NORTH CAROLINA ECONOMY

State degree gap widens in health care, education, engineering

April 17, 2026 Dan Reeves

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s fast-growing economy is outpacing its ability to produce enough graduates for critical industries, according to a new report from the UNC System. The “Workforce Alignment Report” finds the state’s 16 public […]

Specialty steel manufacturer to invest $875M in Hertford County

March 6, 2026 Dan Reeves

A specialty steel manufacturer plans to invest up to $875 million to build a large-scale production facility in Hertford County, a project state officials say will bring hundreds of high-paying jobs to northeastern North Carolina. […]

Economists say NC’s 2026 outlook hinges on AI growth, job market

January 23, 2026 North State Journal staff

RALEIGH — After a year of economic uncertainty, North Carolina is heading into 2026 with a different kind of momentum — one driven less by guesswork and more by the breakneck expansion of artificial intelligence, […]

Nearly one year into pandemic, more than 100k restaurants remain closed across US

February 24, 2021 Elizabeth Lincicome, North State Journal

RALEIGH — A year into the nation’s fight against COVID-19, owners of restaurants, bars, gyms, beauty salons and other small businesses continue to struggle to stay afloat. Despite two rounds of federal stimulus, a majority […]

DROZ: Name of the game: Isolate the few to protect the many

June 24, 2020 John Droz, Job Creators Network Foundation

The number of coronavirus cases are still on the rise in North Carolina. In parallel, the economy is in free fall. The state unemployment rate has more than tripled since February, and 1 million people […]