From the Desk of Senator Brent Jackson September 30, 2026 | | |
Dear Friend of Senate District 9,
Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter and staying connected with the latest news from District Nine and our efforts in the General Assembly.
My team and I are committed to serving our community and our state, working hard each day to bring about positive change. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue addressing the important issues impacting our district! Your voices and concerns continue to guide our efforts in the General Assembly, and we remain focused on bringing your priorities to the forefront.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sincerely,
| | Now that the General Assembly is in the interim, the newsletter will be on a bi-weekly schedule. | | |
With the General Assembly now in an extended recess, lawmakers will spend the coming months working in their districts and assisting constituents. The legislature is expected to reconvene later this year to address any unfinished business and consider additional legislative matters as needed until next year's long session.
Legislation of the Week
Senate Bill 445 – Regulatory Reform Act of 2026
Sponsored by Senator Steve Jarvis; additional sponsors Senators Amy Galey, Ralph Hise, Tom McInnis, and Timothy Moffitt.
Senate Bill 445, the Regulatory Reform Act of 2026, makes a wide range of changes to North Carolina’s regulatory laws affecting businesses, property owners, local governments, and state agencies.
The legislation includes reforms related to development regulations, permitting, administrative rules, energy, environmental requirements, and other areas of state law. Among its provisions, the law requires greater transparency for local development fees, makes changes to the review of state agency rules, and updates several requirements affecting property and development.
Senator Jackson supported the legislation, including voting for the final conference report when it passed the Senate 37-0. The bill passed both chambers and was signed by Governor Josh Stein on August 11, becoming Session Law 2026-59.
Senate Bill 445 is intended to provide regulatory relief by updating and streamlining requirements across several areas of North Carolina law.
Read More
| | |
What is a Conference Committee?
Sometimes the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill. When that happens, lawmakers may appoint a conference committee made up of members from both chambers to work out the differences.
The conferees focus on the provisions where the two chambers disagree and develop a conference report containing the proposed compromise. That report then goes back to both the House and Senate for consideration. Both chambers must approve the conference report for the legislation to continue toward becoming law.
Conference committees are an important part of the legislative process because they provide a way for the House and Senate to resolve differences and arrive at one final version of a bill.
| | |
We appreciate your time in reading our newsletter and would love to hear your thoughts! What do you enjoy most, and what could we improve to make it more valuable to you?
Your feedback is invaluable in helping us refine and enhance our content. Feel free to share your suggestions—we’re listening!
| | Invite your Friends/Family! | |
If you'd like to invite others to receive our weekly district newsletter, you can invite them using the button below!
| | |
I had a great meeting with United States Senator Ted Budd, Jones County Commissioner Frank Emory, and Jones County Manager Kyle Smith in Jones County to discuss issues and opportunities facing the district.
(Even Angel was able to make it to the meeting!)
| | |
Habitat for Humanity Builds Two New Homes in Bladenboro
Two new homes are taking shape in Bladenboro thanks to Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity and volunteers who came together for a three-day construction effort in September.
Volunteers worked from September 17–19 to frame the two homes on Hickory Street, raising walls and transforming the foundations into recognizable houses. The projects are part of Habitat for Humanity’s continuing effort to expand access to safe and affordable housing for local families.
Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity expanded its services into Bladen and Sampson counties in 2019. In addition to building new homes, the organization provides critical home repairs and assistance for veterans.
The Bladenboro project highlights the impact that volunteers, local organizations, and community partnerships can have when they work together. Once completed, the two houses will provide new homes for two families while adding to Habitat’s continued investment in Bladen County.
Read More
| | | | |
| |
Historic Magnolia Library Reopens as Community Center
The Town of Magnolia celebrated the opening of the newly renovated Magnolia Community Center on September 17, giving a nearly 200-year-old building a new purpose while preserving an important piece of local history.
The building at 104 W. Main Street was formerly the Florence Gallier Library, established by the Women’s Civic Club and named for Florence Gallier, who played an important role in establishing the town’s library. Her photograph and the library’s original front sign have been preserved inside the renovated facility.
The approximately $27,000 renovation included new flooring, an updated restroom, wheelchair accessibility, a functioning kitchen, fresh paint, new furnishings, and other improvements. Local businesses, donors, town leaders, and volunteers also contributed to the restoration.
The new community center will provide space for town events and small gatherings, with Magnolia also exploring future programming through the YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina, including potential activities for children and seniors.
Read More
| | | |
|
New Industrial Building to Support Economic Growth in Jones County
The Jones County Development Alliance is making progress on a new 20,000+ square-foot industrial building at the Jones County Industrial Park near Trenton. Once completed, the facility will be available for lease and is intended to help attract new businesses and investment to Jones County.
The project is being supported by several local and regional partners. Funding includes a $500,000 interest-free loan from Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corporation, a $400,000 grant from North Carolina’s Southeast, and $15,000 contributions from both the Jones County Committee of 100 and NC East Alliance. Jones County Government is also providing capital investment through the Jones County Development Alliance.
The new facility is designed to provide Jones County with additional space to recruit prospective businesses while supporting future job creation and economic development in the county.
Read More
| | | | |
| | |
Pender County Fire Marshal Amy Burton Named State Fire Marshal of the Year
Pender County Fire Marshal Amy Burton has been named the 2026 North Carolina Fire Marshal of the Year by the North Carolina Fire Marshals’ Association. The award recognizes her leadership and service in fire prevention, life safety, code enforcement, fire investigations, and community risk reduction.
Burton also made history as the first woman to receive the statewide award. This follows several other milestones in her career, including becoming Pender County’s first female fire marshal and, in 2025, the first female Eastern Region Director of the North Carolina Fire Marshals’ Association.
As the state’s honoree, Burton will be nominated for the National Fire Protection Association’s Fire Marshal of the Year award and is expected to represent North Carolina at the NFPA Conference in San Antonio in June 2027.
The recognition highlights Burton’s years of service and Pender County’s ongoing work in fire prevention, public safety, and community risk reduction.
Read More
| | | |
|
Jessica Edwards Dew Sworn In as Sampson County Attorney
Sampson County native Jessica Edwards Dew was sworn in to the Sampson County Bar on September 28 at the Sampson County Courthouse. District Court Judge Robert H. Gilmore administered the oath as Dew was joined by her daughter, parents, friends, and colleagues.
Dew has worked with Howard and Carr PLLC for the past six years and will continue practicing with the firm, which handles real estate, estate planning and administration, business matters, and special proceedings.
While continuing to work and raise her daughter, Dew attended Campbell University School of Law, where she graduated as valedictorian. She began working at Howard and Carr in 2020 and developed an interest in real estate law and estate administration.
Dew grew up in Sampson County between Roseboro and Garland, making her swearing-in a homecoming milestone as she begins the next stage of her legal career in the community.
Read More
| | | | | |
Agriculture Spotlight:
Potatoes Take Center Stage at the N.C. State Fair
| |
Potatoes are one of the many North Carolina agricultural products that take center stage each year at the N.C. State Fair, with vendors serving everything from traditional French fries and baked potatoes to loaded tots and ribbon fries.
Several longtime State Fair vendors will feature potato-based favorites this year. Spudtastic Potatoes offers loaded baked potatoes with toppings ranging from pulled pork BBQ to Mexican street corn, while D&J Concessions serves tornado fries and loaded BBQ fries. Fun Time Foods, also known as Mac & Tots, specializes in tater tots topped with pulled pork, brisket, Philly steak, and other options.
The variety of potato dishes also highlights the farmers who grow the ingredients behind some of the fair’s most popular foods. The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services featured potatoes as part of its Discovering NC Agriculture series, which showcases commodities grown, raised, caught, and made in North Carolina.
The 2026 N.C. State Fair runs October 15–25, with potato dishes and other North Carolina agricultural products available from vendors throughout the fairgrounds.
Read More
| |  | Historical Spotlight: The Lost Charles Town of the Cape Fear | |
More than 300 years ago, before Charleston, South Carolina became a major colonial city, settlers attempted to establish an earlier Charles Town along North Carolina’s Cape Fear River.
In May 1664, a group of settlers from Barbados led by merchant John Vassall arrived in the Lower Cape Fear region. They established Charles Town on the west side of the Cape Fear River near the mouth of Town Creek in what is now Brunswick County. Within two years, the colony and surrounding settlements had grown to roughly 800 people.
Despite its early growth, Charles Town struggled to survive.
Disagreements over the colony’s leadership and terms of settlement, a lack of outside support, and conflict with local Native Americans contributed to its decline. Settlers began leaving in 1666, and by early 1667, Charles Town had been abandoned.
The story did not end there. In 1670, some of the same Barbadian interests established another settlement called Charles Town farther south on the Ashley River. That settlement survived and eventually became Charleston, South Carolina.
Today, North Carolina's lost Charles Town is a little-known reminder that the Cape Fear region was the site of one of the earliest English attempts to establish a permanent community in the Carolinas.
Read More
| | | | | |
