> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://down-ballot.info/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Changes possible with Charlotte, Triangle hospitals - URL: https://down-ballot.info/changes-possible-with-charlotte-triangle-hospitals/ - Published: 2026-10-16T09:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-16T09:00:00.000Z - Description: New mobile grocery expands healthy food options for seniors living in New Orleans, Some Rural Libraries Are Letting Their Users Visit During Unstaffed Hours - Author: Ben Ledbetter - Tags: North Carolina, Charlotte, Raleigh, Wake County, hospitals, Black Mountain, Excel College, Rowland, Robeson County, NC Local Government Commission, New Orleans, mobile grocery, libraries, rural **It's Friday October 16, 2026 and in this morning's issue we're covering:** Calls mount for NC attorney general to review ‘rushed’ WakeMed-Atrium merger, Duke Health, CaroMont join forces in bid for two Charlotte hospitals, UNC System requests investigation of Christian college near Black Mountain after flood of complaints, Rowland’s song may be reaching last verse as NC takes over finances, New mobile grocery expands healthy food options for seniors living near Guste High Rise, Some Rural Libraries Are Letting Their Users Visit During Unstaffed Hours. **Media outlets and others featured:** NC Newsline, North Carolina Health News, Asheville Watchdog, Carolina Public Press, Verite News, The Daily Yonder. --- ## Calls mount for NC attorney general to review ‘rushed’ WakeMed-Atrium merger By Clayton Henkel (North Carolina Newsline) Published: October 14, 2026 Three weeks after a divided Wake County Board of Commissioners gave its [approval](https://ncnewsline.com/2026/09/22/a-lot-less-bad-wake-commissioners-approve-updated-deal-to-combine-wakemed-and-atrium/?ref=down-ballot.info) for Atrium Health to merge with WakeMed, a coalition of health advocates, state employees and nonprofit groups says there are far too many unanswered questions. Wednesday’s news conference took place just hours before state Treasurer Brad Briner announced most Atrium facilities will no longer be in-network for State Health Plan members in 2027\. It’s unclear what that might mean for state employees who rely on WakeMed for healthcare. The group formally urged Attorney General Jeff Jackson to open and pursue a rigorous investigation of the deal and its impact on patients and taxpayers. “There was no open competitive bidding process and the public had little opportunity to examine the full terms,” said Jamila Headley, executive director of nonprofit advocacy group Patients Union. “Patients had to fight to just learn what was being proposed and who it would serve.” She said details of Atrium’s agreement to invest $2 billion of its own assets in WakeMed have not been put in writing. Headley said a steady drumbeat of public pressure forced changes to the level of charity care Atrium offered, and a five-year price cap negotiated by Gov. Josh Stein before the commissioners’ vote generated new questions the county attorney could not answer. Commissioners had to vote on the deal without seeing the final version of it. Nathan Foster, a health policy specialist at the N.C. Justice Center, said the deal gives away 60 years of public investment to one of the largest and most expensive healthcare corporations in the country. WakeMed no longer receives public funding from the county, but did for much of its history. “This deal gives away meaningful local control of WakeMed to Atrium executives in Charlotte and Chicago,” said Foster. “One of Atrium’s powers will be to fire WakeMed’s CEO at will. What kind of local control can there be when an outside party can fire the CEO of an organization?” Foster said the attorney general should also be very worried that one of the known provisions states that if WakeMed shuts down at some point in the future, its assets will automatically transfer to Atrium. Members of the Patients Union, the State Employees Association of North Carolina, the NC Justice Center, Raleigh-Apex NAACP, the NC Poor People’s Campaign and others want the attorney general to make the final enforceable language of the documents public and to conduct an independent assessment of the impact of the merger on prices and patient access. Wake County Commissioner Tara Waters, one of the two commissioners to vote against the merger in September, told NC Newsline she still had not seen the wording in the documents they voted on weeks earlier. “Interestingly enough, I just got a call just before we came here that the documents have been completed, but I have not seen them,” Waters said. “I welcome the attorney general’s scrutiny over the process, over the competitiveness, over every phase.” By law the North Carolina Department of Justice is required to review the agreement negotiated by Atrium, WakeMed, and the Governor’s Office and approved by the Board of Commissioners to make sure that it complies with the law. “We’ll begin that work when we receive official notice and all documents from the parties – that has not happened yet,” said Nazneen Ahmed, communications director for Jackson. ## Briner moves Atrium out of network In the meantime, the State Health Plan announced Wednesday that beginning Jan. 1, most Atrium Health facilities will move to the costlier out-of-network tier. Briner, whose office oversees the State Health Plan, and Atrium have been battling for weeks over the State Health Plan’s new tiered provider system. Atrium was not named a “preferred” provider, so care at most of its facilities would come with higher out-of-pocket costs to incentivize members to seek care elsewhere. Atrium rolled out a new Atrium “Affordability Protection Program” it said would address the “affordability gap” created by the higher copays. It would essentially cover most out-of-pocket costs for state employees. But the insurer would still bill the State Health Plan for more than other providers do. Briner sued to block the program, saying it could potentially push the Plan into bankruptcy, but a Wake County judge Tuesday declined to issue a temporary restraining order. Briner said Wednesday the State Health Plan would hold Atrium to its word of ensuring “members can continue receiving care from Atrium Health at the lowest cost-sharing available under the State Health Plan.” > [NC’s State Health Plan moves to block Atrium program it calls an ‘unlawful pricing scheme’](https://ncnewsline.com/2026/10/11/state-health-plan-moves-to-block-atrium-program-that-it-calls-an-unlawful-pricing-scheme/?ref=down-ballot.info) “One of my duties is to keep the State Health Plan financially solvent so it can continue as an incentive for teachers and state employees,” said Briner. “I will not let one hospital system destroy the Plan, raise premiums on every teacher and state employee and send us into overwhelming debt.” Briner has also invited the state’s attorney general to conduct a thorough, independent assessment of the Atrium-WakeMed merger. He spoke out against the deal a day after Wake County commissioners voted to approve it. “I’m hopeful that federal regulators will step in to consider how cross-market mergers like this one harm competition,” said Briner in September. The executive administrator for the NC State Health Plan has estimated if the merger goes through and WakeMed’s rates rise to Atrium’s current levels, premiums could increase by $84 to $132 per year for each policyholder in the state plan. Atrium did not immediately respond to NC Newsline’s request for comment. *Editor’s note: This story was updated Oct. 14 to include a response from the North Carolina Department of Justice.* --- # Duke Health, CaroMont join forces in bid for two Charlotte hospitals by Michelle Crouch and Charlotte Ledger, North Carolina Health News October 15, 2026 **Key Takeaways:** - Duke Health and CaroMont Health are seeking state approval to build two hospitals in Mecklenburg County. - The proposed hospitals would expand Duke’s presence in the Charlotte market, where Atrium Health and Novant Health have long been the dominant providers. - The partnership is the latest in a wave of hospital expansion and deal-making across North Carolina. As North Carolina hospitals jockey for position in an increasingly competitive health care market, Duke Health is hoping to make another big move into Charlotte. The Durham-based health system announced Wednesday that it’s teaming up with Gastonia-based CaroMont Health to seek state approval to build two new hospitals in Mecklenburg County, a market long dominated by Atrium Health and Novant Health. Duke and CaroMont want to build the two hospitals in the outskirts of Mecklenburg County: a 120-bed facility in University City in north Charlotte and an 80-bed hospital in the River District, a new mixed-use community in western Mecklenburg County near the airport. CaroMont President and CEO Chris Peek said the goal is to bring advanced medical care closer to residents in Charlotte’s fast-growing inner suburbs. The two new hospitals would be jointly owned and operated by Duke and CaroMont through a new company, hospital officials said. They declined to provide financial details or the cost of the projects. [A review of 19 recent North Carolina hospital proposals](https://info.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/coneed/comments/2025/nov/Buncombe%20Acute%20Care%20Beds%20B-12709-25%20Novant%20Health%20Asheville%20Medical%20Center%20Comments%20by%20Mission%20H.pdf?ref=down-ballot.info) indicates that a new facility can cost from $2.1 million to $8.7 million per bed. At those rates, Duke and CaroMont could be investing between $420 million and $1.7 billion to build the two hospitals. Duke and CaroMont said they planned to file applications this week for [certificates of need](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/09/15/needed-hospital-beds-across-nc-delayed-by-industry-appeals/?ref=down-ballot.info) from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. The state has identified a need for 389 additional hospital beds in Mecklenburg County, and Duke and CaroMont are seeking approval for 200 of those beds. They are likely to face competition from Atrium and Novant. A state decision is expected in March. #### **Race to get bigger** The announcement is the latest in a flurry of hospital deal-making across North Carolina. Health systems are buying facilities, building new ones, pursuing partnerships and pushing into new markets as they strive to grow and attract more patients. Getting bigger can help hospitals lower costs, achieve economies of scale, spread out risk and pay for expensive new technologies and treatments, said [Christopher Garmon](https://econicpartners.com/people/christopher-garmon/?ref=down-ballot.info), a health economist at the University of Missouri-Kansas City who spent 20 years studying hospital mergers at the Federal Trade Commission. Being larger or being part of a larger system can also give hospitals more leverage to negotiate with health insurance companies. Recent deals in the state have raised concerns about reduced competition and higher prices at a time when the rising cost of health care is already a major concern for North Carolinians. In perhaps the most high-profile example, Atrium Health is [awaiting state and federal approval](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/09/23/whats-next-for-the-atrium-wakemed-deal/?ref=down-ballot.info) of its proposed combination with WakeMed, a regional hospital system based in Raleigh. The deal sparked months of protests before Wake County commissioners [gave it preliminary approval](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/09/23/whats-next-for-the-atrium-wakemed-deal/?ref=down-ballot.info) in September. #### **Atrium-WakeMed deal continues to attract pushback** On Wednesday, a coalition of patient advocates, state employees and labor groups [sent an open letter to Attorney General Jeff Jackson](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1expgaw-2%5Fca8ZSV9TpPly1Mg63COLJ2X/view?usp=sharing&ref=down-ballot.info) asking him to hold public hearings on the WakeMed-Atrium deal and examine its impact on prices, competition and patient access. The group also raised concerns about Wake County commissioners’ review of the deal, saying key details were not shared with the public and the process was rushed. Commissioners [voted 5-2 on Sept. 21 to allow the combination to move forward](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/09/22/commissioners-clear-way-for-atrium-wakemed/?ref=down-ballot.info). #### **Duke shifts toward expansion** Duke was relatively late to the expansion game; it focused for years on building a reputation as a premier academic health system rather than expanding geographically. But [that has shifted in recent years](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2025/09/08/duke-health-sets-its-sights-on-statewide-expansion/?ref=down-ballot.info). In 2025, it purchased Lake Norman Regional Hospital in the Charlotte suburb of Mooresville, establishing its first Duke-branded hospital outside the Triangle. Also in 2025, Duke announced a partnership with Novant Health to develop new medical facilities across the state. Duke confirmed Wednesday, however, that the partnership has ended. System officials declined to provide further details. In [financial filings](https://emma.msrb.org/P11902481-P11450008-P11899689.pdf?ref=down-ballot.info), Duke Health has said its goal is to “touch 25% of the lives in North Carolina” and grow annual revenue to $20 billion. Duke currently operates four hospitals; it reported about $8.4 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2026. “Duke Health’s mission is really broader than just the Triangle,” Duke CEO David Zaas said this week. “We know that 30 percent of Duke Health patients today travel from outside the Triangle to receive that world-class care that they expect here in Durham. So expanding our facilities into other areas across the state really is foundational to helping us continue to grow and meet the needs of those patients closer to where they live.” CaroMont, which reported $1.07 billion in revenue in fiscal 2026, has two hospitals, in Gastonia and Belmont, along with a network of physician practices. But it’s expanding too. The system recently started construction on a [$200 million cancer center in Gastonia](https://caromonthealth.org/news/caromont-health-begins-construction-on-new-cancer-center-in-gastonia/?ref=down-ballot.info) and announced plans for a new hospital in York County, South Carolina. It’s also seeking approval from the state for a $116 million hospital in Kings Mountain. While CaroMont holds 66 percent of market share in Gaston County, it faces competition from Atrium and Novant in the greater Charlotte region. Peek called the chance to partner with Duke “an extraordinary opportunity” to bring more advanced medical care, clinical research and innovation to the area. #### **Advantages of a partnership** Duke and CaroMont executives described their arrangement as “a 50/50 partnership” and stressed that the two hospitals will be “equally owned and jointly managed.” Duke and CaroMont would own and manage their other facilities independently. Hospital partnerships can offer many of the advantages of a merger without the complications of combining two large organizations, Garmon said. “Mergers are terribly disruptive,” Garmon said, as hospitals struggle to integrate leadership teams, cultures and operations. “You have two big organizations trying to become one. That's a difficult thing.” A partnership allows two institutions to share costs and resources while maintaining their independence, he said. The arrangement can help spread the financial risk of expensive projects without either organization taking on too much debt. That could be especially appealing to nonprofit hospitals, he said, because they have less access to capital than for-profit chains. Garmon emphasized he had no inside knowledge of the Duke-CaroMont deal, but said he could see why the arrangement could appeal to both systems. “If Duke wants to get bigger and wants to get into the Charlotte market, CaroMont – even though it’s small — maybe has some brand equity in Charlotte. And Duke has their expertise as an academic medical center,” he said. “They have some complementary strengths to bring to their partnership.” *This article is part of a partnership between The Charlotte Ledger and North Carolina Health News to produce* [*original health care reporting*](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2022/10/04/2-n-c-news-outlets-partner-to-enhance-charlotte-area-health-care-coverage/?ref=down-ballot.info)*. You can support this effort with* [*a tax-deductible donation.*](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/donate%5Fclt/?ref=down-ballot.info) This [article](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/10/15/duke-health-caromont-join-forces-in-bid-for-two-charlotte-hospitals/?ref=down-ballot.info) first appeared on [North Carolina Health News](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/?ref=down-ballot.info) and is republished here under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/?ref=down-ballot.info). ![](https://i0.wp.com/www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/cropped-favicon02.jpg?fit=150%2C150&ssl=1) ![](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=70178) --- [UNC System requests investigation of Christian college near Black Mountain after flood of complaints • Asheville WatchdogNorth Carolina’s higher education governing board received so many student complaints about a small Black Mountain Christian college with ties to a convicted felon that it has requested the North Carolina Department of Justice investigate the school “for potential unlawful misconduct, fraud, misrepresentation, and otherwise engaging in unconscionable behavior.” Excel College pressured its students into \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ee/78/ee782f90-8fa8-4806-b44d-c225d61a342e/content/images/icon/cropped-Watchdog-paw-print-5e94a328-7321-47ed-834a-c17ee262f59d.png)Asheville WatchdogSALLY KESTIN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ee/78/ee782f90-8fa8-4806-b44d-c225d61a342e/content/images/thumbnail/excel-college-with-letter2-copy-scaled-bf90acfa-496d-40b8-9974-a920c88206da.jpg)](https://avlwatchdog.org/unc-system-requests-investigation-of-black-mountain-christian-college-after-flood-of-complaints/?mc%5Fcid=4e294d61bd&ref=down-ballot.info) # UNC System requests investigation of Christian college near Black Mountain after flood of complaints Nineteen complaints describe sexual assault allegations, pressure on students to remain silent and legal warnings to parents. by [SALLY KESTIN](https://avlwatchdog.org/author/sally-kestin/?ref=down-ballot.info) October 12, 2026 North Carolina’s higher education governing board received so many student complaints about a small Black Mountain Christian college with ties to a convicted felon that it has requested the North Carolina Department of Justice investigate the school “for potential unlawful misconduct, fraud, misrepresentation, and otherwise engaging in unconscionable behavior.” Excel College pressured its students into signing non-disparagement agreements, threatened them with legal action and misrepresented its academic programs, according to 19 complaints included in the University of North Carolina System’s request and obtained by Asheville Watchdog through public records requests. “The complaints contain serious allegations of criminal and other fraudulent misconduct that warrant further investigation and enforcement,” according to a July 20 letter from Brad Trahan, senior associate general counsel with the university system. “Taken together, the allegations describe a pattern spanning across student safety, institutional governance, and academic integrity.” Excel has not been contacted by the university system or the justice department and only learned of the letter from The Watchdog, said the school’s lawyer, Philip Roth of Asheville. “The college utterly and categorically denies the allegations raised by Mr. Trahan in his referral letter.” Fourteen of the Excel complaints were signed, but UNC redacted the names and email addresses; four were submitted anonymously; and one was unclear due to the redactions. The complaints include allegations of sexual misconduct between staff and students, accusations that Roth said “the college is utterly unaware of.” He said the school learned of one alleged sexual assault between students, investigated and both “denied any such assault took place.” The UNC governing board did not investigate the complaints, which Trahan’s letter noted is beyond the board’s authority. An NCDOJ spokeswoman said the agency was unable to comment on the status or even existence of an investigation. “In other words,” Roth said, “to date these are utterly untested allegations. And although the sheer number of complaints might be superficially titillating from a media perspective, to the college the sheer numerosity bespeaks only of the existence of a calculated and orchestrated ‘hit campaign’ by one or more disgruntled individuals that is devoid of an evidentiary basis.” **Nicholas Dimitris: ‘The overseer of campus life’** Little known even in western North Carolina, the college started in 2016, about 15 miles east of Asheville. Operated by CreatEd Institute, a nonprofit, the school in Ridgecrest near Black Mountain teaches students “a biblical worldview” where “discipleship and education come together to foster human flourishing,” according to its website. Excel’s year-round program includes a two-year bachelor’s degree that costs $61,650, the website says, and credits may not be recognized or transferable to other institutions. “Unfortunately, many schools will not consider work from unaccredited schools like Excel College, regardless of quality,” the website says. Each year’s class or “cohort” has 20 to 40 students, Roth said, and many do not complete the program, according to licensure records and former students. One recent cohort started with 50 students and dwindled to 18, according to a complaint forwarded to the NCDOJ. Roth said the school experienced a decline following Tropical Storm Helene in 2024. Rather than a traditional campus, the school operates out of residential homes with a center on Florida Avenue. Excel’s president and CEO is Vidar “Lee” Byberg, a former business executive and unsuccessful Republican Congressional candidate in Minnesota. But according to seven student complaints, the real leader of Excel is Nicholas Dimitris, a pastor who pleaded guilty in 2011 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison and ordered to pay $3.27 million in restitution, federal court records show. [Dimitris was one of 11 people convicted](https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/five-involved-failed-land-development-luxury-homes-sentenced-prison?ref=down-ballot.info) in a scheme that used straw borrowers to obtain bank loans and funnel money to the developer of Seven Falls, a failed golf course and luxury residential community in Henderson County. Companies owned by Dimitris’ wife, Emily, began buying properties in Black Mountain in 2016 that are used by the school for housing and other purposes, records show. Nick Dimitris “is the overseer of campus life,” one student complaint said. “Parents are told he has nothing to do with the school, but students confirm he is at all leadership meetings,” said another. “No matter what anyone may say, the school is run by Nick Dimitris,” another complaint stated. The Dimitrises and Byberg did not respond to voicemail messages seeking comment. Roth responded on behalf of the school and said Nick Dimitris is not an employee or board member and “does not otherwise serve in any formal capacity let alone ‘run’ the college.” Nick and Emily Dimitris were listed among Excel’s faculty and staff in 2025 with the title of campus host, according to a document obtained by The Watchdog. Licensure documents in 2020 stated that CreatEd’s bylaws required “a majority of the governing board to be made up of people who are historically loyal to Nick and Emily Dimitris.” Byberg wrote in response to questions from UNC at the time, “CreatEd feels not only comfortable with its affiliation with the Dimitris family but strengthened by it.” **‘They manipulated young minds’** Excel attracts Christian home-schooled students, according to the complaints and former students, and promises to teach life skills through a Bible-centered, structured environment. But the complaints forwarded to the NCDOJ portray a school that tries to control its students, monitoring their activities and conversations, and silencing dissent. “The staff and house captains were constantly reporting everything going on in the houses to all the rest of staff, if you were sick, if you had people over, who they were, what you watched, what conversations were had, and almost anything they saw or heard,” one complaint said. Said another: “They stalked students. They became involved in their personal life. They manipulated young minds that had been homeschooled all their lives … It is like a cult. Very unnerving.” Asked if students’ activities are monitored or tracked by staff, Roth said, “No, they are not.” “For safety reasons, the college has policies regarding outside visitors” and rules addressing “the scope of acceptable activities/behaviors,” such as a prohibition on alcohol in housing, Roth said. He called the allegation of stalking “ludicrous … Each student is assigned a coach/mentor who is committed to the student’s personal well-being and academic success.” Roth said that while “some students come from homeschooling backgrounds, recruitment is generally broadly-based and multi-denominational.” **Students, families threatened with legal action** Students and parents reported being pressured to sign an “honor agreement” that includes a statement of faith, a protocol for resolving disputes and a non-disparagement clause, according to the complaints, which included copies of the agreement. Neal Hutchens, a lawyer and professor at the University of Kentucky whose research focuses on higher education law and policy, called the non-disparagement clause highly unusual. “I expressly waive any right to file a lawsuit in any civil court against Excel,” the agreement states. “Furthermore, to facilitate and contribute to the fostering of positive Christian relationships, I agree that I will not make, nor direct or encourage any third party to make any public or private statement (including on any social media platform) that includes any reference, photograph, or material that disparages, defames, libels, demeans or criticizes Excel or any member of the Excel Community.” Hutchens, who reviewed the agreement for The Watchdog, said, “This idea that an institution would seek through an agreement to muzzle its students in that way, I would say that’s rather extraordinary to see in higher education.” Roth said that “without being naïve as to the prevailing ‘cancel culture,’ the honor agreements are intended to provide a healthy procedure by which to address conflicts as they arise between or among students and faculty.” He said the non-disparagement clause is “both common in academic circles and a means by which to channel grievances through the agreed-upon procedure while avoiding a gratuitous ‘smear ‘ on an entity’s reputation.” The school declined to name other institutions with similar non-disparagement requirements. The agreements have had a chilling effect on Excel students and families, according to the complaints. > “All the students live in fear because the administration holds this ‘honor agreement’ over their heads if they say anything bad about the school to anyone, including other students,” one complaint stated. Roth called the allegation “wild and unfounded.” > “Honorable people have no problem with the agreement and I note in passing that the college enjoys a 5-star rating on Google,” he said. A parent reported being blindsided with the agreement after arriving on campus for registration. “We were not given time to read it carefully, take it away to review, or ask someone outside the school about it,” the parent wrote in a complaint. “We believe this was by design: present the document at the last possible moment, after the family is already financially and logistically committed, so that real, informed consent is no longer possible.” Roth said students are required to agree to enroll and receive a grace period before the financial obligation. “They are given other agreements upon their arrival and have plenty of time to read.” Hutchens said he was unaware of similar non-disparagement requirements by colleges. Even among private and faith-based institutions, which may require students to publicly uphold statements of faith, “I do think that it is very much an outlier that an institution would aggressively seek to police what students or parents had to say,” he said. **‘Cease and desist’** On behalf of Excel, Roth has sent “cease and desist” letters to families for allegedly violating the agreement, including to the parent who filed the complaint. The letter threatened “a defamation lawsuit and tortious interference claims, citing potential damages in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, based on a mere suspicion of critical statements,” the complaint said. The letters give “fair warning to the individuals that they are violating the very commitment they made,” Roth said. “A spurious ‒ even subsequently recanted ‒ allegation” can damage reputations. A cease and desist letter is “an olive branch,” Roth said. “A less accommodating institution could simply file suit.” Hutchens questioned the validity of the cease and desist threats. “It was difficult to discern what is the legal basis to assert that the institution had the right to muzzle students or parents about essentially their experiences as a consumer,” he said. “It just seemed to be trying to kind of bully people into being silent.” One group of students who had been enrolled for 10 months and paid the school $14,000 each was presented with a new agreement in class and instructed to sign if they wanted to remain in the program, according to a complaint. “They were not given any opportunity to consult parents, mentors, or legal professionals,” the complaint said. “After realizing in early 2026 that it was a lie to threaten them with expulsion to induce them to sign, some students asked the school to acknowledge the unenforceability of the honor agreement.” “The school responded,” the complaint said, “with a letter from a law firm threatening them and their families with legal action if any reputational losses for the school ever occur because of the students or families.” Roth said students are not threatened with expulsion. “A student was demanding to be released from one of the agreements and the college declined,” he said. “The student then threatened legal action while also disparaging the college at which point a cease and desist letter was sent.” Excel declined to answer how many such letters the school had sent. **Complaints allege sexual misconduct, assaults** Some of the most serious allegations in the complaints involved the school’s response to claims of sexual misconduct and assault, including asking young alleged victims to leave. “The college is utterly unaware of any such accusations,” Roth said. One complaint referenced “at least four sexual assault/sexual harassment cases.” Two involved a 16-year-old girl and two men in their early 20s, one of whom bought her alcohol and took her off campus. Another complaint said a 17-year-old girl “got blackout drunk by a student in his twenties . . . She told me she was so drunk and had never felt that way before; she didn’t want to have sex with him, but she didn’t have the capacity to say no.” One student tried to alert school leadership of the “inappropriate behavior I was seeing with the underage girls and adult men.” “The girls were either asked to leave or kicked out,” the complaint said, “many still thinking it was their fault, even though the men knew better.” “These allegations are simply not true,” Roth said. He said the only report Excel ever received “involved a third-party reporting alleged sexual assault that allegedly occurred between two students.” “The college investigated the report only to learn that both the alleged assailant and the alleged victim denied any such assault took place,” he said. “For that reason, no report was made to law enforcement.” Roth called the allegation involving the 17-year-old “hearsay…Assuming it happened at all, it was never brought to the school’s attention.” In North Carolina, the general age of consent is 16, but sexual intercourse with someone who is mentally incapacitated or physically helpless because of alcohol or drugs can constitute second-degree forcible rape, a felony, if the other person knew or should have known of the condition. Providing alcohol to someone under 21 is generally a misdemeanor. A former student reported one of the Excel incidents to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office in June. An incident report provides no details except to say the investigation was closed because “the victim refused to cooperate.” **State declines licensure** UNC issued CreatEd an interim permit to operate in 2018, good for two years. The university system conducted a review in 2020 and staff recommended against licensing, state licensure records show. The recommendation, which was included in materials for a July 22, 2020 meeting of a Board of Governor’s committee, cited several concerns, including: – Several students said that a CreatEd recruiter told them the school was accredited or “would be by the time you enroll” and that credits would transfer to many or most other colleges. – CreatEd claimed it was not affiliated with any denomination, but students described ties to an adjacent church, United, which was “led by Nick and Emily Dimitris.” Many of the school’s employees were members of United, the church used student housing for events, and “minutes of CreatEd staff meetings reveal a substantive relationship between the two entities.” – The school had moved operations from the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly to two residential houses in 2019 without notifying the state, as required by the university system’s policy. Several students said staff told them the college owned the properties, and in a Facebook Live recruitment video posted in 2020, CreatEd representatives “falsely described parts of the new location as having been ‘recently acquired’ by the school.” In response to detailed questions from UNC, the college said it operated out of buildings “owned by New Day Holdings, LLC, which itself is owned entirely by Emily Dimitris.” She also owned 20.34 percent of Rivendell Worldview Education Co., which provided Excel’s curriculum. Byberg, the school president, owned “just under 20 percent,” the response said. It said arrangements between the school and the Dimitrises were “processed through entities which are legally owned fully by Emily and not Nick.” Nick Dimitris had shared “his unique story of why he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to serve in prison” with the college’s board, the response said. “No doubt those not familiar with the story and the workings of the legal system may have questions about Nick Dimitris’ past. However, Nick’s experience is of the past and everything CreatEd observed affirmed that both Emily and Nick are credible, ethical and professional in their conduct.” The Board of Governors committee declined to extend the permit, and the school subsequently applied for and received a religious exemption from licensure in 2020\. UNC suspended the exemption in April 2025 for failing to respond to an annual inquiry. The suspension was lifted after Excel responded to the most recent inquiry, according to Trahan’s letter to the NCDOJ. The university system lacks legal authority to investigate or revoke a religious institution’s exemption based on student complaints, which “is why we promptly referred the complaints to the Department of Justice,” Trahan said in response to questions from *The Watchdog*. Under state law, the Board of Governors’ role with religiously exempt schools is limited to determining whether their degree programs qualify as religious education. **Complaints ‘warrant an investigation’** Trahan’s letter to the NCDOJ summarized seven areas of concern identified in the complaints, including sexual misconduct, the nondisclosure agreements, threats of legal action, and “association with a felon.” The higher education board asked the NCDOJ to: – Investigate Excel’s “current operations and public representations;” – Investigate “all current and forthcoming student complaints for criminal misconduct and prosecute as appropriate;” – Evaluate whether “ongoing conduct constitutes unfair or deceptive practices affecting North Carolina consumers;” – Pursue civil and criminal remedies, including fines, penalties and referrals; – Take additional steps “to protect current and prospective North Carolina students.” “It is evident that the complaints received regarding Excel College are neither isolated nor limited to a single category of conduct,” the letter said. “The volume, consistency, and severity of these complaints warrant an investigation and enforcement by the proper authorities—the North Carolina Department of Justice.” Roth said Excel plans to submit a response to the UNC referral letter no later than Wednesday. “Among other things it will challenge the narrative that the College has been unresponsive to UNC inquiries ‒ just the opposite, actually,” he wrote in an email Sunday. *Correction: The story was updated Oct. 12 to reflect the school’s location in Ridgecrest, an unincorporated area near Black Mountain.* --- *Asheville Watchdog welcomes thoughtful reader comments on this story, which has been republished on our* [*Facebook*](https://www.facebook.com/avlwatchdog/)*,* [*Instagram*](https://www.instagram.com/avlwatchdog/?ref=down-ballot.info)*,* [*TikTok*](https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=asheville%5Fwatchdog&t=1784848453157&ref=down-ballot.info)*, and* [*YouTube*](https://www.youtube.com/@AshevilleWatchdog-WNC?ref=down-ballot.info) *pages. Please submit your comments there.* --- [*Asheville Watchdog*](https://avlwatchdog.org/?ref=down-ballot.info) *is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Sally Kestin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. Email skestin@avlwatchdog.org. The Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to* [*avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/*](http://avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/?ref=down-ballot.info). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ee/78/ee782f90-8fa8-4806-b44d-c225d61a342e/content/images/2026/10/Screenshot-2023-08-01-at-12.50.33-PM.webp) --- # Rowland’s song may be reaching last verse as NC takes over finances by Mackenzie Thomas, Carolina Public Press October 13, 2026 People have big dreams for the Town of Rowland, but the community’s future is murky at best after a partial state takeover. The small Robeson County town sits almost 20 miles west of Lumberton, one of the last stops in the state before crossing into South Carolina. For its population of roughly 946 residents, Rowland is home. For many others, it’s simply a place you pass through to get to where you want to go. Town officials want to change that. ##### **\[**[**Subscribe for FREE to Carolina Public Press’ Daily, Weekend and Election 2026 newsletters.**](https://carolinapublicpress.org/subscribe-to-carolina-public-press-newsletters/?ref=down-ballot.info)**\]** “If we had help through Robeson County or the state or whoever for economic development, we’re sitting on a gold mine,” town Finance Officer **Teressa Williams** said last week. Town officials believed the recent federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe, many members of which reside in the area, could lead to future economic opportunities that would help pull the dilapidated town out of its current financial hole. Unfortunately for their hopes, the North Carolina Local Government Commission saw things differently, voting to take control of the town’s finances last week. “I don’t really feel like you’re getting a handle on the finances, and I am concerned that even if we gave another 30 days, 60 days, that we’re going to be right back in the exact same place,” LGC Secretary **Denise Canada** said. A takeover has been on the commission’s mind since at least September, when it raised concerns about the town’s viability after identifying issues with its water and sewer system and its misuse of state grant funds. As the LGC assumes control of the town’s finances, questions remain about the town’s long-term financial outlook. ### Leading up to Rowland takeover The LGC made note of multiple red flags in the town’s finances leading up to last month’s LGC meeting. For starters, Rowland has been on the LGC’s Unit Assistance List since 2020, also appearing on it in 2015 and 2016\. While currently up to date on its financial audits, the town’s last four have been submitted late, according to an [LGC memo](https://www.nctreasurer.gov/documents/files/slgfdlgc/09-01-26-lgc-meeting-materials/download?attachment&ref=down-ballot.info) from August. Failure to anticipate certain loan payments to the US Department of Agriculture was also noted by the LGC. The town described feeling “blindsided” when payments from three different loans totaling more than $55,000 were taken from its accounts on June 1, despite the commission sending the town a notice on April 30. “The Town's failure to anticipate known debt service payments raises concern about whether it is adequately maintaining its debt records, planning for upcoming obligations, and ensuring that sufficient funds will be available to make future payments when due,” the LGC memo said. Canada clarified during the September meeting that it was more a matter of not knowing when the payments would be taken out, rather than not knowing payments were coming due at all. Rowland’s water and sewer operations haven’t been going well either, ending each of the last four fiscal years in an operating loss. Ultimately, the town’s general fund ended fiscal year 2025 in a deficit of just over $167,000, and a [fact sheet](https://www.nctreasurer.gov/documents/files/slgfdlgc/rowland-fact-sheet/download?attachment&ref=down-ballot.info) from the State Treasurer revealed it’s facing roughly $153,000 in past-due bills as of August. To help fund current operations, the town has taken funds from a downtown redevelopment grant provided by the Office of State Budget and Management, even though the grant can only be used for approved project items. To date, the town has used more than $200,000 of grant funds since fiscal year 2024 for unapproved purposes, the LGC memo said. Leading up to last month’s meeting, Canada raised concerns that the town’s losses from its water and sewer fund and its responsibility to repay the grant funds could keep the town in a tough spot financially. The LGC ultimately issued a notice and warning for the town at September’s meeting and asked officials to return this month with a plan to address the financial issues. ### Changes made One of the town’s main objectives has been reducing costs while continuing to provide essential services. Upon returning this month, town officials presented the commission with some changes it made or has previously made to help regain its financial footing. One of those changes is an increase in water and sewer rates, which have gone up by 5% this year. The town has plans to increase them even more. “Moving forward, we would like to increase that up to 10% each year for the next five years to get it up to where the going rate should be,” Mayor **Robert McDougald** told the LGC in September. “We’re so far behind in our water, trash and sewer rate. We probably need four or five increases in order to get up to where the standard level should be, and we are willing to do that.” Town personnel changes have been made as well, with efforts to combine positions so others can be eliminated. For example, the town has reduced its police force from six to two officers and one chief. ![](https://carolinapublicpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/20260924_160227-scaled.jpg) A Rowland Police squad car is parked between the police office and Town Hall on Sept. 24, 2026\. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press “Hopefully it won’t inhibit our efficiency when it comes to operations,” McDougald said. “When it comes to that, if so, we’re going to rely on the sheriff’s department to come and provide all the backup that we need.” But Canada said it seemed like the town was still missing one thing: a plan to repay the grant funds. McDougald said the town does have a plan to pay $4,000 per month moving forward to replenish the remaining $68,000 the town still owes toward those grant funds. By sticking with this plan, the town plans to completely replace those grant funds by the end of the fiscal year. However, repayment is proving to be a balancing act between replacing the funds as soon as possible while not neglecting other town expenses. “I am keeping up with on a daily basis every dollar that goes in and every dollar that comes out of our checking account to make sure that we’ve got what we need and to pay everything that we can pay as soon as we can get it paid without actually putting our account in an overdraft position,” Williams said. ### Plans for economic growth At September’s LGC meeting, town officials shared their aspirations with the commission to further develop Rowland so it becomes more than just a town that travelers pass through. To do that, officials want to start with bringing businesses back to their “Main Street,” which is currently filled with old, worn-down buildings whose owners have walked away and neglected to keep them up, McDougald said in September. “We’ve been pursuing this endeavor for two years now to try to get these people who have walked away from their responsibilities to live up to their responsibilities, and if they’re not going to come back and do business in Rowland, they need to tear down their dilapidated buildings or sell them to someone at a reasonable price who is willing to do that,” he said. ![](https://carolinapublicpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/20260924_160905-scaled.jpg) Boarded up businesses line Main Street through downtown Rowland on Sept. 24, 2026\. Frank Taylor / Carolina Public Press Future opportunities also lie with the Lumbee Tribe, McDougald said. The tribe is based in Pembroke, about 14 miles north of Rowland. Lumbees are the largest ethnic group in Robeson County. “Now that the Lumbee tribe has been federally recognized, that’s going to be a windfall of industry that’s going to be available,” he said. “Rowland is already being targeted for additional housing, additional industry, all to support what their plans are. So we look forward to that.” But in order to achieve those goals, the town needs to be viable long enough to see them become reality. The LGC simply doesn’t see how that’s possible from the town’s current financial position. “It very much sounds like there are too many bills to be paid, given the amount of revenue that you have,” Canada told town officials. “I don’t see that problem going away.” While appreciative of the work the town has done so far, the LGC has concerns about how it can pull through when discussions have been going on for a while and the best the town can offer is “hope of future revenue,” Canada said. As a result, the LGC voted to take over the town’s finances. While this doesn’t necessarily mean a dissolution is imminent, the town could decide to move forward with a [voluntary dissolution](https://www.nctreasurer.gov/documents/files/slgfdlgc/sample-voluntary-dissolution-calendar/open?ref=down-ballot.info) if town officials wish. Carolina Public Press reached out to McDougald to ask whether the town is considering a voluntary dissolution, but he did not respond prior to publication. ### Rowland and Ronda under the LGC Sometimes towns emerge from an LGC takeover and thrive. Others can be dissolved swiftly when the LGC recognizes a serious problem and lack of progress, as happened four years ago due to an embezzlement scandal in [East Laurinburg](https://carolinapublicpress.org/54987/nc-town-set-to-cease-existence-as-state-treasurer-calls-for-criminal-charges/?ref=down-ballot.info), about 21 miles northwest of Rowland in Scotland County. Rowland is not the only town facing a financial takeover at the moment. The LGC also voted at this month’s meeting to assume control of Ronda’s finances, a Wilkes County town that was already in hot water financially following persistent problems with its water system and other issues. Though Ronda previously voted to initiate a [voluntary dissolution](https://carolinapublicpress.org/82296/ronda-beyond-help-nc-town-appears-headed-for-dissolution/?ref=down-ballot.info) in September, there wasn’t any decision from town leaders on how to move forward in the process as of the latest LGC meeting. Leaders and LGC staff also reported no improvement in Ronda’s finances since the issuance of a notice and warning to the town last month, according to a [press release](https://www.nctreasurer.gov/news/press-releases/2026/10/06/lgc-votes-assume-control-both-town-ronda-and-town-rowland?ref=down-ballot.info) from the North Carolina Office of the State Treasurer. Ronda’s poor financial situation was reinforced by a [state audit](https://www.auditor.nc.gov/documents/reports/investigative/inv-2026-ronda/open?ref=down-ballot.info) released earlier this month, which described a “significant and deteriorating financial position” and emphasized that expenditures were consistently exceeding revenues and that the town doesn’t have enough cash on hand for operational expenses. As a result, commission members voted and deemed a takeover by the LGC would be best for Ronda moving forward. What will takeovers of these two towns look like? It will put the LGC at the helm when it comes to any financial decision for the town. Before town officials can spend money on anything, they must first get approval from the LGC. Even routine or previously approved expenses must be brought to them first, but town officials will still have authority over nonfiscal matters, according to the State Treasurer fact sheet. The financial takeovers of Ronda and Rowland bring the LGC’s total to 15 takeovers — with one unit in its history taken over twice — since its creation in 1931, a spokesperson from the State Treasurer’s office said. Moving forward in Rowland, the LGC will review the town’s revenue, debts, contracts and more to get an accurate picture of the financial situation. Once a takeover is initiated, the whole process can take years, and there’s no set end date. Each year, the commission will review the town’s finances to see whether progress is being made, and if finances are stable for three consecutive years, the LGC must return control to the town, according to the fact sheet. However, if the opposite happens and the town remains unstable, the LGC will explore options for the town including merging with another local government or dissolution. This [article](https://carolinapublicpress.org/82557/rowland-nc-lgc-financial-takeover-robeson-ronda-update/?ref=down-ballot.info) first appeared on [Carolina Public Press](https://carolinapublicpress.org/?ref=down-ballot.info) and is republished here under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/?ref=down-ballot.info). ![](https://i0.wp.com/carolinapublicpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cropped-cropped-CPPlogo_icon_RGB.png?fit=150%2C150&ssl=1) ![](https://carolinapublicpress.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=82557) --- # New mobile grocery expands healthy food options for seniors living near Guste High Rise By Diego Perdomo, Verite News New Orleans October 14, 2026 Forgoing normal treks to Rouses and Walmart, Annamarie Gonzales and her neighbors walked a few paces from their Guste High Rise apartments and funneled into a food-filled trailer. Inside, shelves and refrigerators filled with staples such as red beans, cornbread mix, fresh fruit and dairy lined its interior. A departure from its [grand opening](https://www.facebook.com/2ndHarvestGNOA/videos/1611782067073149/) on Sept. 18 with Mardi Gras Indians and a brass band, the grocery popup’s second appearance at the affordable living complex drew a small, but growing crowd of walker-bound residents. As familiar shoppers threaded through the trailer and staff wheeled those with mobility issues down to the store’s impromptu checkout line, prospective shoppers had many questions: “What goods are available?”, “Do they take EBT?” and “When will it stop by again?” One thing no one questioned was the price. In less than 30 minutes, Gonzales balanced weekly groceries onto her walker and was back at the apartment complex. Normally taking the bus or ordering a rideshare to go to the supermarket, she said it was the first time in years that she only spent $18 for three full bags of groceries. “This is my first time here. It was very pleasant,” Gonzales said. “They have a nice collection of fresh vegetables and some dry goods and the prices.” This was the [Makin’ Groceries Mobile Market](https://no-hunger.org/mobilemarket/?ref=down-ballot.info)’s newest stop, adding to Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans’ more than 20 mobile grocery stops across nine southern and southeastern parishes. Seeking to expand food access and lessen local food insecurity, the market’s biweekly visit to Guste apartments marks the market’s third New Orleans stop, joining similar popups at Sanchez Multi-Service Center in the Lower Ninth Ward and the University Medical Center in the Tulane-Gravier corridor. Residents of Guste apartments don’t officially live in a low-access area for food retailers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s [Food Access Research Atlas](https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/mapping-tools?ref=down-ballot.info). However, the lack of walkable grocery options can limit seniors’ access to healthy food. Access to federally funded food aid has decreased since the start of the second Trump administration. Since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was enacted in July 2025, one in every five Louisiana users of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are [no longer enrolled in the program](https://veritenews.org/2026/10/07/food-aid-enrollment-in-louisiana-nosedives-after-snap-rule-changes/?ref=down-ballot.info). This came after federal legislators expanded work requirements and capped the number of noncitizens with legal status eligible for the program. The new provisions could also require states to pay a larger share of their SNAP benefit cost depending on the percentage of their payment error rate, potentially leaving states with more administrative and financial burdens. Celene Hernandez, impact director for Second Harvest, said the mobile market was made possible through partnerships with Baptist Community Ministries, City Councilmember Lesli Harris and the Housing Authority of New Orleans, which manages Guste. The mobile market’s southeast Louisiana expansion was also made possible through additional funding from Humana, Ochsner Health and the CF Industries Foundation. Meeting with HANO leadership, Hernandez said grocery store access was a top priority raised by Guste residents, many of whom are seniors or disabled. “You wouldn't think \[that\] because it is an urban area,” Hernandez said. “For residents who don't have reliable transportation \[and\] that have mobility issues, getting to the store can be a really difficult task. So, we brought the mobile market straight to them.” Verite News checked prices at other retailers within a mile of the affordable housing complex. In some of the neighborhood convenience stores, there were no produce options and staples like milk and eggs were priced up to double what they were at the mobile market. The nearest Rouses, in the Central Business District, had comparable and lower prices compared to the mobile market. However, it is more than half a mile away and is farther than six other convenience stores that also accept SNAP/EBT, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s [SNAP-retailer locator map](https://usda-fns.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=15e1c457b56c4a729861d015cd626a23&ref=down-ballot.info). While some Central City seniors have family and neighbors who can bring them to big-box supermarkets with more options, many Guste residents told Verite News the grocery stop brings a much needed service to their community. “Sometimes their choices aren't very good at Walmart,” said Guste resident Yolanda Cobra. “I try to eat healthy as I can because I'm a Type 2 diabetic … I stay away from the processed stuff as much as I can.” Cobra, like other Guste residents without a car, often pays up to $40 a month on rides to Walmart on top of her normal grocery expenses. The short supply of fresh food outlets can often make more abundant convenience stores more appealing due to their comparatively low prices and ready-to-eat foods. To keep prices low, Second Harvest partners with local farmers and wholesalers to sell items below or at a market rate. It also accepts multiple forms of payment including cash, credit and SNAP/EBT. According to Feeding America, the parent organization of the local Second Harvest branch, approximately [one in five](https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2024/overall/louisiana?ref=down-ballot.info) Louisianans experienced food insecurity in 2024\. In New Orleans, almost 4 out of every 10 food insecure people do not meet SNAP income thresholds, further constraining their access to healthy, affordable food options. “They don't have everything we need, but they do have quite a few things,” said Guste resident Brenda Tanner. “Last time, we had fresh fruits and vegetables, which was a plus because it was reasonable. I didn't have to pay (anyone) about $20 to bring me to the store.” Rouses was one of only two supermarkets in the area accessible by a 15-minute walk, according to a Verite News analysis of walking distances from Guste for able-bodied people. Seniors who choose to embark on the trek, however, would face greater walking times, navigating large stretches of unshaded areas and crossing busy roads like Earhart Boulevard and Loyola Avenue. “We live in a community full of convenience stores, and those prices are drastically different than going into the market,” said Earl Randall III, HANO’s Director of Community Relations and Client Affairs. “We're bringing the market directly to our residents, but giving it to them at those market prices and not the convenience store prices.“ The mobile grocery store stops at the Guste complex from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the first and third Friday of each month. Second Harvest had to cancel its upcoming Oct. 16 popup due to staffing changes, but Hernandez said the trailer will visit at least once in November. More information on the mobile market’s other stops can be found on [Second Harvest Food Banks’ website](https://no-hunger.org/mobilemarket/?ref=down-ballot.info). “We’re seniors. A lot of us can't get around,” Cobra said. “It's nice that they come to us.” This [article](https://veritenews.org/2026/10/14/mobile-grocery-guste-high-rise/?ref=down-ballot.info) first appeared on [Verite News New Orleans](https://veritenews.org/?ref=down-ballot.info) and is republished here under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/?ref=down-ballot.info). ![](https://cdn.veritenews.org/uploads/2022/05/21230447/cropped-Verite-icon-150x150.png) ![](https://veritenews.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=34464&ga4=G-MBPTYVCMYR) --- # Some Rural Libraries Are Letting Their Users Visit During Unstaffed Hours by H. Jiahong Pan, The Daily Yonder October 13, 2026 For Michael Sayen, visiting the local library after hours is a great way to get work done, or seek respite from the weather, regardless of what day it is. “We just had Labor Day, the library is closed all day. But if you have extended hours, you can come in and do the work, or cool down from a hot day or whatever you need to do,” Sayen said the day after Labor Day while working on a novel at the Wyoming, Minnesota branch of the East Central Regional Library (ECRL) in Chisago County. Sayen, who lives in nearby Forest Lake north of Minneapolis, adds that he has found after-hours access useful for filing time-sensitive job applications or court documents. The Wyoming branch library is home to a new ECRL initiative called “extended access,” which allows users to access a library branch when it is unstaffed. “We hope that it allows more people to use the facility, in particular those who may not be able to get to the library during otherwise limited hours due to work and family schedules,” ECRL executive director Carla Lydon wrote in an email. ECRL is one of a handful of rural library systems across the United States to offer such a service, increasing library access at a time when libraries are struggling for funding. ![](https://dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_3111-1296x864.jpg) Michael Sayen uses a computer at the Wyoming Giese Memorial Library to work on a novel. Sayen is a user of the Extended Access program at the Wyoming Library. (Photo by H. Jiahong Pan/Daily Yonder) ### How It Works Extended access goes by many names depending on location. The Summit County Library in Utah calls it [extended access hours](https://www.thesummitcountylibrary.org/extendedaccess?ref=down-ballot.info). In Nevada County, California, the program is called [Open+ Access](https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/3197/Open-Access?ref=down-ballot.info). At the Independence Public Library in Kansas, it’s called [Open Access](https://www.iplks.org/location-hours/open-access/?ref=down-ballot.info). And at the Timberland Regional Library, which serves five counties in western Washington state, it’s called [Expanded Access](https://trl.org/eah/?ref=down-ballot.info). To access an unstaffed library, a person first needs a library swipe card from the local library, which will unlock the doors. For the ECRL, any library card associated with any of Minnesota’s [12 regional libraries](https://www.crplsa.info/?ref=down-ballot.info) will do. After getting a library card, users must also sign up for the extended-access program. Some libraries allow people to do so online, while other libraries require them to register in person. Some libraries also require users to participate in an in-person tour, so they can familiarize themselves with its safety features. There also are some restrictions – for example, to have extended access to the Timberland Regional Library, users must be at least 14 years of age. For the Independence Public Library, at least 16 years of age. And, for Nevada County, Summit County, and ECRL in Minnesota, extended access is only available to members who are at least 18 years of age. However, even after enrolling in open or extended or expanded access, users don’t necessarily have access to the library 24 hours a day. Many libraries require visitors to leave unstaffed locations as early as 8 p.m. each night. At Summit County, unstaffed libraries aren’t accessible on Sundays, even with extended access privileges. At ECRL, signing up requires one to visit the Wyoming branch when it is staffed. The process takes about 15 minutes, and involves signing a form, sitting through a presentation on what the program is about, as well as reviewing the library’s safety features, including locations of the defibrillator, first aid kit, and emergency exits. People using extended-access libraries are able to do the same things they could do when staff are present, such as read and borrow books, make copies, and use computers. Some services are not available, such as sending faxes that require cash transactions with library workers. Ryan Stigile, a pastor who lives in Wyoming, Minnesota, enjoys using extended access because it provides another space for him to get his work done, particularly in the evening. “Just being able to have an extra space to work in a community that does not have a ton of evening options available,” Stigile said while working on his computer at the Wyoming library. “We don’t have any coffee shops, so it’s this or McDonald’s.” ECRL did face scrutiny over safety, security, and behavioral issues that may play out when people are unattended. But so far, they say they haven’t encountered any problems. Still, to address the security issues that may come up, ECRL staff installed security cameras. Using a library card to unlock doors adds another layer of security. “If we have issues, because you have to sign in and are on camera, we are able to identify the issue and revoke the privilege quickly,” Lydon added. The program is getting popular at ECRL: 55 users have registered for extended access, and they have used it more than 800 times so far this year. Lydon reported usage has grown 66% since ECRL moved out of the testing phase in April. Meanwhile, the Timberland Regional Library has 12 branches with extended access, as well as more than 4,100 users who have access to the libraries. From September 2023 to August 2026, more than 63,000 people swiped their library cards when the libraries were unstaffed. ### Inadequate Funding Challenges Expansions For ECRL, renovating the Wyoming library to allow after-hours access cost about $70,000, which included installing security cameras. It costs ECRL about $12,000 annually for the technology needed for extended access to work, which includes the software that allows users to scan their cards to enter. At this time, the Wyoming library is the only library in the ECRL system that has extended access. ECRL plans to expand the service to other branches as funding allows, but its board hasn’t committed funding to expand the service. In fact, ECRL had to reduce library hours in three counties earlier this year due to funding challenges. One of the counties affected, Aitkin County, is considering a 2% allocation increase from this year’s levels, but the increase would not restore operating hours to 2025 levels. Aitkin County is also not considering allocating more funds to increase operating hours. ECRL does not plan to cut hours further next year. Getting extended access established in ECRL branches outside of Chisago County may also require the cooperation of the cities where the libraries are located. In Aitkin and Pine counties, the cities own the buildings where the branches are housed, and the city governments would have to approve the necessary modifications. Even with libraries available for the public to use while unstaffed, extended access is not affecting jobs at the East Central Regional Library, Lydon explained. “Staffed hours remain as they were prior to implementation, and we expect that to continue,” Lydon wrote. ![](https://dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_E9498-1190x1296.jpg) A person is photographed using Expanded Access at a Timberland Regional Library branch. (Photo courtesy of the Timberland Regional Library) Meanwhile, Timberland Regional Library, which received 94% of its funding this year from property tax levies and does not receive federal funding, is facing potential budget cuts, according to Chris Chrzan, Timberland Regional Library’s public information officer and board clerk. “Due to legal limits on annual property tax increases in Washington state, revenues have not kept up with expenditures for many years,” Chrzan said. On the ballot this fall in the five counties Timberland Regional Library serves, is a measure to increase the tax rate per $1,000 in assessed property value from 22 cents to 35 cents, [potentially raising $14 million next year](https://www.thedailyworld.com/2026/08/28/timberland-regional-library-faces-significant-cuts-if-levy-lid-lift-fails/?ref=down-ballot.info). The library system has already cut [$3.69 million from books, staff salaries, and library programs](https://www.thedailyworld.com/2026/08/28/timberland-regional-library-faces-significant-cuts-if-levy-lid-lift-fails/?ref=down-ballot.info) to address a budget deficit, according to the Grays Harbor and Aberdeen-based Our Daily World. Though expanded access at Timberland Regional Library preserved library access, the system also wants to increase staffed hours for visitors. “While ‘Expanded Access Hours’ is useful for maintaining access to library facilities and some core services outside of staffed hours, our patrons tell us often how important it is to have regularly staffed hours at their local library,” Chrzan wrote in an email. “Our ability to continue to provide regularly staffed hours across the district in light of ongoing financial challenges is part of the conversations we are having with community members now.” --- This [article](https://dailyyonder.com/some-rural-libraries-are-letting-their-users-visit-during-unstaffed-hours/2026/10/13/?ref=down-ballot.info) first appeared on [The Daily Yonder](https://dailyyonder.com/?ref=down-ballot.info) and is republished here under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/?ref=down-ballot.info). ![](https://i0.wp.com/dailyyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-dy-wordmark-favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1) ![](https://dailyyonder.com/?republication-pixel=true&post=243341&ga4=G-QXTK9L73TZ)