Blog | Visit NC | Page 275

Employers must be Collecting Data Now for ACA Compliance

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

–>
and imageUrl: http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/1d132_139367 –>

TripAdvisor Logo. (PRNewsFoto/TripAdvisor)
iSolved
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

left
0
iSolved
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnfull/20140825/139367
http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/6a077_139367
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnthumb/20140825/139367
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140825/139367
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20140825/139367

and http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140825/139367 –>

left
0
iSolved
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnfull/20140825/139367
http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/6a077_139367
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnthumb/20140825/139367
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140825/139367
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20140825/139367

and http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/6a077_139367 –>

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Sections 6055 and 6056 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) requires reporting for applicable large employers (ALE) and non-ALEs with self-funded plans, creating additional Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements and challenging employers to be in compliance. Although the four required forms are currently in draft form by the IRS and are not final, employers should have begun collecting data on January 1, 2015.

Section 6055 enforces the individual mandate and applies to employers with self-funded plans (partial or full) and to all insurers. Even small self-funded employers must identify all covered employees, spouses and dependents, providing form 1095-B to employees and submitting form 1095-B to the IRS with the 1094-B transmittal.

Section 6056 applies to all applicable large employers with 50 or more full-time employees and enforces the employer mandate. Forms 1094-C and 1095-C are used to identify all ACA defined full-time employees, spouses and dependents that were offered coverage. Form 1094-C must be submitted to the IRS while form 1095-C is provided to employees.

“Although final forms are not provided to employees and the IRS until 2016, its imperative for employers to already be acquiring the necessary data to fulfill this ACA requirement,” said Karen Kirkpatrick, Infinisource Senior Compliance Advisor. “It’s also helpful for this data to be captured and auditable through a comprehensive platform such as iSolved that will provide required reporting.”

Determined by employer size, the first tax forms, either 1095-B or 1095-C, are due to the employee by January 31, 2016. Forms 1095-B (with 1094-B) or 1094-C are due to the IRS by February 28, 2016, or March 31, 2016, if filed electronically. Large employers with a self-funded health plan will file one consolidated report.

iSolved is an inclusive human capital management system that will house an employer’s workforce data that will meet the new reporting requirements. Data such as total employees, total full-time employees, minimum essential coverage offers and affordability will all be required to be accurately tracked and reported on. Using human capital management technology helps alleviate compliance issues and potential penalties.

Visit www.infinisource.com to learn more about how iSolved HCM technology is transforming the way organizations manage their most important asset — their people.

About Infinisource, Inc.

Founded in 1986, Infinisource is a nationally recognized leader of SaaS-based Human Capital Management technology solutions and expert services. Infinisource offers iSolved (a single platform for HR, Payroll, Time and Attendance and Benefits Enrollment) as well as administration for COBRA, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements. With more than 4,000 broker relationships and 63,000 employer customers, Infinisource delivers transformational human capital management technology.

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140825/139367

SOURCE Infinisource

Tourism leaders warn industry suffering from bad roads

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The chorus calling for lawmakers and Gov. Nikki Haley to fix South Carolina’s roads got louder on Tuesday as tourism officials warned deteriorating roads are threatening the state’s $18 billion tourism industry.

The Coastal Chambers Alliance urged the General Assembly and Haley to come up with the money and a plan to fix South Carolina’s roads.

The alliance is comprised of nine chambers of commerce along the coast, the center of South Carolina’s tourism industry. Tourism provides almost 115,000 jobs and generates $1.6 billion in tax revenue, according to the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

“From our perspective, if state government were a parent and the infrastructure system were a child, government agencies would have rushed in to put this child into foster care and labeled the parent negligent,” Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, told The Associated Press.

The alliance said a majority of South Carolina’s 20 million visitors each year visit the coast which is also the state’s fastest-growing area for permanent residents.

On summer weekends, U.S. 501 is snarled for miles as visitors creep along trying to enter or leave Myrtle Beach. Dean said lengthy waits in traffic jams mean less time people can enjoy their vacation.

“The bigger issue is when your first impression and last impression of South Carolina is potholes and traffic jams, invariably some visitors will end up going elsewhere,” he said.

The Department of Transportation says it will need an extra $1.5 billion a year to get all state roads in good condition by 2040.

A nonprofit group, The Road Information Program, says almost half of the state’s major roads were in poor shape last year and such roads cost the average South Carolina motorist at least $1,100 extra a year. The figure represents the cost of maintenance for vehicles from pothole and road damage, extra fuel and the cost of fatal crashes.

“The current system is placing our coast and our state at a competitive disadvantage for both economic development and tourism,” Bryan Derreberry, president and CEO of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, said in a written statement.

South Carolina’s almost 17-cent-a-gallon gas tax has been unchanged for 30 years, the alliance said, noting that neighboring North Carolina and Georgia raise more money for highways. North Carolina’s gas tax is 39 cents a gallon while Georgia gas and use taxes amount to almost 27 cents a gallon.

Haley opposes raising the gas tax. She is expected to outline her road improvement plan in the coming weeks.

And Dean said raising the gas tax alone will not be enough, and the state will have to find other money.

“We have let ourselves fall so far behind that raising the gas tax is not a panacea,” he said.

He noted that noted Horry County, where Myrtle Beach is located, has invested $2 billion in roads over two decades largely through a local option sales tax, much of it paid by visitors.

Tagged with: North Carolina

Lake James leads way as WNC state park attendance surges – Asheville Citizen

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

North Carolina has spoken loud and clear. Residents from the mountains to the coast love the outdoors, they love their state parks and they love that admission — for the most part — is free.

Last year, North Carolina’s state parks and state recreation areas hit an all-time record attendance with 15.6 million visitors, a 10 percent increase from the 14.2 million visitors the previous year, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

Among 39 state parks and state recreation areas, 27 reported increases in attendance in 2014. Those included Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford County, with an increase of 12 percent; Grandfather Mountain State Park in Avery County with a 4 percent increase; Lake James in McDowell and Burke counties with an 18-percent increase, and Mount Mitchell in Yancey County with a 15-percent increase in visitors last year.

Gorges State Park in Transylvania County was the only western park that had a decrease in visitors. The park’s attendance dipped 8 percent in 2014, from 116,923 visitors in 2013 to 107,254 in 2014. Superintendent Steve Pagano said he can confidently blame the decrease on malfunctioning equipment.

“It looks like our traffic counters have not been actively recording traffic coming into the park,” Pagano said. “Every weekend we’ve been directing traffic into our overflow lots and revenue from sales in the Visitor Center gift shop have shown at least a 20 percent increase, and the weather was beautiful this summer. When I saw those numbers, it was shocking to me.”

Gorges, which is the westernmost state park in North Carolina, encompasses about 7,500 acres of rugged, forested terrain, sheer cliffs, waterfalls and hiking and biking trails. A new visitor center built in 2012 with green building design and a wrap-around deck for sightseeing, also continues to be a huge draw, Pagano said.

He said the park grounds were open on Christmas Day for the first time, and rangers on duty saw steady traffic of people wanting to get outdoors and try out new gear on the trails. He said a new traffic counter was installed Wednesday morning.

POLL: Did you visit a WNC state park in the past year?

Lake James, about an hour east of Asheville, had the most dramatic increase in visitation of all of Western North Carolina’s state parks, jumping to nearly a half-million visitors — 471,566 in 2014 — from 398,148 in 2013.

The lake park that lies in the shadow of the Linville Gorge Wilderness also was just named 2014 Park of the Year by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

Superintendent Nora Coffey said she is extremely pleased with the designation and the attendance numbers, although she’s not surprised. She began as a park ranger at Lake James in 2007, and has been the park’s chief the past two years.

“When I became superintendent, I told my boss that my goal was to become the best park in two years,” Coffey said. “That was looking at all the goals we had on our plate. It was something to keep us motivated. We are getting a lot of attention from the media and people hear that and they want to see what all the hype is about.”

The park in 2010 added a whole new section and swim beach, called Paddy’s Creek Area. This gives the public 35 miles of shoreline (out of 150 miles, most of which is on private land) to swim, boat, fish and camp. The swim beach is open May 1 to Sept. 30.

The park added several new hiking trails in Paddy’s Creek Area for a total of 26 miles, including 15 miles of mountain biking trails. Rangers offer free nature programs, guided hikes and even boat rides every weekend of the year.

“The addition of the bike trails, the new camping and word of mouth keeps people coming,” Coffey said. Although there are small fees for services such as the swim beach, camping and boat rental, admission to the park is free.

“We would like to see free access remain,” she said. “With the increase in visitation, we’re always striving for customer service, always adding more items to the gift shop and to concession stand, and we’re always taking in comments. The public has been asking for paddleboards, so now we have paddleboards.”

The large number of visitors in 2014 was not the park’s record, however. The park saw its peak with 569,319 visitors in 2011. Coffey said that can be directly attributed to the late 2010 opening of the Paddy’s Creek Area and new amenities. After dipping to 390,110 in 2012, visitation has been steadily rising again.

Record numbers have economic impact

“Record visitation in 2014 dramatically reflects the value North Carolinians place on our state parks, especially for the communities where they’re located and their economies,” Mike Murphy, state parks director, said in a statement.

According to an economic study by N.C. State University’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, travelers spend an average of $23.56 a day to enjoy state parks. While a new study has not been done in nearly 10 years, state parks spokesman Charlie Peek said, the analysis estimated the state parks system’s total annual economic impact at more than $400 million.

It is not only North Carolina residents coming to use the parks. Visitors come from every state and from around the world to see one state park in particular: Mount Mitchell.

The state’s first state park, established in 1916, Mount Mitchell is also home to the highest peak in the Eastern United States. A handicap-accessible ramp to a lookout tower is even more of a draw, as people of all ages and hiking abilities can now see a 360-degree view from the observation deck at 6,684 feet in elevation.

In 2014, Mount Mitchell recorded 280,966 visitors, a 15 percent increase over 2013, when the park had 243,654 visitors.

Mount Mitchell is about an hour’s drive northeast of Asheville. Accessible by car only from the Blue Ridge Parkway, admission to the park is rather weather dependent, Superintendent Brian Wilder said. Heavy precipitation and damage to the parkway in 2013 prevented travelers from reaching Mitchell for a few months that year.

The state parks system will hold its centennial in 2016, and planning is underway for special events and opportunities.

CITIZEN TIMES

New NC parks chief readies for 100th anniversary

William B. Umstead State Park in Wake County, near Raleigh, reported the highest attendance at 1.29 million visits, and was among six state park units logging more than one million visitors. The others were Fort Macon and Jockey’s Ridge state parks and Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and Kerr Lake state recreation areas.

Over the past 25 years, attendance at state parks has nearly doubled. In 1989, eight million people visited state parks and state recreation areas.

While each park is unique, several factors likely contributed to the overall record visitation, parks officials said, including First Day Hikes on Jan. 1, where each state park held ranger-guided nature walks, and many other special events at the parks throughout the year.

More than two dozen events were scheduled for National Trails Day in June, and every park held special interpretive programs during Take a Child Outside Week in September. Newly created events began to gain traction, including a paddle festival at Hammocks Beach State Park and a long-distance hiking challenge at Hanging Rock State Park. Additionally, no parks were closed for extended periods due to weather emergencies or construction.

The new Carvers Creek State Park in Cumberland County logged its first full year of operation, reporting 74,220 visitors. Parks reporting the largest increases in visitation included Crowders Mountain in Gaston County (a 65 percent increase) and Lake Norman in Iredell County (70 percent).

The state parks system manages more than 223,000 acres within state parks, state recreation areas and a system of state natural areas dedicated to the conservation of rare resources. Through its New Parks for a New Century initiative, six new state parks have been added to the system since 2003.

While entrance to most of North Carolina’s state parks is free, there is an entry fee to the attraction areas at Chimney Rock State Park to access the elevator and the chimney, and to the privately managed attraction at Grandfather Mountain. However, Chimney Rock’s Rumbling Bald hiking and rock climbing access is free and the trails and ranger-led programs at Grandfather Mountain State Park are also free.

CITIZEN TIMES

National parks support 23,201 local jobs

Tagged with: Raleigh

Obama fires first in coming ‘battle royal’ over Atlantic drilling

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama moved Tuesday to open the Atlantic Ocean to drilling, beginning a mammoth battle over the environmental effects and raising the question of how much oil and gas lies under the sea and whether its even economical for it to be drilled.

The Interior Department announced Tuesday that it was proposing a lease sale off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia as part of its new offshore leasing plan, which covers 2017 to 2022. At the same time, the department said it would ban drilling in some environmentally sensitive areas off Alaska.

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell called it a balanced plan that allows energy development while protecting areas that are simply too special to develop.

The proposal will incite a furious debate over just what American places are considered too special for drilling rigs pitting environmental groups against industry as well as some coastal towns against their state leaders, who see jobs and the potential for billions in revenue.

It will be a battle royal, said Charles Ebinger, a senior fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at the left-leaning Brookings Institution in Washington.

Ebinger expects lawsuits to rage for years. Jewell said the Atlantic drilling lease sale wont happen until 2021 and could change or even be scrapped.

Sierra Weaver, an attorney at the nonprofit Southern Environmental Law Center, said she hopes communities along the Atlantic seaboard will band together against the drilling plan, which goes to public comment before being finalized. Weaver argued that Obamas proposal sells out the Southeast, putting at risk the tourism and fishing economies of coastal communities that rely on having clean beaches and water.

The Obama administration just made the point that these special areas of Alaska are too special to drill, Weaver said. The same goes for the Southeast.

The proposed lease area is a huge swath from Virginia to the southern border of Georgia, but it could be narrowed. So its not clear whether drilling might happen off the beaches of North Carolinas Outer Banks, the Charleston waterfront in South Carolina, or the port of Savannah in Georgia.

Mayors of coastal towns including Charleston, Beaufort, S.C., and communities on the Outer Banks have spoken out against Atlantic drilling.

The governors of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, though, pushed hard for the drilling to be allowed, and Jewell said that made a difference.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory called the plan a step in the right direction to help North Carolina become a significant energy-producing state. But McCrory criticized as too limiting a 50-mile buffer between drilling and the East Coast thats included in the proposal.

The Atlantic Ocean has been off limits to drilling for decades, and its a mystery just how much oil and gas actually exist off the East Coast.

The federal government estimates 3.3 billion barrels of oil and 31.28 trillion cubic feet of natural gas along the entire Atlantic seabed. Thats hardly the makings of a boom, and its nine times smaller than estimated oil reserves off the Arctic coast of Alaska, if the numbers are right. But those estimates date from the 1970s and 1980s, and industry and other drilling supporters consider them too low.

Georgia, Carolinas would have most room to drill

Map of coastal drilling

The Interior Department has announced plans to sell drilling leases for areas off the coast of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

The plan includes a region 50 miles off the coast. While the continental shelf extends into most of the area off of the Goergia and South Carolina coasts, a large portion of the North Carolina region – and almost all of that of Virginia – are in deeper, harder to drill in, waters.

James Knapp, a professor of earth and ocean sciences at the University of South Carolina, said far more advanced seismic surveys have been developed in the ensuing decades. Compressed air guns blast underneath the sea, and echoes from those blasts are used to produce maps that help companies figure out whether sub-sea rock formations are likely to contain fossil fuels worth drilling.

There are also a number of other advancements in the acquisition design, processing techniques and interpretation which did not exist 30 or 40 years ago, which also contribute significantly to the ability to understand the subsurface, Knapp said Tuesday.

The Obama administration endorsed seismic testing in the Atlantic last year, and nine companies have applied and are waiting to be approved.

Doubts about how much is out there adds to uncertainties that could make companies hesitant to drill, said Chris Lafakis, senior energy economist at Moodys Analytics. Drilling the Atlantic is uncharted waters, he said, with unknown costs to produce and transport to market.

If oil prices are as low when its time to drill as now, Lafakis said, he doubts companies will rush to potentially spend billions to make it happen.

There would be a big risk that companies would take by sinking the capital to explore and develop these wells not knowing how productive they will be, he said.

There is interest among American companies, though, said Erik Milito, director of upstream operations for the American Petroleum Institute. He said oil and gas companies around the world will be scrutinizing the seismic surveys to see whether the U.S. East Coast shares the kind of promising geological trends seen in Atlantic regions like the coasts of Africa and South America.

You start building up momentum by getting the data out there, and then you start seeing more and more interest by the industry, he said.

The Obama administration has moved once before toward offering the Atlantic for drilling, proposing in 2010 to hold a lease sale in the waters off Virginia. But that plan was abandoned after the Deepwater Horizon explosion and massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Coastal advocates recalled that calamity in their arguments against Obamas action. The new plan creates a looming risk of a Deepwater Horizon-like oil disaster stretching along the East Coast, said Jacqueline Savitz, vice president of the environmental group Oceana.

The Interior Department said its working on blowout prevention rules to help avoid that kind of spill.

We have done a huge amount of work since the Gulf of Mexico spill to understand what happened there and to ensure we are updating our standards, said Interior Secretary Jewell.

Anne Blythe of The (Raleigh, N.C.) News Observer contributed to this report.

Tagged with: Charlotte

NC bill would give more flexibility from school calendar law

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

Local/State

Area universities report robust donations in 2014

Tagged with: North Carolina

Lawmakers begin amid singing in the halls, another gay marriage battle

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

RALEIGH – Singing in the halls, the firing of legislative shots in the battle over gay marriage and calls for taxation to build and maintain roads marked the first day of this year’s lawmaking in North Carolina.

State legislators convened in the capital Wednesday to start about six months of legislating. This was two weeks after they met for a day to elect their leaders.

Controversy got underway almost immediately.

The Rev. William Barber II of the NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement bumped up against new rules for the conduct of people in the Legislative Building. He was leading a group of clergy – he said there were 65 of various faiths including Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus – to pray and sing in the rotunda of the Legislative Building.

That was a continuation of Barber’s Moral Monday protests of the past two years to put pressure against the conservative swing in North Carolina public policy since Republicans took over the legislature four years ago. Those protests resulted in hundreds of civil disobedience arrests.

On Wednesday, the ministers were blocked from crossing the rotunda (a gallery between the House and Senate chambers) by the legislature’s police force. Recently set rules limit access to that area.

The singing clergy moved to an indoor courtyard nearby, then split into small groups to visit individual legislators in their offices.

Elsewhere, state Sen. Phil Berger, who is the leader of the state Senate, filed a social conservative bill to allow registers of deeds and magistrates to avoid participating in any marriage to which they have a religious objection.

The registers issue marriage licenses and magistrates officiate over the ceremonies. Court rulings made gay marriage legal in North Carolina last year and magistrates with religious objections to gay marriage were forced to choose between their jobs and their faith.

Berger’s bill is intended to protect employees who object to gay marriage, and he says as much in a news release.

Even though Berger’s bill will allow employees to avoid violating their faith in conducting marriages, it also says the offices must develop policies to ensure all laws and court orders to provide marriage services to all who qualify are carried out.

Across town, the N.C. Chamber held a news conference to call on the legislature to develop new sources of revenue to replace gasoline taxes for road construction. Although the population and traffic are increasing, fuel tax revenue, which provides the bulk of the money for road construction and maintenance, is expected to rapidly decline because of the drop in oil prices and the increasing fuel efficiency of modern cars and trucks.

Lawmakers began filing bills, with at least 32 on Wednesday plus four previously filed.

In addition to Berger’s marriage legislation, the highlights included:

S3 – State employee “union” dues. It would delete an option for state employees and school teachers to use payroll deduction to pay their dues to their quasi-union employee organizations.

S7 – Food stand seating. The bill would allow food stands to offer seating to the public.

H5 – Military veteran license plate. North Carolina offers a special license plate for military veterans, but can’t issue any until it gets 300 requests. This bill deletes that minimum requirement.

H6 – Autocycle. The bill creates in the law a new class of vehicle called an autocycle. It would have three wheels, a steering wheel, an enclosed passenger compartment, air bags and other car-like aspects. Without this legislation, some recently developed three-wheel vehicles must be licensed as motorcycles in North Carolina. Their drivers must have a motorcycle endorsement on their driver licenses and the driver and passengers must wear motorcycle helmets.

H9 – Summer vacation. It creates an opportunity for school districts to get more flexibility in setting the start date of school in the fall and end date of school in the spring. Otherwise, state law imposes restrictions that were requested by the tourism industry to foster family summer vacation trips.

Staff writer Paul Woolverton can be reached at woolvertonp@fayobserver.com, 919-828-7641 or 910-486-3512.

Tagged with: Raleigh

Madison County Tourism launches study to analyze tourism

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

Berkeley Young, president of Young Strategies addresses Madison County business owners and employees about the new tourism study. Photo by Courtney Cook @DispatchCook on Twitter.

@DispatchCook on Twitter

HAMILTON “You live in arguably one of the most beautiful places in the United States,” Berkeley Young, president of Young Strategies said. “It’s the small town charm, it’s the beauty of the area, it’s the friendliness of the people, it’s who you are.”

Madison County Tourism hosted the 2015 Travel Industry Forecast and Visitor Research Project presentation on Wednesday at the Colgate Inn in Hamilton. Business leaders, college representatives and town officials from Madison County who attended the presentation were told the study will provide valuable insights on tourism trends that can be expected this year. Young Strategies will be spearheading the study that will focus on ways to promote and advertise the area; to bring in more tourism without causing overcrowding. Young said that the travel industry had tremendous growth last year and it predicted that the growth will continue through 2015 and 2016. The study includes five counties, Madison, Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland, and Oswego as a part of the Regional Economic Development Council. He added that a major part of bringing visitors to the area is finding out what makes you unique because travelers are looking for unique and new experiences. The goal of the study is to create a strategic development plan on how travelers move when they visit our area – do they stay in one county or travel through a few – when they come, where they spend their money, and how they plan their trips. “This will allow us to identify the right customer that can make a substantional economic impact and leave as little of a footprint as possible, but take with them great memories,” Young said.

Young Strategies Inc., is a Charlotte, NC based firm that specializes in research and strategic planning for the travel industry with a focus on destinations.

Young spoke many times about travelers wanting a unique experience; using the example of not being able to grow hops in the south, so being able to say that your beer is made with local grains and hops makes you valuable to travelers who are coming north and want that experience. “There are fancy stores like Wegmans all over America that have fabulous wine departments and thousands of beers, it’s not liquid in a bottle they are coming for,” Young said. “They are coming for the experience, they want to go home with a piece of you and a story to tell their friends and you have to give it to them.”

Young also spoke about the number of people that are within a five hour drive of Madison County that could come for a weekend trip. There are 51 million people within a five hour drive in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

“This study will be extremely beneficial for all of us,” Scott Flaherty executive director of Madison County Tourism said.

Tagged with: Charlotte

High Country Haven: Blowing Rock – Winston

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

For centuries, individuals have been intrigued with Blowing Rock, a mountain town with a mixture of natural beauty, Main Street quaintness, and modern draw. “Blowing Rock is ageless,” says Jessica Jenkins, whose family has visited here for generations. “My grandparents come for the quietness; my parents enjoy the activities; me, I love it all.”

Jenkins represents the town’s dualism. Tourists are a crucial part of the equation, and frequent visitors seemingly feel more devotion than those of most vacation spots. “Blowing Rock is a tourist town, yes, but it’s also a small, tight-knit community,” says Amanda Lugenbell, assistant director with the Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority (TDA). “Everyone’s friendly here—people can feel that when they visit, and it makes the experience that much more enjoyable.”

Part of that experience is feeling at home, and even when the population grows from around 1,500 to 8,000 during the summer, it’s small enough to feel you belong. “I’m engaged,” says Jenkins, “and I know later my husband and I will bring our children and continue the tradition. Blowing Rock is my second home.”

Awards and kudos keep coming from journalists, planning associations, and magazines—including Travel Leisure, which named Blowing Rock one of America’s “prettiest winter towns” in a 2012 article.

The allure pulls people here for different reasons. The Blue Ridge Mountains, hiking trails, and clean air inspire artists and offer galleries to showcase their works, whether individuals’ creativity takes the shape of pottery, paintings, wood crafts, or wearable creations. “The arts are a big part of the history here,” says Lungenbell. “The many galleries in town are a great example of the thriving arts community we have here.”

Outdoor activities are perpetual, and the fun includes—depending on which month you visit—rock climbing, whitewater rafting, tubing, fishing, or snow sports. For hikers, Glen Burney Trail is close to Main Street; dropping 800 feet into John’s River Gorge, the trail follows the New Year’s Creek course and three waterfalls. The Blue Ridge Parkway is close, too, providing a great (albeit, strenuous) route for on-road biking. Caving expeditions can be arranged with area adventure guide companies.

Nearby winter sport resorts make skiing and snowboarding easy (well, easy with experience or lessons, which are also available). “When it snows, go sledding at the Parkway hill or cross-country skiing at the Carriage Trails,” says Lugenbell. “When it’s not snowy, enjoy the views on the parkway and the beauty of the trails, especially the loop at Bass Lake, which is less than a mile from downtown at Moses Cone Park.”

If shopping, festivals, and charm invigorate you, head downtown, where you’ll find a host of annual events. Most notable for this month is WinterFest (January 22–25), one of the largest winter events in the High Country; it includes a polar plunge, where costumed locals and visitors jump in freezing Chetola Lake. (blowingrockwinterfest.com)

For relaxation and cozy accommodations, Yonahlossee, Crestwood, and Chetola Resort are good picks for spa amenities, as is Westglow Resort Spa, rated among the top 10 destination spas in the world.?Green Park

Inn is a perfect choice if you crave sophisticated history and charm; first opened in 1891, the inn underwent a massive renovation a few years ago, and in 2013, the restaurant was completely remodeled and re-christened the Chestnut Grille. For those wanting more intimate quarters, the town and surrounding area has a splendid array of bed-and-breakfast inns. One of our favorite downtown spots is Mountainaire Inn Log Cabins, where visitors will find Jacuzzis, fireplaces, and other cozy amenities in the rooms.

For travelers with children, Blowing Rock makes a perfect base for family adventures, although wait for spring if you want all the attractions to be open; Tweetsie Railroad and Mystery Hill are popular destinations in warmer months. “Other local attractions like Grandfather Mountain, Linville Falls, and the Original Mast Store in Valle Crucis take on a special charm in winter,” shares Lugenbell. “Fewer crowds and a chill in the air change the experience. Rime ice at Grandfather, partially frozen falls at Linville Gorge, and the old pot bellied stove warming the General Store—you can’t get these things in summer.”

Blowing Rock is a travel chameleon that allows visitors to handcraft their own best trip. And, if you decide to make it a repeat performance, that’s all the better. “My great-great grandmother came here with her family as a last-minute trip, and that started our family tradition,” says Jenkins. “It’s impossible not to fall in love with this place.”

WHAT TO DO

The Blowing Rock. Yes, there really is one (and a legend to go with it). In winter, the views are amazing alongside the clear, cold air. 432 The Rock Road; theblowingrock.com.

Blowing Rock Art History Museum. Locally significant exhibits offer a unique look at the High Country. 159 Chestnut St.; blowingrockmuseum.org.

Downtown: The entire downtown is a destination unto itself with shopping, galleries, and eateries galore. Two mainstays we recommend are Hanna’s Oriental Rugs Gifts, a fixture since 1919 (a bonus is seeing Thamena Hanna, who still runs the store); and The Last Straw, a home and garden shop that recently celebrated 25 years in business. The shops are about two minutes apart by foot; both are on Main Street.

Skiing and more: Nearby ski areas—Appalachian Ski Mountain, Ski Beech, and Sugar Mountain—provide excellent cold-weather thrills. While Sugar is the biggest, Appalachian is the closest; its family-friendly lodge, terrain park, outdoor skating rink, and legendary ski school make for a fantastic outing. Nonskiers can get their thrills at nearby Hawksnest Snow Tubing, the biggest snow-tubing park on the East Coast. appskimtn.com. hawksnesttubing.com.

Blue Ridge Parkway: The parkway takes on a different feel in the wintertime—traffic subsides, mountains glow white, and barren trees allow for spectacular views. Popular parkway spots such as Julian Price Park and Moses Cone Memorial Park are just a few miles from Blowing Rock. The latter is where you’ll find Flat Top Manor, a 23-room mansion that’s home to the Parkway Craft Center, a craft shop selling works by local artisans. blueridgeparkway.org.

WHERE TO EAT

This is a restaurant town. At only 3 square miles, there are about two dozen eateries (many with award-winning chefs) plus great coffee shops and the original Kilwin’s, a well-known sweet shop. Nearly all are unique to Blowing Rock, from fun spots to amazing 5-star dining. Here are four of our favorites:

Canyons Historic Restaurant Bar. Delicious food and breathtaking views of Linville Gorge seal this as a top pick. 8960 Valley Blvd. (Hwy. 321); canyonsbr.com.

Storie Street Grille. Casual elegance, a view of the open kitchen, and cool black-and-white photos of local landmarks make this a lovely choice for dinner. 1167 Main St.; storiestreetgrille.com.

The Village Café. Follow the stone footpath from Main Street through the trees to end up at this lovely locale for breakfast or lunch. 146 Greenway Court; thevillagecafe.com.

Woodlands BBQ. Since 1977, Butch and Gina Triplett have served up pork and pickin’s (the musical kind) at this rustic hangout. 8304 Valley Blvd. (Hwy. 321); woodlandsbbq.com.

Tagged with: Blowing Rock NC

ACC basketball night in review: Three takeaways from North Carolina’s defeat …

Posted on January 28, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

Three things that stood out in North Carolina’s 93-83 victory over Syracuse …

North Carolina shot from the perimeter unusually well. On the season, the Tar Heels (17-4, 7-1 ACC) aren’t a particularly good 3-point shooting team. But they have been decent since the start of conference play, and were especially sharp from the outside against Syracuse.

North Carolina was 9 of 16 from 3-point land Monday, with Marcus Paige (4-for-7) and Nate Britt (4-for-5) doing much of the work. Paige’s performance is no surprise; he remains the Tar Heels’ best backcourt scoring option. But it was a breakout night for Britt, who connected on only three 3-pointers in North Carolina’s first seven league games.

Free throw line performance wasn’t an issue for Syracuse. The Orange (14-7, 5-3) isn’t good enough to overcome poor foul shooting against a good team, as Saturday’s loss to Miami illustrated. But while looking for culprits for this setback, the Orange’s showing at the line isn’t to blame.

Syracuse made 18 of 23 free throws (78.3 percent), which isn’t a figure anyone can complain about. Center Rakeem Christmas, who has gone to the line more than 50 times more than any of his teammates this season, was 10 of 10. For this night, anyway, other things plagued the Orange far more than this fundamental.

Brice Johnson has become quite the double-double machine. The North Carolina junior had 17 points and 11 rebounds while also blocking three shots, the sort of performance that’s becoming customary. Johnson has four double-doubles during the Tar Heels’ six-game winning streak, and he’s averaging 14.5 points and 10 rebounds in that span.

Paired with Kennedy Meeks (17 points, eight rebounds), a proficient Johnson gives North Carolina one of the mightiest starting frontcourts in the country. It’s fun just thinking about how that pair will match up with Duke’s Jahlil Okafor in the teams’ two (or maybe even three) meetings down the road.

Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech (7, ESPNU): After pushing Virginia to the final minute on Sunday, the Hokies (8-11, 0-6) face a quick turnaround as the Panthers (13-7, 3-4) visit Cassell Coliseum.

Contact Patrick Stevens anytime: Email | Twitter

Tagged with: North Carolina

Bulk TV & Internet Receives Top DIRECTV L&I Provider Award

Posted on January 28, 2015 by

See Article Source Posted in Tourism — No Comments ↓

–>
and imageUrl: http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/048fb_CL78154LOGO –>

TripAdvisor Logo. (PRNewsFoto/TripAdvisor)
Bulk TV Internet provides free-to-guest television services to businesses nationwide
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

left
0
Bulk TV Internet provides free-to-guest television services to businesses nationwide
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnfull/20120328/CL78154LOGO
http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/248de_CL78154LOGO
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnthumb/20120328/CL78154LOGO
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120328/CL78154LOGO
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20120328/CL78154LOGO

and http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120328/CL78154LOGO –>

left
0
Bulk TV Internet provides free-to-guest television services to businesses nationwide
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnfull/20120328/CL78154LOGO
http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/248de_CL78154LOGO
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnthumb/20120328/CL78154LOGO
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120328/CL78154LOGO
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20120328/CL78154LOGO

and http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/248de_CL78154LOGO –>

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Bulk TV Internet, a leading provider of DIRECTV services for commercial properties, announces its recognition as DIRECTV LI Dealer of the Year for the seventh time. The award recognizes the top DIRECTV provider for Lodging Institutions, excelling in new television programming activations, customer service and retention throughout the year.

“Bulk TV’s commitment and passion for serving our partners with excellence has set the bar for all DIRECTV dealers in this market and we are thrilled to present them with this award for the seventh year in a row,” said Doug Eichler, vice president of Commercial Sales for DIRECTV. “Bulk TV is a valuable DIRECTV partner and truly deserves this recognition for their hard work and dedication throughout the year.”

Bulk TV Internet recently celebrated its 10^th anniversary, and has become a consistent leading provider of DIRECTV free-to-guest television programming services for hospitality and healthcare properties nationwide. Bulk TV Internet provides its video, data and voice services to more than 300,000 rooms in all 50 states.

In addition to steadily increasing its customer base in 2014, Bulk TV Internet also was selected by Hilton Worldwide as a Strategic Partner of HD services to all Hilton brands. The decision was made by Hilton Worldwide following an extensive review process, and offers Hilton hotels with pre-negotiated agreement terms and exclusive rates.

“2014 was a pivotal year for Bulk TV Internet, and we are extremely proud of the accomplishments that our team has achieved over the past 12 months,” said Dave O’Connell, CEO for Bulk TV Internet. “This award and other achievements are a reflection of their determined efforts and commitment to exceptional customer service. This along with the support and partnership with DIRECTV will make 2015 another exciting and successful year.”

Bulk TV Internet not only provides DIRECTV television programming services, but also Mitel voice systems and Ruckus wireless network solutions. For more information, please visit www.bulktv.com.

About Bulk TV Internet:

Bulk TV Internet is a leading provider of DIRECTV services designed to meet the unique needs of the hospitality industry. Bulk TV Internet provides service to upwards of 300,000 units nationwide including free-to-guest television programming and digital satellite TV systems. To complement their award-winning television services, Bulk TV also offers high-speed Internet access services and Mitel phone systems. For more information, please visit www.bulktv.com.

About DIRECTV:

DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is one of the world’s leading providers of digital television entertainment services delivering a premium video experience through state-of-the-art technology, unmatched programming and industry leading customer service to more than 39 million customers in the U.S. and Latin America. In the U.S., DIRECTV offers its over 20 million customers access to more than 195 full time HD channels, more than DISH channels and Dolby-Digital® 5.1 theater-quality sound, access to exclusive sports programming such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET, Emmy-award winning technology and higher customer satisfaction than the leading cable companies for 14 years running. DIRECTV Latin America, through its subsidiaries and affiliated companies in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, and other Latin American countries, leads the pay TV category in technology, programming and service, delivering an unrivaled digital television experience to more than 19 million customers. DIRECTV sports and entertainment properties include ownership interests and management of four Regional Sports Networks: ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain, Pittsburgh, Southwest and Northwest; and has minority ownership interests in Game Show Network. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit www.directv.com.

Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120328/CL78154LOGO

SOURCE Bulk TV Internet