East NC TV: On the Record

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Latest Episodes:

Shawn Hendrix / Hurricane Helene, Mr. Beast, Capitalism & Faith Sep 18, 2026

From working behind the scenes in television and the World Series of Poker to spending 100 days in a circle with MrBeast, responding to Hurricane Helene, and opening Fellowship Games in downtown Greenville, Shawn Hendrix has taken more than a few unexpected turns.

In this episode of On the Record, Shawn sits down with me to talk about how a random phone call brought him to Greenville, North Carolina — and eventually into the world of MrBeast. But the conversation goes much further. Shawn recounts driving into western North Carolina immediately after Hurricane Helene, deploying Starlink systems to disconnected fire departments, watching Elon Musk respond to his request for help, and seeing firsthand both the extraordinary generosity of ordinary people and the limitations of disaster response.

We also discuss the good and bad of social media, political division, Flock cameras and government, why small businesses shouldn't fear competition, the disappearance of America's “third spaces,” faith, hospitality, loneliness, and why rebuilding real community may have to start with simply knowing the people who live next door.

00:00 Meet Shawn Hendrix

01:12 How MrBeast Brought Shawn to Greenville

02:19 From the World Series of Poker to MrBeast

04:56 Winning 100 Days in a Circle & Becoming “Survival Dad”

07:19 How Social Media Changed Who Gets to Tell Stories

09:53 Hurricane Helene, Starlink & Elon Musk

12:53 The Emotional Reality of a Disaster Zone

15:50 Connecting First Responders & Isolated Communities

19:29 “We Shouldn’t Rely on Government to Save Us”

21:20 Elon Musk Responds & the Story Goes Viral

23:33 FEMA, Private Aid & Raising Nearly $500,000

30:30 Politics, Flock Cameras & Online Division

33:32 Why We’ve Lost the Ability to Disagree

38:26 Competition, Capitalism & Small Business

41:50 “Amazon Can’t Compete With Me on Hospitality”

45:09 Pokémon, Profit & Building a Business for the Long Term

47:47 Faith, Business & Loving Your Neighbor

52:33 Fighting Loneliness & Rebuilding Community

58:03 “We Have Neighborhoods, But Very Few Neighbors”

01:05:13 Spend Your 24 Hours Well

For more information about Eastern North Carolina, questions, comments, concerns, or to be a trusted source or sponsor of ENCTV, e-mail: emily@emilymcallister.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecurrentenctv/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

What the H** Is Happening in Washington, NC? On the Record with Max Perreault Sep 01, 2026

How does a town of 10,000 people in rural, Eastern North Carolina, suddenly become the subject of dozens of headlines regarding debt, law suits, improperly followed city ordinances and irrelevant proclamations?

Last November, the city of Washington unseated three of its four city council seats, as well as its mayoral position. So what led the citizens to vote in an almost complete overall of it's local government? I sat down with sitting city councilman, Max Perrault, to discuss some of the issues plaguing this small town in Beaufort County. Including the context beyond the removal of a sitting city manager, the firing of a subsequent one, the financial challenges of providing citizens with updated utility structures, the struggle to attract industry when the team can't work together and what happens when egos interfere with the mission of serving your local community.

00:00 — Introduction & Meet Max Perrault

03:21 — Is Washington Actually a “Hot Mess”?

05:28 — The 2025 Election & Demand for Change

08:27 — Did the New Council Inherit Washington’s Problems?

12:41 — Why the City Manager Was Asked to Resign

17:45 — Washington’s Debt & Financial Problems

20:36 — Utility Bills, Infrastructure & Smart Meters

27:26 — “Good Debt” vs. Bad Debt

29:31 — Infrastructure & Economic Development

31:30 — Why Councilman Nick Fritz Resigned

38:35 — Blighted Properties & Code Enforcement

39:42 — Utilities, ElectriCities & Rising Rates

47:06 — The Personal Toll of Local Government

52:37 — Joe Davis & Social-Policy Controversies

59:00 — “Sanctuary for the Unborn” & Performative Politics

01:02:18 — Washington’s Property-Tax Fight

01:10:21 — The “Davis Tax Cut Plan”

01:14:36 — Can Washington Get Back to Revenue Neutral?

01:18:15 — Beaufort County, Growth & Economic Development

01:22:25 — What’s Happening With the Civic Center?

01:27:54 — Washington’s Airport, PGV & Aviation Growth

01:34:13 — Reelection & Perrault’s Vision for Washington

Closing Nick Fritz's resignation post: https://www.witn.com/2026/04/30/democ...

For more information about Eastern North Carolina, questions, comments, concerns, or to be a trusted source or sponsor of ENCTV, e-mail: emily@emilymcallister.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ontherecordenctv

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593797286430

#easternnorthcarolina #northcarolina

Storm Water & Development With the City of Greenville, NC Jul 15, 2026

Daryl Norris, with City of Greenville, NC sat down to talk to us this month about storm water. What is storm water? How does it affect development? The projects we approve, the projects we don't. Currently, the state of NC requires that 100% of the stormwater generated by new development be mitigated with infrastructure as a part of that project.

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:00 What Is Stormwater?

03:33 Impervious Surfaces & Why Driveways Look Different

07:05 How Stormwater Regulations Work

12:22 Stormwater Exemptions & Different Types of Retention Systems

14:31 Who Is Responsible for Maintaining Stormwater Infrastructure?

18:20 Why Does Greenville Flood?

21:00 Cedar Street Stream Bank Project Explained

25:20 How Stormwater Projects Are Funded

28:40 Greenville's Watershed Master Plan

35:20 Flood Maps vs. Real Flood Risk

39:10 Working With Winterville, Ayden & Pitt County

42:00 Why Railroads Complicate Stormwater Projects

48:51 Aging Water & Sewer Infrastructure

53:20 "Only Rain Down the Drain"

54:45 Final Thoughts

For more information about Eastern North Carolina, questions, comments, concerns, or to be a trusted source or sponsor of ENCTV, e-mail: emily@emilymcallister.com T

o browse available homes in Eastern NC: https://www.emilysellsgreenvillenc.com/

Beast Games & LL Softball World Series with Andrew Schmidt May 19, 2026

We sat down with President & CEO of Greenville, NC Convention & Visitors Bureau to discuss what tourism and travel benefits Pitt County. Everything from the filming of Beast Games to the Little League Softball World Series and other events bring in hospitality dollars for the county.

Timestamps:

0:45 Introduction

1:45 Possibly expansion of PGV airport

3:00 Mr Beast local impact

6:32 State Boards (NC travel & tourism) Film incentive & tax breaks

8:40 Exposure for Greenville due to Beast Games, Softball world series

9:20 Mr. Beast & national recognition

11:30 Sports tourism impact and growth 1

3:00 Ecu & Greenville 50 year lease agreement/ bringing in larger tournaments

15:00 Public-Private partnerships

16:45 The need for an indoor complex

18:00 Greenville specific sports commission

19:05 Flag football rising popularity

20:00 Hosting Body Armor State games

21:00 Economic impact of North Rec Complex

22:05 Sawyers fun park expansion & sports tourism

23:40 Little League Softball World Series

24:24 How did we get to host the little league softball world series?

26:41 "Road to Greenville"

28:28 Marketing budget

30:15 Convention center perks

32:40 Events hosted at convention center

34:05 Greenville is a hidden gem, goals to expose that . .

For more information about Greenville/Pitt County contact: emily@emilymcallister.com 252-300-0939 https://www.emilysellsgreenvillenc.com/contact/ . . For hosting information for sports tournaments, filming or convention contact: andrew@visitgreenvillenc.com #PittCountyNC #greenvillenc #easternnc #MrBeast #littleleagueworldseries

Farmland loss, what can we do about it and what does it mean for our communities with Tori Ruminek Apr 18, 2026

In this episode of On the Record, Emily sits down with Tori Rumineck, Executive Director of the North Carolina Ag Partnership, to unpack one of the most pressing (and misunderstood) issues in North Carolina today: the rapid loss of farmland and the future of agriculture in a growing state. From shocking statistics about farmland loss to the real reason farming isn’t as profitable as you think, this conversation dives deep into the tension between development, affordability, and preserving rural life. If you live in Eastern North Carolina—or care about where your food comes from—this is a conversation you need to hear. 👉 Expect a nuanced, real-world discussion (not black-and-white takes) on: Growth vs. preservation Why farmers are selling land The truth about GMOs, food safety & “MAHA” And what YOU can actually do to support local agriculture ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 – Intro + why this topic matters now 1:15 – Meet Tori Renick + what the NC Ag Partnership actually does 3:30 – Agriculture is STILL NC’s #1 industry ($110B impact) 5:00 – Top commodities in North Carolina (you might be surprised) 7:30 – Why livestock production is more complex than it looks 10:15 – The hidden issue: NC is a grain-deficit state 12:00 – Hog farm moratorium (since 1997) & why new farms are nearly impossible 15:00 – The BIG stat: NC projected to lose 1M acres of farmland by 2050 17:30 – Conservation easements explained (and why they matter) 20:00 – Tax programs that keep farmers from being taxed off their land 22:30 – Voluntary ag districts + protection from nuisance lawsuits 25:00 – Where farmland loss is happening most (urban sprawl explained) 28:00 – The real culprit: low-density housing 31:00 – Why it’s NOT “anti-development vs pro-growth” 34:30 – The harsh truth: farming isn’t very profitable 38:00 – Why small farms are disappearing faster 41:00 – Input costs are up 40% (and what that means for farmers) 45:00 – Short-term vs long-term solutions for agriculture 48:00 – The consumer’s role (yes, YOU matter more than you think) 52:00 – GMO / bioengineered foods: are they actually safe? 57:00 – “MAHA” movement: what’s real vs what’s misunderstood 1:02:00 – The convenience problem: we want local food… but not the effort 1:06:00 – Why grocery stores respond to YOUR buying behavior 1:09:00 – 75% of ag production comes from just 3,500 farms 1:12:00 – How small farms survive (value-added products explained) 1:15:00 – The cost of farming equipment (and tough business decisions) 1:18:00 – The impossible balance: growth vs preserving rural land 1:22:00 – The “everyone wants land” problem (and why it’s complicated) 1:26:00 – Why there is no simple solution 1:29:00 – What you can actually do to support local agriculture 1:32:00 – Closing thoughts + how to get involved Additional Sources: https://www.ncagr.gov/march-2026/open • NC Ag Partnership 2025 https://www.osbm.nc.gov/blog/2024/08/... https://storage.googleapis.com/csp-fu... https://ncfarmlink.ces.ncsu.edu/nc-fa... https://ncchamber.com/2023/08/02/stat.... https://www.wral.com/story/where-does... NC Ag Partnership & How to Support: https://ncagpartnership.com/ If you're interested in buying/selling real estate in Pitt or the surrounding counties: emily@emilymcallister.com 252-300-0939 https://www.emilysellsgreenvillenc.co... Chapters

On the Record with Emily McAllister: County Commissioners Rochelle Brown & Chris Nunnally Feb 21, 2026

In this episode of my 2026 passion project, I’m sitting down with local leaders to unpack what growth in Greenville and Pitt County really looks like—not just “more houses,” but the behind-the-scenes decisions that shape our quality of life for the next 10–20+ years.

Today’s guests are Pitt County Commissioners Chris Nunnally (District 3) and Rochelle Brown (Super District B). We talk about what county commissioners actually do, what they don’t control (yes, including a lot of roads), and where the real influence lives—budget priorities, long-term planning, education funding, and advocating for the projects the community needs.

We cover:

1. How Pitt County and Greenville can collaborate better as one growing region

2. What “quality of life” means beyond just shopping and restaurants

3. The strategic planning process and why it matters right now

4. Roads and the STIP process (MPO/RPO, project prioritization, and why things move slowly)

5. School growth and capacity, capital funding, and how long-term planning affects taxes and costs

6. Economic development and what it actually takes to attract major employers and retail If you’ve ever wondered who to contact when you want change, why certain projects take forever, or what the county’s role is in growth, this conversation will help connect a lot of dots.

Drop your questions in the comments—and if there’s a local leader you want me to interview next, tell me who!

00:00 Intro: Emily explains the 2026 local-leaders passion project in Pitt County

00:35 Meet today’s guests: Chris Nunley and Rochelle Brown

01:10 Chris: district overview + how long he’s served

02:05 Chris “day jobs”: attorney (dental transitions) + teaching + cello studio

03:10 Rochelle: super district explanation (B / 3 & 6) + general boundaries

04:15 Rochelle “day job”: hospitality company background + recent transition

05:30 Why they ran for office: collaboration, growth, and community priorities

06:15 Chris: city/county collaboration + economic development focus

07:40 Rochelle: mom perspective + schools/public safety/quality of life + fiscal responsibility 09:40 What county commissioners control vs. what they don’t

10:20 Quality of life: cost of living + strategic planning + investing for long-term impact

12:10 Strategic plan: “front porch” readiness + benchmarking for Eastern NC

13:45 Roads & infrastructure: who handles what (county vs. state vs. MPO/RPO)

14:40 What is the MPO and RPO?

16:20 How projects get prioritized and submitted (STIP process)

17:50 Why state road projects move slowly + examples of major corridors/projects

20:10 “Lobbying” / advocacy: what’s realistic and who to contact at the state level

22:05 Bike lanes / municipal roads example in Winterville and how to push projects forward

24:10 Schools & growth: capacity pressures and what’s next

25:10 DH Conley High School capacity + potential future campus discussion

26:40 What the county funds: capital (buildings) vs operational support (supplements, staffing) 28:10 Big-picture needs: long-term capital planning (multi-year funding scale)

30:10 Accountability + how funding flows between commissioners and the Board of Education 32:10 Revenue conversation: taxes vs. fees vs. “value for increases” (parks/rec example)

34:30 Unfunded mandates + class size standards impact at the county level

36:15 Economic development & “big names”: what commissioners can influence (and what they can’t)

37:10 Attracting major retail (Costco / Trader Joe’s) + what metrics matter

38:40 Regional branding + key community players like MrBeast and economic impact

41:10 Quick explanation: what a county commissioner does + why local government matters 43:00 Closing thoughts + appreciation + wrap-up

Follow me on other platforms or contact me: / realtoremilymcallister emily@emilymcallister.com

https://www.rochellebrown.net/

https://chrisnunnally.com/

On the Record with Emily McAllister: Phil Dixon and Greenville Utilities Commission Jan 27, 2026

Welcome to our 2026 Passion Project. I’m Emily McAllister, local real estate agent here in Greenville, NC, and once a month this year I’m sitting down with local leaders to talk about what’s happening in Greenville — the real behind-the-scenes stuff: growth, infrastructure, development, long-range planning, and how decisions get made.

For our first episode, I’m joined by Phil Dixon, attorney for Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC). We talk about why GUC is structured differently than most utilities in North Carolina, how that impacts growth, why infrastructure planning is so expensive (and so critical), and what big opportunities could be coming next for Pitt County. If you’ve ever looked at your utility bill and thought, “What am I even paying for?”… this one’s for you.

👇 Drop your questions for future guests in the comments. Chapters / Timestamps

0:00 – Intro: Emily’s 2026 Greenville “Passion Project”

1:05 – Meet Phil Dixon + his role at Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC)

3:00 – Why Greenville created a utilities commission in the first place (taking politics out of utilities)

6:10 – What it means that GUC is separately chartered (and why only Fayetteville is similar)

8:25 – Why utilities can’t be run like “extra money” for city budgets

10:30 – Reserves, borrowing, and why infrastructure planning has to be long-range

12:10 – How GUC supports the city financially (return on investment + utility discounts)

13:40 – Natural gas + “buy low, store it” strategy (yes… freezing natural gas)

15:55 – Water: aquifers vs. river water + why eastern NC is changing how it sources water

18:10 – “Greenville gets water twice” (river dynamics near the coast)

20:00 – Why water/sewer is often the real limiter for development (not electricity)

21:30 – County water corporations (Bell Arthur, Eastern Pines, etc.) and how territories work

24:10 – Ironwood case study: capacity, fire flow, and why it went to court

26:20 – Regional utilities: why small towns struggle and why consolidation keeps coming up

28:40 – Taking over Bethel’s system: refinancing debt, lowering rates, upgrading reliability

31:30 – Aging infrastructure statewide (replacement costs + what’s coming next)

33:05 – “Monopoly” concerns: why competition doesn’t work the same with utilities

35:00 – The most misunderstood things about GUC (and what’s actually on the homeowner’s side)

37:00 – Budget billing explained (and why it helps stabilize monthly costs)

38:20 – Beat the Peak: peak demand, load management, and saving serious money

40:30 – Planning for growth: capacity, megasite potential, and what major industry would need

42:45 – Why Greenville is positioned for growth (hospital, ECU, location, quality of life)

45:10 – Final thoughts + GUC’s new operations center and strategic positioning

Helpful Links / Notes Learn more about Greenville Utilities Commission (GUC): https://www.guc.com/about-us

Want more Greenville + relocation content? Follow me here: https://www.instagram.com/realtoremil... https://www.facebook.com/emcallister1...

On the Record: Plain English Jan 14, 2026

Local decisions shape our lives every day — from growth and housing to schools, infrastructure, and public resources.

But most of the time, it’s hard to know who makes those decisions, how they’re made, or why they matter.

On the Record is a monthly conversation with the people shaping our communities, focused on clarity, context, and real answers — without the jargon.

On the Record with Emily McAllister, releasing January 27th, 2026.

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