Fact Sheet: What NC Hospitality Leaders Need to Know About New Human Trafficking Training Regulations
Need to know: Every North Carolina hotel and short-term rental property will need to comply with new training requirements that go into effect this July. Key Information about House Bill 971 Requirements: More Information: Bottom Line: The North Carolina Hospitality Alliance is working with the North Carolina Department of Labor to craft reasonable regulations that…
North Carolina public schools could start earlier in the year under new bill
03/25/2025 | WRAL The North Carolina state Senate leader wants to give public education leaders more flexibility in starting their school year. State law currently forbids public school districts from starting class instruction before the Monday closest to Aug. 26 — but nearly a quarter of the state’s districts broke the law last year. A bill filed…
North Carolina’s fastest-growing city blows Raleigh, Charlotte out of the water
Triangle Business Journal March 17, 2025 If you’re looking for the North Carolina city where growth is on fire, you don’t need to worry about Raleigh or Charlotte. When it comes to the fastest-growing metro in the state, the coast is where you want to look. Wilmington is among the top 10 metro areas for population…
Blue Ridge Parkway visits high despite Helene. Trump officials don’t want it publicized
Asheville Citizen-Times March 11, 2025 ASHEVILLE – Despite a natural disaster, two Western North Carolina national park sites remained among the most visited in the country in 2024, though a March 5 National Park Service memo indicated the Trump administration wishes to obscure information relevant to the number of visitors. While major sections of the…
State’s fix for costly litter problem ‘not efficient or sufficient’
Coastal Review Online March 13th, 2025 The cleanup of more than 7,000 tons of litter in North Carolina cost state agencies, local governments and nonprofits more than $56 million in 2023, according to a new report. Those figures highlighted in “The Cost of Litter in North Carolina,” a 14-page report created through a collaboration of…
‘No tax on tips’ bill gains momentum, bipartisan support in NC House
WRAL News- March 11th, 20225 A bill to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime pay and some bonus pay advanced in a state legislative committee Tuesday despite a lack of details on how it might be abused, or how much it could cost the state in lost revenue. The idea not to tax tips was one…
Lenovo Center revamp features swank seats, spiffy bar for Canes fans (Gallery)
Triangle Business Journal 03.03.2025 A dramatic reimagining of the Lenovo Center in Raleigh and space around it begins for the next National Hockey League season, with new premium experiences along the ice a part of the changes ahead. The ice level, what team officials call the “Event Level,” will add five to seven bunker suites next year, generally accommodating…
Surge of recovery workers Buncombe hotels best-ever January for occupancy
WUNC February 27th, 2025 Buncombe County’s hospitality industry was hard hit by the drop in tourism after Hurricane Helene. But last month, hotels posted their best January ever — due in large part to long-stay corporate guests booking rooms as they work on disaster recovery and insurance claims in the area. Vic Isley, president and…
Longtime hospitality leader to retire
Triangle Business Journal 02/25/2025 After 13 years at the helm, the leader of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association is headed for retirement. Lynn Minges, who has served as president and CEO of the Raleigh-based nonprofit since 2012, is stepping down at the end of the year. Until then, she’ll continue to lead and…