CHARLOTTE — Charlotte tourism leaders are optimistic following comments from the NBA commissioner on Charlotte’s chances to host a future all-star game.
Adam Silver said Wednesday it’s not a question of if, but when.
In August, Charlotte leaders applied to host the 2017 or 2018 all-star game.
In September, to strengthen the Queen City’s chances and as part of a contract, the Charlotte City Council approved more than $30 million in renovations to Time Warner Cable Arena.
They include things like a new scoreboard and luxury seats.
“Things like the DNC tell things like the NBA that we can host big events, so clearly in the running because we have a reputation that we can pull of these kind of things off,” said Tom Murray, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
Charlotte could find out whether it’s awarded the 2017 or 2018 all-star game sometime next year.
Western North Carolina isn’t exactly known as a winter sports mecca. Far from the ski-loving cultures of the Rockies and New England, fears of icy roads, school closures and work cancellations often reign supreme. During Southern snowstorms, more people can be found navigating the long lines at grocery stores for bread and milk than hitting the surrounding slopes.
But for a growing breed of ski and snowboard enthusiasts across the region, predictions of cold, snowy weather inspire more exuberance than unease. Local ski area operators say interest in the sports has been increasing in recent years. They’ve been trying to feed the trend with investments in new slopes, instruction programs, snowmaking machines and chairlift upgrades. And while the Appalachians may never rival the Alps, local snow buffs say it’s high time the region gets the respect it deserves as a winter sports destination.
“The South and its mountains are the Rodney Dangerfield of the mountain world,” says Randy Johnson, a Banner Elk-based author who has written extensively about outdoor sports in WNC. “I’m passionate about getting the Rodney Dangerfield of America’s mountains proper credit. I think skiing is getting better down here. It’s a hotbed of skiing at this point and it’s a bona fide, valid place to call yourself a skier and celebrate skiing.”
Slopes and hopes
This year local ski areas are celebrating a long list of improvements.
Topping them is the first major new ski slope WNC has seen in decades. Sugar Mountain Ski Resort in Banner Elk spent $1.2 million to cut the trail, which straddles the mountain’s winding northern pitch for 2,900 feet, dropping a steep 700 vertical feet down.
“It’s a significant impact to what a skier in the South can access in terms of variety and vertical — it’s long, it’s steep, it’s wide,” says Kim Jochl, a former member of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team who now serves as the resort’s marketing manager. The run is named Gunther’s Way after her husband, resort owner Gunther Jochl, an Austrian native who has been at the helm of North Carolina’s biggest ski area for 38 years. Helped by unusually cold weather and record early snowfall, the slope opened Nov. 20 and is attracting interest from across the Southeast ahead of the busy holiday season.
“The response has been awesome,” he says. “It’s been a real hit; everybody loves it.” The slope followed $2.5 million in chairlift upgrades over the last few years.
Sweet new slope: This year Sugar Mountain opened the first major new slope WNC has seen in decades. Mountain photo by Randy Johnson and photo looking down from the top of the slope by Jake Frankel.
Meanwhile, Beech Mountain also made major enhancements this year, including a new Magic Carpet conveyer lift for beginners, new high-tech snow guns, new rental equipment and a snowboarding school. Also rising above the small town of Banner Elk, which markets itself as “Ski Capital of the South,” Beech offers the highest-elevation slopes in the East. “People are seeing that we’re truly invested in making this one of the top ski resorts in the Southeast,” says resort general manager Ryan Costin. “All these upgrades are steps in that direction.”
Closer to Asheville, Cataloochee Ski Area is in Maggie Valley, about a 45-minute drive from town. It opened Nov. 2 this year, making national headlines as one of the first ski areas in the country to open. That puts it on track to offer skiing for 140-149 days this season, which is more than most resorts in the Rockies and Northeast, notes general manager Chris Bates.
He says skier visits were unharmed by the recession and have been steadily growing for the last 15 years. This season, the mountain plans to open a small new trail and will continue to invest in new snowmaking gear and instruction programs.
Cataloochee partners with several local elementary schools to teach kids how to ski and has a variety of deals designed to lure newcomers to give it a try. “They’re the future of the sport,” says Bates. “Skiing is one of those things where if you come out and have a good time at a young age, it kind of hooks you in and becomes part of your life.” Bates says he plans to build more trails in years to come.
About a 35-minute drive north of Asheville, Wolf Ridge Ski Resort near Mars Hill has had some challenges in recent years, admits co-owner and manager Rick Bussey. He says that the area was hurt by the real estate crash and had been slated to be sold each year for the last several years. In each case, the deals fell through at the last minute, he says. And last year, a failed deal resulted in a lawsuit. At the same time, one of the resort’s lodges burned down. The turmoil prevented Wolf Ridge from investing in improvements for a while, but Bussey says the disputes have now been resolved, the ownership has “regrouped,” and “this year we’re going to refocus and do things the way they should be.”
Eventually, he wants to build a major new hotel and conference center on the mountain. In the meantime, he promises the ski area will open more of its terrain this year than it has in a long time. “There’s been criticism in the past that we haven’t been able to get all of our slopes open,” he says. “We really want to get everything open. I think we have the best terrain of all the slopes. Maybe we haven’t mastered them the way we could.”
Gunning for snow
More than anything else, the growth of Southern skiing has been powered by upgrades in snowmaking technology. When air temperatures drop below freezing, most snow “guns” combine compressed air and water, shooting water droplets into the air at high speeds, where it freezes into snowflakes before blanketing the slopes. Big grooming tractors are then used to comb the snow, dispersing it across slopes and transforming them into a more ridable surface. “Some people say, ‘Well, you’re making artificial snow, but there’s nothing artificial about what we’re making,” says Jochl. “It’s water and air.”
The whole process has gotten more efficient and faster over the years, giving ski areas the ability to quickly cover most of their terrain with snow, even without any natural accumulation. In fact, cold temperatures have become much more important to a resort’s success than natural snow.
“The South, over the years, has truly expanded the high-tech nature of the snowmaking and grooming side of the industry. That’s what’s made the difference,” says Johnson. “That kind of snowmaking power turns an iffy kind of industry into something that the skier can really count on for high-quality conditions.”
Of course, cranking up all those snow guns and staffing the ski areas cost a lot of money. Sugar’s electricity bill alone runs upward of $1.3 million a year, according to Jochl. The resort employs about 600 people per winter. Wolf Ridge employs about 170, making it one of the largest employers in Madison County. The high costs of operations are partially to blame for the price of passes, which generally run between $30 and $70 a day.
It all adds up to big business, according to the most recent Economic Value Analysis commissioned by the N.C. Ski Areas Association. Collectively, the state’s six ski areas pumped $146 million into the Western North Carolina economy during the 2009-10 season, according to the report. The trade association is commissioning another study this year to determine a more up-to-date measurement.
Craig Friedrich, owner of Asheville retail store Ski Country Sports, says he’s seen big consumer growth since opening the shop in 1990. He credits the resorts in general for getting “a lot better at being snow farmers,” and Cataloochee in particular for its popular youth program and race series.
The Asheville Ski Club also has an active and successful race program. In fact, its team has come in first place in its Crescent Ski Council division the last two years, competing with teams across the Southeast at resorts in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. John Hofler, the club’s volunteer president, says many of the group’s nearly 200 members are also active as local ski instructors and safety patrollers. Although he says he does wish the area offered more challenging terrain for experts such as himself, he gets fulfillment from helping turn newcomers onto the sport. “I find that very rewarding to be on the slope helping people,” says Hofler, who works as a member of the Wolf Ridge ski patrol.
Backcountry Cackalack
For hearty locals seeking winter adventures outside the confines of a resort, opportunities abound in the region, although sometimes they can take a four-wheel-drive vehicle to access.
In fact, the tradition of skiing in WNC vastly predates the first chairlifts, which went up at Cataloochee in 1961. Stories of skiers trudging up Beech Mountain’s natural meadows date as far back as the 1930s, according to Johnson, who documented the sport’s local history and backcountry trails in his book Southern Snow: The Winter Guide to Dixie.
Backcountry tradition: Skiers swooshed down Cataloochee’s natural meadows using golf clubs as ski poles in the 1950s long before chairlifts were available (left photo courtesy of Cataloochee Ski Area). This Nov. 2 dozens of adventurers skied, snowboarded and sledded at Max Patch. (photo of Peter Pfister and Sam Bowers by Jake Frankel)
Those following in their footsteps can now be found skiing, snowboarding and sledding at popular wilderness sites like the Roan Highlands. After a surprise Halloween snowstorm this year dropped up to 2 feet of snow on some local mountain ridges, a visit to Max Patch in Madison County revealed dozens of enthusiasts schussing the area’s steep natural ridges, building jumps and performing acrobatic tricks.
Asheville thrill seekers shouldn’t be dissuaded by the meager average of 14 inches of snow the city receives each winter. When nothing more than a few flurries are falling in town, the higher mountain peaks a short drive away are often getting blasted, averaging more than 100 inches a year.
Johnson notes that those in search of snow have a growing arsenal of tools at their disposal to determine backcountry conditions. When he published Southern Snow in 1986, he advised Asheville trekkers to call residents in remote rural areas to ask them what the weather was doing. Now the Internet allows savvy travelers to find out precise snow conditions via a variety of websites and even live webcams. “We are dramatically better able to understand the true weather and the true ski conditions than we ever have been,” says Johnson, who is writing an updated version of his book.
Skiers and snowboarders in the Max Patch backcountry of Madison County on Nov. 2. Video by Jake Frankel.
Of course, on the occasions it does snow in Asheville, a creative attitude and a shovel can turn any neighborhood hill into a terrain park. During last year’s big snowstorms, cross-country skiers could be seen sliding down Lexington Avenue, and sledders were speeding down Walnut Street.
However, despite all the advancements and enthusiasm, stereotypes of the area as a winter sports desert do persist, laments Hofler. “I was wearing a shirt at a restaurant that said ‘Asheville Ski Club,’ and the waitress looked at it and said, ‘Is that a joke?’” he says. “So there are people here who don’t know much about local skiing, the opportunities we have.”
But Hofler says he doesn’t let that get him down. The most important thing his club tries to do is encourage people to enjoy the surrounding mountains — if not on skis, then bikes, boats and hiking feet will do, he says. With so many opportunities available to get out and play, he says with a laugh, “If you’re going to live here and you’re not out enjoying the outdoors, there’s something wrong.”
Xpress writer Jake Frankel catching some serious air on a West Asheville sled jump. Email him at jfrankel@mountainx.com to share your photos, videos and stories of winter adventure.
The Serra Gaúcha region, in southern Brazil, is practically unknown abroad, but it’s popular with Brazilians. They flock here to enjoy the temperate, highland climate, so different from much of mostly tropical Brazil. (Serra, in fact, means “highlands.”)
They come for the year-round cultural events, the many ecotourism activities, and for the region’s delicious food and wine—the country’s budding wine industry is based here, and most of the food on your dinner plate is grown within a few miles of your table. There’s excellent shopping, too.
All of which accounts for the region’s tourist appeal. But it’s a great choice for full- and part-time living, as well. The clean little towns have trim, attractive town squares and flowers in every yard.
There’s an air of prosperity here, with new construction everywhere and cars that are newer and larger than elsewhere in Brazil. Locals are well-dressed and well-educated, and it seems like everyone has a new smartphone. You’ll find plenty of English spoken, and locals who like to practice speaking it with you.
The towns in this region are so pleasant, livable, and familiar that, if the signs were in English, you could think you were in small-town USA. In fact, it’s a place where, if you learned just a little bit of Portuguese, an expat could feel very much at home.
The Serra Gaúcha lies in the northeast part of Brazil’s southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, which borders Argentina and Uruguay.
It’s far enough south (29 degrees) and high enough (about 2,800 feet) to have four true seasons. Each winter the thermometer drops to freezing a few days. There is light snow some years.
The Serra Gaúcha has three regions: the eastern Gaúcha region, which is largely farmland and villages; the central, German-influenced region; and the Italian region in the west, which—no surprise—is home of the state’s wine industry.
Vineyards and wineries cluster around the town of Bento Gonçalves.
I spent a lot of time in one in the German region in a town called Gramado.
Gramado is often described as “chic.” Its economy today is based almost exclusively on tourism. But this town of 35,000 somehow manages to be unabashedly touristy without descending into kitsch. Rather, it’s quite classy and upscale, a bit reminiscent of Asheville, North Carolina.
When you arrive, you pass through a German-style, ceremonial town gate, which welcomes you in several languages. The German heritage is also apparent in the architecture. Heavy beams and carved wooden eaves adorn the fronts of many businesses and homes. Flowerbeds are everywhere, continually reminding you why this area earned the nickname of the Região das Hortensias: the Hydrangea Region. The town is quite green and, most noticeably, organized and tidy.
A drawback to many small towns is that you quickly run through the limited activities available. But Gramado enjoys events throughout the year.
There are religious festivals around Easter. The region celebrates its heritage in the Origins of Gramado festivities in the first half of May. Themed festivals mark the wintertime, in June and July, which is the busiest tourist season. Brazilians from tropical climates flock to Gramado, dressed in layer upon layer of summer shirts, and hoping they will be lucky enough to see a dusting of snow on the sidewalks.
Gramado is pleasant even when there are no festivals. Although it’s in the highlands, the town is fairly level and easily explored on foot. While it does get warm here, summertime highs rarely exceed 90° F, and temperatures plummet after sunset. I found the cool nights in the Serra a welcome break from Rio’s heat and humidity.
The Serra Gaúcha region, in southern Brazil, has pleasant towns and a temperate, highland climate.
There’s lot to enjoy here daily. Stop on the pedestrian plaza for a leisurely lunch and a locally produced beer at one of the many restaurants.
Or, if you’d like to enjoy a bit of nature, visit Lago Preto (Black Lake), which is located within the city limits. You can browse kiosks, bike, walk, picnic, or rent a paddleboat. Afterwards, cool off with some ice cream or another beer.
Above and beyond the “fun” stuff, Gramado is impressive. It’s prosperous and has a solid infrastructure. Roads and parks are well maintained. The city sparkles. There are numerous banks (including an HSBC), and you can find anything you need in the shops here.
Health care needn’t be a concern. The local hospital has 80 beds, and there are 15 government clinics in the municipality.
All medical specialties are represented here. Brazil has a public health care system, which is free to residents. Foreign visitors and part-time residents may also use the public services for emergencies and for routine services. Private insurance plans are also available. If paying cash, an office visit with a private practitioner will run about $65.
Get Your Free Brazil Report Here:
Learn more about Brazil and other countries in our daily postcard e-letter.
Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you a FREE REPORT– The World’s Best Beachfront at an Affordable Price in Brazil.
This special guide covers real estate, retirement and more in Brazil and is yours free when you sign up for our postcards below.
I meet with all varieties of families, some who are admittedly overwhelmed by the entire college admissions process and others who feel as if they’ve done their homework and have a pretty good understanding of what needs to be done.
The commonality between them is that when looking at colleges, most feel forced to choose between price or prestige. They will often say we can choose either an in-state school for financial reasons or mortgage our future to purchase an elite education.
The good news is that for most families those choices are off-base and far too simplistic. Students can receive a great education at public universities, and there is a lot of money available through merit-based and need-based scholarships that makes many of the privates quite affordable.
The first assumption to dispel is that a public education, simply because it is less expensive, is a lesser education. Not true. By the same token, families should not assume that paying $65,000 per year guarantees them a stellar education or a high-paying job post-graduation.
There is a small group of elite public schools, often referred to as the “Public Ivies,” that include: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, University of Michigan, University of California-Berkeley and University of California at Los Angeles. These schools always do well in rankings and are very competitive for in-state students and even more selective when they are looking at out-of-state applicants.
Public universities have made great strides to lure and retain the best and the brightest from their own states and other states as well by offering merit-based scholarships and other perks. The biggest carrot that public institutions are offering is the Honors College – it is oftentimes likened to an elite private college within the university.
At the University of South Carolina, which offers one of the strongest honors programs, it is a rather arduous application process once the initial college application is completed. USC’s Honors College asks students for two 375-word essays on their “intellectual pursuits and promise.” Then it asks for a 500-word essay on “the most significant items that you’ve read since the start of your junior year,” and an analysis of one item, plus two more 375-word essays on a student’s “Leadership and Engagement.”
And then finally a 500- to 1,000-word extended essay. Clearly the application is a weeding-out process. There is no way you’re going to apply and do that much work if you’re not really serious about attending.
Moral here is to do your homework and don’t make assumptions about price or value.
Police in Boone, North Carolina, believe they have found the body of a missing Appalachian State University student who was last seen nearly two weeks ago.
A driver’s license and university ID belonging to Anna Marie Smith were found near a body that was located in a wooded area near campus on Saturday, according to police.
Smith, a college freshman at Appalachian State University, was last seen on campus by her roommate on September 2, according to police.
The body was found after a tipster called police Friday and reported hearing screaming while jogging near the area a week ago, according to ABC News affiliate WSOC-TV in Charlotte, N.C.
A cause of death will be released upon completion of an autopsy.
Sheri Everts, the chancellor of the university, released a statement saying she was “deeply saddened” to share that the search for Smith “ended tragically.
“Having one of our own missing struck the Appalachian community very hard, and this very sad news is heartbreaking for us all,” Everts wrote. “The loss of Anna will continue to weigh heavy on our hearts. I ask that we all join together to support and care for one another as we mourn.”
Smith’s parents said their daughter’s cell phone, laptop and money were left behind when she disappeared.
Smith last contacted her family on Labor Day, writing them a Facebook message that simply said, “I love you.”
Her parents helped organize search parties to comb through the Appalachian Mountains surrounding the school. On a Facebook page for her daugther, Smith’s mother, Laurie Smith, estimated her daughter could have traveled more than 80 miles on foot, 200 miles by boat or be anywhere in the country if she hitched a ride in a car.
This trumpet was manufactured in Grand Rapids Michigan in 1910. Scott Walker snapped this photo.
Main Street JazzFest will take place May 1-2, 2015 in Murfreesboro. JazzFest is a weekend of fun and cool contemporary jazz featuring family entertainment including unique vendors, delicious food and great live music. Enjoy the best of local, regional and nationally known jazz artists in the shadow of the historic Rutherford County Courthouse. This free festival also features art vendors, food and beverage vendors, a dedicated children’s area and Jazz After Dark. Visit the festival’s website at www.mainstreetjazzfest.net. For more information, contact the Main Street office at (615) 895-1887.
“The STS Top 20 Events list is an excellent guide for travelers in the Southeast. Events selected represent the best activities the southeast region offers. Being chosen is a great accolade that can draw extra attention to a festival or special event,” said Bill Hardman, president and CEO for Southeast Tourism Society.
STS started its Top 20 Events program in 1985. Travel industry experts select 20 events per month, and STS publicizes the list throughout the United States. The complete list is published monthly on two websites: southeasttourism.org and escapetothesoutheast.com.
To be nominated for Top 20 Event consideration, an event must be in at least its third year and log attendance of at least 1,000. Nomination forms and deadlines are available at www.southeasttourism.org or by calling 770-542-1523.
STS, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Georgia, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting tourism to and within in 12 southeastern states-Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Every year, 600,000 people pay as much as $74 to tour Elvis Presley’s Memphis mansion, gaping at animal skulls and stained-glass peacocks, lime-green shag carpet on the Jungle Room’s floor and lime-green shag carpet on its ceiling.
Now a development authority plans to sell as much as $125 million in bonds in January to finance improvements at Graceland. They’re counting on the curious to keep streaming to the privately owned estate for decades, generating sales, property and special tourism taxes to pay the debt over as long as 30 years.
A 450-room hotel and conference center, restaurants, a theater, and as much as seven acres of retail and exhibit space are envisioned. The improvements will “preserve the incomparable legacy of Elvis Presley, The Icon and The Man,” say documents detailing the plan.
“We want to solidify the Elvis brand, give it a new sheen and polish,” said Reid Dulberger, chief executive of the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County, which will issue the bonds in a private placement.
The facilities “were old and tired,” he said. “Our concern was that we wouldn’t continue to see the kind of return visits that we see year after year from the faithful.”
[[[bold subhed]]]
Good rockin’
Memphis, on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, has a population of 653,450, of whom 63 percent are black and 27 percent live below the poverty line. It has lost 35,700 jobs since the recession, according a report from the Greater Memphis Chamber. An improved Graceland would have a $1 billion impact on Memphis’ economy over the next 15 years, according to documents distributed by backers.
Success depends on the staying power of a legend.
Presley was born in 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, and got his first guitar at age 11. Two years later, the family moved to Memphis, home of Beale Street, where a signature blues sound prevailed. Presley recorded his first songs at what would become Sun Studio.
His blend of rock, blues and gospel, his looks and his swivel-hipped dances drove teenage girls to frenzy — “a rancid-smelling aphrodisiac” was Frank Sinatra’s description. He became the King of Rock ’n’ Roll and a movie star. Composer Leonard Bernstein called him “the greatest cultural force in the 20th century.”
[[[bold subhed]]]
Burning love
As the years passed, a penchant for prescription drugs and fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches undermined his health and bloated his body. He took to the stage in sequined jump suits and jewelry, striking karate-inspired poses.
Presley bought Graceland in 1957, and decorated it with gaudy verve.
The Jungle Room includes monkey statues, a stone wall with ivy and a mammoth coffee table of petrified wood. The pleated fabric ceiling of the billiards room drapes above the game table like an upside-down sofa pillow. Television screens line the media room.
Presley died in a Graceland bathroom at 42 in 1977 and is buried next to his parents near the swimming pool.
His daughter, Lisa Marie, owns the estate and more than 1 million artifacts, including Cadillacs, costumes, guitars and a 41-carat ruby and diamond ring. The mansion opened to the public in 1982, becoming the city’s biggest attraction.
[[[bold subhed]]]
Loving you
It sits on Elvis Presley Boulevard behind a gated wall covered with the scrawled messages to Elvis. Dollar stores, payday lenders, fast-food chains and used-car lots line the road, where vendors sell T-shirts, nuts, wheelchairs and walkers.
Graceland is the third-most-visited home in the U.S., after the White House and the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina, according to Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages the attraction. Twenty-two percent of visitors are from other countries, with Canada and the U.K. in the lead. The Elvis Week waiting list at Graceland’s 128-room Heartbreak Hotel is 100 years long.
Paying off the new project’s debt will require sustained interest in Presley, said Tom McBride, a professor at Beloit College in Wisconsin who co-authors the “Mindset List,” an enumeration of cultural phenomena familiar to the young. A 15- year-old in 1956, when “Heartbreak Hotel” went to No. 1, would be 73 today.
[[[bold subhed]]]
Ask me
“The boomers remember what it meant to have Elvis come on the scene, the revolutionary effect that it had,” he said. The young “have a vague sense of him as a rock ’n’ roll icon. They might go to Graceland ironically, or maybe out of a sense of curiosity.”
Expansion plans, including a conference-capable hotel, have been discussed for years, said Jack Soden, chief executive of Elvis Presley Enterprises. The idea got traction last year after a partnership led by Joel Weinshanker, founder of National Entertainment Collectibles Association of Hillside, New Jersey, acquired the company.
“Elvis is a huge growth area,” Weinshanker told Bloomberg Television in August.
Documents distributed by the development authority say revenue bonds with a term of 30 years will be sold to finance the expansion. James McLaren, an attorney for the project, said the initial debt will be for a shorter term and then refinanced.
[[[bold subhead]]]
Suspicious minds
Memphis and Shelby County agreed this month to allow half of the new property taxes and all new sales-tax revenue generated by the improvements to go toward the bonds for 20 years. A special sales-tax surcharge will also be charged inside the Graceland zone, raising the levy there to 14 percent from 9 percent.
Memphis, Shelby County and the development authority aren’t responsible for the debt if revenue flags.
Gene Gard, a portfolio manager with Dupree Co. Inc. in Lexington, Kentucky, which manages about $118 million in Tennessee debt, said he is cautious about bonds secured by sometimes-unstable tourism revenue: “We are very careful when it comes to attraction bonds such as these. Any project can be a good investment but it all depends on the way they are secured.”
Greg LeRoy, executive director of Washington-based Good Jobs First, which criticizes tax breaks for private business, said he doubts the economic claims.
“Tourism is a thin reed for supporting jobs,” he said.
For now, Elvis’s crowds are coming.
On a weekday this month, a crowd gathered to wait for packed shuttle buses passing through the gates every 20 minutes. About half of the crowd had gray hair and a few used walkers. Yet among them were a young Peruvian man and a German couple, he with a mohawk and she with a shaved head.~
and http://visit-nc.com/wp-content/plugins/RSSPoster_PRO/cache/8b296_MM85123LOGO –>
HICKORY, N.C., Dec. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Global third-party logistics (3PL) provider Transportation Insight has been selected by Food Logistics magazine for the second straight year for its annual FL100+ award of 100 top software and technology solution providers to the food and beverage industry. For more than a decade, the editors of Food Logistics have profiled software and technology providers that hold influential roles in the global food and beverage supply chain. Their products benefit the industry in multiple ways, from reducing food waste and extending shelf life, to facilitating safe and sanitary transportation of product while assuring regulatory compliance. Transportation Insight was selected based on its successful track record of providing food and beverage companies with state-of-the-art logistics technology applications that meet business objectives and drive value through clients’ supply chains.
Transportation Insight provides an integrated suite of enterprise logistics solutions that incorporate freight bill audit and payment, transportation management, warehouse management technology, freight rate shopping, vendor routing, route optimization, mode optimization, load tendering, shipment tracking, Bill of Lading creation, ERP integration technology and interactive reporting and analytics. Each component is rooted in Transportation Insight’s Extended LEAN® continuous improvement methodology, which fosters long-term growth.
“Food and beverage companies are faced with challenges to meet regulations set forth by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act,” says Transportation Insight Vice President of Information Technology Jim Taylor. “Food and beverage distributors need the ability to track the movement of food/beverage products from farm to table in order to identify any sources of foodborne illnesses. As a lead logistics provider, we offer end-to-end visibility to an ever increasing complex global food and beverage supply chain through our bundled enterprise logistics solution.”
As part of its blended technology solution, Transportation Insight’s industry-leading platform provides a transportation management system (TMS), deep analytical capabilities, extensive data warehousing, dynamic on-demand reporting, a Big Data solution and ease of customization and integration. Transportation Insight’s Insight TMS® supports cost reductions, streamlines shipment execution and improves visibility across an organization’s supply chain.
“Working with reputable carriers who are dedicated to food safety best practices throughout their operations—from truck to warehouse to delivery—is key to mitigating food safety and quality risks through the point of use by consumers. Transportation Insight provides carrier sourcing services and helps companies select appropriate carriers with experience in the food and beverage industry,” adds Taylor.
About Transportation Insight, LLC
Transportation Insight is a global lead logistics provider with more than $1.8 billion in supply chain spend under management. For over a decade, the 3PL has partnered with hundreds of manufacturers, distributors and retailers to achieve significant cost savings, reduce cycle times and improve customer satisfaction rates by providing customized supply chain solutions. Transportation Insight offers a Co-managed Logistics® form of 3PL, carrier sourcing, freight bill audit and payment services, state-of-the-art transportation management system (TMS) applications and business intelligence. Its logistics services include domestic transportation, supply chain analytics, international transportation, warehouse sourcing, LEAN consulting and supply chain sourcing of indirect materials. Headquartered in Hickory, NC, Transportation Insight has secondary operating centers in Charlotte, NC, Bentonville, AR and Atlanta, GA, as well as more than 40 client support offices across North America. For more about Transportation Insight, visit www.transportationinsight.com.
Contact: Lisa Santos Farley Email: lfarley@t-insight.com Phone: 828-485-5000
A North Carolina man who was trapped under his SUV after it tumbled off a cliff is in good spirits and recovering from a leg amputation, his family said.
“It’s just incredible to me,” his aunt, Trish Miller, told ABC News today. “He’s never said the first negative thing.”
Her nephew, Joe Woodring, 21, fell asleep at the wheel last month in Boone, North Carolina, and veered off the road, his SUV falling at least 60 feet down a ravine, authorities said. He was pinned underneath the vehicle for seventeen hours until someone heard his screams and alerted police.
“From the time it stopped, he was awake and conscious,” Miller said. “He was very smart. He caught rain water in a little can to drink. He made a pillow out of grass, stuffed his shirt full of grass. And he had his pocket knife and cut the lining of the seat to get the cloth to make a blanket. He’s definitely a survivalist.”
Now, Woodring is recovering from the Oct. 28 crash at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His left leg was amputated above the knee and he’s undergoing physical therapy, Miller said. He should be able to return home to his grandmother, whom he lives with, in about two weeks.
“When we comes home, he’ll be in a wheelchair for a while,” said his grandmother, Tempie Ruth Woodring. “Then they’ll work on getting him a leg.”
For now, Woodring is making his way around the hospital with a walker, and his aunt continues to post updates about his health on Facebook, cheering up friends and family.
“He’s our little miracle,” Miller said.
She said the one thing her nephew misses the most is hunting.
“He and my oldest son, Ethan, they’re best friends and they had been planning their hunting strategies for this year,” Miller said. “So this has put a damper on that but they’re looking forward to next year.”
“He knows it’s going to be a rough road for a while,” she added. “But he knows he’s going to be able to walk again. He’s got that drive. And technology today is limitless.”
Retirees are migrating to the Western NC region from all parts of the U.S. because they want a gentle four season climate, an active lifestyle with quality health care nearby, and easy airport access – all of which this region offers.
Libertyville, IL (PRWEB) December 18, 2014
After working with relocating retirees for over a decade, Southeast Discovery, a real estate consulting firm specializing in guiding Baby Boomers with their real estate needs in the two niche markets of retirement relocation and second homes in the Southeast region, has noted five key reasons Boomers seek relocation to the Western North Carolina mountain region.
“When relocating at retirement, today’s Baby Boomer home buyer is looking for a location that offers an active lifestyle, diverse cultural and educational opportunities, and abundant dining, entertainment and sporting opportunities, and they also want to live in an area with a vibrant economy and access to excellent healthcare,” said Marian Schaffer, Principal and Founder of Southeast Discovery. “The Western North Carolina mountain region offers all of these attributes and more.”
Schaffer shared the top five reasons her clients choose the Western North Carolina mountain region to relocate to from such states as Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Texas, Florida and California.
The city of Asheville: Asheville, North Carolina is consistently recognized as a top place to live, retire, golf, dine, and more. The city has been named a “Top 10 Retirement City” by RelocateAmerica.com, one of the “10 Best Places for Second Homes” by Barron’s, and one of “American’s Best Affordable Places to Retire” by U.S. News World Report. It’s also been listed as the “#1 Small City for the Arts” by AmericanStyle and one of the “10 Most Surprisingly Vibrant Food Cities” by Livability.com. The diversity of the list speaks to the diversity of the city, and the numerous accolades have made Asheville an increasingly popular choice for those looking to retire or relocate to the Southeast. Superior medical care is available at Mission Hospital in downtown Asheville, and the tourist attraction of Biltmore Estate, the family home of George and Edith Vanderbilt, is located nearby.
Outdoor activities: Whether it’s fly fishing, zip lining, white water rafting, golf, hiking, or skiing in the winter months, it’s easy to enjoy Western NC’s great outdoors all year long. For those who like a mountain climate along with all of the mountain and winter sports that go along with it, it’s all available in the Western NC region.
While winters are typically mild in the city of Asheville, nearby ski resorts offer colder temperatures and plenty of snow. Western NC is home to the highest mountains in the eastern U.S. and area ski resorts feature either natural or man-made snow. Temperatures on the nearby slopes are usually 20 degrees cooler than in Asheville. Western NC area ski resorts include Beech Mountain, Wolf Ridge, Sugar Mountain, Sapphire Valley and many others.
Quaint towns: Aside from Asheville, there is a sprinkling of quaint towns throughout the region that feature unique and quirky restaurants, shops and cultural activities. Brevard, Highlands, Black Mountain, Waynesville, Cashiers, Blowing Rock and Hendersonville are a few of the mountain towns in the Western NC region that attract tourists throughout the year.
Beautiful topography: Living in Western NC is not like living on the coast, where in order to see the ocean, you have to be on the beach. In Western NC, you experience the beautiful mountain topography all around you at all times. In the spring and summer, the mountains are draped in green; in the fall, the mountains are vibrant in color with the changing of the seasons, and in the winter, there can often be snow at the higher elevations.
Mild year-round climate: The Western NC mountain region enjoys a generally mild climate and is not prone to extreme weather conditions. Snow storms are rare, with an average annual snowfall of about 15 inches. The mountains surrounding Asheville and Hendersonville, NC keep the area insulated from chilly lows in the winter and humid highs in the summer. The median high temperature in July is around 73 degrees, the median low temperature in January is around 36 degrees.
“Here at Southeast Discovery, we’re seeing retirees migrating to this region from all parts of the U.S. I attribute this to the fact that this new generation of retirees wants a gentle four season climate, an active lifestyle with quality health care nearby, and easy airport access – all of which this region offers,” said Schaffer.
About Southeast Discovery
Since 2004, Southeast Discovery has been a trusted resource for candid information and insight on communities, developments, and general real estate in the Southeast. Through its highly-ranked web portal, newsletter and blog and its one-on-one work with clients, Southeast Discovery helps buyers actively looking for a retirement or second home in the Southeast navigate the process of identifying the right area and community for their needs. To learn more, visit http://www.southeastdiscovery.com/.
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
