A road trip on U.S. 421 will take you over 300 miles, gain 3,000 feet in elevation, and pass through 14 of the state’s 100 counties.

As it cuts from the southeast corner up to the northwest, U.S. 421 passes through much of what Piedmont Triad Partnership, a private economic development interest group, has branded the “Carolina Core.” The effort, funded mainly by private contributions, markets the region as desirable to big companies and new worker talent.

Reporter Matthew Vincent took a long drive on one of the state’s oldest highways to consider what the thoroughfare tells us about the region’s past and future.

At a Crossroads

We took a road trip along one of the state’s oldest highways to probe what the “Carolina Core” marketing effort might mean for the region’s future.

Have a news tip for our team? You can reach us at scoops@theassemblync.com.

Father Figures

“Daddy when are you coming home?” DeAndre Hurst remembers asking his father. 

“I’m never coming home,” Jason Hurst told him. “I killed somebody.”

Jason Hurst has been on North Carolina’s death row for most of his son’s life. And at Central Prison in Raleigh, relationships like his are not uncommon. The majority of the men held on death row are fathers. 

Researchers say having a parent in prison leads to worse outcomes for children, ranging from poor grades to health problems. But growing up with a parent on death row is much less common and less well-studied. Reporter Waverly McIver spent time with families living with the fear, stress, and tension of having a parent sentenced to death. 

Dads of Death Row

Fathers on North Carolina’s death row are navigating complicated relationships with their children amid uncertainty about their fate.

Pod People

Assembly founder Kyle Villemain recently appeared on the Spectrum podcast Tying it Together with Tim Boyum to talk about what we’ve been up to and where our regional expansion plans are heading.

We think it’s worth a listen if you’re curious about what’s going on behind the scenes over here.

What We’re Reading

Rural Jurors: Wall Street Journal looked at President Joe Biden’s challenges with exurban voters, focusing in on Wilson County. The Associated Press had a similar take, focusing on Granville.

Hot Yoga, Hot Seat: State Treasurer Dale Folwell’s travel records are under scrutiny, according to WRAL. The probe includes trips to “medical offices, a country club, residences, church, fast-food restaurants, a hot yoga studio, hotels, the Biltmore Estate and Republican Party offices” in state-owned vehicles.

Conduct Violation: ProPublica reports that the North Carolina Supreme Court squashed disciplinary action against two Republican judges despite admissions that they had violated the judicial code of conduct.

Our Recent Stories

Nothing to See Here

North Carolina lawmakers gave themselves the ability to sell, destroy, and disclose legislative records as they see fit. Few are choosing to be transparent.

Turning On a Dime

Food festivals have tried to correct for exploitation and elitism, but still struggle financially.

Why I Left Teaching

I taught in public schools for more than two decades, but I just quit—and you need to know why.

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