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Syracuse football RB commit Robert Washington outlines visit plans, recruiting …

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Syracuse, N.Y. — Now that the dust has settled after his commitment, four-star running back Robert Washington has turned his focus toward summer plans as well as continuing to recruit future teammates to Syracuse’s 2016 and 2017 classes.

Washington said he’s in the process of setting up an unofficial visit to SU in late June with his girlfriend. He’s looking forward to seeing more of campus and building his relationship with head coach Scott Shafer.

“Just talk with him, walk around the campus and enjoy the life of Syracuse,” Washington said during an interview Tuesday night. “It’ll be nice because in the summer the students aren’t there and it’s calmer.”

Washington also plans on using all five of his official visits, including one to Syracuse, and that he’s been hearing from other schools including Alabama, Pittsburgh and USC.

“I’m definitely 100 percent committed to Syracuse,” Washington said. “It’s nothing against Syracuse. You just want to use your official visits because you only get to go through the recruiting process once.”

Washing said he’s spoken with Shafer, running backs coach DeAndre Smith and director of recruiting Eric White at length since committing.

The discussions haven’t hit on the possibility of giving him No. 44, though, Washington said. Rather, they’ve focused on how the program can build elite recruiting classes over the next two years.

“It’s less about the No. 44 and more about trying to deal with the recruiting class,” Washington said. “We’ve got to build a class around me and the other recruits that are committed. You’ve got to try to build a Top 25 class that can change the face of the program.”

For the most part, Washington’s top targets remain the ones he outlined after initially committing.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Robert Washington (left), Aapri Washington (middle), Moe Neal (right) on their unofficial visit to Syracuse for the Florida State game last season.Courtesy/Robert Washington Sr. 

  • 2016 CB Jared Mayden: One of the top corners in the country, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Sachse (Texas) High School junior is interested in visiting Syracuse and has known Washington for about four years through USA Football. He plans on announcing a commitment at The Opening, which runs from July 7-10 at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.
  • 2016 DT Christian Colon: The 6-foot-3, 325-pound Colon has known Washington since middle school and played with him on USA Football in eight grade and at SouthLake Christian (Huntersville, N.C.) Academy as a freshman before transferring to Independence (Charlotte, N.C.) High School. He plans to release his Top 5 on Friday.
  • 2016 ATH Moe Neal: The 5-foot-11, 160-pound Neal is a speedy athlete who could play hybrid back or slot receiver in SU offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s new offense. He’s known Washington since the summer going into eighth grade and the pair has teamed up for USA Football with Washington lining up in the backfield and Neal in the slot. Neal named the Orange to his Top 5 on May 3.
  • 2017 CB Aapri Washington: The 5-foot-8, 160-pound Washington is Robert’s cousin and said he’s being recruited primarily as a cornerback or nickleback. Aapri Washington said he’s developed relationships with Smith and White — the same pair that helped reel in Robert — and that the allure of teaming up with his cousin in college is strong.
  • 2017 LB/S TJ Sanders: The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Sanders is the brother of Washington’s girlfriend and has known Robert for about five years. A linebacker/safety, Sanders called Washington a “brother” and explained that the two have known each other for about five years after meeting at a football camp. Next season, they’ll be teammates as Washington is transferring to East Gaston (Mt. Holly, N.C.) High School in order to graduate early. Sanders does not have an SU offer.
  • 2018 QB Jalen Mayden: Mayden is the younger brother of Jared Mayden and is also involved with USA Football. He was offered by the Orange the same night as Jared.

Washington was also pursuing four-star quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who recently committed to Maryland. But Washington said Haskins was always a long shot. The rest, he believes, are more attainable.

“I’m definitely going after Jared because I know Jared’s closing in (on a decision),” Washington said. “He’s committing at The Opening. If I go to The Opening and get invited, I’ll keep talking to him. I just tell him, ‘You know where to go. Just say it.'”

In time, Washington hopes the 2016 and 2017 classes can help turn the Syracuse program around. He wants the Orange to have the pull of a national power in the recruiting community and Shafer to have the name recognition of a Nick Saban or Jim Harbaugh.

“Alabama’s the hot school right now,” Washington said. “That’s why Alabama gets the No. 1 recruiting class every year. That’s what you want Syracuse to be. When someone gets a Syracuse offer, you want them to be like, ‘Damn, I got a Syracuse offer. That’s great.'”

Contact Stephen Bailey anytime: Email | Twitter

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Could California Oil Spill Happen in North Carolina?

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PHOTO: A recent oil spill along the California coast has North Carolina leaders and residents concerned about the potential for renewed offshore drilling along the eastern seaboard. Photo credit: MConnors/Morguefile.
PHOTO: A recent oil spill along the California coast has North Carolina leaders and residents concerned about the potential for renewed offshore drilling along the eastern seaboard. Photo credit: MConnors/Morguefile.

May 21, 2015

KURE BEACH, N.C. – The cleanup is underway off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, after an underground pipeline ruptured earlier this week, leaking crude oil over at least four miles of coastline.

While North Carolina’s beaches are thousands of miles away, the Obama administration recently authorized offshore oil drilling exploration along the eastern seaboard.

Local leaders like Emilie Swearingen, Kure Beach town commissioner, are becoming even more concerned as they watch current events unfold.

“That spill on the California coast did not come from an oil rig, it came from infrastructure that had been abandoned,” she says. “It could very easily happen here. I mean, never say never when we look at the oil spills all over the country.”

Officials in California say the exact cause of the leak has not been determined.

Supporters of offshore drilling say it will reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

Thousands of visitors are expected to visit the North Carolina coast this Memorial Day weekend, which draws more than 11 million people each year. Earlier this month, the state announced travelers spent a record $21 billion last year on the coast, a five percent increase over the previous year.

Swearingen says her community counts on the tourism dollars for its livelihood, and the area’s beauty is the reason so many of her constituents choose to live there.

“There’s no money in the world that could ever replace all of that and still support our quality of life,” she says. “There’s no place for such industrialization on North Carolina’s coast.”

Thirteen coastal North Carolina communities, the Dare County Board of Commissioners, the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce and the Dare County Tourism Board have all passed resolutions against offshore oil exploration.

Stephanie Carson, Public News Service – NC
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Airbnb to begin collecting Buncombe County taxes June 1 – Asheville Citizen

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ASHEVILLE – While Asheville continues to wrestle with regulating short-term rentals, Airbnb announced it will begin collecting and paying sales and hotel occupancy taxes in Buncombe County next month.

The online vacation rental service, which began in San Francisco seven years ago and has since grown into a multibillion-dollar company, posted the news on its policy blog Monday. The company has also been notifying its Airbnb hosts of the changes via email.

These changes will impact the entire state and four North Carolina counties in particular.

Starting June 1, Airbnb will start collecting and remitting North Carolina sales taxes on behalf of its hosts in the Tar Heel state, as well as collect and pay the occupancy taxes in Buncombe, Mecklenburg, Durham and Wake counties.

Locally, this means any guest who books a room or home in Buncombe County through Airbnb on or after June 1 will see an additional line item on their bill for the county and state-imposed sales taxes.

The county and statewide sales tax together is 7 percent. Add that to the 4 percent occupancy tax to get the combined tax collection of 11 percent.

“When we collect this tax from guests on your behalf, it won’t affect your payouts,” an email obtained by the Citizen-Times from Airbnb to a Buncombe County host says. “The tax will be added to the total amount paid by guests to Buncombe County, North Carolina on stays of less than 90 days — hosts will not have to do anything extra.”

When a reservation is booked, Airbnb charges a guest service fee of 3 percent to the guest, however, that fee does not go back into the local economy.

The county occupancy tax, on the other hand, goes to the Tourism Product Development Fund of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority to support community tourism projects. Attempts to reach the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau for comment, which contracts with the Buncombe County TDA, were unsuccessful Wednesday.

In a May 18 post on Airbnb’s policy blog, spokesman Max Pomeranc writes this will not be the first time Airbnb has collected taxes.

The company currently collects taxes in San Francisco, Portland, Amsterdam, Chicago, Malibu, San Jose and Washington, D.C.

At a public March 25 short-term rental forum, many of the people who spoke said they would like short-term rental operators to pay the same taxes as other lodging establishments in the city, like hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.

As it stands now in the city’s Unified Development Ordinance, arrangements often found on sites like Airbnb come under the definition of short-term rentals, which are illegal in residentially zoned areas.

In Asheville, a short-term rental is a home rented out for less than 30 days while the owner is not staying at the property full time.

A quick location-based search on Airbnb Wednesday afternoon showed 957 rentals were available for rent in Asheville.

Supporters of short-term rentals say these properties provide visitors with an authentic Asheville experience and can be a source of supplemental income for people who live and work here, and that this is a representation of the growing sharing economy.

Critics say short-term rentals destroy the character of neighborhoods, and these properties could have been allocated for long-term rentals for the people who live and work in the city, and could one day drive up prices in the rental market.

Last week, a majority of Asheville City Council members said they would like to see tougher enforcement of short-term rentals going forward.

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Susan Ladd: The economic case for trails and greenways

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03_lh_Panzer 081014.jpg

LYNN HEY/News Record

03_lh_Panzer 081014.jpg

Emma Cotterman, 5, waits for Jerrard Santiago, left, Aidon Cotterman, and her father, Brendon Cotterman, as they walk a section of the Bicentennial Greenway leaving from Gibson Park access on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, in Greensboro, N.C. (LYNN HEY/ News Record)




Susan Ladd

Posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 5:00 am

Susan Ladd: The economic case for trails and greenways

By Susan Ladd/News Record
susan.ladd@news-record.com

news-record.com

Stuck in the mud. That was the metaphor for transportation in North Carolina around the turn of the century. But some state leaders saw the importance of good roads as early as 1902 and founded the Good Roads Association to push for a state-maintained road system.

“A complete system of State Highways will carry light into dark places, build up and improve the morals of our citizens, and induce good people to settle in our midst,” W.A. McGirt, the president of the Good Roads Association, said in 1918.

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Contract awarded to build Clover aquatic center

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The Clover school board approved a $17.8million bid to build an aquatic center in Lake Wylie during a special board meeting May 11.

After an executive session, school board members awarded the contract to Beam Construction Co. of Cherryville, N.C. The center was part of a construction package approved by voters in a March 2014 bond referendum.

The winning bid, which the board chose over three others, includes a base bid for the center plus a second floor and walking track, an outdoor 50-meter pool and a water park.

While an aquatic center is a new project for Beam Construction, executive vice president Robert Browne said “that in itself is a challenge but it’s the same construction we do every day.”

Kelly Clayton with project managing company Cumming Corp. said he expects to have the order to proceed by May 22.

“We hope to break ground this month,” he said.

Clayton said the center is expected to be finished by Aug. 1, 2016. The final building plans show the center fronting S.C. 274 with parking, the main entrance and pool, and water park in the back.

Ken Love, chief finance and facilities officer for the district, said the winning contract is $360,000 more than planned.

“It’s slightly over what we had budgeted but well within our ability to complete it,” he said, explaining there is still $20million available for projects. “We’ll find a way where it won’t impact us.”

Beam Construction Co. in December was awarded the $29.7million contract for the construction of a middle school on 125 acres on Barrett Road in Clover. That project is underway and scheduled to open in 2016.

The district had planned about $14million for the aquatic center, including two 25-yard indoor pools and a fitness center, on S.C. 274 next to Crowders Creek Elementary School. It will be operated in partnership with the Upper Palmetto YMCA.

The district also has committed to build a $1.8million Olympic-size 50-meter outdoor pool, designed for competitive events, which was not part of the bond.

Superintendent Marc Sosne has said the school board plans to build it with leftover bond money or surplus capital funds.

The York County Council last month approved $1million in hospitality tax for the outdoor water park.

The hospitality tax money comes from a 2 percent charge on food and drinks in unincorporated areas of the county, such as Lake Wylie, and must be spent on tourism-generating projects.

The outdoor water park, estimated to cost $1.7million, is an additional feature paid for by the YMCA, and is intended to increase membership. YMCA leaders have been raising donations for months and have about $400,000 pledged toward the project.

The aquatic center is part of a $99million construction plan that includes five major projects, undertaken by the district after voters approved a $67million bond package in spring 2014.

The district is making a $32million down payment on the construction. So far, along with the middle school school and aquatic center, contracts have been awarded and construction underway on two other projects: $18.7million contract for Clancy Theys Construction of Charlotte to build an elementary school on 35 acres on Oakridge Road in Lake Wylie, across from Oakridge Middle School, scheduled to open in 2016; and $3.1million contract for renovations at Clover High School’s Memorial Stadium and other athletic fields to Randolph and Son Builders of Pineville, N.C.

Catherine Muccigrosso •  803-831-8166

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Chebet Chasing Third Crown at Freihofer’s Run for Women 5K in Albany, NY

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Deep Open Field Set to Compete on New Course Adjacent to NYS Capitol.

Press Release

Emily ChebetALBANY, N.Y. (May 19, 2015) — The longstanding rivalry between Kenyan and Ethiopian long distance runners will be renewed once again when the 37thannual Freihofer’s Run for Women 5K takes place Saturday, May 30 at 9:30 a.m. in Albany, N.Y.

These two proud running nations are no strangers to New York’s capital city, and both countries have won three titles apiece over the past six years at this prestigious IAAF silver labeled event.

Team Kenya will be led by two-time Freihofer’s Run for Women champion Emily Chebet (2010, 2013), whose victory here in 2010 (15:12) remains the fastest time ever recorded on the event’s former Madison Avenue course.

“Emily and her teammates will have a new course to contend with this year (http://bit.ly/1J54Cd0),” said Event Director George Regan, explaining that a two-year beautification project at the Empire State Plaza led organizers to shift the course’s start and finish adjacent to the stunning New York State Capitol. “It will be interesting to see how our elite athletes adjust their racing tactics to the new course.”

Joining Chebet — and 4,000 women from more than 25 states and 26 nations — will be compatriot Isabella Ochichi, who represented her nation at 5,000m at the 2004 Olympics and finished third at Freihofer’s in 2013 (15:34).  Other Kenyans in the field include newcomers Ann Wanjiru, 1st at this past weekend’s Rite Aid Cleveland 10K and 2015 Hy-Vee 10K; Monicah Wanjuhi Ngige, whose recent form includes 2nd at the 2015 Rite Aid Cleveland 10K, as well as 4th place finishes at both the Crescent City Classic and Cherry Blossom Run; and, Iona College graduate Salome Kosgei, the fastest woman in this year’s Raleigh Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.

DiribaReady to take up the gauntlet is a group of fleet-footed Ethiopian runners with nothing but victory on their minds.  Leading the charge will be Buze Diriba, gold medalist at the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships 5000m in Barcelona accompanied by that event’s silver medalist, Ruti Aga, whose accolades this year include a gold medal at Qatar’s Ooredoo Doha 10K and runner-up finishes at the Lilac Bloomsday 12K, Cooper Bridge Run and Hy-Vee 10K.  Diriba and Aga will be ably supported by veterans Meskerem Assefa, a three-time Olympian (2004, 2008 and 2012) at 1500m, and Amane Gobena, runner up at last month’s Paris Marathon and winner of the 2014 LA and Istanbul Marathons.

“It’s always good to see familiar faces in the field mixed in with some newcomers,” said longtime Run for Women Elite Athlete Recruiter John Tope. “I am expecting a riveting battle on the streets of Albany for the event’s $10,000 first place prize.”

Out to play spoiler to these two nations will be two-time Burundian Olympian, Diane Nukuri.  The Iowa City resident, who finished 6th at Freihofer’s four years ago (15:57), is starting to find her groove this year, as evidenced by her bronze medal at the Prague Half Marathon, 13th place finish at the London Marathon (PR: 2:27.50) and 5th place finish at the Manchester Run 10K.  Eritrea’s Nazret Weldu can also not be overlooked.  Her resume boasts solid performances at the 2015 Trier Silvesterlauf 5K (1st) and 2015 IAAF World Cross-Country Championships (11th).

Rounding out another strong Freihofer’s open field will be a group of talented American runners led by local favorite Megan Hogan (Ballston Spa, N.Y.), whose 6th place finish here in 2014 (15:50) made her the field’s top American finisher.  Other confirmed U.S. runners include:

  • Serena Burla (Stafford, VA), a member of the Mizzuno USA race team, who boasts a 5,000m PR of 15:47, and whose recent results include 7th at the 2015 Houston Marathon, 6th 2015 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run and 1st 2014 US Half Marathon Championships.
  • Alissa McKaig (Blowing Rock, N.C.), a member of ZAP Fitness Reebok, who earned an impressive 4th place finish here in 2011 (15:53) and who won the 2008 NAIA Indoor Championship (5,000m) and 2008 NAIA Outdoor Championships (10,000m) as a student at Michigan State University.
  • Sheree Shea (San Diego, CA), who joined the Mizzuno USA race team roster last year following a stellar career at Loyola Marymount University, where she became the school’s 5,000m record holder and appeared in the 2008 Footlocker National Cross-Country Finals.
  • Lindsay Flanagan (Washington, DC), another Mizzuno USA race team member, whose 2015 accomplishments include 9th Houston Marathon, 12th US 15K Championships and 10th Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run.
  • Andie Cozzarelli (Raleigh, NC), who earned multiple state championships while attending Apex High School, NC before graduating from North Carolina State as a two-time All American.
  • Christine Ramsey (New Haven, Conn.), whose CV includes victories in the 2014 Pike’s Peek 10K and BlueCross BlueShield Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, as well as a 7th place finish at the USA Women’s Marathon Championship.

To register for the 37th annual Freihofer’s Run for Women, 28th annual Kids’ Run, 27th annual Community Walk and 5th annual Freihofer’s Junior 3K, visit freihofersrun.com.  Online registration is available through 5/25 at midnight.  In person registration will be held 5/27 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and 5/28 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at Price Chopper Supermarkets’ Westgate Plaza store, as well as 5/29 from noon to 7 p.m. at the CapitalCare/CDPHP Health Fitness Expo at the Empire State Plaza Convention Hall.  There is no 5K day-of-event registration.

For a map of the new 5K course, as well as event parking locations, please click here http://www.freihofersrun.com/course_change.htm From the event’s home page, you can also join the conversation on the Freihofer’s Run for Women’s social media platforms.

Event sponsors include the Charles Freihofer Baking Company, Price Chopper Supermarkets, CSC and The City of Albany. Media partners include CBS6, 810 103-1 News Radio WGY and 99.5 The River.  Supporting sponsors include CapitalCareMedical Group, CDPHP, Garelick Farms and the New York Beef Industry Council.
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Freihofer’s, a leading baker of wholesome products, is committed to fostering the growth and recognition of women in sports and inspiring all generations of women to experience the benefits of exercise and good nutrition. Freihofer’s continues to set the pace by sponsoring the annual Freihofer’s Run for Women 5K. Now in its 37th year, the event is home to the Master’s World U.S. All-Comers record and boasts a silver label designation from the IAAF, the world governing body for track and field. It features thousands of women of all ages and abilities from Olympians to recreational joggers, who challenge themselves on the picturesque 3.1-mile course. For more information, visit freihofers.com.

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Buskers try to find a home in North Carolina city, the New York Times reports

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The North Carolina hamlet of Asheville is enjoying the benefits of a growing population of street musicians, also known as buskers. But the city of just 87,000 is also struggling to address noise and crowd complaints from some residents and business owners who are pushing for more regulations, the New York Times reports.

The tensions resemble many of the same issues New Orleans is grappling with — finding a balance between the tourism and cultural benefits that come with buskers and the desire of residents who want a quieter way of life.

“Critics (in Asheville) say the crowds who pool around the most talented performers block downtown business entrances and spill dangerously into the narrow streets,” the story reports. “And they say less-talented buskers are often little more than panhandlers with musical props; city officials have fielded complaints about their defecating dogs, their aggressive interactions with businesses and their hygiene.”

Local officials considered requiring musicians to obtain permits but that proposal was opposed by musicians and failed to garner support in the Public Safety Committee.

“The committee is now considering extending the mandatory distance between performers to 125 feet, from 40 feet,” according to the report. “Buskers, meanwhile, say the police have begun more rigorously enforcing a law forbidding performers to sell CDs or other recordings.”

Read the full story here.

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BCD Travel acquires World Travel Service Inc. as part of on-going growth strategy

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ATLANTA, May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — BCD Travel today announced it has acquired Knoxville, Tenn.,-based World Travel Service Inc., one of the largest corporate travel agencies in the U.S.

“As a respected travel management company with a strong focus on mid-market corporate customers, World Travel fits our culture and growth goals very well,” said Craig Bailey, BCD Travel’s president of North America. “This acquisition shows our clear intent to continue to aggressively pursue growth opportunities and acquisitions that benefit our clients by strengthening our position as a leader in corporate travel well into the future.”

Incorporated in 1946, the privately owned World Travel is the 13th largest corporate travel agency in the U.S. with more than 100 employees, a diverse portfolio of clients and annual sales of over $330 million. Focusing on corporate travel management as its core business, World Travel also operates a rapid-growing, award-winning meeting and incentive group called Liaisons Meetings Incentives. The agency has operated as a BCD Affiliate since 2002.

“We’ve established close working relationships with BCD Travel leadership,” said Lamar Shuler, president of World Travel Service. “Together we will continue to thrive, producing value for our customers, shareholders and our staff—who will have greater exposure to how a global company operates and more paths for long-term career growth.”

The World Travel purchase is the latest in a series of investments BCD Travel has made in recent years to grow business, extend its global network and help businesses leverage the latest innovations for their travel programs.

Other significant BCD investments include the purchase of Tbiz from Travelocity, development of substantial proprietary platforms in business intelligence (DecisionSource®) and mobile technology (TripSource®), establishment of a new joint venture in Brazil and the acquisition by BCD MI of Raleigh, N.C.-based Universal Meeting Management.

World Travel will continue operating under their brand as a business unit of BCD Travel.

About BCD Travel
BCD Travel helps companies make the most of what they spend on travel. For travelers, this means keeping them safe and productive, and equipping them to make good choices on the road. For travel and procurement managers, it means advising them on how to grow the value of their travel program. For executives, we ensure that the travel program supports company objectives. In short, we help our clients travel smart and achieve more. We make this happen in 110 countries with more than 11,000 creative, committed and experienced people. And it’s how we maintain an industry-leading client-retention rate of 96%, with 2014 sales of US$24.2 billion. For more information, visit www.bcdtravel.com.

About BCD Group
BCD Group is a market leader in the travel industry. The privately owned company was founded in 1975 by John Fentener van Vlissingen and consists of BCD Travel (global corporate travel management), Travix (online travel: CheapTickets, Vliegwinkel, BudgetAir, Flugladen and Vayama), Park ‘N Fly (off-airport parking) and joint ventures Parkmobile International (mobile parking applications) and AERTrade International (consolidating and fulfillment). BCD Group employs over 12,500 people and operates in 110 countries with total sales of US$ 25.6 billion, including US$ 10 billion in partner sales.  For more information, visit www.bcdgroup.com.

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SOURCE BCD Travel

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Fontaine Modification Recognizes Williamstown Employees for 2000 …

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — When the workday ended on May 8 at the Fontaine Modification Vocational Services modification center in Williamstown, W.Va., it marked the 2,000th consecutive day without a lost-time incident. Fontaine celebrated the safety streak, which started in 2009 when the facility opened, by treating the facility’s employees to lunch and unveiling a banner recognizing the milestone.

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“Everyone at the Williamstown modification center, from the technicians to managers, shares responsibility for keeping the workplace safe,” says Chris Reynolds, Williamstown facility manager. “We have a meeting every morning where we encourage employees to offer their thoughts and suggestions about safety practices. Their input is important because it helps us keep our employee safe, which prevents downtime, improves productivity and lets us better serve our customers. That’s why safety is such a priority at Fontaine.”

The 15,000-square-foot Williamstown modification center features 12 truck modification bays. It primarily provides chassis modifications and paint services for Hino Trucks built across the street at Hino’s Williamstown assembly plant. Reynolds has served as facility manager since 2012. The safety practices in place at Williamstown are also used at Fontaine Modification’s six other modification centers located across the country.

For more information about Fontaine Modification Vocational Services, call 800.FONTAINE (800.366.8246) or visit www.fontainemodification.com.

About Fontaine Modification Vocational Services              

Fontaine Modification Vocational Services is a business unit of Fontaine Modification that provides specialized truck modifications for customers in a variety of industries, including refuse/recycling collection, auto transport, street sweeping and emergency services. It offers chassis and cab modifications, steering conversions, alternative fuel system installations, and paint services.

Fontaine Modification Vocational Services is based in Charlotte, N.C., and has modification centers across the U.S., including locations in Dublin, Va.; Garland, Texas; Springfield, Ohio; and Williamstown, W.Va. The company uses established ship-thru agreements with all major truck manufacturers to streamline the final delivery process to the end-user.

Fontaine Modification is a Marmon Highway Technologies (MHT) company. MHT companies support the transportation industry worldwide with a wide range of high-quality products and services. MHT companies are members of The Marmon Group, an international association of business units that operate independently within diverse business sectors. The Marmon Group is a Berkshire Hathaway Company.

SOURCE Fontaine Modification Vocational Services

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OUR VIEW: Let craft brewers sell beer for off-premises consumption

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However, we hope a few minutes can be stolen to consider other measures — like SB452.

The bill is sponsored by Sen. Bill Holtzclaw, R-Madison, and co-sponsored by Sens. Phil Williams, R-Rainbow City, and Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville. It’s currently on the Senate calendar following a unanimous vote from the Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development.

It would allow brewpubs and craft brewers — like Gadsden’s Back Forty Beer Co. — to sell their products for off-premises consumption. Customers would be able to purchase a gallon of beer per day.

The original version also would allow craft breweries to operate on-premises restaurants where their beers could be sold. A substitute bill has been offered without that provision, but just allowing people to take beer home from a taproom — Alabama and Georgia are the only two states where that is prohibited — would be significant progress.

This legislation is being pushed as a jobs bill, and that certainly is applicable. Craft brewers and brewpubs would get more business if it’s enacted, and more business requires more employees.

The change would promote tourism. Wine lovers (oenophiles for the initiated) have long spent their vacations traveling to vineyards and sampling their wares. Craft beer aficionados have developed the same type of trails, and cities like Asheville, N.C., have made beer a predominant tourism focus.

All vacationers like to take home souvenirs. Wine lovers already can; it’s only fair that beer fans have the same privilege.

Above all, the bill would boost an industry that has gotten a lot of attention in Alabama and produces more beer each year, but still struggles to establish itself without any help from antiquated and restrictive sales and distribution policies.

A study by the Brewers Association, cited by the Alabama Brewers Guild, ranked Alabama 50th among states and the District of Columbia in the per capita impact of craft beer to its economy.

The guild asked the association to assess what would happen if that impact could be raised to the national average. The projection: nearly 3,000 new jobs and an extra $284 million for the state’s gross domestic product.

Those numbers won’t sway people who simply oppose drinking, period, and will contest anything that expands the sale of alcoholic beverages to home folks or visitors.

Their opposition should be noted and respected, but the Senate and House need to pass this legislation and move the industry forward.

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