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Gov. Pat McCrory Tuesday announced the creation of a new assistant commerce secretary for manufacturing.

McCrory said the post was designed to be an advocate for manufacturing within state government policy circles.

Appearing at the Emerging Issues Forum in which manufacturing was the key topic, McCrory said his administration will emphasize fostering manufacturing in the state as part of its efforts to reduce the state's high unemployment rate.

He noted that his father, a mechanical engineer, moved to North Carolina to work for a manufacturing plant.

Another one bites the dust: state capital correspondent Josh Ellis is leaving his position at State Government Radio on Nov. 4 to join the N.C. Department of Commerce as a press flak.

Ellis, whose constant presence at the legislative building makes him a leading source of statehouse news, will start his new job Nov. 7. His official title at commerce: "Information & Communications Specialist II."

His defection -- and we say it mostly in gest -- is the latest from N.C. capital press corps to the government ranks. Mark Johnson and Ben Niolet, former reporters for The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer, now work in Gov. Bev Perdue's communications office. The N&O's Ray Martin also left to work in Republican Senate President Phil Berger's press office.

State Government Radio is owned by the Curtis Media Group and feeds radio stations across the state. A representative at the company said they haven't decided yet about whether to fill Ellis' position.