Down in the County’s Reporter in Residence

You may have already seen Eleazar “El” Yisrael around the county. He is the new young person among us, already recognized for his curious, kind and accepting demeanor, making him seem older than his years. In early January, he officially became Down in the County’s first reporter in residence.

El grew up in Farmville, NC, not far from Pamlico County, and is excited to get to know all of you—to listen to your ideas, concerns and, most importantly, to document Pamlico County’s living history, he said.

A December 2024 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, El is possibly the only 21 year-old in the world who prefers a phone call over texting. His expertise is photojournalism.

He also values familiarity among neighbors and the unhurried quality of life in counties like Pamlico.

“I like how, in a small community, everyone ‘knows each other’ in a certain way,” El told me, while commenting on the similarities between his home and Pamlico. “I appreciate the pace, the slowness. You don’t have to rush everywhere.”

The working-class identity of Pamlico, surrounded by farms and rural spaces, also reminds him of his home, El said. Growing up, his mom worked at the hospital in Greenville and his dad worked in trucking. His background has helped him see the holes in recorded history and how it can be improved.

“What’s important about history is that we need to know it so we don’t repeat the same mistakes,” said El. “My hope is that we can all recognize that it’s about allowing people to exist together, in one community, without pushing people out. It’s about alleviating burdens, together.”

El will be doing his part in recording Pamlico’s living history and making it available to the community by sending out updates on Pamlico County Board of Commissioners meetings as well as Pamlico County school board meetings.

His first story for Down in the County appeared just before the 2024 Presidential Election. You can read it here.

El has dozens of ideas for stories, but welcomes folks to call, text or email with their ideas. (252) 258-9434 [email protected]

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