NC Politics in the News

Economic Development

WRAL TECH WIRE: Manufacturing jobs will be a driver of NC’s economy, Governor says
Manufacturing jobs may be a primary driver of North Carolina’s future economy, including jobs in clean energy. That’s according to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who spoke Wednesday morning at an event held in person at SAS headquarters in Cary.

Education

WCNC: North Carolina seeks novel overhaul of teacher licenses in effort to lure and keep teachers
North Carolina’s proposed new teacher licensure system would be a pioneering experiment in deciding whether someone can be a teacher based on student growth. If approved, North Carolina would join just two other states — Maryland and Louisiana — in requiring its 100,000 teachers to prove they are effective teachers to receive a full license and to renew the license, according to the National Council on Teacher Quality.

WRAL: Combined classrooms and virtual school: How NC schools are navigating another year of teacher shortages
A growing teacher shortage that many education experts believe has been exacerbated by pandemic learning has left central North Carolina districts starting the new school year with nearly 1,000 vacancies. WRAL Investigates reached out to 20 school districts to learn the number of vacancies and the creative approaches school systems are taking to keep classrooms staffed.

Elections

CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS: Early voting in North Carolina: How it started, who uses it and how to do it in 2022
North Carolinians are just a few weeks away from seeing “I voted” stickers on the clothes of strangers at the grocery store. One-stop voting, also commonly known as “early voting,” begins Oct. 20 and will continue through Nov. 5. All signs point to trends showing that the majority of North Carolina voters will take advantage of the two-week opportunity to cast their ballots. 

WUNC: 2022 midterm elections in North Carolina: Breaking down NC General Assembly races
While North Carolinians will make important decisions in statewide races for the U.S. Senate and state Supreme Court, and send new representatives to the U.S. House in some districts, there is much at stake in this midterm election regarding the future of state law.

Government

THE CENTER SQUARE: North Carolina commission approves nearly $2.5B in school bonds for four counties
North Carolina’s Local Government Commission approved nearly $2.5 billion in school bonds for four counties on Thursday, including $1.7 billion for Guilford County that was delayed during a previous meeting. The LGC, chaired by State Treasurer Dale Folwell and staffed by his department, is tasked with approving financing for proposed projects for more than 1,100 local governments, to ensure the borrowing is adequate and reasonable.

Healthcare

WITN: Health officials urge flu vaccination before winter spike
The typical winter flu spike is approaching, and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting vaccinated before then.

North Carolina health officials noticed a decrease in flu vaccinations compared to previous years and urge everyone 6 months and older to get a flu shot before the end of October, as flu season typically peaks in the winter.

Politics

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Five takeaways from Budd and Beasley’s Senate debate in NC
U.S. Senate candidates Ted Budd and Cheri Beasley met on the debate stage for the first time Friday and discussed the former and current presidents, where they stand on policy issues and who was actually elected to the White House in 2020.

Transportation

WITN: NCDOT launching Operation Crash Reduction to crack down on speeding
State law enforcement agencies will be encouraging motorists to slow down from Oct. 3-9, as part of a special speeding enforcement effort named “Operation Crash Reduction.” The North Carolina Department of Transportation says the operation is a new initiative for North Carolina law enforcement to crack down on speeding during this busy time of the year.