Stories to Follow in 2026

The new year will be a busy one in Caswell County! Key leaders will be chosen and big decisions will be made. There will be many questions to ask, and many reasons to celebrate.

Leadership & Governance

The 2026 election could have a big impact on the Caswell County Board of Commissioners and the Caswell County Sheriff's Office. The county will also elect a new Clerk of Court for the first time in 24 years.

County Manager Scott Whittaker is the fourth manager in nearly 2.5 years. After the August 2023 termination of former County Manager Bryan Miller's contract, the Board of Commissioners appointed two interim managers and one new hire, who did not stay long, before hiring Whittaker eight months ago.

The county also has a new Finance Director and HR Director after those positions went unfilled for an extended period of time. As staffing stabilizes and priority issues like overdue audits are resolved, leadership has more capacity to develop and implement strong processes for management, improvement, and reporting.

The Caswell County Board of Education will be hiring a Superintendent of Schools. There has been a lot of turnover in that position since June of 2023, when the Board terminated the contract of Dr. Sandra Carter. The Board of Education then appointed two interims and one new hire, who was there less than a year, before appointing current Interim Superintendent Lance Stokes in April of 2025. Before his appointment, Stokes was serving as Principal for Bartlett Yancey Senior High School.

Those new staff leaders and elected officials will be making a lot of big decisions about how residents are taxed, how that money is allocated, and how they will all work together to accomplish a share vision.

Youth Matters

Caswell County Schools has officially exited Low Performing District status due to the improvement seen in that data. The school system reports that:

• Caswell's district graduation rate has reached a record-high 88.5% — higher than the state average (87.7%) and most surrounding counties
• 83% of our schools met or exceeded expected academic growth
• 4 out of 6 schools improved their performance grades
• South Elementary School celebrated exceptional success by exceeding growth expectations

On its website, the school system notes, "These results are a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, families, and community. Together, we are building a stronger future for every child in Caswell County."

The school system, Piedmont Community College, Caswell Arts Council, Gunn Memorial Library, the Caswell County Partnership for Children, the Caswell Homeschooler's Association, Caswell Recreation Development Foundation, Caswell's Cooperative Extension Office, the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, VAYA's System of Care, the Education Collaborative, County Outreach Ministries.....

This partial list does not even begin to scratch the surface of the community-based organizations and residents who are there to help support youth, families, and educators. The opportunities they provide should be shared and the good work they do should be celebrated.

Oakwood Elementary School in Yanceyville will be undergoing some major renovations thanks to an $18.8 million dollar grant from the state's Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund. 

Community and Economic Development

Caswell County has a growing tourism economy thanks to groups like the Milton Renaissance Foundation Museum & Visitors Center, the Thomas Day State Historic Site, the Caswell TDA (Tourism Development Authority), the Caswell County Chamber of Commerce, the Caswell Arts Council, the Piedmont-Triad Visitor's Center and many others.

Caswell Local Foods Council and Piedmont Progressive Farmers Cooperative continue to work with partners to strengthen the local food system, in part by creating markets for locally produced food.

Pelham is frequently in the news thanks to groups like the Pelham Community Center, the development of Piedmont Community College's Center for Educational and Agricultural Development (CEAD), construction of the Cherokee Tobacco facility, and efforts to further develop and market the Pelham Industrial Park.

Caswell County is also in the process of reviewing and updating the Countywide Comprehensive Plan, which includes the county's land use development plan and related ordinances.

The Towns of Yanceyville and Milton have both been hard at work to improve infrastructure and frequently serve as host site for a wide variety of community events.

Groups like The Health Collaborative, the Education Collaborative, and the Community Councils are helping Caswell communities participate in decision-making and access resources and opportunities.

Public Safety, Health, & Human Services

Providing essential public safety, health, and human services can be costly, and time-consuming. The funding streams can be complex. Caswell's public safety system is heavily dependent on volunteers and the volunteer fire departments.

Sections & Connections

The Community Calendar provides Caswell County with a free, accessible way to invite their neighbors to community events.

No local news source would be complete without schedules, scores, and player features from the Middle and High School Sports so that will be coming soon, along with additional sections as they are developed.

Have news to share? You can do that HERE.

Truth

The truth is, the news is meant to inform, not to shame or to blame. Unfortunately, the news cannot always be good but it can be true and it can be fair. It can also highlight the bright spots just as easily as it can cast a light into the dark.

News can also be timely. In this digital environment, you will receive a digest of latest stories in your inbox every week. You will also be able to access new content by logging in to www.Caswell.News from any device.