Our Stories
At Beacon Media, we focus on telling the stories that truly matter to our communities. Beacon Media is built around the people who are preserving and strengthening democracy in North Carolina communities. From healthcare and education to housing and justice, our stories are crafted to inform, inspire, and spark meaningful change. It is these community leaders and trusted messengers who will shift our collective narrative and show us what is possible — and then they are the ones who will make it a reality. We share their words and voices far and wide. That’s why all of our commentary is free to republish. We encourage you to use and share our work to help amplify the voices and issues that need attention across our state.
Read The Latest Stories
Gwen Frisbie-Fulton: The real reason we’re told to hate Pride
Small town pride events showcase the best of us. Why do some still want to stoke hate? By Gwen Frisbie-Fulton Beacon Media Editor’s note: This column, first published in 2024, has been updated from its original version. Photo by Tong Su on Unsplash From...
Bringing Healthcare Home w/ Dr. Laurie Stradley
This week, Dr. Lori Stradley, director of Impact Health, joins Preston and Dalton to talk about what drives health outcomes before anyone ever sees a doctor. From rural transportation gaps to food box deliveries stabilizing families, Lori makes the case that investing...
Billy Corriher: The N.C. Supreme Court’s Duke Energy ruling made all of us poorer — and may enrich the Chief Justice
Conflict of interest rules for the judiciary should have prevented N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby from ruling on Duke Energy’s rate hike, the author writes. By Billy Corriher Beacon Media Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash In late May,...
Opinion: How progressives are rebuilding trust in rural areas
Being a liberal in a rural area can be lonely. The author writes that progressives can lower the political temperature and restore trust in their beliefs through community projects. By Anthony Flaccavento Rural Urban Bridge Initiative In the summer of 2023 in...
Episode 12 – Finding the Joy in Politics with Hendersonville’s Gina Baxter
This week, the guys are back with a new guest! Dalton and Preston sit down with current Hendersonville City Councilmember, and friend of the show, Gina Baxter to growing up in WNC as a transplant, Appalachian identity, and her ongoing campaign for re-election this...
Iliana Santillán: In Georgia’s federal detention center, I saw the real immigration ‘crisis’
Traveling to the federal detention center in Stewart County, Georgia, Iliana Santillán attended the hearing of a friend and emerged with a greater understanding of those detained by ICE. By Iliana SantillánBeacon Media LUMPKIN, GEORGIA — The first thing I packed for...
Helene Recovery, Labor Talks, and National Forests
This week, the guys sit down for another news episode to discuss the first new school in Watauga County in over 30 years, springboarding into a larger discussion on ongoing efforts to recover from Hurricane Helene. They also discuss ongoing labor disputes within the...
Episode 10 – Budget Season Special!
On this week's episode, Dalton and Preston dive deep on local government in their Budget Season Special! Join them as they discuss the process for deciding the budgets in Boone and Fletcher, the realities of running local governments, and how a proposed amendment on...
Episode 9 – DeBorah Ogiste and the Healthy Opportunites Pilot
In this week’s episode, Preston and Dalton learn about the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, a revolutionary public health program pioneered in North Carolina that was recently defunded by state legislators. They sit down with DeBorah Ogiste, a former beneficiary of the...