North Carolina’s population has grown nearly 13% since 2000. But as the Triangle, the Triad, and Charlotte’s metropolitan-area face growing-pains, many of North Carolina’s rural communities are experiencing just the opposite problem.

Almost one third of the state’s small towns have seen their populations decline in the last decade. Textile mills, like the chant of the tobacco auctioneer, have faded away leaving once thriving communities empty and idle. In many parts of Eastern North Carolina, young people are heading off to college and never returning.

To aid these struggling towns, state leaders have earmarked more than $138 million to improve the water and sewer systems, renovate vacant business properties, and encourage entrepreneurship.

In “Small Towns, Big Dreams” the North Carolina News Network examines many of the challenges facing the state’s most rural communities. The five-part series also follows successful efforts in Bladen and Tyrell counties to recover from declines in manufacturing and agriculture by creating new business ventures.

WRAL-FM and affiliates of the North Carolina News Network will air the series the weekend of February 23rd and 24th.

The series will also air on 99.9FM the Fan on February 25th and 26th.

The series will also be available online. Visit: http://www.ncnn.com/content/view/86/99/

Thanks to NCNN’s Clayton Henkel for this capcom story.