AGP Executive Report

Meta Trial in NC: North Carolina AG Jeff Jackson is part of a bipartisan coalition arguing Meta designed Instagram and Facebook to be addictive to kids while misleading parents, with the case seeking penalties and major changes. Energy & Rates: Duke Energy Progress’ proposed residential rate settlement would mean about a 6.8% increase over two years, but Jackson says it’s still too high and won’t sign off. Data Center Push: A North Carolina debate over how to protect ratepayers as data centers expand is heating up, with lawmakers weighing risk-allocation rules and local concerns. Local Business & Jobs: Unifi agreed to sell about 120 acres and 500,000 sq. ft. of non-strategic Yadkin County real estate to WhiteFiber as it pivots toward AI data centers. Public Health & Safety: Walmart recalled a tomato bisque soup kit in 29 states over possible listeria contamination, including North Carolina. Consumer Watch: State Farm announced $5B in auto policyholder dividends, and North Carolina drivers can claim a share based on 2025 coverage. Tourism: Ashe County visitor spending rose 4% in 2025, signaling continued recovery momentum after Hurricane Helene.

Healthcare & jobs: Steris will invest $600M to build a 600,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution hub for healthcare chemicals near the Raleigh-Durham Research Triangle, creating about 335 jobs and moving operations from Missouri and Minnesota. Local governance: Wake County commissioners held sharply divided public testimony on the proposed WakeMed–Atrium Health merger, with no vote taken as residents and leaders weigh access to care and financial control. Public transit security: A state audit of Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) found gaps in security and fare enforcement, and said CATS failed to implement key FTA safety guidelines after a 2025 light-rail stabbing. Business growth & expansion: WhiteFiber agreed to buy two North Carolina data-center sites for up to $60M as it pivots from crypto mining to AI data centers. Food safety: Walmart-linked Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kits were recalled in 29 states, including North Carolina, over possible listeria contamination. Infrastructure: Charlotte kicked off work on a $24M Rail Trail Pedestrian Bridge over I-277, while NCDOT crews began phase one of the long-delayed Highway 107 project in Sylva. Energy & costs: GasBuddy reported some of the week’s lowest prices across multiple counties, including $3.67 regular in Stokes and $4.17 premium in Cabarrus.

Banking Deal: HomeTrust Bancshares says it will buy Richmond’s Blue Ridge Bankshares in a $448.1M all-stock deal, aiming to nearly double its branch network and expand its Southeast push; closing is expected early Q1 2027. Rail Investment: North Carolina is set to receive nearly $300M in federal money for rail crossing fixes, grade separations, and track upgrades along the Raleigh-to-Charlotte corridor, with NCDOT covering a 28.53% match. Local Health Infrastructure: Blowing Rock approved a land swap with Boone Brewing to fund a future Watauga County EMS ambulance base, a long-sought move to bring services closer to town. Education Leadership: Elkin’s school board will start reviewing superintendent applications Aug. 26 after hiring a consultant to run staff and community surveys. Politics & Ethics: Text messages tied to House Ethics findings allege Rep. Chuck Edwards used campaign funds for a Vegas trip with a female staffer, while NC’s Senate race shows Roy Cooper leading Michael Whatley by 12.5 points. Consumer & Food Safety: Walmart shoppers are warned about a recalled Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kit due to possible listeria contamination. Energy Prices: GasBuddy reports show spotty low prices across counties, with premium deals like $4.29 in Franklin County and midgrade lows near $3.98 in Alamance.

Immigration & Labor Loopholes: An “Undocuprofessionals” job board is advertising work that claims Social Security Number isn’t required, using ITINs/EINs to skirt federal hiring rules, including door-knocking roles tied to political turnout efforts. Biotech & FDA: Aurobindo Pharma’s Raleigh plant cleared a major FDA inspection, getting a “Voluntary Action Indicated” classification that lets pending inhaler and other drug applications move forward. Local Business & Workforce: Autobell Car Wash is awarding $150,000 in scholarships to 182 employees across the Carolinas and beyond for the 2026-27 school year. Boating Services: TowBoatUS opened a new port on Shearon Harris Lake, expanding on-water towing and recovery services for the Triangle region. Tech & Privacy: A new site, “Have I Been Flocked,” lets drivers check whether their license plate was searched in Flock Safety’s camera network, as backlash over automated surveillance grows. Data Center Backlash: A new poll finds 53% of North Carolinians oppose local data centers, with concerns centered on power, land use, water and noise. Healthcare Grants: ECU Health Bertie Hospital awarded $95,000 to 16 nonprofits through its community benefit grants program. Food Safety: A fresh warning highlights fake “Amazon safety recall” texts that steal login credentials, urging shoppers to verify recalls only through official channels. Energy Prices: GasBuddy reports show E15 and midgrade/premium pricing snapshots across multiple counties for the week ending Aug. 8.

Election Law: North Carolina lawmakers approved two election bills—House Bill 834 and House Bill 958—sending them to Gov. Josh Stein, with changes aimed at early voting, audits, and campaign money reporting. Food Safety: Walmart recalled Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kits due to possible listeria contamination, with affected products sold in multiple states including North Carolina. FDA Oversight: In Wake County-linked cities, the FDA reported two July inspections—one “Voluntary Action Indicated” and one “No Action Indicated”—covering devices and food/cosmetics operations. Gas Prices Watch: GasBuddy data shows E85 hit $3.27 in Franklin County and midgrade hit $3.78 in Pender County in the week ending Aug. 8, underscoring continued fuel-price volatility. Tourism & Housing: North Carolina visitor spending rose to a record $37.2B in 2025, but growth slowed; meanwhile, an Outer Banks Hatteras cottage listed for $349,500 was lifted out of the flood zone after Hurricane Matthew. Workforce Training: Surry-Yadkin Works expanded its Construction Academy, pairing classroom time at Surry Community College with on-the-job training for students and recent graduates. Surveillance Backlash: A new site lets drivers check whether their plates were searched in Flock Safety’s camera system, as scrutiny of automated plate readers continues.

SpaceX/Universities: Harvard Management Company disclosed a $2.2 billion stake in SpaceX, underscoring how the company’s blockbuster IPO is paying off for university investors. Local Infrastructure: Chatham County drew 350+ residents to a public hearing opposing Enbridge’s proposed 28-mile natural gas pipeline, with speakers pushing for tougher permits and more scrutiny over land, water, and local control. Road Project Impacts: An Asheville Kava X Coffee owner relocated after the I-26 Connector Project, saying the DOT covered move costs up to $33,000. Public Health: Bedbugs are rising across the U.S., and North Carolina State University research highlights concerns they may spread antibiotic-resistant infections like MRSA. Food Safety: Walmart recalled more than 3,000 Marketside tomato bisque soup kits in 29 states, including North Carolina, over possible listeria contamination. Health/Environment: A CDC study found nearly 40% of blacklegged ticks from a town near Asheville carried Lyme bacteria, raising alarm for local clinicians and families. Business Closures: Flavor Hills shut down its Raleigh and Durham locations immediately, citing community impact and support. Energy Prices: GasBuddy reported the lowest premium gas deals in parts of NC, with prices easing statewide for the week ending Aug. 8. Higher Ed: ECU leaders urged a focus on student success and broader learner groups as the university navigates enrollment and value questions.

Fuel Watch: GasBuddy data shows bargain weeks for drivers in parts of NC, including the lowest Lincoln County premium at $4.17 (week ending Aug. 8) and Stokes County premium at $4.39, while diesel deals also popped up in Madison County ($4.89) and E15 hit $3.18 in Duplin County. Food Safety: The cyclospora lettuce outbreak keeps widening, with North Carolina reporting 906 cases since May 1 and investigators still juggling multiple clusters with no named source beyond the Taylor Farms-linked group. Local Business: Flavor Hills, a Black-owned franchise, is closing its Raleigh and Durham locations immediately, citing community impact and thanking staff and customers. Public Health: Bedbug infestations are rising, and an N.C. State researcher warns they’re easy to bring home if you’re not vigilant. Community & Growth: Lowe’s awarded $50,000 to the Eastern North Carolina Farmer Collaborative to upgrade a shared food-safety center for small and beginning farmers. Politics & Policy: NC’s Department of Revenue Secretary McKinley Wooten Jr. will appear Aug. 21 at a Halifax Community College event focused on taxpayer resources. Broadband: Summit Growth Group launched in Charlotte to help broadband providers turn network buildouts into paying customers. Scams: BBB Scam Tracker ranked Gastonia among the top 10 NC cities for scam reports in July, with online purchase fraud driving the biggest losses.

Budget Deal: North Carolina finally passed a comprehensive $34B state budget after a long deadlock, restoring key funding and including pay raises for teachers and law enforcement plus income tax cuts. Food Safety: The FDA upgraded an egg recall to the highest risk level for salmonella after dozens of illnesses, while Walmart tomato bisque soup kits and other soup products were recalled over possible Listeria contamination. Public Health: A cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to lettuce keeps widening, with thousands of lab-confirmed cases reported nationwide and FDA still investigating supply-chain links. Local Economy & Infrastructure: Golden LEAF awarded $1.5M to extend sewer service to the Foothills Regional Airport Industrial Park, aiming to unlock about 800 acres for development. Courts & Education: The NC Supreme Court revived a private school enrollment dispute that could open the door to more lawsuits over private schools’ decisions. Tech & Elections: Wake County paused an elections software vendor after a possible cyberattack exposed poll-worker training info. Law Enforcement Tech: New Hanover County is reviewing license plate reader data retention as Flock Safety rolls out tighter safeguards after backlash.

Tourism Dollars: Halifax County’s visitor spending hit $132.83 million in 2025, up 0.8% from 2024, supporting 756 jobs and ranking fifth among counties in the Northeast Prosperity Zone. Food Safety: The FDA says most cyclosporiasis-linked lettuce was distributed to Walmart, as the CDC reports 13,895 lab-confirmed cases nationwide and adds more states to the outbreak footprint. Local Business Growth: High Point’s String and Splinter Club hired Elizabeth Johnson Yocum as general manager, aiming to boost member programming ahead of the club’s 70th anniversary. Aerospace Impact: Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II event in Kinston highlighted the program’s role in eastern N.C. jobs and supply-chain activity, with 23 companies producing components statewide. Energy Watch: GasBuddy data shows diesel hit a low of $4.95 in Onslow County for the week ending Aug. 8, while statewide diesel averaged $5.26. Tech Backlash: An AI data center consent fight is growing, with residents blocking or delaying projects worth about $130 billion in early 2026. Biotech IPO: Raleigh-based Vogenx raised $81.3 million in its IPO, trading on Nasdaq as VOGX. Retail Recall: Walmart-linked Marketside tomato soup kits were recalled in 29 states, including North Carolina, over potential Listeria contamination.

Aerospace & Jobs: Lockheed Martin brought an F-35 Lightning II cockpit simulator to Kinston, highlighting the program’s footprint in North Carolina—4,600 workers supported and $613M in annual economic impact. Energy & Utilities: North Carolina AG Jeff Jackson challenged Duke Energy’s under-oath math on a proposed residential rate increase, arguing the real impact is higher than the company’s 6.8% figure. Courts & Business Risk: A federal judge sentenced Greg Lindberg’s top associate, Christopher Herwig, to two years for helping run one of the biggest insurance fraud schemes in U.S. history. Local Government & Public Safety Funding: Brunswick County’s “fire fee” system is set to raise bills up to 25% based on square footage, with fire chiefs warning it’s lagging behind equipment costs. Tech & Education: NCCU cut the ribbon on a new $7.2M AI institute building in Durham, aiming to expand ethical, hands-on AI training. Manufacturing & Supply Chains: Dexco added a fluidized-bed epoxy insulation line at its Burlington, NC facility to make busbars rated up to 38 kV for data centers and utilities. Small Business & Recovery: A survey finds 3 in 4 small businesses in western North Carolina are still at or below pre-Helene revenue, nearly two years later. Consumer & Food Safety: Lidl recalled a wok spice mix in nine states including North Carolina after Salmonella showed up in internal testing. Energy Costs at the Pump: GasBuddy data shows the lowest regular price in Iredell County hit $3.49 for the week ending Aug. 8.

Duke Energy Rate Case: North Carolina AG Jeff Jackson says Duke Energy Progress customers could face a bigger increase than the utility’s 6.8% figure, with the state estimating about 9.3%—the Utilities Commission will decide on the settlement, with new rates potentially starting Jan. 1, 2027. Flood Resilience Planning: DEQ’s Flood Resiliency Blueprint released the final Tar-Pamlico River Basin Action Strategy, laying out 33 priority actions—everything from stormwater and road fixes to building-level floodproofing and nature-based solutions. Tourism Dollars: Pender County reported $203.08M in visitor spending in 2025, up 0.4% from 2024, supporting jobs and tax revenue. Manufacturing Investment: Nucor’s Vulcraft unit plans a $59M expansion in St. Joe, Indiana, adding 20 jobs by end of 2027. Local Business & Growth: Fayetteville State University’s Broadwell College earned a top-20 spot in Princeton Review’s 2027 online MBA rankings. Public Safety Tech: Flock Safety is rolling out new safeguards for its license plate reader network after backlash over alleged police misuse. Food Safety: Taylor Farms and Whole Foods pulled recalled jalapeño products tied to a salmonella outbreak. Community Events: Duke Homestead’s Brightleaf Harvest Day and a Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum fall gardening workshop are both set for late August.

Utilities & Rates: North Carolina AG Jeff Jackson says he won’t sign a Duke Energy Progress settlement that would still lift bills about 6.8% over two years, arguing it’s too high for families and pushing for data-center cost rules that better protect ratepayers. Regulation & Industry Influence: A new report alleges utility and tech firms are “educating” regulators through private, industry-funded retreats—raising fresh conflict-of-interest questions as data centers strain power systems. Insurance: S&P Global says the homeowners insurance market is moving into a “fragmented phase,” with national rate adequacy largely reset but continued pressure in certain high-loss areas. Courts & Labor: A North Carolina appeals court upheld dismissal in a heat-stress farmworker lawsuit, citing workers’ comp limits even after a prior death in similar conditions. Food Safety: Lidl US recalled a lot of Vitasia Asian Style Wok Spice Mix due to potential Salmonella contamination. Local Business/Community: Elk Park reviewed its water system’s asset plan and finances, while Wake County leaders discussed a plan to use school-owned land to spur affordable housing for educators. Tech/Finance: Zerohash is preparing a narrower US trust bank bid after regulators returned its first filing.

Workforce & Education: North Carolina’s workforce push got a boost as the NCWorks Commission approved 43 training programs to become the first state-approved Workforce Pell options, opening the door for more short-term training students to tap federal aid. Labor Enforcement: The N.C. Department of Labor recovered a record $3.7 million in unpaid wages for workers across 89 of 100 counties, after investigating 2,199 complaints. Local Digital Access: The Center for Digital Equity in Charlotte rolled out do.OS, a new model aimed at moving beyond device access to connect residents to coordinated digital skills, support, and pathways to jobs and services in an AI-driven economy. Energy Policy: N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson said he won’t sign a Duke Energy Progress settlement that would still raise residential bills about 6.8% over two years, while continuing to press for rate rules that better protect families from data-center strain. Business Growth: Biscoff owner Lotus Bakeries announced a €500 million expansion plan, including a “substantial” new production hall in Mebane, as the brand keeps accelerating in the U.S. Politics & Business Climate: An Elon University poll shows Roy Cooper leading Michael Whatley in the U.S. Senate race, but with expectations the contest will tighten as voters get to know the GOP nominee.

State Budget Power Shift: Gov. Josh Stein signed budget changes that move more authority from his administration to Republican lawmakers, including new checks on Cabinet appointments and funding tweaks tied to disaster relief, teacher pipelines, and economic development. Workforce & Enforcement: North Carolina’s Labor Department announced a record $3.7M recovery of unpaid wages, underscoring pressure on employers and the state’s push to crack down on labor violations. Utilities & Costs: Duke Energy rate-hike hearings are back in focus as regulators weigh how much bills could rise, while the companies also urged residents to call 811 before digging amid thousands of reported line-damage incidents. Economic Development: STERIS is set to invest $600M in Sanford, promising 335 jobs, as more manufacturers expand in the state. Local Business & Growth: Silentium Defense opened a U.S. headquarters in Apex, aiming to grow from 10 employees to 50 next year as it serves defense customers. Consumer Watch: BBB Scam Tracker data shows North Carolina remains among the highest in scam reports, with Charlotte and Raleigh leading major metro counts.

Labor & Wages: North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley says the state recovered a record $3.7 million in unpaid wages for workers across 89 of 100 counties in fiscal year 2026, targeting issues like unpaid final paychecks, withheld commissions and unauthorized deductions. Utilities & Cost of Living: Duke Energy’s rate hike hearing at the NC Utilities Commission drew pushback from advocates who point to the company’s 2025 profit, as the utility seeks residential increases averaging about 3.4% to 3.7% starting in 2027. Healthcare Access: Advance Community Health rebranded to Amplify Health, highlighting its push to expand affordable care in Wake and Franklin counties and noting uninsured access for thousands of patients. Local Business & Growth: Mosaic Capital Partners invested in Southern Shade Tree, a Carolina landscaping firm, and simultaneously acquired an eastern NC operator, expanding a workforce of 350+ employees. Food Safety: A Salmonella outbreak tied to jalapeños has expanded to downstream recalls across multiple states, including North Carolina. Consumer Watch: BBB Scam Tracker data shows North Carolina logged 853 scam reports in July 2026, ranking it 7th nationally. Community & Education: Elkin City Schools received 31 applications for its superintendent job as the board reviews candidates with input from community and staff surveys.

Tariffs & cost of living: North Carolina joined a lawsuit aimed at stopping new Trump administration tariffs, arguing they’ll raise prices for families and businesses already squeezed by higher costs. NC politics: Republicans in the 11th Congressional District picked state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom to replace Chuck Edwards on the November ballot, setting up a matchup with Democrat Jamie Ager. Housing & growth: Brunswick County’s planning board approved two developments near Bolivia totaling 700+ homes, with residents raising concerns about traffic, flooding, and school capacity. Energy & solar: Despite headwinds, rooftop solar in North Carolina is still expanding, helped by leasing and utility battery incentives that can lower monthly bills. Public safety & privacy: The debate over automated license plate readers continues, with communities weighing renewals and privacy risks tied to systems like Flock. Courts & labor: An NC appeals court ruled a heat-stricken farm worker can’t sue outside workers’ comp, underscoring limited options for injured workers. Business finance: Janus Living priced a public stock offering to fund acquisitions and investments. Healthcare & pharma: RaySearch said UNC School of Medicine expanded its RayStation licenses for advanced proton planning. Local economy: Rocky Mount voted to continue utility cutoffs despite backlash after a family’s deaths following disconnection.