Showing posts in the “economy” category
Samiha Khanna ·
15 Mar 2010, 12:09 PM ·
Comment
After a year of delays because of funding shortfalls, the new pedestrian bridge that’s been sitting on the side of N.C. 147 near the Alston Avenue exit will finally be hoisted into place beginning Wednesday night, according to a news release this morning from the City of Durham. If the weather is bad, the erection of the bridge could be postponed. This photo shows what it will look like once in place.
The $2.2 million bridge will connect neighborhoods around Alston Avenue that have long been separated by the Durham Freeway, and help current and future residents reach public transportation hubs, including a station for the Triangle Transit Authority. The original bridge, which was deteriorating and had limited visibility, was closed in 1995.
Traffic on the Durham Freeway will be re-routed to Briggs and Alston avenues from 11 p.m. Wednesday to 5:30 a.m. Thursday, the release said.
For more information on the project, visit the City of Durham Web site >>
Durham, economy, news
Samiha Khanna ·
22 Feb 2010, 8:29 PM ·
Comment
Michael Page, chairman of the Durham Board of County Commissioners, summarized the past year’s accomplishments in his State of the County address Monday night. In his 30-minute speech, Page focused on the progress the county has made on new buildings and other capital projects, such as the opening of the Holton Career and Resource Center and the construction of the county’s Human Services Complex downtown, which will include a new courthouse.
Page also lauded several county departments for winning recognition from professional organizations, and pointed to the county’s new efforts to improve information and communication to the public, including the use of social media platforms Twitter and Facebook.
Page mentioned only briefly some challenges the county has faced in the past year due reduced tax revenue and budget cuts, but pointed out that the county didn’t have to raise taxes or cut any jobs. He also touched on the budget gap the county will face when it begins considering the 2011-12 budget in the coming weeks.
“Until a full recovery is evident, we will do everything in our power to continue to deliver the services most critical to our residents,” Page said. “Know that we will tighten our belts, we will roll up our sleeves and we will work to provide the best service level possible for our citizens. … At the end of the day, I remain confident that we will stay true to the mission and to the values that keep Durham County a wonderful place to work and a wonderful place to live and a wonderful place to do business.”
Continue reading »
Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, economy, education, environment, labor, news, politics Durham Board of County Commissioners, Durham County Library, economy, jobs, Michael Page, social services
Joe Schwartz ·
4 Feb 2010, 1:06 PM ·
2 Comments
Gov. Bev Perdue was beaming when she signed the state’s ban on smoking in bars and restaurants into law in March, saying they’d tackled the “big enchilada” after restricting smoking on college campuses and in the legislature.
“This is really in no exaggeration of the word an absolutely historic day for this great state that was built initially on the backbone of tobacco,” Perdue said among a group of health advocates and lawmakers.
“My hat is off to the General Assembly. I have never been as proud of a body in my entire life.”
Her tone also was congratulatory today as she celebrated a $6.7 million expansion of a tobacco manufacturing company in Rockingham County that will create 35 jobs.
“North Carolina is a great location for international companies looking to expand,” she said in a press release. “Our top business climate and our tremendous workforce continues to be very attractive to growing companies.”
That’s the message. Welcome, thanks for your tax money and your jobs. Don’t even think about bringing your products to lunch with you, though.
Kentucky-based Commonwealth Brands Inc. already owns a tobacco plant in Reidsville where 224 people work, and this addition will allow them to manufacture a new line of cigarette tubes.
North Carolina, business, economy, politics Bev Perdue, Commonwealth Brands, job creation, Reidsville, Rockingham County, smoking ban, tobacco
David Fellerath ·
21 Jan 2010, 5:39 PM ·
Comment
That's actually a mooring mast with the zeppelin, not a radio tower. (Wiki Commons)
What a week for liberals: The Democrats lose Teddy Kennedy’s Senate seat, the Supreme Court invites corporations to bring their cash through the front door of the electoral process, lawmakers on Capitol Hill seem ready to fold on health care reform and one-time local populist darling John Edwards admits to fathering his mistress’ child and then disappears to Haiti. Oh, and the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils both lost last night.
And just an hour ago, word came that Air America, the well-intentioned, six-year effort to provide a forum for lefty politics on AM radio, has foundered.
Citing the contemporary economic climate and, more specifically, a 21 percent decline in radio ad revenue over the past year, Charlie Kireker, chair of Air America Media, informed his staff today that the network would cease its “as of this afternoon,” and would soon file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy “to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business.”
Locally, Air America provided overnight and some Saturday programming for WCHL-1360. The mainstay hosts of the weekdays, including Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz and Thom Hartmann, are not syndicated by Air America.
WCHL station manager Christy Dixon told Triangulator that “We just received this news ourselves. We’re beginning to look for replacement shows.” She said that the new shows would continue in the station’s format of progressive talk and local programming.
Air America provided a forum for lefty celebrities like Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo, Steve Earle and Ron Reagan to take to the airwaves. It also created a couple of stars, most notably Rachel Maddow, who began with the network in 2004, co-hosting a show called Unfiltered with Chuck D and Lizz Winstead. Even after moving to her television career with MSNBC, Maddow continued to broadcast on Air America.
After the jump, the memo from Kireker. Continue reading »
Chapel Hill, economy, media, national Air America, Al Franken, Chapter 7, Charlie Kireker, Rachel Maddow, Supreme Court, Ted Kennedy, WCHL
Joe Schwartz ·
11 Jan 2010, 4:26 PM ·
Comment
The News & Observer announced plans to cut 21 jobs today, citing declines in advertising revenue.
“These reductions affect a number of areas of our operation. Some positions will be eliminated through layoffs, and some departments will have opportunities for employees in certain work groups of two or more to accept a voluntary severance package,” Publisher Orage Quarles III wrote in a company memo, a full copy of which can be found on Poynter.
You can find the N&O’s coverage here, and our previous coverage here.
Raleigh, business, economy, media layoffs, News and Observer, Orage Quarles III
Lisa Sorg ·
11 Dec 2009, 3:17 PM ·
Comment
UNC received more than 78 percent of Orange County’s federal stimulus money—$92 million of the total $117.9 million, according to Indy analysis of data released today by ProPublica, an investigative journalism nonprofit organization based in New York city.
The total county funding equals $932 per resident.
To see the full list, click on the ProPublica link.
Most of UNC’s stimulus grants, contracts and loans came through the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
NIH money went to research on salivary gland disease, autism behaviors, melanoma, Alzheimer’s, opiate addiction, genetic disorders and HIV. The Department of Energy funded further study of solar fuels, and the NSF awarded money to analyze the development of African American English and its Role in School Achievement.
Other recipients include
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Head Start program: $190,000
Chapel Hill energy efficiency initiatives: $50,000
Capital funding for Chapel Hill public housing: $732,000
Orange County Sheriff’s Department justice assistance grants: $238,000
Chapel Hill, Orange County, economy, national, news energy efficiency, federal stimulus money, Head Start, Orange County sheriff's department, public housing, UNC
Lisa Sorg ·
11 Dec 2009, 12:49 PM ·
Comment
ProPublica, the investigative nonprofit based in New York City, has compiled an exhaustive accounting of the federal stimulus money for every county in the U.S.
Of the $7.4 billion allocated to North Carolina, Chatham County received $4.9 million in grants, loans and contracts, or an average of $79 for each of the county’s 63,077 residents.
Here are some of the beneficiaries. Click here for a complete list. We’ll be updating other Triangle counties throughout the day.
FlyLeaf Books which has opened in Chapel Hill on Airport Boulevard: $126,000 Small Business Administration loan
Starrlight Mead, a honey winery opening in Saxapahaw in nearby Alamance County: $55,000 SBA loan
Town of Pittsboro: $607,500 to build a fire station
Chatham County Sheriff’s Office: $44,746 K9 Field Team Supervisor
Silk Hope Ruritan Club: $950,000 for rural housing
Chatham County, North Carolina, Pittsboro, economy Chatham County Sheriff, federal stimulus dollars, Flyleaf Books, ProPublica, Silk Hope Ruritan Club, Starrlight Mead
Samiha Khanna ·
9 Dec 2009, 3:29 PM ·
Comment
The City of Durham announced today a new discount program that could help reduce out-of-pocket costs for city residents whose prescriptions aren’t covered by their health insurance.
Any city resident can pick up a free discount card that will give an average savings of 20 percent of prescription charges at a number of pharmacies and drug stores nationwide, according to a city news release. Users aren’t required to register. The discount card may be printed online or picked up on the first floor of Durham City Hall, 101 City Hall Plaza downtown, and there are no limits on how many times the card may be used.
More information >>
The discount card is part of a national program administered by CVS Caremark and made available to the City of Durham through its partnership with the National League of Cities, the release said.
Residents with questions may call 1-800-620-1749 or visit the program’s Web site to check drug prices and participating pharmacies.
Durham, Durham County, economy, news City of Durham, economy, health insurance, healthcare, recession, unemployment, uninsured
Joe Schwartz ·
23 Nov 2009, 2:22 PM ·
Comment
Chapel Hill-Carrboro’s Interfaith Council is asking for your help as more families than ever are in need of a holiday meal this season.
Executive Director Chris Moran says he’s seen a 52 percent increase from last year in families using the food pantry, with 2,560 households participating.
“That number keeps going up every month, and when it goes up we need more food to meet the demand,” he said.
Those wishing to help out can donate a meal by paying $25 for a Holiday Meal Coupon, which provides a turkey or ham, vegetables, stuffing, bread and dessert for one family.
Last holiday season the IFC, which depends largely on public support, was able to use $19,000 in donations to provide 761 meals to 2,245 people. Moran says he hopes to have enough money to distribute 800 meals this year at cost of $20,000, but so far the funds haven’t come in like they did last season.
Continue reading »
Chapel Hill, Orange County, economy Chris Moran, Holiday Meal Program, IFC
Lisa Sorg ·
22 Sep 2009, 4:06 PM ·
Comment
Rebekah L. Cowell reports for the Indy on possible new impact fees for Chatham County residents:
A big house with a lot of bedrooms could cost Chatham County residents extra money in impact fees.
Last night, Chatham County residents discussed possible increased impact fees and their economic ramifications for new homeowners or homeowners adding onto their houses.
Currently, every homeowner pays the county a one-time impact fee of $3,500. The money is earmarked for school construction.
However, if impact fees become based on the number of bedrooms in a home—the current option being discussed—the costs could increase significantly. The fee also would include additions and improvements made to an existing home.
A three-bedroom home would carry an impact fee of $8,000. A four-bedroom home would rack up a $14,000 impact fee.
William Crawford, a Pittsboro mayoral candidate, did not attend last night’s meeting, but he says impact fees are really just taxes, and should be avoided unless there is no alternative.
“I’d want to discuss all available options first,” he said.
County Commissioner George Lucier argues that the county needs to find a way to pay for construction of schools. He says there is no immediate need for the impact fees, but one year from now there must be “some mechanism in place to pay our debt.”
Lucier attempted to appease residents by saying that the impact fee hike had not been proposed as the final solution at this point.
Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller, who seeking reelection for a third-term, did not attend the meeting. He told the Indy that “The commissioners are moving forward on the impact discussion, because they have had studies done that show the fees we already have are too low to actually cover the costs of our schools.”
Voller added that the Homebuilder’s Association, National Association of Realtors, political leadership and citizens need to come together and discuss ways to create a “collaborative rational process” to fund long term investments like good schools.
Chatham County, Pittsboro, economy, politics George Lucier, impact fees, Randy Voller, William Crawford
