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Last week it was announced that unemployment decreased in all of the state’s 100 counties in March.  While these numbers do not reflect seasonal adjustments, Employment Security Commission Chair Lynn Holmes commended the Governor’s JobsNOW “12-in-6” program as an example of one state initiative dedicated to getting unemployed North Carolinians back into the workforce.

Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW “12-in-6” program was created in August 2009 with $13.4 million in federal recovery funds.    The money was used to hire community college teachers and expand community college course offerings to train local workers in six months or less for occupations that matched local employer needs.

As of March 31, 2010 nearly 11,000 students have enrolled in “12-in-6” training classes and 2,600 workers have completed training. The classes, which began in the fall and require six months or less to finish, vary in occupation areas. Nursing, phlebotomy, office support, masonry, plumbing, carpentry, welding, food service, and auto body repair are only some of the courses offered and community colleges have the flexibility to teach courses that are tailored to their local economy’s needs as well.

Jobs are Gov. Perdue’s number one priority and on-the-ground, targeted job training like JobsNOW “12-in-6” are critical to our economic future. 

Today, NCDOT submitted an application for $300 million in discretionary funding made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is uncommon for us to notify the public when we apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation for funding; we typically wait until we receive the grant. But this grant application is unique.

We are applying for these funds to make critical improvements along I-85 in Davidson and Rowan counties, including replacement of the Yadkin River Bridge. This stretch of I-85 is immensely important to North Carolina. It is a major interstate used to move people and products throughout our state. It is also critical to people from all across the nation for the same reason.

North Carolinians from all corners of our state are publically pledging their support for this grant. Since the grant is “discretionary,” that matters. NCDOT created a Web site (www.ncdot.gov/recovery/i85corridor/), to demonstrate how critical this project is to those of us who rely on it everyday.

I encourage everyone to visit the Web site, review the details of the proposed project, read letters of support already submitted, and then add their own. Demonstrating to USDOT that we are united in this effort could make a difference. Please tell your story and share your support by clicking the “Project Support” tab.

Economic recovery funding for transportation is already helping North Carolina, both in terms of making infrastructure improvements and supporting jobs and economic development, and this grant money would allow us to make this vital project a reality.

We do not have a date as to when USDOT will decide which states and projects are selected, but we will keep you posted!

From the mountains to the coast, 315 new grants from the Governor’s Crime Commission will help protect North Carolinians and reduce crime.  Grants are going towards educational programs, domestic violence shelters and high-tech equipment for law enforcement.

More than $62 million is being distributed to 86 counties, five state agencies and six universities for these and other crime-fighting tools and programs. 

Many a success story has resulted from past grants.  For example, a program in High Point that gives offenders a second chance has become a national model in several major cities across the country.  Another example is the DREAMS Center of Wilmington which offers free arts education to underserved students in Wilmington. In 2007, the center received the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities Coming Up Taller Award.  Both programs received funding through the Governor’s Crime Commission.

We look forward to the latest innovative ideas that will be coming from this year’s grants.  Here is a small sampling:

Alamance County’s Domestic Violence Shelter, Brunswick County’s Adult Drug Treatment program, Buncombe County’s Gang Violence Prevention project, Morganton’s Public Safety Mobile, Chatham County’s Latino Youth Gang program, Clay County’s Mobile Data Computer, Durham’s Fiber Optic Initiative, Mecklenburg’s Child Advocacy Center, Southern Pines’ Livescan Fingerprint Project, Fayetteville State University’s Rape Aggression Defense program, and Wake County’s Comprehensive Court Advocacy program. 

These, and many other programs provide a great deal of hope for all of us who want North Carolina to be a safer place to live.

I just returned from the town of Green Level in Alamance County, where Gov. Bev Perdue announced the award of economic recovery funding of more than $40 million to 35 communities in 28 counties in drinking water projects as part of her JobsNOW initiative. I was pleased to join the governor this morning as she informed the leaders and citizens of Green Level that the town will receive nearly $2 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to construct a 300,000 gallon elevated water storage tank and associated waterlines.

The announcement this morning was special, in that this small town has only one drinking water supply line (it purchases its water from the city of Graham), and that it has no water storage capacity. This means that Green Level's citizens have been without water on several occasions due to water lines breaks. The funding announced today means the citizens of Green Level will have a safe and reliable water supply, as well as the capacity to add new water line extensions, providing the fuel for growth and a stronger tax base. The funding also means that new jobs will be created as construction of the storage tanks gets underway.

This is an example of just one of 35 projects funded in this first-round distribution of nearly $40.4 million by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Other public water supply systems receiving project awards will upgrade water supply treatment and replace aging water lines. Round two funding will be awarded this summer for the remaining $25 million of the total $65.6 million in monies received by North Carolina for drinking water infrastructure projects.

Gov. Perdue’s leadership and commitment to ensuring these funds go to work quickly for the citizens of North Carolina has been crucial.  And as I saw this morning, the federal economic recovery dollars truly highlight the importance of partnerships between leaders on the local, state and federal level. I look forward to seeing these projects reach completion, and as they do so, improving the health of the state's economy and its citizens.

As part of our economic recovery efforts, this past week I sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation letting them know that North Carolina is pursuing discretionary grant funding to replace the Yadkin River bridge on I-85 in Rowan and Davidson counties and urging them to expedite the grant allocation process. The funding, which was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is being awarded by USDOT on a competitive basis for important transportation improvements across the nation.

Governor Perdue and I, along with North Carolina’s Congressional delegation, agree that the Yadkin River bridge is an ideal candidate for this funding. The bridge is located on one of North Carolina’s most heavily traveled routes, and is critical to regional and statewide mobility. However, its $300 million price tag makes it difficult to fund through traditional means, especially given our current economy.

We hope to hear from Washington soon, and we’ll keep you posted on our progress. As Governor Perdue announced several weeks ago, we’ve already identified about $466 million in highway and bridge improvements to be funded through the economic recovery plan, with more projects to come in all modes of transportation. These projects will not only help strengthen our infrastructure, but they will also create jobs and generate economic development. Please visit NCDOT’s Web site www.ncdot.gov or www.ncrecovery.gov to find out more about how we are putting this recovery money to work for North Carolina.