Chief Justice Paul Newby issued an order today extending emergency directives an additional 30 days in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All in State Government
North Carolina in strong fiscal position to turn corner on pandemic
State economists project North Carolina will have 17.6 percent more revenue this year than projected last year, an amount that can help rebuild the state as its economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
NC House Passes Bill to Provide In-Person Learning Option for K-12 Students
Raleigh, NC – Today, the North Carolina House approved bipartisan legislation (Senate Bill 37) to ensure families have the ability to choose between in-person instruction or remote learning in K-12 public schools.
Economists raise outlook for state budget, predicting more tax revenue
The state budget may be spared economists’ worst fears from the COVID pandemic, according to a new tax revenue forecast.
Power restoration continues as northern, triad counties recover from ice storm
Utility crews continued work Sunday to restore power to about 80,000 customers who were remaining without power after a freezing rain event that toppled trees and power lines in counties along the Virginia border and in the Triad area.
North Carolina Judicial Branch launches new podcast “All Things Judicial”
The North Carolina Judicial Branch launched an official podcast today entitled “All Things Judicial” that features interviews from recognizable figures in our judicial communities and stories about important Judicial Branch topics. The podcast will follow a bi-monthly release schedule with each new episode available for download every other Wednesday beginning today.
Cooper signs COVID relief bill despite call for more spending
Gov. Roy Cooper signed a more than $2 billion COVID relief bill on Wednesday, Feb. 10, despite his call for more spending.
Governor names Department of Commerce secretary
Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that Machelle Sanders, current Secretary of the NC Department of Administration, will now serve as Secretary of the Department of Commerce. Sanders will replace Tony Copeland who stepped down at the end of January.
More than 10,000 North Carolinians have died of COVID-19
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today reported that North Carolina has reached a sobering milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic — more than 10,000 North Carolinians have died from the virus. The state also surpassed 800,000 total cases today.
Cooper threatens veto of school-reopening bill, calls for more funding
Gov. Roy Cooper’s call for more money for schools while also indicating he would veto a bill that could send students back to school has many in the state scratching their heads.
Governor Cooper announces Gilead Sciences will create 275 jobs in the research triangle region
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq; GILD), a leading biopharmaceutical company developing innovative medicines, has selected North Carolina’s Research Triangle region as the location for a major business services and information technology hub, creating 275 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest up to $5 million in Wake County.
Poll finds North Carolina residents unhappy with vaccine rollout
Most North Carolinians don’t approve of the state’s vaccine rollout. More North Carolinians favor getting the COVID-19 vaccine, but that doesn’t mean they can, according to an Elon University Poll of nearly 1,500 residents conducted Jan. 29-31.
Educators jump to the front of the vaccine line, even as many seniors wait
Education workers will leap to the head of the line for COVID-19 vaccines on Feb. 24. More than a million seniors are still waiting for their first dose.
Food and Nutrition Services participants can now use benefits for online purchases from Food Lion through Instacart
Starting today, North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) participants can purchase groceries online using their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards through Instacart.com or the Instacart mobile app, providing access to an additional authorized online EBT retailer, Food Lion. This flexibility will allow participants to buy food while promoting social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and will help families with transportation and mobility barriers.
North Carolina sees dramatic drop in spread of flu, other respiratory illnesses thanks to preventative practices to slow spread of COVID-19
North Carolinians have protected themselves and their loved ones from the flu along with COVID-19 by taking preventative measures such as wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from people who do not live with them, and frequently washing their hands or using hand sanitizer.
Governor Cooper signs COVID-19 relief bill into law
"This pandemic continues to strain communities across our state, and this investment of federal funds in critical areas will help us defeat COVID-19 and build back a stronger and more resilient North Carolina."
After first missing the mark on vaccinations, N.C. hones in on target
After a slow start, North Carolina is ramping up its COVID-19 vaccinations. Some 9.2% of residents got the first shot of COVID-19 vaccines by Monday, Feb. 8, when 970,162 people had received a first dose, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Two days earlier, an average 8.6% of COVID-19 tests came back positive.
Attorney General Josh Stein announces 2020’s Top 10 consumer complaints
Attorney General Josh Stein Tuesday shared the top 10 consumer complaints that the North Carolina Department of Justice received in 2020 as he released the department’s 2020 annual report. The report discusses NCDOJ’s work to protect the people of North Carolina from scams and fraud, defend the state, fight crime, provide assistance to North Carolinians, and defend their rights.
Attorney General Josh Stein works to protect North Carolinians’ access to affordable communications services
Attorney General Josh Stein recently urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to protect people’s access to Lifeline, an affordable communications service offered by telecom companies.
State board rewrites social studies standards to focus on racism, discrimination
The Democrat-controlled N.C. State Board of Education approved Thursday, Feb. 4, a sweeping rewrite of the state’s social studies standards that will now teach nearly every aspect of American history through the lens of racism and discrimination.