North Carolina

The Tar Heel State came in No. 2 overall in a CNBC survey with the highest rankings for economy and workforce, moving up one spot from third in 2019. A solid profile with life, health and inclusion as the only factor the state scored in the bottom-half-- 37th out of 50-- with a D- grade.

Colonial was ordered to fix troubleshooting gaps across its entire network to prevent future spills. The major leak discovered at a wildlife refuge outside of Charlotte was not a first occurrence for the company. It was eventually reported that almost 18 times more gasoline leaked from its pipe than its original estimate,

Officials will draw the next $1 million winner from the pool of eligible North Carolinians who've received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose as of Sunday, July 4. However, the incentive of a lump sum payout is not swaying people to line up for their shots.

A hurricane watch was issued for the Sunshine State's western coast, but it's unknown if Elsa will strengthen before making landfall. The system is not predicted to reach hurricane status for a second time. However, there is some possibility of that happening right before landfall early Wednesday, according to the Weather Channel.

The data shows North Carolina's birth rate fell by 3.1%, which is still above the national average that declined by 3.8%. One reason for the lack new population growth could be due to the timing of the pandemic coming early in 2020. A little over 100,000 live births were record in the state last year, down from 118,000 in 2019. 

Raleigh Police say a highly-venomous spitting zebra cobra got loose and was spotted on a porch of a house in the 7000 block of Sandringham Drive around 5:10 p.m. Monday, but the domesticated danger noodle hasn't been spotted since that time. The snake is native to the deserts of southern Africa, according to Bangor University.

Starting July 1st, landlords can once again push forward evictions in the state, ending a 10-month hold in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed array of emotions from both sides as Gov. Roy Cooper disagrees with the decision handed down by the GOP members of the Council of State.      

The first of four drawings scheduled over the next two months. A random winner was chosen by a number generator matched up to their date of birth, according to state officials. NC's Department of Health and Human Services will determine who the person is before the state deems if they're eligible for the seven-figure payout.

Biden will be in Raleigh on Thursday before heading back to Washington DC. During the president’s visit he will highlight the ease of getting vaccinated and encourage North Carolinians to be qualified for the $1 million lottery happening over the course of the next two months.    

An original ruling by the lower court said the "20-week threshold" would make some "pre-viability abortions" illegal, which would be in violation of the Supreme Court's 1992 ruling in the case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Several pro-life organizations and more than a dozen Republican states supported North Carolina in the effort, according to Fox News.