North Carolina News – March 18

North Carolina News – March 18

GOOGLE-NORTH CAROLINA

Google announces North Carolina cloud engineering hub

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Google has announced plans to create a hub in Durham, North Carolina, for hundreds of engineers to work on its Google Cloud products. The company said in a statement Thursday that it is already recruiting for the site and that it plans to employ 150 people by the end of the year. The company said it will aim to add 300 more employees next year and 500 more in 2023. The site will eventually support more than 1,000 jobs and be one of Google Cloud’s top engineering hubs. The Google service uses cloud-based computing to help companies with a range of needs including managing databases and collaborating remotely.

SPORTS BETTING-CASINOS

Sports-betting venues opening at 2 western NC casinos

CHEROKEE, N.C. (AP) — The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is ready to open sports-betting venues at its two western North Carolina casinos. Thursday’s sports book openings at the Harrah’s Cherokee casinos in Cherokee and Murphy come nearly two years after the General Assembly gave the federally recognized American Indian tribe the authority to offer this type of gambling. The option opened up in 2018 after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that restricted sports gambling in most states. Patrons can bet on pro and collegiate sports, as well as on off-site horse races.

DEVICES DETONATED-NORTH CAROLINA

N Carolina man arrested after explosions near buildings

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Police say a North Carolina man has been arrested days after explosive devices were detonated near a county building and a veterans post, causing “superficial damage.” Brevard police said in a news release that officers arrested 64-year-old Terry Lee Barham on Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say officers searched Barham’s residence and found material used to make devices such as those found on Sunday at three locations. All of the devices except for the one at a church had already been detonated at the time of their discovery. No one was injured. Barham faces numerous charges, including possession of a weapon of mass destruction. It’s not known if he has an attorney.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NORTH CAROLINA

Many N.C. college students qualify for COVID-19 shot April 7

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A large share of North Carolina college students will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine starting April 7. State health officials say those living in fraternity or sorority houses, dorms or apartments will qualify for a shot because they live in a congregate setting. The state Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year removed college students as a priority group. Education leaders are now working to communicate the latest guidance to colleges to let them know many students will soon qualify for a vaccine.

UNC BOARD

Senators elect 7 members to UNC Board of Governors

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Senate has elected seven people to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. Senators reelected Wednesday to the UNC system’s governing board Chair Randy Ramsey and members Art Pope and Jimmy Clark. Board newcomers also electe d to four-year terms are investment firm partner Lee Roberts, security-services firm president Sonja Nichols and real estate developer Kirk Bradley. Senators also selected former Democratic state Sen. Joel Ford to fill out the term of Darrell Allison, who is now Fayetteville State University chancellor. The House also will soon elect six people to the board, which has 24 voting members.

CONSTITUTION-TERM LIMITS

Term-limits US constitutional convention backed by NC House

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina legislature would endorse a U.S. constitutional convention to consider sending a congressional term-limit amendment to the states, under a resolution approved by the state House. The call for a convention had support from House Speaker Tim Moore. He spoke for the idea on the House floor before it was approved 61-52 on Wednesday. The resolution now goes to the Senate. Congress would convene a term-limits convention if legislatures in 34 states asked for it. And any proposed amendment from the convention would need ratification from 38 states to be implemented. The North Carolina resolution doesn’t propose specific term limits.

AP-US-RACIAL-INJUSTICE-POLICE-SOCIAL-WORK

Collaboration with police divides social workers across US

CHICAGO (AP) — As high-profile police brutality cases have shaken the nation over this past year, many social workers remain divided over one important question: What should their relationship with law enforcement look like? Increased collaboration with police has support among the National Association of Social Workers and other social workers who say their work could reduce racism in policing and improve the relationship between law enforcement and communities of color. But many social workers across the county disagree, saying more cooperation between social work and police risks further harming communities of color and ignoring the systemic racism that exists within the field itself.

AP-SCI-HURRICANE-ASSUMPTIONS

Bye Alpha, Eta: Greek alphabet ditched for hurricane names

The Atlantic hurricane season seems to be changing and so are some assumptions about it, with meteorologists dumping the Greek alphabet for busy seasons like last year. Meteorologists Wednesday eliminated Greek as back-up if there are more than 21 named storms and instead came up with a supplemental list. The same group discussed changing the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, but instead decided to keep it to June 1 for this year. With warmer waters, the Atlantic is getting earlier storms and more of them. Some meteorologists think the way warnings are given need to change, too.

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