Press Releases

The North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center at the North Carolina Department of Commerce has announced that 46 North Carolina communities have been designated a 2022 Accredited Main Street America™ program.

The state’s seasonally adjusted May 2022 unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, remaining unchanged from April’s revised rate. The national rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent.

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that 30 local governments in rural areas across the state have been awarded grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund, a new source of support for rural economic development projects in North Carolina funded by the federal American Rescue Plan.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 16 grant requests to local governments totaling $3,938,829, Governor Roy Cooper announced today.

Cabinet manufacturer Design Mode Cabinetry will create 139 new jobs in Duplin County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $13 million to establish a manufacturing facility in the Town of Warsaw.

Snack food company, Lotus Bakeries, will create 62 new jobs in Alamance County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. In a second expansion in a year, the company will invest more than $84 million to add a new production facility at its Mebane location.

North Carolina is one of two states that has received Area Development magazine’s inaugural 2022 Platinum Shovel award which recognizes states that went beyond the gold standard for investment and job creation. Tennessee is the second state receiving the honor.

Dymax Corporation, a global chemical and plastics manufacturer, will open a new manufacturing center and create 227 jobs in Union County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $46.7 million in the City of Monroe.

D’Artagnan, Inc., a specialty food company distributor, will create 23 new jobs in Granville County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest more than $4 million to locate a warehouse and distribution facility in the City of Oxford.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 83 of North Carolina’s counties in April, increased in four, and remained unchanged in 13. Edgecombe County had the highest unemployment rate at 7.4 percent while Orange and Chatham Counties each had the lowest at 2.6 percent.