Pender County

shows a person with a cuff on their arm, a pair of hands in rubber gloves is about to draw blood

Duke study finds high PFAS levels in Pittsboro residents’ blood

October 29, 2020 by Greg Barnes Leave a Comment

Duke study finds high PFAS levels in Pittsboro residents’ blood - North Carolina Health News

The study says about 1 million people may be drinking water that contains PFAS contamination that originates in the Haw River and flows downstream into the Cape Fear River.

By Greg Barnes A new Duke University study has found that the concentrations of some potentially cancerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — or PFAS — are two to four times higher in the blood of Pittsboro residents than the U.S. population as a whole. The study also found that some types of PFAS chemicals found […]

When the water at the Sanford water plant in September, it had high rates of PFAS

State lawmaker says fighting PFAS in NC will require more than enforceable standards

September 10, 2020 by Greg Barnes

State lawmaker says fighting PFAS in NC will require more than enforceable standards - North Carolina Health News

Rep. Pricey Harrison would welcome new maximum contaminant levels for certain types of PFAS, but she worries that industries would just switch to another PFAS compound, resulting in a game of whack-a-mole. Part 2 of 2

By Greg Barnes Months after DuPont bought the rights to produce Perfluorooctanoic acid (known as PFOA or C8) from Minnesota’s 3M Corp. in 2002, DuPont discovered that the suspected carcinogen used to make Teflon had leaked into the groundwater under the company’s Fayetteville Works plant. Except for some local newspaper articles and rumblings from environmental […]

shows large storm approaching the north carolina coast

Coronavirus Today – Aug. 3 – Awaiting Isaias; Curfews and evacuations; Landfall in southeastern NC?

August 3, 2020 by Anne Blythe

Coronavirus Today – Aug. 3 – Awaiting Isaias; Curfews and evacuations; Landfall in southeastern NC? - North Carolina Health News

North Carolina awaits the dawn after its first major storm amid the coronavirus pandemic.

By Anne Blythe As Tropical Storm Isaias gets closer to North Carolina’s southeastern coastline, where it is expected to come ashore later tonight, Gov. Roy Cooper has cautioned people not to get caught up in weather semantics. Isaias rose out of a tropical wave off the African coastline and organized into a tighter storm with […]

shows men bent over green plants, pulling peppers into baskets

Coronavirus Today – July 23 – Follow the three Ws, say Mexican and Guatemalan consulate leaders; Plug for Medicaid expansion; ‘Not yet turned a corner’

July 23, 2020 by Anne Blythe

Coronavirus Today – July 23 – Follow the three Ws, say Mexican and Guatemalan consulate leaders; Plug for Medicaid expansion; ‘Not yet turned a corner’ - North Carolina Health News

North Carolina is on steadier ground than many Southern states in its fight against COVID-19, but cases continue to rise especially in Latino communities.

By Anne Blythe North Carolina’s governor, top public health officials and high-ranking leaders from the Mexican and Guatemalan consulates sent an urgent message to Latinx and Hispanic residents on Thursday. COVID-19 is spreading swiftly and disproportionately among their communities, and the best way to fight the virus and keep their communities strong and healthy is […]

Shows two women in a lab, manipulating tools in order to test water samples, which are arranged on the tabletop

Research suggests link between PFAS contamination and the coronavirus

July 13, 2020 by Greg Barnes

Research suggests link between PFAS contamination and the coronavirus - North Carolina Health News

Studies say people with high levels of PFAS in their systems could be more susceptible to contracting COVID-19.

By Greg Barnes John Wolfe doesn’t know what else he can do to protect himself against the coronavirus. The Wilmington boat captain follows all of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. He wears a mask and requires tourists on his boat to do the same. He practices social distancing and washes his hands […]

four scientists sit at a table where they discuss water pollution

Not all in-home water filters completely remove toxic PFAS

February 6, 2020 by Greg Barnes

Not all in-home water filters completely remove toxic PFAS - North Carolina Health News

A new study finds that under-the-sink reverse osmosis systems work best at removing “forever chemicals,” but they aren’t cheap.

By Greg Barnes Not all types of in-home filters are completely effective at removing “forever chemicals” from drinking water, and a few could do more harm than good if not properly maintained, according to a new study released Wednesday by North Carolina researchers. Water filters in refrigerators, pitcher-style filters, under the sink reverse osmosis systems […]

A faucet with water flowing from it, as an illustration for drinking water contamination, with substances such as 1,4 dioxane and PFAS

New DEQ data show ‘staggering’ levels of PFAS in Cape Fear River basin

February 3, 2020 by Greg Barnes

New DEQ data show ‘staggering’ levels of PFAS in Cape Fear River basin - North Carolina Health News

The DEQ required 25 utilities in the basin to test for “forever chemicals” at their sewer treatment plants for three months. One scientist called the results of those tests “incredibly high.”

By Greg Barnes A water sample taken in September from the Sanford sewage treatment plant that discharges into Deep River uncovered “staggering” concentrations of forever chemicals, newly released documents from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality reveal. The sample contained perfluorooctanesulfonic acid — or PFOS — measuring 1,000 parts per trillion. That is more than […]

Water over a flooded road looks like a river

Youth voices from North Carolina’s hurricanes – Part 2

January 2, 2020 by Editor

Youth voices from North Carolina’s hurricanes – Part 2 - North Carolina Health News

NC Health News worked with Wilmington-based Coastal Youth Media to hold a workshop this fall with a group of young people from southeastern counties. Journalists and community organizers worked with these high school students to help them write essays on how they and their families made it through 2018's Hurricane Florence. For this holiday week, we present their stories.

Worry, relief, heartbreak. All in one storm. By Shecoria Smith When I heard the rain, I worried most about my dad. He had traveled across the country to California for work in the days before the hurricane. I thought it would be months before I saw him again. A few days later those worried feelings […]

A doctor and patient in a community health center

Community health centers are again on the brink of federal funding lapse

December 11, 2019 by Liora Engel-Smith

Community health centers are again on the brink of federal funding lapse - North Carolina Health News

The federal budget -- and with it funding for community health centers -- is set to lapse on Dec. 21.

By Liora Engel-Smith Across North Carolina, community health centers are contending with what has become an unpleasant tradition: planning for a potential federal funding lapse. The nation’s safety net clinics — 250 of which are in North Carolina — serve thousands of uninsured and underinsured patients and enjoy bipartisan support. But a battle between Congress […]

A bouquet of orange and red wrappers with condoms are visible. Condoms are one way to prevent the transmission of HIV.

In rural Southeastern NC, ‘one stop shop’ keeps HIV-positive patients healthy

October 10, 2019 by Liora Engel-Smith

In rural Southeastern NC, ‘one stop shop’ keeps HIV-positive patients healthy - North Carolina Health News

To explore a reader question about successful programs that address social determinants of health, NC Health News visited a program for HIV-positive people that ventures beyond the confines of traditional healthcare to keep patients out of the hospital.

By Liora Engel-Smith When Christopher Jones was thinking of going back to school for his bachelor’s degree, he shot a text to staff at the clinic where he gets his medical care to ask for advice. The Cumberland County resident knew he couldn’t keep his full-time job and go to school at the same time. […]

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