Governor Bev Perdue on Oct. 4 announced that Unilever United States Inc., a manufacturer of personal care products, will expand its operations in Hoke County. The company plans to add 21 jobs and invest $29.9 million over the next three years in Raeford. The project was made possible in part by a $63,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. The N.C. Department of Commerce’s Martie Butler was the developer on this project. Unilever produces personal care products, including anti-perspirants …
Crisco speaks to Harvard alumni on doing business in China
On Oct. 4 at Quintiles in Durham, the Harvard Club of the Research Triangle held a panel discussion on doing business in China. N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco, a graduate of Harvard Business School, was one of members of the panel, composed of government, business and education leaders. Crisco, who has traveled to China twice on business development missions, stated that in 2011, Chinese companies created more than 500 jobs and invested more than $65 million in North …
Downtown Salisbury named to top 10 great neighborhoods list
Downtown Salisbury has been named one of the 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2012 by the American Planning Association. The nine other great neighborhoods are Garden District, Baton Rouge, La.; Lower Highlands and Historic Downtown, Fall River, Mass.; Fells Point, Baltimore, Md.; Heritage Hill, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia; Cooper-Young, Memphis, Tenn.; Fairmont-Sugar House, Salt Lake City; Beacon Hill, Seattle and Downtown Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Wash. Salisbury is one of North Carolina’s and the country’s original Main Street communities. …
Textiles manufacturer to create 23 jobs in Polk County
Governor Bev Perdue on Oct. 3 announced that Fendrich Industries Inc., a manufacturer of textiles and printed cloth fabrics, will expand its operations by locating a new division in Polk County. The company plans to create 23 jobs and invest $740,000 over the next three years in Tryon. The project was made possible in part by an $115,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. The N.C. Department of Commerce’s Cindy Messer was the developer on this project. Fendrich Industries, …
Attorney General Roy Cooper: Tech Support – Sometimes Those Geeks are Really Just Crooks
Remember those phony tech support calls we warned you about last year? The good news is that the Federal Trade Commission has put a halt to overseas telemarketers behind the calls. But unfortunately, other scammers are likely to try to use the same tricks. Phony tech support scammers try to gain your trust by pretending to represent Microsoft or another legitimate tech company. They’ll then ask you to let them control your computer from a remote location in order to …
NCDOT to launch $1.6 million study of I-95 tolling
In response to questions raised by the public, the N.C. Department of Transportation announced Oct. 2 it will begin a study on the economic impact of tolling along Interstate 95. The study, which will take six months to complete, will examine the positive and negative aspects of adding lanes on I-95 and paying for them with tolling or other funding. The department said the study will also look at what would happen if lanes or other significant improvements requiring additional …
State Tourism Department releases 2011 Annual Report
Collaboration and wisely leveraging resources generated positive results again for North Carolina’s tourism economy in 2011. While recovering from the worst recession since the Great Depression, direct domestic visitor spending grew more than 8 percent to $18.4 billion, all 100 counties realized increases in visitor spending, and North Carolina ranked as the nation’s sixth most-visited state for overnight travel, according to the 2011 Annual Report, just released by the N.C. Department of Commerce Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development. …
Commerce participates in Expo Comm China
Expo Comm China 2012 took place Sept. 18-22 at the International Exhibition Center in Beijing, with more than 500 exhibitors from 13 countries showcasing their cutting-edge solutions in information and communications technology. The N.C. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Division had a booth in the USA pavilion and four North Carolina companies exhibited at the show. These included Acroprint of Raleigh, Electronic Systems Protection of Zebulon, ERD Ltd. of Kernersville, and Memscap of Durham. State of North Carolina Trade Representative …
White House: President Obama Establishes Monument to Cesar E. Chavez
Yesterday, President Obama traveled to Keene, California, to dedicate the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument on the property known as Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz (Our Lady Queen of Peace). The site is recognized worldwide for its historic link to civil rights icon Cesar Estrada Chavez and the farm worker movement — the site served as the national headquarters of the United Farm Workers (UFW) as well as the home and workplace of Cesar Chavez and his family from the early …
Wednesday Open Line
An annual event celebrating the simple pleasures of toys from the past is centered on Burlington, Wisconsin, today. The focal point of International Top Spinning Day will be the Spinning Top and Yo-Yo Museum. There, visitors can see more than 2,000 displays of tops, yo-yos and gyroscopes. The tops range from modern to antique, and come from around the world. There are tops that spin for hours, and even one that spins for days. Youngsters can learn about the physics …
Michael Bobbitt: Notes from the Peanut Gallery (City Council October 8th, 2012)
New Business The sixth new business topic out of seven presented by the Mr. Griffin is titled Consideration of Approval of Resolution 12-A-74. Sounds like the other resolutions the Council was asked approve except for Mr. Griffin’s comment ‘this has to do with the hotel.’ Mr. Griffin said that resolution 12-A-74 is basically a bookkeeping entry to return $3,500 to the Economic Development Reserve Fund. The same $3,500 approved on August 27, 2012, as an incentive “… to a privately …
Vance County Democrats Holding Early Voting Rally October 16th
Vance County Democrats will hold an Early Voting Rally at 219 S. Garnett, on October 16th from 6 to 8 p.m. We will have Nathan Baskerville, candidate for N.C. House. We will welcome June Atkinson, candidate for Secretary of Education for the State. We will have a watch the Governor’s Debate. If the weather is nice we will be in Emrose Park.
DonorsChoose Matching All Donations to Henderson Collegiate Until October 15th
This week, through October 15th, DonorsChoose is matching EVERY gift and donation with the input code PUMPKIN! Just like last time, any gift – no matter the size – will be matched by the DonorsChoose Board. Simply visit their site and type in the word PUMPKIN by Monday, October 15th. NO gift is too small because every donation will be DOUBLED when you put in the code word, Pumpkin! With all the progress that Henderson Collegiate has made in getting the …
Residents Urged To Remain On Line If 911 Is Dialed In Error
RALEIGH – The North Carolina Utilities Commission cautions customers to use care when making local calls beginning with 919. Since 10-digit dialing for local calls went into effect, there has been an increase in non-emergency and hang-up calls to 911. If you make a mistake and dial 911 instead of 919, DO NOT HANG UP but remain on the line to advise that 911 was called in error. Police or other emergency response personnel will automatically be sent to the …
VGCC hosts CCP Information Sessions for high school students and parents
Vance-Granville Community College will hold a series of sessions offering information for high school students and their parents on the “Career and College Promise” (CCP) program. CCP allows eligible students to earn college credits while still in high school, without having to pay tuition or college fees. These meetings will be held on Monday, Oct. 22 from 6–7 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room on VGCC’s Franklin County Campus near Louisburg; on Tuesday, Oct. 23 from 6–7 p.m. in the small …
Political Discussion: 4 Week Countdown to Election Day 2012
Home in Henderson will have a weekly thread for political issues, including this thread, counting down the 8 weeks until November 6th, 2012, election day. Discuss as you please, keep it civil and respectful. Next Tuesday will be 3 Week Countdown and so forth. (I hope I got the week count right.) You are free to comment on political issues anywhere else on the site as well, but it might be easier to carry about long discussions in specified threads …
Tuesday Open Line
The first superhighway in America opened this month in 1940 — the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The highway utilized roadbed and unfinished tunnels from an abandoned railroad project of the 1880s to make the nation’s first limited access, divided highway. The original road ran for 160 miles and featured seven tunnels, 10 service plazas, and 11 interchanges. In the years since, the turnpike — now part of the interstate highway system — has seen many improvements and is twice its original length. …
NC Cooperative Extension Updates
REGISTER NOW FOR COVER CROPS WORKSHOP!On Thursday October 11th Paul McKenzie (Ag Extension Agent) will conduct a seminar entitled “Cover Crops for Small Farmers”. He will discuss the various plants that can be used as cover crops, their benefits, and how to manage them for best results. The seminar will take place at 6:30 pm at the Warren County Extension Center, 158 Rafters Lane in Warrenton. There is no charge, but registration is requested by calling 252-257-3640, or via e-mail …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: A Devastating Obamacare Mandate Goes Into Effect
This weekend it was my honor to attend the Kenly Police Department swearing in ceremony for 5-year-old Eric Daniel Grady and present him with a flag that was flown over the Capitol. Eric has muscular dystrophy and, more than anything, he wanted to be a police officer. The Kenly Police Department, and others in his community, helped make his dream come true. Click here for a news report of Eric’s story and the ceremony. In this week’s newsletter, you will …
White House Weekly Address: Congress Should Keep America Moving Forward
In this week’s address, President Obama says that Congress should act to keep our nation moving forward by keeping taxes low for 98 percent of Americans, cutting red tape so responsible homeowners can save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage by refinancing at lower rates, and creating a veterans jobs corps to help our returning heroes find work. West Wing Week: 10/05/12 or “Operation Educate the Educators” Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that’s happening …