Press Releases

On Friday, January 17, 2020, the State of North Carolina will hold its annual State Employees’ Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance Program in Raleigh, NC. This year’s theme centers on Dr. King’s message – “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is ‘what are you doing for others?” The program will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 99 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh. It will include a commemorative bell ringing ceremony as well as remarks from Governor Roy Cooper and keynote address from former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Governor Roy Cooper today ordered all United States and North Carolina flags at state facilities to be lowered immediately to half-staff beginning Monday, January 13, 2020, in honor of US Staff Sgt. Ian Paul McLaughlin of Virginia and Pfc. Miguel Angel Villalon of Illinois, who lost their lives while conducting combat operations on Saturday in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. McLaughlin and Pfc. Villalon were both paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division based in Fort Bragg, NC.

Governor Roy Cooper today ordered all U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities be lowered to half staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, December 7, in observance of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Saturday will mark 78 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where more than 2,000 service members and civilians died on December 7, 1941. As a sign of respect, individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are welcome to fly the flag at half-staff for the same duration of time.

Governor Roy Cooper today ordered all North Carolina flags at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff immediately through sunset on Saturday, November 23 in honor of Northampton County Sheriff's Deputy Makeem Brooks who died in the line of duty on Wednesday, November 13. Deputy Brooks, who lived in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, was new to the force, serving only six months at the Northampton County Sheriff's Office.  Services for Deputy Brooks will be held on Saturday at Englewood Baptist Church in Rocky Mount.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper issued a proclamation in observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance which honors the lives of the transgender community and promotes inclusion, equity and fair treatment for all North Carolinians.

Applications for the State of North Carolina Internship Program are now available, and we encourage students to apply for summer 2020 internships online until January 13, 2020. Since its establishment in 1969, more than 4,000 internship opportunities have been awarded to North Carolina college students. The internship program is open to all North Carolina residents attending a college, university, technical institute or community college.

Governor Roy Cooper has ordered all United States and North Carolina flags at state buildings, facilities and grounds to be lowered to half-staff immediately through sunset on Tuesday, October 29, in honor of former US Senator Kay Hagan. Hagan passed away on Monday, October 28. She served in the US Senate, representing North Carolina from 2009 to 2015.  A native of Shelby, North Carolina, Hagan also served as a member of the North Carolina Senate, representing the 32nd district from 1999 - 2003 and the 27th district from 2003 - 2009. 

Governor Roy Cooper today ordered all United States and North Carolina flags at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, October 26 in honor of US Marine Private First Class John T. Burke and all those who have fought for our country overseas and never returned home. 

In conjunction with Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, which kicked-off convenings in September to promote the awareness and development of minority and women-owned businesses in North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper signed a proclamation declaring October 2019 as Minority Enterprise Development Month (MED Month).

Governor Roy Cooper today ordered all United States and North Carolina flags at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday, October 18, in honor of US Army Pvt. Andrew McLean. Pvt. McLean died while preparing for a physical training exercise on September 10. A native of Fayetteville, NC, Pvt. McLean was assigned to the 3rd Battalion 60th Infrantry Regiment Team in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Services for Pvt. McLean will be held at the Daniel Circle Chapel in Fort Jackson on Friday.