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Category Archives: North Carolina News

Dare Co. jobless rate tops 20 percent again

OUTER BANKS

For the second straight year, Dare County’s January jobless rate hit 20 percent despite signs of an improving economy.

Before 2012, Dare County unemployment was previously that high in January 1993, according to statistics from the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. During the boom of a few years ago, January rates were under 10 percent.

Jobs are typically harder to find during the cold months after Christmas and before the spring brings more visitors to the Outer Banks. In past years, construction work has picked up in winter months and helped ease off-season unemployment. Activity is up in tourism and construction, but it is not translating into jobs.

“It’s a mixed bag,” said Lee Nettles, executive director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. “They are saying we’re recovering, but it doesn’t feel like that to people.”

The gross occupancy receipts for lodging in Dare County reached an all-time high of $385.2 million

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Kohn: We should heed low comfort level for fracking risks

In his inaugural address, Gov. Pat McCrory noted North Carolina’s vibrant and diverse economy, “Agriculture, manufacturing, finance, the military, travel and tourism, and many more.” Ironically many sectors of our economy particularly agriculture and tourism could be jeopardized by the governor and General Assembly’s move to implement crash energy exploration programs of the type not seen here before.

Proponents of fracking argue that it would bring jobs and prosperity to North Carolina. However, the experience of states where it has already been implemented, as well as the caveats in statements by local environmental advisory groups, present a more complex and decidedly less romantic picture.

North Carolina, like the East Coast generally, does not have a history of drilling for gas and oil like other parts of the country. As a result, we do not have in place workers with the necessary skill sets or the equipment they require. So they would have to be imported from out of state. As Susan Christopherson, professor of City and Regional Planning at Cornell has noted, “Evidence from already developed shale plays indicates that shale gas drilling relies mostly on out-of-state workers.” The local

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Smoking ban, sand top list of concerns

The Wrightsville Beach smoking ban, Room Occupancy Tax formula and Coastal Storm Damage Reduction project funding were among the topics discussed at a meeting leaders from Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches held with North Carolina Representative Ted Davis Jr., R-New Hanover. 

Held on Friday morning, March 22, at Shell Island Resort, an update on the Wrightsville Beach smoking ban was the first item on the meeting agenda. 

In his efforts to secure a local act from the North Carolina General Assembly that would clarify Wrightsville Beach’s enforceable jurisdiction on the beach strand for the ban, Davis said the North Carolina State Constitution prevents any local bills dealing with health, sanitation or nuisances. The smoking ban would qualify under all three.

Since learning this, Davis said he began to pursue a statewide bill that would allow local municipalities to enforce these ordinances

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Ticket demand up for NCAA ‘Sweet 16’ games

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis tourism officials say Louisville, Michigan State and Duke basketball fans are driving up demand for hotel rooms and tickets to the NCAA men’s regional basketball tournament.

Louisville plays Oregon and Duke plays Michigan State on Friday. The winners play Sunday for a berth in the Final Four.

Local ticket brokers tell the Indianapolis Business Journal that Duke was sparking interest not only from Duke alumni and supporters in North Carolina but also from Indianapolis and central Indiana.

Officials for the Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis say reservation requests from the Louisville and East Lansing, Mich., spiked after the top-seeded Cardinals and Michigan State won their games last weekend.

A National Society of Black Engineers convention also is expected to draw more than 9,000 people to Indianapolis beginning Wednesday.

 

©2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Schools gets state tourism post; looks forward to good year ahead


RALEIGH — Emerald Isle Mayor Art Schools doesn’t plan to use his latest government position to directly promote the Crystal Coast, but hopes that he will still be able to draw tourists to the area by association.




Gov. Pat McCrory recently appointed Mr. Schools to the N.C. Travel and Tourism Board.  This advisory board has no solid authority to make decisions at the state level, but rather will help give input on different tourism campaigns that will be used to draw people to North Carolina as a whole.


Mr. Schools believes it will be a good year for tourism along the Crystal Coast and throughout

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Chamber of recognizes local businesses, individuals

pJessica Johnson | The News/ppFormer Mount Airy Mayor Jack Loftis receives the award for Outstanding Public Service, presented by Erica Johnson of Surry Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation./p

Jessica Johnson | The News

Former Mount Airy Mayor Jack Loftis receives the award for Outstanding Public Service, presented by Erica Johnson of Surry Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation.

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pJessica Johnson | The News/ppPeter and Beth Pequeno show off their awards, Peter Pequeno on behalf of Surrey Bank and Trust for Small Business of the Year, and Beth Pequeno on behalf of United Fund of Surry, for the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award./phttp://www.newsfeedmaker.com/article/143605587/7b2910f9 If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com

The home of the brave

The home of the brave

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Some of you are aware I come from a family of historians so do not be surprised if occasionally I begin my newsletter with a history lesson. A few weeks ago I provided a brief history as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the NC Legislative Building on Jones Street, where we currently conduct the people’s business. Where did the legislature meet prior to that? Prior to 1963, the legislature met at the North Carolina State Capitol, located on Capitol Square in downtown Raleigh. The Old State Capitol was built in 1840 and is one of our nation’s most intact examples of a Greek revival public building.

This week we met at the State Capitol for an historic reason — to recognize and display NC’s copy of the Bill of Rights. President George Washington commissioned 14 copies of the US Bill of Rights after it was signed in 1789. Each of the thirteen colonies received one copy and one remained with the federal government. North Carolina’s copy

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