While openings of a major department store or a branch of a big-box chain are often welcomed by shoppers and communities, they are also the cause of some concern. Small local businesses face greater competition, yet those small businesses are an outsized engine of economic growth. Additionally, they are important distinguishing features in local communities. That’s why today is Mom and Pop Business Owners Day. There are about 27.1 million business firms in the U.S., but over 21 million of …
Oxford Preparatory High School Application Deadline April 8th
Oxford Preparatory High School’s initial enrollment period will end on April 8th. Enrollment for the first charter high school in the area is open to any student (tuition-free) who 1) is a resident of North Carolina, regardless of county of residence, and 2) will enter 9th grade during the 2013 – 2014 school year. Families of rising 9th grade students can complete the application, available on the school’s website (www.oxfordprephs.org) or at the public libraries in Henderson and Oxford, and …
North Carolina Weekend
For the week of March 28 on UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, take in a movie – or more than one – during the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham. Step back in time at Poplar Grove Plantation in Wilmington. Enjoy the great outdoors at Rendezvous Mountain Educational Forest in Purlear. Experience a variety of art at the Siler City Arts Incubator in Siler City. And the “House Special” samples the fare at Taverna Agora in Raleigh. (Please note: listings …
Harrah’s Casino offers economic boom to tribe
Michell Hicks sees more than flashing lights and upscale decor when he looks at the renovations to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. He sees jobs. “The bottom line is about helping people,” said Hicks, the principal chief of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, which owns the casino. “We’ve created a lot of jobs, not just for tribal members, but also for Western North Carolina,” he said. The casino employs 2,500 people, including 400 enrolled tribe members, said Brooks Robinson, …
NY Times boosts NC Beer Month value past $1.2 million mark
April’s inaugural North Carolina Beer Month celebration has generated coast-to-coast attention from print, broadcast and online media outlets to tap the growing beer travel market. A triple hit in The New York Times scored $191,751 worth of coverage with an In Transit column lead, a piece in the Sunday print edition and a digital tablet app. The coverage reached a circulation of more than 22 million readers. The Daily Meal, a website that targets food-enthusiasts, cooks and wine connoisseurs, also …
VGCC offers course on building, repairing computers
Vance-Granville Community College is currently registering students for a course that will teach area residents how to get the best performance out of their personal computers. “PC Maintenance & Repair” is scheduled to be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 until 9:30 p.m., April 23 through July 18, in room 7107 on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Mitch Evans, the Director of Information Technology for VGCC, is the instructor for this hands-on course. Topics covered during …
First quarter shows continuing upswing in N.C. film industry
As the first quarter of 2013 comes to an end, the N.C. Film Office continues to see record-breaking numbers for the state’s film industry. More than 20 productions have indicated they intend to film, or have already begun filming, in North Carolina, with a total direct in-state spend in excess of $138 million, while creating more than 13,000 job opportunities, including 2,100 well-paying crew positions for the state’s highly skilled film professionals. Production is already underway on NBC’s hit series …
New downtown Wilmington hotels spark optimism
The number of hotel rooms in downtown Wilmington could soon more than double if all projects currently in the works come to fruition. The roster of new projects downtown includes one hotel that’s under construction and two others in the works – make that possibly three – and at least one other prominent piece of property being marketed as a prime site for a future hotel. Being within walking distance of a targeted destination is very important for hotels’ success, …
Revolution brings high praise to Wilmington region
The long wait for new episodes of “Revolution” ends Monday when the series returns to NBC’s prime-time lineup after a four month absence. Fans of the show won’t be only ones glad to have it back. The “Revolution” stars were eager to return to work after a three-week break in the middle of the season. “The city [Wilmington] has been so gracious,” show creator Eric Kripkehe said. “They’ve been open to all the crazy stuff we asked them to do. …
Thursday Open Line
One of the most frightening industrial accidents in the U.S. occurred on this date in 1979 at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant on the Susquehanna River, south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A cascade of alarms and emergency responses started when someone mistakenly cross connected air and water lines in the plant’s number two reactor. The plant reportedly came close to a hydrogen gas explosion and a meltdown of its uranium core, which would have caused extensive radiation contamination. The …
VGCC Credit Seminar
The Small Business Center for Vance-Granville Community College will be holding the following seminar: CREDIT Thursday, March 28, 2013 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Instructor: Alyssa Mako Location: Franklin Campus Cost: FREE What is “good credit”? How can consumers establish and maintain good credit? Learn what is contained on a credit report, what factors affect your credit score and how to correct any errors that may be listed on your credit history. Will also address how to protect …
VGCC PC Maintenance & Repair class
PC Maintenance & Repair Tuesday & Thursday nights 5:30-9:30 April 23 thru July 18 Main campus Henderson, building 7, room 7107 Space is limited to 14 students for this course. For information or to register, call VGCC at (252) 738-3417 Mitch Evans, the Director of Infrastructure Services in the VGCC Information Technology department, is the instructor for this hands-on course. Topics covered during the course will include networking, printer sharing, file sharing, and installing add-on hardware and software. Evans will …
XPO Logistics to Expand in Mecklenburg County
Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced today (March 26) that XPO Logistics, a company that provides freight management, expedited transportation and freight forwarding services, will expand its national operations center in Mecklenburg County. The company plans to create 287 new jobs in North Carolina by the end of 2014 and invest $688,000 into its Ballantyne Corporate Park location in Charlotte. Uconda Dunn served as the project developer for the N.C. Department of Commerce. “XPO Logistics …
Wednesday Open Line
A triumph of mobile computing was achieved on this date in 1961. By our 21st century standards, this involved some truly heavy lifting. Rolling actually. A division of the Sperry Rand Corporation equipped a trailer truck to haul a UNIVAC I computer from New York City down to North Carolina to process data for the Douglas Aircraft Corporation. The UNIVAC I, fully assembled, weighed in at a nimble 7,237 pounds. In 2010, nearly 92 million U.S. households — about 77 …
Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (VC BOC March 25th, 2013)
Maria Parham’s appeal of 2012 business Personal Property Appeal Basically, the Commissioners agreed to support the Tax Managers efforts to follow the law and encourage Maria Parham (now Duke Life Point) to do the same. At issue is a little disagreement of $9,012,556. The Tax Manager says Maria Parham owes $21,326,662 and Maria Parham says they owe $12,314.106. As things now stand, the ball in Maria Parham’s hands to pay the bill or follow the rules. Water Board Two items …
Piedmont Triad Farmers Market to host 18th Annual Easter Egg Festival
GREENSBORO – The Piedmont Triad Farmers Market will host one of the largest Easter egg hunts in the area on Saturday, March 30. The 18th Annual Easter Egg Festival presented by 107.5 KZLis a free event featuring entertainment and activities for children of all ages, appearances by local mascots, a magic show and the Easter Bunny. There will be three egg hunts held for children in specific age groups at the following times: ages 2 to 3 at 3 p.m., …
Registration for VGCC Summer term begins April 22
Summer curriculum classes at Vance-Granville Community College begin on May 16, and students can begin registration in April. The summer course schedule is now available on VGCC’s web site (www.vgcc.edu) by clicking on “VGCC Schedules” under the “Students” tab. New students must first apply for admission and attend an orientation session before registering, and returning students must meet with their advisors first. Returning students can register online or at VGCC’s four campuses, starting on Monday, April 22. However, only those …
Louisburg College Women’s Basketball Wins NJCAA National Tournament
LOUISBURG, NC – The Lady ‘Canes basketball team wrapped up their 2012-13 season with a final record of 32-3 and a first-place finish at the 2013 NJCAA National Championship Tournament on Saturday, March 23. Their 75-65 win against Arizona’s Mesa Community College earns the program its third Division II national title. In addition to their national championship, the ‘Canes had a regular season conference record of 12-2, and avenged their two losses to top-ten team Catawba Valley Community College by …
VGCC names new Radiography program head
Bobby G. Austin of Graham, N.C. was recently named program head for the Radiography degree program at Vance-Granville Community College. He brings many years of experience both as a radiologic technologist and as an educator to his new position. Austin received his initial radiography training while serving in the United States Air Force from 1974 through 1978. He went on to earn two associate degrees from Austin (Texas) Community College (where he also served as an instructor), a bachelor’s degree …
Tuesday Open Line
Everyone who loves convenience in shopping can thank Edward Delk and J.C. Nichols. It was they who conceived, designed and built the first shopping mall in the U.S. The Country Club Plaza, on the outskirts of Kansas City, opened this month in 1923 to wide acclaim. It was the first shopping area to have stores facing inwards toward a promenade, rather than facing out toward a road. The mall had 150 stores, (a 2,000 seat auditorium,) and parking for 5,500 …