Governor Calls For Help In Rural Job Growth

"Gov. Mike Easley wants a nonprofit group tasked with overseeing $600 million in public money to be more aggressive in helping rural areas win jobs."

"Recent grants included $150,000 to help create an East Coast Drag Racing Hall of Fame Museum in Vance County and $1.5 million to N.C. State University to build a pilot plant that can convert sweet potatoes, switchgrass and loblolly pines into ethanol."

"Those in rural areas say that Golden LEAF can be instrumental in helping them."

"Elizabeth City, for instance, got a $250,000 grant for airport improvements that benefited a defense contractor's expansion. DRS-Tamsco, which upgrades and overhauls large planes, has hired more than 200 workers."

"'It's real important, especially for a small community like ours, because we have to put multiple sources of funding together,' said Elizabeth City manager Rich Olson. 'We would always like to see them be more aggressive.'"