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iSolved Unites HR and Payroll Data for Improved Workforce Analytics

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ –A major advantage of Infinisource’s iSolved cloud-based human capital management solution is its powerful, built-in analytics abilities. Typically, small-to-midsize companies run several different applications to manage their HR, payroll, time tracking, and benefit activities. This creates data gaps for human resources, finance and frontline supervisors, minimizing an organization’s ability to analyze and use their workforce data for every day decision making.

–>CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ –A major advantage of Infinisource’s iSolved cloud-based human capital management solution is its powerful, built-in analytics abilities. Typically, small-to-midsize companies run several different applications to manage their HR, payroll, time tracking, and benefit activities. This creates data gaps for human resources, finance and frontline supervisors, minimizing an organization’s ability to analyze and use their workforce data for every day decision making.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — A major advantage of Infinisource’s iSolved cloud-based human capital management solution is its powerful, built-in analytics abilities. Typically, small-to-midsize companies run several different applications to manage their HR, payroll, time tracking, and benefit activities. This creates data gaps for human resources, finance and frontline supervisors, minimizing an organization’s ability to analyze and use their workforce data for every day decision making.

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iSolved offers a robust and user friendly Report Writer that gives supervisors and the human resource department the ability to take control of data and build, modify, and produce reports by simply pointing, clicking and dropping in desired fields.

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Standard report types within the iSolved Report Writer include:

  • Payroll Employee Summary
  • Payroll Check Detail
  • HR Reports
  • Labor Allocation
  • Labor Expense
  • Payroll General Ledger

Tuesday, October 20, 2015 and will be largely based on questions submitted by customers in advance.

–>Tuesday, October 20, 2015 and will be largely based on questions submitted by customers in advance.

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iSolved Report Writer is extremely intuitive and flexible and can be configured to meet the unique needs of most employers. Infinisource, through its iSolved University, is holding an online training session for its customers to demonstrate the Report Writer’s capabilities and train customers on how best to report on specific types of data needs. The training webinar will be held on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 and will be largely based on questions submitted by customers in advance.

Todd La Fever, President of Technology for Infinisource, points to the Report Writer as one of the core strengths of the iSolved HCM platform. “Our users have the ability to immediately obtain insight into their workforce, and that drives improved decision making across the organization.”

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Todd La Fever, President of Technology for Infinisource, points to the Report Writer as one of the core strengths of the iSolved HCM platform. “Our users have the ability to immediately obtain insight into their workforce, and that drives improved decision making across the organization.”

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Todd La Fever, President of Technology for Infinisource, points to the Report Writer as one of the core strengths of the iSolved HCM platform. “Our users have the ability to immediately obtain insight into their workforce, and that drives improved decision making across the organization.”

About iSolved
iSolved is Infinisource’s comprehensive human capital management solution for payroll, time, benefits and HR that manages an employer’s most important asset their people. The cloud-based platform is delivered through elite, regional payroll providers who provide best-in-class service to their clients. This unique approach gives small-to-midsize employers access to a cutting-edge HCM solution, while retaining the local service relationship they prefer. For more information, visit www.infinisource.com.

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About iSolved
iSolved is Infinisource’s comprehensive human capital management solution for payroll, time, benefits and HR that manages an employer’s most important asset their people. The cloud-based platform is delivered through elite, regional payroll providers who provide best-in-class service to their clients. This unique approach gives small-to-midsize employers access to a cutting-edge HCM solution, while retaining the local service relationship they prefer. For more information, visit www.infinisource.com.

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­­About iSolved
iSolved is Infinisource’s comprehensive human capital management solution for payroll, time, benefits and HR that manages an employer’s most important asset — their people. The cloud-based platform is delivered through elite, regional payroll providers who provide best-in-class service to their clients. This unique approach gives small-to-midsize employers access to a cutting-edge HCM solution, while retaining the local service relationship they prefer. For more information, visit www.infinisource.com.

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SOURCE Infinisource

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Tar Heel Voices – Environmental chief supports wind power

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Just last week in Wilmington, Secretary van der Vaart spoke to coastal residents and Bureau of Ocean Energy

Management, or BOEM, officials about the potential North Carolina’s abundant offshore wind resources present. He emphasized the importance of balancing energy development with environmental safeguards, and in the case of wind energy, protecting the tourism industry that is so vital to our beach communities.

BOEM has identified three Wind Energy Areas – Wilmington West, Wilmington East, and Kitty Hawk – as potential areas for development. Offshore wind farms would particularly impact the view from the coasts of New Hanover and Brunswick counties. Almost one billion dollars in economic activity was generated in 2013 from visitors to these two counties, providing more than 10,000 jobs and $90 million in state and local tax revenues.

BOEM is proposing a 10 nautical mile buffer between wind turbines and our coastal communities. DEQ has asked BOEM to extend that buffer to 24 nautical miles to lessen the impact on the view from our coast. The National Parks Service requested and received a 33.7 nautical mile buffer for the Bodie Island Lighthouse to prevent offshore wind energy facilities from impacting coastal tourism along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. DEQ is working to ensure that BOEM shows similar consideration to protect the economies and land values of Brunswick and New Hanover counties.

Secretary van der Vaart believes that with these protections in place, North Carolina can harness wind energy in a way that is environmentally sound and economically responsible, and the StarNews cannot accurately cite an instance where he has said otherwise.

Editor’s note: Analysts say at 24 miles offshore the turbines wouldn’t get enough wind to be economically feasible. The StarNews editorial argued that the McCrory Administration’s proposal is for something that will not be built.

Jenny Kelvington is senior policy adviser for the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.

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County to make hotel tax board decision – Asheville Citizen

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ASHEVILLE — Buncombe County leaders Tuesday will again take up an issue relating to the hotel room tax, a topic that has split county government and stirred a fight in the community over how tax revenue from tourists should be used.

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to make an appointment to the board that controls the $14 million in hotel occupancy tax, the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. The appointment is set to happen at commissioners’ regular Tuesday meeting, which starts at 4:30 p.m. in commission chambers at 200 College St.

The commissioners are making one appointment to the authority, newly expanded by state legislators from seven to nine members.

Two applicants are seeking the spot, reserved by state law for a representative of a hotel or other type of lodging with more than 100 rooms: Managing Director of the Grove Park Inn Gary Froeba and Craig Madison, vice president of hospitality for the FIRC Group, the company founded by Tony Fraga that owns the Haywood Park Hotel.

On Sept. 1, commissioners voted 4-3 to raise the hotel tax 50 percent, from 4 cents to 6 cents. The tax increase was part of state legislation, but commissioners had the final say.

The split reflected arguments building in the community over the tax that is paid by hotel guests and controlled by the authority which is by law a majority are hoteliers. The increase, which will go into effect in November, is expected to generate an additional $5 million, bringing total revenue to $14 million. The authority will spend all of that on marketing and projects intended to boost hotel business.

But some city and county government leaders have argued that part of the money should go to pay for city infrastructure, such as roads and sidewalks and other public services.

Hoteliers said the tax hike was needed because of the large number of new hotels being built in the county. The money would be used for more marketing. That would bring more hotel guests and help fill the growing number of hotel rooms, they said.

On Oct. 13 City Council members appointed Asheville’s two members to the authority. For the first time the application process included public interviews, during which council members grilled applicants over whether they would try to steer more money toward city needs.

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Addyi™ (Flibanserin), First-Ever Medical Treatment For Acquired, Generalized …

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RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ –Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Sprout), a division of Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America LLC, announced today that Addyi, a once-daily, non-hormonal pill for the treatment of acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women, is now available in the United States through certified physicians and pharmacies. Addyi was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 18, 2015.

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RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ –Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Sprout), a division of Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America LLC, announced today that Addyi, a once-daily, non-hormonal pill for the treatment of acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women, is now available in the United States through certified physicians and pharmacies. Addyi was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 18, 2015.

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RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Sprout), a division of Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America LLC, announced today that Addyi, a once-daily, non-hormonal pill for the treatment of acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women, is now available in the United States through certified physicians and pharmacies.  Addyi was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 18, 2015.

Cindy Whitehead. “With our availability nationwide today, we are proud of our affordable and innovative programs to offer Addyi for as little as $20 per prescription.”

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Cindy Whitehead. “With our availability nationwide today, we are proud of our affordable and innovative programs to offer Addyi for as little as $20 per prescription.”

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“Finally, all women who have been waiting for a medical treatment option can now make their own decision with their healthcare provider if Addyi is right for them,” said Sprout Pharmaceuticals Chief Executive Officer Cindy Whitehead. “With our availability nationwide today, we are proud of our affordable and innovative programs to offer Addyi for as little as $20 per prescription.”

www.Addyi.com or visit your healthcare provider. Addyi is available through certified health care prescribers and pharmacies enrolled in the Addyi Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. The Addyi REMS certification and enrollment materials can be accessed via www.Addyi.com in the REMS section.

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www.Addyi.com or visit your healthcare provider. Addyi is available through certified health care prescribers and pharmacies enrolled in the Addyi Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. The Addyi REMS certification and enrollment materials can be accessed via www.Addyi.com in the REMS section.

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Sprout will offer two avenues of affordable access for women, including the Addyi Affordable Access Card for pharmacies and the AddyiDirect program with doorstep delivery. For more information about both programs, visit www.Addyi.com or visit your healthcare provider. Addyi is available through certified health care prescribers and pharmacies enrolled in the Addyi Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. The Addyi REMS certification and enrollment materials can be accessed via www.Addyi.com in the REMS section.

Karen Boyle, urologic surgeon at Chesapeake Urology Associates at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

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Karen Boyle, urologic surgeon at Chesapeake Urology Associates at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

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“Acquired, generalized HSDD is the most common sexual complaint that I see among women in my practice, so having Addyi as an option for them is game changing. It’s my belief that Addyi marks a new era for women and couples to have an honest conversation about what’s happening for her in the bedroom.  I think we’ll see the positive effects of this dialogue well beyond medicine,” said Dr. Karen Boyle, urologic surgeon at Chesapeake Urology Associates at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

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The approval of Addyi is largely based on three North American, Phase 3, 24-week, randomized double blind, placebo-controlled studies of premenopausal women with HSDD. Addyi was administered to over 2,500 premenopausal women with acquired, generalized HSDD in clinical trials, with over 850 receiving treatment for at least 12 months. For premenopausal women with HSDD, Addyi has demonstrated improvements in desire for sex, reducing distress from the loss of sexual desire and increasing the number of satisfying sexual events.

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Addyi is not indicated for use in postmenopausal women or men or to enhance sexual function. Addyi was approved with a Boxed Warning. Use of Addyi with alcohol increases the risk of severe hypotension and syncope; therefore, alcohol use is contraindicated.  Severe hypotension and syncope occurs when Addyi is used with moderate or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or in patients with hepatic impairment; therefore use of Addyi in patients with hepatic impairment is also contraindicated. Hypotension, syncope and central nervous system (CNS) depression can occur with Addyi alone. The most common adverse reactions are dizziness, somnolence, nausea, fatigue, insomnia and dry mouth. See full safety information below. Addyi is intended to be administered orally once per day at bedtime with or without food.

About Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
HSDD is characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and is not due to a co-existing medical or psychiatric condition, problems within the relationship, or the effects of a medication or other drug substance. Acquired HSDD refers to HSDD that develops in a patient who previously had no problems with sexual desire. Generalized HSDD refers to HSDD that occurs regardless of the type of stimulation, situation or partner.

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About Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
HSDD is characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and is not due to a co-existing medical or psychiatric condition, problems within the relationship, or the effects of a medication or other drug substance. Acquired HSDD refers to HSDD that develops in a patient who previously had no problems with sexual desire. Generalized HSDD refers to HSDD that occurs regardless of the type of stimulation, situation or partner.

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About Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) 
HSDD is characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and is not due to a co-existing medical or psychiatric condition, problems within the relationship, or the effects of a medication or other drug substance. Acquired HSDD refers to HSDD that develops in a patient who previously had no problems with sexual desire. Generalized HSDD refers to HSDD that occurs regardless of the type of stimulation, situation or partner.

About Sprout Pharmaceuticals
Sprout Pharmaceuticals is passionate about women’s sexual health. With a breakthrough concept for women, the company “sprouted” out of Slate Pharmaceuticals in 2011. Based in Raleigh, N.C., the company is focused solely on the delivery of a treatment option for women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). For more information or the latest news about Sprout Pharmaceuticals, visit www.sproutpharma.comor call 1-844-PINK-PILL (1-844-746-5745).

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About Sprout Pharmaceuticals
Sprout Pharmaceuticals is passionate about women’s sexual health. With a breakthrough concept for women, the company “sprouted” out of Slate Pharmaceuticals in 2011. Based in Raleigh, N.C., the company is focused solely on the delivery of a treatment option for women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). For more information or the latest news about Sprout Pharmaceuticals, visit www.sproutpharma.comor call 1-844-PINK-PILL (1-844-746-5745).

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About Sprout Pharmaceuticals 
Sprout Pharmaceuticals is passionate about women’s sexual health. With a breakthrough concept for women, the company “sprouted” out of Slate Pharmaceuticals in 2011. Based in Raleigh, N.C., the company is focused solely on the delivery of a treatment option for women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). For more information or the latest news about Sprout Pharmaceuticals, visit www.sproutpharma.com or call 1-844-PINK-PILL (1-844-746-5745).

Indication and Important Safety Information

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Indication and Important Safety Information

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Indication and Important Safety Information

Indication

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Indication

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Indication

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Addyi is indicated for the treatment of premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) as characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and is NOT due to:

  • A co-existing medical or psychiatric condition,
  • Problems within the relationship, or
  • The effects of a medication or other drug substance.

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Acquired HSDD refers to HSDD that develops in a patient who previously had no problems with sexual desire. Generalized HSDD refers to HSDD that occurs regardless of the type of stimulation, situation or partner.

Limitations of Use

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Limitations of Use

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Limitations of Use

  • Addyi is not indicated for the treatment of HSDD in postmenopausal women or in men.
  • Addyi is not indicated to enhance sexual performance.

Important Safety Information

WARNING: HYPOTENSION AND SYNCOPE IN CERTAIN SETTINGS


See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.

–>Important Safety Information

WARNING: HYPOTENSION AND SYNCOPE IN CERTAIN SETTINGS


See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.

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Important Safety Information

Contraindications

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Contraindications

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Contraindications

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Addyi is contraindicated:

  • With use of alcohol.
  • With concomitant use with moderate or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors.
  • In patients with hepatic impairment.

Summary of Warnings and Precautions

–>Summary of Warnings and Precautions

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Summary of Warnings and Precautions

  • Hypotension and Syncope due to an Interaction with Alcohol. An interaction between Addyi and alcohol increases the risk of severe hypotension and syncope.  Alcohol use is contraindicated. Before prescribing Addyi, the healthcare provider should assess the likelihood of the patient abstaining from alcohol use.
  • Addyi Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) Program.  Addyi is available only through a restricted program called the Addyi REMS Program, because of the increased risk of severe hypotension and syncope due to an interaction between Addyi and alcohol.  The Addyi REMS requires that prescribers are certified by enrolling and completing training; and, pharmacies are certified and will not dispense Addyi unless it is prescribed by a certified prescriber.  More information is available at www.AddyiREMS.com.
  • Hypotension and Syncope with CYP3A4 Inhibitors. 
    • Moderate and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors significantly increase Addyi concentrations, which can lead to hypotension and syncope. Concomitant use of Addyi with a moderate or strong CYP3A4 inhibitor is contraindicated. 
    • Concomitant use of multiple weak CYP3A4 inhibitors that may include herbal supplements (e.g., ginkgo, resveratrol) or non-prescription drugs (e.g., cimetidine) could also lead to clinically relevant increases in flibanserin concentrations that may increase the risk of hypotension and syncope.
  • Central Nervous System Depression.  Addyi can cause CNS depression (e.g., somnolence, sedation).  In five 24-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind trials of premenopausal women with HSDD the incidence of somnolence, sedation or fatigue was 21% and 8% in patients treated with 100 mg of Addyi at bedtime and placebo, respectively.  The risk of CNS depression is increased if Addyi is taken during waking hours, or if Addyi is taken with alcohol or other CNS depressants, or with medications that increase flibanserin concentrations. Patients should not drive or engage in other activities requiring full alertness until at least 6 hours after taking Addyi and until they know how Addyi affects them.
  • Hypotension and Syncope with Addyi Alone.  The use of Addyi – without other concomitant medications known to cause hypotension or syncope – can cause hypotension and syncope.  In five 24-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials of premenopausal women with HSDD, hypotension was reported in 0.2% and 0.1% of Addyi-treated patients and placebo-treated patients, respectively; syncope was reported in 0.4% and 0.2% of Addyi-treated patients and placebo-treated patients, respectively.  The risk of hypotension and syncope is increased if Addyi is taken during waking hours. Consider the benefits of Addyi and the risks of hypotension and syncope in patients with pre-existing conditions that predispose to hypotension. Patients who experience pre-syncope should immediately lie supine and promptly seek medical help if the symptoms do not resolve.  Prompt medical attention should also be obtained for patients who experience syncope. 
  • Syncope and Hypotension in Patients with Hepatic Impairment.  Any degree of hepatic impairment significantly increases flibanserin concentrations, which can lead to hypotension, syncope, and CNS depression. Therefore, Addyi is contraindicated in patients with hepatic impairment.

Most Common Adverse Reactions

–>Most Common Adverse Reactions

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Most Common Adverse Reactions

  • The most common adverse reactions among patients treated with Addyi were dizziness (Addyi 11.4%; Placebo 2.2%), somnolence (Addyi 11.2%; Placebo 2.9%), nausea (Addyi 10.4%; Placebo 3.9%), fatigue (Addyi 9.2%; Placebo 5.5%), insomnia (Addyi 4.9%; Placebo 2.8%) and dry mouth (Addyi 2.4%; Placebo 1.0%).   

Summary of Drug Interactions

–>Summary of Drug Interactions

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Summary of Drug Interactions

  • Addyi is primarily metabolized by CYP3A4 and, to a lesser extent, by CYP2C19.
  • Addyi is contraindicated in women taking a moderate (e.g., fluconazole) or strong (e.g., ketoconazole) CYP3A4 inhibitor. 
  • Patients using Addyi with combined oral contraceptives or with weak CYP3A4 inhibitors may experience a higher incidence of adverse reactions. 
  • CYP2C19 inhibitors (e.g. proton pump inhibitors, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, antifungals) may increase Addyi exposure, which may increase the risk of hypotension, syncope, and CNS depression. 
  • Do not use Addyi with strong CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., rifampin, St. John’s Wort) as this will substantially reduce the concentration of Addyi.
  • Addyi inhibits P-glycoprotein (P-gp).  Monitoring of drug concentrations of any narrow therapeutic index drugs that are substrates for P-gp (e.g., digoxin) should be increased if co-administered with Addyi.  The concomitant use of Addyi with digoxin, a drug that is transported by P-gp, increases the digoxin concentration.  This may lead to digoxin toxicity.

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For More Information:
Amy Rose
Edelman
312-297-6912
media@sproutpharma.com

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For More Information:
Amy Rose
Edelman
312-297-6912
media@sproutpharma.com

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For More Information: 
Amy Rose
Edelman
312-297-6912
media@sproutpharma.com

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http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/addyi-flibanserin-first-ever-medical-treatment-for-acquired-generalized-hsdd-in-premenopausal-women-now-available-300161695.html

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http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/addyi-flibanserin-first-ever-medical-treatment-for-acquired-generalized-hsdd-in-premenopausal-women-now-available-300161695.html

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SOURCE Sprout Pharmaceuticals

RELATED LINKS
http://www.sproutpharma.com

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Good for Nicholas Sparks, good for NC

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DG martin

DG martin



Posted: Monday, October 19, 2015 1:37 pm

Good for Nicholas Sparks, good for NC

By D.G. Martin

The News Herald

“My books are all different,” Nicholas Sparks, the No. 1 New York Times best selling author who lives in New Bern, told a group of 500 fans at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Alumni Center last week.

Except, he says, for two things. One is that there will always be a couple in love.

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Monday, October 19, 2015 1:37 pm.

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Planning a day trip from Blowing Rock to Asheville

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Autumn Adventure

Laney Ruckstuhl

Autumn Adventure

At 3,892 feet elevation, the Black Mountains overlook is located at mile post 342.2 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.



Possible Detours

While I enjoyed my trip and was able to squeeze a lot into one day, there is a ton to do from Blowing Rock to Asheville and in-between. Here are some other attractions you can visit if you don’t like the ones I chose for my own adventure.

» Blowing Rock Art and History Museum — Located downtown, the museum has year-round exhibitions, art programs and more.

» Linville Falls — Near milepost 316.4, you can exit and see this gorgeous waterfall from five different outposts.

» Craggy Gardens — About 20 miles from Asheville are the Craggy Gardens. In the fall, they are filled with bouquets of the red berries of mountain ash.

» Rough Ridge — Just before the viaduct lies one of the parkway’s most popular hiking trails. If you can get a parking spot, you can climb five miles to the top for an awesome view.

» Tweetsie Railroad — If you’re travelling with young children, Tweetsie is a popular amusement park with a working train. In the fall, Tweetsie also has a haunted “Ghost Train” at night.

» Mt. Mitchell State Park — Just before Asheville, Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi River, with an elevation of 6,684 feet.

» Folk Art Center — Right before exiting the parkway for I-40 is this museum and gallery of Appalachian arts and crafts — a great way to get a feel for mountain culture.

» N.C. Arboretum — This 434-acre garden is located within the Bent Creek Experimental Forest in Asheville, accessible from milepost 393. It features diverse N.C. botany, from flowers to trees.

» Downtown Asheville — Asheville is filled with vibrant music, breweries and art. It’s a great place to enjoy if you feel like staying after dark.

Posted: Saturday, October 17, 2015 2:34 am
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Updated: 2:40 am, Sat Oct 17, 2015.

Planning a day trip from Blowing Rock to Asheville

By LANEY RUCKSTUHL

eruckstuhl@hickoryrecord.com

Hickory Daily Record

Every year when fall rolls around, thousands flock to the Blue Ridge Mountains from across the country to view the warmly colored rainbow of leaves as they change and fall off the trees.

But luckily for us, it isn’t a long journey. Just an hour’s drive to Blowing Rock can get you to the Blue Ridge Parkway and you can see miles of trees, mountains and more in all their autumn glory in just a day.

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Autumn Adventure

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Saturday, October 17, 2015 2:34 am.

Updated: 2:40 am.

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Top 10 Reasons to Visit Jackson County, North Carolina

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Sponsored by Jackson County, North Carolina

Escape to a different elevation in Jackson County, North Carolina

September 29, 2015Comments

Glimmering lakes, water sports, artisan crafts, outdoor activities, and breathtaking mountain views await in  Jackson County, North Carolina. Nestled in Western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, this rugged paradise is home to eight distinct communities on the final stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Historic resorts, farm-to-table restaurants, and top-notch breweries are a just a few of the area’s attractions. Whether you prefer a hike or an evening at a full-service resort, Jackson County has something to offer every taste. Check out the Top 10 reasons to visit this fall.

Jackson County is home to the final stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway - more than 40 miles of uncrowded scenic beauty. Stop at the Richland Balsam Overlook--with an elevation of 6,053 feet, it is the highest point on the Parkway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Ridge Parkway Just three hours from Atlanta, escape to a different elevation in the Balsam Mountains of Jackson County, North Carolina. Make sure to stop at the Richland Balsam overlook; with an elevation of 6,053 feet, it is the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park Whether you’re in the mood for a strenuous hike to the crest of a mountain, or prefer to sit quietly and watch the sun set, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a myriad of activities.

Harrahs Cherokee Casino Resort is a full service resort destination featuring 24-hour nonstop casino action, with over 4,000 slot machines and table games, including blackjack, roulette, and craps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort It will feel like all play and no work at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, which features over 1,100 luxury hotel rooms, a 3000-seat entertainment venue, full service conference center, Mandara Spa, and a partnership with Sequoyah National Golf Club.

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Lake Glenville Just a few miles north of Cashiers along NC Highway 107, with 26 miles of shoreline, Lake Glenville offers some of the highest vistas east of the Mississippi.

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Pottery Create or shop a whimsical mixture of functional stoneware pottery and porcelain, as well as one-of-a-kind raku hand built statues, handmade beads and jewelry, and more at Rabbit Creek Pottery or Riverwood Pottery. Treehouse Pottery offers a gallery and working studio.

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Rafting and water sports Put yourself, family, and friends to the test amid the rapids of one of the four whitewater rivers in the region. These will surely be the memories that you recall at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Swimming, sailing, water skiing, boating, tubing, kayaking and canoeing are also available in Jackson County.

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Sapphire Valley Resort Let it go in a real life frozen fantasy at this family-oriented, four-seasons resort. Boasting winter fun at Ski Sapphire Valley, Frozen Falls Tube Park, and the new zip line park, “The Vordach,” Sapphire Valley Resort is sure to thrill families and provide lasting memories.

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Waterfalls This is not Photoshop. The Jackson County area is famous for its 19 cascading waterfalls that are even more stunning surrounded by the reds, yellows, oranges, and purples of autumn.

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Whiteside Mountain A landmark in the Nantahala National Forest, Whiteside Mountain’s cliffs look like draped sheets of ice, and this magnificent rock is about 400 million years old.

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Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail Dinner is served! The WNC Fly Fishing Trail, created in 2009, maps out 15 prime spots to catch brown, rainbow, and brook trout in the crystal-clear streams of the Great Smoky Mountains.

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You can’t understand Asheville without "The French Broad" – Asheville Citizen

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With the Citizen-Times Book Circle, we are taking a second look at what could be considered the essential texts of Western North Carolina, the fiction and nonfiction that tells us who we are, what our place is, how we got here and hopefully where we are going.

Wilma Dykeman’s “The French Broad,” published 60 years ago, joins the first rank of books on our shelf.

Dan Pierce, a history professor at UNC Asheville, and a fine writer in his own right, jokingly puts it this way:  “Any local who hasn’t read ‘The French Broad’ should have his or her driver’s license revoked.”

Before you are a citizen of the world, you have to understand your particular place in the world, your little corner of earth you would call home.

And Dykeman offers a quick, readable, yet comprehensive guide to the history of the French Broad River, the world’s third oldest waterway after the Nile River and the New also in North Carolina. The northbound French Broad has its headwaters under the Devil’s Courthouse in Transylvania County and flows north through Asheville, Marshall, over into Tennessee, then bends back south from Newport to Knoxville, joining with the Tennessee River.

That life-giving artery provided the first route into the remote wilderness. Trading paths, turnpikes, railroads and highways have followed natural route, and Dykeman chronicled them all for the past 200 years.

“She was a very good historian and an incredible storyteller,” Pierce said. “It’s an essential book for our region, providing the context for where we are today. There’s not many books that hold up so well after 60 years. That’s because of the perspective she brings to it with a deep love for the area and a love for the people that comes through.”

Now we are at another crossroads with the French Broad, once fouled with industrial pollution. Dykeman was a pioneering environmentalist, pointing out in the 1950s the terrible costs of fouled water.

Without that water, we wouldn’t have a thriving craft beer industry gaining a foothold here in the Asheville area, nor would we be talking about $50 million in taxpayer money going into new roads and greenways, let alone the $200 million in private investment.

It’s fitting that the network of walkways, bike paths and corridors will bear the name of the Wilma Dykeman Riverway.

Before her death in 2006, Dykeman had seen her beloved river resurrected. She witnessed the downtown where she once worked at the Kress’s five and dime restored as a bustling tourism destination.

Success comes with new challenges, and many in Asheville worry about a tourism-based economy and how it helps the locals. Reading “The French Broad,” you understand this is an age-old tension in town.

Dykeman describes the granddaddy of Asheville’s resort hotels – the Battery Park, built in 1886 on a hill 125 feet above Asheville’s public square and surrounded by a 25-acre park. (No Pit of Despair back then. The hotel came with its own private greenspace.)

“The Battery Park was lending reality to an attitude that was growing throughout the region; The Chamber-of-Commerce, come-hither tone that was to make the mountains of Western North Carolina a paradox of tourists and isolated mountain folks.”

Dykeman wasn’t afraid to write a chapter calling everyone to task and a community to action in “Who Killed the French Broad?” She would certainly caution us against unwittingly writing a chapter in the near future “Who Killed Asheville?”

Dykeman offered a warning 60 years ago that still applies:  “Dwellers of the French Broad country are learning an ancient lesson in all their natural resources; it is easy to destroy overnight treasures that cannot be replaced in a generation, easy to  destroy in a generation what cannot be restored in centuries.”

Book Circle

The Asheville Citizen-Times Book Circle is reading Wilma Dykeman’s “The French Broad.”

Follow the discussion and post your favorite passages at our Facebook Page www.facebook.com/AshevilleBookClub

Join us for a discussion 5:30-7 p.m. Nov. 5 in the boardroom of the Lenoir-Rhyne Graduate Center at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, 36 Montford Ave. Plenty of free parking. 

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Trip by Cotton put at $36000

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton’s recent trip to Israel with his wife was the third most expensive privately financed trip a member of Congress has taken in the past 15 years, according to Legistorm.

The political news service reported that the $36,000 week-long trip sponsored by the American Israel Education Foundation, the charity arm of pro-Israel lobbying giant the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, included about $14,000 for transportation and $4,000 for lodging and meals. Security expenses of $7,000 were included in the rest of the $18,000 in costs.

On the trip, the Republican from Arkansas met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon.

Cotton also ate Sabbath dinner with a family that moved to Israel from the United States 15 years ago. And he visited the Golan Heights, a long-disputed mountainous region along the Israel-Syria border.

In 2014, the American Israel Education Foundation was the largest sponsor of trips by members of Congress, spending more than $1 million on 89 trips throughout the year, according to Legistorm.

2016 CANDIDATES

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee campaigned in Iowa. On Friday, he and several other Republican candidates for president spoke at the New Hampshire Housing Summit. He held a rally in North Carolina on Saturday and to speak today at a candidate forum in Plano, Texas.

After the Democrats’ first debate Tuesday evening in Las Vegas, Hillary Rodham Clinton met Wednesday with members of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and held a rally. Thursday, she held a town hall meeting at Keene State College in New Hampshire. On Friday, she campaigned in Atlanta.

She is scheduled to appear today on CNN’s State of the Union with host Jake Tapper. The show airs at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Clinton is scheduled to attend an event in Alexandria, Va., on Friday.

DELEGATION

Congress returns this week after a weeklong break.

On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., spoke at the Saline County Lincoln Day Dinner. On Thursday, he toured Mahle Engine Components USA Inc. and Taber Extrusions LLC in Russellville.

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., visited the U.S.-Mexico border Monday and Tuesday, making a stop in Laredo, Texas, with U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas.

On Wednesday, Hill spoke at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s College of Business Distinguished Alumni luncheon. On Friday, he visited the North Little Rock Fire Department.

U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., toured Manna Food Pantry in Newport with Newport Pentecostal Church of God pastor Jay Cox and met with county judges from Cross, Jackson and Poinsett counties on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, he hosted an Ag-Tech Symposium in Jonesboro. Crawford spoke Thursday at the Jonesboro Rotary Club, visited Piggott Municipal Airport, met with Corning Mayor Rob Young and toured Lawrence County Future Farmers of America’s Farm to School Lunch Program.

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., attended an assembly at Flippin High School, spoke to the Bull Shoals-Lakeview Rotary and visited the Boone County Extension office in Harrison on Wednesday.

On Thursday, he spoke at the 60th Midwest Groundwater Conference in Bentonville, and at the Northwest Arkansas Certified Commercial Investment Member luncheon.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., visited several 4th District tourism sites last week, including historic Washington State Park in Hempstead County, Hot Springs National Park in Garland County, Mount Magazine State Park in Logan County and the Buffalo River Outdoor Center and Hawksbill Crag in Newton County. The tour wraps up Monday in Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Polk County and Crater of Diamonds State Park in Pike County.

EDUCATION GRANTS

Two predominantly black Arkansas colleges were among 23 schools nationally that split $13.7 million from the U.S. Department of Education last week.

Arkansas State University Mid-South in West Memphis received $599,998, and Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock received $599,758.

SundayMonday on 10/18/2015

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Central Pa. tourist bureaus eye greater collaboration to attract foreign visitors

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International travelers have developed a growing appetite for midstate destinations, yet collaborative regional marketing efforts to build momentum overseas have never really been undertaken.

Now, a national initiative called Brand USA is spurring coordination between the state tourism office and conventions and visitors bureaus in Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Lancaster, the Poconos and the Philadelphia region.

Brand USA was created by the U.S. Travel Association in 2010 to spearhead international marketing efforts through digital channels.

Regional videos were recently produced to attract visitors from the United Kingdom. And last week, the state and regional visitors bureaus met in Harrisburg to discuss ongoing collaboration, including joint sales missions to top foreign markets.

The United Kingdom and China have been highlighted for mission trips.

The goal: To grow overnight visits, which means greater hotel tax revenue to promote the region.

Amish attraction

The Amish, Pennsylvania Dutch dining and local heritage sites generate the most buzz among international travelers seeking the Lancaster County experience, according to Discover Lancaster.

The top 10 markets for consumer spending generated $7.8 million last year, according to Visa data. In 2009, the top 10 markets accounted for about $5.3 million.

In 2014, the top 10 markets sending tourists to Lancaster County were Canada, China, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Brazil and Spain.

In Lancaster County, tourists visiting from the top 10 foreign markets posted a nearly 49 percent increase in spending from 2009 to 2014, according to Joel Cliff, a spokesman for Discover Lancaster, citing VisaVue Travel data. Those markets generated more than $7.8 million last year.

China, a key market for many regional visitors bureaus, accounted for about one-third of that growth.

“China for us, as recently as 2008, wasn’t in the top 10,” Cliff said. “By 2010, it was seventh. It’s been No. 2 since.”

Biggest bang

The Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau, which hosted the meeting last week, has been working with a Chinese tour operator, China Ocean and Outback Tour, to coordinate multiday itineraries connected to Hershey as part of a broader East Coast travel package. Group tours could reach Hershey next year.

Growing hospitality: Dauphin County hotel tax revenue

Dauphin County increased its hotel room tax to 5 percent from 3 percent in March 2008. Room tax revenue has steadily grown since the increase, including nearly 10 percent last year, according to the county.

Convention and visitors bureaus receive a piece of the hotel tax revenue to fund a big portion of their annual operating budgets.

The Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau, for example, received more than $2.1 million from the Dauphin County hotel tax in 2014-15. That was 76 percent of its budget.

Other visitors bureaus also are spending more time connecting with foreign tour operators through trade shows and sales missions.

When U.S. travelers venture abroad, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. The same can be said of the international visitors, the regional group said last week.

Educating tour operators and the broader public before they purchase tickets to travel the U.S. for two or three weeks is important, said Brian Said, executive director of the tourism division at the Philadelphia Convention Visitors Bureau.

“Business travelers are slowing. Leisure is growing in Philadelphia,” he said. “And they are spending more.”

Philadelphia is already a strong entry point for international visitors, along with Washington, D.C., but the Philadelphia bureau recognizes it needs to do more, he said. Working with other tourism agencies, including its counterparts in Lancaster County, is a great way to sell Pennsylvania.

The broader commonwealth experience — from scenic mountains and rural areas, to historic cities and attractions — could resonate with international travelers, the group said.

It starts with a pitch to bring groups to the U.S. From there, it’s about selling this region’s close proximity to other cities and attractions in the Northeast.

“A lot of marketing is identifying proximity to Philly,” said Carl Whitehill, a spokesman for Destination Gettysburg. “Most know where Los Angeles and New York are, but do they know where Gettysburg is? Most are surprised how close we are to most major metro areas.”

The draw

President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and the Eisenhower National Historic Site are strong draws for international visitors, he said, especially those coming from the United Kingdom or Germany.

China is growing, but not as strongly for Adams County, Whitehill said. “It’s a trend we hope will come here.”

Brazil is another major market, but not so much in the Gettysburg area.

Destination Gettysburg tends to promote the battlefield in international markets, while regional marketing may focus more on outdoor recreation and shopping.

“For Gettysburg, being a small town, we know international visitors are likely to incorporate many stops along the way,” Whitehill said. “We like to connect with Philly and D.C. They are the main international hubs, but they’re also similar in touting American history strongly.”

With the Hershey attractions as a focal point in its marketing, the Hershey Harrisburg bureau is focusing more on shopping in its push into Chinese markets.

In June, North Carolina-based Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc., which has shopping centers in Dauphin and Lancaster counties, said it would begin accepting credit cards from Chinese bank-card provider China UnionPay at several of its properties, including the Hershey outlets.

UnionPay is a major player in China, and Tanger said it has seen an increase in shoppers from China, Korea and Japan.

All of the international efforts, which ramped up this year, likely won’t yield any measurable impact until 2016 or 2017, the regional visitors bureaus said.

But being active now, in an era of tighter tourism budgets, should pay dividends, Cliff said. “All of us have to make the dollars go as far as they can. The more folks into the region, the better it will be for all of us.” 

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