Quick hits: N.C. primary update & luring the Final Four

Bill seeks earlier N.C. primaries
"By the time North Carolinians vote in next year's presidential primary, the races in each party will have long been determined," writes the Charlotte Observer.

"That's why some state legislators want to move the 2008 primaries, now scheduled for May, to Feb. 5. That's the date at least 20 other states are considering as an option for their primaries, a de facto national primary day that likely would decide the nominees.

"Candidates usually only stop in North Carolina to refuel their checkbooks on their way to early primary states, such as South Carolina. Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, for example, visits Charlotte for a fundraiser on Friday. Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York comes April 2.

"On Thursday, a state Senate committee is expected to start debate on a bill to move up the N.C. presidential primaries.

" '(Candidates) come here to raise money,' said state Sen. Andrew Brock, R-Davie, who introduced the bill. 'We can wave to them as they go down the street to the fundraiser, and we can wave to them again as they go to the plane to Iowa and New Hampshire.' ..."

Greensboro seeks 2012 Final Four
"The reviews are in, and by all accounts, Greensboro knows how to throw a basketball party," writes the News & Record.

"The ACC Women's Tournament final Sunday between North Carolina and N.C. State was sold out for the fifth straight year in Greensboro. And for the eighth straight year, the tournament set an attendance record with 69,159 fans showing up.

"But the party's only getting started. Many of those fans will be back in three weeks when the NCAA women's regional tournament rolls into town. And both the ACC and NCAA women will be back at the Greensboro Coliseum next year.

"So now that Greensboro has proven its love for women's basketball, the question is: What's next?

"The short answer: Nothing, for now.

"But city officials are hoping to parlay all this basketball madness into something bigger: the women's Final Four in 2012. ..."

Quick hits: I've got some good news, and some bad news ...

Some items found while scanning the web today ...

Seafood festival wins regional award
"The North Carolina Seafood Festival [pictured] held annually in Morehead City has been recognized for the designs that covered posters and T-shirts during its 20th anniversary," according to a news release.

"The North Carolina/South Carolina Association of Festivals and Events awarded the Seafood Festival first place in T-shirt design and second place in poster design for last year's event.

" 'We are truly grateful to receive these coveted awards and many thanks to our poster and T-shirt artist, Anna B. Cordes,' said Seafood Festival Executive Director Stephanie McIntyre. ..."

N.C. tops nation in farm losses
"North Carolina may soon have to decide between progress and loss of a way of life," according to the Dunn Daily Record.

"For the past two years, the state has won a title it may not want to keep - Tops in Farm Loss. North Carolina lost 1,000 farms in 2005, tying Florida and Tennessee for first place in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 2004 it wasn't even a tie; with a loss of 3,000 farms, North Carolina lost hands down.

"Director of Public Affairs for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Conservation Services Brian Long said the title is one the state would like to lose, and soon.

" 'North Carolina had 54,000 farms in 2002 and at the end of 2005 we were down to 48,000,' he said. 'That is a 6,000 farm loss over a period of just six years and we've got to take steps now to stop it. It's been one of Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler's main priorities in recent years.' ..."

RPI in North Carolina

This week's college basketball rankings, with each team's overall record (through Tuesday) and its record against the other Division I teams in North Carolina:

3. North Carolina (24-5, 6-1)
9. Duke (22-7, 4-1)
56. Appalachian State (24-6, 6-3)
62. Davidson (26-4, 7-2)

116. N.C. State (14-13, 6-2)
122. Wake Forest (13-14, 5-4)
131. UNC Charlotte (13-14, 1-1)
169. High Point (22-9, 4-1)
196. UNC Greensboro (15-12, 6-6)

251. Western Carolina (10-19, 2-8)
261. UNC Wilmington (7-21, 1-3)
265. Gardner-Webb (9-20, 2-6)
269. UNC Asheville (12-18, 0-5)
281. Campbell (13-16, 2-2)
285. Elon (7-22, 3-7)
298. North Carolina A&T (14-15, 0-0)

303. Winston-Salem State (5-23, 0-1)
312. East Carolina (6-21, 1-3)


CHARLOTTE (AP) -- High Point forward Arizona Reid was named the Big South player of the year Monday.

Reid, a junior, was second in the league in scoring at 21.6 points a game and led the conference with 9.6 rebounds in helping the Panthers to their first 20-win season since the school moved to Division I eight years ago.

Krispy Kreme to unveil all-wheat doughnut

The Associated Press is reporting that Krispy Kreme will soon unveil a doughnut that is made of whole weat.

The doughnut will have just 180 calories, caramel flavoring and will be covered with its original glaze.

"The Krispy Kreme Whole Wheat Glazed doughnut delivers the delicious taste that our customers have come to expect from us," Stan Parker, the company's senior vice president of marketing, told the AP.

"Krispy Kreme sales started slipping three years ago as the company expanded its operations during the height of the low-carbohydrate diet craze," says the news service. "Executives also had to sort out an accounting mess, with the company's board concluding that two former executives were trying to "manage earnings" to meet Wall Street expectations."

Food tourism in N.C.

This article on CNN.com's Travel page about "food tourism" got me thinking: Would you travel far distances to try out or enjoy different foods in North Carolina? If so, what would they be?

"Nationwide, an increasing number of vacationers are basing their travel around food and wine — and a study released Wednesday says that 27 million Americans have made culinary activities a part of their travels within the last three years," says CNN.

" 'It's something that really took off in the past five years or so,' said Cathy Keefe, the manager of media relations for the Travel Industry Association of America, which helped pay for the study along with Gourmet magazine and other organizations. ..."

Personally, there are some places that are known for food and worth the drive. The obvious ones are barbecue in Goldsboro, Wilson or Kinston; seafood in Morehead City; Moravian cookies in Old Salem; wine in Asheville.

But some are not so obvious: A Pepsi in the soda's birthplace, New Bern; Ashe County cheese in West Jefferson.

I'm sure there are more out there. What are your choices?

Update: A smoking ban in tobacco country?

We've discussed this quite a bit in the past (both here and at the Raleigh Philosophical Society site), but the push for a statewide smoking ban in North Carolina is on.

"A bill filed in the state Legislature on Tuesday would ban smoking in public places such as bars, restaurants and workplaces across North Carolina," says WRAL.com.

Rep. Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson County, the House majority leader who is sponsoring the bill, says "it's no secret that second-hand smoke causes cancer and that the legislation's goal is to protect the citizens of North Carolina."

WRAL says the bill would prohibit smoking indoors with very few exceptions, for example bars that sell mostly alcohol and very little food.

"Why should we be subjected to the recycled filth of someone else's self-inflicted bad habit?" Roger Thompson, a supporter of the bill, told the news channel.

Good point.

RPI in North Carolina

This week's college basketball rankings, with each team's overall record (through Monday) and its record against the other Division I teams in North Carolina:

2. North Carolina (23-4, 5-1), vs. N.C. State on Wednesday
10. Duke (20-7, 4-1)
55. Appalachian State (22-6, 4-3)
59. Davidson (24-4, 7-2)

116. N.C. State (14-11, 6-1)
117. Wake Forest (13-13, 5-4)
136. UNC Charlotte (12-13, 1-1)
168. High Point (20-8, 4-1)

214. UNC Greensboro (15-12, 6-6)
237. Western Carolina (10-18, 2-7)
257. Gardner-Webb (9-19, 2-5)
263. UNC Wilmington (6-20, 1-3)
284. Elon (6-21, 2-6)
289. UNC Asheville (9-18, 0-5)
290. Campbell (11-16, 1-2)

304. Winston-Salem State (5-22, 0-1)
309. North Carolina A&T (12-15, 0-0)
314. East Carolina (5-20, 1-3)

Quick hits: BET and bridges

Charlotte named best city in America for black families by BET.com
"Charlotte was named the best city in the U.S. for black families in a new research project announced by BET.com," writes the Charlotte Observer.

"BET.com is an affiliate of Black Entertainment Television. The project studied 22 cities across the U.S. and ranked them based on criteria such as economics, education and crime.

"According to the Web site, Charlotte stood out because it has a 'burgeoning black middle class,' low cost of living, high homeownership rates among blacks, low black poverty rate, proximity to quality colleges and universities, thriving nightlife among other areas. ..."

Old-timey bridges to be replaced
"A one-lane truss bridge that has carried traffic since before World War II and is a landmark in this community in Buncombe County’s southeastern corner is destined for the scrap heap," writes the Asheville Citizen-Times.

"The state Board of Transportation recently awarded a contract for the replacement of what is usually called just the old iron bridge that carries Morgan Hill Road across the Broad River near N.C. 9, almost five miles north of Bat Cave.

" 'I’m sad to see it go,' said Erin Gore, who lives nearby. 'The steel part of it is really neat.'

"The NCDOT did a study in 2001 that said the bridge — and a smaller truss bridge about half a mile away on Lower Sand Branch Road — should be torn down. The bridges are expensive to maintain and are becoming more unsafe as they age, a DOT engineer said at the time. ..."

Outer Banks among top 10 romantic places

Coastal Living has compiled a list of top 10 romantic places to which escape. (Note: The magazine's list -- found on CNN.com's Travel page -- was published just in time for Valentine's Day.)

Making the top 10 are North Carolina's Outer Banks at No. 10.

"The Outer Banks offers the most elementally 'out there' experience of any bridge-accessible U.S. destination," writes CL's Steve Millburg. "Standing on a thin ribbon of sand, with the mainland out of sight over the western horizon and burly Atlantic Ocean waves thundering in from the east, you truly feel untethered from your everyday world." And it is "easy to sneak away and find your own private stretch of beach, with vivid stars overhead, moonlight-silvered surf at your feet, the sea breeze tousling your hair, and magic ready to happen ..."

Coastal Living's Top 10 Romantic Escapes
1. Naples, Florida
2. New York, New York
3. Barbados
4. Sausalito, California
5. Niagara Falls, Ontario
6. Fairhope, Alabama
7. Cannon Beach, Oregon
8. St. Michaels, Maryland
9. La Jolla, California
10. Outer Banks, North Carolina

Quick hits: Patriots, primaries, poets, postal honors and Pikeville chocolate

Greene statue planned for Greensboro bicentennial
"One of the city's leading givers has a new gift in store: a downtown statue of Greensboro's namesake," according to the Greensboro News & Record.

"The Joseph M. Bryan Foundation will provide a larger-than-life statue of Revolutionary War Gen. Nathanael Greene as part of the city's bicentennial celebration next year.

" 'I've been saying for 20 years that we need a statue of General Greene downtown,' said Jim Melvin, president of the foundation. ..."

Senator wants N.C. among early primaries
"North Carolina is a national leader in banking and boasts a large military presence, among other attributes, so why shouldn't the state be among the first to help choose candidates for president?

"N.C. Sen. Andrew Brock doesn't see why not," according to the Salisbury Post. "He introduced a bill in the General Assembly on Wednesday that would move the state's presidential primaries from May to the first Tuesday in February.

" 'We would be the largest state with a presidential primary that early and we would instantly become a major player' on the national stage, Brock said Wednesday. ...

"Brock said moving North Carolina's primaries near those in South Carolina, which plans a Democratic primary Jan. 29 and a Republican primary Feb. 2, will make the Carolinas, and their combined 23 electoral votes, a force with which candidates will have to reckon. ..."

Shuler introduces bill to expand Sandbeurg property
"The Carl Sandburg historic site in Flat Rock is closer to a proposed expansion that would protect its view from encroaching suburban growth, add more parking and add a visitor's center," according to the Hendersonville Times-News.

"Western North Carolina freshman U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler introduced a House bill Thursday to allow the site to expand its borders by 115 acres. The bill is Shuler's, a Democrat from Waynesville, first piece of legislation as a lawmaker.

"The bill has bipartisan support in both chambers. It's the companion to a bill introduced last week by Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

"The famous poet's home (shown) and 264-acre site is about three miles from Hendersonville in Flat Rock, two growing communities popular with retirees. Officials want to expand by 115 acres to protect the site's scenic views from development, something Shuler's predecessor, eight-term Rep. Charles Taylor, blocked. ..."

Jazz great puts her stamp on Elizabeth City
"It was a day of firsts in Elizabeth City on Thursday," according to the Daily Advance.

"For the first time, U.S. postal officials unveiled a commemorative stamp in Elizabeth City, at the K.E. White Center. The event itself was organized by the city's first black postmaster, Kesha L. Holifield. And the portrait on the new stamp everyone came to see was that of Ella Fitzgerald, the 'first lady of song.' ...

"Holifield, who took over as postmaster in June, said one reason she wanted to celebrate the new stamp here is that Fitzgerald was born nearby — in Newport News, Va. Another reason was Holifield's desire to raise the profile of the post office in the community. ..."

Pikeville Chocolate Festival coming up
"The town of Pikeville will be holding a chocolate festival, 'Life is Sweet,' on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Charles B. Aycock High School to raise money for the Relay for Life," according to the Goldsboro News-Argus.

"For a $5 admission, people can enjoy all of the sweet treats, which include any cookies, cakes or pies, entered for the festival.

"Others can bring in their own entries free of charge. Organizers ask that anyone bringing in an entry bring in two identical treats to the event. One will be savored by the judges and the other will be sold during a silent auction later in the day. ..."

Ed Teach and the slave trade

An article in the Jacksonville Daily News mentions that the Queen Anne's Revenge, the boat of Edward Teach (North Carolina's most famous pirate "Blackbeard"), was formerly used in the colonial slave trade to the New World from Africa.

"In a display case at the N.C. Maritime Museum," the article says, "beside a model of the Queen Anne's Revenge, sits a detached cross section of the replica representing the half deck. ...

"It is not the most notorious part of the ship's history - most people associate the QAR with the infamous pirate Blackbeard and his blockade on Charleston Harbor.

"Yet the QAR holds just as many links to African-American history as it does to pre-revolutionary piracy.

"For some years prior to its capture by pirates in November 1717, the QAR was the Concorde, a French slave ship that traveled the seas back-and-forth from Europe to Africa to the Caribbean."

What is intriguing is that history tells us that five of the QAR's nine crew members who survived at Ocracoke were black. (Blackbeard didn't make it out of the battle alive.)

"Researchers do not know if Blackbeard kept these five aboard from the Concorde or if they came from another slave ship captured by the pirates just prior to the battle, Moore said.

"What researchers do know is that the QAR is not the only pirate ship with ties to the colonial slave trade."

RPI in N.C.

This week's rankings (with last week's ranking and each school's most important basketball-playing alumnus):

2. North Carolina (2, Michael Jordan)
17. Duke (8, Christian Laettner)
60. Appalachian State (45, Belus Smawley)
61. Davidson (71, Dick Snyder)
122. N.C. State (106, David Thompson)
129. Wake Forest (124, Tim Duncan)
136. UNC Charlotte (144, Cedric Maxwell)

----------

176. High Point (189, Gene Littles)
216. UNC Greensboro (193, none)
234. Western Carolina (242, Kevin Martin)
260. UNC Wilmington (239, Matt Fish)
262. Gardner-Webb (273, Artis Gilmore)
285. UNC Asheville (282, none)
294. Campbell (295, George Lehmann)
295. Elon (270, Jesse Branson)
300. North Carolina A&T (278, Al Attles)
309. East Carolina (312, Blue Edwards)
313. Winston-Salem State (292, Earl Monroe)

RPI in N.C.

The Rating Percentage Index (RPI) has been used by the NCAA since 1981 to supplement theselection of at-large teams and the seeding of allteams for the NCAA basketball tournament.

Here are how the teams in North Carolina rank in the RPI rankings through Sunday:

2. North Carolina
8. Duke
45. Appalachian State
71. Davidson
106. N.C. State
124. Wake Forest
144. UNC Charlotte

There are 336 Division I teams, so these teams are in the bottom half of the sport:

189. High Point
193. UNC Greensboro
239. UNC Wilmington
242. Western Carolina
270. Elon
273. Gardner-Webb
278. North Carolina A&T
282. UNC Asheville
292. Winston-Salem State (first season in Division I)
295. Campbell
312. East Carolina

N.C. on two wheels listed as a travel bargain by MSN Travel

MSN's Travel webpage has an article listing 10 "Bargain Destinations" across the world. One of the selections is "North Carolina on two wheels."

"A statewide bicycle ride is a terrific way to get to know a place up close and personal, at speeds of 15 mph or less," says the article, which also lists Buenos Aires, Nicaragua, Telluride and others among the "bargain" spots. "Several states sponsor organized rides across their length; one of the best is Cycle North Carolina (www.ncsports.org/nccyclemain.php), which has traversed the Tar Heel state since 1999. The route varies slightly from year to year, but usually starts in the mountains near Asheville and stops in communities in the Blue Ridge and the Piedmont before ending at the Atlantic Ocean. Expect to cycle about 400 miles over seven days; shorter options are also possible."

For $200, you can enjoy mechanical support, showers and entertainment at campgrounds each night, as well as "baggage transportation and food and drinks at the rest stops.

"Most riders camp in their own tents, but hotel rooms are also available for those willing to pay for the privilege. After a long day’s biking, a comfortable bed may be the best bargain of all."

This is North Carolina, right?

A festival celebrating barbecue -- yes, BARBECUE -- is in peril. In North Carolina.

"The Greater Hickory Smoke Barbeque festival won’t be held this May," says the Hickory Daily Record. "The host organization, Hickory’s Southwest Business Association, dissolved. That left the event without sufficient support. ...

"The inaugural festival, held at the Catawba Furniture Mall parking lot in 2004, drew about 17,000 people. Successive festivals held at L.P. Frans Stadium, home of the Hickory Crawdads minor league baseball team, had lower attendance."

All right, Hickory folks: there's got to be a way to continue a barbecue festival, for crying out loud. Don't let us down.

Report: Chimney Rock to be 'heart' of new state park

According to this article in the Charlotte Observer, Chimney Rock Park will be the "centerpiece" of one of North Carolina's state parks.

"The state will pay about $24 million for 996 acres so unique, with sheer cliffs and 400-foot waterfall, that Sotheby's put a $55 million price tag on it," said the article.

"The private park overlooking Lake Lure will become the keystone amid 2,800 nearby acres, which arc around Hickory Nut Gorge, that the state owns or may acquire. Hickory Nut Gorge State Park will open in 2008.

"State officials envision a public park that's little different from the trails, nature center and elevator to the Chimney top that draw 250,000 tourists a year. Lucius Morse bought the first 64 acres of the private park, 90 miles west of Charlotte, in 1902.

"The announcement relieved local residents. The wind-whipped view from the rock now includes vacation homes on surrounding peaks and a new road being carved into the mountain just across the gorge.

"'I go out every morning, I open my deck doors and I see Chimney Rock every day,' said Margie Burns, a gift shop owner who had worried that development would engulf the park. 'I definitely would not like to see a lot of houses.' ..."

Neither do we, Margie.

State buys Chimney Rock park

It's official: the State of North Carolina now owns Chimney Rock Park.

According to a news brief from the Asheville Citizen-Times, the state has bought the park for $24 million, and Gov. Mike Easley will announce the purchase in a news conference today.

"A private donation helped boost the price the state was willing to pay, said Charlie Peek, spokesman for the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation" said the paper.

"The state parks system had long been in negotiations with the owners of the 1,000-acre property in Rutherford County."

Officials with the property originally wanted $55 million, but the "anonymous donation of $2.35 million allowed the state to go above its appraisal price, Peek said."

In somewhat related news, the Associated Press is reporting that tourism was up at North Carolina's mountain parks last year.

Tourism increased in western North Carolina's national parks last year, despite high gas prices that hovered around $3 a gallon.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw its largest increase in tourism in five years and the Blue Ridge Parkway reported a 6 percent increase in visitors.

The Smokies reported a 2 percent increase in the number of visitors in 2006, to 9.4 million people, according to numbers released Friday. Visitation to the park peaked in 2000 with 10 million visitors a year.

Tourism attractions in surrounding communities and the region's proximity to metropolitan areas kept numbers high, officials said.

The mountain economies near the parks thrive on visitors, who spend $652 million a year at local hotels and restaurants in communities that border the parks.

Salisbury-based Cheerwine to take on the Super Bowl

Uh-oh, Kevin Brewer: Your secret may no longer be safe.

It appears that Salisbury-based Cheerwine is getting into the Super Bowl commercial biz -- sort of.

According to the Salisbury Post, the soft drink company and North Carolina icon "will launch a new advertising platform during the Super Bowl with a 30-second commercial in the Charlotte and Greensboro television markets.

"The ad represents a sneak preview of an advertising campaign that will debut in April, featuring a zany, investigative Cheer-watch News Team dedicated to 'Protecting Your Right to Drink Cheerwine.' ..."

Once the ads go national, expect the rest of the country to know what KBrew does -- Cheerwine is the bomb.

(By going to the Post's article, you can actually view the commercial.)

Update: N.C. Democrats apologize for 1898 race riot

From the Wilmington Star-News:

"White supremacists used violence and intimidation to chase away black leaders.

"The N.C. Democratic Party issued a formal apology Saturday for its role in the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot, the only documented government overthrow in this country, in which dozens of blacks were massacred.

"At that time, white supremacists used violence and intimidation to chase black leaders and white allies from office and the community.

"The Democratic Party's executive committee, made up of more than 700 leaders and activists from all 100 counties, drafted a resolution outlining the apology which acknowledges the party 'engineered and executed a statewide white supremacy campaign in order to win the 1900 elections that was vicious, polarizing and defamatory toward African-Americans and that encouraged racial violence.' ..."

RIP, NASCAR's 'nice guy'

I'm admittedly not much of a NASCAR guy, but I'm also not so naive to ignore its impact on the South and especially North Carolina. So when something as big as the loss of a NASCAR icon and personality happens, it behooves me to mention it.

Benny Parson ("BP") passed away on Tuesday from complications of lung cancer. He was 65 and leaves a legacy of one of the most colorful people in the sport. You can't doubt the impact he had on it; the sport's popularity is worldwide now, and he can be thanked for contributing to that.

"... Parsons was known around the industry as BP or The Professor," says the Hickory Daily Record. "He signed his blog on www.bennyparsons.com as BP. Parsons also was known during his racing years as the taxicab driver. Before his racing career began, Parsons moved to Detroit to live with his family. His father owned a taxi company, and Parsons sometimes drove one of the cabs. It was through this work that Parsons was introduced into the racing business. He moved back to North Carolina to pursue his dream.

" 'It will really seem strange not to have Benny around because you heard him day-in and day-out,' [Morgan] Shepherd said. 'We’ve lost one of our great competitors and broadcasters.'"

Rest in peace, BP.

'The Old Homes of Beaufort'

I may have missed just why this was published today in the Raleigh News & Observer, but it doesn't really matter. Beaufort is one of the great old, small towns in North Carolina, so I'm not gonna pass up a chance to promote it.

According to this, Carol Bessent Hayman is the Poet Laureate of Beaufort and Carteret County. This is her poem, "The Old Homes of Beaufort."

Old houses with high peaked roofs,
balconied porches, banistered stairs and fences
seem alive
as if they are the enduring defenses
of this town with the sea at its door,
the wind in its face
and a past filled with mystery and magic.

They sit quietly confident,
white or blue or gray
in blocks laid out by ghosts.
One can imagine children who played,
lovers who wandered
beneath century-old oaks on neat green lawns.
At night, they wear mantles of clouds and moonlight.
By day, staid and proper,
they take sunlight or rain with equal grace.

Each has a personality,
individual, unique.
The strong lines and gentle curves
of their sturdy posts and tall slender columns
send messages:
We are heritage.
We survive.

Quick hits: Wild horses, an overdue apology and more on tolls

Wild horse fund may cause confusion
"Members of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund say a similar agency being created across the state line in Virginia may end up generating more confusion than advocacy for the Outer Banks herd," according to the Elizabeth City Daily Advance.

"A bill introduced by Delegate Terrie Suit, R-Virginia Beach, in the Virginia House of Delegates would award state funding to aid a nonprofit group called the Wild Spanish Mustangs Fund.

"According to Suit's office, the nonprofit's funding would pay the medical fees as well as the costs of corralling Corolla horses that stray across the state line into Virginia. The funding would also pay for repairs to any fences that needed mending to keep the horses confined to North Carolina.

"Karen McCalpin, director of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund in Currituck, said she was taken aback when she heard about Suit's legislation. The Wild Spanish Mustangs Fund apparently made no contact with the Wild Horse Fund, which has been given stewardship over the herd, prior to seeking the legislation in Virginia. ..."

Wilmington race riot apology might come
"The history published last year on the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot is causing action in other parts of the state - including a likely apology from the N.C. Democratic Party and a call from the NAACP for the state legislature to act," according to the Wilmington Star-News.

"On Saturday, the party's executive committee will consider a resolution that would apologize for the organization's part in the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot, which saw a white supremacist movement use violence and intimidation to drive black leaders and white allies from office and the community.

"State Chairman Jerry Meek said the apology, which would likely come in a formal resolution of the party's 700-member executive committee, was inspired by the history released last year by a commission created by the General Assembly to study the event.

" 'I thought it was a good idea,' Meek said of writing a draft resolution of apology. 'I think moving forward often requires a sober reflection on the past.' ..."

Turnpike Authority considers toll roads
"The North Carolina Turnpike Authority board will meet at the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday to discuss several projects across the state, including possible toll roads," according to News 14 Carolina.

"In order for motorists to drive on free roads, the state has to come up with $60 billion. Officials say tolls could help pay for about 50 to 60 percent of that cost and could help speed up the process of building new roads.

"Some say playing the waiting game until funds are available to build free roads, traffic congestion in the fastest growing areas could turn into a nightmare. ..."

Asheville on Frommer's 'hot' list of travel spots for 2007

What does Asheville, North Carolina have in common with Tokyo, Zurich and Portland (both Oregon and Maine)? It's one of Frommer's dozen "standout" destinations for 2007 travelers.

Joining A-ville and the others on the list are Krakow, Poland; Minneapolis; Panama; Ethiopia; Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands; Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada; and Glen Canyon, Utah.

"The travel guide folks at Frommer's have realized what savvy North Carolinians already know. They've included Asheville in their list of a dozen places not to be missed in 2007," writes the News & Observer.

"It's the gateway to the North Carolina mountains and many, many destinations beyond. But there's much more to this fabulous city."

Click here for some great tips for visiting Asheville. Of course, no trip to Asheville is complete without visits to the Grove Park Inn (above) or the Biltmore Estate (right).

Update: Another cold front on the way for the mountains

Sure, it's been close to 70 degrees in the Triangle lately, but some good news may be on the way for the North Carolina mountains -- where cold weather means active ski slopes.

"Forecasters issued a heavy snow warning Tuesday for the high mountains of North Carolina as a storm moved in from Tennessee," according to the Associated Press.

" 'The area of snow is just moving through east Tennessee and will be approaching the border counties in the next hour and a half,' National Weather service meteorologist Blair Holloway said about 9 a.m.'The heaviest accumulations are expected to be above 3,000 to 3,500 feet' with lesser amounts in valleys, Holloway said.

Holloway added that snow wouldn't begin to accumulate until afternoon and 2 to 5 inches could fall along the mountainous Tennessee-North Carolina border.

Slopes welcome cold, snow

After some unseasonably warm days (some might say "Spring-like"), the North Carolina ski slopes are finally getting what they need: cold weather and snow.

"The warm spell that came over the last two weeks wasn't very kind," Kristin Hull, a customer service agent at Hawksnest ski resort in Seven Devils near Banner Elk, told the Associated Press. "It really looks like our luck is changing. It should be getting pretty crazy around here."

The National Weather Service reported one to three inches of snowfall around Banner Elk on Tuesday night. The resorts said there was even more up on the mountains.

And it could just be the start of "good" (read: ski) weather. According to the AP, forecasts call for daytime temperatures around 45 to 50 degrees for the rest of the week, with nighttime lows near-freezing levels. There's another chance of snow and rain in the area on Sunday.

"People want to get pumped up," Eric Huston, manager of Alpine Ski Center in Charlotte, told the AP. "The cold, Christmas, has snapped everyone's fingers to say, 'It's time. Let's go.'"

Here's to the Old North State ... in 2007!

Well, 2006 is coming to a close, and the Society wishes you all a healthy, productive and enjoyable 2007. And here's just a little "ditty" (also known as the State Toast) to remind us that we've been fortunate enough to spend 2006 in such a wonderful state.

Here's to the land of the long leaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and strong grow great,
Here's to "Down Home," the Old North State!

Here's to the land of the cotton bloom white,
Where the scuppernong perfumes the breeze at night,
Where the soft southern moss and jessamine mate,
'Neath the murmuring pines of the Old North State!

Here's to the land where the galax grows,
Where the rhododendron's rosette glows,
Where soars Mount Mitchell's summit great,
In the "Land of the Sky," the Old North State!

Here's to the land where maidens are fair,
Where friends are true and cold hearts rare,
The near land, the dear land, whatever fate,
The blest land, the best land, the Old North State!

Make good use of those Christmas trees

Discarded and forgotten Christmas trees can have better afterlives than just curbside decorations while awaiting the trash man.

According to the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, trees can have a myriad of uses after that most important one of filling your home with joy. Among them:

-Turn your tree into mulch
-Use it for landscaping. "Officials with the N.C. Division of Forest Resources recommend throwing leaves over the tree to provide cover for birds and small mammals," says the Hendersonville News. "You also can prop the tree in the yard and hang suet or other birdfeeders from the branches. Remember to remove tinsel, plastic and anything else that is not recyclable."
-Turn your tree into a beach erosiong protector
-And offer your tree to a farm pond owner. "By sinking and anchoring a Christmas tree in a pond, it makes habitat and nesting ground for fish," says the paper.

Take that, 'Joizy'

"We're No. 10! We're No. 10! We're No. 10!"

According to the U.S. Census Board, North Carolina is now the 10th most populated state in the Union, passing New Jersey to vault into the top 10.

According to the News & Observer, last year, "North Carolina grew by 184,000 people, roughly the size of Winston-Salem."

"Everybody in my neighborhood is from somewhere else," former New Jersey resident Mary Johnson, now of Wake Forest, told the paper.

Of course, between 1994 and 2003, some 32,000 folks from New Jersey have moved to N.C., thus helping the population boom.

The Census burea expects North Carolina to pass Georgia, Michigan and Ohio by 2030 in population rankings with nearly 12.3 million people.

The Charlotte Observer does a better job with analysis on this subject, including a section on "Why They're Moving."

The reasons?
-Retirement. "In the 1990s, many retirees who moved to the Carolinas started in the Northeast, moved to Florida and then came halfway back -- to the Carolinas, earning the nickname 'halfbacks,' said the paper. "While that's still a factor in recent growth, many of the newer retirees never made it to the Sunshine State."

-Growth breeds growth. "Recent arrivals are coming here to join friends or relatives who moved here in earlier waves."

-And, finall, the economy. "Research Triangle Park near Raleigh-Durham and the financial sector in Charlotte drive job growth. New companies continue to start up in the Carolinas because of their location halfway along the Eastern Seaboard."

Gift ideas for those 'outdoorsy' types

Today's the first day of winter, and the Asheville Citizen-Times has an article on gift ideas for those people who take advantage of North Carolina's High Country outdoor amenities.

"When it comes to fashion on the ski slopes this winter, it’s more about what you hear than what you see.

"Don’t worry, your Burton snowboarding pants and Columbia ski jacket from last season won’t get you laughed off the slopes.

"But if you’re trying to get a leg up on the winter fashion scene or find a last-minute gift for the snow sports aficionado in your life, tune in to high-tech snow sports gear.

" 'It’s all about the audio,' said Craig Friedrich, owner of Ski Country Sports in Asheville."

Having access to your iPod is important, the article notes.

"There are a lot of items that can make your time on the slopes more enjoyable — from rubber-soled ski boots to snowboard-accessible backpacks. ..."

Also noted in the article are walking accessories from WalkEZ called Revolutions, "which clip to the bottom of ski boots. They also come with a lock.

" 'It allows for a more natural gait,' Friedrich said. ..."

Click here for more innovative ideas.

T'is the season for Old North State-related gifts

Ok, Ok, I know: Hannukah has already begun, and Christmas is just days away. But if you're still in need of gift ideas, look no further than our own state.

North Carolina magazine tauts some great N.C.-related items that would make nice gifts this holiday season.

Among them are a few things the Society has noted in the not-too-distant past, such as Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier and Hugh Morton, North Carolina Photographer.

Also noted are:

-Blueprint of a Lady: Sketches of Billie Holliday by Durham's Nnenna Freelong
-Fudge from the Orchard at Altapass
-Aunt Ruby's Peanuts
-a 100-stem bouquet of lavender from Sunshine Lavender Farm
-A Carolina Hurricanes "sweater"
-An ultimate flyer sled by Raleigh's Great Outdoor Provision Co.
-and much more.

Click here (and then go to page 48) for the rest of the holiday ideas.

Schools get creative when teaching non-English-speaking students

Michael Abernethy with the Kinston Free Press has written a fantastic piece on how teachers statewide are dealing with a growing non-English-speaking population. The article focuses on teachers who appear to be just fine with the challenges.

"Like many teachers, Ramon Jones has adapted to teaching students who speak multiple languages," says the article.

"The La Grange Elementary second-grade teacher routinely uses hands-on activities and pictures to help students with vocabulary and concepts. He also pairs native English speakers and students who speak English as a Second Language (ESL) together for class work, play and other activities.

" 'Teaching ESL students isn’t a huge challenge. Sure, it’s something: It’s a barrier if they don’t know any English,' Jones said. 'But I’m up to the challenge.'

"State and federal law requires public schools to educate all students, regardless of language barriers. In recent years, No Child Left Behind has placed significant importance on educating students identified through testing as Limited English Proficient (LEP) by measuring schools on LEP students’ performance on state tests.

"This year, North Carolina added 14,000 LEP students, bringing the state total to 97,000 students. Most of that growth can be attributed to the growing Hispanic population. Between 1990 and 2004, 57 percent of public schools’ enrollment growth came from Hispanics. ..."

Read on for the rest of this fascinating piece.

N.C.'s Yellow Poplars: The Redwoods of the East

Typically, each fall, I have the chance to venture to the western part of our state for work. It gives me a great opportunity to see the mountains in their autumnal glory.

Not this year. So, alas, I must rekindle memories of trips past.

One trip, several years ago, led me to Robbinsville, and to the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, named for the "Trees" poet. (You know the one: "I think that I shall never see/A poem lovely as a tree...")

Within the Joyce Kilmer forest are Yellow Poplars that rise up to 115 feet, making them the largest trees east of the Mississippi and the third largest trees in the United States (behind the Redwoods and Sequoias).

Natural Adventures in the Mountains of Western North Carolina by Mary Ellen Hammond and Jim Parham is a book that every North Carolinian should own. It it, it features a chapter on Joyce Kilmer forest.

"A two-mile loop trail winds its way through a virgin forest where trees reach over 20 feet in circumference," says the book. "If you have enough people, see how many it takes to link hands and stretch around the largest of the trees. You'll be amazed as you find yourself dwarfed by one after another of these monsters."

Although, "monster" is probably not the right choice of word. These trees are magnificently beautiful giants.

Quick hits: Chimney Rock and the State of the Military

Still negotiating on Chimney Rock
"At this point in the game, the cards are played close to the vest," said the Asheville Citizen-Times.

" 'The negotiations are still going on — and they’re very active,' said Charlie Peek, spokesman for the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation, which is negotiating with the owners of Chimney Rock Park to buy the 1,000-acre property in Rutherford County.

"Chimney Rock Park Co. President Todd Morse declined to comment on negotiations but did say he has set no deadline for the state.

" 'Our desire is to keep this moving forward and take the time to make sure we’re satisfied with the decision,' said Morse, whose family has owned the park for a century. The public has access to about 550 acres of Chimney Rock Park, including the 315-foot-high chimney, a 404-foot-high waterfall and miles of hiking trails. ..."

New group is ready to fight for more military contracts
"North Carolina, which touts itself as the most military friendly state in the nation, is going after more military bucks," says the New Bern Sun-Journal.

"The state, which puts more boots on the ground than all but two other states as a result of its military bases, isn’t willing to settle for being 38th in the nation when it comes to military contracts. So Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue on Monday announced the formation of the N.C. Military Foundation, a group made up of high-ranking military retirees and business executives whose goal is to grow the state’s military economy.

" 'Thirty-eighth is simply not acceptable,' Perdue said.

"North Carolina ranks No. 38 in terms of military contracts as a percentage of the state’s economy, said Tim Crowley, Perdue’s spokesman. In actual military contract dollars spent, North Carolina ranks 25th, he said. ..."

Effort aimed at saving the reefs

The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries wants your leftover oyster shells.

Seriously.

"Shuck them, add a spritz of lemon juice or hot sauce if desired and slurp them up, but don't forget to recycle what's left," writes the Greenville Daily Reflector. "That's the message to local oyster lovers from the state Division of Marine Fisheries, which is pushing an oyster shell recycling program."

The program began in 2003 and continues to grow. More than 10,000 bushels have been collected so far this year, and those involved with the program hope increased public awareness will increase that number. ...

To encourage people and restaurants to drop off their shells, a tax credit of $1 for every bushel of shells will go to those who recycle.

The article goes on to give terrific information about how to get involved.

New tax credit: Starting this year, a $1 tax credit will be offered for every bushel of shells dropped off for recycling at the county's transfer station.

If you are planning a large oyster roast: Contact Sabrina Varnam at (252) 726-7021, 1-800-682-2632 or Sabrina.varnam@ncmail.net to arrange for a trailer to collect the shells.

Help wanted: Volunteers are needed to maintain collection sites and pick up shells. Contact Varnam for more information.

A nice tradition: Christmas tree shopping

More "good vibes" about Christmas tree shopping in North Carolina ...

"The experience is what's most treasured when shopping for a Christmas tree, buyers and sellers say," according to the Greenville Daily Reflector.

"The experience has given 8-year-old Marian Robbins the expertise to know a good tree when she sees one.

" 'This one has a straight top,' Robbins said as she helped her family Friday at the Boy Scouts tree sale adjacent to Colonial Mall on Charles Boulevard.

"It's important to look closely at the tree's top branch, 'so it won't be tilted when we put on the angel or star,' she explained. ..."

New law may have everyone buckled

According to Barry Smith of Freedom Press, the "days of adults legally riding in the back seat of a car without wearing a seatbelt are numbered — at least in North Carolina."

A new law taking effect Friday requires all passengers, no matter what age, to be securely buckled whether in the front seat or the back seat. Currently, backseat passengers who are 16 or older are not required to wear seatbelts.

The new law is all about saving lives, said state Sen. Bill Purcell, D-Scotland, the sponsor of the bill.

“In car crashes, persons unrestrained are 10 times more likely to have a severe injury and 20 times more likely to be killed than someone who is buckled,” Purcell said.

Purcell added that in some car crashes, an unbuckled backseat passenger can be thrown forward and become “like a flying missile.”

There is disagreement with the new law.

“There are just some things that the government ought to leave up to the individual,” said Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham. “Adults in the back seats, it seems to me that individual ought to have the ability to make those kinds of decisions without the government making them for them.”

To me this seems like a no-brainer: it's one way to "make" people do things to save lives. I have no problem with it, just like I have no problem with the state's motorcycle helmet law. It's one of the few cases where Big Brother really does look out for us.

The holiday season, or, the time when North Carolina becomes the center of the universe

I've always found it somewhat fascinating that beginning with Thanskgiving, millions of Americans will indulge in goods that are dominated by the state of North Carolina.

The Winston-Salem Journal stated today that North Carolina is the second-largest turkey-producing state after Minnesota. (By the way, Sampson County led the way in N.C. with 11 million gobblers last year.)

And then there are the sweet potatoes.

"North Carolina is the number one producer of sweet potatoes in the United States," according to the Department of Agriculture. "Today more than 40% of the natinal [sic] supply of sweet potatoes comes from North Carolina."

And, finally, the holiday season closes out with Christmas trees.

"The North Carolina Christmas Tree Industry is ranked second in the nation in number of trees harvested and first in the nation in terms of dollars made per tree," according to the N.C. Christmas Tree Association.

"The North Carolina Fraser fir has been judged the Nation's best through a contest sponsored by the National Christmas Tree Association and chosen for the official White House Christmas tree nine times (more than any other species) 1971, 1973, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, and 2007."

Quick hits: Encyclopedia Powell and new coastal rules

N.C. from A-Z
William S. Powell's tome, Encyclopedia of North Carolina, has been getting a lot of press today.

"There's not much of yesterday in the 'Encyclopedia of North Carolina,' a 15-year project that has resulted in a comprehensive history of the Tar Heel State written in small essays on various topics. The $65 book goes on sale today and is the third major historical reference book written or edited by the professor emeritus of history at UNC Chapel Hill," wrote the Associated Press.

" 'Whereas most of us might go read the latest best-seller novel, he'd rather spend his time working in his study on some kind of North Carolina puzzle that he's trying to solve,' said Jeffrey Crow, deputy director of the N.C. Office of Archives and History. 'It's just part of him. He's devoted his whole life to it.'

"More than 550 researchers, including scholars and reporters, contributed to the project, and Powell edited each submission. He also wrote dozens of entries. ..."

Building farther from the sea
"A committee to the Coastal Resources Commission agreed to a basic principal to guide the rewriting of oceanfront setback rules for the state," according to the New Bern Sun-Journal.

"That is, the bigger the building the farther it should be built from the sea, regardless of whether it is a single-family home or a hotel.

" 'Coastal hazards do not discriminate,' said Jeff Warren, coastal hazards specialist with the Division of Coastal Management.

"Current CRC ocean setback rules require commercial beachfront structures greater than 5,000 square feet to be built a distance of 60 times the erosion rate landward of the first line of stable, natural vegetation. Since most North Carolina beaches have an annual erosion rate of two feet, the commercial setback is usually 120 feet. ..."

N.C. could get toll-happy

According to the Associated Press, some six proposed toll roads could be in existence soon all across North Carolina.

In addition to the proposed stretch of Interstate 540 near Raleigh, the other prospective toll roads that the N.C. Turnpike Authority could build are, according to the AP, "the Triangle Parkway, which would go through Research Triangle Park; the Cape Fear Skyway, a proposed bridge and road connecting Wilmington to Brunswick County; the Gaston East-West Connector, which would connect Interstate 85 west of Gastonia and I-485 in Mecklenburg County; the Monroe Connector between the U.S. 74 bypass in Union County and I-485; and a proposed bridge linking mainland Currituck County to the northern Outer Banks."

How those tolls will operate is still under discussion.

"James Eden, the Turnpike Authority's chief operating officer, recommended an automated charge system to help keep traffic moving," according to the AP. "That program reduces the cost of collection for the state, but it likely would increase the number of people who violate the toll system.

"A manual pay program would cut down on violations. However, it would slow traffic. ...

"Several toll roads are expected to open over the next several years. Those self-financing roadways are designed to fill a gap in the state's transportation financing -- a projected $65 billion shortfall over the next 25 years."

Welcome, y'all!

According to a poll conducted by the Charlotte Observer and WNCN News, the majority of newcomers to the Carolinas state what we already knew: People are friendly here.

The poll, according to the Observer, found that "1 in 5 of the Carolinians interviewed said they considered themselves newcomers."

"Among those newcomers, 57 percent gave their communities high marks for being welcoming," according to the article.

"Here, people definitely seem to have more manners. I'm finding it that way so far, anyway," said Heather Lazette, who moved to Rock Hill from Wilmington in June after living in New Jersey, Colorado, Texas and other states.

Unlike most of her previous homes, neighbors have been active about greeting her and making her feel welcome, she said. "Neighbors will drive by and wave. I just find that particularly friendly," she said.

Poll respondents said a better lifestyle was the most common reason for moving here, with 59 percent naming that as their motivation. The next-highestreason was a job or other economic factor. Being close to other family members came next, and a better climate was fourth.

Francois Brown, a newcomer to the Matthews area, lived in Charlotte for a few years following time in Fayetteville and his upbringing in New York. As he built his house on a private road in Matthews last year, neighbors stopped by during construction to ask how it was going.

"Considering I'm a black man moving into a lot of white neighborhoods, it's been pretty welcoming," he said.

Click here for the rest of the article.

ECU dental school approved

From WRAL.com:
"A $90 million dental school at East Carolina University won unanimous support Friday from the University of North Carolina's Board of Governors, who will next ask the General Assembly for money.

"The project will include the dental school at ECU's campus in Greenville and up to 10 clinics in rural and underserved areas statewide. The clinics will be staffed by students in their fourth and final year of dental training.

"Supporters say the school is needed to ease a chronic shortage of dentists in North Carolina. The only other public dental school in the state is at UNC's main campus in Chapel Hill. ..."

Easley presents seven with North Carolina Awards

Gov. Mike Easley and first lady Mary Easley presented North Carolina Awards to seven people on Wednesday in Durham.

The annual awards, created by the General Assembly in 1961, are the highest civilian honor bestowed by the state and recognize individuals for their contributions to the arts, public service and science. The winners were selected from citizen nominations.

Former Gov. James E. Holshouser Jr. was one of the recipients.

"Holshouser, who lives in Southern Pines, became the first Republican governor of North Carolina in the 20th century when he was elected in 1972," said the Fayetteville Observer. "During his tenure, the state university system was consolidated under the board of governors. After leaving office, Holshouser was elected to the board, where he still serves as member emeritus."

Another Fayetteville-related winner was Roy Parker Jr., who writes a military history column for the Observer.

"Parker, who writes the Military History column for the Observer’s weekly Military section, has been covering news in North Carolina for more than 50 years. He served as the Washington correspondent for The News & Observer of Raleigh from 1963 to 1972.

"Following that job, he returned to North Carolina as the press secretary for Hargrove 'Skipper' Bowles’ gubernatorial campaign. After that, Parker became the first editor of The Fayetteville Times in 1973," wrote the Observer.

The other winners of North Carolina Awards were:
-Thomas K. Hearn Jr., of Winston-Salem, who served as president of Wake Forest University for 22 years.
-Charles Sanders, a retired Glaxo chief executive, recently finished a one-year term as the first chairman of the North Carolina Education Lottery Commission.
-Artist William Williams of New York, a Fayetteville native who has received a Guggenheim Fellowship and two awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, was honored along with writer Emily Herring Wilson of Winston-Salem, whose poetry, nonfiction writings and university teachings have examined the importance of women.
-Writer Michael Parker, an English professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, also was honored. Parker has written novels such as “Hello Down There” and “Virginia Lovers” and more than 20 short stories, according to the Observer.

Quick hits: Shuler finally wins, and more on the dental school in the east

Shuler going back to D.C. a winner (a News & Observer Q&A)
"Former Washington Redskins quarterback Heath Shuler is returning to the nation's capital as a congressman representing Western North Carolina. Shuler, a conservative Democrat from Waynesville, defeated veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor, a banker and timber producer from Brevard. ..."

UNC board to discuss ECU dental school (Greenville Daily Reflector)
"In four appearances before University of North Carolina system agencies, East Carolina University officials have yet to hear a 'no' vote on their latest proposal to start a dental school.

"The most crucial UNC votes occur this week, and an ECU alumnus on the UNC Board of Governors cautiously expects the positive trend to continue.

" 'I really don't want to jinx this because our battles are hard-fought sometimes to gain things like that, but my belief right now is everybody is feeling pretty good about it,' said Greenville attorney Phil Dixon, a member of the UNC Board of Governors.

" 'I would be surprised if we didn't have approval,' Dixon said.

"Dixon serves on the Board's educational planning committee, which will vote today on ECU's request to begin offering dentistry degrees. The committee meets at 1 p.m. at the UNC General Administration in Chapel Hill. ..."

Ski season opens early in Carolina

The first ski trails in North Carolina opened this past weekend, beginning with the Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley. The earlier-than-normal cold weather meant that Cataloochee could begin making snow for the slopes.

"I come from Tennessee every week (of the season). It's that good up here," Kendall Clark, a youth ski coach from Newport, Tenn., told the Associated Press.

"People are definitely excited. We've only been closed for seven months," since April 1, general manager Chris Bates told the AP. "We hope to ski until the end of April."

Quick hits: EI pier update and the Hispanic influence

Bogue Inlet Pier deal falls through
"Bogue Inlet Pier and its surrounding property is back on the market, and Emerald Isle is back at work on its efforts to buy one of the last public fishing piers on the island," according to the Jacksonville Daily News.

"The town announced Tuesday that its previous agreement with Mid-Atlantic Real Estate and Development of Raleigh to acquire the pier and 3.8 acres of land around it has fallen through.

" 'It’s frustrating; but we tried as hard as we possibly could to make it work, and we’ll keep trying,' said Town Manager Frank Rush.

"Mid-Atlantic held a contract to purchase a total of 15 acres, and the town had developed plans to buy the pier and improve water quality in the vicinity by removing three stormwater outfalls that drain into the ocean.

"The deal was contingent upon the town receiving a $3 million N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund grant and Mid-Atlantic finalizing its purchase from the Stanley family of Emerald Isle.

"Rush said the contract between the Stanley family and Mid-Atlantic has been terminated, thus also terminating the town’s agreement."

Hispanics have role in state economy
"The influx of Hispanics, both authorized and unauthorized, has created a complex economic give and take within North Carolina, members of the business community and others discussed Tuesday at a seminar in Greenville," according to the Greenville Daily Reflector.

"The seminar, Exploring the Economic Impact of North Carolina's Hispanic Population, was the sixth to be held across the state. It was sponsored by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in conjunction with North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry and the North Carolina Bankers Association.

"The luncheon session revolved around a study by the University of North Carolina's Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. ...

"Ultimately, the study concluded the fiscal impact to the state of Hispanics through education, health services and corrections totaled about $817 million in 2004. Direct and indirect tax contributions by Hispanics for the same year added to $756 million, resulting in a net cost for the state budget of $61 million or approximately $102 per Hispanic resident.

" 'People say Aha, they're costing us, but before you Aha, think how much you cost us,' the study's co-author, James Johnson Jr., told seminar attendees Tuesday."

New York Times discovers N.C. writers

OK, that's a little bit of hyberole. But this Sunday's New York Times book section did feature reviews on three books written by North Carolinians -- three very different North Carolinians.

Perhaps one of the most anticipated new books is Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier (of Cold Mountain fame.)

"Frazier’s first novel, 'Cold Mountain,' distilled the Civil War into the alternating stories of a lone Confederate deserter, making his slow and dangerous way home through the mountains of western North Carolina, and the young woman awaiting his return," writes the newspaper. "That 1997 book won both critical acclaim, including a National Book Award, and huge popular success, with more than four million copies now in print in the United States and a film adaptation that has grossed more than $160 million worldwide. Readers and critics (including Alfred Kazin, in one of his last published reviews) embraced the novel as an American epic, much as a previous generation had embraced another book that set doomed love against a Civil War backdrop: 'Gone With the Wind.'

"Almost a decade later, Frazier revisits the same mountains to evoke another epic 19th-century journey: the forced expulsion (then referred to as the Cherokee Removal) of some 17,000 Native Americans, who set off on what came to be known as the Trail of Tears. But, as their titles should suggest, while 'Cold Mountain' was a trip across the physical landscape, 'Thirteen Moons' is more of a passage through time. When we first encounter its narrator, Will Cooper, it’s the early 20th century and he’s in his 90’s, surviving incongruously amid a world of automobiles, telephones and moving pictures."

"Kudzu" cartoonist Doug Marlette has quite the reputation as a "tell it like it is" Southern storyteller when it comes to his tomes; he pulls no punches. Marlette is back with Magic Time.

Writes the Times: "Doug Marlette, a self-aware Southern journalist and a promiscuous position-taker ... doesn’t turn tail and doesn’t have much respect for those who do. Styling himself an 'equal opportunity offender,' he’s spent decades attacking hypocrites and blowhards with his Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoons, in his 'Kudzu' comic strip and most recently in fiction. 'My talent is like a pit bull on a very long leash, and each day when I take it out for a stroll I hold on for dear life,' said the cartoonist-protagonist of Marlette’s first novel, 'The Bridge' (2001). There’s no question Marlette was talking about himself.

"In 'Magic Time,' Marlette’s second novel, he’s trying to put that dog on the scent of something big: his own vision of the South and Southerners, and, indeed, of America. Marlette wants to hunt out and attack the seminal issues — race, history, shame .... So he walks the trail back to the same moment, the early 1960’s, in a place, Mississippi, where choices were stark and, yes, very much required, yet many Southerners tried like hell not to make them."

And then there's Amy Sedaris. For quite some time she's held the title of "David Sedaris' sister." Well, after some great acting roles (both on TV, movies and on stage), Sedaris, who grew up in Raleigh, takes on the book world with I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence.

"Amy Sedaris has written a book on entertaining. To my mind, the most entertaining thing this writer-actress ever did was to perform Off Broadway (in plays she wrote with her brother David) in roles for which she would tape the tip of her nose up against her face. The effect was porcine. Moreover, the elongation of Miss Sedaris’s nostrils, combined with the actress’s feral energy and freshets of filthy dialogue, was comedically intoxicating: I laughed so hard that I tasted my own bile," writes the Times.

"Sedaris’s wonderfully dizzy new book has a less galvanizing effect, but to hold anything up to her former nasal-comedic heights is only to make it look saggy and distended by comparison — less Amy Sedaris’s nose and more Nora Ephron’s neck. No, the more apt comparison is the interior designer Dorothy Draper’s 1941 classic, 'Entertaining Is Fun!' As Draper did, Sedaris starts out by telling us what her book is not, and also by acknowledging that parties don’t need to be formal or extravagant. On the first subject, Sedaris writes, 'This is not a joke cookbook.' On the second: 'Don’t think of pony kegs and loud Southern rock or cigarillos and businesswomen. Don’t think of pools and diving for loose change. Don’t think about cockfights — even though it’s hard not to.' Instead, she urges us to 'think simplicity. Because if there is one thing that I am, it’s clinically simple.'"

You're studying what?

We all know that some colleges have historically "created" curriculums designed for, well, the "student athletes." You know the ones; those are typically the majors that make you go "really? You can get a degree in that?" when flashed below a basketball player's name on TV.

But here's the thing: Apparently there are other people who actually want to take some of those quirky classes.

North Carolina magazine, in its October issue, has an article entitled, "Unique and Unusual Courses Abound," about the "dazzling array" of courses offered at N.C. schools of higher learning. They either sound really cool ... or really made-up.

Among the offerings?
Canadian Studies -- Duke University
Boating Skills and Seamanship -- East Carolina
Witchcraft and Magic in European History -- UNC-Greensboro
Legal Issues in Film and Entertainment Law -- UNC-Wilmington (naturally)
Presidential Rhetoric -- Wake Forest
White Collar Crime -- Wake Forest
Forensic Anthropology -- Western Carolina University

And the best of all? My alma mater, of course: The Dinosaurian World -- North Carolina State University.

Go Pack! Or, rather, Go T-Rex!

'Oh, (N.C.) Christmas Tree'

Gauging by the decorations already up at local malls, it's clear that the retail industry doesn't think it's too early to begin looking ahead to Christmas, so neither do I.

That being said, it's also never too early to start thinking about your Christmas tree. (After all, Halloween is almost here ... and then Thanksgiving.) We tend to get ours from the N.C. Farmers Market in Raleigh, though we would love to eventually make the trip to the mountains -- saw in hand -- and choose and cut our own. Someday ... someday.

Nonetheless, the N.C. Christmas Tree Association offers an online guide to choosing the right tree for you. The association's website also offers folks the chance to find growers and sellers in your area.

Happy hunting!

Update: Fall colors hitting peak

This weekend (not last) is predicted to be the best for viewing peak fall colors in the North Carolina mountains.

The Asheville Citizen-Times has a great article (and photo gallery) about the various ways to best see the tremendous colors. You can do so by horse, foot, bike or even raft.

"Why would you want to suck exhaust fumes on the parkway when you can float peacefully down the river?" "French Broad Rafting Expeditions owner Michael Hampton asked the paper.

ECU dental school a good idea

From a purely philosophical and social perspective (and without getting into the financial implications), the thought of a dental school at East Carolina University is a noble one -- and the right one. The region would be well-served with a teaching facility for dentists -- dentists that may very likely remain in Eastern N.C. to practice.

But, of course, there is backlash. And just like when ECU was trying to establish a medical school, that backlash is coming from Chapel Hill (or those associated with that school there).

"Some say dentists in the state -- most of whom trained at UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Dentistry -- may not want to see an upstart challenge their alma mater for students, faculty and scarce state resources," writes the News & Observer.

"There also appears to be a more practical reason for the lack of enthusiasm: A new dental school would eventually pump as many as 50 new dentists a year into the existing market, creating competition for patients and, over time, making it harder to earn a good living."

Harder to make a good living? With the exception of a few, most dentists I know only work four days a week and do very well. And my assumption is that those that are concerned are worried about a glut of new dentists into the Triangle (where people are pouring into the area) and not ENC (where the dentists are needed). So what if there are more dentists in the urban areas? They are needed there as well. But not nearly as much as they are needed in the east.

Dr. Rex Card, a Raleigh dentist who is president of the N.C. Dental Society, told the N&O that the dental school could be a bad thing.

Card "said when he started practicing in the early 1980s, North Carolina and many states had an oversupply of dentists. Many did not have enough patients and left the state, he said.

"Card said some dental society members are concerned a new ECU dental program could bring back those conditions, even though it wouldn't admit its first class until 2010 or 2011, under the most optimistic timeline.

" 'For the first few years it might be a good thing,' said Card. 'But after that we might be producing too many.'"

Are Duke, UNC, Wake Forest and ECU producing too many doctors? (Oh, no! There's no such thing!)

It should surprise no one that the dental society supports expanding UNC's program. But that's not the real issue.

"There's little argument that residents of the state's poor and rural areas have a difficult time getting dental care. Ann Lamm, 64, can't remember the last time she had her teeth examined, cleaned or otherwise tended, but it has been years. She can't afford a dentist and none work at the free health clinic in the Halifax County town of Roanoke Rapids where she gets medical care.

" 'I need my teeth looked after just like anyone else,'" Lamm told the N&O, "noting that older people who don't qualify for Medicaid or who aren't old enough for Medicare are especially vulnerable. Children, too, have had trouble getting care."

Spectacular colors on tap for Western N.C.

A good number of my good friends are going camping in the North Carolina mountains this weekend, and I am unbelievably jealous. Not only will they have a good ol' time, the fall colors should be as spectacular as ever.

"They would be looking at some particularly vibrant yellows and rich maroon reds," Crae Morton, the president of Grandfather Mountain, told the Winston-Salem Journal. "The berries of the mountain ash are gorgeous this year; it's a very rich red that really stands out on a lot of trees. I'm noting a lot of apple-colored reds and some really bright yellows with just a hint of orange in them. It's just a real pretty leaf season."

Gary Walker, a biology professor at Appalachian State University, said that a cold and dry spell in September helped create particularly good colors.

"That's good because it stresses the trees to shut down early before all the sugars are transported out (of the leaves)," Walker said.

Cool weather now will help lock in the colors, he said, while pushing those leaves that are still green to move into their colors.

So, you can see why I'm jealous. Perhaps this last comment, however, will put my mind at ease.

"Forecasts even call for possible snow flurries at the highest elevations today. The National Weather Service predicts lows in the mid-30s tonight in Boone and a low of about 30 on Friday."

The scenic subtext of the Blue Ridge

A great piece on CNN's Travel page (written by the Associated Press) details writer Anne Mitchell Whisnant's work on the "scenic subtext" of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the frontier-like atmosphere of its inhabitants.

"On a postcard-perfect Saturday at the Heffner Gap Overlook, Anne Mitchell Whisnant reads from one of the scores of informational signs -- known as 'gun boards' for their frontier rifle logos -- posted along the 470 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway," says the article.

" 'There were few homegrown products more useful to the mountain farmer than apples,' she reads. 'Cuttings from favorite trees were often taken from place to place when the family moved or children left home. Today, old apple trees often indicate the location of a beloved but abandoned mountain homestead.'

"The gun board's evocation of a simple, pre-industrial mountain lifestyle is part of the grand, immensely popular illusion created by the National Park Service, Whisnant writes in her new book 'Super-Scenic Motorway: A Blue Ridge Parkway History.' The book strips away decades of such myth-making fostered by tourism officials and the park service, and details the social, economic and political battles that shaped a two-lane road that's the most visited place managed by the park service. ...

" 'The park service loves to talk about the landscape architects and their vision and the design,' Whisnant said during a recent drive along a 40-mile stretch of the road, from Julian Price Park south of Blowing Rock to Little Switzerland. 'What there hasn't been attention to are these other forces -- historical, cultural, social ... political -- that also shaped the way the thing looks.' ..."

Click here for the rest of the intriguing story.

Sylvan Heights could be a cultural, economic boom to NE N.C.

I had the pleasure recently to visit the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center in Scotland Neck. It is the world's largest waterfowl sanctuary, with birds representing the entire world. Quite simply, it's a gem in our own backyard.

Sylvan Heights will soon be open to the public; leaders hope it will be a tourist destination for thousands. And it should be.

"On Saturday, the nonprofit conservation organization will host a day of ceremonies to commemorate the grand opening of the Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park & Eco-Center, a 9-acre zoo that will exhibit the many species of birds previously kept behind the scenes," said the Rocky Mount Telegram.

" 'It's a unique facility,' said Mike Lubbock, executive director of Sylvan Heights. 'There's probably not another one in the world quite like it, and certainly not one in North America.'

"Out back, they can walk around a series of netted aviaries holding 200 different species of birds from every continent except Antarctica. Park administrators said the center is a way to give the public a glance at the organization's efforts.

" 'People started hearing there was this great center here for birds and they wanted to see it,' said Jocelyn Wright, the park's operations assistant. 'This place was too special to keep a secret any longer.' ..."

Hopefully Sylvan Heights will not remain a secret, and visitors will make the trek to Halifax County to enjoy what the center has to offer.

Fayetteville museum opens 'Hall of Giants'

On Wednesday, the Special Operations Forces Exhibit at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville was dedicated. The exhibit highlights key special operations events and missions since 1980.

"The new displays include 29 figures, full-scale dioramas and audiovisual presentations about Special Forces, Rangers, civil affairs, psychological operations and special operations aviation," said the Fayetteville Observer.

"Among guests Wednesday were Brig. Gen. John Mulholland and Col. Dave Fox, who relied on close-air support while leading forces during early operations in Afghanistan."

Kurt Muse on Wednesday had a chance to critique a display that shows his 1989 rescue from a Panamanian prison by U.S. special operations soldiers.

“It’s very, very real, except that it’s compressed because of space requirements,” Muse said. “But the wall was like that. The cupola was like that. ... That’s how the operators dressed that evening when they came in to rescue me.” ...

Muse was jailed in April 1989 for activities against the Panamanian regime of Manuel Noriega. The rescue took place during the U.S. invasion of Panama in December.

“When you walk in there, you walk into a hall of giants,” Muse said. “Americans risked their life to give me life.”

Frazier's back with 'Thirteen Moons'

My title as a native North Carolinian may be stripped, but I'm just going to go ahead and say it, damn the torpedoes.

(Sigh)

I didn't like Cold Mountain.

Actually, I must rephrase that: I didn't finish Cold Mountain. Heck, I couldn't get past the first dozen pages or so. There's only so much I can read about a fly buzzing around war victims.

Having said that, there's no doubt that Cold Mountain by North Carolina's Charles Frazier is one of the most important books of the past 20 years or so.

"I thought if Cold Mountain was ever published, 10,000 people in the South or the Appalachians might be interested in it,” Frazier told the Asheville Citizen-Times.

"Four million copies later, with translations into 30 foreign languages, a National Book Award and a slew of literary prizes and the inspiration for an Oscar-nominated movie, Frazier had created a phenomenon," says the article.

" 'I tried to make it as local and true to Western North Carolina as I could, but it seemed to touch something universal,' admitted the Asheville native who grew up in Andrews."

Frazier has taken his time working on his follow up, which is called Thirteen Moons.

"It seems blasphemous to even consider the possibility of a sophomore slump for a writer as hugely talented and important as Frazier," writes USA Today. "But comparisons are inevitable, in no small part because Frazier invites them.

"Like Cold Mountain, Thirteen Moons is set in 19th-century North Carolina. Like Cold Mountain, it's a love story — although the love object is a lot more slippery than Ada Monroe. And like Cold Mountain, it's about a changing America, an elegy to the loss of a beloved way of life. Even the dust jackets, with their misty images of distant mountains, are similar.

"But there are also significant differences, which give Thirteen Moons its own distinct and sometimes magical life.

"Gone is the omniscient narrator of Cold Mountain, who like a hawk followed the riveting, dangerous journey of Inman back to his true love. In its place is the first-person voice of orphaned Will Cooper, who as Thirteen Moons opens is an old man baffled by a new invention (the telephone) who has decided it's time to tell the story of his life. ..." (Click here to read the rest of the review.)

Frazier's lastest is once again linked with the Tar Heel State -- perhaps even moreso than his first offering.

"Turning his meticulous research and elegant style from the Civil War setting of Cold Mountain, Frazier found inspiration for Thirteen Moons in the rich heritage and often tragic history of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians," says the Citizen-Times.

" 'The Eastern Band is very pleased that such a notable author as Charles Frazier has undertaken the daunting task of conveying intricate stories typical of our Removal Era history,' said Principal Chief Michell Hicks in the tribe’s official statement on the book. ...

"If Frazier’s first book is any indication, Cherokee can expect a boom in business. More than a book, Cold Mountain became a kind of travel guide to many fans. Many have tried to trace the physical route of Frazier’s hero, Inman, as he walked from Raleigh to Haywood County. The community of Cold Mountain itself existed only in Frazier’s imagination, but the novel’s name came from the lonely 6,030-foot peak visible from the Blue Ridge Parkway. ..."

Kudos to Bowles

UNC System President Erskine Bowles has proposed a plan that would "create a way to predict tuition and fee increases over four years" for UNC schools, accoding to the Winston-Salem Journal.

"The plan would be tied to new funds from the General Assembly and would cap in-state undergraduate tuition and fee increases at 6.5 percent a year if the legislature appropriates at least a 6 percent increase a year."

Said Bowles: "It is a ceiling, not a floor."

If this was the only thing Bowles accomplished during his tenure as UNC president, then it would be enough. North Carolina has long been lauded for its affordable higher education; in recent years that reputation has taken a hit. Something needs to be done, and Bowles deserves kudos for attempting to do something.

More from the Journal:

For every 1 percent more the legislature hands out, campuses would have to decrease their tuition increases by 1 percent. For example, if the General Assembly gave the UNC system 7 percent more in financing, campuses would have to limit their tuition increases to 5.5 percent.

A 6.5 percent annual increase could put Winston-Salem State University's tuition and fees at a maximum of $4,019 by 2010-11. They are now $3,108. The N.C. School of the Arts could increase from $4,679 to $5,962.

Campuses would have to use much of the additional money for financial aid and faculty salaries, UNC officials said yesterday. They would also be able to appeal for larger tuition increases but would have to prove extreme hardship to get them.

Bowles said that the cap comes from the average tuition increase since 1972, the year the UNC system was created by merging the state's public campuses. But for many years, tuition increases have been all over the map, from none to as high as 24.7 percent.

He said that a four-year plan would give students and the UNC system predictability but maintain revenue to deal with inflation. "These chancellors aren't particularly happy with me," he said. "I don't think you'll find any of them (who) think I'm a hero today.

"I am a low-tuition man. I admit that readily. But low tuition without high quality is no bargain for anybody."

Quick hit: Elizabethan Gardens a showplace

From the Washington Daily News ...
"Where early colonists once strived to make a new lives, a living memorial of flowers and towering live oak trees now draws visitors to this majestic spot on Roanoke Island.

"The Elizabethan Gardens, created by the Garden Clubs of North Carolina, along with the adjacent Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Waterside Theatre, home of “The Lost Colony” outdoor drama, pay tribute to those first English settlers in the New World, who journeyed here as part of Sir Walter Raleigh’s Roanoke Voyages of 1584-1590.

"Construction on this 16th century-inspired garden began June 2, 1953, the day Elizabeth II was crowned queen of England. But it was the inspiration several years earlier of a group of philanthropists, including noted North Carolina author and historian Inglis Fletcher, who felt that such a garden would be the perfect complement to Fort Raleigh.

"The proposal was presented to the garden clubs in 1951 and the organization, comprised of thousands of women from across the state, set a modest goal of erecting a 2- acre garden budgeted at $10,000. However, the gift of priceless statuaries, bird baths, stone steps and benches, and a fountain from the Georgia estate of John Hay Whitney, ambassador to the Court of St. James, resulted in the more elaborate gardens that can be viewed today.

"The Elizabethan Gardens formally opened on August 18, 1960, which was the 373rd anniversary of the birth of Virginia Dare, the first child born in the New World to English parents. Since then the attraction has expanded and is considered a “must see” for gardening enthusiasts who visit the area each year."

New Morton book of photos available

A new book of photos by the late great Hugh Morton will soon be available to purchase.

"Before his death June 1," says the Wilmington Star-News, Morton was "working on a second coffee-table-sized album of his photographs, a follow-up to his 2003 book, Hugh Morton's North Carolina.

"That second book, Hugh Morton, North Carolina Photographer, is now out from the University of North Carolina Press. It will officially be released Oct. 12 ($30).

"This volume focuses primarily on the Tar Heel State's natural wonders. Many of the color prints were taken near Morton's home at Linville or around his beloved Grandfather Mountain. Included, however, are striking images of a nesting osprey on Orton Pond in Brunswick County, a flock of pelicans nesting on a spoil island in the Cape Fear River and one of Orton Plantation's spectacular live oaks."