Digital Scholarship and Initiatives

Gives comments from Jane Smith, a Lumberton businesswoman, about ways in which Robeson County differs from the thriving economies of other areas of North Carolina. The county has lost 1,895 jobs since January, 1998 due to plant closings and layoffs. Another plant, due to shut down, will eliminate another 325 jobs. Scheduled new plant openings will bring 750 jobs. The county's income from agriculture dropped 19% between 1997 and 1998. A commission on rural prosperity, created by Gov. Jim Hunt and led by Erskine Bowles, will hold five meetings (two in Raleigh and three in rural regions) to study issues related to rural prosperity such as infrastructure, education, human resources, farming, the economy, tourism, and small business development. The commission's report is due in January, 2000.