North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has rejected a plan from state lawmakers that would compel districts to reopen schools with at least some in-person learning in about two weeks. Cooper says he worries the proposal wouldn't ensure proper safety standards and would not give local school officials the flexibility they need to open or close based on levels of COVID-19 spread in the community. The plan introduced by Republican state lawmakers could still become law if enough of the handful of Democrats who supported the bill decide to override the governor’s veto.

Construction to extend the C.F. Harvey Parkway north of Kinston is complete and the section of roadway is expected to open Monday. The N.C. Department of Transportation said in a news release that the extension of this highway began in 2018 and is opening to traffic six months ahead of schedule. The Parkway has been extended by nearly 6 miles from N.C. 58 to N.C. 11.  The $80 million dollar project improves connectivity to areas that include the Global TransPark, the U.S. 70 Industrial Park, and East Carolina University Medical Center.

North Carolina is ranked first in the nation for vaccinating the largest share of its 65 and older population.  That’s according to a report from The Kaiser Family Foundation.   The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reports 49% of people 65 and older have been vaccinated.

The commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol says he is retiring from his post, ending a nearly 30-year career as a state trooper. News outlets report Col. Glenn McNeill Jr. announced Friday that his retirement takes effect on April 1.  McNeill, who has been with the patrol since 1993, was appointed as commander by Gov. Roy Cooper in 2017. He was the agency's 27th commander as well as the second Black man to hold the position. After McNeill retires, Cooper will have over a month to choose a replacement.

North Carolina civil rights groups reached a deal with prison officials to offer an early release of at least 3,500 people in state custody. The state conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and American Civil Liberties Union argued that conditions at state prisons amid the coronavirus pandemic were unconstitutional. If the settlement is approved, the state will have three months to release 1,500 inmates and three more months to release an additional 2,000. At least 47 inmates have died of COVID-19.