Press Releases

North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders issued a statement today, following CNBC’s announcement naming North Carolina “America’s Top State for Business” for the second year in a row:

The North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center has selected Mebane and Zebulon

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 95 of North Carolina’s counties in May 2023 and decreased in five. Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate at 6.3 percent while Buncombe County had the lowest at 2.7 percent.

North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders has named Kristina Ray as the next Administrator of Credit Unions, a role that includes supervision of the North Carolina Credit Union Division.

North Carolina has received Area Development magazine’s 2023 Platinum Shovel Award which recognizes states that went above and beyond the gold standard for investment and job creation.

The state’s seasonally adjusted May 2023 unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, remaining unchanged from April’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.3 of a percentage point to 3.7 percent.

Two local partnership groups have won grants totaling $450,000 to support innovative efforts addressing workforce challenges, Governor Roy Cooper announced today.

North Carolina has received approval for a $7.5 million federal workforce grant to help workers who were affected by the Pactiv Evergreen layoffs in Canton and Waynesville, Governor Roy Cooper has announced.

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that 29 local governments in rural areas across the state have been awarded grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund, a robust source of support for rural economic development projects in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 11 grant requests to local governments totaling $4,478,850, Governor Roy Cooper annou