The Triangle continues to solidify itself as a force in the biotech industry, ranking No. 6 in CBRE's 2022 analysis of life science research talent clusters.

Why it matters: While Apple and Google are grabbing headlines for their planned growth in the Triangle, biotech companies have been steadily adding high-paying jobs here.

• With all the talent and intellectual property coming out of local universities, and relatively cheaper land costs, expect that to continue.

Driving the news: Given its size, the Triangle has an outsized presence of Ph.D. graduates in biological and biomedical sciences — thanks to programs at Duke, UNC and N.C. State, per CBRE's report.

• Salaries stretch further here than in other cities. The region has the second-best ratio of biochemist salaries to cost of living, only trailing Houston.
• That's helped the Triangle lure talent from more expensive metros, like Boston and San Francisco.

What’s next: Our biotech industry could expand rapidly in the coming years, with billions of dollars' worth of lab space planned.

• In January, Trinity Capital announced plans to build a $1 billion, 109-acre biotech campus near Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Morrisville.
• That same month, one of the largest remaining parcels of land in Research Triangle Park was purchased for nearly $100 million by Alexandria Real Estate, and is earmarked for a biotech campus.
• In Holly Springs, drug manufacturers Fujifilm Diosynth and Amgen are building facilities that will add hundreds of jobs.

It's been nearly two years since Benson's popular Redneck BBQ Lab announced plans for a new location, called the BBQ Lab, in Raleigh's North Hills.

• Supply chain and construction setbacks long delayed the restaurant's opening.
• Some kitchen equipment — like ventilation hoods, smokers or an ice cream machine — had lead times of 12 months or more.

But if things go smoothly from here, the BBQ Lab should be serving its brisket, pulled pork and ribs by early August.

• "We're just a final inspection away … from being able to create barbecue here," owner Jerry Stephenson tells Axios.

Flashback: After winning awards at numerous barbecue competitions, Stephenson opened the Redneck BBQ Lab in 2017. The spot made a name for itself, enticing eaters to make the trek to Johnson County and line up for its barbecue.

• Stephenson called it the lab because he crafted homemade smokers out of trash cans and spent months fine-tuning recipes for barbecue sauce, burnt ends and brisket.
• He even flew down pastrami from Katz Deli in New York to compare with a recipe he spent six months creating.
• "Lord knows I've destroyed some meat trying to create something" good, he says. "But I think we've got something that's pretty unique and we like sharing it."

What to expect: North Hills will be a much different scene. The new BBQ Lab will expand upon the original location's offerings.

• It will feature craft beer and cocktails, as well as hush puppies and fries.
• Brunch will be available on weekends too.

What they're saying: "Almost two years ago I moved to North Hills," Stephenson says. "One of the things I've noticed is the Raleigh area loves a good brunch."

• "So we're going to have brunch — but it's going to be what Jerry likes: the pastrami and eggs, the biscuits that we make and the homemade country sausage that we grew up on."

📀 Siemens is buying Cary-based Brightly Software, formerly known as Dude Solutions, for nearly $1.6 billion. (Reuters)

Democratic state Senate candidate Jason Minnicozzi withdrew from the race against sitting Republican Sen. Mike Lee following accusations of predatory abuse of power. (WHQR)

• The state's Democratic party will be able to find a candidate to replace him ahead of the election.

🗳 The North Carolina State Board of Elections will determine this week whether to grant the Green Party official recognition on the ballot in the state's U.S. Senate race. (WUNC)

The state Republican Party headquarters was vandalized over the weekend, with graffiti spray-painted onto the outside of the building reading, "if abortion isn't safe neither R are you." (News & Observer 🔒)

State lawmakers may be able to go home to their families before the 4th of July after all.

Republican state legislative leaders House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger reached a long-awaited agreement on a spending plan for the state, Axios scooped Monday.

Details: The proposal will be unveiled Tuesday, The News & Observer confirmed. Sources tell Lucille that Medicaid expansion is not part of the deal.

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Extreme heat is increasingly taking a toll on children, pregnant people and other vulnerable populations, forcing authorities to roll out new strategies against the environmental threat, Axios’ Arielle Dreher reports.

Why it matters: Heat-related deaths have been on the rise in recent years, giving way to the realization of the deadly public health consequences of heat waves.

• Children today will experience 35 times more life-threatening extreme heat events than kids born about 60 years ago, according to new research.

What they're saying: "The problem with heat and drought is that until they get extreme, we don't really see the impact on the landscape that would typically trigger our risk response," said Ashley Ward, senior policy associate at Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University.

Heat-related illness develops when the body can't sufficiently cool down or when a person’s temperature exceeds 106°F — a point at which organs can shut down and people can become permanently disabled.

In North Carolina, more than 1,200 people went to the emergency room for heat-related illness so far since May, according to the state’s latest heat report.

• Between June 12-18, emergency room visits for heat-related illness were slightly higher than the historical average.

Read more: ​​Extreme heat's health consequences