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Economic Development

French company agrees to give up offshore wind leases for $928M

France’s TotalEnergies says it’s signed a settlement agreement with the Trump administration to give up two offshore wind leases, including one off the North Carolina coast. The company says its studies “have shown that offshore wind developments in the United States, unlike those in Europe, are costly and might have...

By Ray Gronberg

March 24, 2026

Bolas named new CEO of NCInnovation

NCInnovation has taken the “acting” qualifier off the title of its CEO and says Michelle Bolas will continue in the role on a permanent basis. A former UNC Chapel Hill administrator, Bolas has headed the state-endowed nonprofit since former CEO Bennet Waters stepped down last November. She joined NCI in...

By Ray Gronberg

March 20, 2026

DOT offers assurances about I-40 rebuild

The rebuilt Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge will include things that should give it “a significant amount of resilience” against another major washout like the one triggered by Hurricane Helene, DOT’s top engineer says. “Long term, we expect the I-40 infrastructure repairs to be sustainable,” Chief Engineer Patrick...

By Ray Gronberg

March 20, 2026

Calls grow to rework McCrory-era road-planning system

There are now bipartisan calls for the state to rework the system it established under former Gov. Pat McCrory for deciding what transportation projects it should undertake. Multiple members of a new select committee House Speaker Destin Hall has assigned to look at “North Carolina’s transportation future,” said Thursday, the...

By Ray Gronberg

March 20, 2026

NYT: Trump pursing buyouts of offshore wind leases

The New York Times reports that the Trump administration is considering paying $133 million to buy out a French company’s lease of a potential offshore wind-energy site near the North Carolina coast. The potential offer would target the Carolina Long Bay project, which would go up about 22 miles south...

By Ray Gronberg

March 19, 2026

VinFast intends to restart Chatham factory this year

Vietnamese electric-vehicle maker VinFast says it intends to resume construction of its planned North Carolina factory in Chatham County as early as next month, with an eye toward launching production there in 2028. But the company has revised its ambitions, telling local officials that it expects employment in the 1,400-job...

By Ray Gronberg

March 17, 2026

Merger of Duke service areas picks up support

Duke Energy’s proposed merger of its legacy service districts in the Carolinas has picked up support from state Attorney General Jeff Jackson, key environmental groups, the N.C. Public Staff and even some large business customers. Utility officials in recent days have given the N.C. Utilities Commission an agreed settlement with...

By Ray Gronberg

March 17, 2026

Revamp of Dental Board once again on tap

It’s possible that legislators will renew a push to change the composition of the state board that licenses dentists, to put the job of appointing members in the hands of North Carolina’s elected leaders instead of the dentists themselves. A joint House-Senate oversight committee is mulling whether to recommend a...

By Ray Gronberg

March 16, 2026

Park Service: Last sections of Blue Ridge Parkway to reopen in late 2026

National Park Service officials say it’s going to take until late this year to repair enough of the damage from Hurricane Helene to get the full length of the Blue Ridge Parkway back in service. The remaining closures affect much of the parkway between Mount Mitchell and Linville Falls. Current...

By Ray Gronberg

March 9, 2026

McCrory-era policy a roadblock to N.C. 12 work

Keeping N.C. 12 open along the Outer Banks is a constant battle with Mother Nature — and, apparently, with former Gov. Pat McCrory’s legacy. N.C. Department of Transportation engineers say they’ve spent $94.2 million over the last 15 years or so cleaning sand off the road or repairing storm damage...

By Ray Gronberg

March 6, 2026

Scout faces class-action over marketing plan

Volkswagen dealers have filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court to prevent the German carmaker from selling its Scout line of EVs direct to the consumer. Filed Tuesday in Alexandria, Virginia, the complaint accuses VW of breaching its contract with its dealers across the country. It seeks an injunction and...

By Ray Gronberg

March 5, 2026

Wilkes towns get LGC backing for water project

North Carolina’s Local Government Commission has given Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro permission to borrow $15.2 million from the state to build themselves a new water intake on the Yadkin River. The joint project’s one Town Manager Ken Noland told the commission has taken the entirety of his 27-year tenure to...

By Ray Gronberg

March 5, 2026

Sawyer weighs in on I-77 widening

A key Republican senator is backing the N.C. Department of Transportation’s decision to stretch out the timeline for finding a potential toll-lane partner for the next stage of the widening of Interstate 77 in Charlotte. The three-month delay will give the agency time to “get additional feedback from the community,”...

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

Groups seek delay to I-77 widening project

Two of Charlotte’s state senators have added their voices to a coalition that wants Gov. Josh Stein to hit the pause button on the idea of adding more lanes to Interstate 77. Via a letter, Sens. Caleb Theodros and DeAndrea Salvador asked Stein to order the state Department of Transportation...

By Ray Gronberg

March 4, 2026

DEQ objects to Wilmington port dredging plan

Gov. Josh Stein’s administration questions whether the planned $1.4 billion deepening of the Port of Wilmington’s ship channel makes economic sense. The concern appears in the Department of Environmental Quality’s objection, released this week, to the project as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers currently envisions it. DEQ officials said...

By Ray Gronberg

February 27, 2026