Governor Roy Cooper officially declared North Carolina as an Employment First State through signing of an Executive Order today in Kernersville, NC at the Piedmont Triad Regional Council.

“Employment First” refers to the belief that employment in the general workforce should be the first and preferred option for individuals with disabilities. The principles of Employment First include working in integrated settings and earning competitive wages and benefits; securing employment with reasonable and appropriate placement and support; employees with and without disabilities are equally valued and that jobs should match an individual’s work skills, abilities and career choices to the greatest extent possible.

This effort has been in the making for over 10 years. The collective impact of state agencies like NC Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of of Mental Health/Substance Abuse Services/Developmental Disabilities, Office of Disability Employment Policy; nonprofit organizations like Association of People Supporting Employment First; and many community advocates have brought the state to this milestone for people with disabilities and employment.

“This is a very exciting moment for the disability community,” said Alexandra McArthur, chairperson of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities. “Employment offers a rewarding sense of purpose, high expectations and an ability to contribute to society. People with disabilities are talented, capable and ready to work – and we are excited to see the State of North Carolina support this effort.”

In North Carolina, there are approximately 1.3 million individuals with disabilities who experience disproportionately high levels of unemployment, residential segregation, dependence and poverty. Additionally, less than 35 percent of North Carolinians who are between the ages of 18 and 64 and have a disability are employed – a stark contrast to the nearly 76 percent of North Carolinians without disabilities who are employed.

This announcement comes on the heels of many employment initiatives that have begun across the State to increase employment outcomes for underserved and unserved communities.

In 2017, the NC Job Ready Initiative better aligned public sector resources with the evolving needs of businesses; and Hometown Strong Initiative in 2018 bolstered existing public-private efforts to expand employment opportunities to all North Carolinians.

NCCDD launched EveryBody Works North Carolina to increase awareness of the skills and expertise of North Carolinians with disabilities; provide them and their families with information on how to access training and education; help them become more competitive for available job opportunities; and to improve their job readiness.

The internet’s largest auction site just selected Greensboro, North Carolina as one of only 3 cities in America and 5 around the world to launch their new ‘Retail Revival’ program.

Businesses in each selected city will work directly with eBay for 12 months to receive training, support, and resources to scale their brands on both local and global scales.

“Today is an exciting day for the Greensboro small business community,” said Mayor Nancy Vaughan. “We’re thankful for eBay’s partnership and support of our local entrepreneurs, and we’re excited to bring Greensboro’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to the world through the Retail Revival program.”

In total, eBay has selected 70 businesses around the Greensboro area to represent the city in the new program. The businesses were selected on the basis of product-market fit, uniqueness of inventory, readiness for growth, and strength of their brand narrative.

“From the vibrant downtown to the neighborhood streets, Greensboro is an ideal place to launch our Retail Revival initiative,” said Steve Wymer, SVP and Chief Communications Officer at eBay. “The support for this important program from Mayor Vaughan and the City has been so encouraging, and that enthusiasm has also been reflected in the incredible cohort of participants. Empowering small businesses in communities across the world is central to eBay’s identity and purpose, and we’re thrilled to partner with Greensboro in this pursuit.”

In addition to Greensboro, eBay has also selected Akron, Ohio, Lansing, Michigan, Wolverhampton, UK, and Halifax, Canada to participate in their new program.

A growing number of people have been calling Davie County emergency lines claiming they spotted a giant red-eyed bigfoot late at night. When several of those sightings appeared to originate from the same place, the county sent their animal control department to investigate.

It turns out that people were not imagining things.

In a Facebook post, the Davie County Animal Shelter issued a statement saying that there is indeed a bigfoot along Pine Ridge Rd. in Mocksville, but it is not a threat and, if spotted, “you do not need to call animal control to report seeing Bigfoot, Sasquatch or any other large creature…do not tie up 911 lines.”

In a follow-up post, the county added, “the ACOs (Animal Control Officers) asked for this post, because they are tired of answering calls.”

The county also noted that the carving is on private property, does not violate any laws, and will likely remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Outside of the Pacific Northwest, North Carolina might be the biggest hotspot for bigfoot sightings and lore.

There is a growing NC Facebook group called ‘Bigfoot 911’, which was first started in 2014 after a group of local investigators decided to share tips, stories, and photos from the McDowell County area.

The group received national and international attention after they reported a shockingly detailed sighting of Bigfoot near Lake James.

Last year, they also organized their first annual Bigfoot festival, the largest event of its kind on the east coast.

The festival was held in the small town of Marion, NC (about 50 miles North West of Charlotte). It included a wide variety of Sasquatch-themed craft and food vendors, book signings, lectures, along with Bigfoot hunting demonstrations including photographs and plaster casts from recent expeditions in the NC woods.

What are your thoughts on Bigfoot – do you think he’s real?