Name: Rocky Mount mayor discusses state audit
Uploaded: 2020-05-18T11:59:00-0400
Duration: 794528
Description: Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson discusses how he and city leaders can earn back the trust of residents in the wake of a state audit that found city officials bent various rules to benefit themselves.

The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig at Raleigh science museum opens this weekend

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, so purchasing separate flood insurance is crucial in North Carolina, especially in high-risk areas.

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods: How to protect your home in North Carolina

Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew

Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson discusses how he and city leaders can earn back the trust of residents in the wake of a state audit that found city officials bent various rules to benefit themselves.

<p>usual. The secret city preferential treatment matters. It's spending and fraud that generated enough complaints that the North South auditor really necessary to investigate forwards onto committed, more transparent government. Our elected officials who were given the privilege are going to do so with integrity. I standards you home. I was born and raised here. I graduated from Rocky Mount Senior High, and I'm proud to have raised my Children. I want them to stay and raised her Children here. My mom lives on Lee. A few streets over for me and my village made lifelong friends here. That's why I ran for mayor last year. In the first place is the city. The Rocky Mountains been declined in recent years after being known regionally as city on the rise. It's not my is my opinion that it's not too late, that we get that moniker by way back soon, though, and we need react together. This is not about me. It's not about you and me working together. No, they wanted outlines several key findings After a year of investigation for more than $27,000 from the city Rocky Mountain, those funds have never been paid back they were ultimately resolved. Theo Eifel managed funds and programmes Failing insight. More than $32,000 loans in this properly awarded $38,000 NL's Seamus pay or has been exposed to $31,000 for allowing a development bond to expire. STD mantra Violence Ease travel reimbursement policy. By seeing the allowable Liam found or $16 the Rocky Mountain failed designated 88 coordinator is required hurl. I'll just ever really come to this. And what? What a waste of money In a poor city where the median household income is only $37,400 1/3 of our citizens are living in poverty, you could have used that money to help our neighbors. Choosing between paying bills or eating is a problem. That's riel. Well, here in Rocky Mount doesn't matter. Color, age, gender, religious affiliation off these acts are wrong and unethical. They took advantage of everyone who lives in Rocky Mount. Together we make some real change here, and we need to do it together. So look, it's not gonna be easy. It will not happen overnight, but it will happen if we work together for one Rakim out. How inappropriate for us to send out a press release that North on a lodger said Made who the northern auditor said made several attempts obscure issues mislead the reader minimized the importance of essays, findings and recommendations. It also broke confidentiality, something the other said it never been done foot for. It was only done this stop for those who the focus of the audit war in order to try to skew the facts, Rocky Mount needs to change. And we need to start right now to rise above those misdeeds and from the City of Excellence, which I know to be our birthright. That opportunity to make change and do things right is only gonna happen. I believe, if we take these next steps, first up is for the council person in the report to admit receiving favorable treatment. I am not a part of utilities over the years and pay back the city. I don't step up and identify themselves. The auditors indicated that she would do that for us. I have had the opportunity. I have spoken with the attorney general, de a others of state federal leadership to determine what if recourse, we have hold these individuals accountable and also to make sure these things don't happen in the future. The second step is that I would ask this council this council person to do the honorable thing and step down from their seats is an elected official. We should be held to a higher standard of ethics and integrity. Third step is for the manager to repay the city the amount owed to the city that was over the off. The next step is for the member of each and every member of the city Council to read a psalm. When I'm calling a contract with Rocky Man. I'm calling an emergency meeting of the City Council for this Thursday to discuss the steps committed leading ethically by signing the actor with a contract with Rocky Mountain. I urge everyone to call their city council members to pretend this emergency meeting and to share your opinion with them, regardless regarding the actions that you would have them tight. So let me really free now would I believe that should say, members of the Rocket and City Council, we propose not just to changes laws and policies even more important, or the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives. That's why this era of official evasion, posturing and finger pointing we offer instead a detailed commitment toward the city's renewal. A written guarantee with no von Braun. The recent audit completed by the North and State auditors shines a light on many shortcomings of this great city. Sleep and we choose to utilise. It is a beginning of a city council that respects the values and shares the faith of this community. Our goal is to restore accountabilities of city count on and speckle scandal in just Rice to make a proud of the way our community and they're letting him out to move forward together as one rocking are kind of here. From this day forth, I am asking the city of Rocky Mount City Council. We passed the following major reforms aimed at restoring the faith and trust system re in their government, operating in an open and transparent way. First, require all policies and laws that apply to the rest of the city of amount toe. Also apply televise every city council meeting so that every member of the public who is in view, whether live or recorded third selected independent auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive internal audit of the city of Rocky Mountain. Complete continuous quality. Says seek to provide efficient, effective government every year for a waste hauler in a court, designated the internal audit and seek you out for every member of City Council, the mayor of the city manager and city assistant managers to sign states ethics on track to the city. And we got a statement of equal. You must have seven days before our independent forensic audit completed this fiscal year, since some have denied that more auditors work product and have this audited refreshed every year going forward. Eighth. Require every council member to disclose publicly off property tax and utility bills. Oh, to the city immediately and then annual ninth. Require every council member Take the UNC School of Government Ethics course every 12 months during his or her term in office. Death. Require that the mayor read at the beginning of every city Council meeting. It is the duty of every member of City council tow. Avoid both conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflict. Does any member of the City Council have any known conflicts of interest or parents of conflict with respect to any matters coming before the City Council in the City Council meeting. If so, please identify the conflict or appearance of conflict and refrain from any participation in the matter involved and Onley vote if required to do so by law. This is only the beginning, but this is how we must start. I pledged to work with everyone in Rocky Mount to champion them to listen and to be a team member. Everyone has a voice here in Rocky Mount and we again can become the city on the rise. As we rise out of this low point in our history, we will find ourselves. We will know this is only stopping point on the way back up. Let us get through this tough time together. Stronger as a community as one rocky mountain. I want to thank you for taking the time to listening to me today and I'm ready to take questions. The A team Everyone has a voice here we again and become the city on the rise. As we rise out of this low point in our history, we will find ourselves well, only stopping point on the way back. Get through this tough time together. Stronger one rocking now. Thank you. Taking the time. You know, we'll never know. Lucky. Okay, I don't know for having technical issues or challenges, but I'm unable to hear any questions. If there is pressure, please email Kerry at sandy Robertson dot com on We could provide answers for those at a later time. Again, I want thank you very much for participating. Yes, there's a question that I believe that Michael Howard wanted to ask you. I think people are having a hard time. Not how you get to the very top of your, um right. No. Kerry at Sandy Robertson way provide answers later. Again. They have already gone. He wanted to know what Beth Wood said about it was gonna be done about current bonding Our day, I can tell you this. I have a meeting at four o'clock this afternoon with Beth to discuss the audit. Could understand, um, but item She has sigh regarding next steps and to get some color, and I will report that back. I see. If anybody else type anything, I typed a question Bill West, Rocky Mount Telegram. Just sir. Bill was I'm trying to find it. I could tell you what the question is. Please tell me what is your opinion of the state auditor's report showing career civil servants were in effect water to stand down when trying to figure jobs as servants of the taxpayers? I'm not sure I fully understand the question, Bill. I think that the answer ultimately is this that Go ahead. All right, get up. You can't. Yeah, I will get out because you can't hear it. Now if you're if you're not asking a question, can you please mitre Mike's? Thank you. My bill. Would you mind repeating your question? I'm not sure that I understood it. Get out. I think that guys, this format of not working as well as we would hope that it would please email any questions to carry at sandy Robertson dot com. Ah and I will report back as quickly as possible. Thank you.</p>

Matthew Burns

Rocky Mount mayor discusses state audit

WRAL-TV News Broadcasts: Watch each newscast live or watch the most recent newscast on demand.

WRAL Late News 

Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

Here comes summer. I'm meteorologist K Campbell and the Wral severe weather center tracking a big warm up on the way next week, the eighties will begin on Sunday and we're likely to see the upper eighties through much of next week. Perhaps the 1st 90 degree day of the year at least coming awfully close. 88 Tuesday, 89 Wednesday and 88 again on Thursday, a very warm week, all due to this big ridge of high pressure that begins to build in next week. So the jet stream lifts well to our north. We're on the warm side of the jet stream. You couple that with an area of high pressure building in. It's warm and mostly dry, high temperatures near 90 degrees. We're tracking a front to our northwest that's not likely to impact us, but we are seeing some clouds moving with this system out ahead of the warm front. The mountains sink some showers today. The good news is your weekend looks pretty dry. 77 in Fayetteville, Saturday, mostly cloudy. 82 partly cloudy on Sunday in Fayetteville for the Dogwood Festival happening there. Always a good time. We've got Brugal happening in downtown Raleigh as well. It will be in the upper sixties early on this evening. But by 11 o'clock, right around 60 degrees and the dueling dinosaurs, the exhibit opens up Saturday at 10 a.m. at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Such a cool event. I'm so excited that I got to go preview it. I highly recommend heading that way. It's completely free 59 at 10 a.m. And by the end of the event, it ends at five o'clock. It'll be in the seventies. It's a mostly cloudy day on Saturday. So some indoor activities are welcome, but at least it looks dry out there. We also have spring days happening at a Bond Park in Kerry should be a great day for the event. 11 a.m. It's 60 degrees, mostly cloudy 3 p.m. 73 degrees and still mostly cloudy. Don't expect to see a lot of sunshine Saturday, but it's pretty comfortable temperature wise. Sunday, we will warm back up into the lower eighties, partly cloudy skies with a southwest wind helping to drive us up into the eighties. Then comes the big warm up next week with highs in the upper eighties all week long. Low temperatures only dip into the sixties as for rain chances they are very low for the next seven days. This warm pattern is also a dry one for us. Just a 20% chance of rain Tuesday night. There is some concern that if we see this continue. We could be headed for a flash drought so we'll be keeping a close eye on the next opportunity for some decent rain.

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

A lockdown has ended at Enloe High School in Raleigh, police said Friday.

Good afternoon. My name is Lieutenant Jason with the Public Information Office of the Raleigh Police Department. Deputy Chief Boyce is going to provide an update on the incident that happened at a high school today. Uh Good morning, uh Deputy Chief Rico Boyce of the Raleigh Police Department. I want to provide an update of the incident that occurred here at in low high school this morning. I'm joined here with Major Harrison of the Field Operations Division as well as major latour of the field operations division. I want to begin by saying that everything and everyone is safe at Inlow High School. There's no students, no staff that has been injured as a result of this. Obviously with uh with the allegation of a firearm on campus, it really has an effect on the students and staff, but I want to alert the public that everything is ok. Uh Wake County schools have been very helpful in investigating this matter with the Raleigh Police Department. So what happened just after 10 a.m. this morning, a student approached the principal and made the principal aware that there is a subject on campus with a firearm. The principal immediately placed a school on code red lockdown and with the assistance of the school resource officer, additional officers were called to the scene. Once officers arrived on scene, they began to do a systematic search of the entire school interior and exterior of the school to determine that there was no one on campus with the firearm. Obviously, when you talk about a firearm on campus, it has a very large impact in our community and that's why we had a very large presence of law enforcement. But I will say Raleigh PD working with the Wake County public schools, we have determined that there is no threat on campus. We took this matter very seriously. We're going to continue to investigate and see how this all originated. But at this time, I just want to let the community know that this threat is unfounded, right? There's no threat, there's no firearm, there's no one injured at in high school. So we're going to continue to make sure that the message get out and Wake County public schools will put out an update of how the rest of the school day is going to go as far as any potential early release. I cannot say that right now, what I can say is a student made the principal aware that there is a potential of someone on campus with a firearm. The principal took that information very seriously and placed the school on a code grade lockdown and we began to investigate from there. So at this time, I can't determine if it was a hoax or not. Are you looking for anyone else? I mean, there have been a report that there was a student who said her boyfriend was with a gun. Are you looking for that person? Since no one was found in the school with a gun? We're investigating right now, like say this originated from a student and the information was shared with the principal. So we're still trying to determine what exactly was shared with the principal to lead to the core lockdown. So right now that is like say under investigation, did you guys do a systematic room by room search? Yes, we did. Like I say with this being a school and the threat of a firearm on campus, the Raleigh Police Department's selective enforcement unit, state capital PD County Sheriff's office, they all responded to help us do a systematic search of the entire campus, not only inside the school but it outside school in the surrounding neighborhoods is the lockdown lifted currently. No, it's still code red lockdown right now. We're just finishing up like say some last minute details with Wake County public schools and they will update us when they're going to lift that code red. One more question. I just want to make sure I'm clarifying this correctly. A call from the principle that a student had reported this. Are you still on the lookout for someone who might have been on campus and then left or are you investigating this in a different way? We're investigating this in a different way that this was a alleged threat of someone with a gun on campus. So right now, there's nobody on campus, but we're trying to get the exact details. Like what else was involved in this communication with the student and the principal. Can you really quickly just talk about the response? I mean, this is a massive response to something like this and the impact that has on officers, parents, students out there actually has a huge toll, a huge effect on our officers responding to any school with the potential of a firearm b on a campus. That's why you saw the response to get today. Uh We work very well with our law enforcement partners and we're very thankful for them helping us to clear the school. Uh And obviously with parents, of course, this is going to have a huge impact on parents as well as student and staff. Anytime you see a large police presence on a, on a school campus, but it's all to make sure that everyone is safe. Uh And then we're quickly, we'll try to get the school back to normal operators uh operating as soon as possible. So yes, we came with a lot of resources if there was a threat or would someone would have gone, we wanted to quickly mitigate that. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you.

No threat at Enloe High School, releasing students early

Sky 5 flies over code red lockdown at Enloe High School 

Enloe High School is under a code red lockdown. Sky 5 is flying over the school.

Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Good evening. I'm Gail. Hi, welcome to tonight's drawings for Thursday, April 25th, 2024. Well, let's get started tonight with our Carolina pick three. Our first winning number is a one. Our second number is eight and our third number tonight is a nine and our pick three fireball number is eight. Again, join me for tonight's joining us on Auditor from mcconnell and Jones L LP. Now let's move to the Carolina pick four. Good luck. Everyone who's their first winning pick four number. It's a six. Our second number is eight. Third number tonight is eight again and our fourth number is a three in our pick four fireball number. There it comes. It is a one. Well, turning now to the Carolina cash five and no one wins our prize tonight. Tomorrow's, our prize is estimated at $721,000. Good luck. Everyone here's our first winning cash five number. It's the number eight. Our second number is five third number. Tonight is seven. Our fourth number here it comes. It's a 41 in the final number, NRC five. This evening is 27. The North Carolina Education Lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education. Get your winning numbers right here every night in your exclusive station for the North Carolina Education lottery. Thanks for playing. Have a great night.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings are held at 3 p.m. daily. They can be seen as live or on-demand video.

Good afternoon. I'm Grace Holland. Welcome to this afternoon's drawings for Thursday, April 25th, 2024. Let's get started with the Carolina pick three. Your first pick three number is five followed by seven then seven and your fireball is eight. Joining me for this afternoon's drawing is our auditor from A L LP. Now let's move on to the Carolina pick four. The first pick four number is seven followed by one 60 and your fireball is five. The North Carolina Education lottery has contributed over $10 billion to education. Thank you for your support. You can get your winning numbers each day at 3 p.m. and again at 1122.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

Gov. Roy Cooper, museum leaders and museum paleontologist Dr. Lindsay Zanno on Thursday preview Dueling Dinosaurs, a brand new exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The exhibit opens to the public Saturday.

In that institution's history. But all of you can and I have seen that enthusiasm and that understanding that you are part of something special over the past few years as you have prepared for this day. So to the staff of the museum, thank you. And it's not just staff, a project like this wouldn't have been possible without a lot of important partners on behalf of everyone involved in this immensely successful public private partnership. And in addition to the General Assembly's extraordinary investment, I would like to take a moment to thank some of the very generous supporters of the Dueling Dinosaurs capital campaign, the SECU Foundation, the Bank of America Duke Energy, the North Carolina Glaxo Smith Kline Foundation, Wake County, friends of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences who really not only helped us in, in raising the funds but also in making this day happen and this opportunity happen. And so many others who are recognized on the campaign do donor wall just to the right of the exhibit entrance. So I encourage you as you go through there today to make sure you take a look at that wall. Now, along with the state's investment. This village of support has enabled the museum to open this new globally unique visitor experience. And on that note, I would like to invite Secu Foundation board chair, Chris Ayers to speak to the foundation's leadership gift, Chris. Thank you. Well, good morning fellow paleontologists. Um I'm excited to be here today representing the SECU Foundation and the over 2.7 million members of state employees credit union who fund that foundation. So this is a great day of celebration for the State of North Carolina, the Department of Cultural and Natural Resources and the many museum supporters and friends who have joined together to make this day a reality. I can tell you the foundation, the State Employees Credit Union has been looking forward to this day for a long time, going all the way back to when we got a sneak peek when they first rolled these fossils into the museum uh a number of years ago. So today's ribbon cutting ceremony shines a brilliant light on the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences as a research institution and the largest museum in the southeast of its kind. The work of the museum professionals and the world class facility benefits more than 1 million visitors each year. And we're delighted to help fund the Secu Dino Lab, which will be enjoyed by students, teachers and families from across the state and beyond. In addition to the SECU Diner lab, the foundation support of the museum also includes the large icon globe that we're in right now that you see outside the building, uh The SECU Daily Planet. As longtime supporters of the museum SECU is pleased that our collaborative efforts help bring the museum and our state to the forefront of natural sciences, education and research, innovative initiatives like this can only be achieved through incredible teamwork and support from the community if it isn't obvious. Let me say that we are so happy to be part of this team and we feel really lucky to have our SECU headquarters and our Sal Salisbury Street branch right next door where we get to see the daily droves of visitors year round. SECU is built on the principle of people helping people and our members live that philosophy through our support of nonprofits that uplift people and communities throughout our great state. For those of you who may not know the SECU foundation is funded through a unique concept known as the power of a dollar where SECU members contribute through the reallocation of their $1 monthly checking account fee. Collectively a dollar truly can make a profound difference. As you see here today, this summer marks the foundation's 20th anniversary. And over the past 20 years, our foundation's commitment to North Carolina nonprofits has surpassed a quarter of a billion dollars for scholarships, grants, financing for education, housing, health care, human services, all benefits to our great state. And we're going to celebrate that 20th anniversary. This fall dueling Dinosaurs is history in the making right here in downtown Raleigh. And we're so lucky to have a front row seat to marvel at the Scientific Discovery and the World of Paleontology. We at the SECU Foundation are honored to be part of this and I want to thank everyone for the great work and contributions that so many of you have made to make this day in this exhibit a reality. Thank you, Chris. Now I mentioned earlier about our staff and they really are all superstars, but there is one particular staff member who has as this project has developed over the recent years, kind of reached celebrity status. If you read Walter magazine, you probably read a profile of her and her work and how that has contributed to uh this particular exhibit. I'm pleased to introduce that person to you this morning. None other than uh the individual who had the vision to make this happen. Doctor Lindsay Zano, head of Paleontology here at the museum, Doctor Doctor Zano. Good morning. It's wonderful to be hosting you all this morning. You know, every week I get an email from a parent who wants their child to meet and talk to a scientist every single week. They want to fuel that child's love for science, encourage them to pursue their dreams. But more than anything they want that science to be real, they want it to be accessible, meeting those Children is wonderful. It's also not enough because not every parent has the resources of the opportunities to reach out to a scientist and arrange a one on one meeting for their child. Most of the Children who are interested in science will fall through the cracks and every public event I attend, I have a conversation with someone in our community who doesn't see the relevance of science to their daily lives who's never been invited to peek behind the proverbial curtain to see who scientists are and what we do and how we go about solving problems that are relevant to our communities. Today, we mark the next step in the evolution of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. We celebrate the opening of the dueling dinosaurs experience. This is one of the most daring public science projects ever imagined at its heart is a world class specimen and the barrier breaking sccu Dino lab that houses it. The specimen represents a single moment in time 67 million years ago when behemoths like tyrannosaurs and triceratops battled for life. The lab is a place where there are no walls between the scientists and the communities that we serve. One where the term behind the scenes loses all of its meaning. A place where every kid regardless of their socioeconomical status can talk to a scientist every day, any day, a place where they can look in the face of a scientist and see themselves staring back at them a place where science is done for the public with the public and transparently in front of the public and for those that cannot make it to us on site, we're broadcasting this project all over the world. Now, the dueling dinosaurs experience is fueled by an amazing team of scientists who I'm so proud of. And in the past two years, we've grown from 6 to 14,000. And that's because a year and a half ago, we launched our public science project Cretaceous Creatures. And already over 14,000 middle school students from around the state have made once in a lifetime scientific discoveries as real members of our scientific team. And we are just getting started. I want to close this morning by thanking the state all of our incredible donors, my amazing museum colleagues, and especially my team for believing in this project, for believing in my vision. I want to thank them for tirelessly working for eight years to bring this project to the people of North Carolina and beyond. You are all dreamers and I could not be more honored to be on this journey with you. One thing we can all agree on is the world loves dinosaurs. So today we're going to bring the next generation of leaders in science and technology and engineering and innovation and have them born right here in North Carolina. Let's show the world how it's done. Thank you. Make sure I didn't mess up the screen and dropping that. Um Thank you, Doctor Zano and I don't know what the acoustics are back there. But standing up here as you were talking about Children in that next generation from up here, you could hear all the Children up there in nature Research Center visiting the labs and it just kind of brought to life. What you're talking about this experience will mean it's now my pleasure to introduce to you, my boss, uh Secretary Reed Wilson. Now I can tell you, Secretary Wilson, this is a special project. He does a lot of openings, ribbon cuttings for our sites all across the state, state parks aquariums and not to play favorites. But I know this one ha holds a special place in his heart. He was telling someone this morning that he's been working on this project for seven years and so Secretary Wilson, I'm pleased to introduce you and we finally got here. Thank you, Jeff. Good morning, everybody. Uh Thank you all for being here this morning and to all involved. Uh Congratulations. This is an amazing huge day for North Carolina and for this museum, you know, making doing dinosaurs a reality has been a collective effort. And I want to thank some people that have already been thanked, but you can never thank these people enough. First, our sponsors, we would not be here today without your generous support. No doubt about that. I also want to thank the board and the staff of the friends of the Museum of Natural Sciences and three of the four board presidents who have been presidents during this period are here with us today. Um, but the whole board has been invested in this and not only did you all raise significant sums of money, but you tiptoed way out on that branch of risk. I remember the conversations. Well, we really sure we wanna do this. Uh But you were, you made the decision to, to just dive in um because you kept your eyes on the prize and, and understood what the risk was, but all that risk went away. Uh I wanna thank the museum staff. Um Thank you so much. I know that every section of this museum has been involved with this. And I, I dare say that there isn't anyone on the staff of this museum who wasn't involved in this project at some point. Um And obviously to Doctor Zano and your paleontology team. Um Y'all are just amazing. You're brilliant. All of you. Um Javin Sutton and your ex exhibition team, Christy Flint and your education team. I mean, I could mention everybody in this museum, everyone's been involved. It's been a long process and you've done a phenomenal job because here we are today and of course, we wouldn't be here without substantial public support. Thank you to members of the General Assembly um who prioritized the investment in this state of the art lab in particular. I do want to thank the leadership of the legislature speaker Moore, Senator Pro TEM Berger, minority leader, blue and minority leader Reeves. Uh, they're unable to join us today, but I think we should give a round of applause to the entire general assembly who supported this project. So it's taken us a while for us to get here today. And as Jeff mentioned, I've been involved with this one probably since the first week I was in this department in early February 2017. Um So it's not been quite 67 million years, but sometimes it felt like it. Um Is that my wife laughing? I remember, I do remember vividly the early Sunday morning in April 2017, almost exactly seven years ago to this day when these specimens arrived. I watched as the movers painstakingly removed them from the tractor trailer truck and carefully moved them into their hidden storage places. It was definitely a goose bumps moment for hours and then we had the groundbreaking in the midst of COVID, uh which complicated everything. And as I said, then at the groundbreaking, when this lab opens, our state will become a must see destination for dinosaur lovers everywhere, from young kids to academics to anybody. Um And so here we are and it's even better than I think any of us dreamed it could be. You will see when you go in there. What a special exhibit this is. We have the best dinosaur specimens in the world and the best setting for people to see them and learn from them. Hundreds of moments and of awe and wonder will unfold in there every single day. And I can't wait to just wander over here sometimes to watch the kids' eyes pop open. Now, at the heart of this project is the science. Our paleontologists will make discoveries as they carefully uncover these and analyze them. Science will be happening in front of the public's eyes. Um And so do doing dinosaurs is an excellent way for the state to engage students in scientist scientific discovery and to develop greater science literacy. So why is that important? Um It's important because the only way we're going to solve our big problems is to rely on the science and the experts who know what they're talking about. And the key to getting to that point is to expand science education to make sure that every child understands the value of science and how scientific discovery works. The Dueling Dinosaurs exhibit is going to pull people into this amazing world of science that's so important to our future. So I am now pleased to introduce a leader who uses science and facts and data to make his decisions as governor of the state of North Carolina and he has supported this project throughout its duration. Everyone please give a warm welcome to our Governor Roy Cooper. Thank you, Secretary Wilson. I'll tell you when we have cabinet meetings every Monday. His is always the coolest report, particularly when we get the updates on the dueling dinosaurs. Uh I am so grateful to everyone who helped to make this happen. The partners. Thank you so much for the work you've done all of the contributors. Uh My family, Chris is proud that our state employees credit union accounts that $1 a month is going to things like this. That is so exciting. And when I think about this week, I spent Monday Earth Day on the Blue Ridge Parkway looking at our amazing vistas uh in Western North Carolina on Tuesday and Wednesday, I got to spend time with North Carolina's own astronaut Christina Cook who set records for time that a woman astronaut spent in space and space walking. And she actually presented us with a lob Lily pine that had been germinated on the moon. Native plant, Karen, first lady made sure it was a native plant, uh excited about planting that in our pine forest at the executive mansion. And she presented us with the North Carolina flag that flew with her on her mission in the International Space Station for 11 months, presenting it to the people of North Carolina. Then I got to come over here with Doctor Zano, doctor Doctor Young and to go through this exhibit and to talk to these scientists and see see these dinosaurs and think about how amazing it was that this was happening right here in North Carolina. You know, North Carolina is the first and best in so many things. Now, we're the best in dinosaurs. I love it. You know, it is amazing and extraordinary that we have the best preserved and most complete tyrannosaur and triceratops in the world. Right here at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Scientists. This exhibit will add to an already excellent rep reputation that North Carolina has as a world class research university community College state. And I'm excited about that. I have been through this exhibit and, and to see the faces of the paleontologist, how excited energetic that they are. And they're also excited and maybe even a little bit nervous about sharing their work as they do it with the world, with the cameras on top of them, with their brushes and their equipment as they make discovery after discovery. And I said, you know, you're gonna get comments and praise and maybe some criticism from science, all scientists all over the world. They said, we know we know and we're ready for that and that's what makes this so special. Uh Doctor Young Doctor Zano, thank you for leading me through. Thank, thank you for the work. I asked Doctor Zano what she was gonna do this summer? She said, Utah, Montana and Mongolia. Wow, that's cool. Bring some stuff back with us uh to, to us but to compete, compete in today's world stem and steam classes. Are more important than ever. And our next generation of leaders will be walking through this museum every day that it's open and this exhibit will stimulate interest in a lot of them. I have declared 2024 as the year of public schools in North Carolina. And I am deeply grateful that the legislature stepped up and invested in this exhibit. Uh It, it took a lot of work to pull everything together and their work was instrumental and I am encouraging them now also to invest more in our public schools in our early childhood education. Our state has a history of investing in public education in order to fuel our innovation and our discovery. And when these young students learn in their school classes and they get to come here and meet face to face with these sci scientists. It's going to develop interest and it's going to create our scientists of the future this state of the art secu diner lab and the dueling dinosaurs belong to the people of North Carolina. It's open to everyone free of charge. That is amazing. Thanks to everybody who made this happen. This is a proud day for the state of North Carolina. Thank you so much. Thank you, Governor Cooper. Uh It truly is an exciting day for all of us and thank you for being here. Now, at this time, I would like to invite everyone to join us just outside the auditorium here. A little bit to the right at the at the entrance for doing dinosaurs for the official ribbon cutting. And I want to invite all of you up there on the 2nd, 3rd floor. Presents. Come on down and join us. So let's go celebrate. Thank you. Yeah, we're at the back line up a little bit. It's gonna be quite a few people here. They are going to be coupled. OK? Don't cut it. Yeah, check, check, get out. OK. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Right. The the face. Thanks this chair, right. You all right. So fantastic. Hey guys for media. We questions afterwards over step on. This is the best to the future. This very good virtually. Yes. Is young. Was it? How about that? This is Yeah, you and then I now make the tea for. Can you be away if you're gonna be here? J JJ? Yeah, I was gonna have how many we have to get here in the morning right here. I didn't see anyone. All right, I need to tell everyone you should never put your hands inside the mouth of a tyrannosaurus. It's very sharp, well done on the end. Just a little bit here. Thank you. All right, just in the position. All right forward. Creep forward. Look for the fray. There we go. 321. Hold on. Is there we go. No cool, cool. The skin is tough. It's a meat eater. Not a ribbon eater. So OK. Sorry. OK. Barry can we do one more second? Let me fill in real quickly with one more. Yeah, they have thank you. Who gets to keep this to bring here? Let's get next to a do what you want us here. That be perfect. And can I get you on? So right here, you know what the secret with you and, but yeah, one photo, 12 and three. All right, thanks everybody. Right. If we have five, hello, if you guys want to come over here, I'll stand where the governor is gonna be. I.

Rocky Mount mayor discusses state audit

More On This

Rocky Mount mayor discusses state audit

City manager says she doesn't have to follow rules for meal expenses

Related Topics

More Videos

WRAL Late News

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

No threat at Enloe High School, releasing students early

Sky 5 flies over code red lockdown at Enloe High School

Sky 5 flies over code red lockdown at Enloe High School

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

Preview of Dueling Dinos, opening Saturday in Raleigh