Quick hits: L-R gets gift and new destroyer to be commissioned in Wilmington

Lenoir-Rhyne gets $2.5 million gift

"Former Hickory resident Thomas Mott Jr. has left an estate gift of about $2.5million to Lenoir-Rhyne University, it was announced Tuesday," according to the Charlotte Observer.

"The gift will provide approximately $112,000 each year in scholarship aid to Lenoir-Rhyne students.

"The scholarships will be awarded to students of any academic major who have demonstrated outstanding academic and leadership skills.

"A member of one of Hickory's most prominent families, Mott attended Lenoir-Rhyne and earned a master's degree in textile chemistry from N.C. State University in 1929. He was a captain in the Marine Corps Reserves and served in the Pacific during World War II. ..."

Destroyer USS Gravely to be commissioned in Wilmington

"Another U.S. Navy ship will be commissioned in the fall in Wilmington, city spokeswoman Malissa Talbert announced late Tuesday," says the Star-News.

"The 509-foot-long guided-missile destroyer Gravely (DDG 107) is part of the Navy's only active class of destroyers, which are among the largest and most powerful destroyers ever built, Talbert said.

"The Gravely is named after Vice Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely, who was the Navy's first African-American vice admiral, Talbert said. ..."

Hoops notes: UNC most valuable team, NCAAs begin today

The North Carolina Tar Heels are the most valuable college basketball team in America, according to Forbes.

"The Heels generate nearly $26 million for the university, including $16.4 million in operating revenue, making the university one of the few in the nation that make more money from basketball than football, according to the story," writes the News & Observer.

The Duke Blue Devils rank eighth, while N.C. State and Wake Forest tied for 18th among the top 20 teams.

Go Tobacco Road!

The NCAA men's basketball tournament gets under way today. (Click here for the schedule.) The Tar Heels take on Radford at around 2:50 in Greensboro. The Blue Devils will take on Binghamton in Greensboro tonight around 9:40. Wake will take on Cleveland State tomorrow at around the same time.

(Speaking of Greensboro, former Clemson and current Texas coach Rick Barnes, a Hickory native, says he regrets his row with former UNC coach Dean Smith a dozen years ago or so.)

Other ACC teams in the tournament include Maryland, Boston College, Florida State and Clemson.

Oh, in case you haven't heard, the President has picked "N.C." to win it all.

This just in: N.C. has a connection to tobacco

Greensboro is fourth "smokiest" city in America, according to a report. Wilmington came in at No. 7, and Hickory came in at No. 10.

"Earlier this month, U.S. News & World Report published a list of metro areas with the most smokers as a percentage of population," says the Star-News.

"The rankings, which came from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s health risk data, showed the Wilmington metro area, which covers New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties, in the No. 7 spot, tying with the Chattanooga, Tenn. area.

"Nearly 27 percent of adults in the Wilmington area said they smoked in the CDC survey."

Oddly enough, Durham -- which was built on tobacco -- ranked as the fifth-lowest city for smoking, with just 12 percent its residents saying they smoke.

"The Huntington, W. Va. area topped the list of 161 metro areas included in the survey, with more than 34 percent of its adult residents smoking. In comparison, only 7 percent of residents in the Provo, Utah area reported they smoked.

" 'I think the fact that we have North Carolina ranking that high means that we do really need to take action in the state,' State Health Director Leah Devlin said by phone Monday. 'Those statistics represent real people.' ..."

Quick hits: Western North Carolina news and notes

State plans four-lane highway through national forest
"A four-lane highway that would cut through a portion of the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina would have little impact on the ecosystem, according to a new draft environmental impact study by the North Carolina Department of Transportation," according to Environmental News Service.

"Area conservation groups say that conclusion is wrong.

"The 10 mile section of the proposed Corridor K highway would run from Stecoah to Robbinsville in Graham County. NCDOT has not yet released specific dates and deadlines for a public comment period on the draft environmental impact study.

"The groups say the project is 'exorbitantly expensive, would pose a threat to local water quality, wildlife habitat and other natural resources, and would not be the boon to economic development it was conceived to be 40 years ago.' ..."

It's official: It's now Lenoir-Rhyne UNIVERSITY
"Red and black balloons lined Stasavich Place and pop music played over loudspeakers as crowds of students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members gathered to celebrate Lenoir-Rhyne's transformation from a college to a university Saturday morning," according to the Hickory Daily Record.

"The celebration recognized Lenoir-Rhyne's 117-year journey as young people lounged on grassy hills under shade trees to listen to university and community leaders who spoke in praise of the school's journey. ..."

Poverty rates up in Appalachian region
"The share of Appalachians living in poverty last year increased by 114,000 to 13.3 million, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released Tuesday.

"But there was good news in the numbers," said the Associated Press. "Median incomes were up in all the 13 states that make up Appalachia except Kentucky, where the median income was $39,678. However, with the exception of Maryland and Virginia, those incomes across Appalachia still were below the national median of $50,233. ...

"Appalachia includes all of West Virginia and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. ..."

Another 'C' becoming a 'U'

Wouldn't you just know: I go and buy my dad a Lenoir-Rhyne College sweatshirt, and lo and behold, LRC is changing to LRU.

"The board of Lenoir-Rhyne College has voted to change the school's name to Lenoir-Rhyne University," says the Charlotte Observer. "The new name, which was approved Saturday, 'better reflects the expanded offerings the college is planning to pursue,' said Margaret Allen, associate director of marketing and communications."

The move was recommended by a commission created to examine the possible expansion of the 117-year-old college, she said. The change will take time to implement; officials hope to put it into effect in late August.

Among other initiatives, the school is planning to add academic programs and degrees, launching some major construction and renovation projects and is adding a residential neighborhood with houses for sororities, fraternities and other groups.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Granted, I attended a large state university, but I've always romanticized the thought of the small colleges. To me, Elon University just doesn't carry the same cache as Elon College. Same goes for LRC, my father's alma mater. And I've never gotten over Elon changing its mascot ...

Quick hits: App State looks to Hickory, 'Tank' looks to give back

Appalachian State ponders Hickory campus
"Catawba County and Appalachian State University leaders discussed additional educational opportunities in the Hickory region, including the concept of a satellite campus, during a meeting last week," wrote the Hickory Daily Record.

"The hour-long discussion involved Appalachian’s Chancellor Ken Peacock and Chief of Staff Lorin Baumhover. The meeting centered on bringing more programs to area institutions now partnered with Appalachian, according to Catawba County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Kitty Barnes.

" 'I think what (Appalachian and Catawba County leaders) are looking at is incremental building on what we are already offering,' Barnes said.

"Appalachian now offers a range of classes through the Hickory Metro Higher Education Center, oversees operation of the new North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies and plans a teacher’s school at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, along with a nursing school at Western Piedmont Community College and Technical Institute. ..."

NFL star helps 'feed the children'
"Hundreds of Fayetteville children and their families now have food and supplies thanks to some hardworking football players including one local player who has made it to the NFL," says News 14 Carolina.

"E.E. Smith High School's football team tackles community service projects like any other task, by working together as a team. On Wednesday, they were joined by a special alumnus, Demarcus 'Tank' Tyler.

" 'I'm blessed to have the opportunity to come back and give back to my community,' said Tyler. 'You know, I've got to stay grounded and remember where I come from to move forward in my future.'

"Tyler has partnered with an international nonprofit group to help needy families in his hometown. There's 25 pounds worth of food in some of the boxes that were given out Wednesday and toiletries in others. Altogether, 'Feed the Children' plans to help out more than 400 families in just Wednesday’s one distribution. ..."

N.C.'s All-America Cities

Two more North Carolina cities have been named All-America Cities by the National Civic League, again establishing North Carolina as one of the leaders in this program.

And, personally, I'm equally proud this time around. The two winners this year from N.C. (out of 10 total nationwide) were Clinton (my mom's hometown) and Hickory (my dad's hometown).

"We’re just elated,” said Clinton Mayor Starling to the Sampson Independent. “Words can’t describe how we feel.” Clinton won for the first time.

Hickory, however, joins Asheville and Laurinbug as a rare three-time winner (less than 30 nationwide).

“We’re on top of the world right now,” Mayor Rudy Wright told the Hickory Daily Record.

By the way, below is a list of all the past winners from North Carolina. (I've made my own updating to the list, since the NCL site has not.)

There's a lot in common with these cities (hint, hint).

Asheville, 1969, 1997
Asheville-Buncombe County, 1951
Charlotte, 1968 [Parents met here and first lived here]
Charlotte-Mecklenburg, 1990
Clinton, 2007 [Mother's hometown]
Concord, 2004
Dunn, 1989 [MY hometown]
Durham, 1982-83
Fayetteville, 1984-85, 2001 [Grandfather's hometown]
Gastonia, 1963, 2000
Greensboro, 1966, 1991
Hamlet, 1990
Hickory, 1967, 1986-87, 2007 [Father's hometown]
High Point, 1962
Jacksonville, 1992 [Was born here; family lived here multiple times]
Kinston, 1988 [Lived here as a child]
Laurinburg, 1956, 1967, 2003
Lumberton, 1970, 1995
Mt. Airy, 1994
New Bern, 1989 [Sister lives here]
Raleigh, 1974-75 [Educated here, current home town]
Rockingham, 1979-80
Rocky Mount, 1969, 1999
Salisbury, 1961
Shelby, 1970
Statesville, 1997 [Parents lived here; sister born here]
Tarboro, 1976-77
Washington, 1993
Wilmington, 1965
Wilson, 1972, 2003
Winston-Salem, 1959, 1964