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Trump Headlines Administration's Visits To North Carolina

President Donald Trump is returning to North Carolina for a campaign rally in a likely presidential battleground state that he won in 2016.

Trump will address thousands inside Smith-Williams Arena at East Carolina University on Wednesday.

Wednesday is eventful for the Trump administration in North Carolina. Vice President Mike Pence plans to attend a private fundraiser for 9th Congressional District candidate Dan Bishop in Fayetteville and then speak to Fort Bragg military personnel and guests before joining Trump in Greenville.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will be in Raleigh to talk about her tax credit proposal designed to expand school-choice options. Lt. Gov. Dan Forest is among event participants.

Blue Cross To Add Up To 170 Jobs In The Triad

Blue Cross and Blue Shield has announced it's bringing at least 350 new jobs to North Carolina. Many of the positions will be in the Triad. 

The company will be opening offices in Winston-Salem and Cary to serve Healthy Blue, a new Medicaid plan being offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. 

According to a news release, Healthy Blue has leased 42,000 square feet of office space in Winston-Salem, where it plans to hire up to 170 workers.

With Budget Deal Absent, Legislators Consider Stopgap Plans

Chances that a North Carolina budget standoff between Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is soon resolved appear small enough that GOP legislators are looking to spend more funds to keep state government humming.

Negotiations between Cooper and GOP lawmakers on a compromise have gone nowhere since Cooper vetoed the budget in late June. And Republicans also have tried without success to override Cooper's veto.

State government continued operating when the new fiscal year began July 1. But House and Senate Republicans are advancing competing stopgap spending measures to cover more spending needs.

Distilleries Benefit In NC Alcohol Bill Given Final OK

North Carolina distilleries would benefit from eased regulations to sell their own products on-site and market them at Alcoholic Beverage Control stores in legislation heading to Gov. Roy Cooper's desk.

The bill would allow liquor tastings at local ABC stores, with a focus on creating opportunities for in-state distillers. An earlier annual limit on how many bottles distilleries can sell directly to people who tour their operations would be removed.

Separately, the bill makes clear that most licensed establishments can sell two beers or glasses of wine to a single customer and would permit bingo game operators to sell alcoholic beverages.

Dem US House Hopeful To Propose Expanding National Service

The North Carolina Democrat in a U.S. House special election plans to propose broadly increasing national service programs to better tie the country together.

Dan McCready makes his pitch Wednesday in suburban Charlotte alongside retired U.S. Army four-star general Stanley McChrystal. He's the former head of the Joint Special Operations Command who later headed forces in Afghanistan.

McCready is expected to propose quadrupling the size of AmeriCorps, the program that now places 75,000 young people to work in early childhood education and environmental conservation. Participants get a living allowance and help paying for higher education.

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