Agriculture
THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL: Troxler says NC ag in good position despite 2020 setbacks
While 2020 was a hard year for most industries, North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, a Republican in his fifth term, said there are very promising signs for the state’s farmers and their agricultural products.
Economic Development
STAR NEWS: With North Carolina's film industry rebounding, bill looks to secure additional grant funding
Republican state Sen. Michael Lee has introduced a bill that would provide an additional $34 million for North Carolina’s film grant program each of the next two fiscal years on top of the $31 million recurring funds already dedicated to the program.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: In a hot market, NC reaches highest home price growth rate in almost 30 years
The unprecedented single-family housing boom in North Carolina reached a notable milestone in 2020: The state reached annual home price growth of over 10% for the first time in almost 30 years. North Carolina shared this home price performance with eight other states in the nation in the last three months of 2020.
Education
EDNC: Agreement reached: Students returning to school
State legislative leaders, Gov. Roy Cooper, and State Superintendent Catherine Truitt all gathered in downtown Raleigh today, March 10, to announce an agreement on returning students to school. Under the plan, elementary schools must return students to classrooms under plan A — all students in classrooms with minimal social distancing. Districts have the option of having students in grades 6-12 in class under either plan A or plan B — a hybrid of in-person and remote learning. The bill does not apply to charter schools.
Government
ASSOCIATED PRESS: Debt report says NC government has more borrowing capacity
The North Carolina government’s ability to borrow money while remaining fiscally sound keeps improving despite the economic challenges from the coronavirus, according to an annual report released Tuesday.
WRAL: Cooper: 'I hope we can have a grand bargain'
Gov. Roy Cooper was hopeful this week that the bipartisan momentum of the moment will keep rolling toward the sort of major compromises that would define his second term in office. “I hope we can have a grand bargain," Cooper said during a virtual sit-down Thursday with Politico.
Healthcare
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Bill lifting rules on nurses could make NC health care cheaper. Will it pass this year?
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers has teamed up with advocates for nurses, rural communities and regulatory reform to file a bill they say will make health care both cheaper and more widely available in North Carolina. The bill would allow specially trained nurses to perform more medical duties, without having to be supervised by a doctor.
FOX 8: NC ‘on track’ to meet Biden’s deadline of making all adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, officials say
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said Friday the state is “on track” to meet President Joe Biden’s request that states make every adult eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccines by May 1.
Politics
THE NEWS & OBSERVER OBSERVER: With checks going out, NC Democrats are already running on the stimulus in 2022
As President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses begin a week of appearances in battleground states across the country, the Democratic National Committee will begin airing a 60-second television ad in the Raleigh market Monday morning touting some of the provisions in the $1.9 trillion stimulus package.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Here’s how Sens. Burr and Tillis of NC are voting on Biden’s Cabinet nominees
Tillis and Sen. Richard Burr, North Carolina’s senior U.S. senator, have supported confirmation for the vast majority of President Joe Biden’s 16 Cabinet-level nominees so far.
Transportation
THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: I-77 toll lanes builder faces more than $47 million in liens, court records show
The company that built, financed and manages the Interstate 77 toll lanes from Charlotte to Mooresville faces more than $47 million in liens by a Charlotte contractor that helped with the project, court records show.
RHINO TIMES: Greensboro Gets More Federal Money For Bus System
The GUAMPO board chaired by City Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter voted to accept $1.9 million of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds to purchase four new clean diesel buses for the Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA). The local matching grant for the buses is $475,000. GUAMPO also voted to accept $2.1 million in CMAQ money to enhance the Sunday GTA service in Greensboro.
