skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

For Thanksgiving Meal, Shopping at Local Cooperatives Urged

play audio
Play

Thursday, November 21, 2019   

RALEIGH, N.C. – Residents and community leaders in southeast Raleigh are spearheading an effort to open the neighborhood's first food cooperative.

Despite the era of click-and-buy, which now has encroached into grocery shopping, member-owned food cooperatives haven't gone out of style.

Erin Byrd is board chair of Fertile Ground Food Cooperative, a project in its organizing stages. She says in her neighborhood, many people lack access to fresh and affordable healthy foods.

"While there's a lot of assets in our community, one of the things that is more difficult to access is a viable grocery store within a short distance from my home," she points out.

Byrd and other residents and community leaders have spent the past several years planning the employee-owned grocery store and community space that would host cooking classes and other events. She says she hopes to break ground on a site for the space by 2021.

The group currently is working to collect enough members in southeast Raleigh to move ahead with the project.

"The thing that we have to do, though, is first secure the number of owners in southeast Raleigh, like in the community, and secure kind of a commitment that we'll have enough people that will be able to shop there that will make our store feasible," Byrd states.

Byrd says cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by both their members and residents who buy the goods or use the services of the store. She notes that members are active participants in creating policies and making decisions.

"There's a cooperative movement happening across the country,” Byrd points out. “A benefit of our work, but also one challenge, is that we have a lot of support from people across the state, but we want to grow our support from people right here in our community that are going to shop at the store."

Last month, Fertile Ground kicked off 100 in 100 challenge, a campaign to acquire 100 member-owners in 100 days. Byrd says since the launch, Fertile Ground has gained a new member nearly every day of the campaign.

Informal monthly meetings on the status of the co-op are being held the fourth Saturday of each month at the Crosby-Garfield Center in Raleigh.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …


A 2022 report finds failing to speed up transmission beyond the current pace will increase 2030 U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by 800 million tons per year. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …

Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021