North Carolina

RacetotheTop.nc.gov will seek input on educational innovation and reform

11/5/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue today launched racetothetop.nc.gov and called upon North Carolinians to participate in the federal “Race to the Top” initiative. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Race to the Top is a federal $4.5 billion competitive grant fund that rewards states for educational innovation and achieving significant improvements in how students perform.

In addition to providing information about North Carolina’s Race to the Top efforts, the new website seeks ideas and suggestions from the public regarding new education innovations and reforms.    » read more »

Includes 11 funded through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

11/3/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue announced today that 18 contracts totaling $56.6 million have been awarded for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina, including 11 projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The contracts were awarded by the N.C. Department of Transportation to the lowest respective bidder, as required by state law. A list of the projects is attached.

“These recovery projects continue to help us to put North Carolinians to work and to deliver critical infrastructure improvements that will have a long-lasting economic impact on our state,” said. Gov. Perdue.    » read more »

October 26, 2009 -- Representatives from NOAA and the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, announced the formation of a partnership to better manage and protect ocean and coastal resources, ensure regional economic sustainability, and respond to disasters such as hurricanes. The announcement was made during the annual meeting of the Coastal States Organization in Charleston, S.C.    » read more »

Underscores Commitment to Green Jobs, Clean Energy Economy

October 16, 2009 -- CARY, North Carolina -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) met today with employees of Southern Energy Management, a home-grown sustainable energy company, and toured the firm’s signature project -- one of the largest solar array energy systems in the Southeast.    » read more »

October 13, 2009 -- CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Four sites have been selected to have solar energy systems installed on their rooftops as part of the first phase of Duke Energy’s distributed solar generation program in North Carolina.

Duke Energy has selected large nonresidential customer sites for this first phase. They are:

* National Gypsum Company in Mount Holly, N.C., will house a 1.2-megawatt system which includes 5,096 rooftop solar panels.
* Highwood Properties in Greensboro, N.C., will house a 1.6-megawatt system which includes 7,020 rooftop solar panels.
* Food Lion, in Salisbury, N.C., will house a 1,292-kilowatt (1.3-megawatt) system which includes 5,616 rooftop solar panels.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) and her colleagues in the North Carolina Congressional Delegation have secured $11.2 million in funding for North Carolina in the 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill. The Senate passed the bill today by a vote of 80 to 17, and it will now go to President Obama for his signature.

"These critical energy and water projects will benefit communities across North Carolina," Hagan said. "This bill funds projects that will boost our economy thorough investments in renewable energy technologies that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. These projects will also help restore many of the inlets and waterways along our coast that have long been neglected."    » read more »

State Grant Helps Shalag Industries Open New Facility in Oxford

10/12/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue today announced that Shalag Industries Ltd., an international supplier of nonwoven fabrics used in the hygiene and wipes markets, will open a new plant in Granville County. The company will invest more than $17 million and create 42 jobs in Oxford. The announcement was made possible in part by a $110,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.    » read more »

Recovery Act Funding to Provide Policymakers and Consumers with Improved Data on Internet Service in California, Indiana, North Carolina, and Vermont

October 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that it has awarded the first four grants under NTIA’s State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program to fund activities in California, Indiana, North Carolina, and Vermont.    » read more »

October 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) today announced that the e-NC Authority will receive $2,023,874 to determine the best and most effective methods for expanding broadband to underserved areas of North Carolina.

"This investment in North Carolina will help boost economic development in our rural communities and keep them vibrant," said Hagan. "Increasing broadband access means connecting our communities to the world and adding more jobs in our state in this tough economy."    » read more »

Projects total over $5 billion

10/2/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue announced today that North Carolina submitted the second round of high speed rail applications for competitive funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). North Carolina is applying for funds totaling more than $5 billion for four projects to help further develop the federally designated Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Corridor.

“These projects are critical for communities throughout our state,” Perdue said. “North Carolina’s commitment to rail puts us in strong contention for these funds.”    » read more »

Also requires education for employees and contractors

10/1/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue today signed Executive Order 24 to extend North Carolina General Statute 133-32, the state’s gift ban, to cover all executive branch state employees. Currently, the ban applies only to a limited number of employees who are directly involved with contracts, or the inspection or supervision of construction.

“This executive order makes it clear — those of us who serve the people of North Carolina must be held to the highest ethical standards and act accordingly,” said Perdue. “Citizens expect and deserve nothing less.”

Within the next 30 days, all executive branch agencies are required to:    » read more »

10/1/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue today announced that 17 contracts totaling $65.2 million have been awarded for highway, bridge and ferry projects across North Carolina, including eight projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded the contracts to the lowest respective bidder, as required by state law. A list of the projects is attached.

“These projects will stimulate economic growth by creating and sustaining jobs for North Carolinians while making lasting investments in our transportation system,” Perdue said.    » read more »

Provided jobs for 84 workers, including 12 previously laid off

9/17/2009 -- Raleigh -- Motorists traveling along Intestate 40 in Winston-Salem are not the only ones benefitting from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) first completed project in North Carolina. The project provided work for 84 employees of APAC-Atlantic Inc., Thompson-Arthur Division of Greensboro and its subcontractors, including 12 who were previously laid off.

“This is one of many recovery projects across that state that are providing jobs now to North Carolinians and bringing lasting benefits to our state’s highways,” said Gov. Bev Perdue.    » read more »

Program based on Perdue’s health care campaign roadmap

9/14/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue today announced that North Carolina has received a $17 million five-year grant to fund a pilot health program that extends health care coverage to uninsured, low income parents — as proposed in her campaign health care roadmap.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the State Health Access Program (SHAP) grant to only 13 states, including North Carolina. The award will cover more than 1,500 low income, working families in North Carolina.    » read more »

8/31/2009 -- Raleigh -- North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue announced today that 21 contracts totaling $50.8 million have been awarded for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina, including eight projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The contracts were awarded by the N.C. Department of Transportation to the lowest respective bidder, as required by state law. A list of the projects is attached.

“These projects are putting people to work, making critical improvements to our roads and bridges, and helping the local economies in communities across the state,” said Gov. Perdue    » read more »