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Louisville Women’s Basketball Releases 2015-16 ACC Schedule

Posted on September 18, 2015 by

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eight regionally or nationally televised broadcasts highlight the University of Louisville women’s basketball program’s 2015-16 Atlantic Coast Conference schedule that the league office announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Arguably the top conference for women’s basketball, the ACC saw eight schools earn bids to the NCAA Tournament and a league-record five advance to last year’s NCAA Sweet 16, the most of any conference that year and a figure that tied for the second-most by a league in tournament history.

Fans interested in obtaining season tickets are encouraged to visit GoCards.com/WBBTickets or call (502) GO-CARDS for more information.

The Cardinals, who compiled a 12-4 mark in their inaugural season in the ACC in 2014-15, open the slate against Elite Eight participant Florida State on Jan. 1 on ESPNU at 4 p.m. The Seminoles finished the year ranked seventh in the final Associated Press Poll.

Following a road trip to Georgia Tech on Jan. 3, Louisville returns to the KFC Yum! Center for contests against Virginia Tech (Jan. 7) and Duke (Jan. 10). Television coverage between the Cardinals and Blue Devils will be announced a later date.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE

Louisville then begins a three-game swing on the road, its longest span away from home, with a Jan. 14 matchup at Virginia. Louisville and NC State tangle on Jan. 17 in Raleigh, N.C., before the Cardinals fly north a week later to play at Syracuse on ESPN3 on Jan. 25.

Closing out January, Louisville plays host to Clemson on Jan. 28 and Wake Forest on Jan. 31. The Cardinals beat both programs last year, registering an 81-49 victory over the Tigers and a 79-68 win at the Demon Deacons.

Louisville starts the eight-game month of February at North Carolina, tipping off against the Tar Heels at 7 p.m. on ESPN3. The programs met twice last year – both resulting in Louisville victories. The Cardinals won on their home court 75-66 and then, in one of the most thrilling games of the ACC Tournament, outlasted North Carolina 77-75 in overtime.

In one of the most anticipated games of the season, Louisville welcomes national runner-up Notre Dame on Feb. 7 for the Cardinals’ 11th home game of the year. It is the Fighting Irish’s first trip to Louisville since 2012. The contest will be televised on ESPN or ESPN2 at a time later to be announced.

Louisville plays Pittsburgh twice during the month, first on the road on Feb. 11 and then at home to close the season on Feb. 28, a contest that will air on ACC’s Regional Sports Network. Between that timeframe, the Cardinals play host to Virginia – Louisville’s other repeat opponent – on Feb. 18 and then take part in consecutive road games at Boston College (Feb. 21) and Miami (Feb. 25).

The ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament, held at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C., runs from March 2-6.

Fans interested in obtaining season tickets are encouraged to visit GoCards.com/WBBTickets or call (502) GO-CARDS for more information.

The ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament, held at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C., runs from March 2-6.

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Atlantic Coast Pipeline Asks FERC For Permission To Build $5 Billion …

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RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC, today formally applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to build a 564-mile interstate natural gas transmission pipeline designed to meet the need for cleaner electricity generation, satisfy the growing demand for natural gas to heat homes and businesses, and promote consumer savings and economic growth.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is being asked to certify the public benefit and necessity of the project. The FERC and a number of participating agencies will examine fully a broad number of issues, including public safety, air quality, water resources, geology, soils, wildlife and vegetation, threatened and endangered species, land and visual resources, cultural and historic resources, noise, cumulative impacts and reasonable alternatives.

Four major U.S. energy companies – Dominion (NYSE: D), Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), Piedmont Natural Gas (NYSE: PNY) and AGL Resources (NYSE: GAS) – formed Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC, (Atlantic) to build and own the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP). The pipeline would transport abundant natural gas supplies from Harrison County, W.Va., southeast through Virginia with an extension to Chesapeake, Va., and south through central North Carolina to Robeson County. Pending regulatory approval, construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2016 and the pipeline is expected to be in service in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The 30,000-page application, environmental resource reports and exhibits – a stack of paper more than 10 feet tall – represent an extensive study by Dominion and outside experts as well as public input to find the best route to bring the much-needed energy to Virginia and North Carolina. Atlantic has considered more than 3,000 miles of potential routes and made hundreds of route adjustments based on discussions with landowners, public officials and others. Atlantic has participated in more than 60 public meetings involving thousands of interested individuals, agencies and organizations.

“The Atlantic Coast Pipeline is essential to meeting the clean energy needs of Virginia and North Carolina, and has significant benefits for West Virginia as well,” said Diane Leopold, president of Dominion Energy, the Dominion business unit responsible for building and operating the project. “The ACP will enhance overall energy reliability in the region, bringing natural gas that will heat homes and power businesses, support thousands of jobs, and promote lower energy prices and economic development. It will be used to fuel a new generation of efficient power stations being built to achieve future federal and state environmental regulations.

“We are committed to excellence in every aspect of this important project. We will continue to work with landowners, government and community leaders, regulators and others to address concerns and refine the project,” Leopold added.

The ACP has strong support from Govs. Earl Ray Tomblin of West Virginia, Terry McAuliffe of Virginia and Pat McCrory of North Carolina, and other federal, state and local officials. A three-state coalition of more than 150 business and labor organizations, EnergySure (www.energysure.com), recently announced its support for the project and the economic development that it is projected to create.

Two well-respected research firms documented the significant economic benefits of the ACP:

Consumers and businesses in Virginia and North Carolina could save an estimated $377 million annually in lower energy costs thanks to the ACP, according to a study by ICF International (www.dom.com/acp-icf). That study also found that more than 2,200 full-time, permanent jobs could be created in the two states because of the lower energy prices. The new jobs would come from businesses being able to reinvest their energy savings in growth and from energy-intensive manufacturing industries once an abundant supply of affordable natural gas is assured.
One-time construction activity of the ACP could inject an annual average of $456.3 million into the economies of the ACP’s three states, supporting 2,873 annual jobs in the region from 2014 to 2019, according to Chmura Economics Analytics (www.dom.com/acp-chmura).

Local governments along the route also are expected to receive a total of about $25 million a year in new tax revenues when the full value of the project is ultimately reflected in tax payments.

Ownership stakes in Atlantic are: Dominion, 45 percent; Duke Energy, 40 percent; Piedmont, 10 percent; and AGL Resources, 5 percent. Utility subsidiaries and affiliates of all four companies plus PSNC Energy have signed on as customers of the pipeline. Ninety-six percent of the pipeline’s capacity is subscribed by these companies.

For example, Dominion and Duke Energy are building multiple natural gas-fired power stations and closing coal-fired ones to meet growing demand for electricity with less impact to the environment. Natural gas has less than half the output of carbon when compared with coal. The abundant natural gas that would flow through the ACP would provide each utility with more sources from which to secure reliable, cost-competitive fuel and keep customers’ rates reasonable.

Virginia Natural Gas, the subsidiary of AGL Resources in Hampton Roads, has stated that it needs more natural gas to meet customer demand especially during peak times in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, two of Virginia’s most heavily populated cities. For Piedmont Natural Gas, the ACP will provide access to abundant, low-cost natural gas supplies from a geographically diverse production region and will help the company meet growing demand for natural gas in its Carolina markets.

Dominion has completed surveying about 85 percent of a proposed route that meets the operational and reliability needs while minimizing the impact on the environment as well as historical and cultural resources. Atlantic will file supplemental information with the FERC when surveying is completed and propose a final route.

Dominion Transmission Inc. applied simultaneously to the FERC for permission to build its Supply Header Project, a $500 million project of approximately 38 miles of natural gas pipeline and modified existing compression facilities in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The project will provide natural gas supplies to various customers, including the ACP, allowing the transport of natural gas from supply areas in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to underserved market areas in Virginia and North Carolina.

The application and resource reports are available on the ACP website, www.dom.com/acpipeline, and the FERC website. Digital copies will be placed in public libraries along the route.

About Dominion
Dominion is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 24,600 megawatts of generation, 12,200 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,455 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates one of the nation’s largest natural gas storage systems with 928 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves utility and retail energy customers in 13 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company’s website at www.dom.com.

About Duke Energy
Duke Energy is the largest electric power holding company in the United States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 7.3 million electric customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. Its commercial power and international energy business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Piedmont Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than one million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation utility customers in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Our subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, and regulated interstate natural gas transportation and storage, and regulated intrastate natural gas transportation businesses. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available on the Internet at http://www.piedmontng.com/.

About AGL Resources
AGL Resources (NYSE: GAS) is an Atlanta-based energy services holding company with operations in natural gas distribution, retail operations, wholesale services and midstream operations. AGL Resources serves approximately 4.5 million utility customers through its regulated distribution subsidiaries in seven states. The company also serves more than one million retail customers through its SouthStar Energy Services joint venture and Pivotal Home Solutions, which market natural gas and related home services. Other non-utility businesses include asset management for natural gas wholesale customers through Sequent Energy Management and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. AGL Resources is a Fortune 500 company and a member of the SP 500 Index. For more information, visit www.aglresources.com.

SOURCE Dominion Resources Inc.

The Turks find the soul of lacrosse, with an assist from the Onondaga Nation

Posted on September 17, 2015 by

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Ömer Faruk Yetiştirici was hardly born with a lacrosse stick in his hand. In Istanbul, his hometown, his preferred sport was wrestling. Yetistirici said everything changed a couple of years ago, when he settled in one night to watch a movie called “Crooked Arrows,” a lacrosse film whose cast included actors from the Onondaga Nation.

“I was awestruck,” Yetistirici recalled. “I said, ‘Yes, this is it, the sport I want to play.'” The only problem: He lived in Turkey, which is a long way from the native heartland of lacrosse. Still, he was so inspired he decided to give it a shot on Google. He did a search using the words “Turkey” and “lacrosse,” and that combination inevitably leads to one name:

Pat Dougherty, a tireless advocate of the game, a Broome County native whose Turkish players have nicknamed him the sultan of lacrosse.

Through Dougherty, Yetistirici became part of the Turkish Lacrosse Association, a program accelerating so quickly that it sent a team to last year’s world field lacrosse championships in Denver.

The Turks are at Onondaga for a different kind of tourney. Friday morning, they’ll take on Switzerland as both teams begin play in the world indoor lacrosse championships, a fast, intense arena version of the game, also known as box lacrosse.

While there’s a lot to learn, many of the players share in this reaction:

“More force! More fun!” said Bora Baskan, a 17-year-old from Turkey who’s visiting the United States for the first time. Yetistirici agrees. He’s a law student who dreams of someday writing screenplays. The box game is new to him, but it only amplifies the joy he feels about lacrosse.

He said he started crying Wednesday after meeting his lacrosse hero, Bill O’Brien, who gave one of his helmets to the disbelieving Turk. When Yetistirici began speaking about what it means to play at Onondaga, a place where lacrosse is seen as a bridge to the Creator, the 20-year-old from Turkey paused and held up one hand.

“Please!” he said. “I feel my soul when I play this game!”

As you’d expect, such enthusiasm has triggered one big community embrace. The Onondagas smile with appreciation at Turkish jackets carrying the word “lakros.” Many residents gathered Wednesday behind the Turkish bench. They shouted encouragement and advice during a scrimmage at the Onondaga Nation Arena.

“They’re very eager to learn,” said Ben Miller, a 51-year-old goalie who plays on a master’s team at Onondaga – and who stepped in to take a few informal turns in goal, for Turkey. “We do what we can to pass on what we know. That’s the whole point of the games being here.”

The Turks are coached by Brian “Lab” Phillips, who’s also head coach of the Onondaga Redhawks lacrosse team. More accustomed to working with players who’ve received their first sticks while in the cradle, Phillips and his assistants – Pete Benedict, Dustin Hill and Shaydon Santos – are coaching what the Turks say is the least experienced, by far, of the 13 teams at the championships.

Caner Newton, 30, whose parents met when Newton’s American father was stationed in Turkey, played his college ball at Lees-McRae College, in North Carolina. Newton said five or six of his Turkish teammates picked up lacrosse sticks for the first time, within the last year.

“They’ve come a long way,” said Phillips, after the Turks lost 20-16 in the scrimmage against the Syracuse Stingers, an area team. “If you’d seen them last Saturday, when they got off the bus, you’d know what a difference a week makes.”

The Turks, fortunately, have an experienced core. To qualify for the world games, you must have a parent of Turkish lineage. That allows for the calming presence of such veterans as Joe Rainoldi or Anthony Terranova, who made a mark locally when he scored four goals for Rutgers in a 2013 loss to Syracuse University.

The skills of Nabil Akl, 20, also helped to keep Wednesday’s scrimmage close. Akl, whose mother is of Turkish descent, played high school lacrosse in LaFayette before moving on to the collegiate game, at Drexel.

The unifying force is Dougherty, 38, who’s both a co-captain of the Turkish team and guiding force for lacrosse, in that nation. In Florida, in the 2000s, he met a Turkish woman named Zeynep, who later married him. With the American economy struggling, the couple moved to Turkey, where Dougherty – who’d played lacrosse, in various forms, for more than 20 years – realized the game scarcely had any footprint.

Six years later, his Turkish Lacrosse Assocation helps sustain teams in three Turkish cities. Deniz Sarikaya, who was only 16 when he played at the world games in Denver, said the program always faces challenges. Finding an open area to practice can be difficult, Sarikaya said, and there are times when he and his teammates use a standard fence as a makeshift goal.

Lacrosse balls are a precious commodity. If you’re practicing, Sarikaya said, and you accidentally throw one in the sea, everything stops until someone fishes it out.

In Turkey, a nation where so many have so little, the trip to Onondaga demanded relentless fundraising. Dougherty wants the journey to have lasting resonance. He wants his players to fully appreciate the nature of these championships, how the Onondagas – whose ancestors pioneered the game – are serving as hosts to the world, for the first time.

To underline the point, the Turkish team paid a visit to Alf Jacques, an Onondaga who makes wooden sticks by hand. The task is so painstaking that it takes months, once a purchase is made, for a customers to actually hold a finished stick.

Tuesday, Jacques showed up at a new Onondaga field house while the Turkish team was practicing. He carried two sticks of head-turning beauty, the wood polished gleaming white. Jacques went over to the bench – where a Turkish flag was taped to the glass – and handed the sticks to an appreciative Dougherty.

It seems Zeynep, last spring, embarked on a secret mission to surprise her husband. Knowing what the game means to Dougherty, she quietly put in an order with Jacques, who had the sticks ready when the Turks arrived.

That was a lofty gift at Onondaga, a fitting greeting for this guest they call the sultan of lacrosse.

Sean Kirst is a columnist with The Post-Standard. Email him at skirst@syracuse.com or send him a message on Twitter.

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News release from the City of Asheville:

Posted on September 17, 2015 by

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The City of Asheville has various openings on various committees. Have you ever wanted to make a difference? Have you wondered, “Can the City benefit from my experience and knowledge?” Do you want to have a voice in the City’s growth and future? Do you want to be a part of the body that is responsible for making decisions regarding policy, service and education? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, then it’s time to take that initial step forward and put your perspective, leadership and knowledge to task by serving on one of the many committees we have to offer.

Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 259-5601 or by e-mail at mburleson@ashevillenc.gov for an application form.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE – The Committee will work in conjunction with City leadership and staff to implement the 2008 Affordable Housing Plan. The specific functions will be (1) to consider affordable housing policy issues and advise City leadership about those policies; (2) to develop concrete action steps to implement the highest priorities of the Affordable Housing Plan, and to update that Plan as appropriate over time; and (3) to advise City leadership and staff regarding affordable housing priorities for the investment of City-controlled funds. The deadline for receiving applications for these openings is Wednesday, October 7 at 5 p.m.

HOMELESS INITIATIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE – The purpose of the Committee is to implement the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness, and its duties and responsibilities shall include (1) conduct research and investigation into issues about homelessness, including causes and effects within Asheville and the surrounding area; (2) formulate and make recommendations to local governmental entities and social service agencies to reduce the incidence of homelessness; (3) act as a clearinghouse for information on local homelessness issues; and (4) other duties as requested by the City Council, Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, or as the Committee deems appropriate. The deadline for receiving application for this opening is Wednesday, October 7 at 5 p.m.

PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION – The Commission is an advisory board to City Council and shall (1) review all new text for proposed amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), and proposals to zone or change the zoning of all property regulated under the UDO and to make recommendations to City Council for final action thereon; (2) perform studies and surveys of the present conditions and probable future development of the City and its environs, including, but not limited to, studies and surveys of land uses, population, traffic, parking, and redevelopment needs; (3) formulate and recommend to City Council the adoption or amendment of a comprehensive plan and other plans, as necessary, for the City and its environs ; (4) review the terms of the UDO from time to time, as it deems appropriate, and to recommend to City Council any changes that the Commission considers necessary to regulate properly the development and use of land, buildings and structures; (5) review applications for planned unit development designation and the preliminary plans for such planned unit developments and to make recommendations to City Council for final action thereon; and (6) review and decide on approval of all proposed preliminary plats of major subdivisions. The deadline for receiving applications for these openings is Tuesday, September 29 at 5 p.m.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY – These vacancies are for an individual who is an owner or operator of a hotel, bed and breakfast, or vacation rental management company with more than 100 rental units. The purpose of the Authority is to further the development of travel, tourism, and conventions in the county through state, national and international advertising and promotion. The deadline for receiving applications for these opening is Monday, September 21 at Noon.

TRANSIT COMMITTEE – The Committee functions as an advisory board to the Multimodal Transportation Commission and to the City staff on matters affecting the transit system and its operation. The Transit Committees consists of at least seven members and up to eleven members. All are appointed by the Multimodal Transportation Commission. The terms of office are three years. The Asheville Transit Committee will meet the first Tuesday of every month from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. The meetings will be held at City Hall in the first floor conference room. The deadline for receiving applications for these opening is Wednesday, September 23 at 5 p.m..

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NC legislators release 429-page budget bill; a look at a few highlights

Posted on September 17, 2015 by

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After a day of waiting, the 429-page compromise budget bill was officially read in on the House and Senate floor and posted online around 11:30 p.m. Monday.

The budget release came just hours ahead of the Senate’s scheduled budget vote, set for 2 p.m. Tuesday. And it followed a day in which the only public information about the House and Senate’s deal came in a 30-minute news conference held by Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore.

Berger and Moore gave a quick rundown of the budget agreement’s highlights and took a few questions from reporters.

But there’s plenty more in the budget bill that didn’t get mentioned much at the news conference. Here are a few items worth noting:

Municipal service districts: Negotiators watered down a Senate budget provision involving special tax districts, and Berger described the new provision as a compromise. The original proposal set up a referendum process for residents seeking to kill the tax districts, known as municipal service districts, which can fund downtown development programs, neighborhood revitalization and beach renourishment projects. The budget compromise doesn’t provide a new mechanism to kill the taxes, but it requires municipalities to use a competitive bidding process when contracting with an outside agency to oversee the funds. Cities and towns would also be required to keep the special tax rates low enough to avoid building up large savings in the district funds.

Funding for rural counties: The compromise also backs away from a Senate plan to change how sales taxes are distributed among counties, a controversial proposal that would have shifted revenue from urban to rural counties. Instead, the budget would create an $84.8 million fund – funded partly though sales tax receipts – that would be distributed through percentage formulas set for each county. About 18 urban and tourism counties, including Wake, Durham, Mecklenburg, Avery and Jackson, would get no money. Harnett County would be the biggest winner with 5 percent of the funding. The funding could only be used for schools, community colleges and economic development projects.

Tax shift: A new sales tax on repair and maintenance services is projected to generate about $160 million per year in new revenue. Meanwhile, a drop in the personal income tax rate will mean $437 million in less annual revenue for the state.

Light rail funding cap: The budget would cap the amount of state transportation funding used for light rail transit to $500,000 per project.

Driver’s ed study: Legislators have voiced concerns about how much oversight driver’s education programs receive, but they’ve agreed to fund the program for the next two years. A study committee will be tasked with issuing a report next year that examines lowering the cost of the program, changing the fee structure, and the possibility of alternate providers such as private companies and community colleges.

Dorothea Dix funds: The budget would set up a trust fund for proceeds of selling the 308-acre Dorothea Dix property to Raleigh for a city park. The money could only be spent through legislative action.

Film grants: In addition to tripling the fund to $30 million a year, TV shows would be eligible for more generous awards through the film production grant program. The cap for a TV series would increase from $5 million to $9 million.

Biotechnology Center spared: The N.C. Biotechnology Center would get $13.6 million a year, despite being targeted for a cut from the Senate budget. The center provides grants and loans to biotech start-up firms.

No oyster shells: The budget would ban the use of oyster shells for landscaping.

Police body cams: The budget funds $2.5 million per year in grants for body cameras for law enforcement.

New vehicle tax: A budget provision would give cities and towns the ability to charge a “municipal vehicle tax” of up to $30 per vehicle. The tax is currently capped at $5 per vehicle.

Public records exemption: The budget includes a new exemption to state public records laws for “sensitive public security information.” That’s defined as “specific security information or detailed plans, patterns, or practices associated with prison operations” and “specific security information or detailed plans, patterns, or practices to prevent or respond to criminal, gang, or organized illegal activity.”

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Goldman Small Cap Research Initiates Coverage of Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.

Posted on September 17, 2015 by

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BALTIMORE, September 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ —

Goldman Small Cap Research, a stock market research firm specializing in the small cap and microcap sectors, announced today that it has issued an initiation of coverage of report on Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ – HOTR), a publicly traded company that owns and operates popular, fast casual dining brands. The report carries a rating and a price target. To view the new sponsored research report, along with disclosures and disclaimers, or to download them in their entirety, please visit http://www.GoldmanResearch.com.

Chanticleer Holdings owns and operates restaurant brands in the United States and internationally. The Company is a franchisee owner of Hooters® restaurants in international markets including Australia, South Africa, and Europe, and two Hooters restaurants in the United States. The Company also owns and operates American Burger Co., BGR the Burger Joint, BT’s Burger Joint, and owns a majority interest in Just Fresh restaurants in the U.S.

In the report, analyst Rob Goldman discusses the Company’s enviable growth history, the implementation of its business model and multiple brand strategy, along with its standing and valuation among the fast casual dining peer group.

“Chanticleer Holdings has successfully executed its operational and MA strategy which has resulted in impressive revenue growth over the past few years. Not only has the Company generated high top-line growth among peers, but year-to-date it has recorded greater than average same-store-sales growth. Following the closing of its latest acquisition in the coming weeks, Chanticleer should be on track to achieve a key inflection point in terms of annual company revenue run-rate and restaurant-level EBITDA, which could favorably impact the Company’s overall valuation.”

About Goldman Small Cap Research: Founded in 2009 by former Piper Jaffray analyst and mutual fund manager Rob Goldman, Goldman Small Cap Research produces sponsored and non-sponsored small cap and microcap stock research reports, articles, daily stock market blogs, and popular investment newsletters. Goldman Small Cap Research is not in any way affiliated with Goldman Sachs Co.

This press release contains excerpts of our most recently published sponsored research report on Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. The information used and statements of fact made have been obtained from sources considered reliable but we neither guarantee nor represent the completeness or accuracy. Goldman Small Cap Research relied solely upon information derived from Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (“the Company”) authorized press releases or legal disclosures made in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission http://www.sec.gov.

Separate from the factual content of our articles about the Company, we may from time to time include our own opinions about the Company, its business, markets and opportunities. Any opinions we may offer about the Company are solely our own, and are made in reliance upon our rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and are provided solely for the general opinionated discussion of our readers. Our opinions should not be considered to be complete, precise, accurate, or current investment advice. Statements herein may contain forward-looking statements and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties affecting results.

A Goldman Small Cap Research report, update, newsletter, article, or press release is not intended as an offering, recommendation, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities mentioned or discussed is to be used for informational purposes only. Please read all associated full disclosures, disclaimers, and analyst background on our website before investing. Neither Goldman Small Cap Research nor its parent is a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer with FINRA or any other agency. To download our research, view our disclosures, or for more information, visit http://www.goldmanresearch.com. Goldman Small Cap Research has been compensated by a third party in the amount of $3500 for investment research services that includes the publication of a research report.

About Chanticleer Holdings.: Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, Chanticleer Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ – HOTR) together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates restaurant brands in the United States and internationally. The Company is a franchisee owner of Hooters® restaurants in international markets including Australia, South Africa, and Europe, and two Hooters restaurants in the United States. The Company also owns and operates American Burger Co., BGR the Burger Joint, BT’s Burger Joint, and owns a majority interest in Just Fresh restaurants in the U.S. More information on HOTR can be found at http://www.ChanticleerHoldings.com.

Goldman Small Cap Research
Rob Goldman, Analyst
+1-410-609-7100
rob@goldmanresearch.com

SOURCE Goldman Small Cap Research

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Three Democrats back budget in final 37-13 NC Senate vote

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The N.C. Senate took a final 37-13 vote on the state budget compromise Wednesday, leaving two House votes and Gov. Pat McCrory’s signature as the remaining hurdles for the spending plan.

The $21.74 billion budget’s passage was expected after an initial 33-16 vote on Tuesday afternoon. But the final tally drew support from three rural Democrats who’d voted against the budget a day before.

The Democrats who voted yes were Sen. Erica Smith-Ingram of Northampton County, Sen. Ben Clark of Raeford and Sen. Jane Smith of Lumberton. All Senate Republicans also supported the budget.

“The reason I voted no yesterday was because we didn’t have time to read the darn thing,” said Smith, who represents Columbus and Robeson counties. “I cannot in good conscience vote for something where I don’t know what’s in there.”

The budget bill was first posted online at 11:30 p.m. Monday. Smith said she’d gone to bed at 11 and had a speaking engagement in Whiteville the following morning. “I got here (Tuesday) without any time to read,” she said.

By Wednesday’s final vote, Smith said she’d reviewed the budget and decided that the good outweighed the bad. She supports a plan to increase sales tax revenue for rural counties by adding new taxes on repair, maintenance and installation services. Projections show Columbus and Robeson counties would each get about $2 million in new revenue.

“They’re both very poor counties, and that will be a big help for us,” Smith said. “In Robeson County, we haven’t built a new school since 1983, and we have 115 mobile units.”

The sales tax plan has prompted concern from urban and tourism counties that wouldn’t get a share of the $84.8 million in new revenue.

Smith said she also voted yes because the budget keeps funding for elementary school teacher assistants and driver’s education. But she said she’s concerned the compromise didn’t provide cost-of-living increases to state retirees or a 2 percent raise proposed for teachers and other state employees. Instead, state employees will get a $750 bonus this year.

“There are still a lot of things I am not happy about,” she said. “We still have not put enough back in education in North Carolina.”

After a 75-minute debate before the first vote Tuesday, only two senators spoke Wednesday before the final tally. Senate budget writer Harry Brown briefly recapped the highlights.

“I think it’s a good bill – it does a lot for education, it gives tax reform to our citizens, and it gives a lot of help to our justice system,” he said.

Sen. Floyd McKissick of Durham was the only Democrat who spoke during the five-minute floor debate. McKissick blasted a budget provision that cuts state funding for a planned $1.5 billion light-rail line from Durham to Chapel Hill. The budget caps state money for light rail to $500,000 per project, and leaders in Orange and Durham counties say it would kill the project.

“It’s hidden in the budget, because you’re got to go to the special provisions, and you’ve got to find four lines,” McKissick said. “It’s to stop a project that’s been on the drawing board for two decades from going forward.”

The provision wasn’t in either the House or Senate original budgets, so it hasn’t been debated until this week. And McKissick said he couldn’t figure out which legislator proposed it – transportation budget writers in both chambers told him they weren’t responsible.

“It’s that type of lack of access to information that I find deeply troubling,” he said. “We shouldn’t have this cloak-and-dagger process going into our spending decisions. It’s the wrong thing to do.”

With the budget passed in the Senate, the House will debate and vote on the bill Thursday. Its final vote will take place at 12:01 a.m. Friday, giving McCrory hours to sign the bill before the temporary budget expires.

Tagged with: North Carolina

Can surveys capture Asheville’s appeal? – Asheville Citizen

Posted on September 17, 2015 by

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Yet another “best of” list is out and, yes, Asheville snagged a spot in the rankings.

So what’s new? Well, we slipped a bit.

And what’s another ranking worth anyway? Short answer, don’t dismiss it. Taken together, the lists count for something.

In Livability.com’s third-annual list of Top 100 Best Places to Live, Asheville ranks 69 — a precipitous drop from the city’s No. 12 position last year. The only other North Carolina city to make the list was Chapel Hill, which came in at No. 36.

Livability works with communities on ways to market themselves and draws an average of 434,000 visitors to its website monthly.

In compiling the list released this week, Livability.com evaluated some 2,100 cities with populations of 20,000 to 350,000. After analyzing 45 data points, the organization then grouped the data points into eight categories: economics, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, education and health care.

Those scores were then weighted based on survey responses from residents of each community. Respondents were asked about factors that make their communities better places to live, as well as what factors they would consider when moving to another city.

“As we are doing these things, cities will inevitably shift positions,” said Matt Carmichael, vice president and editor of Livability.com. “If the list is the same 100 cities every year, that’s not very interesting. Beyond that, we are always tweaking our methodology. We will add new data sources as we get them, and we might move one measure from one category to another.”

Rochester, Minnesota, topped the list this year for its schools, civic engagement, health care and its diverse range of affordable housing. Carmichael said many of the cities excelled in education and medical research complexes.

“Having some sort of ‘eds and meds’ presence, like colleges and hospital research centers really helps cities of this size stand out and compete with some of their larger neighbors,” he said. “I often use the boxing metaphor that these cities can punch a little above their weight.”

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said while these types of rankings can be interesting, they do not necessarily have an impact on drafting city policy.

“In terms of city functions and establishing city services or handling city matters, I wouldn’t say that we directly consider any of these rankings. Of course, these rankings do matter in areas like economic development and recruitment of employers,” Manheimer said.

“(Employers) are going to be looking at things like whether their employees are going to be pleased with the education opportunities in Asheville, housing opportunities and quality of life issues.”

Already this year, Asheville has found itself on a number of lists.

In July, Travel and Leisure ranked Asheville the No. 10 in its Best Cities in the U.S. and Canada list. In January, Moviemaker Magazine called Asheville one of the best places to live and work as a filmmaker the same month Popular Mechanics Magazine dubbed Asheville the second-best startup city in America.

“Asheville ranks highly in so many ‘best of’ lists we’ve lost count. They’re great exposure for our community in tourism and business. But it’s not the lists that make our city great, it’s our people,” said Kit Cramer, CEO and president of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.

But sometimes these types of lists can have unintended consequences.

After finding itself on more and more lists, demand has increased along with Asheville’s popularity.

Earlier this year, a 1 percent rental vacancy rate existed in the Asheville metropolitan area, which includes Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties. That figure came from Bowen National Research, a real estate marketing firm that was commissioned by the city to research Asheville’s housing needs.

Asheville lost points in this year’s Livability.com study in the area of housing.

“Affordable housing is absolutely an issue that most of these cities are struggling with, and that’s partially due to them being great places to live. It’s a little bit of a double-edged sword,” Carmichael said. “We’ve seen a lot of these cities can’t keep up with demand and it then becomes less livable for some.”

It is something Manheimer said she has heard in passing after Asheville lands on different lists.

“Sometimes when we’re ranked really well on something, you’ll hear people say ‘I want Asheville to remain a secret.’ But we’re hearing about affordable housing issues not just in Asheville. This is an issue that’s happening nationwide in cities that are popular,” Manheimer said.

Though Asheville saw its rank drop in this year’s Livability study, Carmichael said cities that make this list should still see themselves in a positive light.

“These top 100 cities are all in the top 4-5 percent of the cities that we look at. It’s like getting a 99 percent to a 97 percent. At the end of the day, it’s still an A,” he said.

CITIZEN TIMES

Asheville named one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live

CITIZEN TIMES

Quirky, foodie, or whatever – Asheville’s on the list

CITIZEN TIMES

Asheville named top city for retirement

How we compared from year to year on the Livability study:

2016
Overall rank: No. 69

2015
Overall rank: No. 12

2014
Overall rank: 48

Tagged with: Asheville

Economic summit focuses on government issues, workforce, education

Posted on September 17, 2015 by

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Wadesboro Town Manager Alex Sewell served as moderator for the Anson County Economic Summit on Wednesday at the Lockhart-Taylor Center.

Chuck Horne, standing, CEO of Hornwood and chairman of the Anson Economic Development Corporation poses a question to state and federal lawmakers during the economic summit.

Rep. Mark Brody, left, who represents Anson County in the N.C. House of Representatives, and Chris Carter, district director for U.S. Congressman Richard Hudson led the government panel at the Anson Economic Summit on Wednesday.

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For the first time in its two-year history, the Anson County Economic Summit was held in the fall. Though the date changed, the content remained the same — focusing on how to move Anson’s economic development forward.

At the start of the summit on the morning of Sept. 16, Wadesboro Town Manager Alex Sewell, acting as moderator, asked the audience of nearly 100 people if they felt the county was moving in the right direction. The response was overwhelmingly negative.

“There is literally nothing we can do to change the past,” Sewell said, adding that he hoped the summit would help the county move forward.

“I know there is some frustration with turning the discussion into action,” he said.

Government officials share economic knowledge

The summit was moved to September in part so that more local government officials would be able to attend. However, it turned out that North Carolina’s budget process has dragged on so that Sen. Tom McInnis was still unable to attend, since he was in Raleigh for the Senate’s vote on the budget Wednesday morning. Rep. Mark Brody, who represents Anson and Union counties, was on hand.

Brody said he is not a resident of Anson County, and as such, he doesn’t feel it’s his place to tell the county what it should do. “I’m a facilitator of what you want to do,” he said.

He did give a brief recap of the budget and what it means for Anson County. He touted North Carolina as having one of the lowest tax rates in the southeast, and said the state government is dropping the personal income tax rate by one-quarter of a percent, with plans to get the corporate tax down to 3 percent.

He also shared what the sales tax reallocation means for the county. “Imagine you’re trying to find a certain product, and you can’t find it here so you have to go to Monroe or Charlotte,” he explained. “Now more of that money stays in the county of origin.”

In fact, with the new reallocation, Anson County is set to receive $574,000 more in tax revenue. Municipalities will receive as follows: Ansonville — $14,000; Lilesville — $12,000; McFarlan — $3,000; Morven — $11,000; Peachland — $9,000; Polkton — $70,000 (probably due to the prison population, Brody said); and Wadesboro — $124,000.

Sewell asked Brody what he felt was one single thing the Anson community could be doing to improve the economy, but Brody responded again that the “folks here need to decide,” because he is not a resident.

“I believe Anson County is in the right place at the right time,” he said. “I’ve said that for the past two years, and it’s still true.”

Chris Carter, district director for Rep. Richard Hudson’s office, appeared at the summit on behalf of the congressman.

He talked about the Highway Trust Fund and other transportation issues. “We can’t do any long-term projects,” he said. “We’ve just done short-term patches.”

Transportation is integral to economic development, he said.

Domestic energy resources are also key to growing the state’s economy, Carter pointed out, adding that North Carolina should explore its energy sources, such as natural gas and shale. He also talked about EPA regulations and how they’re hurting most of the country.

When the floor was opened for questions, Tourism Development Authority chairman Jeff Boothby questioned Brody about what items would qualify for JDIG, or economic development, funding from the state. Brody stated that almost anything would qualify, as long as it facilitated economic growth. However, he also said he would like to focus on existing businesses, in addition to trying to attract new industry.

Carter echoed that point later, saying that multi-million dollar industries often grab the headlines, but that small businesses have opportunities to expand as well.

Priscilla Nunn, director of the ACCESS program, asked Brody what he had done to help Union County become one of the fastest-growing communities in the state. Brody responded that a lot of the growth had to do with Union’s geographical location, bordering the Charlotte metro area.

“As far as Anson County goes,” he added, “there are certain things we can look at to allow development.”

He pointed to Anson’s status as a Tier 1 county, meaning it has high poverty levels.

“Anson County wants to preserve its way of life,” he said. “It’s rural, but also needs jobs.”

Tourism Development Authority plans for economic boost

Although he wasn’t a scheduled speaker, TDA chairman Jeff Boothby shared some information about a wayfinding and branding project the TDA is working on.

“We’re looking to do a kind of bottom-up approach to economic development,” he explained. “What we want to do is take advantage of the 74 corridor and get some of that traffic to pull off the road and explore some of our resources.”

Boothby admitted it’s a challenge to get motorists to vist the uptown Wadesboro area, and the towns in other parts of the county. He pointed to the town of Brevard as a good example. “They have very visible, easy-to-find parking spaces, with art pieces like murals inviting people in,” Boothby said.

He added that in years past, the TDA has been focused on the “heads in beds” philosophy, but “we can’t get more heads in beds if we don’t engage people.”

“We’re not some crossroads on the way to the beach or wherever you’re going,” Boothby said. “There are a lot of great things in this community.”

He added that bringing tourism to Anson County is an attainable goal. “If we’re diligent and patient enough to see this through,” he said, “there will be nothing we can’t do.”

Workforce Development is key

David Hollars of Regional Workforce Development shared some of the key components employers look for when hiring workers.

He pointed to the following workforce trends: STEM jobs, telecommuting (working from home via computer and telephone), the need for at least a high school diploma and usually a college degree, less mobility, industry-recognized certifications, project management and problem-solving skills, professionalism, communication, and critical thinking and decision-making skills.

“One of the key things we’ve done in the past few years is through the N.C. Works Career Center,” Hollars said. “We’re no longer called ‘the unemployment office.’ We want people to think of a long-term career, not just ‘I need a job.’”

As part of the more career-based mindset, applicants use a career tool that asks 20 specific questions to help decide on an appropriate career.

Hollars also mentioned Anson County Schools’ Youth Career Connect Academy, which prepares high school students to earn college credit and decide on career paths.

“The foundation of a strong workforce is in the community,” Hollars said. “It’s not always about economic incentives. There is nothing more vital to a community than its providing employment opportunities for its citizens.”

Education’s connection to economic development

Anson County Schools Superintendent Michael Freeman was the final speaker in the morning portion of the summit.

He applauded the Board of Education for their commitment, as well as South Piedmont Community College, which hosted the event at the Lockhart-Taylor Center. He also gave credit to the Anson County Partnership for Children for preparing children for their first day of school in kindergarten.

Since many of those involved in Anson County’s economic development do not live in the county, Freeman shared some information about the school system. There are 11 total schools, including one middle school and four high schools.

Among the many high school level programs is the YCC Academy, which Hollars mentioned in his presentation. “It is unique not only to Anson County, but to all of North Carolina,” Freeman said. “We were one of only 24 in the nation to receive the grant to operate this program for four years. We are currently in year two.”

He shared a brief video, which explained more about the YCC program. Freeman also touched on a planned internship program for YCC.

One major component of YCC’s success, Freeman said, has been the recruitment of Career Technical Educator Rusty Baldwin, who left NASCAR to come to Anson County Schools.

Although Freeman is aware of the negative comments some have about Anson County’s public schools, he said it is up to the community to improve the situation. “I urge everyone to support us,” he said. “If we don’t speak up about our community, no one else will. We choose to live in a community with a lot of poor people. But I know, for me, it is a privilege to put new shoes on a child’s feet if his shoes are worn out. That’s what it’s all about — helping our students succeed.”

By Abby Cavenaugh

acavenaugh@civitasmedia.com

Editor Abby Cavenaugh may be reached at 704-694-2161, ext. 2301 or on Twitter @TheAnsonRecord.

Tagged with: Raleigh

Three Democrats back budget in final 37-13 NC Senate vote

Posted on September 17, 2015 by

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The N.C. Senate took a final 37-13 vote on the state budget compromise Wednesday, leaving two House votes and Gov. Pat McCrory’s signature as the remaining hurdles for the spending plan.

The Democrats who voted yes were Sen. Erica Smith-Ingram of Northampton County, Sen. Ben Clark of Raeford and Sen. Jane Smith of Lumberton. All Senate Republicans also supported the budget.

“They’re both very poor counties, and that will be a big help for us,” Smith said. “In Robeson County, we haven’t built a new school since 1983, and we have 115 mobile units.”

The sales tax plan has prompted concern from urban and tourism counties that wouldn’t get a share of the $84.8 million in new revenue.

Smith said she also voted yes because the budget keeps funding for elementary teacher assistants and driver’s education. But she said she’s concerned the compromise didn’t provide cost-of-living increases to state retirees or a 2 percent raise proposed for teachers and other state employees. Instead, state employees will get a $750 bonus this year.

“There are still a lot of things I am not happy about,” she said. “We still have not put enough back in education in North Carolina.”

After a 75-minute debate before the first vote Tuesday, only two senators spoke Wednesday before the final tally. Senate budget writer Harry Brown briefly recapped the highlights.

“I think it’s a good bill – it does a lot for education, it gives tax reform to our citizens, and it gives a lot of help to our justice system,” he said.

Tagged with: Charlotte