Leoneda Inge

Some of the top bloggers and tech-savvy professionals will be in Raleigh for the next two days for the annual Internet Summit.

Internet Summit 2011 will feature more than 120 speakers and 80 presentations and panels.  This year’s keynote presenter is popular blogger, author and wine aficionado Gary Vaynerchuck of Wine Library T-V and Daily Grape.

A major take-over is in the works in the North Carolina technology sector.

TIMCO Aerosystems is showing off its newest manufacturing facility today in Davidson County.   The company needed a second plant to keep up with demand.

The new TIMCO Aerosystems plant is in the town of Wallburg.  There are about 140 employees at the facility where airline seating is manufactured for companies like Boeing and Airbus.  Rick Salanitri is President of TIMCO Aerosystems.  He says they conducted a national search to determine the best place to expand.

It could take years to make-up for all the jobs lost since the Recession.  Since December 2007, North Carolina has lost more than 300-thousand jobs. President Barack Obama says “Innovation” is the key to NEW economy jobs.

Pres. Barack Obama:  "We know what we have to do to create jobs right now.  And create jobs in the future.  We know that if we want businesses to start here and stay here and hire here, we’ve got to be able to out build and out educate and out innovate every country on earth!"

A major push is underway in North Carolina to help grow businesses in the Life Sciences. 

Dare County continues to struggle with re-building and with high job loss since Hurricane Irene hit two months ago. 

The latest unemployment numbers from across the state show a majority of counties experienced a drop in their jobless rates.  But not Dare County.  In August – the unemployment rate in Dare County was 7-point-5-percent – much lower than the national and the state rate.  But in September - the jobless rate was nearly two points higher.  Kenny Kee manages the Employment Security Commission office in Nags Head.  He says people couldn’t get to work after the storm.

An online game developed to help bring awareness to the needy at Urban Ministries of Durham is helping keep the organization afloat.

McKinney advertising agency developed and launched the online game SPENT earlier this year.  Players live close to the edge of joblessness and homelessness.  And at the end – they’re prompted to donate to Urban Ministries of Durham.  Patrice Nelson is Executive Director of the non-profit.  She says SPENT has brought in 41-thousand dollars so far.

The latest numbers show an increase in unemployment across the state.  But private sector jobs are growing and SAS is an example of that growth. 

The state of North Carolina is undergoing an outside review of its oil and gas regulatory programs.  Questions surrounding “fracking” or hydraulic fracturing for natural gas led to the review.

The non-profit reviewing body is called STRONGER – State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations, Inc.  It’s made up of state agencies, the oil and gas industry and environmental groups. Wilma Subra is chairwoman of the STRONGER board.  She says they’ve reviewed several states so far, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Louisiana and now North Carolina.

The debate over hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” is heating up in North Carolina.   The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources has the task of preparing a study for lawmakers as they consider whether to allow the controversial drilling technique.  A final report is due in less than a year. Critics of “fracking” want the state to slow down.