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Auto leaders’ venture company picks North Carolina global headquarters

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Auto leaders’ venture company picks North Carolina global headquarters


A venture company founded by seven of the world’s largest automakers will make North Carolina its global headquarters, backed by more than $3 million in taxpayer subsidy as potential reimbursement.

IONNA says it is purpose-built to “lead, innovate, create, and drive forward a redefinition of charging as an end-to-end integrated customer experience” in the electric automotive industry. BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, and Stellantis formed the coalition with the idea of “reimagining electric vehicle charging.”

The company’s launch includes a plan to design, develop, build and operate a high-powered electric vehicle charging network “key to increased EV adoption in North America.”

A company release says the site will “house a customer experience lab serving as the quarterback and central node to seven new satellite labs at each of the founding” coalition members’ facilities.

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North Carolina landed the start-up in part because of a Job Development Investment Grant approved by the Economic Investment Committee on Tuesday.

The 12-year grant authorizes potential reimbursement of $3,075,000 over 12 years.

IONNA says it is purpose-built to “lead, innovate, create, and drive forward a redefinition of charging as an end-to-end integrated customer experience” in the electric automotive industry.” Getty Images

The state and IONNA say the lifetime of the grant will grow the state’s economy by $724 million, generate 203 new jobs, and return 108% on public dollars.

That’s $2.08 per $1 cost to the state.

The Department of Commerce says the average annual wage at IONNA will be $128,457 and listed the Durham County average at $90,727.

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The department justifies incentives based on the new jobs businesses will bring to the state, announcing the average hourly wage for the new jobs and comparing it to the county’s median hourly wage.

Economists doubt the effectiveness of financial incentives for private businesses to expand or move to a new state.


Electric car plugged by cable to charging station with palm tree and old walls as background
The company’s launch includes a plan to design, develop, build and operate a high-powered electric vehicle charging network “key to increased EV adoption in North America.” malajscy – stock.adobe.com

They also question the use of hourly wages as an indicator because the salaries of a few corporate leaders can skew the average higher while not having the same impact on the median wage.

“The area’s established history of research, innovation, and its vibrant growing community make it the perfect place for IONNA to join, thrive and pioneer,” said CEO Seth Cutler in a company release. I’m excited to grow a cross-industry team that will deliver the IONNA vision from our new home base.”

In a release from the state, Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders said, “When advanced manufacturers commit to North Carolina, it confirms the importance of our ‘First in Talent’ plan which leads the charge in prioritizing the development of diverse and well-trained workforce to help companies blaze new trails.”

The announcement is one of several in the automotive industry for North Carolina this year and since the end of the COVID-19 era.

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The state has twice consecutively earned the CNBC network’s No. 1 ranking for America’s Top States for Business.

Gov. Roy Cooper, when last July’s announcement was made, gave comments seeking credit and chastising the Republican majority Legislature – the people who enacted laws making the state more friendly to businesses expanding or seeking new homes.

The governor has long called public education “a state of emergency here” while businesses and population move in, and school choice registration wait lists grow.

The equation creates a workforce talent level, and the governor acknowledged that in reaction to the decision.

“This cutting-edge company and its founding automotive manufacturers will benefit from the innovative ecosystem, highly skilled workforce, and central location of North Carolina to take its pioneering technology to market,” Cooper said Tuesday.

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According to a January analysis by Consumer Affairs, global market share ranks were No. 3 by Honda, No. 4 by Hyundai, No. 5 by Kia, No. 7 by BMW and No. 8 by Mercedes.



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2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers

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2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers


Here are the voter turnout numbers for the 2026 primary election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Hyde County had the highest voter turnout, while Onslow County had the lowest turnout. Check out what the voter turnout in your county was below:

BERTIE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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31.85% (3,911 out of 12,280)

CARTERET COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

29.06% (16,543 out of 56,931)

CRAVEN COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

18.63% (14,119 out of 75,778)

DUPLIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

21.93% (6,981 out of 31,832)

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EDGECOMBE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

18.16% (6,428 out of 35,396)

GREENE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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19.70% (2,147 out of 10,900)

HYDE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

37.27% (1,123 out of 3,013)

JONES COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

25.91% (1,805 out of 6,966)

LENOIR COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

16.73% (6,251 out of 37,371)

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MARTIN COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

17.61% (2,858 out of 16,228)

ONSLOW COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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11.44% (14,816 out of 129,537)

PAMLICO COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

24.03% (2,446 out of 10,180)

PITT COUNTY

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Ballots Cast:

15.71% (19,429 out of 123,705)

TYRRELL COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

30.49% (723 out of 2,371)

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WASHINGTON COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

28.66% (2,312 out of 8,067)

WAYNE COUNTY

Ballots Cast:

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21.49% (16,408 out of 76,358)



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Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety

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Statewide tornado drill has NC schools and workplaces practicing safety


Wednesday, March 4, 2026 6:41PM

NC schools and businesses encouraged to practice tornado safety

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — North Carolina schools and businesses took part in a statewide tornado drill Wednesday morning as part of Severe Weather Awareness Week.

The National Weather Service led the drill at 9:30 a.m., broadcasting it on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System. Schools, workplaces and households across the state were encouraged to join in.

The National Weather Service didn’t issue a follow up alert to mark the end of the drill. Instead, each school or business wrapped up once they felt they had practiced the procedures thoroughly.

Wednesday’s drill also replaced the regular weekly NOAA Weather Radio test.

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SEE | New warning for parents amid new ‘fire-breathing’ social media trend

Make sure to download the ABC 11 Mobile App ABC11 North Carolina Apps for Connected TV, Mobile News, Echo

Copyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee holds narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam

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North Carolina Rep. Valerie Foushee holds narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam


Nida Allam in 2022; Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC) in 2025.

Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images


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Jonathan Drake/Reuters; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Incumbent Rep. Valerie Foushee holds a narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam in the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional district as ballots continue to be counted.

In a race seen as an early test of whether Democratic voters desire generational change within the party, Foushee holds a lead of just over 1,000 votes with 99% of results in so far, according to the Associated Press.

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Under state law, provisional votes will be counted in the coming days in a district that includes Durham and Chapel Hill. If the election results end up within a 1% margin, Allam could request a recount.

Successfully ousting an incumbent lawmaker is often extremely difficult and rare. However, there have been recent upsets in races as some voters are calling for new leaders and several sitting members of Congress face primary challengers this cycle.

Allam, a 32-year-old Durham County Commissioner, is running to the left of Foushee, 69, framing her candidacy as part of a broader rejection of longtime Democratic norms.

On the campaign trail, Allam ran on an anti-establishment message, pledging to be a stronger fighter than Foushee in Congress, both in standing up against President Trump’s agenda and when pushing for more ambitious policy.

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“North Carolina is a purple state that often gets labeled red, but we’re not a red state,” she told NPR in an interview last month, emphasizing the need to address affordability concerns. “We are a state of working-class folks who just want their elected officials to champion the issues that are impacting them.”

She drew a contrast with the congresswoman on immigration, voicing support for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Foushee has declined to go that far, advocating instead for ICE to be defunded and for broader reforms to the federal immigration system.

Allam also clashed with Foushee over U.S. policy towards Israel. As a vocal opponent of Israel’s war in Gaza, Allam swore off campaign donations from pro-Israel lobbying groups, such as AIPAC, and repeatedly criticized Foushee for previously accepting such funds.

Though Foushee announced last year that she would not accept AIPAC donations this cycle, she and Allam continued to spar over the broader role of outside spending in the race.

Their matchup comes four years after the candidates first squared off in 2022, when Allam lost to Foushee in what became the most expensive primary in the state’s history, with outside groups spending more than $3.8 million.

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However, this year is poised to break that record. Outside groups have reported spending more than $4.4 million on the primary matchup, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

WUNC’s Colin Campbell contributed to this report.



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