Economic Development
STREET INSIDER: Duke Energy awards $250,000 in grant funds to support economic development in North Carolina
The Duke Energy Foundation is awarding $250,000 in grant funds to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) to spur new jobs and investment in North Carolina communities. "The most important investment we can make is in the people and communities we serve," said Kendal Bowman, president of Duke Energy North Carolina.
EDPNC: EDPNC Wins National Award for Top State Economic Development Organization
The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) has received Business Facilities magazine’s inaugural 2023 Economic Development Organization award in the State Economic Development Organization category. North Carolina is one of four state groups receiving the distinction, which honors organizations for their hard work and dedication in securing record-breaking economic development projects and creating new economic development growth for communities across their states.
Education
NC NEWSLINE: Governor Cooper allocates $3 million in federal funding to help aspiring NC teachers
After touring Garner Magnet High School on Thursday, Gov. Roy Cooper announced that the state of North Carolina will be allotting $3 million in federal funding to the group TeachNC to help aspiring teachers. The funds are intended to cover the costs of licensure exams and exam preparation for those entering the profession in North Carolina.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: NC’s Native American students will soon be able to wear feathers at their graduations
Native American students will soon have the legal right to wear bird feathers and other culturally significant items at public high school graduations in North Carolina. The state Senate unanimously passed the “American Indians Graduating with Honors Act” on Thursday. The legislation requires public high schools to allow students who are members of a state or federally recognized Indian tribe to wear objects such as bird feathers and plumes at graduation ceremonies.
Government
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Gov. Cooper launches firearm storage program to address NC gun violence and thefts
Gov. Roy Cooper launched a firearm safety education initiative Monday in an effort to curb gun deaths among children and firearm thefts in North Carolina. The NC Secure All Firearms Effectively initiative primarily focuses on educating North Carolina communities about secure gun storage in cars and houses. The $2.5 million effort will include a weeklong tour around the state to encourage safe firearm storage, as well as a statewide media campaign until January.
Healthcare
ABC 11: Governor Cooper signs bill allowing Blue Cross to restructure
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law on Saturday a bill allowing the state's leading health insurance provider to reorganize despite pleas from other executive officials to block the proposal. The new law, which passed the GOP-controlled General Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support, permits Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and a dental insurance provider to transfer assets into a parent holding company that the state insurance commissioner warned would be able to move money with little oversight.
THE CAROLINA JOURNAL: Lack of physicians and violence in rural hospitals focus of bill in Senate
The North Carolina Senate is considering a bill that would make it easier for military and foreign doctors to practice in this state. House Bill 125, the NC Health & Human Services Workforce Act, would also provide provider protections from violence in rural hospitals, among other health-related measures in the bill.
Politics
WRAL NEWS: Online sports betting in NC could start as soon as January after House's approval
State lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to legalizing sports gambling on mobile devices and at select in-person sports venues across North Carolina, paving the way for betting to begin next year. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, still must sign the bill into law, but he has expressed support for sports wagering throughout the lengthy legislative process.
Transportation
WECT NEWS: NC Board of Transportation approves State Transportation Improvement Program for next decade
The NC Board of Transportation adopted the State Transportation Improvement Program for 2024 to 2033 during its board meeting on Tuesday, officially refreshing its guide on how and when future transportation projects will be funded. 2023 marks the 50th year of the STIP in the state, with the 2024-2033 STIP comprised of more than 2,300 projects in all six modes of transportation and projected to cost around $35 billion.
