On the Record with Emily McAllister: Phil Dixon and Greenville Utilities Commission

Are data centers coming to Eastern North Carolina — and is there a way for rural communities to benefit from them without sacrificing their quality of life? In this episode of On the Record, I sat down with Rich Deming, CEO of East Energy Renewables, to discuss the rapidly growing demand for data centers, artificial intelligence infrastructure, renewable energy and a different approach to data center development in rural North Carolina. As communities across North Carolina consider data center moratoriums and new regulations, Deming explains his concept for smaller, “community-sized” data centers designed to fit within existing rural infrastructure rather than the massive hyperscale facilities generating controversy around the country. The conversation explores what a data center actually is, how much electricity and water these facilities require, why AI is driving unprecedented demand for computing power and whether smaller data centers connected through fiber could provide an alternative to enormous hyperscale developments. Deming also breaks down the potential economic impact for rural communities, including property tax revenue, capital investment, jobs and the possibility of expanding a county's tax base without simultaneously adding thousands of new residents who require additional schools, roads, utilities and public services. Before entering the data center industry, East Energy Renewables built its business around renewable and distributed energy projects in North Carolina. Deming explains how the company converts poultry agricultural waste into steam and electricity, works alongside wastewater treatment facilities and uses infrastructure that might otherwise be underutilized. The conversation also examines the legitimate concerns surrounding data centers: power demand, water consumption, noise, neighboring property owners, environmental impacts and whether communities have enough information yet to understand the long-term consequences. Finally, the discussion expands beyond data centers into AI, the digital divide, economic inequality, capitalism, public trust, social media algorithms and why Americans increasingly struggle to have productive conversations with people they disagree with. This conversation is not an endorsement or rejection of data center development. It's an attempt to understand what is being proposed, what communities could gain, what they could potentially lose and what questions Eastern North Carolina should be asking before making long-term decisions. CHAPTERS 00:00 — Why Are Data Centers Coming to Eastern NC? 02:34 — Hyperscale vs. Community-Sized Data Centers 04:36 — From Journalism to Renewable Energy 06:58 — Turning Agricultural Waste Into Electricity 09:35 — How East Energy Uses Steam, Power & Wastewater 13:15 — How an $85 Million Energy Project Gets Built 15:40 — What's Wrong With Hyperscale Data Centers? 17:20 — What Would a 50 MW Data Center Actually Look Like? 20:07 — Why Communities Are Pushing Back 24:23 — Could Smaller Data Centers Work Together? 24:58 — What Does a Rural Community Actually Get From a Data Center? 2 8:39 — Data Centers, Property Taxes & the Rural Tax Base 31:35 — Could Distributed Data Centers Replace One Hyperscaler? 38:17 — How Data Centers Actually Make Money 42:23 — What Don't We Know About Data Center Impacts? 44:26 — The Ideal Location for a Community-Sized Data Center 46:43 — What Would Success Look Like? 48:13 — AI, the Digital Divide & Rural Communities 51:00 — Public Trust, Social Media & Why We Can't Talk Anymore 56:12 — AI, Inequality, Capitalism & the Future On the Record brings you long-form conversations with the people shaping North Carolina's communities, businesses, economy and future. Subscribe to ENCTV and turn on notifications for new episodes of On the Record. #DataCenters #NorthCarolina #EasternNC #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #RenewableEnergy #FarmvilleNC #RuralDevelopment #EconomicDevelopment #EastEnergyRenewab

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

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

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: [email protected] T o browse available homes in Eastern NC: https://www.emilysellsgreenvillenc.com/ Follow us on socials: / realtoremilymcallister / emcallister1996 / eastnctv

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: [email protected] 252-300-0939 https://www.emilysellsgreenvillenc.com/contact/ . . For hosting information for sports tournaments, filming or convention contact: [email protected] #PittCountyNC #greenvillenc #easternnc #MrBeast #littleleagueworldseries