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Avery News Notes 1.21.15

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Weekly gas price update …

Average retail gasoline prices in North Carolina decreased by 8 cents over the past week, averaging $2.12 per gallon on Monday, Jan. 19. This compares with the national average that decreased by 7 cents over the past week to $2.04 per gallon, according to www.northcarolinagasprices.com.

National, state debt update …

As of 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19, the United States’ national debt was $18,092,757,510,386, according to www.usdebtclock.org. That debt figure breaks down to $56,506 in debt per person and $154,050 in debt per taxpayer.

Also as of 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19, North Carolina’s state debt was $54,486,014,212, which breaks down to $5,532 in debt per citizen.

State unemployment and food stamp update …

As of 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19, 277,239 state residents were registered as unemployed, according to www.usdebtclock.org, and 1,611,763 North Carolinians were registered as food stamp recipients out of a total state population of 9,853,419.

Avery’s Hoilman claims $1 million Powerball prize …

The search is over for a player who won $1 million on a Powerball ticket sold in Spruce Pine.

Rachel Hoilman of Newland matched all five white balls but not the red Powerball in the Jan. 3 drawing to win the big prize. She purchased the $2 Quick Pick ticket, which beat odds of one in 5,153,633, at the Murphy USA on Halltown Road in Spruce Pine.

“It feels surreal to win something like this,” Hoilman said. “It’s a blessing. This money will help us and it will help others.”

A second $1 million Powerball ticket purchased in North Carolina remains unclaimed. The ticket, from the Christmas Eve drawing, was sold at the Harris Teeter on South Tryon Street in Charlotte.

The jackpot was last won on Nov. 29. North Carolina has had three Powerball jackpot winners who won between $74.5 million and $141.4 million.

Ticket sales made it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion for the state last year. For details on how more than $5.9 million in lottery funds have made a difference for specific education programs in Avery County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.

North Carolina Education Lottery net proceeds will be used this year to help pay salaries of teachers and teacher assistants, for pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, school construction and repair and need-based college scholarships and financial aid.

Blue Ridge Brass and Montreat Scottish Pipes and Drums perform in Linville January 25 …

Blue Ridge Brass and Montreat Scottish Pipes and Drums will perform at Linville Falls Community Church starting at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25. The performance is open to the public, free to attend and will last approximately one hour. The group will play traditional and contemporary Scottish and Celtic music. The inclement weather alternate date is Feb. 1.

Wildlife Commission schedules second public meeting on proposed Linville shooting range …

The NC Wildlife Resources Commission will hold a second informational meeting on Feb. 18 in Morganton to discuss constructing a shooting range on the Linville Tract of the Pisgah Game Land in Burke County.

The meeting is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and will be held at Municipal Auditorium located at 401 S. College Street.

The proposed site for the range is near the intersection of Highway 126 and Wolf Pit Road, north of Lake James, in Burke County. Plans for the range include a 25-yard pistol range and a 100-yard rifle range.

Commission staff will present another overview of the proposed shooting range and discuss additional sound studies that have been performed since the first meeting, which was held on June 16, 2014, in Marion.

The commission will hear public comments on the proposed shooting range at the conclusion of the overview and sound study discussion. Following the meeting, commission staff will present the project, along with public comments, to the Wildlife Commissioners for their consideration at the March 5 business meeting.

The proposed range is part of an initiative by the Wildlife Commission to develop and enhance public shooting facilities across the state. For more information about shooting ranges in North Carolina, as well as updates on proposed shooting ranges, visit the Commission’s Shooting Range page on its website by clicking to www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/BeforetheHunt/ShootingRanges.aspx.

Avery Chamber of Commerce Open House January 29 …

The Avery County Chamber of Commerce invites members and prospective members to join the chamber staff and board of directors for its sixth-annual Chamber of Commerce Open House. The networking event takes place at the Avery County Chamber from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29. The Avery County Chamber is grateful for the local restaurants and vendors who will provide the appetizers and prizes for the evening.

Also, if you join the chamber or renew your current membership (primary business annual dues only) before Feb. 14, you will receive a 10 percent discount. For more information, call (828) 898-5605, click to www.averycounty.com, or visit the Avery County Chamber of Commerce, 4501 Tynecastle Highway, Unit 2, Banner Elk, 28604. The chamber is located in the Shoppes at Tynecastle at the intersection of highways 105 and 184.

Viticulture conference brings viticulture specialists to Madison County …

On Thursday, Feb. 26, the Sustainable Appalachian Viticulture Institute, Jewel of the Blue Ridge Vineyard and the French Broad Vignerons will host the fifth annual Grape Growers Conference in the Madison County Cooperative Extension auditorium in Marshall. Come learn how to participate in the fastest growing industry in North Carolina that provides more than $1.5 billion economic impact in NC. The all-day conference will feature speakers from around North Carolina who will share information on everything from growing cold-hardy grapes to making wine. The goal of the ongoing Grape Growers Conference is to expand its participation by commercial growers, wineries and craft beverage makers across the region.

“There will be interesting speakers with useful information to help you grow cold-hardy grapes in the mountains” Chuck Blethen, the conference organizer, said. The Sustainable Appalachian Viticulture Institute was formed five years ago to provide educational opportunities in organic and biodynamic viticulture for cold-hardy grapes in Western North Carolina. Studies of other similar regions show the economic impact of the many businesses and jobs that are created from the grape industry. More than 150 different products can be derived from grapes including preserves, balsamic vinegar, paper, bio-fuel for energy generation, pigments for paints, neutraceuticals and many other value-added products. Wine is just one product, but a very important one, that helps create tourism in the grape-growing regions. Blethen said, “Western North Carolina has the right soils, the right amount of rain in most areas, the right climate and farmers who know how to grow things. The farmers who own their land, have farming equipment, and have a long heritage of growing crops on the steep slopes of the mountains are our most valuable resources.”

The conference Early Bird registration fee is $45 paid in advance before midnight Feb. 12. Registration fee includes lunch, coffee break refreshments, handouts and free parking. After Feb. 13, the registration cost online is $50. Online registration is now available by clicking to www.GrapeSAVI.org until noon on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

Registration fee includes lunch, coffee break refreshments, handouts and free parking. (Walk-in registration will be $55 but will not guarantee a lunch will be available.) People who register in advance will receive a copy of the agenda and directions to the conference location.

For additional information about the upcoming conference, schedule a TV appearance or radio interview, contact Blethen at (828) 606-3130 or email blethen@grapesavi.org.

National college scholarships available through SkyLine …

Area high school seniors whose parents are telephone service subscribers of SkyLine Membership Corporation and SkyBest Communications may apply for national scholarships available through Foundation for Rural Service.

FRS was established in 1994 by the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, of which SkyLine is a member. The FRS promotes, educates and advocates rural telecom issues in order to sustain and enhance the quality of life within communities throughout rural America. Through its various programs and initiatives, the foundation strongly supports the continuing education of rural youth.

This year, 30 one-time, $2,500 FRS scholarships will be awarded to rural high school seniors: One per geographic region of the NTCA membership and one to a student sponsored by a NTCA associate member. The remaining 19 awards will be distributed proportionate to the number of applications received per region. FRS will fund $2,000 of each scholarship, with the sponsoring cooperative of each winning student providing a $500 match.

Additional scholarships to be awarded through this program include the following:

• Four $5,000 FRS Staurulakis Family Scholarships. Students who are majoring in math, science, engineering or medicine will be given preference.

• One $2,500 Everett Kneece Return to Rural America Scholarship.

• The Colt Ford Scholarship, awarding up to $15,000 to rural students.

According to the FRS, more than two-thirds of rural Americans with postsecondary degrees never return to their rural communities, so this program gives particular emphasis to those students who plan to return to their community following college. Other eligibility requirements include the following:

• Applicants must be children of SkyLine members or SkyBest customers who subscribe to either company’s telephone services.

• Applicants must be graduating from high school this year and reside full-time with their parent(s) in the companies’ service area.

• Applicants must have at least a “C” grade-point-average. FRS scholarships will be awarded to deserving students whose academic credentials fall within an average to above-average range.

• Applicants must be accepted to an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school.

• Applicants must express an interest to return to a rural community following graduation.

• Applications must be sponsored by SkyLine, an NTCA-member company.

Scholarship applications are available at all area high school guidance departments and at SkyLine Customer Service Centers in West Jefferson, Seven Devils and Sparta. Scholarship information and application forms also may be accessed through SkyLine’s website (www.skyline.org). Completed applications must be submitted to SkyLine’s corporate offices by Friday, Feb. 13. All applicants must be sponsored by SkyLine, and completed applications received by this deadline will be signed by a SkyLine official and submitted to the FRS for consideration by the March 2 postmark deadline.

If any SkyLine-sponsored students are named winners, they will be announced in May. Since 2006, 12 area students have received FRS-related scholarships.

For more information about these national scholarships, contact Karen Powell, SkyLine Public Relations administrator, at SkyLine’s corporate offices at (800) 759-2226.

Key Club, Kiwanis ready Reading Is Fundamental books for local distribution …

Allison Gregory (left) of the Avery High Key Club assists Kiwanian Ann Swinkola with the stamping of Reading Is Fundamental books. Key Club and Kiwanis volunteers joined on Jan. 17 to ready 5,000 recreational reading books for distribution to the county’s pre-K to fifth-grade students. Kiwanis has sponsored this book-gifting program for the last 24 years, with each student choosing three books to keep. In 2015, the 120,000th book will be presented to a student from Avery County Schools. Allison has fond memories of receiving her books when she attended Banner Elk School.

Winners of home energy contest to be announced this week …

This Thursday, Jan. 22, Appalachian Voices will announce the winners of its “High Country Home Energy Makeover” contest, each of whom will receive a comprehensive energy audit and home improvements from local professionals in the coming weeks to help save energy and money.

A total of $4,850 worth of home energy improvements will be awarded. Two families will each receive roughly $800 in improvements such as weatherization, air sealing or insulation. The grand prize winner will receive roughly $3,250 in improvements, which could cover the cost of weatherization, upgrades to the heating system or other work.

Approximately 50 members of the Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation (which was not affiliated with the contest) entered to win. Over a 12-month period beginning in winter 2013, the applicants spent on average more than 8 percent of their gross monthly income on energy bills, including electricity, oil and natural gas — nearly three times the national average. One-fifth of them spent at least 15 percent of their income on their energy bills. The applicants spent 30 percent more on just electricity than the average BRE customer. Full results of the contest and stories about the winners and other contestants will be released when the winners are announced.

The contest is timed to coincide with the onset of the coldest part of the winter season, when many families in the High Country see their electric and gas bills skyrocket due to increased energy costs and leaky windows, doors and attics. Appalachian Voices developed the contest in part to raise public awareness about the many benefits to individuals, local communities and the environment of energy efficiency home improvements. The contest demonstrates the strong need in Western North Carolina for more utility-based energy efficiency programs, especially ones that cover the upfront cost of home energy improvements that would provide the greatest benefit to families hardest hit by high energy bills.

The contest covered the BRE service area (generally, Alleghany, Ashe, Caldwell and Watauga counties, and parts of Avery, Alexander and Wilkes counties). The contest was sponsored by Appalachian Voices, the Blumenthal Foundation, ResiSpeak, LifeStore Insurance and four local energy efficiency businesses: Blue Ridge Energy Works LLC; High Country Energy Solutions Inc.; HomEfficient; and Sunny Day Homes. The North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance and another local energy efficiency business — ReNew Home, Inc. — are providing direct support to the contest as well.

Simon, Smith named to Furman Dean’s List …

Furman University students Scott Simon of Banner Elk (son of Dominic and Heather Simon) and Shannon Smith of Linville (daughter of Terry and Sara Smith) are included on the dean’s list for the 2014 fall semester. Furman’s dean’s list is composed of full-time undergraduate students who earn a GPA of 3.4 or higher on a four-point system. Furman is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college of 2,600 students in Greenville, S.C.

Local students honored for academic achievement at CCCTI …

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, which has campuses in Hudson and Boone, has released its President’s, Dean’s and Honors lists for the fall 2014 semester.

For inclusion in the President’s List, a student must be full-time and have a GPA of 4.0. For the Dean’s List, a student must be full-time and have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Part-time students who earn a 3.5 GPA or higher qualify for the Honors List.

President’s List

Heather Marie Austin, Banner Elk

Piotr Jan Hudzik, Banner Elk

Holly Ann Spencer, Beech Mountain

Dean’s List

Austyn Patryck Conroy, Newland

Martie Anne Dodd, Banner Elk

Kendall Tomas Gotay, Banner Elk

Kelsey Dawn Rominger, Banner Elk

Honors List

Rebecca E. Anderson, Banner Elk

Daniel Edward Davis, Elk Park

Megan Renee Ledford, Newland

Kiwanis rallies behind Reading Is Fundamental program …

Mary Jo Brubaker of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk rallies the club membership behind the Reading Is Fundamental program. For more than 20 years, recreational reading books are distributed annually to pre-K to fifth grade students in Avery County Schools. Each child receives three books as personal property. For 2015, more than $7,500 worth of books will be distributed. Kiwanis meets on Tuesdays over the lunch hour on the campus of Lees-McRae College.

Christmas Tree and Ornamental Workshop Friday …

The Avery and Mitchell Cooperative Extension centers will host the annual Christmas Tree and Ornamental Workshop this Friday, Jan. 23, at Mayland Community College’s Spruce Pine Campus, in the Sam’s Center Auditorium. The meeting begins at 11 a.m. and will conclude in the early afternoon.

A total of 3.0 pesticide credit hours have been approved for sub-classes: L, G, D, N, I, O and X. This workshop is for both the commercial and private applicators.

Topics of discussion include the new Landscape Contractor License Program; Westar Herbicide trials and First Rater Herbicide trials; review of pesticide trials; new research on Phytophthora and the impact Phytophthora could have.

Lunch is provided. Register by contacting the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center at (828) 733-8270. Registration is required to attend. For more information regarding the 2015 Christmas Tree and Ornamental Workshop, contact the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center at (828) 733-8270.

Avery Farm City Banquet February 7 …

The annual Avery County Farm City Banquet takes place on Saturday, Feb. 7, (snow date is Saturday, Feb. 21) at Crossnore Baptist Church, beginning with dinner, catered by Dan’l Boone Inn, at 6 p.m.

Farm City is an annual celebration of a growing partnership between farm and non-farm, rural and urban people.

Farm-City Week promotes the exchange of ideas and information that will result in greater understanding between rural and urban communities. It is this understanding — as well as the growing partnership — that will continue to protect our land, our water, our air and our food.

In Avery County, Farm City Banquet is a local observance of Farm-City Week and is under the sponsorship of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with Avery Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Avery County Farm Service Agency, Avery County High School FFA and Avery County Farm Bureau. The program will include such awards as: “Farm Family of the Year,” “Young Farmer of the Year,” “Woman in Agriculture,” “Teacher of the Year,” “Youth in Agriculture,” “Volunteer of the Year” and more. Tickets are available at the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center and the Avery Soil and Water Office. Door prizes are part of the event. For more information or to purchase tickets, regarding the 2015 Avery County Farm City Banquet, contact the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center at (828) 733-8270.

ACA Navigators at Cannon Memorial January 31 …

ACA Navigators will be at Cannon Memorial Hospital from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, to answer questions on the Affordable Care Act and enroll interested residents. Open enrollment runs through Feb. 15. Enroll by calling (800) 318-2596; by clicking to www.healthcare.gov or by calling (855) 733-3711 to make an appointment with an ACA Navigator in North Carolina. The help is free and unbiased.

No questions about past medical history (surgery, diabetes, cancer, etc.) will be asked. Interested parties will be asked about tobacco use; there is about a 20 percent surcharge for tobacco use (not just smoking) in North Carolina.

Attendees will need 2014 income information for each person in their tax household, Social Security (or Immigration document) numbers for each person in the tax household, information about any existing health insurance and an email login and password.

The ACA provides 10 essential health benefits: Annual checkups; preventive care (mammograms, pap test, etc.); vaccinations; prescription medicines; emergency room visits; mental health screenings and treatment; pregnancy, maternity and newborn care; hospitalizations; laboratory services; ambulatory care (care without being admitted to the hospital); rehabilitative services (physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.); and pediatric services. All plans sold in the ACA marketplace contain these 10 essential benefits. This means people will get help paying for these services — not that they are free.

If you have Medicare or other government insurance, generally you will not be able to purchase insurance through the ACA.

The penalty in 2015 for not having affordable health insurance will be $325 per adult and $162.50 per child in a tax household or 2 percent of a person’s yearly household income, whichever is larger. This penalty rises in 2016. Penalty is paid in the spring when people file income tax for the previous year.

For more information, contact Cindy Williams, ACA Navigator for Yancey, Avery and Mitchell counties, at cindyw@coabc.org or (828) 208-2465

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Race teams, fans benefit from lower gas prices – Daytona Beach News

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But this year, he decided to drive.

“Just to take advantage of the lower fuel cost,” said the team manager for Riley Motorsports, who spent about $1,500 instead this year on travel costs. “It’s a pretty big savings.”

Jones is one of several team managers, sponsors and fans at the Rolex 24 noticing a difference in their pocketbooks thanks to lower gas prices. An average gallon of regular unleaded in Daytona Beach fell to $2.08 Friday, about $1.30 cheaper than a year ago, according to AAA auto club.

The Rolex 24, which roars around the road course at Daytona International Speedway Saturday and Sunday, kicks off Speedweeks — the yearly racing series that culminates with the Daytona 500 on Feb. 22.

The races are why Grace Akers and her husband come down from Maryland every winter. The couple, who rent a house in New Smyrna Beach, said the trip cost less this year so they’ll be able to splurge a bit more during their vacation.

“Last year, it cost us $200 just in gas to get down,” Akers said. “I would say we spent half of that this year.”

And it’s not just fans who are enjoying a bigger budget. Al Deane, chief technology officer for TI Automotive and a sponsor for Riley Motorsports, said the decision to transport a display car from Detroit, Michigan, to Daytona Beach was based on cheaper gas.

“The price to be able to ship a car down here is directly related to the price of diesel. So if prices are down, it’s going to cost less (to ship),” he said, adding that he’ll reinvest his savings, about $1,000, in the team. “It’ll allow us to do something a little extra here like take the drivers and crew out for dinner.”

That extra night out, tourism officials here say, contributes to the local economy.

A 2013 study, the latest available, showed that Speedweeks has an average base economic impact on Volusia County of about $90 million. Rolex 24 visitors tend to spend more on food and drinks than any other Speedweeks attendees, according to Mid-Florida Marketing Research, which conducts tourism studies for the area.

Evelyn Fine, president of the Daytona Beach-based research company, said low gas prices have already made an impact and ripple effect on the local tourism industry.

“We’re primarily a drive market, so it has absolutely helped,” she said, noting that the improving economy also plays a large role. “Gas is part of it but not the whole thing.”

However, fuel for racecars remains the same as last year, Jones said, who paid $11.50 a gallon for the VP brand. All Rolex racecars are required to use VP fuel expect for Mazda, which uses diesel.

“The race fuel is so refined that cost doesn’t really go up and down like regular gasoline,” he said. “But what we have saved on are oil consumables that we use inside the car.”

Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said last year’s Rolex 24 race brought in record attendance and a number of indicators, like lower gas prices, are pointing to another strong turnout this year.

“When you have people traveling to your event, anything that helps them travel easier, we like,” he said.

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Hornets beat Heat 78-76 for 8th win in 9 games

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The Charlotte Hornets were held without a field goal for the last seven minutes. And they still earned another victory.

The surging Hornets are winning with defense these days.

Kemba Walker scored 15 points, Bismack Biyombo had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Charlotte edged the Miami Heat 78-76 on Wednesday night.

The Hornets (18-25) have three in a row and eight of nine overall. The key has been the defensive side, with Charlotte holding its opponent to less than 100 points for 10 straight games.

“More than anything, we’re just trying to protect the paint, which has been a key for us,” said Biyombo, who had two of Charlotte’s eight blocked shots and altered several others. “Along the way, everybody’s putting more into the defense.”

The Hornets had a 56-41 rebounding edge against the Heat, who played without Hassan Whiteside and Luol Deng. They held Miami to 34.5 percent shooting.

“Our communication has been great,” Walker said of the Hornets’ defense. “We’re constantly talking and in the right spots. It’s been picture perfect.”

Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade each had 17 points for the Heat (18-24).

Miami had a chance to win the game on its final possession, but Bosh missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Mario Chalmers ran down the loose ball and fired up another 3 that missed from corner.

“I rushed it,” Bosh said. “I was not balanced. You have to find a way between not taking a quick shot and rushing it. I did not have my feet under me. I rushed the shot and it was a bad miss.”

Walker returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous two games with a left knee cyst. He was 4 for 17 from the field and had just one assist, but went 5 for 6 at the line in the final minute.

Walker averaged 29.8 points in the six games before his knee began giving him problems.

“I felt a lot better than I expected,” said Walker, who played 34 minutes. “At first, I wasn’t moving that well. But as the game went on, I got more and more comfortable.”

The Heat trailed by 10 entering the fourth quarter, but took the lead with 3:37 left after Bosh and Chalmers hit back-to-back 3-pointers.

Miami then struggled to score, and Walker made four free throws and Marvin Williams added one to get the lead back for Charlotte. Bosh’s driving layup trimmed the Hornets’ advantage to one with 15 seconds left.

Walker made 1 of 2 free throws with 12 seconds remaining, leaving the door open for the Heat. But Miami was unable to score on its final possession and lost for the third time in four games.

The Heat held the Hornets to 3-of-13 shooting from the field in the final period.

“Our best defensive quarter was the fourth quarter but that was needed in the first half,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Said Wade: “Down the stretch we got a lot of shots that we wanted and they just didn’t go in.”

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had eight points and 14 rebounds for Charlotte, and Cody Zeller had 12 rebounds.

With Whiteside (sprained ankles) and Deng (illness) out, the injury-plagued Heat started their 17th different lineup of the season and struggled on the glass all night.

—

TIP-INS

Heat: Udonis Haslem took a charge from Lance Stephenson in the fourth quarter. He has taken a team-leading nine charges.

Hornets: Biyombo has four double-doubles in the last five games.

JEFFERSON EASING BACK IN

Al Jefferson had 12 points for the Hornets in his second game back from a groin injury. He has been a reserve since his return for the first time since he was with the Boston Celtics in 2006.

UP NEXT

Heat: Host Indiana on Friday night.

Hornets: Visit Cleveland on Friday night.

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Haley OK with gas tax hike if taxes cut, DOT restructured

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Local News

DHEC staffers suggest hikes in state mine-related fees; industry agrees

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Rowan Chamber announces annual award winners

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SALISBURY, NC (WBTV) –
 The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce’s 89th Annual Gala was a SOLD-OUT event on Thursday evening at Catawba College’s Crystal Lounge.  Title sponsorship was provided by Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. Annual award winners announced at the event included:  Patterson Farm, Inc., Chamber Champion Small Business of the Year; Martha Bostian (The Post Group), Paul E. Fisher Volunteer of the Year; and, Dr. Michael Bitzer (Catawba College), Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award.

Chamber members celebrated the community’s accomplishments of the past year and geared up for the business challenges of the new one.  The gavel passed from 2014 Chair of the Board, Mark Seifel, to 2015 Chair of the Board, Dari Caldwell (Novant Health Rowan Medical Center).  Emcees and entertainment for the evening were provided by a local improvisation group,  “Now Are the Foxes”, led by Cale Evans.

Over 200 Chamber members attended the event.  Program sponsors were Duke Energy Carolinas and Premier Federal Credit Union. Other sponsors included:  Catawba College/Mr. Ralph Ketner; Carolinas Healthcare System-NorthEast; FM Bank; First Bank; Greystone Salon and Spa; Lutheran Services Carolinas/Trinity Living Center/Trinity Oaks; Salisbury Post; and Wells Fargo Bank.

The Chamber Champion Small Business of the Year award, Patterson Farm, Inc. was recognized with Doug Patterson, Vice-President, accepting the award on behalf of his family business. The roots of the business go back to 1946 when the Patterson family began selling produce grown from the land they had farmed since 1919. In 1992, the farm was incorporated as Patterson Farm, Inc.  The farm provides its customers with the highest quality produce, plants and service at a competitive price. The company is a model corporate citizen and is involved in school visits and class tours, agri-tourism, the Rowan County United Way, the Salisbury-Rowan Convention and Visitors’ Bureau and the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce.  

Martha Bostian (The Post Group), recipient of the Paul E. Fisher Chamber Volunteer of the Year Award, went “above and beyond the call of duty” in her volunteer hours for the Chamber. She has been the Top Producer in the Chamber’s Total Resource Campaign for the past two years, chairs the very successful Annual Trade Show, and attends numerous ribbon cuttings in her role as an Ambassador. Bostian was recently elected to the Chamber’s Board of Directors. 

Dr. Michael Bitzer (Catawba College) was honored with the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award. The established criteria for this award seek a Rowan Chamber group or individual who demonstrates a commitment to service and civic participation over a sustained period of time for the community; sets a standard and fosters a culture of citizenship, service and community responsibility; and demonstrates one or more of the following  business values: integrity, stewardship, inclusion, and initiative. Bitzer serves as moderator of the Chamber’s Candidate Forums and received national and international news coverage in 2014 for his insightful political perspective on North Carolina’s U.S. Senate Race.  



Rowan County Chamber President Elaine Spalding also thanked the 2015 Annual Gala Committee: Cindy Hart, Committee Chair (Great American Publishing); Heather Crawford (Wells Fargo Bank); Jessica Ijames (Novant Health Rowan Medical Center); Ann Pressly (Trinity Oaks); and, Tyler Weant (Elium Exterminator Company).  

Special thanks were extended to Cale Evans (Now Are the Foxes); David Kirkland (Catawba College); Jason Ritter (Chartwells/In Any Event Catering); Joe Girdler (JG Media); Brent Safrit (ProfiT/CS); Reid Leonard (Piedmont Players) and Mike Miller (Miller Davis) for their assistance with the Gala.

The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization with over 850 member firms. Member benefits include business advocacy, leadership development, community development, networking programs, member referrals, newcomer packets and much more. For more information on the Chamber, 704.633.4221 or info@rowanchamber.com or visit  www.rowanchamber.com 

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Tourism leaders warn industry suffering from bad roads

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Local News

Bluffton police warn joggers of suspicious bicyclist

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Macau ranks No. 1 in economic performance among world cities

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Tourists celebrate the Chinese New Year in Macau on Feb. 1, 2014.

WASHINGTON — Macau, the Chinese territory known for casino gambling, outperformed the rest of the world’s major cities economically last year, according to a report Thursday.

Cities in the developing world, especially China, dominated the top of the annual economic rankings of 300 cities worldwide by the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase. One exception: Bangkok, Thailand, came in last, its economy wrecked by political strife.

Macau has enjoyed a tourism boom, with gamblers coming to bet at more than 30 casinos.

Cities in wealthy, developed countries tended to lag behind. Although most of the cities surveyed around the world have recovered from the Great Recession, 65 percent of European and 57 percent of North American cities have not, according to the study, which ranks cities by growth in employment and in economic output per person.

Three U.S. cities — Houston and Austin, Texas, and Raleigh, N.C. — cracked the top 50.

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Countdown to College: Save money with thse FAFSA tips

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Tips for getting started

• Head to the right site, www.fafsa.ed.gov. There are plenty of imposters. Don’t be duped by advertisements that offer to complete your FAFSA for you for a fee or guarantee scholarships.

• Get your PIN. Even if you’re not ready to complete the entire FAFSA form, get your PIN and start collecting the necessary paperwork. You don’t need to have your 2014 tax statements finished. You can use your 2013 statement and update the FAFSA when you have the new information.

• Check assets. Be aware that the assessment on a child’s assets is 20 percent, whereas it is just 5.64 percent on parental assets. Be cautious about monies in your child’s name.

• Check your bank accounts. The FAFSA doesn’t ask about any debts you have or unpaid bills, but it does want to know how much money you have in your savings and checking accounts. Less money in your accounts could mean more aid.

• Less education could mean more money. Some states and some schools provide more aid to families with lesser levels of education. That means if you were one course shy of a bachelor’s degree, the government considers you to be a high school graduate, not a college graduate.

• Utilize the FAFSA resources. There are some wonderful tutorials, videos, handouts, articles, etc., designed to simplify the process. If you still find this process overwhelming, investigate the Free FAFSA Workshops that are offered most places. Check out www.collegegoalsundayusa.org.

Lee Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte, N.C. Visit her website at www.CollegeAdmissionsStrategies.com.

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UPDATE 4-Atlantic City bankruptcy talk ‘premature’-turnaround team

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(Recasts with comparison to Detroit, adds quotes)

By Daniel Kelley and Hilary Russ

ATLANTIC CITY NJ/NEW YORK Jan 22 (Reuters) – It’s
“premature” to talk about bankruptcy for troubled gaming resort
Atlantic City, Detroit’s former turnaround expert said Thursday
as he signed on with the latest bid to revive a city some see as
bound to follow the path taken by the Motor City.

Atlantic City’s lifeblood, gaming revenue, has been
decimated as newer casinos in nearby states such as New York and
Massachusetts lured gamblers away from the storied but
downtrodden New Jersey shore locale.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Thursday appointed a
turnaround team, including former Detroit emergency manager
Kevyn Orr – a step the struggling casino town has resisted.

“There’s only one reason to hire Kevyn Orr after Detroit and
that’s if you’re going into bankruptcy, said Tamara Lowin,
Municipal Analyst at Belle Haven Investments.

Christie, a potential 2016 presidential candidate,
acknowledged multiple bipartisan attempts to get the city on
firm financial footing, but said they had failed. All of those
plans required significant state resources.

“We are digging out of an enormous hole,” Christie said. “We
have problems we have to fix… none of them are unfixable if in
fact we have the political will to be able to get them done.”

The team will be led by Emergency Manager Kevin Lavin, who
previously worked for turnaround specialist FTI Consulting.
Lavin is an expert in “delicate discussions with constituencies
with different interests,” said John Rapisardi, a bankruptcy
lawyer at O’Melveny Myers, who has worked with him.

Orr will support Lavin as special counsel. A former
corporate bankruptcy lawyer at the firm Jones Day, Orr most
recently guided Detroit through the biggest-ever U.S. municipal
bankruptcy.

Orr said it was “premature” to talk about bankruptcy for the
city, which must repay a $40 million bridge loan from the state
by March 31. It would take about 90 days to implement a plan and
another 90 days to see results, he said.

Still, observers said that the appointment was a clear
indication of direction.

“(New Jersey) does have a path to municipal bankruptcy in
its statutes – given that, the appearance of Mr. Orr is surely
making a impression on the municipal finance community,” said
Melissa Jacoby, a law professor at the University of North
Carolina.

In New Jersey, a city must win permission from the Local
Finance Board to file for Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy.

“If Chris Christie is moving this forward then presumably
that access wouldn’t be denied,” said bankruptcy lawyer Michael
Sweet.

The appointment of an emergency manager was rejected by
Atlantic City lawmakers earlier this month as they endorsed
steep budget cuts.

“I’m not in support of it, but if we do get an emergency
manager, I’ll work with him,” said State Assemblyman Vince
Mazzeo, who represents Atlantic City, ahead of the announcement.

There were, however, doubts that Orr can work magic on a
city that saw four of its 12 casinos close in 2014. A fifth,
Trump Entertainment’s Taj Mahal, narrowly averted
closing but remains in bankruptcy. The operating unit of Caesars
Entertainment, the owner of Bally’s Atlantic City and
Caesars Atlantic City, filed for bankruptcy earlier in January.

“No one should expect that the appointment of a very
competent fiscal manager is the solution for Atlantic City,”
said Peter Reinhart, professor and director of the Kislak Real
Estate Institute at Monmouth University, as it would not solve
the underlying problems of a stagnant tourism and casino
industry.

Atlantic City has some parallels with Detroit in the
importance of casino revenues – Detroit’s reliance on casino
cash to help fund a recovery was criticized during its
restructuring process.

Still, Detroit turned to its art collection to ease cuts to
pensions as it climbed out of bankruptcy.

When asked about comparisons to Detroit, Orr said each place
was different and “had to be taken on its own.”

(Additional reporting by Tom Hals, Lisa Lambert, Curtis
Skinner, Megan Davies, writing by Megan Davies; Editing by Diane
Craft and Christian Plumb)

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Chicago area’s economic recovery lags other urban areas, study finds

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Metro Chicago’s economic recovery is weaker than in most major urban areas worldwide, held back by slow employment growth, according to a Brookings Institution report.

Assessing annual growth in GDP per person and in employment levels from 2013 to 2014, the think tank ranked the 14-county Chicago region No. 203 among the world’s 300 largest economies. This is a marginal improvement from Chicago’s ranking at 208 in Brookings’ last study two years ago.

Unlike 60 percent of the metropolitan areas, this region still has not returned to pre-recession levels by those two measures, according to the report released Thursday.

Your chances for a raise are best in years, survey finds

“Chicago is still kind of lagging, especially if you look at its global peers,” said Joseph Parilla, lead author of the report. “This reinforces the urgency the region has in terms of making the right investments and the right policy decisions in order for key industries to be successful going forward.”

The Chicago region, which includes counties in southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana, saw a 0.7 percent rise in GDP per capita, better than the U.S. average of 0.4 percent, according to a Brookings analysis of Moody’s Analytics data.

Employment levels grew by 0.8 percent, half the 1.6 percent rate nationwide.

“2014 was not kind to Chicago’s labor market,” said Kurt Rankin, economist at PNC Financial Services in Pittsburgh.

lRelated O'Hare regains title of world's busiest airport
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Rankin said manufacturing employment likely will finish flat for 2014 while employment in other key sectors — transportation, finance, professional business services — grew at rates below the national average.

Metro Chicago acts as an artery for manufacturing in the upper Midwest, providing transportation, financing and business services, Rankin said.

“Even though there has been recovery, what we’re seeing is getting back to pre-recession conditions,” he said. “It’s not until new business expansion begins that Chicago will catch up and accelerate to where it is normally, right in line with U.S. growth,” he said.

The Brookings report combines the GDP and employment measures when ranking cities. It is a narrow snapshot and not intended to reflect a region’s livability or global competitiveness. Rather, it aims to look at how economic forces are shaping the world’s largest metro areas since the end of the recession in 2009, Parilla said.

Read the Brookings Institution Global MetroMonitor 2014 report

Read the Brookings Institution Global MetroMonitor 2014 reportRead the story –>

The report, “Global MetroMonitor 2014: An Uncertain Recovery,” found divergent trends among the world’s metro areas.

Faring best were urban areas specializing in commodities, even as commodities prices fell worldwide.

The recent slide in oil prices likely changes that picture, one economist said.

“I was talking to our partners in Texas yesterday, and as high as they were flying until midyear, they are beginning to see a little bit of a retreat,” said Carl Tannenbaum, chief economist at Chicago-based Northern Trust.

Regions with strength in utilities, trade and tourism performed well, Brookings found. In contrast, urban areas with high concentrations in business, financial and professional services grew more slowly, Brookings found. Those sectors are key in Chicago.

The increased regulation of financial sectors after the 2008 crisis “has taken some steam out of the industry,” said Tannenbaum. Conversely, it has helped firms involved in auditing and regulatory counsel.

Metropolitan regions in countries with developing economies, including many in China, saw the fastest growth rates in the Brookings report, in part because they are working from much smaller bases. Four U.S. areas — Austin and Houston in Texas; Raleigh, N.C.; and Fresno, Calif. — were among the 60 fastest growing, as were London and Manchester in England.

Washington-based Brookings says the fast growth rates of developing-economy metropolitan regions are significant in the highly competitive global economy.

“These places are on a trajectory to reach their potentials,” Parilla said.

Chicago “already is a good place to live, it’s already wealthy,” said Parilla, adding that he considers it on par with the 10 or so most important regions in the world. Its GDP per capita was $57,624 in 2013, placing it No. 36 among the 300 metro areas.

Real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle, which markets itself as JLL, this week ranked Chicago No. 8 among top cities worldwide in the amount of commercial real estate investment attracted by the region. In the first three quarters of 2014, Chicago lured $9.1 billion in investment, it found.

London topped the list with $26.6 billion while second-place New York attracted $26 billion, according to the Chicago-based firm.

Next in line were Tokyo, Paris, Los Angeles, Boston and San Francisco. Chicago ranked No. 6 a year earlier.

While the Chicago area is finding it tough to compete with regions that have strength in such key sectors as tech or energy, it is faring a lot better than many Rust Belt counterparts, Tannenbaum said.

Its educational institutions, transportation assets, teaching hospitals, convention business and small-business base have helped move the city forward, he said.

“I’m hoping one of these days we won’t be stuck in the lower third of a 300-city ranking,” he said.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office did not respond to a request for comment, nor did officials at World Business Chicago. The nonprofit, led by Emanuel, acts as the city’s economic development arm and works with other agencies on regional growth efforts.

kbergen@tribpub.com

Twitter @kathy_bergen

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