Agriculture
THE LAURINBURG EXCHANGE: North Carolina Senate passes bill expanding hemp industry
Legislation designed to further develop North Carolina’s fast-growing hemp industry, increase agritourism and make overhauling open-air waste storage systems easier for industrial-scale hog farms passed the state Senate on Monday. The legislature’s wide-ranging annual Farm Act passed 31-14 and now goes to the House.
Economic Development
THE PILOT.COM: VBC Manufacturing Acquires Richmond County Facility
The future of volumetric modular construction is on the near horizon, at the former Ritz-Craft Homes facility in Hamlet. This past week, Gov. Roy Cooper announced VBC Manufacturing will create 130 new jobs, and retaining 70 existing jobs, with plans to invest more than $12 million at the Richmond County plant within the next three years.
Environment
WITN: East Carolina beer industry discusses sustainability in manufacturing
The N.C. East Alliance held a conference on the craft brewing industry in eastern North Carolina and opportunities to further incorporate sustainable practices into the craft brewing business model.
WECT 6 NEWS: Environmental group abuzz about saving bees
This week, Environment North Carolina will be canvassing southeastern NC to inform communities about the importance of protecting the bee population. “We’re trying to save the bees and our food supply," said field manager Toni Houston. "Bees are dying at unprecedented rates right now and they are responsible for pollinating some of our favorite foods.
Healthcare
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL: Clock ticking on SHP contract deadline for providers, hospitals
More than 720,000 state employees and their dependents and non-Medicare retirees and their dependents may learn in less than a week whether they will be considered as out-of-network with their health-care provider and local hospital starting Jan. 1. A financial reimbursement game of chicken involving State Treasurer Dale Folwell’s attempt to move the State Health Plan to a government pricing model tied to Medicare rates could come to a head July 1.
THE CITIZEN TIMES: Asheville’s Mission Hospital names HCA Healthcare vet as new CEO
Mission Hospital has a new leader. Chad Patrick, chief executive of HCA Healthcare's Orange Park Medical Center in Florida, has been hired to lead Mission's 763-bed facility, hospital spokeswoman Nancy Lindell stated in a June 18 press release. Patrick, who led his Jacksonville-based hospital for the past six years, joins a wave of fresh faces in the Western North Carolina health care market following HCA's $1.5 billion acquisition of Mission Health earlier this year.
Politics
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: What to look for in the state budget as the House and Senate negotiate
State Republican leaders don’t want to expand Medicaid, but Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper wants it to be part of budget discussions as the legislature hashes out the next version of the state budget this week.
THE WASHINGTON POST: Cal Cunningham, a Democrat well-known in North Carolina politics, enters race against Sen. Thom Tillis
Cal Cunningham, a former North Carolina state senator courted by national Democrats to take on Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) next year, formally announced his candidacy Monday, setting up what could be another hard-fought contest in the swing state.
Transportation
THE VIRGINIA-PILOT: North Carolina to build steel wall to protect north end of Ocracoke Island
The state highway department seeks to save the eroding tip of Ocracoke island near the ferry docks by building a 1,000 foot long steel wall and installing groins mixed with concrete blocks.
