Welcome to "The Pine Needler," your go-to source for all things happening in the Central Pines Region! We're here to keep you in the loop with our bi-monthly updates on upcoming events and regional news. Stay connected with us as we bring you the latest happenings and stories that will surely make your day pine-tastic! | |
- Opportunity Zones 2.0 Roundtable
- Foreign Trade Zone #93 Summit
- 2025 Golden Pinecone Awards
- Connected Region Conversations: Water Regionalization
- Partnering to Reduce Barriers to Public Transit
- State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Close-Out
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- Popular Links & Resources
- CPRC with Lee Tour
- Career Opportunities
- Upcoming Events
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- October is Long-Term Care Planning Month
- Grandparents Week is Oct. 27-Nov. 1
| | Popular Links & Resources | | |
Date: Wednesday, November 5
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am
Location: Central Pines Regional Council, Durham
Cost: FREE
This regional roundtable will focus on Opportunity Zones (OZs), which are a federally established program that encourages private investment in targeted, economically distressed Census Tracts. As a part of the One Big Beautiful Bill, OZ 2.0 legislation has been introduced, with distinct differences from the current legislation (OZ 1.0). This includes new incentives for rural areas.
CPRC will be joined by the Economic Innovation Group who will discuss the basics of OZs, the differences between OZ 1.0 and OZ 2.0, and why it is important to start planning for new designations now. Staff from communities throughout the region will be in attendance sharing how they have leveraged OZs that have resulted in development success stories.
| |  | Explore Global Trade Opportunities at the Foreign Trade Zone #93 Summit | |
Date: Wednesday, November 12
Time: 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Location: Central Pines Regional Council, Durham
Cost: $25 or Free for FTZ #93 Board Members and Current/Pending Operators
The Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #93 Summit will be focused on all things FTZ. This half-day event will convene business leaders, trade specialists, local government staff and elected officials, and economic development professionals to discuss the current global trade climate and explore how FTZ #93 can serve as strategic tool during a time of economic changes.
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2025 Golden Pinecone Awards | Central Pines Regional Council is proud to announce the launch of the Golden Pinecone Awards, a celebration recognizing the people, projects, and partners who help our region thrive. These awards honor outstanding local government staff, visionary elected officials, innovative projects, and dedicated advocates whose work strengthens communities across the Central Pines region. | Award recipients will be recognized at our End-of-Year Celebration, Thursday, December 4, where we’ll highlight their achievements and the positive impact they’ve made through leadership, collaboration, and service. Nominations are open now through Thursday, November 6 for member governments and regional partners—help us shine a light on those who make our region stronger every day! | |
Award Categories:
- Evergreen Excellence - Awarded to local government staff
- Longleaf Leadership - Awarded to an elected official
- Rooted in Results - Awarded to a project
- Heart of the Pine - Awarded to an individual, organization, or partner (nominated by CPRC staff)
| | | | A Connected Region Conversation: Water Regionalization | |
As the Triangle and surrounding communities continue to grow, the demand for reliable water infrastructure is rising faster than ever. Join Central Pines Regional Council for the first session in the Connected Region Conversation series—focused on how collaboration can secure our region’s water future.
This event will bring together local governments, state agencies, utilities, and private sector partners to explore real-world approaches to water regionalization—from shared infrastructure investments to governance and land use coordination. Through panel discussions, case studies, and peer exchange, attendees will gain tools to:
- Coordinate water investments across boundaries
- Navigate regulatory and governance challenges
- Integrate water planning with housing, land use, and transportation strategies
- Build partnerships that strengthen regional connectivity
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Featured speakers include Hal Hegwer (City of Sanford), David Lambert (NC Department of Commerce), Whit Wheeler (City of Raleigh), Kip Padgett and Mayor Vivian Jones (Town of Wake Forest), and Mayor Kyle Shipp (Town of Pittsboro).
This conversation is designed for policymakers, managers, planners, utility providers, and community leaders working to ensure sustainable access to water across our growing region.
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Date: Thursday, November 13
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 am
Location: CPRC Office, Durham
Cost: Free to attend
| | | Partnering to Reduce Barriers to Public Transit | Written by Britney Watson, Research Assistant for the Habitat for Humanity of Orange County - FFORC Transit Equity Project, Graduate Student at UNC Chapel Hill, Master of City Planning Program, Department of City and Regional Planning |
 | | In 2024, the average travel time to work in the United States was estimated to be around 27 minutes one way. So, it can be said that in a typical work week, Americans spend 5 hours commuting. If this commute is spent in a car, that's 5 hours spent alone getting to and from school or work. While it is convenient to be able to get into your car and travel directly to your desired destination on your time, there are ways to make our travel habits more than just trying to get from point A to point B. Active transportation are ways of traveling that rely on physical activity during a commute such as biking, walking or taking the bus. With active modes of transportation, you can travel to your destination, but you are also able to spend time moving your body and engaging with your community in a way that isn’t possible from your car. Weavers Grove, a Habitat for Humanity community located in Orange County, has recently used active transportation as a way to improve tense relations with a neighboring community.
| | Preparing for State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Close-Out | Recipients of the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program who have fully obligated and expended their entire award may be eligible to initiate early closeout of their SLFRF award before the official end of the period of performance on December 31, 2026. | |
Since summer 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has been inviting eligible recipients to begin the closeout process on a rolling basis. Invitations are sent directly to designated points of contact, and only those who have received such communication may proceed with early closeout. If your community has not yet received an invitation, the option is not currently available. However, Central Pines strongly encourages communities to prepare for close-out by:
- Ensuring that your points of contact are up to date in the Treasury Portal
- Reviewing the Closeout Instructions and SLFRF Award Closeout Preparation Checklist to be ready when invited.
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CPRC with Lee Tour
CPRC Executive Director Lee Worsley has a goal of visiting all 50 communities that are a part of the Central Pines Region. See what his most recent stop is!
| | | | Work Local in the Central Pines Region | |
There are so many amazing career opportunities to serve your community and work for local government in the Central Pines Region. Check out the most recent job postings here!
| | | Upcoming Events & Opportunities | | | |
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