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Pamlico County

Shows text supporting Medicaid expansion that reads: The Graham County Commissioners strongly give their full support to Representative Kevin Corbin for House Bill 655... The Graham County Board of Commissioners understand that the majority of uninsured inividuals in North Carolina are employed, but do not make enough money to afford health insurance coverage."

Business leaders, conservatives across state warm to Medicaid expansion

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Business leaders, conservatives across state warm to Medicaid expansion - North Carolina Health News

In private, and increasingly in public, some are making their support for House Bill 655, which would allow for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, in defiance of the state party leaders.

By Rose Hoban Dale Wiggins thinks it’s time. Actually, he thinks it’s past due. Wiggins, a retired businessman, is the head of the Graham County Board of Commissioners, which recently sent a resolution of support for expanding the state’s Medicaid program to legislative leaders and Gov. Roy Cooper. The unanimous resolution, signed by four Republicans […]

shows a grouping of hot dog shaped bacteria, each with a single hairlike appendage, called a flagellum. It's a picture of vibrio vulnificus

Vibrio survivor, wife warn of bacteria’s risks

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Vibrio survivor, wife warn of bacteria’s risks - North Carolina Health News

After hurricanes, floodwaters can contain bacteria such as vibrio which can kill about one in five people who contract it. Officials urge caution in the wake of storms.

By Trista Talton Coastal Review Online Fifteen minutes. That’s roughly the amount of time Richard Flaherty spent in 2 to 3 inches of flood waters helping a neighbor in Oriental the day after Hurricane Florence made landfall last year. Twenty-four hours later, Flaherty’s left leg had been amputated above the knee. His odds of survival […]

A county by county map of US colored to show opioid death risk, including access to medication-assisted treatment

Forty-one N.C. counties classified as “high risk” in new opioid study

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Forty-one N.C. counties classified as “high risk” in new opioid study - North Carolina Health News

In a national study, researchers classified 41 North Carolina counties as “opioid high-risk” with few providers of medication-assisted treatment and many opioid-related deaths.

By Yen Duong While conversations about the national opioid epidemic often focus on hardest-hit states such as Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, few people have analyzed county-by-county trends, where those state’s policies can make a difference. But a new study, published last month in an open-access version of the Journal of the American Medical Association, […]

a pretty white church with a red door sits in the background, in front of the building is a large pile of wooden debris

With Homes Destroyed by Florence, this Tiny ENC County Struggles to Find a Foothold

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With Homes Destroyed by Florence, this Tiny ENC County Struggles to Find a Foothold - North Carolina Health News

For a small, low-income Eastern North Carolina county such as Jones, the recovery from Hurricane Florence can be daunting.

By Thomas Goldsmith When the Trent River overran the Haiti community of Jones County, Linda Faith Perry lost her mobile home, her car, even her dog Kujo. Starting Sept. 14, Hurricane Florence sent torrents coursing through Jones’ county seat Trenton, with the Haiti neighborhood where Perry lived hit especially hard. In the weeks since, many […]

SNAP logo of stylized food in a bag that reads, "SNAP"

Residents of Counties Hit by Florence Can Get Extra Help with Food

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Residents of Counties Hit by Florence Can Get Extra Help with Food - North Carolina Health News

State programs approved by USDA will increase federally funded payments for people in counties hit hard by Hurricane Florence.

By Thomas Goldsmith In the North Carolina counties hit hardest by Hurricane Florence, people who already get help buying food will be given more, and those not on a state or federal food program can receive assistance going forward, federal and state officials said Thursday. The announcement follows by a few days a visit to […]

We see the backs of two men, who are staring down at a submerged boat just off of a dock.

Florence Adds to Stress for Seafood Industry

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Florence Adds to Stress for Seafood Industry - North Carolina Health News

Fishermen brace for a difficult winter financially after the hurricane ruined much of their fall catch.

By Taylor Knopf During a major hurricane, fish migrate away, oysters get contaminated and shrimp are blown to sea, scattered to deeper waters. Though sometimes unnoticed, the seafood industry takes a big hit after storms like Florence. Not only does the crop move, but fishermen often live and work in the coastal communities that take […]

Farm building flooded in aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Wayne County, NC near Seven Springs.

Florence: Nasty Water, Mounting Damage

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Florence: Nasty Water, Mounting Damage - North Carolina Health News

A rundown of the many adverse effects of Hurricane Florence in North Carolina's coastal counties.

By Staff at Coastal Review Online As floodwaters from Hurricane Florence continue to rise in some areas, clean water advocates, state regulators and national attention are turning to the nasty mix of pollutants heading downriver and downstream here. As reported Friday, floodwaters from the Cape Fear River breached Duke Energy’s L.V. Sutton facility in Wilmington. […]

NOAA photograph of blue green algae floating on water next to a dock.

Sounding the Toxic Algae Alarm

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Sounding the Toxic Algae Alarm - North Carolina Health News

With evidence that potentially dangerous algal blooms are becoming more common, a push is on to better understand and broadcast their dangers.

By Catherine Clabby Harmful algal blooms, particularly the periodic explosive growth of cyanobacteria species, appear to be increasing in frequency and severity globally, researchers from the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say. While most algae pose no risk, harmful algal blooms, whether green or reddish masses floating on the surface of […]

Middle-schoolers Cassidy Ward and DeAndre Foote consider soft drink options.

Kids Find Their Own Way to Healthy Living

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Kids Find Their Own Way to Healthy Living - North Carolina Health News

A program to help middle-schoolers find their own way toward healthy food choices is finding success. This story was originally published in February 2012, but has been updated with new information. By Taylor Sisk When you’re a seventh-grader, the world is your oyster. Or maybe it’s your carrot stick. But more probably, it’s your Twix. […]

Rocking Chair

No Fix In Sight Yet for Alzheimer’s Special Care Units

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No Fix In Sight Yet for Alzheimer’s Special Care Units - North Carolina Health News

As lawmakers work on a fix to the problem of funding for group homes, owners and operators of adult care homes throughout the state are hoping they will also address recent cuts in reimbursement for Alzheimer’s care. By Rose Hoban Diane Barham has been in the adult care home business for several decades. She had […]