A couple blames a faulty gun safe for the death of their 12-year-old son. Now they're trying to make sure the tragedy they're going through doesn't happen to anyone else.

Family claims gun safe was defective in seeking justice for 12-year-old son who shot himself

Carson Preston

Celebrate the season in your hometown with parades, holiday lights and special shopping! There are events all over the Triangle throughout the season.

From Apex to Vass: 2023 holiday events in your town

Raleigh Christmas Parade 2021

All assets associated with the tag: small town

Small town Coverage

Let's take a look at small North Carolina towns you may want to visit this season.

7 NC small towns to visit in autumn

Bass Lake at Blowing Rock

Rolesville mayor Ronnie Currin wants the town to become more than just a pass-through area. The money from the Main Street Project will aim to do just that.

Rolesville breaks ground on transformation project

Rolesville leaders break ground on new Main Street Project

North Carolina's cities and towns are diverse and unique, and the work done behind-the-scenes to protect their character is invaluable to each community. 

Protecting community character throughout NC

NC League : Spotlight : ProtectingCommunity Character

Home to more than 540 incorporated municipalities, North Carolina's unique cities and towns are the backbones of the state's character, economy, and quality of life. The North Carolina League of Municipalities, a member-driven organization that represents the interest of these communities across the state, is working on a local level to build, grow, and protect the vibrancy of the state. 

<p>North Carolinians care about community character. We see it in vibrant downtowns and in walkable, tree lined neighborhoods that connect the parks, open spaces and commercial areas where residents shop, eat and take part in leisure activities every day. Local elected officials and city staff's work to protect and enhance that character. They look to balance growth and development with the need to protect existing homeowners and business owners from incompatible uses. They keep neighborhoods attractive by prohibiting indiscriminate, clear cutting of trees. They make investments in downtowns that allow businesses to thrive. And they established rules that prevent new development from causing flooding, endangering residents and structures, working together, protecting the ability of locally elected officials to keep making decisions about development at the local level. We protect community character doing that. We ensure that north Carolina's diverse array of cities and towns remains economically vibrant. Yeah. No. Mhm. Right. Mhm. Yeah.</p>

Building, growing, and protecting community character

State officials revoked the charter for a small North Carolina town this week, saying there were thousands of dollars in misappropriated funds. The mayor of East Laurinburg, however, says that this was not case. She claims that the state is "punishing" the town for past wrongs. 

HAS BEEN FULFILLED. >> THE DOT APPROVED THE BRIDGE IN 2019 BUT THE PANDEMIC DELAYED THE EVENT. >>> THE STATE IS GOING TO DISSOLVE THE TOWN OF LAURINBURG IN JUNE. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? >> Reporter: THE NEW MAYOR OF EAST LAURINBURG IS DRESSING UP THE TREE FOR THE TREE LIGHTING. THIS COULD BE THE LAST EVER MAYOR OF THIS TOWN OF 281 PEOPLE. >> WE ARE A COMMUNITY AND COME TOGETHER AS COMMUNITY. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE OUR FAMILY. >> Reporter: IT'S A TOWNOVER OLD MILL HOUSES, A COUPLE CHURCHES AND SICK GOAT STATION. THE GOVERNMENT VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO STRIP THE TOWN OF ITS CHARTER EFFECTIVE JUNE 30th, CITING YEARS OF FAILING TO FILE STATE AUDIT REPORTS. >> THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FAILED TO BE REPORTED OR MAYBE EVEN MISSING. >> Reporter: IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE USED THE CHARTER TO DISBAND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. >> THERE'S NO TOOL THAT I THINK COULD HAVE FIXED EAST LAURINBURG. >> Reporter: THIS IS THE FIRST TOWN TO HAVE THE STATE YANK ITS CHARTER, BUT NOT THE FIRST TOWN TO HAVE THE STATE TAKE CHARGE OF ITS FINANCES. SMALL TOWNS WITH DWINDLING POPULATIONS CAN RUN INTO TROUBLE PAYING THEIR BILLS, AND COVID ONLY MADE MATTERS WORSE. >> WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE GOVERNMENT AND COMPETENCE TO PRODUCE AN AUDIT, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. >> Reporter: THEY PROVIDE A FEW STREET LIGHTS AND GARBAGE PICKUP, BUT THE PASTOR FEARS THE TOWN'S IDENTITY WILL FRAY. >> WE CAN PEOPLE, WE WANT TO GOVERN OURSELF HERE. >> Reporter: THE MAYOR HOPES THIS FIRST EVER CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING WON'T BE THE LAST.

Mayor of East Laurinburg said state should not have revoked charter 

The state of North Carolina will dissolve the town government of East Laurinburg in June. It's one of seven towns whose finances are controlled by a state commission.



East Laurinburg mayor claims NC is wrongfully 'punishing' town after dissolving its charter

Community support and booming construction have helped historic Southern Pines continue to boom and grow. 

Booming downtown Southern Pines provides opportunities, sense of home 

Downtown Southern Pines

As historic downtown Southern Pines continues to grow, be sure to check out locally-owned businesses in the area. 

Small businesses showcased throughout downtown Southern Pines 

SoPies Pizza

Rich Square Market is the only grocery store in the town of Rich Square.

Triangle company helps grocery store shine regardless of the weather

Saving a town's last grocery store

A company in Wake Forest has donated a generator to the store, making sure it never loses power. This little country store is the only grocery store in the town of Rich Square.

<p>THE &gt;&gt;&gt; THE TINY TOWN OF SQUARE WITH JUST ONE SMALL GROCERY STORE. A LIFELINE AT A SOURCE OF COMFORT DURING THE PANDEMIC. LAST MONTH WAS FACE OF THE CRISIS. HOW A COMPANY WILL HELP WHEN THE RAIN COMES. &gt;&gt; Reporter: A BEAUTIFUL DAY AT THE RICH SQUARE MARKET. THE RAIN POURS OUT BACK WITH THE MONEY-LOSING AND THE CHICKENS ARE DRENCHED. WITH BARBECUE SAUCE BECAUSE NO MATTER THE WEATHER THIS STORE OWNER WILL MAKE SURE HIS PEOPLE ARE WELL FED. THE STORM IN APRIL GAVE HIM HEARTBURN. &gt;&gt; IT WAS SERIOUS. &gt;&gt; ALREADY LOSING SLEEP IS OF THE CORONAVIRUS, COULD YOU KEEP SHELVES STOCKED? IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL, THE STORE POWER WENT OUT BECAUSE EIGHT HOURS. &gt;&gt; I LOST MY INVENTORY. I HAD TO DUMP HIS. &gt;&gt; Reporter: THE TURKEY NEXT, PORKCHOPS. &gt;&gt; THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST THREE OR 405 WEEKS. &gt;&gt; THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. &gt;&gt; NOT THIS TIME. IT HAPPENED BEFORE WITH OTHER STORMS. &gt;&gt; IT IS HARD-WORKING. HEARTBREAKING. &gt;&gt; THIS IS A NEW DAY. &gt;&gt; I DON'T HAVE A WORRY. I MIGHT GET SOME SLEEP. &gt;&gt; IT BRINGS US TO THE CHICKEN AND RIBS ON THE GRILL. THEY FEED MEN IN MUDDY BOOTS WHO MADE A BIG DELIVERY TO THE GROCERY WITH A GENERATOR DONATED BY POWER SECURE OF WAKE FOREST. &gt;&gt; I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS HOW THANKFUL I AM. &gt;&gt; Reporter: THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CAME ACROSS A RECENT STORY ABOUT THE RICH SQUARE MARKET IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL HE WAS TROUBLED TO READ ABOUT THE TROUBLE HOURS. &gt;&gt; TRYING TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY, KEEPING HIM SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS IS WHAT WE DO, WE WILL FIX THIS. WE HAVE. &gt;&gt; Reporter: WHEN MR. TO LIKE SAYS NEVER COULD HE AFFORD THIS ON HIS OWN. &gt;&gt; I DO NOT HAVE TO CALL ANYBODY. I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. YOU KNOW? 10 SECONDS. WE ARE ON. HOW AMAZING IS THAT? &gt;&gt; Reporter: POWER SECURE ALSO INSTALLED L.E.D. LIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE STORE WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO BE POWER COSTS IN HALF. IN THE RAIN MR. TIMBERLAKE HAS SHIRTS FOR THE WORKERS, WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER. THEN HE DOES WHAT HE DOES BEST, FEEDS THE. &gt;&gt; THIS COMMUNITY NOW IS NOT GOING TO BE THE SAY. &gt;&gt; Reporter: WHEN LET THE RAIN COME, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY AT THE RICH SQUARE MARKET. &gt;&gt; THE VIRUS BROUGHT UP SUCH GOODNESS IN PEOPLE. &gt;&gt;&gt; WORKER SPENT THE LAST TWO WEEKS INSTALLING GENERATORS AND WIRING, THE COMPANY MONITORS THE GENERATOR TO DETERMINE WHAT</p>

Wake Forest company helps save town's last grocery store

As North Carolina moves into Phase 2 of the reopen plan, getting back in business may look different in some of the state's small towns.

Phase 2 presents hurdles for business owners, NC small towns

Business owners in small towns express struggles as reopening continues

When the members of Whitakers Revitalize and Preserve see boarded-up windows, they see a town ready for prime time.



Shrinking town seeks revival, help from HGTV

Whitakers is vying for an HGTV makeover

When the members of Whitakers Revitalize and Preserve see boarded-up windows, they see a town ready for prime time.
