians will become eligible for health care coverage, many for the very first time. But there are NC residents will remain ineligible for these benefits and other subsidies in the health insurance marketplace due to their immigration status.