Latest news with #Durham-based
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to ban camping and sleeping on public property advances in NC House
People experiencing homelessness in Raleigh pack to leave an encampment off of Highway 70 near Interstate 40. (Photo: Greg Childress) A bill that would make it unlawful for local governments to allow or authorize any person to 'regularly engage in public camping or sleeping on public property, including, but not limited to, public buildings or grounds and any public right-of-way' received a favorable report in a House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. The bill, however, includes a significant exception. House Bill 781 would allow local governments by 'majority vote' to designate local government-owned property located within its jurisdiction to be used for a 'continuous period of up to one year for public camping or sleeping purposes.' Local governments can renew the one-year period. Rep. Brian Biggs (R-Randolph) said he sponsored the bill after leaders of local municipalities came to him looking for guidance in handling homelessness. Biggs insisted the bill doesn't criminalize homelessness as some critics contend. 'It addresses the use of public property for camping and sleeping without prohibiting homelessness,' Biggs said. 'It does create clear guidance. We need guidance.' In addition to Biggs, HB 781 is cosponsored by GOP Reps. Neal Jackson, Jennifer Balkcom and Mike Schietzelt — who represent parts of Randolph, Moore, Henderson, and Wake counties. Under the bill, counties or municipalities designating property for encampments must establish and maintain minimum standards and procedures designed to: Ensure the safety and security of the designated property and the persons lodging or residing on the property. Maintain sanitation, including, at a minimum, by providing access to clean and operable restrooms and running water. Coordinate with the county health department to provide access to behavioral health services, which must include substance abuse and mental health treatment resources. Prohibit illegal substance use and alcohol use on the designated property and enforce the prohibition against such use. Several people signed up to speak against the bill. They were only given one minute each to speak. Otto Harris, a pastor speaking on behalf of Ken Carter, bishop of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, said HB 781 treads on the state's most vulnerable citizens. 'How can we push down folks who are already down?' Carter asked. 'Seems like it's impossible, but this bill has figured it out.' Harris said the bill will criminalize homelessness and place unhoused people in 'harm's way with potential penalties, fines, court dates, blemishes on their record.' Chris Nobblitt, an organizer for Durham-based National Union of the Homeless, said the bill will lead to deaths if approved. 'This bill will kill the Hurricane Helene victims that have still not gotten help from FEMA or the state,' Nobblitt said. 'This bill will kill veterans that serve my country, please do not let this bill pass.' Nobblitt compared 'sanction encampments' to 'concentration camps.' 'If you really wanted to help homeless people, then you would help to unlock the 27 empty homes for every homeless person. You would help us get Medicaid for every person,' Nobblitt said. 'You would raise the minimum wage so we could afford the sky-high rent that the corporations in North Carolina are holding hostage.' According to the N.C. Housing Coalition, there are 1.1 million families in North Carolina who are burdened by housing costs. The group's annual County Profiles reported that 48% of renters and 19% of homeowners in North Carolina pay more than 30% of their income on housing. Families that spend more than 30% of income on housing are considered cost-burdened. In 2024, homelessness in North Carolina increased 19%, as the official count reached a total of 11,626 individuals experiencing homelessness. Chris Sharp of the conservative, Texas-based Cicero Institute, spoke in support of the bill. 'This bill allows for local governments to establish sanctioned camping, camping areas that provide basic sanitation, access to mental health and substance abuse treatment, along with protection from gangs drug dealers, which often prey on these vulnerable individuals,' Sharp said. 'HB 781 also provides for protection of individual property and small business property rights.' Bill critics have said they believe Sharp's group represents is behind HB 781. 'I'm also glad today that the Cicero Institute has finally revealed itself as the sponsor and lobbyist for this bill,' said Latonya Agard, executive director of the N.C. Coalition to End Homelessness. Agard noted that the Cicero Institute was founded by billionaire venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale who she said has opposed Housing First policies that prioritizes getting people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing. 'They have provided the template for this bill in other states around the country as an opposition to Housing First, which is documented and clearly has evidence that it does work when it is funded properly,' Agard said. 'This bill does not take into account the issue that there is not enough affordable housing as homelessness has increased, as the number of people who are unsheltered has increased, our affordable housing availability has decreased, and that is why we see so many people in this need.' Benjamin Horton, director of outreach at Veteran Services of the Carolinas, said he's concerned about whether municipalities can keep veterans safe in such encampments. Horton also worries about being about to find veterans to provide services if the bill becomes law. 'We're a very stubborn bunch,' the U.S. Navy veteran said. 'You're telling us where we camp, where we can't camp. That's going to make it harder on street outreach folks, mental health folks who are working with the VA for multiple services.' Rep. Laura Budd (D-Mecklenburg) said the bill doesn't solve the problem of homelessness. Lawmakers must address low wages, mental illness and other conditions that lead to homelessness, she said. A person making minimum wage — $7.25 per hour — and working two, 40-hour a week jobs can't afford to pay rent, Budd said. 'You do that for two jobs, you're at $30,160 [a year], so when we talk about solutions for homeless people, we need to not just be talking about affordable housing,' Budd said. HB 781 received a favorable report. It was referred to the House Committee on State and Local Government.
Business Journals
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
BotBuilt's AI robots cut homebuilding costs, boost efficiency
By submitting your information you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and User Agreement . A North Carolina builder's partnership with an AI-driven robotics company is reshaping the homebuilding landscape, promising significant savings in both time and costs. Story Highlights BotBuilt uses AI and robots to cut housing construction costs. Capo Construction first utilized BotBuilt's technology in North Carolina. BotBuilt has produced materials for over 35 homes since 2020. Capo Construction was the first builder in North Carolina to utilize BotBuilt, a robotics company that uses artificial intelligence to create precisely cut building materials. 'We wanted to improve the quality and precision of our framing, reduce material waste and speed up the framing process,' said Randy Newcomer, president of Capo Construction, which builds single-family custom and spec homes in and around Moore County. 'We try to keep our homes affordable for [homebuyers], anyone from the professional working family to the retiree who wants to keep some of their money to enjoy golf and not spend it all on their retirement home.' GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events Affordability is the prime objective at BotBuilt, and they're achieving cost reductions through efficiencies in materials as well as labor optimization. 'The bottom line is we're building homes with robots,' explained Brent Wadas, CEO of Durham-based BotBuilt. 'Realistically speaking, we're trying to cut the cost of housing construction [in] half and 10 times the speed through automation systems.' The topic of affordable housing has never been more timely: Last year the cost of goods used in the construction of new residential units hit $204 billion according to the National Association of Home Builders, and $14 billion of that total was for construction materials being imported into the U.S. Focused on the lumber needed to build a home, BotBuilt can take any two-dimensional PDF blueprint plan and turn it into essentially a framing model. 'Every stud, every nail, every piece of sheathing, it's all right there and the AI visualizes it for you,' said Wadas, joking that he likes to call the company's creation of wall panels 'Ikea for homebuilding.' It simplifies the process and eliminates wasted material, he said. 'Rather than over-buying on your lumber or over-buying on your labor, you can frame a whole house in a matter of hours with just a couple of people,' Wadas said. Where it becomes most interesting, in his estimation, is that the company has built custom tools utilizing industrial arm robots. And with AI dictating the robots' choices, they build the framing package with basic stud-grade lumber — so the wood may be bent, bowed, warped, twisted — and is available at the price point consumers need. These are big tools, literally 2,500-pound industrial arms that were formerly in automotive manufacturing. 'We buy them used on eBay; the latest ones that we have are from the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina,' he said. Robotics that age out of their usefulness in automotive plants can be calibrated to BotBuilt systems and work perfectly with the stud-grade lumber being used. Since starting in 2020, BotBuilt has produced materials for over 35 homes, from North Carolina to Arkansas, including 14 homes for one of the largest private homebuilders in the country. A spokesperson for the builder, which did not want its name published, said they have used BotBuilt's wall panels as well as its pre-cut framing lumber. 'We see using BotBuilt as an advantage in several phases of the construction process. Since they use AI to analyze our plans, they have found areas of our plans that can be improved,' the spokesperson said. 'Additionally, even if we do not use their panels for construction, their AI provides a huge value in fine-tuning our purchasing.' AI was the starting point for BotBuilt and underpins every piece of technology being utilized. 'Our bespoke AI was all built in-house as part of our patent system and it is what builds out the 2D to 3D modeling system,' Wadas said. 'That computer vision is vital because if you've got an eight-foot plank that's bowed seven inches over that eight feet, the robot does a lot of math to understand what will bring it back in and what's going to happen on the opposite end to fix that.' Closer Look Co-founders: Barrett Ames, Colin Devine, Brent Wadas Barrett Ames, Colin Devine, Brent Wadas Address: 3161 Hillsborough Road, Durham 3161 Hillsborough Road, Durham Website: Founded: 2020 2020 Investment to date: $12.4 million $12.4 million Employees: 25 25 Robots in plant: 10 The market demand for construction wall panels is strong and by next year Wadas expects the team will be producing roof trusses as well. BotBuilt has already submitted its patent application for those. 'Rather than wonder how much materials you have to buy for a home, our robots pick and cut exactly what is needed, we know up front, when the first design goes through, how much it will actually cost. We increase the actual knowns and save time in the construction, so it decreases the overall cost of homebuilding,' Wadas said. A major factor in construction costs is the labor needed. Custom homebuilder Newcomer noted that unemployment in the construction industry has been low for some time. 'Most people aren't looking for skilled labor jobs anymore and, while there have been efforts to push trades, we are still facing a labor shortage,' he said. 'A majority of the framing on a home is done by subcontractors who are largely immigrants, and we have more restrictions on labor moving in and out of the country so [neither] labor costs or material costs will be coming down. BotBuilt is addressing both of these areas by speeding up the process, thereby reducing the need for as many workers and the time it takes per house.' The company has over 2,000 homes on back order and has received investments totaling $12.5 million, with a Series A fundraiser underway to bring in another $15 million. Wadas expects to expand the current 'staff' of 10 robots to around 100 robots, although the current headcount of 25 full-time employees won't need to grow much higher because one person can operate five to 10 robots. He's bullish on the opportunity to bring more affordable housing to markets around the country and beyond. Recently he was in Tokyo meeting with 'some of Japan's largest homebuilders' to explore potential investment and collaboration. 'There are also several used robotics distributors here [in Japan] that we want to discuss partnerships with,' he said. Ultimately, Wadas sees potential to franchise BotBuilt. 'We'll be selling the license rights to use our custom software and hardware integrations to component manufacturers and builders throughout the world,' he said. 'This lets them use our systems in their facilities to build faster, safer and with greater precision, without changing the material or the people they work with. About this project: 52 Shades of Success – The Impact of AI explores the challenges and opportunities of individuals and businesses that are trying to leverage the capabilities of artificial intelligence with an eye on combatting bias in its functionality. We'll focus on AI's impact on various areas of business and life.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
City attempts to dismiss latest filing in suit surrounding officer allegedly turning off body cam during airport arrest suing excessive force: Docs
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The couple at the center of a lawsuit arguing a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer used unjustified, excessive force during an airport arrest opposed the city's motion to dismiss the latest filing in the case. The suit against Lowery and the city is based on the Second Amended Complaint (SAC) stemming from the March 2020 arrest of Michael Kernea at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting a public officer, but court documents show the legal team serving Kernea and his wife Christy argue that CMPD Officer Lee Lowery had turned off his bodycam during the incident. Judge progresses CTE lawsuit in case of ex-NFL player accused of killing 6 in Rock Hill The case is being handled in the Western District Court of North Carolina in Charlotte. Durham-based attorney Nichad Davis claims that not only did Lowery use excessive force but criminal charging documents indicate Lowery presented false statements to the Mecklenburg County magistrate, attempting to cover his 'malicious and brutal acts against Mr. Kernea, believing that there would be no other evidence to demonstrate his blatant reckless actions.' However, the airport's video surveillance was captured showing an alleged 'malicious cover-up' by Lowery. Court documents demonstrate that the night of the arrest, Lowery reportedly observed Kernea sitting on a stool near the 1897 Market, and accused him of not returning the stool to its correct position. Kernea told Lowery it was not his responsibility to move the stool to its proper location. The legal team claims Lowery was allegedly being aggressive, yelling at Kernea's face to move the stool, and eventually punching him in the face. The officer then grabbed Kernea by the waist, lifted him into the air, and slammed him to the ground, crushing his shoulder, face, and upper extremities to the concrete floor. Lowery then proceeded to arrest Kernea, causing him to plead to loosen the handcuffs since he allegedly experienced his circulation being cut off. Court documents say Christy Kernea witnessed the incident and has suffered severe emotional distress after witnessing the alleged attack and violent arrest. Between April and June 2020, following an investigation of the incident and subsequent discovery of Lowery's conduct that was caught on surveillance, the criminal charges against Kernea were all dismissed by the Mecklenburg County district attorney. Mecklenburg County promotes from within for new county manager to replace Diorio In a May 2020 report, CMPD's Internal Affairs Bureau concluded that the use of force upon Kernea was not justified. On Monday, the Charlotte City Attorney's office claimed their motion to dismiss should be granted. Officials say that years into this litigation, the plaintiffs allegedly rewrote their entire complaint over the city's objection, only after having sought permission from the court to add allegations about emotional distress. 'Even if any of Plaintiffs' claims would have otherwise survived, the court would be justified in striking the (SAC) for failing to comply with its previous order,' it reads. A week before, the Kerneas' legal team says the city's motion to dismiss should be denied, citing Fourth Amendment and North Carolina law. Further, they argue that the claims against Lowery in his official capacity are not duplicative and establish causes of action against Lowery and the city — who has waived immunity from the suit. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
27-03-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Wolfspeed hires a new CEO as it still waits for CHIPS Act money
Wolfspeed, the Durham-based semiconductor maker, has hired Robert Feurle, a veteran of the chips industry, as its next CEO — a hiring that comes at a critical time for the company's future. Why it matters: Wolfspeed, which specializes in silicon carbide materials and devices, is close to finishing a $5 billion materials plant in Chatham County that is says will one day employ 1,800 workers. But the company has struggled financially in recent years, firing its CEO last year, closing one of its factories and conducting several rounds of job cuts — all while its stock price has plummeted. Driving the news: Fuerle's hiring was announced on Thursday, with Wolfspeed's interim CEO and executive chairman, Thomas Werner, saying Fuerle has the experience to operate its factories more efficiently — something analysts have complained the company has not done consistently. Fuerle, a German-American dual citizen, most recently was an executive at the German chipmaker ams-OSRAM — but he has previously worked in the U.S. at the chipmaker Micron. Fuerle will be based in Durham going forward, Werner said. State of play: The hiring comes as Wolfspeed continues to wait on final CHIPS Act funding approval from the federal government — though that Biden-era program's future seems murkier after President Trump called it "horrible." "We are managing our company to not be overly reliant" on CHIPS Act grants or tax incentives, Werner told reporters Thursday. "We would be able to accelerate our growth and employ more people, of course, with both the tax credits and the CHIPS Act," he added. Werner has been to Washington several times in recent weeks and met with both North Carolina Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, and the company has highlighted the importance of building silicon carbide — a material the government has labeled as critical — in the U.S. What they're saying: Werner said he expects Wolfspeed to know about the fate of its CHIPS Act grant by late summer, though the company expects the legislation to change in some fashion.
Axios
27-03-2025
- Health
- Axios
A Duke startup raises $5M for a new treatment for lung injuries
VQ Biomedical, a startup born at Duke University, has secured $5 million in funding to advance a device it says will treat severe lung injuries in a less invasive way. Why it matters: The medical device startup is charting a new way to alleviate acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) — a potentially deadly condition where a person's lungs fill with fluid due to an infection or injury. In the worst cases, ARDS is treated using mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which pumps blood to and from the patient's body through an external machine that adds oxygen, removes carbon dioxide and regulates temperature. Between the lines: But those treatments come with their own health risks. ECMO, especially, is expensive, requires specialized personnel to operate and requires patients to go on blood thinners. VQ's device — using technology from Duke's medical and engineering schools — instead uses a catheter to deliver oxygen directly into the bloodstream without having to pump any of the patient's blood outside the body. Driving the news: The funding comes from a collection of sources, including a $1.65 million seed investment led by Harbright Ventures, the Wolfpack Investor Network and Duke Capital Partners. The company is also receiving a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. military's research organization the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, as well as grants from the N.C. Biotechnology Center and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The catheter's compact design and minimal equipment makes it attractive to the U.S. military as a potential option for treating lung injuries in battlefield settings. Zoom in: Founded in 2023, VQ Biomedical is led by its CEO Galen Robertson, who previously worked at the Durham-based medical-device company 410 Medical, and its chief medical officer Tobias Straube, a professor at Duke's medical school and the catheter's primary inventor. What they're saying: "This funding allows us to advance the prototype," Robertson told Axios. At the moment, he said, the firm has a prototype of the device to prove it works, but the goal is to make the device even smaller and easier to use for hospital workers. "With ECMO and mechanical ventilation, they are career fields where people are specially trained in how to operate it," Robertson said. "Our device is going to be much, much simpler to operate. ... @e'll be able to do an in-service training over the course of a couple hours and train a nurse how to use our device."
