CuriousScout Media

05/12/2026

Nondisclosure agreements kept a land deal secret for months. Internal emails show officials were preparing for a Microsoft data center.

05/12/2026

Check out the view from the new location looking out. Here's a hint it looks way better walking into relive your childhood. If you haven't made it yet you're missing out.

04/17/2026

Update as of 12:30 PM ET April 17: Lee County said Friday it was unable to reach an agreement with MedEx Medical Transport on EMS franchise terms and is now pursuing another provider to avoid service disruption.

MedEx releases statement indicating complications and impasse with Lee County.

04/17/2026

Dillon Lowe, the CEO of MedEx, in an emailed response to The Curious Scout on Thursday, said that the draft contract that Lee County wanted MedEx to sign included language that could allow the county to suspend payments without clear standards or a cure period, expand staffing and reporting requirements beyond the original bid, and impose restrictions that MedEx says conflict with state law on credentialing waivers.

Lee County’s plan to transition EMS service from FirstHealth of the Carolinas to MedEx Medical Transport is under strain after the company said negotiations with the county remain at an impasse over contract terms ahead of a planned July 1 start date.

The chief executive shared that the company has not withdrawn from the process and remains willing to sign an agreement, but said county staff gave it roughly three business days to accept a contract “as drafted” or the county would move in a different direction.

According to MedEx, “That deadline has now passed, and the County has indicated it is proceeding with a different option.”

New from The Curious Scout, a free Central NC newsletter:

MedEx releases statement indicating complications and impasse with Lee County.

03/29/2026

On Saturday, nearly 300 people filled Depot Park in Downtown Sanford.

It was one of more than 70 towns across North Carolina that held No Kings protests on March 28.

Protesters were students, veterans and business owners. There were Democrats, moderates and Republicans. And they showed up for different reasons.

Read the full story in The Curious Scout, my independent newsletter covering local politics and civic life (with some nerd-culture commentary here and there) in the Sandhills and Piedmont regions of North Carolina.

From first-time protesters to Iraq War vets, conservative Lee County turned out to push back on Trump, the Iran war, and threats to democracy.

11/04/2025

My first freelance piece with NC Local, on the impact of HR 1 and the government shutdown on SNAP benefits across the Tar Heel State |

The federal food aid program Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to run out on Nov. 1, putting more than 1.4 million North Carolinians—many of them children, seniors, veterans and working families—at risk. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned the benefits could be de...

08/28/2025

"This joy that I have, the world didn't give it and the world can't take it away."
You may have seen in my previous post that I'm looking for a new owner for the market. Well it's true. The market isn't closing, in just looking for someone else who's passionate about community, culture and our local growers to step up for the next round.
Truth is, it's been super hard here in Sanford. I started this business out of pure love not necessity. I wanted to share my heart, my joy and creativity with the community I lived in. I think I've done that and for that I'm grateful. It's the reason I can still smile.
Don't worry, I'll be around for a bit and I'm definitely making sure that whoever has next is the right person to move the foodie train along.
We've got time yet. So, stop by, get tickets to one of our upcoming events and let's have some fun together while we still can.
I'll see you soon!

- Chef Shauna

08/28/2025

This is fantastic hahaha

Send a message to learn more

08/27/2025

At a crowded conference table, the discussion over Sanford’s incoming microtransit program pivoted into a volley of comments and concerns about fare distribution and the system’s future. At the special-called work session held on Tuesday by the Sanford City Council, the Microtransit Advisory Boa...

08/27/2025

Leave the world of Men behind and step into a Shire-inspired gathering where tea flows like the Brandywine and tables brim with sweet cakes, rustic breads, and delights fit for a hobbit’s heart.
Gather ‘round for a touch of Middle-earth magic because adventures are best begun with a good cup of tea.
Tickets:
https://www.tastingqueensmarket.com/event-details/a-hobbit-tea-party