Martin General Hospital, closed for nearly two years, will reopen as North Carolina’s first Rural Emergency Hospital (REH), a new federal model focusing on emergency and outpatient care, not inpatient services. ECU Health aims to manage the facility, pending approval from the Martin County Board of Commissioners. The REH status provides stable federal funding and aims to address healthcare gaps in rural Eastern North Carolina, despite limiting inpatient services like surgeries. State initiatives have funded renovations, though the aging building limits space. The project faces challenges from potential Medicaid cuts, but community and institutional support remains strong, hoping to restore essential local healthcare access.
by Jane Winik Sartwell, Carolina Public Press May 27, 2025
Martin General Hospital has stood abandoned in Williamston for almost two years, leaving Martin County residents with limited access to local health care. But the hospital is now slated to reopen as a new type of hospital for North Carolina: a Rural Emergency Hospital.
This new designation could be a game changer for other struggling hospitals across the state.
ECU Health will likely manage this new incarnation of Martin General, though that depends on the outcome of a June 4 public hearing before the Martin County Board of Commissioners.
The reopening of Martin General would bring back essential services in a health care desert creeping across Eastern North Carolina.
“Eastern North Carolina is a place with lots of inequities and lots of gaps in health care services,” said Deeonna Farr, assistant professor at the ECU College of Health.
“Reopening this facility, in an area without coverage, is huge.”
Rural Emergency Hospitals, though, are not full-service hospitals. They treat only emergency or outpatient cases.
They are not designed to provide inpatient services that would require overnight stays — think hip replacements, C-sections or appendectomies. For that kind of care, Martin County residents would still need to travel 30 minutes to the nearest full-service hospital, ECU Health Beaufort in “Little” Washington.
ECU’s proposal requires a significant state investment to expand inpatient capacity at ECU Health Beaufort, which is likely where any inpatient cases in Martin County would be transferred.
Rural Emergency Hospitals, or REHs, are a relatively new designation that the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare introduced in 2021. They’re a tool to save struggling, or recently shuttered, hospitals.
CMS doles out $3 million to each REH each year in order to keep their doors open. They also receive higher reimbursement rates for each patient visit.
“CEOs of REHs have an immense amount of pressure off their shoulders,” said George Pink, deputy director of the UNC Rural Health Research Program.
“Instead of putting out fires all the time, constantly asking, ‘How are we going to make that payroll in two weeks? Where are we going to get the money to pay that bill?,’ they get to plan ahead and rely on a predictable cash flow.”
Across the country but mostly in the South, 38 hospitals have converted to REHs since January 2023.
This would be North Carolina’s first.
The Martin County commissioners petitioned the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to work with the the state’s General Assembly to change the state’s Hospital Licensure Act to allow REHs.
It’s now an option available to any struggling hospital in the state.
In addition, a new state initiative called NC Cares, dedicated to preserving and expanding rural health care, allocated $35 million to aid in the reopening of the hospital.
“The Rural Emergency Hospital can offer everything Martin General did, and frankly more — with the exception of inpatient services,” said Dawn Carter, a member of the Rural Healthcare Initiative and health care consultant for Martin County.
Martin County lacks a sufficient population base to support inpatient services, Carter explained. The county is home to 22,000 people. Attracting physicians to the area has become increasingly difficult.
According to Carter, only 20% of Martin County residents actually sought inpatient care at Martin General to begin with. That contributed to the hospital’s deep financial problems.
Carter is delighted at the prospect of services returning to Martin County. So, too, the Martin County Health Department.
“Such a facility would be a substantial step forward and could one day lay the foundation for the return of a fully operational hospital,” said Nicole Barnes, health director of the Martin-Tyrrell-Washington District Health Department.
Martin Community College is celebrating as well. Having immediate access to health care would be a boon for staff and students who practice accident-prone trades like welding, electrical and HVAC. Plus, the school’s medical professions students are currently all sent to other counties for training. Going forward, they’ll have a local option.
But there’s one problem: the hospital building itself.
Due to the age and condition of the building, the new REH will be relegated to a corner of the old hospital building.
Luckily, Carter said, the wing of the hospital dedicated to emergency, outpatient and imaging services was the newer section. But it won’t be new forever.
“The building requirements for health care facilities get more stringent every year,” Carter said. “For us to use the entire building would require extensive renovations at exorbitant costs — firewalls, air conditioning, electrical systems. So there is going to be a space issue.”
For this reason, Carter doesn’t see the old Martin General Hospital building as the permanent home of Martin County’s REH.
“The commissioners have understood from the get go that there’s only so long we will continue to operate in that building,” she said. “We’re anticipating building a new one at some point.”
Another concern? Cuts to Medicaid in Washington.
House Republicans propose to cut $625 billion from Medicaid over the next decade. In rural places such as Martin County, hospitals depend on Medicaid reimbursements to stay open. In Martin County, 20% of residents live below the poverty line.
But because it took congressional action to establish the REH program, it is unlikely that President Donald Trump could successfully terminate the Biden-era program.
For now, ECU Health is gung-ho about the project.
“ECU Health is steadfast in its mission to improve the health and well-being of Eastern North Carolina,” wrote ECU Health spokesperson Brian Wudkwych.
“We submitted a non-binding proposal for consideration to the Martin County Board of Commissioners which outlines our desire to establish the state’s first Rural Emergency Hospital and create an integrated, high-acuity outpatient delivery model that meets the health care needs of Martin County.
“We look forward to the opportunity to present our proposal at the June 4 Martin County Board of Commissioners public hearing.”
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Left
The article presents a generally supportive tone toward expanding rural healthcare access, emphasizing the benefits of reopening Martin General Hospital as a Rural Emergency Hospital and highlighting the challenges faced by underserved communities in Eastern North Carolina. It draws attention to social inequities, poverty, and the importance of Medicaid funding, which aligns more closely with progressive or center-left concerns about healthcare accessibility and social welfare. While it presents factual information and includes perspectives from various stakeholders, the framing favors increased government and institutional involvement in healthcare, indicating a center-left leaning perspective without strong partisan rhetoric.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-09-05 09:01:00
State Sen. Bobby Hanig announced his Republican primary candidacy for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, aiming to challenge Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and incumbent Democrat Rep. Don Davis. Hanig filed with the Federal Elections Commission, while Roberson plans to run. Hanig emphasizes conservative leadership aligned with the America First agenda. The district, covering 22 northeastern counties, was highly competitive in 2024, with Davis narrowly winning. Hanig, an Army veteran and former state representative, chairs key legislative committees and runs two Outer Banks businesses. He supports tax cuts, border control, pro-life policies, and Second Amendment rights, aligning with former President Trump’s agenda.
(The Center Square) – State Sen. Bobby Hanig will enter the Republican primary for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, hoping to defeat Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and eventually second-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Don Davis.
Rep. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck
Michael Lewis via NCLeg.gov
Filing with the State Board of Elections is in December. Hanig has filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission. Roberson said he would run in April.
“I’m running because northeastern North Carolina deserves true conservative leadership that will fight for our community and the America first agenda,” he said in a release.
The seat was the most competitive between Democrats and Republicans in 2024 and figures to again be so in the 2026 midterms. Davis outlasted Republican Laurie Buckhout 49.52%-47.84%, winning by 6,307 votes of more than 376,000 cast.
Twenty-two counties are touched in the northeastern part of the state.
Hanig, R-Currituck, is a veteran of the Army. He has served the Board of Commissioners in Currituck County, and was in the state House of Representatives for two terms. By trade, he began as “the pool guy” and operates two businesses serving nearly 400 properties across the Outer Banks.
He’s chairman of the State and Local Government Committee, and serves as chairman within the Committee on Appropriations for General Government and Information Technology. He’s vice chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Local Government.
Four other assignments are Agriculture, Energy and Environment; Education/Higher Education; Regulatory Reform; and Transportation.
“I believe in President Trump’s America First Agenda and my record in the Legislature backs it up,” Hanig said. “I’ve cut taxes for North Carolina families, toughened border control in the state, stood up for life, and defended our Second Amendment rights.”
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article largely reports factual information about the candidates entering the North Carolina 1st Congressional District race, including their backgrounds, election filing status, and statements of political positions. It mainly quotes Sen. Bobby Hanig’s own words and campaign messaging, especially his alignment with “America First” and conservative values. The coverage uses neutral language without editorializing or explicitly endorsing any viewpoint. However, the focus on Hanig’s quoted statements about tax cuts, border control, pro-life stance, and Second Amendment rights, along with an absence of equivalent direct quotes from the Democratic incumbent or the other Republican candidate, subtly frames the narrative from a conservative perspective. This leads to a slight center-right tilt, as the piece highlights Hanig’s positions without presenting counterpoints or Democratic viewpoints in comparable detail. Overall, it functions as informational content about the race rather than overt advocacy, but the emphasis on conservative policy references indicates a modest center-right leaning.
SUMMARY: Laura Leslie, a veteran North Carolina political reporter with 21 years of experience, will become the new editor of NC Newsline on September 29. Leslie, currently WRAL’s capitol bureau chief, led the innovative NCCapitol project covering state politics across multiple platforms. Previously, she was capitol bureau chief at WUNC public radio and authored the award-winning blog “Isaac Hunter’s Tavern.” An Emmy winner recognized nationally, Leslie replaces Rob Schofield, who retired in August. She expressed gratitude to WRAL and enthusiasm for joining NC Newsline, part of the expanding States Newsroom nonprofit network. Leslie’s last day at WRAL is September 5.
North Carolina’s 2025 crop season shows promise with healthy corn, soybeans, cotton, and apples, a major improvement from 2024’s drought and storm damage. However, challenges remain: Tropical Depression Chantal caused flooding, wet conditions hurt tobacco, and relief payments from last year’s disasters are delayed. Farmers face financial stress due to low crop prices, rising input costs, trade tariffs impacting exports, and labor shortages exacerbated by strict immigration policies and higher wages. The USDA relocating operations to Raleigh raises hopes for better local support. Despite struggles, a bountiful harvest is expected, supporting the state’s agricultural resilience and fall agritourism.
by Jane Winik Sartwell, Carolina Public Press September 4, 2025
The news about crops out of North Carolina farms is good this year: the corn is tall, the soybeans leafy, the cotton fluffy and the apples ripe.
Compared to last year’s disastrous summer, when it seemed flooding was the only relief from extreme drought, this summer has left farmers feeling hopeful. In Wayne County, extension agent Daryl Anderson says this is the best corn crop the county has seen in 50 years.
That’s a major turnaround from last year, when dry conditions decimated cornfields from the coast to the mountains.
Still, no year in the fields is free of struggle. Rainy weather, delayed relief payments, market conditions and dramatic federal policy shifts have kept farmers on their toes.
Crops lie ruined in fields in Person County after Tropical Depression Chantal, which passed through the area on July 6, 2025. Provided / Person County Cooperative Extension
It’s been a wet year — at times, too wet. Tropical Depression Chantal flooded fields in Central North Carolina in early July. Unusually wet conditions all summer hurt the tobacco crop across the state.
Plus, state relief money for the tribulations of 2024 is coming slow. The legislature just approved an additional $124 million to address last year’s agricultural disasters, but farmers still haven’t received the money originally allocated to the Ag Disaster Crop Loss Program in March.
For Henderson County extension director Terry Kelley, the money is an urgent matter. In Kelley’s neck of the woods, apple farmers are still recovering from the devastation Helene wrought on their orchards. Finances are starting to spiral out of control for many.
“Our farmers are really anxious to get that money,” Kelley told Carolina Public Press.
Rains and flooding from Tropical Storm Helene create a massive washout in a Mills River tomato field in Henderson County in 2024. Provided / Terry Kelley / Henderson County Extension
“They’ve got bills due from last year. They’ve used their credit up to their limit and beyond. We need that money. It’s been a long summer of waiting.”
Though Helene upped the ante in the West, Kelley’s anxieties are felt across North Carolina. In Bladen County, where many 2024 crops were devastated by Tropical Storm Debbie, extension agent Matthew Strickland says there’s been a dearth of information about how the program works.
“We are not sure when those payments will be issued and exactly how they will be calculated,” Strickland said. “We were told they’d go out mid-summer. There’s been no update. Who knows when they’ll go out? Nobody really knows.”
The financial pressure extends beyond those delayed relief payments. North Carolina farmers find themselves at the whim of unexpected shifts in both the market and federal policies.
Though both quality and yield are high for field crops this year, the price of those crops at market is low. Meanwhile, input costs continue to rise. This makes for an unsettling financial equation for farmers.
Plus, President Donald Trump’s tariffs have made American crops less desirable overseas, according to Strickland. Before recent tariff hikes, lots of North Carolina corn, soybeans and tobacco made its way to China. Now, not as much.
“With the political trade wars, we’re really worried when it comes to our soybeans and tobacco,” Surry County extension agent Ryan Coe told CPP. “A lot of farmers are still waiting to see what’s going to happen. We don’t have a crystal ball.”
The tariffs haven’t been all bad, though. While some crops suffer, others have found opportunities. Kelley says the lack of Mexican tomatoes on the market has created a higher demand for local Henderson County tomatoes, for example.
Labor, too, is giving farmers pause. Many rely on legal migrant workers, but the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies have tightened the market.
“It’s more difficult now to get labor, even with legal workers,” Kelley said. “It’s not available as it once was, and it’s terribly expensive.”
That’s because wages for migrant workers on legal H-2A visas continue to rise. In North Carolina, farmers must now pay migrant workers $16.16 per hour. This number is called an Adverse Effect Wage Rate, and it’s designed to ensure that wages for American workers don’t fall.
A cornfield at Trask Family Farms outside Wilmington on Aug. 29. Jane Winik Sartwell / Carolina Public Press
There’s a chance, however, that going forward, North Carolina farmers may have a bigger say in American agricultural policies.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is moving major operations to Raleigh, in an effort to bring the department closer to the nation’s farming hubs. Some North Carolina farmers are excited about it.
“Having the USDA in this area will be good for all farmers in North Carolina,” said Mikayla Berryhill, an extension agent in Person County, where farms were flooded by Chantal’s heavy rains. “We will be able to show them what specific problems we have here in North Carolina and get help with those.”
In the meantime, it looks like it will be a bountiful harvest of crops here in North Carolina. This fall’s agritourism attractions, from corn mazes and county fairs to hay rides and apple markets, should reflect that agricultural resilience.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The content presents a balanced and factual overview of agricultural conditions in North Carolina, highlighting both challenges and positive developments without evident partisan framing. It discusses impacts of federal policies, including tariffs and immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, in a straightforward manner without overt criticism or praise. The article focuses on practical issues affecting farmers, such as weather, market conditions, and government relief efforts, maintaining a neutral tone throughout.
