North Carolina Booms As A Top Tourist Destination

CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS - The North Carolina tourism economy reached its highest level ever in 2023, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday, with travelers spending more than $35.6 billion on trips to and within the state. That's up almost 7% from the previous record in 2022, according to the governor's office. The state also rose to fifth in the nation for domestic visitation, behind California, Florida, Texas and New York.  Direct

Hospital Closure In NC City May Signal Trouble For Biden

WILLIAMSTON, N.C. (AP) - Weeds have punctured through the vacant parking lot of Martin General Hospital's emergency room. A makeshift blue tarp covering the hospital's sign is worn down from flapping in the wind. The hospital doors are locked, many in this county of 22,000 fear permanently. Some residents worry the hospital's sudden closure last August could cost them their life. "I know we all have to die, but it

Is This The Dawn Of A New Era In Women’s Sports?

[caption id="attachment_7357" align="alignnone" width="900"] Coco Gauff (AP NEWS)[/caption] Cheryl Cooky, Purdue University Though the college career of Iowa's Caitlin Clark ended with a disappointing loss, the point guard's record-breaking season helped fuel widespread interest in this year's NCAA women's college basketball tournament. The women's Final Four garnered higher television ratings than the men's Final Four. Then the women's basketball championship game between South Carolina and Iowa didn't just draw in

Durham Leaders Pushing For Workforce Housing Legislation

  Greg Childress (NC Newsline) Durham officials are hoping for the best this legislative short session - knowing the worst is likely to come - regarding a bill to allow the Board of Education and the county to build workforce housing on public land for teachers, law enforcement officers and first responders. Durham lawmakers have filed bills year-after-year asking colleagues in the House and the Senate to support efforts to

On-Site Child Care Is Convenient, But Is It Sustainable?

[caption id="attachment_7281" align="alignnone" width="970"] (Jackie Valley/The Christian Science Monitor via AP)[/caption] LAS VEGAS (AP) - They operate in places like an airport, a resort, and a distribution center, tucked away from the public eye but close enough for easy access. They often emit laughter - and the sound of tumbling blocks, bouncing balls, and meandering tricycles. They're child care centers based at workplaces. And in the fraught American child care

AG Josh Stein On Meta Data Breach

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein and 40 other bipartisan attorneys general today called on Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to thoroughly review their data security practices after a rise in scammers taking over and locking users out of their accounts. From 2022 to 2023, the North Carolina Department of Justice saw a 330 percent increase in complaints related to these account takeovers. "Meta has encouraged its users to share

Cultivating Creativity: Artsplosure Returns to Raleigh

By: Dominique Heath Guest Columnist Downtown Raleigh was transformed into an artistic wonderland this past weekend, as it played host to the much-loved Artsplosure - The Raleigh Arts Festival. The weekend was rich with creativity and bustling activity, enchanting visitors with an array of artistic expressions. The focal point of the festival was the acclaimed Art Market, where more than 175 juried artists and craftspeople exhibited their original masterpieces. These

N.C. Officials, Agriculture Leaders, And Local Farmers Underscore Continued Need For Critical Funding To Combat Climate Change

Speakers call on federal officials to oppose any attempts to reduce investments in climate smart agricultural programs Wilson - Tuesday, North Carolina public officials, farmers, and agriculture leaders convened a press conference to demonstrate how the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law in 2022 by President Biden, is now providing critical funding for farmers to help them mitigate the dire impacts of climate change. Speakers highlighted the ways

Guilty: Trump becomes first former US president convicted of felony crimes

NEW YORK (AP) - Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump sat stone-faced while the verdict was read as cheering from the street below could be heard in the hallway on the courthouse's 15th floor

Projects Set To Strengthen Rural Infrastructure And Create Jobs 

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is funding 47 projects in 23 states to improve access to reliable electricity and clean drinking water for more than one million people and create good-paying jobs across the nation. The announcement was made during President Biden's Infrastructure Week which highlights the progress the Biden-Harris Administration has made to improve American infrastructure through historic funding packages