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Economic Development
SAMPSON INDEPENDENT: Tourism in NC, county takes hit
Domestic and international visitors to and within Sampson spent $41.9 million in 2020, a decrease of 24.5% from 2019. The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
WFAE: North Carolina retailers likely to have trouble hiring holiday workers
Just 7% of jobs added last month were retail positions. The president of the North Carolina Retail Merchants association says he’s concerned about how stores around the Charlotte region will handle the holiday shopping season.
Education
WRAL: Judge orders NC to move $1.7B to education agencies
Superior Court Judge David Lee on Wednesday ordered state finance executives to move $1.7 billion in unused funds to education agencies, bypassing the North Carolina General Assembly.
WCNC: Over 150 NC schools will lose Wi-Fi without a new budget, state superintendent says
North Carolina education leaders say the state would be unable to fund multiple key programs, including wireless internet, for some schools without a new state budget.
Environment
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: NC files complaint in court against Colonial Pipeline over massive gasoline spill
The state took legal action Tuesday against Colonial Pipeline Co. for what it said was a failure to help remedy North Carolina’s largest gasoline spill, which occurred in Huntersville last year.
Government
CBS17: Despite no agreement with Gov. Cooper, GOP lawmakers to vote on state budget
Republicans in the General Assembly will hold votes [this] week on the state budget despite not reaching an agreement with Gov. Roy Cooper (D).
ABC11: Republican-led General Assembly approves new congressional maps for NC that could heavily favor GOP
The Republican-led General Assembly on Thursday approved new district maps for elections in the next decade which are poised to keep Republicans in power and potentially keep the courts involved in the process.
Healthcare
SPECTRUM NEWS: The state’s first chief health equity officer begins work at N.C. DHHS
North Carolina has a new public officer to deal with equity in health care. Tim Boyum talks with Victor Armstrong about his new role as chief health equity officer at N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH NEWS: Rural NC hospital opens more psychiatric beds to meet rising mental health need
A hospital in Avery County is converting regular hospital beds to psychiatric beds as the number of behavioral health referrals increases in the region.
Politics
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: NC House Speaker Tim Moore won’t run for Congress, seeking another term as speaker
N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore will not run for Congress in 2022 — the first major fallout from U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s decision to switch congressional districts.
ABC NEWS: Firebrand GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn takes on ‘establishment’ with district switch
Rep. Madison Cawthorn, a conservative Republican firebrand, shook up next year’s congressional race on Thursday night when he announced he would run for a different congressional district — effectively pushing a more traditional state lawmaker who was expected to run out of the race.
Transportation
SPECTRUM NEWS: Congressman David Price on infrastructure allotment for North Carolina
President Joe Biden is set to sign the major infrastructure package into law soon. Loretta Boniti talks with Congressman David Price about what North Carolina could see from the multibillion-dollar measure.
WFAE: A huge funding shortfall looms over North Carolina’s roads
New projections from North Carolina’s Department of Transportation show the state is $12 billion short on funding its next slate of transportation projects — nearly double the gap reported earlier this year. It’s a serious shortfall that’s expected to leave plans for roads, bridges and other infrastructure throughout the state waiting on the drawing board for years to come.