Economic Development
WRALTechwire: Packaging firm plans new jobs $70M investment in Johnson County
Berry Global, a Fortune 500 manufacturer and marketer of plastic packaging, plans an investment of more than $70M investment and to create new jobs in Johnston County.
Education
THE NEWS AND OBSERVER: NC Gov. Cooper signs into law special summer school program and teaching of phonics
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced Friday he’s signing into law bills that will require school districts to use a phonics-based approach for teaching reading and to create a summer program to address COVID-19 learning loss.
WRAL: Duke University to require COVID vaccinations for fall term
Duke University will require all new and returning students to present proof of vaccination to student health officials before they can enroll for the fall semester, the school's president said Friday.
Government
THE NEWS AND OBSERVER: Unions, wages, and parental leave: New NC bills could impact thousands of state employees
Tens of thousands of state employees in the North Carolina legislature could be impacted by several bills being considered this legislative session. The proposed legislation ranges from raising pay to making disciplinary records public to providing paid parental leave.
Healthcare
WBTV: Carolinas College of Health and Sciences launches new program in healthcare simulation
Carolinas College of Health Sciences is launching a new bachelor’s program in Charlotte. It will focus on healthcare simulation as there is a demand for more professionals who are trained to educate students and operate health simulation labs.
WRAL: Triangle providers ease J&J vaccine back into the mix after brief pause
The Johnson & Johnson brand of the COVID-19 vaccine has become popular with the public due to being a single-dose shot. However, some local vaccine providers postponed their use of the J&J vaccine after people experienced adverse reactions on Thursday. On Saturday, the demand for the J&J vaccine was still high at a clinic at UNC Family Medicine on Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh.
Politics
THE NEWS AND OBSERVER: Is voter ID unconstitutional? NC's newest trail on that question starting Monday
A trial that will help decide whether North Carolina voters will need photo identification next time they vote started Monday morning in Raleigh. This is the state-level trial over the constitutionality of a 2018 voter ID law. There is also a separate lawsuit, over the same law, moving forward in federal courts.
Transportation
WBTV: Historic caboose lays tracks to NC Transportation museum
The North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer says that thanks to a generous donation by the Winston-Salem Southbound Railway, it has picked up another valuable piece of railroad history.
WITN: North Carolina Spring Litter Sweep begins
The North Carolina Spring Litter Sweep started this weekend and runs through April 24.The North Carolina Department of Transportation typically schedules two Litter Sweeps each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. The biannual statewide roadside litter removal initiative calls for residents throughout the state to participate in local clean up efforts.
