North Carolina

March 14, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They died March 12 in Tallil, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle was hit by indirect fire.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Juantrea T. Bradley, 28, of Greenville, North Carolina, who was assigned to the 7th Special Troops Battalion, 7th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Eustis, Va.    » read more »

March 14, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Laurent J. West, 32, of Raleigh, North Carolina, died March 11 near Kishkishkia, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Source: DoD

Conservation Still Needed Following Recent Rainfall

3/13/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today asked citizens throughout North Carolina to continue their water conservation efforts since the latest federal drought map shows that 97 of the state’s 100 counties are still in some form of drought.    » read more »

One North Carolina Fund Grant Helps Bring$10.6 Million Investment to Stanly, Montgomery Counties

3/12/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today announced that International Automotive Components Group North America Inc., an international manufacturer of vehicle interior systems, including carpet and trunk liners, will add workers in Stanly and Montgomery counties.    » read more »

Also Orders Burning Ban Reinstated Due To Drought And Approach Of Spring Fire Season

2/13/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley has signed an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that enables North Carolina to seek federal assistance to help pay costs incurred while fighting major fires. He also reinstated the statewide burning ban, effective noon Thursday (Feb. 14) in advance of the spring fire season.    » read more »

Public-Private Partnership Puts N.C. In Forefront Of Growing Technology Sector

2/12/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today announced the creation of the Advanced Transportation Energy Center at North Carolina State University that will serve as a catalyst to attract innovative jobs to the state, contribute to reducing the nation’s dependence on imported oil and cut greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.    » read more »

February 11, 2008 -- Medicaid fraud cases against Merck and Aventis recover money for health care, schools Raleigh: More than $23 million will benefit North Carolina’s Medicaid Program and public schools thanks to settlements with two pharmaceutical companies, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced today.

“Drug makers shouldn’t cut corners with a program the helps the neediest among us,” Cooper said. “Schemes like these hurt taxpayers and drive up health care costs for all of us."    » read more »

Preparations Underway For Local Access To Alternative Water Sources As Drought Continues

2/8/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley announced today that the state has identified alternative water supplies for the 11 North Carolina communities facing the most severe water shortages due to the drought. Most of the projects would involve connecting systems that are at the greatest risk to another water system with water to share. Other systems could drill new wells or tap into nearby lakes, rivers or quarries.    » read more »

January 31, 2008 -- “Clean air is critical to our health and our economy. This ruling clears the way for us to to make TVA clean up its pollution that’s dirtying our air and making North Carolinians sick."

Background: The US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that North Carolina can move forward with its suit seeking to get the Tennessee Valley Authority to clean up air pollution from its power plants.

Cooper filed suit against the TVA in January of 2006 seeking to dirty air from TVA coal-fired power plants that harms North Carolina’s health, environment and economy.    » read more »

1/30/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley has proclaimed February as Black History Month and urges citizens to observe and honor the influence of African Americans on the cultural heritage of North Carolina. Educational opportunities are planned for museums and historic sites across the state during the month of February.    » read more »

Increased Patrols Lead to 35 Percent More Traffic and Criminal Citations

1/25/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley announced today there were 559,588 traffic and criminal citations issued by state and local law enforcement officers across North Carolina during “Click It or Ticket” and “Booze It & Lose It” campaigns last year. That is a 35 percent increase from the 414,351 citations issued in 2006. Officers conducted more than 46,000 checkpoints and patrols during the 2007 campaigns, a boost of more than 64 percent from 2006.    » read more »

Snow, Sleet and Freezing Rain Expected to Make Some Roads Dangerous

1/16/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today warned citizens in the western and central portions of the state that a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain could make traveling hazardous on Thursday morning. A low pressure system from the Gulf of Mexico will move into central North Carolina after midnight bringing a brief period of snow and sleet followed by freezing rain that will eventually turn to rain.    » read more »

Calls for Regional Interconnections, Water Audits and Conservation-Based Rates

1/14/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today told water system managers from the state’s 30 most vulnerable communities they need to take certain actions now to make sure they will have adequate water supplies for their citizens during the long, hot summer if North Carolina’s historic drought continues.    » read more »

January 14, 2008 -- North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on behalf of 49 states and the District of Columbia today announced that MySpace has agreed to significant steps to better protect children on its web site, including creation of a broad-based task force to explore and develop age and identity verification technology.    » read more »

Burlington Plant's Closure to Affect 430

1/9/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today deployed a Rapid Response Team from the N.C. Department of Commerce to the GoldToeMoretz plant in Burlington. The company has announced it is closing manufacturing operations there, affecting 430 workers. Layoffs are scheduled to begin on March 10 and continue through the end of June.    » read more »