Governor Roy Cooper’s Hometown Strong Rural Action team recently visited Duplin and Sampson counties, going into more than a dozen municipalities with a mission to hear the needs of rural communities and talk about how to best meet them through partnerships.

The team, which includes representatives from every state cabinet agency, travels the state to meet with community members, as well as county and local government leaders, with the mission of creating and strengthening partnerships to support North Carolina’s rural communities.

The Duplin and Sampson stops were made Jan. 27 and 28, respectively.

In Sampson, the day kicked off at Sampson Community College with a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Connecting North Carolina. The task force was created by Executive Order 91, which directs state government leaders to work collaboratively to identify and remove barriers to affordable, high-speed internet access, eliminate the homework gap that results from students not having internet access, and facilitate private-sector deployment of last-mile infrastructure.

During the meeting, representatives from Star Communications presented on how the company is leveraging state and federal grants to help fund the company’s investment in broadband in the region. The task force also finalized and agreed to send its recommendations to Cooper on how to improve broadband access and adoption in the state.

Following the task force meeting, the Hometown Strong team held meetings with local leaders from the City of Clinton and Sampson County to discuss issues most important to local communities. The Sampson County visit concluded with Hometown Strong team members visiting the towns of Newton Grove, Harrells, Autryville, Roseboro, Salemburg and Garland.

According to Hometown Strong, 80 of North Carolina’s 100 counties are located outside major metropolitan areas, with about 2.2 million people calling rural North Carolina home.

“Rural North Carolina isn’t looking for directions from Raleigh — they want state government to listen and help when asked,” the Hometown Strong message stated. “We will work to break down silos in state government to get the communities the support they need and deserve.”

To that end, Hometown Strong works to identify needs and meet local leaders to understand their objectives. It is an initiative that offers a more personal and hands-on approach for state government’s reaction to the needs of North Carolina’s rural communities, creating partnerships between state agencies and local leaders to champion rural communities.

The effort leverages state and local resources, identifies ongoing projects and community needs, and implements focused plans to boost the economy, improve infrastructure and strengthen North Carolina’s hometowns.

Before stopping in Sampson, day one of the local swing was spent in Duplin.

That day began with a presentation and demonstration by the Duplin County 4-H Shooting Sports team at the Duplin County Sheriff’s Range in Rose Hill. Bridget Huffman, 4-H Youth Development Agent with the N.C. State University Cooperative Extension, and Ben Parrish, training coordinator for the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, kicked off the event with a presentation about the work of local 4-H clubs and the accomplishments of the team, and then members of the 4-H Shooting Sports team gave a rifle demonstration.

Following the 4-H event, the Hometown Strong team moved to the Lois G. Britt Agricultural Service Center, where they held a forum for local leaders to discuss challenges facing Duplin and listened to a presentation by members of the N.C. State University Cooperative Extension about their work in the county.

Local organizations were able to voice their concerns and offer ideas regarding issues such as healthcare, transportation, hurricane recovery and broadband infrastructure directly to representatives from state agencies that work on those issues.

The Duplin County visit concluded with Hometown Strong team members visiting the towns of Teachey, Faison, Beulaville, Calypso, Greenevers, Warsaw and Wallace to meet with and listen to local government officials.

N.C. House District 21 Rep. Raymond E. Smith Jr. soeaks to a governor’s task force during a recent meeting in Sampson County.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492126418_c2ac0ce73a_k.jpgN.C. House District 21 Rep. Raymond E. Smith Jr. soeaks to a governor’s task force during a recent meeting in Sampson County. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Eric Boyette, secretary and chief information officer for the N.C. Department of Information Technology, left, and Hometown Strong director Pryor Gibson, right, speak after a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Connecting North Carolina at Sampson Community College. Pictured in background center is Bill Holmes, assistant secretary of Outreach and Rural Programming for the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492127308_605ecae658_k.jpgEric Boyette, secretary and chief information officer for the N.C. Department of Information Technology, left, and Hometown Strong director Pryor Gibson, right, speak after a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Connecting North Carolina at Sampson Community College. Pictured in background center is Bill Holmes, assistant secretary of Outreach and Rural Programming for the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Jeff Shipp with Star Communications speaks to how the company is leveraging state and federal grants to help fund its investment in broadband in the region. In November, the USDA formally announced its investment of $23.7 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure to improve rural e-Connectivity for more than 8,700 homes in North Carolina.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492127433_1414af9b50_k.jpgJeff Shipp with Star Communications speaks to how the company is leveraging state and federal grants to help fund its investment in broadband in the region. In November, the USDA formally announced its investment of $23.7 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure to improve rural e-Connectivity for more than 8,700 homes in North Carolina. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Hometown Strong Rural Action team members visit with Roseboro town leaders.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492625211_6895799fd4_k.jpgHometown Strong Rural Action team members visit with Roseboro town leaders. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Hometown Strong Rural Action team talk with Newton Grove officials.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492836717_5119a9811e_k.jpgHometown Strong Rural Action team talk with Newton Grove officials. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Erick Herring, operations chief for Sampson County EMS, talks about challenges facing the agency.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492836927_97df9f894e_k.jpgErick Herring, operations chief for Sampson County EMS, talks about challenges facing the agency. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Sampson Community College President Dr. Bill Starling addresses those gathered at a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Connecting North Carolina.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492838062_0c5a337c9a_k.jpgSampson Community College President Dr. Bill Starling addresses those gathered at a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Connecting North Carolina. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Members of the Duplin County 4-H Shooting Sports team gave a rifle demonstration to Hometown Strong Rural Action team members, including director Pryor Gibson, far right. The Hometown Strong team visited Sampson and Duplin over two days last month.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49452327587_6f6f751e0b_k.jpgMembers of the Duplin County 4-H Shooting Sports team gave a rifle demonstration to Hometown Strong Rural Action team members, including director Pryor Gibson, far right. The Hometown Strong team visited Sampson and Duplin over two days last month. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Sampson County manager Ed Causey offers some thoughts during a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Connecting North Carolina.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492126603_efe5ded58a_k.jpgSampson County manager Ed Causey offers some thoughts during a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Connecting North Carolina. Courtesy photo|NCDIT

Eric Boyette, secretary and chief information officer for the N.C. Department of Information Technology, left, has a chat with Sampson Community College President Dr. Bill Starling during a recent visit.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/web1_49492126923_ee8ae5c125_k.jpgEric Boyette, secretary and chief information officer for the N.C. Department of Information Technology, left, has a chat with Sampson Community College President Dr. Bill Starling during a recent visit. Courtesy photo|NCDIT
Rural task force visits Sampson, Duplin

Staff reports

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.