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Agriculture
CITIZEN TIMES: WNC farmers on long road to recovery after Tropical Depression Fred
Fred drenched Western North Carolina with rain resulting in floods Aug. 18 and the region being declared a federal disaster.
Economic Development
THE CENTER SQUARE: Economic development roundup: Life sciences company expansion to create 290 jobs
Life sciences company Thermo Fisher Scientific will invest $154 million to expand its pharmaceutical manufacturing operations in Greenville, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said.
Education
WRAL: Courts vs. legislature: A multibillion-dollar NC education funding dispute is headed to standoff
North Carolina lawmakers are daring a Wake County judge to try to force their hand in a landmark education funding lawsuit. A court-ordered plan says they need to commit an extra $1.5 billion in the next two years toward making the state’s education system equitable.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: New education and police effort aims to steer NC students away from online pornography
The State Bureau of Investigation, the state Department of Public Instruction and the nonprofit group The Third Talk have partnered on a new internet safety video telling middle school and high school students about the dangers of online pornography.
Environment
WRAL: Agreement reached on major NC energy bill
Top state leaders announced a bipartisan agreement Friday on years of state energy policy, calling for a substantial reduction in carbon emissions from electric plants between now and 2030.
Government
WITN: North Carolina legislators finish discussions on state budget
The North Carolina General Assembly has wrapped up internal negotiations towards fashioning a two-year state budget. Now heavy lifting begins to see if acceptable changes for all can be made so Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will sign a final proposal.
CBS17: Gov. Cooper calls for billions to be spent on education as budget talks near
Gov. Roy Cooper (D) on Tuesday called for state leaders to spend billions of dollars more on education as he prepares for closed-door budget talks with Republicans and a judge has set a deadline for the state to implement a school spending plan.
Healthcare
WBTV: North Carolina health care system terminates more than 100 employees for being unvaccinated against COVID-19
A health care system in North Carolina fired more than 100 employees for noncompliance with the system’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination program. Officials told WBTV last week that about 375 Novant Health employees across 15 hospitals, 800 clinics and hundreds of outpatient facilities were non-compliant with the program.
Politics
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: With NC political maps about to be drawn, some lawmakers are leaving. Why it matters.
Four North Carolina state lawmakers have now announced that they will not run for reelection in 2022, as the Republican-controlled General Assembly is preparing to redraw state legislative and congressional districts.
WXII: Race for 2022 NC United States Senate seat heats up
The race for North Carolina’s 2022 United States Senate seat continues to heat up as more and more candidates focus on fundraising and at least one is already on television.
Transportation
WITN: Board of Transportation approves funding for North Carolina airports
The North Carolina Board of Transportation has approved grant funding for 13 airports in our state. Several public airports in Eastern North Carolina are included in the grants.
AP: NC road-building costs could scale back long-term projects
North Carolina government would need billions of dollars in additional road-building funds if it wants to carry out currently planned projects for the next decade, according to recent cost reassessments.