Press Releases

Main Street America, a subsidiary of the National Trust for the Historic Preservations, has selected three North Carolina communities to participate in its Main Street Façade Improvement Grant Program. The program, made possible by a $746,900 grant administered by the National Park Service, seeks to demonstrate the power of coordinated, small-scale façade improvements on local economies, reinvigorate the image of downtown districts and attract private capital investment.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties in February. Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 13.3 percent, while Buncombe and Orange Counties each had the lowest at 2.9 percent. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate decreases. Among the metro areas, Fayetteville had the highest rate at 4.9 percent and Asheville and Durham-Chapel Hill each had the lowest rate at 3.1 percent. The February not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 3.7 percent.

Bandwidth Inc., a leading global provider of communications software, will expand its Raleigh headquarters in a move that will bring 1,165 new jobs to North Carolina over the coming eight years, Commerce Secretary Anthony Copeland announced today. The company’s plans include the creation of at least $103,426,500 in capital investment.

Global chemical manufacturer Dymax Corporation will create 59 new jobs at a new production site in Gaston County, North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony Copeland announced today. The Connecticut-based company will invest more than $21.5 million in establishing a manufacturing facility in Gastonia.

Nineteen communities recently received awards for excellence in downtown revitalization at the North Carolina Main Street and Small Town Main Street Awards Ceremony, held March 11 in New Bern.  North Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland and Assistant Secretary of Rural Economic Development Kenny Flowers honored recipients in categories that include economic vitality, design, promotion and organization.

Correct Craft, a Florida company that recently completed an acquisition of Beaufort-based Parker Boats, will create 38 new jobs in an expansion at its Carteret County manufacturing facility. The company’s plans, announced today by North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony Copeland, include a capital investment of $1,715,000.

The state’s seasonally adjusted February unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, remaining unchanged from January’s revised rate. The national rate decreased 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5 percent. North Carolina’s February 2020 unemployment rate decreased 0.5 of a percentage point from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 6,250 over the month to 4,931,991 and increased 84,031 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 2,293 over the month to 182,598 and decreased 22,068 over the year.

Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in all 100 of North Carolina’s counties in January. Hyde County had the highest unemployment rate at 14.2 percent, while Buncombe County had the lowest at 3.2 percent. All 15 of the state’s metro areas experienced rate increases. Among the metro areas, Fayetteville had the highest rate at 5.3 percent and Asheville had the lowest rate at 3.4 percent. The January not seasonally adjusted statewide rate was 4.1 percent.

The state’s seasonally adjusted January unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, remaining unchanged from December’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.6 percent.

The NCWorks Commission, North Carolina’s workforce development board, today released a new plan that outlines the state’s workforce development strategy over the next four years. Required by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), this Unified State Plan will be submitted to the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education.