Press Releases

The Quarry Road Fire ignited Friday, July 10, in Shallotte. The N.C. Forest Service and Tri-Beach Fire Department are in unified command of the Quarry Road Fire. Multiple personnel and equipment resources are engaged. N.C. Forest Service aircraft are providing aerial support for wildland firefighters on the ground.The Office of the State Fire Marshal along with several local fire departments and county agencies are providing incident support.

RALEIGH — Show off your talents at this year’s N.C. State Fair by entering one of the many competition categories that are now open. This year’s fair features several new competitions including Plein Air art, country ham, egg grading and diamond art. 

On Wednesday, July 8, Joel Blake Lee, 55, of Clayton, was arrested and charged with four felony counts of larceny of timber (N.C.G.S. 14-135), three counts of felony larceny of property (N.C.G.S. 14-72), one count of felony conspiracy (N.C.G.S.

North Carolina’s sweetest summer tradition is back as the State Farmers Market in Raleigh invites shoppers to celebrate North Carolina Peach Day on Friday, July 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will highlight one of the state’s signature summer crops with free peach samples, fresh local peaches and an opportunity to connect directly with the farmers who grow them.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced today $3.9 million in grants that focus on the expansion of meat processors, value-added manufacturers and farmers in North Carolina.

The Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market will celebrate one of North Carolina’s sweetest summer traditions during North Carolina Peach Day on Thursday, July 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature free peach samples, a Peach Recipe Contest, an opportunity to meet the N.C. Peach Queen and plenty of fresh, locally grown peaches straight from North Carolina farms.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is hosting a series of job fairs across eastern North Carolina to hire seasonal workers for peanut inspector positions during the upcoming harvest season. These job fairs are an opportunity for individuals seeking short-term employment to play a critical role in the state’s agricultural sector.

With the legislature’s passage and Governor’s signing of Senate Bill 401, also known as the North Carolina Farm Act of 2025-2026, New Hanover and Pender counties join 19 other counties considered to be high hazard for open burning. This change became effective June 22, 2026.

The North Carolina Mountain State Fair is looking to hire certified law enforcement officers for its security team for the 2026 Fair Sept. 11-20 at the Western N.C. Ag Center in Fletcher. Pay ranges from $35 an hour for non-sworn officers including detention officers and telecommunicators and up to $40 an hour for sworn law enforcement officers. 

FLETCHER – If winning a blue ribbon is on your bucket list, now is a great time to start planning what you want to enter and get started on those entries before the Aug. 14 and Aug. 28 deadlines for the N.C. Mountain State Fair competitions. There are 46 different categories of competitions for adults and kids, including an ice cream eating contest you can enter on Sept. 15, the day of the event.