Lincolnton is collaborating with the Carolina Thread Trail, a network of trails and greenways outside Charlotte spanning 15 counties. The state effort is responding to the need to balance land conservation with population growth. Discover how communities like Lincolnton use this new green network as a draw for both visitors and more investment to their downtowns.

Watch new episodes of ncIMPACT Fridays, 7:30 PM on PBS NC and the PBS Video app.

Learn more about ncIMPACT: https://pbsnc.org/ncimpact

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This program is made possible by viewers like you! Support PBS North Carolina today: http://pbsnc.org/donate

The arts-centered work community Starworks has put the small town of Star, North Carolina, on the map. Explore how Starworks has become a place where artists come to create all types of art, from glass to ceramics to metal.

Watch new episodes of ncIMPACT Fridays, 7:30 PM on PBS NC and the PBS Video app.

Learn more about ncIMPACT: https://pbsnc.org/ncimpact

Subscribe to the North Carolina Channel for more clips and episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/NorthCarolinaChannel

This program is made possible by viewers like you! Support PBS North Carolina today: http://pbsnc.org/donate

Though often perceived to be a problem of the inner city, substance use has long been prevalent in rural areas. Rural adults have higher rates of use for tobacco and methamphetamines, while prescription drug misuse and heroin use has grown in towns of every size. Substance use can be especially hard to combat in rural communities due to limited resources for prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Watch new episodes of ncIMPACT Fridays, 7:30 PM on PBS NC and the PBS Video app.

Learn more about ncIMPACT: https://pbsnc.org/ncimpact

Subscribe to the North Carolina Channel for more clips and episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/NorthCarolinaChannel

This program is made possible by viewers like you! Support PBS North Carolina today: http://pbsnc.org/donate

A flood of historic proportions cleared the way for a conservation project in one Eastern Carolina community. Learn how leaders in Jones County are working together to repurpose a property badly damaged by Hurricane Florence.

Watch new episodes of ncIMPACT Fridays, 7:30 PM on PBS NC and the PBS Video app.

Learn more about ncIMPACT: https://pbsnc.org/ncimpact

Subscribe to the North Carolina Channel for more clips and episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/NorthCarolinaChannel

This program is made possible by viewers like you! Support PBS North Carolina today: http://pbsnc.org/donate

Communities across the country, and the world, are trying to attract companies to invest and create jobs. Economic development is a critical component that drives economic growth in our economy, creating high wage jobs and facilitating an improved quality of life. ncIMPACT reports on some regional collaborations that are helping attract big businesses to the state.


Watch new episodes of ncIMPACT Fridays, 7:30 PM on PBS NC and the PBS Video app.

Learn more about ncIMPACT: https://pbsnc.org/ncimpact

Subscribe to the North Carolina Channel for more clips and episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/NorthCarolinaChannel

This program is made possible by viewers like you! Support PBS North Carolina today: http://pbsnc.org/donate

The pandemic caused a major disruption to our country's labor force and the challenges continue. ncIMPACT hosts a virtual town hall to discuss why labor shortages exist in our state and innovative strategies that can help alleviate those shortages.

See the Rockingham feature on the February 17, 2023 episode of ncIMPACT on PBS NC.

As rural communities try to find ways to attract more revenue, many are looking to sports tourism as a tool to enhance economic development and bring dollars to their downtowns. Rockingham Dragway and Speedway are using a new state grant to repair and improve the facilities with the hope of making the landmarks sports tourist destinations once again.

Watch ncIMPACT Fridays at 7:30 PM on PBS NC and streaming on the PBS App.

The arts can provide a community with opportunities for financial growth and infrastructure improvements. Civic leaders and artists across the state share their vision to revitalize their communities through the arts, including in the town of Star, where an abandoned sock factory has been transformed into an art mecca.

Watch new episodes of ncIMPACT Fridays, 7:30 PM on PBS NC and the PBS Video app.

Learn more about ncIMPACT: https://pbsnc.org/ncimpact

Subscribe to the North Carolina Channel for more clips and episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/NorthCarolinaChannel

This program is made possible by viewers like you! Support PBS North Carolina today: http://pbsnc.org/donate

Staffing shortages remain a problem for many schools. In North Carolina, all grade levels suffer from a lack of math and special education teachers, while elementary schools lack qualified educators for all core subjects. Discover how school districts are getting creative in recruiting and retaining teachers, including a “Grow Your Own” program in Edgecombe County.

Learn more about ncIMPACT: https://pbsnc.org/ncimpact

Subscribe to the North Carolina Channel for more clips and episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/NorthCarolinaChannel

This program is made possible by viewers like you! Support PBS North Carolina today: http://pbsnc.org/donate