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Agriculture
NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH NEWS: Vaccines become more accessible to farmworkers, but many still struggle with internet access
From tight living quarters to high rates of chronic illnesses to no sick leave protections, immigrant farm workers have found themselves in particularly vulnerable positions as the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout North Carolina.
Economic Development
WNCT: Eastern North Carolina playing major role in the state’s economic development
Businesses are working hard through the course of the pandemic. Now, one local organization is taking a look at a year of economic development in review. Many positives came out of 2021 in terms of economic development not only in the state but Eastern North Carolina in specific. North Carolina saw around 23,000 jobs and $10 billion in capital investments in 2021 alone.
TRIANGLE BUSINESS JOURNAL: Giant U.S. chipmaker eyes Triangle for $40 billion-plus plant
As companies race to fill the global shortage of semiconductors, a major manufacturing operation could land in North Carolina and reshape the Triangle region’s economic future.
Education
ABC 11: Revised guidance coming from the state for NC public schools
The Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit, which school districts use for guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic, will be updated Friday. “There is some nuance on specifically who will need to be excluded and who will need to be quarantined,” said Dr. Betsey Tilson, NCDHHS State Health Director, during Thursday’s state board of education meeting. “This is a piece that I’m waiting from the CDC today to be sure that we’re completely in line with CDC.”
WANE: $16M miscalculation means some North Carolina teachers won’t get the raise they expected
Educators with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in North Carolina aren’t getting the raise they expected due to a multi-million dollar calculation error, according to a statement released by the school system.
Elections
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: ‘American Idol’ star Clay Aiken will run for an NC seat in Congress
Clay Aiken, the “American Idol” star and a Raleigh native, wants to represent North Carolina in Congress. Aiken, a Democrat who previously ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, announced Monday that he’s planning to run this year in the Durham-centric House district that’s now open.
Environment
E&E NEWS: N.C. governor launches climate plan with ambitious EJ goals
Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, in a sweeping executive order, expanded his administration’s clean energy and climate agenda last week by tightening the state’s carbon reduction targets to achieve net-zero emissions within 30 years. Executive Order 246 also instructs agencies to implement climate policies — including education and jobs programs — to help “marginalized communities, indigenous communities, and communities of color who have faced the impact of pollution and climate change in a disproportionate way.”
Government
THE CENTER SQUARE: Cooper extends state government COVID vaccination mandate
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has extended the length of his executive order requiring government workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Cooper said the order, initially issued in July, should encourage more people to get vaccinated as the state faces a COVID-19 surge caused by the omicron variant. The order was to expire Tuesday but now will be in effect until April 5.
Healthcare
WXII 12: North Carolina health care workers push through as hospitals see more patients amid COVID-19 surge
Leaders with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) confirm on Thursday there are 24,292 new COVID-19 cases, the largest daily total the state has ever seen. This breaks the previous record of 19,620 cases reported on Jan. 1, and is an increase from the 20,770 cases reported Wednesday.
Politics
CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS: Redistricting trial over, NC political future pending
The trial that will likely decide North Carolina’s political future for at least the rest of the decade is over. Now, the courts will decide whether they can and should intervene. At issue are the political maps the state legislature drew, part of the constitutionally required process to recalibrate democratic representation after each census.
Transportation
FOX 8: 2 North Carolina airports to get ‘5G buffer zones’ ahead of service launch, FAA says
Federal officials have identified 50 U.S. airports, including two in North Carolina, that will have “buffer zones” when wireless companies turn on 5G service in a few weeks. The services will use frequencies in a radio spectrum called the C-band, which has caused concerns because it could impact flight operations.