Wilmington’s first 3D movie hits the big screen on Friday, but exterior shots won’t feature familiar area locations. That’s because most of the interior shooting for “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” took place on sound stages at EUE/Screen Gems Studios a year ago. The movie used Stage 10, the lot’s largest, as well as a water tank built by the production specifically for the shoot. “‘Journey’ was a big deal for North Carolina,” said N.C. Film Office Director Aaron Syrett. …
Month: February 2012
Doritos “Sling Baby” Wins 2012 USA TODAY Facebook Super Bowl Ad Meter
MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The USA TODAY Facebook Super Bowl Ad Meter winner has been announced and Doritos “Sling Baby” came out on top for 2012. The ad features a grandmother who creates a way to sling her grandson – with a rubber band-like setup – across the yard to grab a Doritos bag from a taunting boy. The Facebook community rated the ad a 4.33 (on a scale of 1 to 5 stars). The top five ads …
Clinical Laboratory Service Company to Expand in North Carolina
HIGH POINT—Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Solstas Lab Partners, a leading medical and diagnostic laboratory, will expand its operations in Guilford County. The company plans to create as many as 500 jobs and invest about $11.6 million over five years to gain maximum benefits from performance-based incentives approved by Guilford County and the City of High Point. The project was made possible in part by a $450,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. The state grant will be …
Corporate “Personhood” to be Tested in MF Global Bankruptcy Case
NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The legal principle of “corporations are ‘persons'” is set to be tested in the current MF Global bankruptcy case after a former MF Global client, Adam Furgatch of Hawaii, filed a motion on Monday in Federal Bankruptcy Court that asks the Court to treat MF Global Holdings, Ltd. as a “person” instead of a corporation. The filing asserts that because the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a corporation such as MF Global …
Thursday Open Lines
Regardless of whether the groundhog saw his shadow last week — it’s still cold over much of the nation’s landscape — and that means keeping the heat on and also keeping an eye on the thermostat for a balance of being comfortable and holding down costs. Across the U.S., just over half of all homes are heated by gas. Electricity is the second most popular fuel, used in just over a third of homes. Fuel oil and kerosene heat just …
Vance County 911 Back Up PSAP Proposal
This presentation was given at the November 7th, 2011 Board of Commissioners meeting regarding the plans for a backup 911 site. You may download the presentation here: 911 Back Up PSAP Proposal Draft
Gary Morgan: A World Without Religion
It is the human (sin) nature to declare one’s own superiority and assume authority and mastery over others weaker or less motivated than ourselves. And it is only the ethical and moralistic values (inspired by religion) that hold back this basest of human instincts, without which no society or eco-system can long survive. What would it be like … a world without religion … a world without a future beyond our mundane human existence … a world where death leads …
Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery
Regarding the Vance County Board of Commissioners meeting on February 6th, 2012. Brian Short and Jordan McMillen presented the Emergency Operations Hazard Mitigation Plan (Plan) for approval by the Commissioners. This is apparently the second public hearing of this Plan. This first was held in July 2010 according to Mr. McMillen. Mr. Short started the presentation by referring the Commissioners to an executive summary, a summary not in the initial packet of public documents. Commissioner Brummitt started the Commissioners’ comments …
Search Warrant Nets Drugs and Stolen Firearm
On Wednesday, February 1, 2012, members of the Henderson Police Department Special Operations Division executed a search warrant at 725 John Street in Henderson. Kamal Harris, 26, 725 John Street, Henderson was charged with one count of Possession with the Intent to Manufacture, Sell, and Deliver Marijuana, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Harris was placed in the Vance County Jail after failing to post a 10,000.00 secured bond. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in …
Vance County 2010-2011 Audit Report
For the fiscal year 2010-2011 ending June 30th, 2011. Local accounting firm Phillips, Thomas, Waters, & Brafford, P.A. submitted their audit report to the Vance County Board of Comissioners at the Monday February 6th meeting. You may download the full report here. (116 pages) 20120206_vance_county_2011_audit_report
Wednesday Open Line
This month, the word “heart” usually makes us think of the romance of Valentine’s Day, coming up next week. But February is also American Heart Month, with a more serious meaning — taking care of our physical heart. Everyone should be aware of the warning signs of a problem, an uncomfortable pressure in the chest may signal a heart attack, while numbness or weakness on one side of the body could mean a stroke. Experts say you can help prevent …
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
February 7 marks the 12th annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), a national community mobilization initiative to boost HIV awareness and advance HIV prevention, testing, and treatment among blacks in the United States. HIV and AIDS Disproportionately Affect Blacks Among all racial/ethnic groups, African Americans bear the greatest burden of HIV in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 16 black men and 1 in 32 black women will be diagnosed …
Senator Doug Berger Message: Education Funding Shortfall Addressed
Education Funding Shortfall Addressed My endorsement last week of Gov. Perdue’s proposal to reinstate a three-quarter-cent sales tax cut for public education has garnered both positive and negative responses. Only one writer supported tax cuts that would result in corresponding cuts in public education. Most citizens who oppose reinstatement of the three-quarter cent sales tax want to alternatively preserve public education without raising taxes. They invariably propose two solutions: Cut administration and other waste in public education; and Use revenues …
$1.6 Million Contract Awarded For New Franklin County Bridge
RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a $1.6 million contract to United Contractors LLC of Great Falls, SC to build a new bridge over the Tar River on Sims Bridge Road northwest of Louisburg in Franklin County. The project will replace a 59-yar-old bridge that is considered structurally deficient. That doesn’t mean it is unsafe, but that there are elements of the bridge that have had to be monitored, and eventually it needed to be replaced. Work …
Search Warrant Nets 4 Drug Charges
On Wednesday February 1, 2012, members of the Henderson Police Department Special Operations Division executed a search warrant at 208 Harriett Street in Henderson. The following individuals have been charged based on this investigation: Margaret Batchelor, 67, 208 Harriett Street, Henderson was charged with one count of Maintaining a Dwelling for Keeping a Controlled Substance. She was released on a 5,000.00 unsecured bond. A preliminary hearing has been set in Vance County District Court for February 27, 2012. Deshon O’Neal …
VGCC offers Small Business Seminar on getting Organized
Vance-Granville Community College’s Small Business Center will present a free seminar that will help business owners, managers and other area residents to improve their organizational skills with an eye toward saving time and money. The seminar, entitled “Getting and Staying Organized,” will be held on Tuesday, March 6 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. in room 7107 of Building 7 on the college’s main campus in Vance County. Experts say that the average American worker loses at least two weeks’ …
Stolen Vehicle Recovered After Chase Down I-85
On Saturday, February 4, 2012, Officer A Evans of the Henderson Police Department was on patrol when he spotted a 2012 Jeep Wrangler. Evans was aware a vehicle fitting that description was stolen the night before. A records check verified that this was in fact the vehicle. Evans attempted to stop the vehicle at which time the operator of the vehicle accelerated and refused to stop. After a short pursuit, the driver pulled the vehicle over at the 205 mile …
NC Sex Offender Registry goes mobile with new app
There’s a new tool to help you locate registered sex offenders near your home, school, local park or any location, a free app for iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch® Use the app to search for registered North Carolina sex offenders by GPS location or street address from wherever you are. You can search for all offenders within a one, three or five mile radius, and offenders’ home addresses are pinpointed with red markers. Offenders’ names and addresses are listed below …
Witnesses Claim Moped Driver At Fault In Fatal Mishap
On Friday, February 3, 2012 at 1:12 P.M., officers of the Henderson Police Department Patrol Division responded to the intersection of East Andrews Avenue and Clark Street in response to a traffic accident. When officers arrived, they found Rosco Williams, 50, 579 Shocco Springs Rd., Warrenton lying in the roadway. Witnesses indicate that Williams was traveling East on Andrews Avenue and was operating a 2009 Gator moped wrecklessly. Williams fell from the moped and was struck by a 1999 Ford …
Hong Kong’s Li & Fung Limited Selects Greensboro for LF USA Office
GREENSBORO – Gov. Bev Perdue today joined executives from LF USA to announce that the multinational consumer goods export and logistics group has opened an office in Greensboro. LF USA is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-headquartered Li & Fung Limited. With a total of 30,000 square feet, the LF USA office will house key functions, including accounting and finance, treasury management, transaction services, logistics and customs compliance. The office is located at 4620 Grandover Parkway. “Creating jobs is my top priority,” …