The importance of agriculture

At different times over the years, we have highlighted some of North Carolina's agricultural successes. But it is easy to think that we are in a state of flux (literally); to look around, especially in the Triangle (where I live), one would think that North Carolina is primarily an urban state and that farms are disappearing.

Well, Congressman Larry Kissell* writes in the Richmond County Daily Journal that we must remember our agricultural roots. They do, after all, run very deep. And economically speaking, farming is still essential.

"What farmers provide to our nation is invaluable," writes Kissell. "They put food on our tables, clothes on our backs, provide world-class goods and raw materials for export, represent a significant part of the economy in every state in the Union, and soon may be a key component in lessening America’s dependence on foreign oil. No nation can truly be free and secure unless it can provide for its own food, clothing, fuel and economic stability. So it is no exaggeration when I say that farmers are vital to America’s maintaining its role as a world power.

"Yet, all too often, family farmers are taken for granted. As we enjoy the many benefits of a productive agricultural sector, we should never forget the hard work, and the risk, and the investment, and the skill required to bring these products to market. According to a 2007 study by the USDA, 98 percent of all farms are family farms. The agriculture and farming industry of our State is key to our economic recovery and viability. North Carolina remains in the top three states for the production of tobacco, sweet potatoes, Christmas trees, hogs, turkeys and cucumbers [emphasis mine].

Wow, I had no idea just invaluable agriculture is to the state -- particularly in cucumbers and (still) tobacco. As Kissell writes, farming "has been the backbone of America’s economy since Colonial times; and we must never lose sight of the fact that farms and farmers are an absolutely essential part of our nation’s economy, ecology, and security."

*The Dare Society does not endorse any political candidate.

(Image from AmericanFeast.com)

Bobcats clinch playoff berth

It took six years, but the Charlotte Bobcats are finally in the playoffs. And they clinched their berth by defeating the former Charlotte Hornets, who now reside in New Orleans. (And, in an even stranger twist, Hornets owner George Shinn is thinking of selling his share of the New Orleans franchise.)

The 'Cats were up by 26 at one point in the third quarter. Somehow, they squandered it to trail by eight.

"Good teams don't let those things happen, but they also extracted themselves from what would have been a real mess when D.J. Augustin, who grew up in the Big Easy, made a huge 3-pointer with 15 seconds left," writes Rick Bonnell.

"This victory, combined with a loss by the Toronto Raptors, clinched the playoffs, since the eighth-place Raptors and ninth-place Chicago Bulls still have a game remaining. Since one has to lose, the Bobcats' 42-36 record gets them in."

Filming heating up in the Port City

The Wilmington area is getting busy with several new TV shows and a (not-so) new movie being filmed there.

A new TV pilot called "Playing With Guns" is slated to start filming soon. "If the show is picked up it will air on Spike TV," says the Star-News.

Danny Masterson (“That ‘70s Show”) and Joey Kern (“Cabin Fever”) will likely star in “Playing With Guns,” according to TheWrap. Its story line revolves around two high school buddies who become cops. They do the police work, but they also like the idea of getting paid to hang out, carry loaded weapons and hit on women.

We have already mentioned the as-yet-untitled medical drama from John Wells that is filming around Wilmington. But since then some new names have joined the cast, notably UNCW alum Skeet Ulrich and Sissy Spacek. As the paper's Jeff Hidek writes, having Spacek on board means that the "project’s chances of pick-up are slightly better." I would agree.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Spacek will play the cancer-stricken leader of a mobile medical team that travels around the country helping in times of emergency. Spacek will play the mother of “Twilight” actress Rachelle Lefevre’s character.

Spacek, who just wrapped a winning supporting role on “Big Love,” is the biggest name in a cast that also includes Janeane Garofalo, Skeet Ulrich, Amy Smart, Michael Beach and Jay Hernandez.

By the way, Spacek has worked here twice before, on “Marie: A True Story” in 1984 and “Crimes of the Heart” in 1986.

Ulrich will play a Harvard-educated cardiologist with a junkie ex-wife he still loves and a 6-year-old daughter.

And, finally, "Bolden" is back in the area and will begin filming in June.

"Bolden!” follows the life and times of musical legend Buddy Bolden, who turned the New Orleans music scene upside down with his loud, often improvisational cornet style that would later be known as jazz.

The movie filmed in the Wilmington area from March through September 2007 and gained notoriety in the local film community for its elaborate sets and costuming. The movie is rumored to have cost $10 million. Writer/Director Dan Pritzker was reported by Forbes magazine to be worth $1.7 billion in hotels and investments.

Notable cast and crew include Anthony Mackie, Jackie Earle Haley, Omar Gooding and executive producer Wynton Marsalis. No word yet on if any of the main cast members will be back in town.

While “Bolden!” was filming, the cast and crew also simultaneously made a silent film called “The Great Observer,” which focuses on Louis Armstrong's role in jazz history. It's still listed as being in production.

Duke triumphs; no C-Indy-rella this time

A month ago, you might have thought that the Duke Blue Devils would reach the Final Four of men's basketball. But very few saw Mike Krzyzewski's team having the weapons and depth to get past a Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky or even West Virginia.

Well, not only did the Blue Devils survive and advance (and destroy the Mountaineers in the process), but they also edged out a scrappy yet talented Butler team in the Bulldogs' hometown of Indianapolis. With the 61-59 win, Duke earned its fourth national title.

"Duke didn't play perfectly on the final night of the season," writes Dan Wiederer. "But as they had all season long, the Blue Devils played hard and together and operated with a champion's composure. The only problem was that Butler played the exact same way."

Heck, even after the game Coach K was in shock.

"It's hard to imagine that we're the national champions," he said.

The win puts K -- already in elite territory -- in uber-elite territory.

"Near speechless in the wake of his fourth NCAA basketball championship, the Duke coach on Monday night joined the late legendary Kentucky patriarch [Adolph Rupp] as No. 2 on the title list," writes Caulton Tudor.

"Only former UCLA coach John Wooden has more - a lot more. Odds are no one will match Wooden's 10 titles, but Krzyzewski and Duke have pulled even with Adolph Rupp, whose Wildcats teams ruled in 1948, '49, '51 and '58"

Not bad company.

To paraphrase Wiederer, Duke is back on the mountain top of college basketball.

"Somehow, the fairy tale ending had become all theirs."

(Photo by Chuck Liddy, N&O)

The sad fate of the Carolina parakeet

Bill Bryson, in his book, A Short Guide to Nearly Everything, writes that the now extinct Carolina parakeet was "arguably the most striking and beautiful bird ever to live in North America."

I had heard about these wonderful birds (actually, parrots) before, but had never paid much attention to them until I came across that passage that describes their emerald green bodies with golden heads.

"[A]t its peak it existed in vast numbers, exceeded only by the passenger pigeon. But the Carolina parakeet was also considered a pest by farmers and easily hunted because it flocked tightly and had a peculiar habit of flying up at the sound of gunfire (as you would expect) , but then returning almost at once to check on fallen comrades."

Obviously, behavior like that can only hold for so long. The last wild Carolina parakeet died in Florida in 1904, while the last captive one died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918.

Unfortunately, that lowly last majestic bird, named Inca, was stuffed.

"And where would you go to see poor Inca now? Nobody knows," writes Bryson. "The zoo lost it."

The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Downtown Raleigh has a copy of an Audobon depiction of the bird (pictured). And Wikipedia alludes to stuffed specimens at the Raleigh museum and of one in Germany.

More hard times for (the park formerly known as) Hard Rock Park

Despite not technically being in North Carolina, we have followed the ups and downs (mostly downs) of the Myrtle Beach-based Hard Rock Park/Freestyle Park -- for no other reason than we know a number of North Carolinians vacation in the "Redneck Riviera."

Well, the park may not open anytime soon.

"An attorney representing Freestyle Amusement Park on the South Carolina coast said Monday the operators of the park have no current plans to reopen this summer," says the Associated Press.

"There are currently no plans to reopen for 2010, however they are in negotiations still with several investors and that's subject to change if something were to happen with the investors," said attorney David Slough.

The financially troubled park in Myrtle Beach was to have reopened earlier this month. Last month, Freestyle closed its business offices and laid off about 30 workers. ...

Freestyle opened last Memorial Day weekend after buying Hard Rock Park out of bankruptcy and reworking some of the rides and themes.

The 55-acre Hard Rock opened in 2008, but closed after a single season. The $400 million park was the biggest single investment in South Carolina tourism.

Freestyle Amusement Park faces a Thursday deadline to pay off a $570,000 debt it inherited when it bought Hard Rock. ...

Quick hits: Duke back in Final Four, and the oldest shipwreck in N.C. found

Duke punches another Final Four ticket
"Duke senior guard Jon Scheyer fiddled absently Sunday evening with the loop he'd cut from the net at Reliant Stadium that represented a lifetime goal fulfilled," said Ken Tysiac.

"A baseball cap that proclaimed Duke regional champions sat on Scheyer's left knee as the last few reporters hung around the locker room. Scheyer and junior backcourt partner Nolan Smith had just shredded Baylor's zone defense, combining for 49 points to lift Duke to a 78-71 win in the NCAA tournament's South Regional final. ..."

Oh, and Duke's presence may have salvaged CBS' ratings.

Shipwreck may be oldest off N.C. coast

"Small waves lapped over Nathan Henry's rubber boots as the underwater archaeologist stood among the stubby hull timbers of what could be the oldest shipwreck on the North Carolina coast.

"It was low tide and the surf was receding in Corolla. A cold north wind penetrated even a hoodie pulled over a knit cap.

"Henry, a curator with the North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch, had come here Tuesday with Richard Lawrence, the agency director, to further document the 400-year-old wreck before it disappears," said the Virginian-Pilot.

Hit the Indian Heritage Scenic Byway

From N.C. DOT. Never even knew this existed. Pretty cool. And a good idea for an area that could use a boost.

If you're looking for a quick getaway after being cooped up this winter, a trip on the Indian Heritage Trail Scenic Byway is the perfect adventure. The byway snakes through 18 miles of Richmond and Montgomery counties near the center of the state, but takes visitors much further – back to a time centuries ago when Native Americans were the only residents of North Carolina.

The byway begins at the intersection of Ellerbe (State Road 1441) and Millstone (S.R. 1452) roads just east of the town of Ellerbe in Richmond County. Travel 2.5 miles down Millstone Road to reach Ellerbe, which received its name from W.T. Ellerbe, a South Carolina plantation owner who established a recreational and health facility around what he believed to be healing mineral springs in the area.

In Ellerbe, turn right onto U.S. 220 North (Church Street) to follow the byway. For a quick side trip, continue straight across the intersection of Millstone and Church streets to reach the Rankin Museum of American Heritage, located two blocks down on the left. The museum boasts one of the largest American Indian collections in the state, featuring artifacts from North Carolina tribes as well as those from further reaches, including Amazon Indian and Eskimo items. Natural history exhibits, and an extensive fossil collection can also be found here. (Museum hours are 10-4 weekdays, closed Wednesday, 1-5 on Saturday and 2-5 on Sunday).

Traveling north on U.S. 220 from Ellerbe, motorists pass through North Carolina's famous peach-growing region. Leaving Ellerbe, travel one mile and turn left onto N.C. 73 North. A N.C. Department of Transportation rest area with picnic tables is located to the right. Just a half-mile down U.S. 220 from the intersection is the facility originally established by W.T. Ellerbe, today known as the Historic Ellerbe Springs Inn and Restaurant.

Continue 11.5 miles before turning right onto Indian Mound Road and crossing into Montgomery County. The Town Creek Indian Mound Historic Site – the only state historic site in North Carolina dedicated to Native American heritage – is 1.5 miles down the road on the right. This archaeological site was an important ceremonial center for the Creek Indians of the Pee Dee culture, some 300 to 400 years ago. Visitors can tour the reconstructed temples and see various exhibits. (Site hours are Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m., closed Mondays).

The byway ends where Indian Mound Road intersects with N.C. 731, just east of Mount Gilead. Without stops, the drive is about 35 minutes.

For maps and descriptions of all 54 scenic byways in North Carolina, visit www.ncdot.gov/~scenic.

N.C. wines coming into their own

We've discussed before the historical popularity and success of North Carolina's wine industry. In fact, as Phil Kirk writes here, North Carolina's wine industry was the top one in the nation before Prohibition. (We could've used Homer and his bowling ball-speakeasy techniques.)

Well, our state's vineyards have made quite the comeback in recent years. So much so that it may not be long before N.C. wines are back in the top 5.

"North Carolina enjoys a number of 'firsts' in the wine and grape industry," writes Kirk, the spokesperson for the Yadkin Valley Winegrowers Association. "The first cultivated grape in the U.S. was discovered in 1524 in our state. Also the first commercial winery in the U.S. was opened in Halifax County in eastern North Carolina in 1835. Prohibition wiped out the wine industry in our state and we were slow to getting back in the business.

"The Duplin Winery, located off I-40 in southeastern North Carolina, was opened in 1972 and is the oldest, continuously operated winery and is also the largest in terms of annual wine production and sales in our state. ...

N.C. wineries are winning both national and international awards for excellence. On the "Today" show, food editor Phil Lempert proclaimed that the Napa Valley is out and doomed by global warming. He said, "North Carolina is poised to claim Napa's crown."

The state has twice been named as one of the top states for wine and culinary tourism. North Carolina ranks third in the nation as a wine-related travel destination. Wineries have tasting rooms and provide tours, as well as extensive gift shops.

The state's wine industry employs more than 6,000 people with a payroll surpassing $200 million. More than 1 million visitors are recorded at N.C. wineries and there is an economic impact approaching $1 billion annually. The Biltmore winery is the most-visited winery in the United States. ...

WCU exhibit focuses on Judaculla Rock

Western Carolina University has a new exhibit that focuses on the effort to preserve Judaculla Rock, an ancient petroglyph located in Jackson County’s Caney Fork community. The exhibit will be on display at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center from March 26 through July 10.

North Carolina’s largest petroglyph and an important cultural site for the Cherokee people, Judaculla Rock is a soapstone boulder on which hundreds of mysterious symbols were carved. The rock is located at a 15-acre site that once was a prehistoric Native American settlement, soapstone quarry and sacred place, said Trevor Jones, curator at the Mountain Heritage Center.

(Image from JoshuaPWarren.com)

Oh, snap! Atlanta mayor throws down the gauntlet

Apparently, Kasim Reed, the mayor of Atlanta, has taken issue with those that suggest Charlotte -- not "Hotlanta" -- is the capital of the South.

"Reed conceded that Charlotte has made gains – especially in the realm of high-speed rail. In January, North Carolina’s commercial center received a $545 million slice of federal stimulus money for rail," writes the AJC's Jim Galloway.

“They had a good day,” the mayor said, according to my AJC colleague Eric Stirgus.

But laying braggadocio aside, Reed said Atlanta was, in fact, in danger falling behind Charlotte if the city and state don’t make strides on transportation, education, water and the arts.

Reed compared the situation to the early 1960s when Birmingham was the southern leader in commerce, but lost that title to Atlanta because of its attitude on civil rights. ...

Atlanta, the mayor noted, was more progressive. “Birmingham has never caught up since,” Reed said. ...

ACC Hall of Champions to open next year

I'm piecing this together, but from what I can tell (from here and here) construction is set to begin soon on the ACC's Hall of Champions in Greensboro.

The building will be more than 8,000 square feet in size and will be a "tribute to the Atlantic Coast Conference, its coaches and athletes."

The facility will be adjacent to the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

Quick hits: Panthers like ASU's Edwards, and Gov. Perdue hits Hollywood

Panthers keen on ASU's Edwards
"Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards said Tuesday the Carolina Panthers seemed more interested in him than any of the NFL teams he's spoken with so far. But as much as he thinks they like him, he's not sure what they want to do with him," said Darrin Gant.

"Such is the problem with the celebrated Mountaineers passer, and the reason he was catching punts and running receiver drills at his pro day workout Tuesday.

"The Panthers were one of 10 teams watching, and they'll be back Thursday for a private session with the two-time Walter Payton Award winner (the FCS version of the Heisman). What they're going to ask to see is a mystery to the multi-talented Edwards, the only player in NCAA Division I history with over 10,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards. ..."

N.C. Governor heads film recruiting trip to L.A.

"Gov. Beverly Perdue and economic recruiters are equipped with a more generous tax credit as they travel to Hollywood to try to attract more movies and television productions to film in North Carolina," says the AP.

"Perdue leads a group of 20 Commerce Department officials, film boosters and others arriving Wednesday in Los Angeles for a three-day trade mission. They’ll meet studio executives, hold a reception and also visit some recruiting prospects outside the film industry. ..."

Quick hits: UNCC fires Lutz and Warren Wilson grad rows across Atlantic

Longtime Charlotte coach Lutz fired

"Charlotte 49ers men's basketball coach Bobby Lutz, the winningest coach in school history, was fired today after his team failed to make postseason play in the NCAA or National Invitation tournaments for the second consecutive season," said the Observer.

"Lutz met with athletics director Judy Rose and informed his assistants of her decision this morning.

"Lutz still had four years remaining on his current contract, which went through the 2013-14 season with a base salary of at least $237,000 per year. He received an extension prior to last season. ..."

Warren Wilson grad rows solo across the Atlantic

"A 22-year-old American rower who graduated from Warren Wilson College completed a solo journey across the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday, touching a pier in the coffee-brown waters off Guyana to claim a record as the youngest person to accomplish such a crossing," says the AP.

"Katie Spotz, who spent more than two months alone at sea, hugged her father and brother as a crowd of 200 people cheered her arrival in this South American capital.

“ 'The hardest part was just the solo part,' said Spotz, who said she struggled with boredom and had trouble sleeping inside the cramped, 19-foot row boat. ..."

Barron's: It's safe to invest in AVL

Got a lot of extra dough and just not sure -- in this economy -- what is the safest thing to do with it?

Well, you could do much worse than buying a second home in Asheville, according to Barron's in its latest issue.

The publication lists Asheville as among places to buy a second home, along with places like Aspen, Colo., and Pebble Beach, Calif.

The weekly says lower prices and increased interest among bargain hunters make now a good time to buy an upscale vacation home, says the Citizen-Times.

Asheville has “a four-seasons lifestyle with just enough culture and good restaurants to keep urban-withdrawal pangs at bay,” Barron's says, recommending that buyers look at Biltmore Forest or what it called “funky Grove Park” in North Asheville.

If that description seems a bit odd for an area more likely to be called stately, or historic, keep in mind that the article appeared in Barron's “Penta” section, directed at families with at least $5 million in net worth.

N.C. to continue to protect elk

"After receiving overwhelming public support for keeping elk on the state's list of Special Concern species, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission this week voted down a proposal to delist the animals," says the Citizen-Times.

... The proposal to delist the elk was one of more than 60 proposed hunting and fishing rule changes the commission brought before nine public hearings across the state in January.

The hearing in Sylva for Western North Carolina public comment drew more than 100 people who overwhelmingly spoke out in favor of keeping the elk a protected species in the state.

Elk, a species native to North Carolina, were reintroduced to the Cataloochee area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2001 with an experimental herd of 52 animals.

The herd now numbers 110 animals, which have been popular with tourists. In 2008 visitation to Cataloochee was 148,000 people, more than double from when the elk first arrived.

The idea behind the delisting proposal was to better manage the elk when they roam outside the protected boundaries of the national park and onto private property, said District 9 Commissioner Martin Lewis.

“We need a way to manage the elk who come off the park looking for food,” said Lewis, who lives in Asheville. “We need to ensure the safety of elk. We all agree we need to do something. We need to have a management plan.”

Bullock wins big trophy for “The Blind Side”

East Carolina alumnus Sandra Bullock won the Oscar for Best Actress for playing a tough Southern woman who adopts a black child in “The Blind Side.” | Associated Press

Bullock, 45, beat out Oscar winners Meryl Steep and Helen Mirren and newcomers Gabourey Sidibe and Carey Mulligan to win her first Academy Award, then gave a charming speech . | Her speech

She had already won the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe awards and tied Streep at the Broadcast Film Critics awards.

At the Golden Globes, Bullock pulled off a rare double, earning best actress nominations in two categories — drama (“The Blind Side”) and comedy (“The Proposal”).

Over the weekend, she pulled another, winning an Academy Award (“The Blind Side”) and a Razzie Award (“All About Steve”) — which are given for the worst achievements in movies. | Her speech

imdb.com | Oscar winners | 280 characters

Raleigh is America's 'Most Wired City,' Charlotte is 16th

According to Forbes, Raleigh is the "Most Wired City" in America.

"Raleigh techies have new bragging rights," says the News & Observer. "The capital city took the top spot in Forbes' ranking of 'Most Wired Cities.'

The magazine looked at factors such as broadband penetration and access, and the number of public wi-fi hot spots. "Though a surprise winner, Raleigh boasts plenty of technology assets, including a high concentration of info-tech companies, research universities and state government offices," Forbes wrote.

Raleigh was No. 15 on last year's list, and this year bumped off more traditional tech hubs such as Seattle, Atlanta and Washington.

Charlotte came in at No. 16.

Said Forbes: Raleigh "is the kind of tech-forward city that, innovative as it is, often gets overlooked in favor of San Francisco, San Jose or Seattle. But this year the North Carolina capital passed its flashier rivals to grab the No. 1 spot on Forbes' Most Wired Cities list.

Raleigh's win means it ranks higher overall than any other U.S. city in three measures: broadband penetration, broadband access and plentiful wi-fi hot spots. Taken together, the factors point to a populace that readily uses high-speed Internet inside and outside the home.

At stake is more than just bragging rights. As the U.S. formulates a national broadband plan designed to connect the entire country to fast, affordable Internet, Raleigh and other top-ranking Wired Cities could serve as models for change.

Though a surprise winner, Raleigh boasts plenty of technology assets, including a high concentration of info-tech companies, research universities and state government offices.

Garofalo, Smart to star in Wilmington medical drama

One Tree Hill won't be the only game in town in Wilmington for long. CBS' Untitled Medical Drama will start shooting at EUE/Screen Gems studios this month. The pilot is scheduled to shoot in the Port city for about three weeks. Then, it will be considered for pick up. New series are usually announced around the second week of May.

“This is great news for workers and the economy in the Southeastern part of the state,” said Governor Beverly Perdue. “This project will bring hundreds of jobs and much-needed revenue over the next few months and it is exactly what we expected once we were able to make North Carolina more competitive through an increased film tax credit.”

The ensemble drama from executive producer John Wells (“ER,” “Southland”) chronicles the travels of a mobile medical team that helps in medical crises around the country. The show's writer is Hannah Shakespeare (“Ghost Whisperer” and the 2007 “Bionic Woman” series).

“Twilight” actress Rachelle Lefevre is set to play the lead, a young and competent doctor. Actress Amy Smart also is attatched.

It was also announced that Janeane Garofalo is signed up. She will play "'Angel," the chief nurse and operations manager.

Jordan buys Bobcats; name to change?

Reports out of Charlotte are that basketball legend Michael Jordan has bought the controlling interest in the NBA's Bobcats, with MJ "making a huge personal financial commitment" to the endeavor.

Now Jordan's challenge will be recruiting investors to share the risk of owning the Bobcats, once Jordan is approved as controlling owner sometime in the next two months.

As the source said, Jordan won't want to risk possibly "losing $30 million a season," all by himself, as [previous owner Bob] Johnson has of late.

Recruiting partners proved difficult for Johnson in Charlotte. He had a group of about 18 minority partners but owned the vast majority of the Bobcats himself. Those partners, in recent years, declined to participate in cash calls to cover the team's financial losses. They have been told to expect "significantly less" than their initial investment in return to make this deal work.

It's unclear whether any of those minority partners will be part of Jordan's ownership group. But Jordan, with his world fame and high profile, may have an easier time finding partners for an NBA team in his home state.

Jordan, who has not commented on his deal with Johnson, has been a minority partner with oversight of basketball operations since June of 2006. Under NBA rules, one investor for each NBA team must be designated "controlling owner," but that investor doesn't have to own a majority of the team - his share can be as small as 15 percent.

An exact purchase price hasn't been revealed, but industry sources estimate it's in excess of $250 million.

Jordan is expected to have more of a presence in the Queen City than he has up to this point. Honestly, up until now Jordan has been raked over the local coals for not being in Charlotte nearly enough. In fact, he's still being asked to be more involved in the community.

Michael Jordan has run the basketball operation for the Charlotte Bobcats since 2006. But the team wasn't his [says the Observer's Tom Sorensen]. ...

The rules have changed. If the Bobcats lose money, Michael will lose money. So maybe he'll change, too.

He has to. Michael dabbled as an NBA executive. There are people who devote more hours a week to looking for a job than Michael devoted to the Bobcats. ...

His supporters talk about his commitment to winning. But on the basketball court, that commitment lasted 21/2 hours. If he truly runs a franchise, his commitment won't end when the game does. ...

Although Michael grew up in North Carolina, he moves in an orbit most of us can't fathom, an orbit that is peculiarly his. So maybe I'm being small-town here. But he ought to live among us. In and around Charlotte there are more than 100 houses for sale in the $1million range. Deals are available. Realtors are standing by.

And here's more.

It's another big moment for MJ in a state that has grown used to celebrating alongside him. Jordan grew up in Wilmington, first became famous in Chapel Hill and has lately been directing the Bobcats' basketball operations in Charlotte [says Scott Fowler].

Now Jordan will own the team instead of Bob Johnson, who became so widely unpopular that even the team's "Bobcats" name is tainted in some fans' eyes.

Yes, there is even talk of the Bobcats' name changing. After all, former owner Johnson named the team for himself.

If Michael Jordan listens to his customers, and potential customers, he'll seriously consider a name change from "Bobcats'' once his purchase of Charlotte's NBA franchise is complete [says Rick Bonnell].

Too many of you have emailed me with that suggestion not to think it's an issue to many Charlotteans. You didn't like Bob Johnson naming the team after himself, and you sure don't see this as a positive once Johnson is no longer majority owner.

So, should the Charlotte franchise's team name be changed? If so, to what? Go here to vote. So far, the overwhelming vote is "yes."

(Image from the Charlotte Observer)

DT, Laettner to college hoops Hall

The two greatest men's basketball players in ACC history are headed to the College Basketball Hall of Fame.

"Former NCAA champions Christian Laettner of Duke and David Thompson of N.C. State will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, which announced its eight-person 2010 class on Wednesday," says the News & Observer.

"Laettner led Duke to four Final Fours and NCAA championships in 1991 and 1992. He received national player of the year honors in 1992 and ranks third in Duke history in career points (2,460) and rebounds (1,149).

"He is the NCAA Tournament's career scoring leader with 407 points and made one of the most famous shots in NCAA history in overtime in a 1992 regional final to lift Duke to a 104-103 win over Kentucky.

"Thompson was one of the most athletic players in the history of the game and was named The Associated Press' national player of the year twice. He led N.C. State to the 1974 NCAA title and was selected as ACC player of the year in 1973, 1974 and 1975. He averaged 26.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over his career.

"He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996."

Congrats to both.

Some good news: Biltmore Estate growing, adding jobs

Sure there's all sorts of bad economic news out there these days, but here is some good news.

"Biltmore Estate will create up to 120 jobs with its new Antler Hill Village visitation site, which opens this spring with an ice-cream shop, a tavern and a new exhibit hall," says the Citizen-Times.

"The estate is expecting strong visitation as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Biltmore Winery and its Festival of Flowers event.A job fair is planned for next week while work continues on the village, a 15-acre multivenue visitor site for estate guests that will open in late March, with a grand opening in May, estate spokeswoman LeeAnn Donnelly said."

Asheville, Hickory & Wilmington: Overvalued cities?

A new study that lists the most overvalued and undervalued places to live in America places Asheville, Hickory and Wilmington in the "bad" column.

"A CNN website rating 330 cities across the country shows Wilmington is a bad deal for real estate, ranked 15th on the list," says WECT.

[Click here to see America's most overvalued cities]

While the study may or may not be accurate, experts agree that when you look into the details of how the research was compiled, you can see why Wilmington is near the top of the list.

Economist Dr. William Hall says bad loans are to blame, but also believes things are improving.

"Things are not declining as much as they have in the past," said Hall. "In fact, sales have may in fact stabilize, or beginning to increase. I'm not so sure prices have reached their low point but they are close to it."

The good news -- from the state's standpoint -- is a number of N.C. cities are on the undervalued list. Among those are Burlington, Charlotte, Durham, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Raleigh, Rocky Mount and Winston-Salem.

Quick hits: 'Blood Done Sign My Name' opens, and UNCG talks drug school

Movie version of 'Blood Done Sign May Name' opens
"A movie about the killing of a black man in 1970 in North Carolina and the trial that resulted in the acquittals of white men is opening nationally," says the AP.

" 'Blood Done Sign My Name' opens on Friday on screens in large cities, but also in several North Carolina cities, including Charlotte and Raleigh. The movie is based on the memoir of the same name by Tim Tyson, a Duke University professor who grew up in Oxford during the time of the shooting and trial.

"Screenwriter Jeb Stuart, who directed 'Blood,' is best known for writing action films such as 'Die Hard' and 'The Fugitive.' The movie was filmed in North Carolina, mostly in Monroe and Shelby, and stars Nate Parker and Rick Schroder. ..."

IMDB.com

UNCG's proposed pharmacy school gains attention

"After a year of gathering dust in Chapel Hill, UNCG’s proposal for a pharmacy school is finally getting some attention," says the News & Record.

"David Perrin, UNCG’s executive vice chancellor and provost, told the UNCG Board of Trustees on Thursday that a team of consultants will visit the university March 5 to review the proposal. All are from outside the state and are either current or former pharmacy school deans.

"The consultants will report their findings to UNC system officials. UNCG administrators said they expect their request to be placed on the Board of Governors’ April agenda. ..."

People still flock to remember 'The Intimidator'

I remember, in college, once joking (somewhat darkly, I now concede) that when "Dale Earnhardt dies, all the flags in this state will be held at half-staff." Of course, I made this comment thinking that this would take place around, oh, 2040 or so.

Hard to believe, but it's been some nine years since "The Intimidator" died in a crash on the track. But fans still flock to Dale Earnhardt, Inc., in Mooresville to pay their respects.

Yesterday (Feb. 18) was the 9th annual Dale Earnhardt Candlelight Tribute, and ThatsRacin.com has a photo gallery from the event. This was the first time that the tribute was held inside the DEI facility.

(Image by David Foster)

Favorite Carolina saying?

We were visiting with my grandparents in Clinton a couple weekends ago, and it reminded me of how much I love hearing some of their Southern colloquialisms. It also made me realize that, at least to these ears, a lot of those sayings are dying out.

Some of their sayings I've incorporated -- though, honestly, the times I say them are more to embarrass my wife than to honor my heritage. A good example is after a meal I'll say, "I'm fuller than a tick." She loves that one.

Another one I hear my grandfather say often is "it's raining to beat the band." Not sure what it means, but I love it.

I went to the Encyclopedia of Southern Expressions to see of any others I may have forgotten. (Yes, "full as a tick" is there.) A number of these I have heard growing up in North Carolina and, admittedly, some of these can't be proprietary to just the South. Among the more common ones are:

-Like water off a duck's back
-Livin' high on the hawg
-Faster than a scalded dog
-Skinny as a rail
-Nervous as a cat in a room full of rockers
-Deader than a door nail
-Slower than molasses
-I’ll be there if the Lord’s willing and the creeks don’t rise
-Well, shut my mouth

What are some great phrases and sayings that you've heard growing up in North Carolina or the South?

N.C. icons Pepsi and Cheerwine join together

A frequent Society contributor once lived in D.C. and would order cases of Cheerwine because it was so hard to come by in the nation's capital. Apparently, getting Cheerwine in Raleigh hasn't been easy either.

But no longer.

"A distribution deal with Raleigh-based Pepsi Bottling Ventures will bring Cheerwine to more grocery stores and other retail outlets in the Triangle market, the Carolina Beverage Corp. and Cheerwine Bottling Co. announced Tuesday," says the TBJ.

“PBV has fantastic relationships with local retailers and institutions where we’ve never been available before,” said Jim Leland, Cheerwine’s vice president of sales, “and we’re excited to announce to Cheerwine drinkers that, wherever they see Pepsi, they’ll now likely see us.”

The partnership brings together two soft-drink brands that were created in North Carolina.

“We’re pleased to have the two most iconic brands that are both born in North Carolina – Cheerwine in Salisbury and Pepsi in New Bern – together in our home base, Raleigh,” says Paul Finney, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Pepsi Bottling Ventures.

Raleigh has long been one of Cheerwine’s top markets, said the company, which expects sales to grow substantially with its new Pepsi partnership.

UNCC one step closer to 49ers football

Charlotte is one step closer to having another football team for which to pull.

On Friday, the North Carolina Board of Governors unanimously approved the proposed funding plan for college football at UNC Charlotte. This followed a unanimous approval from the UNC Board of trustees earlier this year. The plan is now pending the approval of the General Assembly this summer.

The goal is to have a team in place by 2013.

“I think it’s important to this community and for the university to get people on campus to be able to see games and connect around something like football,” Tim Ernst, a UNC Charlotte graduate, told Fox Charlotte.

The addition of football is a $40 million plan. Part of that plan would be funded by an increase in student fees, starting with $120 this fall, and reaching $320 in 2014.

Quick hits: N.C. AP test scores up, solid waste down

N.C. students' AP test scores beat U.S. average

"More than 17 percent of the state's 2009 high school graduates scored a 3 or higher on at least one Advanced Placement exam, outpacing the percentage of students nationally who performed that well," says the News & Observer.

"Across the country, 15.9 percent of students scored at least a 3 on a test in which 5 is the highest score.

"AP tests are a gauge of how many students take challenging courses in high school. Colleges and universities routinely offer students college credit for AP courses on which they receive a score of 3 or higher. White students are overrepresented among AP test-takers, while black students are underrepresented, say data released Wednesday by the College Board. ..."


Landfills down, recycling up
"Want some good news generated by the recession? When the economy shrinks, so apparently does the amount of waste put into public landfills," says The (Shelby) Star.

"People disposed of less solid waste in North Carolina landfills last year than any previous year in nearly two decades.

"On the other hand, residents recycled more glass, plastic and aluminum containers than in any previous fiscal year. ..."

The 'Devil is in the Distance': Urban planning in N.C.

Came across a blog post on Old Cities, Good Ideas from Howard Kelly Manorville from New York. Howard, a recent architecture grad, is "looking for ways to make the built world a better, healthier, more enjoyable place."

This particular post touches on, as an anecdote, the idea of "urban planning" in North Carolina.

Enjoy, and feel free to discuss.

I spent part of the work day yesterday riding to Home Depot with an extremely nice contractor named Jose. Jose is laying tile at the place where I work and he needed to go pick up some more materials, so my boss sent me with the credit card. Jose is a middle-age Dominican man who has been living in the U.S. for over 20 years - his English is very good, and his three children all know English better than they know Spanish.

We talked about a lot of different things during the fifteen minute ride to Home Depot, but one of the most surprising topics that came up was Jose's view on the urban planning in North Carolina. We were talking about how he spent 2008 in North Carolina doing work because there was not much work here on Long Island. He was going on about how much cheaper it is to rent and buy a house down South, but then he made a very astute observation:

"Everyone there [in North Carolina] tells you that where you have to go 'is close, it's very close'. But it's not close, they just mean that it takes a short time to get there. You always have to get on a highway and go 70 or 80 miles an hour to get to where you want to go. When I lived there it seemed like I spent $40 a day in gas for my work van because everything is so far apart. It's not like here."

Jose's comment is right on, and it reminded me once again that planning effects everyone, and that everyone actually grasps planning's effects on some level.

But Jose's observation also nails down a design flaw intrinsic to sprawl that has a cumulative effect on our lives: distance. When we design low-density, auto-oriented places with little regard for location efficiency, the distance a person must travel every day grows exponentially. Even if the time needed for travel stays the same (10 miles in Charlotte tends to take the same amount of time as 2 miles in Brooklyn), the mileage itself is the problem.

Decker makes cover of SI Swimsuit Edition

Charlotte native Brooklyn Decker was revealed as the cover girl for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition last night on “Late Show with David Letterman.”

A sheet was removed from a billboard in New York’s Time Square to reveal the cover photo of Decker in a bright yellow bikini.

Decker, 22, is making her fifth appearance in the SI Swimsuit Edition.

Born in Middletown, Ohio and raised in Charlotte, Decker was discovered at age 16 in a shopping mall. She has appeared in numerous magazines, including Victoria’s Secret.

As a teenager, she ran hurdles for the track team, played soccer and participated in competitive cheerleading. She is a Tar Heels fan.

Decker is married to tennis player Andy Roddick.

2010 Swimsuit Edition | Brooklyn Decker | “Late Show” reveal

From Raleigh to Charlotte in an hour

I had what I called the "absolute" pleasure two Octobers ago to take the Amtrak from Raleigh to Charlotte for a meeting. It was a trip that "did nothing but reinforce my belief that trains should be highly invested in as a critical mass transit option --whether for intra- or intercity travel." The trip took roughly the same amount of time as it would have if I had driven, except I was able to read a book, sleep or just enjoy the scenery.

Well, thanks to federal funding, that Raleigh-to-Charlotte trip could take about an hour. Nice.

"Uncle Sam is betting $520 million you’ll think twice about driving to Charlotte or Raleigh if a train can get you there in an hour," says the News & Record.

"That’s how much stimulus money the federal government gave North Carolina recently for the Raleigh-to-Charlotte run, with Triad stops in Greensboro, Burlington and High Point.

The award covers enough work to make high-speed rail a reality in the Central Piedmont in four or five years, said Gene Conti, state secretary of transportation.

“On the Raleigh-to-Charlotte connection, we’re going to be in good shape to get our average speed up to 90 mph, where we’re averaging just over 50 mph now,” Conti said. “Going from that to 90 mph is huge.”

The aim of high-speed rail at the regional level is curbing highway congestion and pollution, primarily by getting commuters off the roads.

“High-speed rail will provide business and leisure travelers with a competitive option to car or air travel for distances of 100 to 500 miles,” said Joan Bagherpour of North Carolina’s rail program. ...

The route belongs to the national Southeast High Speed Rail corridor, which eventually could extend from Washington through Atlanta. The larger route won a total of $620 million in stimulus money for work in both Virginia and the Tar Heel State.

North Carolina’s piece of the larger award was $545 million, but $25 million is earmarked for the route from Raleigh to Richmond. That route is not as close to completion as Charlotte-to-Raleigh.

“For the Raleigh-to-Charlotte (leg), we got pretty much everything we asked for,” Conti said of the $520 million.

So, before long, you can sit back and enjoy the ride. But don't get too comfortable -- you'll be at your destination before you know it.

Quick hits: Charlotte studio gets two Grammys, and deal ends 'Road to Nowhere' standoff

Charlotte studio gets 2 Grammys

"A Charlotte-area producer and sound engineer received Grammy awards during the streaming webcast prior to the 58th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony Sunday," says the Charlotte Observer.

"Producer Cedric Thompson and sound mix engineer Glenn Tabor picked up awards for their work on vocalist Heather Headley's 'Audience of One,' which was named Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album. They also received the Best Traditional Gospel Album award for 'Oh Happy Day,' a compilation featuring Jon Bon Jovi, Patti Griffin and Queen Latifah.

"Also, Charlotte trumpeter Ashlin Parker received a Grammy as a member of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. The 15-piece ensemble's latest release 'Book One' received the trophy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble. ..."

Deal ends 'Road to Nowhere' standoff

"The federal government has agreed to pay $52 million to Swain County, settling a 67-year conflict over a promised but never built mountain road, Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., said Tuesday," according to the Observer.

"Swain County commissioners are expected to approve the agreement on Friday. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Gov. Bev Perdue will appear at a signing ceremony in Bryson City planned for the next day.

"The dispute dates to World War II, when the government quickly built the Fontana Lake hydroelectric project in North Carolina's western tip.

"The government moved 600 families off mountain land that the lake would flood. It also vowed to build a new road to compensate for taking thousands of acres off the county's small tax base.

"The government started construction - but then stopped in 1972 - of what became known as the seven-mile 'Road to Nowhere.' ..."

(Sign photo courtesy of Western NC Attractions.com)

Update: Asheville finishes third in ‘Most Romantic City’ race

Not sure if they give out medals for this sort of thing, but if they do, the city of Asheville will be getting a bronze in the Korbel Champagne "Most Romantic City" contest. And the AVL may have done better, says the Citizen-Times, had a few more locals cast ballots.

Winning the title was Hana, Hawaii, followed by Indialantic, Fla, and Asheville. About 2,000 votes were cast, with Hana receiving 210 more votes than Asheville. Only 10 votes separated Asheville from Indialantic.

But, hey, No. 3 ain't nothing to sneeze at. After all, Asheville beat out the likes of Charleston, Duluth, Pittsburgh and Manhattan ... Kansas, that is.

Zach G from 'The Hangover' to host SNL on March 6

North Carolina native and N.C. State alum Zach Galifianakis (in the middle of the photo) is slated -- according to his Twitter feed -- to host "Saturday Night Live" on March 6.

Galifianakis starred in "The Hangover," which recently won a Golden Globe for best motion picture (musical or comedy), beating “(500) Days of Summer,” “It’s Complicated,” “Julie & Julia" and "Nine."

(Image courtesy of 280characters)

Quick hits: AVL in the running for 'most romantic city' in America, and a grouper ban hurts

Asheville in the running for Most Romantic City in America

"Asheville is always winding up on one top-ten list or another, and now it’s in the running to be named Most Romantic City in America in a contest by Korbel California Champagne," according to the Citizen-Times.

"Asheville is one of 12 cities to make the finals in this contest. Korbel asked the public to nominate their favorite romantic city, and hundreds responded with stories and photographs on why their towns should be considered. ...

"Also in the running are Indialantic, Fla.; Kansas City, Miss.; Duluth, Minn.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Bend, Ore.; Gold Beach, Ore.; Manhattan, Kan.; Hana, Hawaii; Mackinaw Island, Mich.; Grand Junction, Col. and Charleston, S.C."

Grouper ban strains coastal restaurants

"It may be a few months before James Clark, the executive chef at Waterscapes at the Marina Inn in Myrtle Beach, serves up another grouper platter to his patrons," says the Sun News.

"Most of the fish he cooks come from Murrells Inlet, and the four-month grouper ban enacted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council means no grouper for his restaurant.

"The ban - which started Jan. 1 and runs through April 30 - prohibits commercial and recreational fishermen from keeping the shallow-water grouper that is caught in federal and state Atlantic waters from North Carolina to Key West, Fla., as well as state waters in the Gulf of Mexico. ..."

Smithfield to reflect on star Gardner's death

The town of Smithfield has become synonymous with one of Hollywood's legendary leading ladies from the golden era, Ava Gardner. Today, visitors to the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield will be able to honor her, exactly 20 years after her death.

Visitors "will receive a reproduction of the program given to mourners at the service held at her graveside in the Johnston County town," says the AP.

Gardner died in London on Jan. 25, 1990 at age 67. She was buried four days later at Sunset Memorial Park alongside her parents and siblings.

She starred in films including "The Barefoot Contessa," "The Night of the Iguana," and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" during a career that peaked in the 1950s and '60s. She appeared in a handful of episodes of the CBS prime-time drama "Knot's Landing" in the mid-1980s.

According to Wikipedia, Gardner was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her work in Mogambo (1953). She appeared in several popular films during the 1950s, and received BAFTA Award nominations for her performances in Bhowani Junction (1956), On the Beach (1959) and The Night of the Iguana (1964).

During her life, Gardner was married to the likes of Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra.

Note: Edited to get the "correct" Rooney mentioned. (Thanks, KB!)

(Image from hollywoodyesterday.com)

Bullock, Hall receive Screen Actors Guild awards

East Carolina alumnus Sandra Bullock and Raleigh native Michael C. Hall won Screen Actors Guild awards on Saturday night in Los Angeles.

Bullock solidified her status as the favorite to win a Best Actress Oscar for her role in “The Blind Side.” | People.com

Sandra Bullock continued her awards-show winning streak, picking up the trophy for outstanding performance by a female leading actor for The Blind Side ...

“If this were only not televised so I could use the appropriate words I’m feeling right now,” Bullock, who won the same award at last weekend’s Golden Globes, said. “I’m Sandra Bullock, and I’m an actor and I’m so proud to say that in a room full of faces that have inspired me.”

Hall has been nominated four times for the title role in the Showtime series “Dexter,” but Saturday marked his first win. | People.com

Michael C. Hall had plenty to celebrate Saturday night.

... the actor was named outstanding actor in a drama series at Saturday’s Screen Actors Guild Awards. And, he told PEOPLE backstage, his cancer is in remission.

“I’m two-thirds of the way through this treatment that already has this thing in remission,” he said. “It’s nice in the homestretch to have this kind of shock of positive energy. It’s a celebration.”

IMDb.com: Sandra Bullock | Michael C. Hall

An outsider's look at N.C. BBQ

Again, gotta love Google Alerts. If not for it, I would never have come across this blog piece.

"For (American) Northerners there remains a number of unfounded misconceptions about the South. People are fat. People are rednecks. People are racist. Yes, they are, and some of us above the Mason Dixon line hit those marks too," writes Nick Schonberger. "Despite consistent bad mouthing and classist snobbery one thing is universally acknowledged as better down South — the BBQ."

He gets some names and stuff wrong (Allen & Brothers instead of Allen & Sons in Chapel Hill; referring to ECU as "East Carolina State University"), but the romance is there.

To wit:

An almost mystic pull to down home, no frills, dinning, brought me to North Carolina for a weekend in May. Having toured Texas BBQ and Memphis, and sampled a number of places throughout Virginia, I’d largely ignored North Carolina in the past. Yet, the style is the most frequently copied (and ruined) in my regular BBQ consumption. “Carolina Pulled Pork” sandwiches litter menus at bars and taverns up the Eastern Seaboard, and given this an opportunity to investigate the authentic origins of the ubiquitous dish proved impossible to resist.

... Rolling through North Carolina, it became obvious that while blanket statements can define the taste, technique, and texture, there’s no accounting for individual twists and turns in the make up. ...

.. [w]e gathered remaining strength and hit Greenville. A ghost town. A place where even the locals are quick to tell you to leave. One did. A single toothed proprietor of the town’s Skate Shop. He told me, frankly, that there wasn’t a single good thing to eat within miles. I suppose his lack of teeth made living there possible. The best thing in town was a giant sculpture of a Pirate. The rest was genuinely frightening.

Three days. 8 giant meals. Hundreds of miles driven. The lesson learned, people in North Carolina certainly take BBQ seriously, and certainly place a highly localized stamp on a plate of pork.

ECU picks alum to lead football program

East Carolina athletics director Terry Holland said he didn't want to go out and get a "retread" to lead the Pirate football program. The AD stuck by his guns.

The week-long search for a replacement for Skip Holtz has ended with Holland selected Texas Tech defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill -- an ECU alum -- to lead the Pirates, according to various reports.

“You’re always worried this late because you run into student-athlete recruitment and assistant coaches get taken, so the bowl becomes more shallow. But I had confidence we’d find the right person because I knew what Terry was doing and who he was evaluating,” ECU chancellor Dr. Steve Ballard said after the ECU Board of Trustees made the new hire official shortly after a 5 p.m. emergency meeting inside the Spilman Building on campus.

“I was a little concerned about the timing, but when I saw the people we were evaluating, I thought we’d be fine,” Ballard said. ...

“His human skills and his interpersonal skills are A-plus, and I think you’ll see that the minute you talk to him,” Ballard said of McNeill. “I had a great hour-and-a-half with him today. I did my own referencing on these people, and everybody who knows Ruffin says the same thing about him.”

Holland, who made the second football coach hire of his six-year tenure at the school, joined the trustees meeting via teleconference. Holland fired John Thompson toward the end of the 2004 season before hiring Holtz in December of that year.

“Coach McNeill’s interview revealed his strong commitment to doing things the right way and his love of coaching young men to grow in every part of their lives,” Holland said. “His excitement for what ECU football can become in the future was contagious and his deep and abiding appreciation for what East Carolina University has meant to him and his family was truly moving.” ...

N.C. to get new Smokies visitor center

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has awarded a contract to build a new visitor center at the park's main North Carolina entry, according to the AP.

Officials announced Tuesday they have selected Joseph Construction of Knoxville to put up the new 7,000-square-foot center at Oconaluftee, just inside the park near Cherokee, N.C.
The Great Smoky Mountains Association is providing $2.5 million to build the center, and the Friends of the Smokies is adding $500,000 for exhibit design and fabrication. The gifts together will fund 100 percent of construction costs.

The center will be environmentally friendly with such features as geothermal wells and a cistern to catch rainwater to use for flushing toilets.

Construction will begin in February and is expected to take about a year.

Charlie Daniels suffers mild stroke

Wilmington native and country music legend Charlie Daniels suffered a mild stroke while snowmobiling in Colorado. Daniels -- the star of a recent Geico insurance commercial -- reportedly has some stiffness and numbness in his left hand and arm, according to the AP.

Daniels, 73, suffered the stroke Friday just outside Durango, about 230 miles southwest of Denver. He was treated at a local hospital then airlifted to a Denver hospital, where he was released on Sunday.

In a posting on his Web site Wednesday, Daniels said he was starting physical therapy. He didn’t say whether his playing had been affected but wrote, “I’m doing fine.”

Another statement on the Web site says he doesn’t plan to cancel any concerts. His next appearance is scheduled for Feb. 27 in Fort Pierce, Fla.

Daniels, a native of Wilmington, lives in Mount Juliet, Tenn., but has a home in the Durango area where he takes an extended vacation every year around Christmas, his spokeswoman Paula Szeigis said.

I have a fondness the CDB because, one, he's a N.C. native, and two, because he's related to two good friends of mine, also great musicians. Here's hoping the best for Daniels.

'OTH' fans flock to Port City for reunion

More than 30 fans of the TV show "One Tree Hill" have arrived in Wilmington for a reunion -- and the get-together is not even sanctioned by the show or the studio.

The attendees came from across the state and Southeast, as well as Canada, the UK, France and other states.

While the wide-spread geography of the fans is impressive, perhaps more impressive is the fact that the event had no backing or support from The CW, which airs the show, or Warner Bros., the show's production company. The studio tour, location tour, hotel arrangements and such were all accomplished through the efforts of one fan from Miami, Fla., ChristyAnne Arancibia [according to the Star-News].

“It was a comment that was made through a live chat we had,” Arancibia said, referring to what gave her the idea for the “One Tree Hill Fan Reunion.”

You can read more about it here.

Hall wins first Golden Globe award

Raleigh native Michael C. Hall won his first Golden Globe award Sunday night, taking the honor for best actor in a television drama for his title role in the Showtime series “Dexter.”

Hall, who revealed earlier in the week that he has almost finished treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer, wore a skull-tight hat to cover his bald head. | People.com

East Carolina alumnus Sandra Bullock won best actress in a motion picture (drama) for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy in “The Blind Side.”

In an upset, “The Hangover,” starring N.C. State alum Zach Galifianakis, won best motion picture (musical or comedy), beating “(500) Days of Summer,” “It’s Complicated,” “Julie & Julia,” and “Nine.”

Julianne Moore, an Army brat born in Fayetteville, was nominated for best supporting actress in a dramatic motion picture for “A Single Man,” but she did not win.

Golden Globe winners: Michael C. Hall | Sandra Bullock
280 characters: “The Hangover”

Quick hits: Lumbees get new chair, Bobcats on a roll and State Farm drops beach insurance

Lumbees welcome new tribal chairman
"Lumbee Tribal Chairman Purnell Swett took office on Thursday in a ceremony punctuated with a beating drum, cheers, praise for God and continued commitment to pursue full official tribal recognition from the federal government," says the Fayetteville Observer.

" 'It is with great pleasure that I accept this noble position,' Swett said during his inauguration speech. 'It is a responsibility that I take seriously, and one that I will pour my heart and soul into ... because it concerns you.' ..."

These Bobcats are getting hard to ignore

"The Charlotte Bobcats are 14-4 at home this season. Their best previous home record after 18 games is 10-8. These are the only seasons in which they were above .500 at this juncture," writes the Charlotte Observer's Tom Sorensen.

"I'm not sure what the difference is. Perhaps it's the fans. There were about 7,500 at Time Warner Cable Arena Tuesday for Charlotte's thrilling comeback victory against Houston. ..."

State Farm drops insurance on barrier islands

"State Farm is dropping protection for homeowners whose insured property is on one of North Carolina’s barrier islands," says the Jacksonville Daily News.

"Approximately 140 homeowners in Onslow, Carteret and Pender counties will be receiving notices of non-renewal, according to Russ Dubinsky, the spokesman for State Farm Insurance Company of North Carolina. ..."

Johnson, Wilson are NFL All-Pro selections

"Chris Johnson didn't get any votes for MVP. He didn't miss any for The Associated Press 2009 NFL All-Pro team," says the AP.

The 2,000-yard rusher from the Tennessee Titans (who played at East Carolina) was the only unanimous choice for the squad, which was announced Thursday. He's joined in the backfield by Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who won an unprecedented fourth Most Valuable Player Award last week, when only quarterbacks received votes.

"That'd be a good thing," said Johnson, who won the Offensive Player of the Year award Wednesday. "Because I feel like if you put a season out there, out of those dudes who got votes or the dudes who won, I wouldn't feel they had a better season than I had, and broke as many records in one season that I had."

Also named to the All-Pro team was former N.C. State player (and High Point native) and current Arizona Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson.

This is the first time that Wilson has been named to the NFL All-Pro team, and the first NC State player to be selected since Torry Holt in 2003. Wilson is the only member of the Cardinals represented on the first team [said GoPack.com].

During the 2009 season Wilson started all 16 games, while recording 74 tackles and a career-high five interceptions and 13 pass deflections. Wilson has been with the Cardinals for nine years since being drafted in the third round in 2001.

While having solid contributions as a rookie, Wilson took over the starting strong safety spot in his second year and has never relinquished it. Since coming into the league Wilson has recorded 686 tackles, 20.5 sacks and 23 interceptions.

State fish gets its time in the spotlight

The Wilmington Star-News' Amy Hotz reports that the North Carolina state fish is the star of a new movie, "Redfish Can't Jump," which will have its public premiere on Jan. 21 in Wilmington.

"You might call it a red drum, spot tail, puppy drum or blue tail, but hey, a fish by any other name . . . . still smells like a fish, I guess," says Hotz.

The movie was three years in the making and "not only shows some beautiful flyfishing footage, but it also investigates why the fish is popular, why it’s important to the ecosystem and why it deserves to be saved from from overfishing (intentional and unintentional) by being declared a gamefish.

According to the “Redfish” Web site, the fish is regulated as a “bycatch” fishery by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and its annual quota of 250,000 pounds is regularly exceeded by tens of thousands of pounds each year. Gill nets also put pressure on the population.

“Redfish Can’t Jump” was created by a team of locals: Capt. Seth Vernon, Luke Pearson, Josh Eddings, Wes Aiken and Mark McGarity.

By the way, if you’re even remotely interested in flyfishing, you’ve got to see this film.

(Image from Fish4Fun.com)

Former Pirate Johnson named NFL Offensive Player of the Year

"That blur speeding away from opposing defenses and running off with The Associated Press 2009 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award is Chris Johnson," writes the AP's Barry Wilner.

Considered the fastest man in pro football, Johnson was uncatchable in setting a league mark for yards from scrimmage (2,509) and becoming the sixth player with a 2,000-yard rushing season. Johnson played in college at East Carolina.

He is the first NFL player to finish with at least 2,000 yards rushing and 500 receiving (503).

That earned the second-year pro 38 1/2 votes Wednesday from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Johnson easily beat New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who received nine votes.

"I kind of realize what I did and I feel like I had a dream season," said Johnson, who scored 16 touchdowns (14 rushing), second to Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, and tied the NFL mark with six consecutive games rushing for at least 125 yards.

Also in the running was League MVP Peyton Manning, who received 1.5 votes, and former N.C. State and current San Diego Charger QB Philip Rivers, who got a vote.

New members of the N.C. Sports Hall announced

The N.C. Sports Hall of Fame -- based at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh -- has announced its newest members.

Among them is Don McCauley, an All-American running back at UNC in the '60s; former multi-sport star at State and future college football coach Jim Donnan; former State and NFL wide receiver Mike Quick; and current Duke assistant women's soccer coach and UNC legend Carla Overbeck, among others.

"You're always happy for the other guy, hoping one day you'll get the call," McCauley told the News & Observer in Raleigh.

The newest members are:

-Herb Appenzeller, who played football for Wake Forest in the 1940s and was Guilford College athletic director.

-Donnan, a former quarterback for N.C. State who went on to a successful coaching career at Georgia.

-Overbeck, an assistant women's soccer coach at Duke who was a three-time All-American for UNC.

-Quick, a former N.C. State wide receiver who had a Pro Bowl career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

-Karen Shelton, coach of UNC's field hockey squad, which has won seven national titles under her watch.

-Paul Simson, a Raleigh resident who has won two British Amateur Senior Open championships in golf.

"It's nice when people remember you," Quick told the paper.

Quick hits: Connemara needs funding and Fantasia & N.C. need to re-brand?

Carl Sandburg home in need of funding
"... For many visitors to the Carl Sandburg home," says the Citizen-Times, "the experience of walking through the house and its grounds helps them to learn about the Pulitzer Prize-winning author who moved to the 264-acre home in Flat Rock in 1945.

"But a lack of funding could put preservation of the home's 50 historic structures and thousands of archived materials in danger. A report released last month by the National Parks Conservation Association gave the park's cultural resources a “fair” score of 78 out of 100, saying insufficient staffing and funding limit the park's ability to adequately protect historic structures and accomplish all the needed cultural resource planning work and research. ..."

Fantasia is rebuilding her post-'American Idol' life

" 'American Idol' winner Fantasia Barrino gets her house back in order on the first episode of her VH1 reality series, debuting at 10 p.m. tonight," says the Charlotte Observer.

"Despite a successful autobiography, a made-for-TV movie, a Broadway role in 'The Color Purple' and a platinum album, Barrino fell into money problems after moving from High Point to Charlotte following her 'Idol' win in 2004.

"Liens were filed against her first home, in Piper Glen in south Charlotte, over unpaid homeowner association fees. Creditors filed suit for her $240,000 Mercedes. And her second home, a $1.2 million mansion off Elm Lane, was saved from auction after fees were paid on back taxes in 2009. ..."

N.C. slipping as a destination?

"In recent years," writes the Observer, "North Carolina owed much of its prosperity to newcomers who pulled up stakes elsewhere and gambled on opportunities here.

"Now, at least one survey suggests that the state is losing some of its glitter as a land of opportunity.

"The survey, conducted yearly by the interstate moving company United Van Lines, shows North Carolina slipping as a migratory destination.

"In 2006 and 2007, the state had the highest rank of newcomers; in 2008 it ranked third. But in 2009, based on 10,292 shipments United made in or out of North Carolina, the state had fallen to 10th among 'high-inbound states,' with 55.4 percent of the shipments moving in and 44.6 percent moving out. ..."

(Photo by the Charlotte Observer)

The Blue Ridge Parkway: 'Simply beautiful'

"It all started 75 years ago, in the midst of the Great Depression," writes Joe Tennis with the Bristol Herald Courier in SW Virginia and eastern Tennessee.

"Right on the North Carolina-Virginia border, the ground broke on Sept. 11, 1935 to build the Blue Ridge Parkway on the state line at Cumberland Knob.

"But this was not like other roads, built simply for transportation. This was a ridge-top ride made to cruise – with views.

" 'The parkway is a road that’s designed to be an experience,' said Cara Ellen Modisett. ..."