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Indiana and Duke Energy

Interesting news from Indiana, where Gov. Mike Braun has signaled interest in squeezing the profits of public utilities like Duke Energy to ease rising electricity rates. “Hoosiers have been burdened with utility rate increase after increase,” the Republican said. “We can’t take it anymore.” Charlotte-based Duke’s Indiana subsidiary serves a...

By Ray Gronberg

September 9, 2025

More on foreign-trained docs

My mailbag has brought forth a bit more commentary about House Bill 67, the omnibus healthcare workforce bill that among other things made it a bit easier for foreign-trained doctors to come to North Carolina to practice. One message was from Sen. Benton Sawrey, R-Johnston, who noted that state law...

By Ray Gronberg

September 9, 2025

Battleship takes hit from an audit

State Auditor Dave Boliek’s staff says its latest audit of the USS North Carolina Battleship Commission’s finances found a lack of “adequate internal controls” led to several errors in the commission’s fiscal 2023-24 books. All told, there were $2.1 million in errors, Boliek said. There included incorrectly recorded transactions for...

By Ray Gronberg

September 8, 2025

Farm workers debate

There’s a push on to lower the mandatory wage rates farmers have to pay foreigners who avail themselves of the U.S government’s H-2A guest worker program for seasonal work. North Carolina U.S. Rep. Brad Knott, R-13th, is praising a Trump administration notice that it intends to revise the method federal...

By Ray Gronberg

September 8, 2025

Asbestos ruling

A divided state Court of Appeals panel has breathed new life into a set of asbestos-related worker’s comp lawsuits against Continental Tire, which formerly operated a tire factory in Charlotte. The 14 lawsuits are a subset of what started out as about 150 different claims against the company, all of...

By Ray Gronberg

September 4, 2025

Durham preps zoning change for RTP

Here in the Triangle, Durham County Commissioners could face a decision late this year on whether to rezone the entirety of Research Triangle Park that lies within their jurisdiction. County records show that officials in Durham’s City/County Planning Department submitted paperwork for the change on Aug. 17. The current schedule...

By Ray Gronberg

September 3, 2025

Stein and AI

Gov. Josh Stein is setting up a new “AI Leadership Council” to help craft a strategy for the state government to follow as it deals with the many issues that stem from the wider use of artificial intelligence. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley and state CIO Teena Piccione will co-chair the...

By Ray Gronberg

September 3, 2025

N.C. lawmakers visit Finland

Senate Majority Leader Michael Lee, R-New Hanover, four other legislators, and other state and private-sector officials traveled to Finland last week in hopes of attracting investment in military-related technology and manufacturing. On one level, the trip was the kind of international trade mission the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina...

By Ray Gronberg

September 3, 2025

U.S. Senate weighs four N.C. judicial nominees

A quartet of would-be federal judges who would serve in North Carolina now awaits U.S. Senate confirmation. The group’s nominations by President Trump came at the recommendation of North Carolina U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd. The nominees for two vacant Western District of North Carolina seats are Susan...

By Ray Gronberg

September 2, 2025

N.C. Supreme Court rules against Apex

N.C. Supreme Court justices have put Apex’s government on notice that it can expect a big penalty for having illegally condemned a sewer easement and installing a pipe under the victim’s property. “Securing the line and paying what it wanted to pay in 2015 cannot be a meaningful remedy for...

By Ray Gronberg

September 2, 2025

Helene-damaged home is now fixed

Gov. Josh Stein’s office says the state’s completed the first repair of a Hurricane-Helene-damaged home approved for assistance through the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program. The program’s $807 million in funding comes from the federal government, specifically out of the $1.4 billion in CDBG disaster recovery subsidies the state’s getting...

By Ray Gronberg

August 29, 2025

Found money

The state treasurer’s office was also in the news Thursday because it announced that it’s “uncovered $170 million in unspent and unallocated funds” during a review of the state’s cash accounts. Going forward, and given statutory limitations on its use, the treasurer’s office intends to deploy the money to reduce...

By Ray Gronberg

August 29, 2025

Briner and BlackRock

State Treasurer Brad Briner and many of his Republican colleagues around the country are once again at odds with BlackRock, the New York City-based investment manager. Back on July 29, Briner and 25 other GOP finance overseers in other states wrote BlackRock CEO Larry Fink to demand what they termed...

By Ray Gronberg

August 29, 2025

Tourism update

Buncombe County saw an estimated 10.8% reduction in visitor spending in 2024, a year where Hurricane Helene’s devastation left its tourism industry and that of western North Carolina in general reeling. According to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Buncombe saw about $2.6 billion in visitor spending for the...

By Ray Gronberg

August 29, 2025

Wolfspeed: Big loss, feds intervene in Chapter 11

Wolfspeed says it lost $1.6 billion in fiscal 2024-25, more than its loss in the prior two fiscal years combined. The Durham-based chipmaker told investors and the SEC that it booked $757.6 million in revenue for the year, about 6.1% less than the year before. But it lost even in...

By Ray Gronberg

August 28, 2025