NC to receive $298M to support education jobs

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced that North Carolina will receive $298 million to support education jobs.

“There is a huge sense of urgency to get these funds out the door,” Duncan said. “I commend North Carolina for being one of the first to submit their application and thank our team at the Department for making funds available within a matter of days. These education dollars will help North Carolina keep thousands of teachers in the classroom working with our students this school year.”

The $10 billion education fund will support education jobs in the 2010-11 school year and be distributed to states by a formula based on population figures. States can distribute their funding to school districts based on their own primary funding formula or districts’ relative share of federal Title I funds.

Over the last two years, the Department has been able to support 300,000 education jobs through stimulus funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At this time, seven states have drawn down 100 percent of previously allocated jobs funding, while 18 states total have drawn down 80 percent or more. A July report from the independent Center on Education Policy found that 75 percent of school districts that received stimulus funds expect to cut teaching positions in the upcoming school year.

Source: Asheville Citizen Times

Roller skating rink plans November opening

Roller skating is coming back to the mountains.

There has long been a need for affordable family fun and entertainment in Haywood County and Jackson County and it’s finally here. The Smoky Mountain Sk8way, located next to the Waynesville Cycle Center on Great Smoky Expressway, is scheduled to open in November.

The skating rink and family entertainment center will offer public skating, birthday parties, video arcade, ticket redemption counter, pro shop sponsored by the WNC Sk8 Shop, concession area, and soft play area. The Sk8way will also be host to school, church and daycare center field trips as well as private events, fitness classes and/or skating lessons.

Robert and JoLynn Bryant, a local couple known for such ventures as the WNC Visitors Center, WaynesvilleLive.com and SylvaLive.com Web sites, and Haywood County Clothing Recycles, have begun construction in the remodel of the building at 19025 Great Smoky Expressway. The two tried to open a skating rink in 2006 but never found a free spanning building that was large enough.

“We spotted a business that was moving out and called to inquire about it just out of curiosity,” Robert said. “It turned out the owner of the building, Troy Muse, is also the same man responsible for building and operating a skating rink here some years ago. Mr. Muse is happy to help bring skating back to the mountains and has been an invaluable informational resource for us. Our goal is to bring some fun to the mountains, create a few jobs and fill whatever needs this community may have whether that is church outings, roller fitness or skating parties.”

The Sk8way team is selling advertising/sponsorship packages to help with the start-up costs and is asking the community and local businesses for their support. “We weren’t really ready to open a skating rink now but sometimes that’s the way the best adventures start,” JoLynn said. “The fact that we finally found a building big enough and that we can expand in is a sign to us to move on it now. Sponsorships are what will allow us to build the quality of skating rink that Haywood County and Jackson County deserve.”

Currently, the Entrepreneurship class at Haywood Community College is working on a business plan for the Smoky Mountain Sk8way and other businesses, such as The Print Haus and Cornerstone Builders, are getting involved. If you would like to be a sponsor or get involved in some other way, visit http://www.SmokyMountainSk8way.com or call 550-0122.

Source: Asheville Citizen Times

Green advisers: Waste Reduction Partners helps Asheville-area organizations save money in environmentally friendly ways

A program aimed at helping local businesses, governments and schools save money in ways that are environmentally friendly was green before green was cool.

Waste Reduction Partners is a program of the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, a multicounty local government planning and development organization.

The program, started in 1992, taps into the volunteer expertise of retired scientists, engineers and others to develop cost-savings plans that also benefit the environment.

In 2000, the program teamed with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources for management assistance. And in 2008, the program expanded to serve the entire state by opening a second office in Research Triangle Park under the auspices of the Triangle J Council of Governments.

“It’s something we’ve been doing a long time,” said Terry Albrecht, the state director of Waste Reduction Partners who works in the Land-of-Sky offices on Leicester Highway.

“It wasn’t called lowering your carbon footprint in 1995, but that’s what we’re doing,” Albrecht said. “It’s just been very grounded in a business sense.”

Over the years, the program has helped businesses, schools and local governments save hundreds of thousands of dollars in water and electricity charges, and in turn saved water and cut air pollution. It’s now in high demand with renewed interest in protecting the environment, and because of federal spending and grant programs aimed at promoting savings through sustainability measures such as energy audits.

Useful advice

The program got its start with the help of preliminary funding from the Tennessee Valley Authority, which wanted to put retired engineers and scientists to work with industries in the region to develop pollution prevention strategies and cut costs, Albrecht said.

Today, the program has about a $450,000 budget and receives money from federal, state and local sources, mainly grants. Waste Reduction Partners offers its services at no charge to its clients, who can see big cost savings or may land grants after receiving a report from the program. “Our group, over the past year and a half, has been able to assist 41 organizations — community colleges, schools, local governments — and help them receive $4.6 million in grant money,” Albrecht said.

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N.C. ranks fourth in CNBC survey

CNBC ranks North Carolina as most improved among the top five states for doing business, according to a report the financial TV network released Tuesday.

The ranking elevated the state to fourth from ninth in the annual America’s Top States for Business survey.

“This shows that the hard work of the past year has paid off — our investments in education to build the work force of tomorrow, policies that create a more business-friendly climate and our aggressive recruiting,” Gov. Bev Perdue says in a statement. “When I took office, I pledged to take any meeting and make any call to bring jobs to this state. There’s nothing I love more than convincing a corporate executive of what a great place this is to live and work.”

The ranking is the highest North Carolina has achieved in the four years of the survey. In 2008 and 2007, North Carolina ranked sixth and fifth, respectively.

CNBC scored states on more than 40 measures of competitiveness based on the cost of doing business, work force, quality of life, economy, transportation and infrastructure, technology and innovation, education, business friendliness, access to capital and cost of living.
The network will release its full report Tuesday at http://www.cnbc.com.
The Tar Heel state was named as the state with the top business climate by Site Selection magazine eight of the last nine years, and was ranked second-best state for business by CEO Magazine.

Source: Charlotte Business Journal

N.C. jobless rate dips to 10.3 percent

North Carolina’s unemployment rate dropped to 10.3 percent in May from 10.8 percent in April, the state Employment Security Commission said Friday.

The statewide jobless rate was 10.9 percent in May 2009.
“Our state’s economy continues to experience a measure of improvement, based on the May data,” says Lynn Holmes, ESC chairman. “While there has been an increase of almost 30,000 jobs over the last three months, we continue to experience variation in the growth among the job sectors.”

North Carolina continues to creep closer to the national unemployment rate, which was 9.7 percent in May.

The sectors experiencing the most job growth in North Carolina in May were government, which gained 16,100 jobs; professional and business services, which added 1,600 jobs; and trade, transportation and utilities, which grew by 1,300 jobs. The largest decreases took place in manufacturing, which lost 2,900 jobs; and leisure and hospitality, which lost 2,700 jobs.

Local unemployment rates for May will be released June 25. The jobless rate in the Charlotte metro area fell to 11.1 percent in April from 12.1 percent in March. Mecklenburg County’s jobless rate fell to 10.1 percent in April from 11 percent the previous month.

Source: Charlotte Business Journal

Gov. Perdue announces small-biz package for N.C.

N.C. Gov. Bev Perdue is calling on the state’s General Assembly to approve a legislative package designed to assist small businesses in creating and maintaining jobs.

Source: Charlotte Business News – Local Charlotte News | Charlotte Business Journal

Health care consulting firm to add 463 jobs in Charlotte

Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Hewitt Associates, one of the world’s largest providers of human resources outsourcing and consulting services, plans to add 463 jobs to its Charlotte workforce over the next three years. The announcement was made possible in part by a Job Development Investment Grant.

“Creating jobs is my number one priority. Hewitt’s decision to expand in Mecklenburg County means new jobs for hundreds of North Carolinians,” Perdue said. “This announcement by an international industry leader can only strengthen North Carolina’s already strong reputation as a business-friendly state with a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.”

Illinois-based Hewitt Associates consults with more than 3,000 companies and administers human resources, health care, payroll and retirement programs to millions of employees and retirees worldwide. The company currently employs about 23,000 workers in more than 30 countries, including 534 workers in North Carolina

The 463 new jobs will be primarily human resources administration and information technology positions and will pay an average salary of approximately $43,600 a year plus benefits.

“We’re pleased with the growth prospects for our business, and particularly our Charlotte center,” said David Swift, vice president of HR Business Processing Outsourcing at Hewitt. “Charlotte is a great location for us to expand our business due to the available talent pool and we very much look forward to growing our presence here with the continued support of the state of North Carolina.”

Other partners who helped make this project possible include the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce

To facilitate this expansion, the state Economic Investment Committee today voted to award a Job Development Investment Grant to Hewitt. JDIGs are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.

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A-B Tech recruiting for jobs program

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College has announced that it is accepting students into a state job-training program.

Here’s the press release:

A-B Tech is registering students for its JobsNOW program, Fundamentals of Automated Machining. Classes are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, April 12 to June 28 in the Technology Commercialization Center at the College’s Enka site.

In 11 weeks, completers will be qualified for such jobs as milling machine operator, lathe operator, screw machine operator and drill press operator.

Gov. Beverly Perdue established the JobsNOW initiative for North Carolina using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds. JobsNOW provides community colleges the infrastructure and resources to teach job skills needed for occupations where job growth is projected. Occupational programs are established so that individuals can complete the training within six months or less.

The course includes machine shop safety, shop math, measuring tools, and basic blueprint interpretation; introduction and operation of lathes, drill presses, saws, milling machines, bench grinders, and layout instruments. The training will include basic CNC introduction, operation, and programming.

Source / Full Story Here: Asheville Citizen Times

Regional economy ends 2009 on positive note

BOONE—Western North Carolina’s economy ended its roller coaster ride in 2009 with three consecutive months of growth.

The region’s economic activity, as measured by the Western North Carolina Economic Index, increased 1.0 percent in December 2009—the third consecutive monthly gain. The index, which tracks the level of economic activity in 25 Western North Carolina counties, increased at an annual rate of 6.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009. The national economy grew at a 5.7 percent rate during the same period.

“It appears we are turning a corner,” said Todd Cherry, a co-author of the report and director of the Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis at Appalachian State University. “We haven’t ended a year with three consecutive months of regional growth in about two years. There is a long way to go yet, but the first step is beginning to see consistency in positive news about regional activity.”

The region’s unemployment picture remains troublesome, Cherry said. “It will take some time before we see the gains in economic activity translating to new jobs. The lack of jobs remains a problem, but we are heading in the right direction. However, that is little comfort for many.”

The unemployment remained mixed in the region, with rates higher in about half of the counties. “Interestingly, declines in unemployment were concentrated in the rural areas,” Cherry said.

Seasonally adjusted employment for western North Carolina fell in December, decreasing 0.37 percent. Statewide adjusted employment fell 0.7 percent. The region lost nearly 4,700 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Mapping the growth in employment over the preceding month provides a county-level account of job creation. Seasonally adjusted employment declined in all 25 WNC counties in December. Ashe, Transylvania and Rutherford counties had the largest losses in employment (1.62, 1.03 and 0.97 percent). Buncombe, Henderson and Swain counties had the smallest losses (0.12, 0.14 and 0.14 percent).

Seasonally adjusted WNC unemployment registered 12.2 percent in December—unchanged from the previous month. The state unemployment rate increased 0.5 points to 11.2 percent. The national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 10.0 percent.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate within the region’s rural counties registered 12.5 percent in December, down 0.2 points from November. In the region’s metro areas, unemployment increased 0.3 points in Asheville to 9.5 percent and increased 0.3 points in Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir to 15.2 percent.

Movement in the county-level seasonally adjusted unemployment rates was mixed in December. Adjusted unemployment rates increased in 14 of the 25 WNC counties in December. Graham County experienced the largest decline in the unemployment rate (0.88 points) while Caldwell County had the largest increase (1.26 points).

Graham, Caldwell and Rutherford counties had the highest unemployment rates in the region in December (17.27, 17.05 and 16.86 percent). Watauga, Buncombe and Polk counties had the lowest rates for the month (8.14, 9.16 and 9.19 percent).

Nineteen of the 25 counties had unemployment rates above 10 percent and six counties have rates more than 15 percent.

All counties have experienced higher unemployment rates during the past 12 months. Polk and Jackson counties had the smallest increases in unemployment rates (1.83 and 2.13 points) while Graham and Caldwell counties have had the largest increases in rates during the previous 12 months (6.13 and 6.11 points).

Seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance in the region, a leading indicator of unemployment, increased 14.2 percent in December. Initial claims decreased 11.4 percent in Asheville and increased 18.0 percent in Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir.

The WNC Index provides a monthly account of economic conditions for western North Carolina and is typically released the fifth week following each month.  For more information, visit www.cerpa.appstate.edu/wncindex.php.

The WNC Index and Report is a cooperative effort by AdvantageWest-North Carolina and Appalachian’s Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis, and the Walker College of Business.

Source: University News

Economy Stabilizing but Charlotte Region ‘Weak’

The economy is showing signs of stabilizing in some regions of the country – especially in parts of the Northeast and Midwest – bolstering hopes of a broader-based recovery this year.

Economic conditions in the Richmond, Va., district, which includes the Carolinas, however, remain “weak.”

A Federal Reserve snapshot of economic conditions issued Wednesday found that most of the Fed’s 12 regions indicated either that the recession was easing or that economic activity had “begun to stabilize, albeit at a low level.”

The economy is still fragile. But the fact that some Fed regions reported signs of activity beginning to level out raises hope that the recession, which started in December 2007, is drawing to a close.

Four Fed regions – New York, Cleveland, Kansas City and San Francisco – pointed to “signs of stabilization,” the survey said. Two regions – Chicago and St. Louis – reported that the pace of economic declined appeared to be “moderating.”

Five other regions – Boston, Philadelphia, Richmond, Atlanta and Dallas – described activity as “slow,” “subdued” or “weak.” Only one region – Minneapolis – indicated that its downward slide in economic activity had worsened.

Combined, the assessments of businesses on the front lines of the economy appeared to be brighter than those they provided for the previous Fed report in mid-June.

Nationally, the residential real estate remained “soft” in most Fed regions, though “many noted some signs of improvement.” By contrast, commercial real-estate activity weakened further.

In the Richmond district, residential real estate agents gave mixed reports.

One Fairfax, Va., Realtor described the market for houses priced between $400,000 and $1.2 million as “hot,” while Realtors in Greensboro and Asheville reported sluggish house sales. The Asheville contact said his area was “buckling down and weathering the storm.” The district covers the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, most of West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Across the district, retail and service firms made less money, paid workers less and kept staffing levels stable or reduced ranks, according to the report.

Retailers were “fighting for a little piece of what money is out there,” one manager at a chain department store outside Washington, DC, told the Fed. Generally, big-ticket sales suffered. A few building supply stores in coastal South Carolina reported an uptick in sales. And while sales of US-made automobiles languished, dealers of foreign-made automobiles reported sales were soft to “pretty good.”

Hospitals, however, reported steady demand. An executive at a hospital in central North Carolina said the hospital was starting to see more unemployed patients.

Full Story: Charlotteobserver.com