newsobserver.com blogs

In game: Boston College @ Wake Forest

rgreenjr — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:10:26 -0500

WINSTON-SALEM -- Wake Forest shot 72 percent in the first half to buid a 50-39 halftime advantage over Boston College Tuesday night in Joel Coliseum.

The Deacons hit 21 of 29 field goal attempts, getting points from nine different players before the break. Al-Farouq Aminu led the Deacons with 11 points.

Boston College made five of 10 3-point attempts and Tyler Roche scored 17 points as the Eagles played without leading scorer and rebounder Joe Trapani, who missed the game due to illness.

Wake Forest's Tony Woods was ejected from the game with 9:36 remaining in the half for throwing an elbow in a dead-ball situation.

Rolling Hills/Southside project wins Planning Commission's favor

jaydub — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:11:02 -0500

The Rolling Hills/Southside redevelopment project got a much different reception from the Durham Planning Commission tonight than it did a month ago.

Where a request to accept a "blight" report brought sharp criticism at the commission's Jan. 4 meeting, a rezoning and plan amendment for part of the Rolling Hills site won unanimous approval and warm words for the project overall.

"I really feel like this is the time for this area of Durham," said commissioner Wendy Jacobs. "It's going to happen, it's going to happen now. We need to really get behind this project and support it."

Unlike the January meeting, several members of the project's steering committee attended the committee meeting and spoke in favor of the rezoning and plan amendment, which would bring about seven acres along Lakewood Avenue under the new downtown zoning system.

The change allows higher residential density, and for some planned residential units to be used for home-based businesses or converted to commercial use if there is market demand in the future.

Larry and Denise Hester, owners of the Phoenix Square shopping center adjacent to Rolling Hills, objected to the changes. Among other concerns, they mentioned a traffic increase that could require widening of Lakewood Avenue and the possibility of new retail establishments in the area.

However, commissioner Melvin Whitley said the project could benefit the Hesters' business.

"By moving this project forward we give people a reason to comer to this area and when they come they're going to be buying goods and services," said Whitley.

Denise Hester compared the area, just south of the Durham Freeway, to "the continent of Africa under colonial times” due to the number of street-improvement and redevelopment projects potentially affecting the area along Fayetteville Street from the Freeway south past the American Tobacco Trail.

She also called the Rolling Hills/Southside project "a Trojan horse" that would continue the process begun with Freeway construction in the 1960s that leveled most of the Hayti area, Durham's original black neighborhood.

Commissioners, though, said the issues that bothered them in January, particularly the possibility of the city using eminent domain to acquire property and lack of communication with the area's current residents, had been largely addressed and relieved by city staff in the intervening weeks.

Commissioner Jackie Brown said, "Things [are] much clearer than they were last month."

Cary, Raleigh boys win golf titles

teribb — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:48:35 -0500

One of the perks of living in North Carolina is rarely having to stop playing golf. Tournament series continue over the winter, and hardy golfers turn out to compete.

Among the winter golfers are the juniors who compete in the Eastern Junior Golf Association, which visited Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington on Feb. 6-7.

Andrew Fowler of Cary and Eric Bae of Raleigh were among the champions crowned on Sunday at the invitational event. Bae shot rounds of 81 and 75 for a 156 total and a victory in the boys 12-13 division, and Fowler shot a 77-74--151 to win the boys 17-18 championship.

Wilmington golfers won the other two divisions, with Charles Ellis (80-78--158) taking the boys 14-15 title and Emiley Pagrabs (87-89--176) winning the girls 12-18 title.

The EJGA, which started play in 1999, plays its tournaments August through May throughout the Sandhills and Eastern North Carolina.

Eagle Point Junior Masters
Invitational junior golf tournament
Feb. 6-7, 2010
Eagle Point Golf Club, Wilmington, N.C.

BOYS 12-13
1. Eric   Bae, Raleigh, 81-75--156
2. Benjamin Griffin, Chapel Hill, 79-78--157
3. Will   Blalock   Gastonia, 81-82--163
4. Thomas Walsh, High Point, 80-84--164
5. Josh   Stockwell, Aberdeen, 84-85--169
6. Ross   Robison, Wilmington, 87-84-171
7. Jared Crouch, Cary, 89-85--174
8. Zach   Daltorio, Cary, 96-95--191
Forrest   Putnam, Fayetteville, 89-WD--WD

BOYS 14-15
1. Charles Ellis, Wilmington, 80-78--158
2. Alex   Meade, Southern Pines, 86-82--168
3. Bobby Stens, Fayetteville, 85-84--169
T3. Will Thomas, Cary, 87-82--169
T3. Nicholas Thompson, Southern Pines, 87-82--169
T3. Sarah Bae, Raleigh, 92-78--170
T7. PJ Kester, Wrightsville Beach, 88-82--170
T7. Spencer Cosgrove, Wilmington, 91-84--175
9. Broc   Howerton, Reidsville, 92-100--192

BOYS 16-18
1. Andrew Fowler, Cary, 77-74--151
2. Ian Locklear, Pembroke, 76-78--154
T3. Will Dull, Winston-Salem, 81-75--156
T3. Jack Keefe, Fayetteville, 78-78--156
5. Austin Dunlap, Pinehurst, 78-80--158
T6. Alex Ehlert, Raleigh, 80-79--159
T6. Bradford Griffith, Morrisville, 79-80--159
T8. David Donovan IV, Hampstead, 78-84--162
T8. David Kostyal, Wilmington, 78-84-62
T10. Jamie Canaday, Summerfield, 80-83--163
T10. Grant Houser, Holly Springs, 85-78--163
12. Owen Murphy, Cary, 83-81--164
13. Dalton Gore, Oak Island, 84-81--165
T14. Michah Lawrence, Sanford, 85-80--165
T14. Austin Clevenger, Cary, 83-84-167
16. Jake Stone, Holly Springs, 90-81-171
17. Conner Reilly, Whispering Pines, 85-87--172
18. Caleb Keck, ReidsvillE, 91-83--174

GIRLS 12-18
1. Emiley Pagrabs, Wilmington, 87-89--176
2. JB Shavlik, Raleigh, 78-79--157

Got more recreational sports news?

Report your own recreational sports news on the free community edition of Play!

Or post a photo of your team or an outstanding individual competitor.

You'll also find an extensive Play! calendar of tryouts, tournaments, camps, clinics and events, including the Triangle's many running events.

Looking for a team or league? Try the Guide to Triangle Recreational Sports.

Does your team need equipment or donations, or do you have equipment or facility time to donate? Check out the Play! Exchange.

- Teri Boggess
play@newsobserver.com

Panthers @ Canes

chipalexander — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:34:56 -0500

Matt Cullen's goal at 3:11 of the third has given the Canes a 3-1 lead. Cullen took a pass from Tim Gleason on the left wing, cut back across the middle, pulled the puck past a fallen Bryan Allen and beat goaltender Tomas Vokoun.

Joni Pitkanen's hard blast 13 minutes into the second had pushed the Canes ahead 2-1. Pitkanen took a pass from Ray Whitney at the top of the right circle and unloaded a shot that sailed under Tomas Vokoun's glove.

Cory Stillman's goal at 9:36 of the second had given the Panthers a 1-1 tie after Jussi Jokinen's power-play goal at 5:28 handed Carolina a 1-0 lead.

Jokinen extended his point streak to seven games with his 21st goal. Matt Cullen circled the goal and passed to Eric Staal, whose shot was poked away by Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun, but directly to Jokinen.

The goal came after the Panthers' Keith Ballard was called for tripping Staal.

The Canes had a 13-7 shooting edge in the second and some good scoring chances in the period after Pitkanen's goal. With less than a minute left in the period, Staal set up Ray Whitney for an open shot but Whitney fanned with an open net. Whitney also was denied on a shot in the slot. ...

Canes defenseman Tim Gleason caught a puck in the face early in the second and was cut on the forehead. Gleason returned later in the period. ...

The only real excitement in a scoreless first period came from a pair of fights.

The first was between the Canes' Tim Gleason and the Panthers' Gregory Campbell. Gleason took exception to a late check by Campbell and that was that. Campbell was on the bottom when it ended.

In the second fight, the Canes' Steven Goertzen and Florida's Bryan Allen went at it. Little damage suffered by either player. ...

The Canes' Brandon Sutter is playing his 100th NHL game tonight and his line was the most active for Carolina in the first period. ...

Eric Staal is tied with Kevin Dineen for second place in franchise history in power-play goals (71). ...

Jussi Jokinen has points in six straight games (5 goals, 2 assists). ... Since the start of December, the Canes are 16-13-2 overall and 8-8-1 on the road. ...

The Panthers have lost their last three games and four of five. They're 2-for-23 on the power play in the five games and just 3-38 on the power play in their last 10 games. ...

Florida has scored 12 goals in the last 10 games and has been shut out twice. ...

David Booth has two assists in the four games since returning from a concussion that sidelined him 45 games. ...

2 Free games for iPhone

matthewfortner — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:43:04 -0500

Country Driver and DissyMission are currently free.

Country Driver: In this driving sim, try to hit as many sheep as you can while keeping your damage down and reaching the checkpoints.

DissyMission: Guide your space ship through numerous levels using the ship's left, right and main thrust emitters.

2010 Shrine Bowl Combine schedule announced

dclaybest — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:36:08 -0500

The 2010 N.C. Shrine Bowl Combines will be held April 17 (at Matthews Butler High School), April 24 (at Boone Watauga High School), May 1 (at Eastern Alamance High School) and May 8 (at South Central High School).

Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. with tryouts beginning at 10 a.m. The cost is $20 per player (cash only). Players will be measured by height and weight and be tested in the vertical jump, 40-yard dash, pro agility shuttle and bench press repetitions (185 pounds). For more info, contact Shrine Bowl combine coordinator Jim Bob Bryant at (252) 717-8681.

McCollum leaves Pack for Georgia Tech

kentysiac — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:23:23 -0500

Andy McCollum, who had coached linebackers for three seasons at N.C. State, is leaving to join Georgia Tech’s staff.

Pending formal approval by the school, McCollum will serve as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for the Yellow Jackets.

McCollum, 50, grew up in Marietta, Ga., where his father still lives. He had recruited Georgia for N.C. State.

"It's a great opportunity to come back home to Georgia and work at an outstanding school,” McCollum said in a statement released by Georgia Tech. “I'm also excited about continuing the relationships within the state that I have developed over the years. Without question, some of the best high school football programs are in the state of Georgia.”

McCollum had served as Middle Tennessee State’s head coach from 1999 to 2005. He helped N.C. State land eight players from Georgia in the Class of 2009.

Those players included Rashard Smith, who started at cornerback as a freshman before a season-ending injury, and promising center Camden Wentz.

"We will be happy to have a coach with the experience and knowledge that Andy will bring to our program," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "I have coached against and recruited against him for a long time, and I am confident he will do an outstanding job here at Tech."

Great Schools in Wake Coalition holding forums

KeungHui — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:19:58 -0500

The Great Schools in Wake Coalition is organizing a trio of meetings to build community support for saving the school diversity policy.

In a press release Monday, the group announced a pair of February neighborhood forums "to educate the public about critical issues facing our schools." But the biggest event could be a March forum that will include Bill McNeal, Gerald Grant, Richard Kahlenberg and Caroline Massengill.

The first forum will be on Feb. 18 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at St. Matthews AME Church, 1629 Bennett St. in Raleigh. The speakers will include retired educator Dudley Flood, Margaret Rose Murray and Wake County Commissioner Lindy Brown.

The second forum will be on Feb. 25 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Knightdale Town Hall, 950 Steeple Square Court. The listed speakers are former school board member Lori Millberg, Knightdale Mayor Russell Killen and Charles Upchurch, chairman of the Eastern Wake NAACP chapter.

Both February forums conflict with school board community engagement meetings. Organizers from Great Schools in Wake said they had scheduled their forums before the CEM meeting dates were set.

The event that's likely to draw the most people is on March 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at N.C. State's McKimmon Center. The four speakers should be familiar.

Bill McNeal is a retired Wake schools superintendent who co-wrote the book "A School District's Journey to Excellence."

Before her retirement, Caroline Massengill was Wake's magnet school director.

Gerald Grant wrote the book "Hope and Despair in the American City: Why There Are No Bad Schools in Raleigh." Grant had declined an interview request before the election because he said it wasn't his place to talk about the issue. But now he's coming back to Raleigh.

Richard Kahlenberg is a senior fellow at the Century Foundation who has extensively written about socioeconomic diversity policies. He's frequently cited Wake's diversity policy as a model for other school districts.

Here's the group's press release'

Excellence in education has been the hallmark of the award-winning Wake County, North Carolina Public School System. Currently, however, there is growing concern that policy initiatives proposed by newly elected Board of Education members will have a deleterious affect across the whole of our community.

To that end, Great Schools in Wake, a coalition of individuals and organizations committed to educational excellence for all students in our public school system, is announcing the first two in a series of Neighborhood Forums to be held throughout Wake County. The goal of the Forums is to educate the public about critical issues facing our schools, and their impact on our students and the community at large. There will be presentations by community leaders and opportunity for questions and comments from the audience.

As important members of the community, you are instrumental in helping to drive civic engagement. We hope you will cover these events on February 18th and 20th and help us share important information with the public about issues that may impact the future of our school system. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Patty Williams

Great Schools in Wake Coalition

P.S. Please save the date--March 20th, 2010.

Durham, Raleigh reach accord on Falls Lake rules

jaydub — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:31:06 -0500

DURHAM Raleigh and Durham, along with several other jurisdictions, have reached a meeting of the minds on Falls Lake.

While their respective city councils and county commissioners have yet to sign off, officials of 11 Triangle-area governments approved a set of "concensus principles" for the state's program for cleaning up the polluted reservoir at a Tuesday meeting at the Triangle J Council of Governments.

"The managers of Raleigh, Durham city and Durham County, the lawyers representing [them] ... all agree with the guiding principles," said Raleigh City Manager Russell Allen. "We are prepared to recommend them to our boards."

The 12 principles prescribe measures to bring water quality at Raleigh’s intake to acceptable standards within 10 years, and for ongoing water-quality monitoring in the lake and its tributaries and revisions to the cleanup regulations if data indicates they are needed.

“It's a lot of give and take,” said Durham County manager Mike Ruffin. “I think we feel about as good about it as we can feel. We've done what's best for the watershed, we found consensus on what we can work [on] together.”

More excitement building for Hansbrough

rpickeral — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:28:23 -0500

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina coach Roy Williams said the retirement of Tyler Hansbrough's No. 50 jersey would be "off the charts" if the 13-10 Tar Heels were playing better. But he knows the official ceremony, which will take place at halftime of Wednesday's game against Duke, will be "fantastic."

"One of these days, when I'm sitting back in my golf cart and waiting for my time to tee it up, I'm going to think about how special it was to coach Tyler Hansbrough,'' Williams said. "I'm going to think of how lucky I was to coach Tyler Hansbrough. I'm going to think of how effective he was for our team; because he set the standard. We had the national championship in 2005, so he didn't have to legitimize our program again or anything like that, but he set a standard for four years for everybody that stepped out on the court.

"And even some of his own teammates -- no, all of his teammates, at some time -- were in awe of what he did. And that's pretty neat."

The 5-feet-by-8-feet banner commemorating his jersey was already in the rafters for Tuesday's practice. It is only the eighth number to be retired.

Excitement building for Hansbrough

ldecock — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:58:57 -0500

After playing in the shadow of the Smith Center's retired jerseys and meeting the men who wore them, Tyler Hansbrough can't wait to join them tomorrow.

"I'm really excited just to come back," he said Tuesday from Indianapolis. "It's a big deal for me just to be there. Everybody who wore those jerseys, I watched them all and I have a great deal of respect for them. For me to be in that category is something I take pride in."

Hansbrough's No. 50 will be the eighth jersey number retired by the Tar Heels, and he'll be there to watch North Carolina take on Duke in a rivalry where he often had the upper hand.

Hansbrough, whose NBA career is on hold indefinitely because of an ear infection, will hop an early morning flight down for the day's festivities. There's not much chance he'll oversleep, given his level of anticipation.

"The best part of coming back? Just seeing the team and seeing everybody, because it's been a while since I've seen coach Williams and some of the guys I played with," Hansbrough said, then paused. "But getting your jersey retired is a pretty big deal."

Upcoming cooking classes, wine dinners & more

amweigl — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:50:49 -0500

Here are upcoming food events, cooking classes, wine dinners and more around the Triangle:

Edible Arrangements Ribbon Cutting
Please join the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce in welcoming Edible Arrangements to our community. 10 a.m. Wednesday. Free. Edible Arrangements, 7737 Good Middling Road, Fayetteville. (910) 484-4242. http://www.fayettevillencchamber.org
Rhone Valley Wine Course
This course is designed to give a better understanding of the wines from this region as well as the special methods used in making them. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays in February. Wine Merchant, 1214 Ridge Rd., Raleigh. 828-6929.
Chocolate and Champagne tasting
Please join us at our chocolate and champagne tasting fundraiser to benefit the animals of Second Chance Pet Adoptions. Experience the decadent pleasures of all things chocolate, then pamper your taste buds with complimentary sparkling champagne and enjoy an evening of music, fun and the accompaniment of our adoptable cats and dogs. 7:30 p.m. Friday. $15. Second Chance Pet Adoptions, 6003 Chapel Hill Road, Raleigh. 801-3230. www.secondchancenc.org/
Bubbles & Chocolate - Wine Class
The legendary Bubbles and Chocolate class before Valentine’s Day. A great way to spend your night with someone special. 7:33 p.m. Friday. $48 per person. Wine Authorities, 2501 University Drive, Durham. 489-2884. www.wineauthorities.com

Taste Carolina, Chapel Hill Food Tour
Experience the traditional and modern cuisines of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Please register in advance. 11 a.m. Saturdays. $39. Open Eye Cafe, 101 S. Greensboro St., Carrboro. 237-2254. www.tastecarolina.com

Pork & Pinot Day for the Food Bank of Durham
RESCHEDULED DUE TO WEATHER...AGAIN. Wine Authorities teams up with Coon Rock Farm, Not Just Paper, and Guglhupf bakery for a day of Pinot with Pork. Noon. Saturday. $5 donation requested. Wine Authorities, 2501 University Dr., Durham. 489-2884. http://www.wineauthorities.com
Sweet Carolina book signing
Author Foy Allen Edelman will sign and provide samples from her cookbook, “Sweet Carolina,” a collection of recipes taken from her travels across the state. Makes a great Valentine treat! 2 p.m. Saturday. Barnes & Noble, 760 SE Maynard Road, Cary. 467-3866.
Taste Carolina, Downtown Raleigh Food Tour
Experience ethnic and Southern cuisines, house-made chocolates, authentic barbecue and more. Please register in advance. 2 p.m. Saturdays. $39. Dos Taquitos Centro, 106 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh. 237-2254. www.tastecarolina.com
Triangle Food Tour, Chapel Hill and Carrboro
Guided food tasting tour with historical tidbits and unique insights. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Please meet at the Franklin Hotel Lobby. 2:30 p.m. Saturdays. $28.50 (plus $2.50 service charge). The Franklin Hotel, 311 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill. 434-8978. www.trianglefoodtour.com
Triangle Food Tour, Raleigh
Guided food-tasting tour with historical tidbits and unique insights. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Please meet at the former Capital City Grocery Porch. 2:30 p.m. Saturdays. $28.50 (plus 2.50 service charge). Capital City Grocery, 10 W. Franklin St., Raleigh. 434-8978. www.trianglefoodtour.com
Boy Scout Troop 318 Pancake Dinner
Pancake dinner fundraiser for local Boy Scout troop. Must pre-register. Contact Karyn Knight at kknight@nc.rr.com. All you can eat pancakes! 5 p.m. Sunday. Adults $4.50, children $2, under 2 are free. North Raleigh United Methodist Church, 8501 Honeycutt Road, Raleigh. 847-1536. www.nctroop318.com
Cooking Classes at the Inn
A different menu every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Please register in advance. $45 per class, $200 five classes. Fuquay Mineral Spring Inn, 333 S. Main St., Fuquay-Varina. 552-3782.
Booksigning: In a Cheesemaker’s Kitchen
Cheesemaker and entrepreneur Allison Hooper was one of the first artisan cheesemakers in the United States. Get a signed copy of her new book. 11 a.m. Feb. 20. A Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill. 929-7133. http://www.southernseason.com/
Booksigning: The Chapel Hill Food Lover’s Guide
Sip, taste & mingle with the local "foodies" who made this book by Moreton Neal possible. Noon. Feb. 20. A Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill. 929-7133. http://www.southernseason.com/
Cooking Classes with Arthur Gordon
Come learn the secrets of fine cooking with Arthur Gordon. The class includes cooking lessons, dinner and wine tasting. 6:30 p.m. March 16. $50 per person. Irregardless Cafe, 901 W. Morgan St., Raleigh. 833-8898.

Tar Heels' woes have Thompson hiding

kentysiac — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:22:34 -0500

Deon Thompson doesn't leave his apartment unless it's absolutely necessary anymore.

North Carolina's recent struggles (seven losses in the last nine games) have been so traumatic Thompson spoke Tuesday of isolating himself.

"I don't even go out of the house," Thompson told reporters Tuesday during North Carolina's news conference to preview Wednesday night's home game against Duke. "I go to class, but I just try to leave the house as little as possible. When things aren't going the way you plan them to, it's kind of hard to be around (the community). It makes you just want to stay away."

This season has been a huge change for Thompson, who experienced nothing but success until now. During his first three seasons, the Tar Heels advanced to the NCAA Tournament regional finals, then the Final Four, then won an NCAA title.

He said he eats his meals at home and plays video games to pass the time.

"I just try to avoid going out as much as possible," Thompson said. "I try to get food delivered to the house and just stay in my room. . . .I have a great life. XBox 360 and stuff. So it's good."

Despite his frustration, Thompson was gearing up for success against No. 8-ranked Duke.

"Like coach said, how much worse can it get, you know?" Thompson said. "I don't think there's any added pressure. We're just going to go out there and play as a team and get this win."

Potholes got you down? Here are 3 things you can do ...

BruceSiceloff — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:21:18 -0500

View Triangle potholes, 2010 edition in a larger map

Suddenly, we have a pothole epidemic.

Have you hit a bad one? Here's what you should do about it:

1) Share your pothole story with me. E-mail me (bruce.siceloff@newsobserver.com) or leave me a message at 919-829-4527. Please include details on the pothole location, what it did to you and your car, and your daytime contact info.

2) Report your pothole to city and NCDOT road crews so they can fix it. They'll thank you for your call. See pothole call-it-in info below.

3) Pinpoint your pothole on our collaborative Google map, "Triangle Potholes, 2010 Edition." Click the map link or go here for instructions. Be sure to include details in your description.

CALL IT IN:

Here's how to call or e-mail your pothole problem to the people we pay to fix it. Be prepared to give a detailed description and location. Not just "Glenwood Avenue," for example, but "on inbound Glenwood just north of Five Points."

City and state road crews split the job of pothole patching. If you happen to contact the wrong folks, they’ll relay your message to the right place.

- CITY-MAINTAINED STREETS

RALEIGH: Call Raleigh street maintenance at 996-6446 or e-mail pothole@ci.raleigh.nc.us.

CARY: Call town public works and utilities at 469-4090 or e-mail potholes@townofcary.org

DURHAM: Call the city pothole hotline at 560-1177 or click the online request form at www.durhamnc.gov/departments/onecall/.

CHAPEL HILL: Call town public works at 968-2796 or send e-mail to gling@townofchapelhill.org

- STATE-MAINTAINED ROADS AND STREETS. Contact NCDOT for rural and other state-maintained roads, many of them inside city limits. For the fastest response, contact your county NCDOT maintenance yard:

- Wake County: 733-4768
- Durham County: 477-2814
- Johnston County: 934-6176
- Orange County: 732-0856

Or call state Department of Transportation customer service: 1-877-368-4968.

You also can contact the DOT maintenance office in your county online at www.ncdot.gov/contact/. Go to “Road Report” and click the drop-down menu to choose your county. You’ll get an online form for reporting your pothole problem.

UNC's Zeller on the mend

rpickeral — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:33:20 -0500

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina reserve forward Tyler Zeller, who has been out four weeks with a stress fracture in his right foot, has been released to do some shooting and straight ahead running this week, coach Roy Williams said.

"And I think that's all that he'll do this week; and then if no pain comes, then I think they would release him to do more next week,'' Williams said.

Zeller, a reserve 7-footer, averaged 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 16 games. The Tar Heels play No. 8 Duke on Wednesday.

Southwest to charge for Wi-Fi, newspaper reports

AlanMWolf — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:22:12 -0500

Southwest Airlines, one of the busiest carriers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, plans to charge passengers for Wi-Fi, the Los Angeles Times reports.

While the plan is in keeping with other airlines, it marks a different strategy for the low-cost, no-fee carrier.

Most airlines charge a fee to use airborne wireless Internet based on the length of the flight, ranging from $5.95 for flights lasting up to 90 minutes to $12.95 for flights lasting more than three hours, the newspaper reports.

When Southwest announced last week that it was moving ahead with plans to offer wireless Internet service starting in 2012, its vice president for marketing and revenue, David Ridley, said in a statement that the airline was "testing a variety of price points" before making a decision this year.

That's sparked some outrage among Southwest customers. the newspaper reported.

Southwest plans to charge only those passengers who use the service so that passengers who don't go online don't have to pay. "We want to give our customers the option," spokeswoman Whitney Eichinger said.

Read the full Los Angeles Times report here.

Google launches Buzz social networking | Video

matthewfortner — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:17:03 -0500

As expected, Google has unveiled it social networking product. Called Buzz, the tool shares updates, photos and videos. See the video for a quick orientation.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) -- Google is making it easier to socialize on its e-mail service. It's unveiling a new "Google Buzz" feature that sets up a face-off with Facebook.
The feature unveiled Tuesday will enable Gmail users to create status updates on Google Buzz and read and comment on the updates posted by their friends.
Other tools turn Gmail into a showcase for sharing video, pictures and Web links to interesting stories, just as users can on Facebook and Twitter.

Another giveaway: Coupon Queen DVD

amweigl — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:08:43 -0500

Susan Samtur, who bills herself as the Original Coupon Queen, will be in town tomorrow doing a shopping trip for the television stations, I presume. (I passed up the opportunity.)

But her husband did send me a copy of her DVD entitled: "Super Shopping with the Coupon Queen: Your guide to becoming a Super Shopper with all the tips and tricks from the original Coupon Queen, Susan J. Samtur."

I thought the least I could do is give the DVD to one of the Mouthful readers.

You know the drill. Leave a comment at the bottom of this post by noon, Friday, Feb. 12.

NOTE: Do not leave a comment at the bottom of one of my reminder posts. Only comments at the bottom of THIS post will be entered into the drawing.

Karmanos has a few points to make

chipalexander — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:52:09 -0500

Canes owner Peter Karmanos Jr. was in town today and took a few moments to field questions from the media at the RBC Center.

Among the points he made:

-- Having an American Hockey League affiliate in Charlotte can help solidify the fan base in North Carolina. An announcement on the Charlotte team will be made Wednesday.

-- The Canes are optimistic about their bid for the All-Star Game. Pittsburgh, which will open a new arena next year, could be the Canes' top competitor for the 2011 All-Star Game.

-- The Canes now have a season-ticket base of about 10,000 season, either in full season-season holders or season-ticket equivalents. Karmanos said that needs to be raised to 14,000 for the team to have a more sound financial base.

-- Karmanos isn't that concerned that the trip to Helsinki, Finland, to open the 2010-11 season will lead to a slow start next season. "We couldn't do much worse than we did this year," he said.

-- Karmanos said he wants the Canes to continue to win games this season, but also said he'd like to have one of the top NHL Draft picks to help quickly rebuild the team. "We're bi-polar when it comes to winning and losing," he said.

Fewer job openings, more job seekers

AlanMWolf — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:36:15 -0500

It's not your imagination: It's truly tougher to get a job.

Labor Department data released today show that there were 6.1 unemployed workers in December, on average, for every available position, the Associated Press reports.

That's a sharp increase from 3.4 jobless workers per job opening the same month a year earlier. In December 2007, when the recession began, the figure was 1.7 jobless workers per opening.

There were 2.5 million jobs available nationwide at the end of December, down from 3.2 million a year earlier, the Labor Department data show.

Still, today's report isn't all bleak. The number of available jobs increased by about 60,000 from November. And December's ratio of 6.1 unemployed workers per job was an improvement from November's 6.3, the highest on records dating from 2001, the Associated Press reports.

Win a copy of Thomas Keller's new cookbook

amweigl — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:28:51 -0500

OK folks, I'm doing it: giving away a copy of Thomas Keller's new cookbook, "Ad Hoc at Home." It has a small tear on the book jacket but I don't think a true Keller fan is going to turn up their nose at a free cookbook over that.

You have until noon, Friday, Feb. 19 to leave a comment at the bottom of THIS post to be entered for a chance to win.

NOTE: Don't leave a comment at the bottom of one of my reminder posts because you won't be in the drawing to win. Only leave a comment at the bottom of this original post.

What if Tiger Woods made Google's Super Bowl commercial?

brookecain — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:27:16 -0500

You know that awesome Google commercial that aired during the Super Bowl? Well, this is why I love the internet:

Google Commercial - Tiger Woods Parody - Watch more Funny Videos

Wine tastings across the Triangle

amweigl — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:21:21 -0500

Here is a list of upcoming wine tastings across the Triangle:

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and wines for $10 a glass in support of our February charity of the month. 5 p.m. today. 4325 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh. 571-6200. www.flemingssteakhouse.com
Chatham Street Cafe
6 p.m. Thursday. Free to taste; $5 a glass. 140 E. Chatham St., Cary. 380-1193. www.chathamstreetcafe.com/
Taylor’s Wine Shop
Great chance to pick up something special for your sweetheart. 6 p.m. Thursday. Free. 10005 Six Forks Road, Raleigh. 847-3069. www.taylorswineshop.com
Museum of Life and Science
Looking for a classy date for you and your science sweetie? Join us for an enchanting evening learning the science of wine. Stimulate your brain and your taste buds with wine sampling and education from Wine Authorities and the Chatham Hill Winery. 7 p.m. Thursday. $18 museum members; $20 nonmembers. 433 W. Murray Ave., Durham. 220-5429, ext. 313. www.lifeandscience.org/events
The Wine Merchant, Raleigh
The Rhone Valley wine course is designed to give a better understanding of the wines from this region and the methods to make them. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays in February. 1214 Ridge Road, Raleigh. 828-6929.
Weaver Street Market - Hillsborough
5 p.m. Fridays. 228 S. Churton St., Hillsborough. 929-0010.
Weaver Street Market – A Southern Village
5 p.m. Fridays.716 Market St., Chapel Hill. 929-2009.
Twisted Vine Wine Shoppe
Noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Free. 156 S. White St., Wake Forest. 816-7657. http://Twisted-Vine.com
East Wake Wines and Craft Brew
1 p.m. Saturdays. Free. 1001 Widewaters Parkway, Knightdale. 518-5025. www.eastwakewines.com
West Burlington Wine Co.
Four to six wines offered for sampling every week. All tasting wines are on sale for at least 12 percent off a single bottle. 1 p.m. Saturdays. Free. 1149E. St. Marks Church Road, Burlington. 336-538-1715. www.westburlingtonwine.com
The Wine Cellar
Special guest and artist Salvatore Principe will present his ‘Artist’s Collection’ of wines for tasting and signing. 4 p.m. Saturday. Free. Sutton Square, 5850 Fayetteville Road, Durham. 806-3111. http://winecellarnc.com
A Southern Season
Wine nights. 7 p.m. Saturdays until Feb. 20. $20. 201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill. 929-7133.
Adams Vineyards and Winery
Wine tasting includes a take-home glass. 10 a.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. $7-$8. 3390 John Adams Road, Willow Spring. 567-1010.
XIOS Authentic Greek Cuisine
For $20 per person, guests enjoy a tasting of five Greek wines and complimentary appetizers. 5:30 p.m. Feb. 17. $20 per person. 800 W. William St., Ste. 100, Apex. 363-5288. www.xioscafe.com

Canes bound for Finland

chipalexander — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:04:31 -0500

It's now official: the Canes will open the 2010-11 season in Helsinki, Finland.

The NHL announced today that the Hurricanes are one of six teams to be a part of the 2010 Compuware/NHL Premiere and NHL Face-Off. The Canes will play the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.

Owner Peter Karmanos Jr. said the Hurricanes would play a preseason game either in Finland or Moscow.

It will be the first time the Hurricanes franchise has played a regular-season game outside of North America.

Said Canes defenseman Joni Pitkanen: "It should be fun for everyone, an unforgettable experience."

Athens' Hoops for Hope tonight

jmikeblake — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:03:50 -0500

The Athens Drive girls basketball team will host its third annual Hoops for Hope game tonight against Apex.

Pink T-shirts, bracelets, flower arrangements and college memorabilita will be on sale. All proceeds from the fund-raising go to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. Last year's game raised more than $2,800.

The junior varsity game starts at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity contests at 7:30.

Maryland-Virginia game postponed

LJPerez — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:02:05 -0500

With the Washington, D.C. area bracing for as much as another 20 inches of snow on top of the blizzard they got last week, the ACC has postponed Wednesday's Maryland-Virginia basketball game in College Park, Md.

The tip-off time has not been determined, but the rescheduled game will be played on Monday, Feb. 15.

The University of Maryland has been closed since Friday.

"Due to the area's continuing unprecedented winter weather conditions and historic snow accumulations, the University of Maryland, University of Virginia and ACC have agreed that the rare postponement is in the best interest of all involved, after consultation with the campus chief of police and the University’s Associate Vice President for Facilities Management," ACC spokesman Brian Morrison wrote in a release issued today.

Cary entrepreneur Make Mine a Million finalist

suestock — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:52 -0500

Nancy Piepho is one of 20 finalists in the running to win the Make Mine a Million business competition sponsored by American Express OPEN.

The national competition offers female entrepreneurs the chance to win a prize package including access to coaching and other resources that can help them expand their businesses into million-dollar enterprises. That's something only 3 percent of female business owners accomplish, compared with 6 percent of male business owners.

Piepho is the owner of a Cary company called the Expedite Group, which helps busy professionals manage their lives. Expedite employees can run errands, perform research and do other things that help the client make the best use of their time. The company was founded in 2001, but the recent economic downturn has put a damper on demand for its services.

Winning the competition would help Piepho expand her business to other types of clients and also expand nationally -- taking it to that million-dollar level.

"It doesn't matter what the economy is, nobody has enough time," Piepho said.

To win one of the 10 prize packages up for grabs, Piepho will have to give a three-minute "elevator pitch" about her business in front of judges and spectators at the American Express OPEN Women’s Business Summit in Houston next week.

She said she's been refining her pitch and practicing with friends.

"I only have three minutes," she said. "That might be a challenge for me."

UNCG unveils new financial aid program

eferreri — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:58:34 -0500

UNCG today is announcing the UNCG Guarantee, a need-based financial aid program that will guarantee eligible students a college education with little or no debt.

The program will begin this fall and was created thanks to a $6 million gift from an anonymous donor - one of several such mysterious gifts that arrived on the doorsteps of various universities last year.

"The UNCG Guarantee gives us an enormous opportunity to enhance student success at UNCG, and especially for our students who need the most help financially," said Chancellor Linda Brady in a Tuesday press release.

The program, similar in concept to the Carolina Covenant program unveiled several years ago at UNC-Chapel Hill, will at first provide financial support to 30 to 40 first-year students. It is expected to fund 130 to 140 students over four years. But that's just about 12 percent of all the UNCG students who would qualify, and the university hopes to raise funds to expand the program in the future.

The application deadline is April 1. Students chosen for UNCG Guarantee will receive a financial aid package that includes funds from the program’s newly created Lula Martin McIver Scholarship Endowment and other private gifts, along with federal and state grants.

The aid package will include tuition and fees; on-campus room and board; and books, supplies and other educational expenses. Currently, $14,500 per year covers these costs for in-state students.

Ear candy? Harris Teeter offers free ringtones

AlanMWolf — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:19:22 -0500

While it's guaranteed to annoy much of the population, truly die-hard Harris Teeter fans now can get free ringtones based on the grocer's "My Harris Teeter" ditty.

The Matthews-based chain has 10 versions available, the Charlotte Observer's Jen Aronoff reports on her "What's in Store" blog.

The jingle is used in the chain's advertising and Harris Teeter runs contests where shoppers can create their own versions.

"The ringtones are another, fun way for Harris Teeter to interact with customers," spokeswoman Catherine Reuhl said.

Harris Teeter has about two dozen stores in the greater Triangle region. Still, I can't help but wonder what happens when your phone goes off while shopping in Kroger, Food Lion or Walmart.

Free today, Photo software for Windows

matthewfortner — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:07:37 -0500

Zoner Photo Studio 12 includes tool for editing, creating effects, organizing, archiving, and publishing and sharing.

Listed at $49.99, it is free for today here. If you are in need of photo imaging software it looks with a try.

J.D. Salinger: a genius who missed opportunity

eferreri — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:55:44 -0500

The death of noted author/legendary recluse J.D. Salinger last week brought with it a cavalcade of retrospectives as writers and journalists attempted to explain the appeal of a man who hadn't been a public figure in half a century.

Of course, it's difficult to write with any authority about a person who was as determined as Salinger was to maintain his privacy.

And that, argues Leonard Cassuto, was unfortunate and a colossal missed opportunity.

Cassuto is an English professor at Fordham University. He writes in Inside Higher Ed about what might have been, had Salinger not been so determined to keep his work hidden from the masses.

He writes in part:

Salinger was of course entitled to his personal privacy, and he was likewise entitled to write for himself and not for publication. But it’s more than a pity that he expended so much effort to keep people from reading the work that he so eagerly turned into the world at a time when he was feeling more generous toward it. Salinger refused requests to republish his work in different formats, and when people tried to write about it — and about him — he made it as difficult as possible.

I'm as much a fan of Salinger as anyone; Catcher in the Rye is my favorite book and I find something new in it at each reading. But I see what Cassuto is saying here.

As he put it in closing his essay: "Salinger betrayed a great talent. Metabolically speaking, he died last week. BUt his passing really began decades ago."

But on the other hand, does Salinger - or any great artist, really - have any sort of obligation to the masses?

Here's Cassuto's essay.

Heels' swoon puzzles ESPN's Bilas

kentysiac — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:55:34 -0500

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas admits that he’s baffled by the turn for the worse of North Carolina (13-10, 2-6 ACC) as the Tar Heels prepare to play host to No. 8-ranked Duke (19-4, 7-2) at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Bilas said there’s nothing wrong with the schemes, defenses or technical aspects of the game Roy Williams is coaching. For whatever reason, Bilas said, the Tar Heels seem to be suffering from a crisis of confidence and a lack of fight.

"I think there are knowledgeable basketball people around the country that are shocked and have no answer for it," said Bilas, who lives in Charlotte and played at Duke. “We can sit here and pretend like, ‘Well, here’s the reason.’ There’s nothing you can point to - that isn’t thumping inside their chests – for an answer."

According to Bilas, North Carolina was a good team in December. The Tar Heels posted impressive wins over Big Ten foes Ohio State and Michigan State early in the season, but a loss at the College of Charleston started them on a 2-7 swoon.

"They went from being a good team in December to being a bad team now,” said Bilas, who will be working in ESPN’s studio in Connecticut on Wednesday night. “They’re not a good team. They’re getting drilled by teams that are good teams. I think it has more to do with their lack of confidence and sort of collective fight than anything else.”

Bilas said North Carolina has great kids and talented players. He said it’s rare when they line up against an opponent more talented than they are.
He said he has never seen the Tar Heels lose confidence in this way, and he’s sure Williams has never seen it happen, either.

“Ed Davis is an All-American,” Bilas said. “Deon Thompson has been a really good player in the league. All their players have been highly rated and they’re not playing. They’re not fighting, more importantly. They’re playing, but they’re not fighting.”

Alliance One reports weaker results

AlanMWolf — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:51:16 -0500

Alliance One International, which processes and sells tobacco around the world, reported weaker quarterly results.

The Morrisville-based company was formed following the 2005 merger of tobacco merchants Dimon of Danville, Va., and Standard Commercial of Wilson.

Sales for the quarter ended Dec. 31 fell to $658.4 million, down nearly 5 percent from the same quarter a year earlier.

Net income was $47.3 million during the recent quarter, down about 20 percent.

"Our liquidity remains strong and while the global economy has still yet to show real signs of improving, we believe we are well-positioned when this does occur," CEO Robert Harrison said on a conference call with Wall Street analysts.

Alliance One buys tobacco in more than 45 countries and serve manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products in more than 90 countries. The company employs about 3,400 people worldwide, including 350 in North Carolina.

The company's shares, which are up 57 percent in the past year, fell 15 cents to $4.60 today.

UNCG unveils new financial aid program

eferreri — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:51:00 -0500

UNC Greensboro is unveiling its own version of the Carolina Covenant.

UNCG today is announcing the UNCG Guarantee, a need-based financial aid program that will guarantee eligible students a college education with little or no debt.

The aid package will include tuition and fees; on-campus room and board; and books, supplies and other educational expenses. Currently, $14,500 per year covers these costs for in-state students.

Prius and other models now recalled

matthewfortner — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:45:03 -0500

Toyota is recalling 437,000 Prius and other hybrid vehicles worldwide to fix brake problems according to the Associated Press.

The number of vehicles recalled globally by Toyota Motor Corp. now has ballooned to 8.5 million, including for floor mats that can trap gas pedals and faulty gas pedals that are slow to return to the idle position. The 2010 model of the Prius - the world's top-selling hybrid and Japan's top-selling car - wasn't part of the earlier recalls.

There have been about 200 complaints in Japan and the U.S. about a delay when the brakes in the Prius were pressed in cold conditions and on some bumpy roads. The delay doesn't indicate a brake failure. The company says the problem can be fixed in 40 minutes with new software that oversees the controls of the antilock brakes.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement Tuesday that Toyota's leaders have assured him they are taking safety concerns "very seriously." The statement said LaHood's agency will stay in constant communication with Toyota to hold the company to its promise.

The 223,000 cars being recalled in Japan include nearly 200,000 Priuses sold from April last year through Monday, according to papers the automaker filed with the ministry.

In the U.S., Toyota will recall 133,000 Prius cars and 14,500 Lexus HS250h vehicles. Nearly 53,000 Priuses are also being recalled in Europe. Toyota is suspending production of the Sai and Lexus HS250h in Japan until the updated software for those models is ready.

If drivers experience a delayed reaction when depressing the brakes in any of these models, they should keep pressing, according to Toyota and the transport ministry.

The Bachelor: Is Ali pulling an Ed?

brookecain — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:42:34 -0500

On last night's very special "Bachelor," Jake went on hometown dates to meet the families of the four remaining women (Hey, did you hear that Tenley has an ex-husband?!).

But the real drama happened in the last half hour of the show when Ali went to Jake's hotel room to tell him that she was being forced to choose between staying there with him and going back to her job. In the end, after a lot of crying and a lot of whining, Ali left Jake to return to her career.

Wait. We didn't just fall off a turnip truck, "Bachelor" producers. We remember Ed and Jillian, and how Ed told her he had to leave and go back to his job, and then guess who showed back up again at the end because he had made the wrong decision? Ed.

So is Ali pulling an Ed? Do the "Bachelor" producers think we'll fall for that again? Probably. Because as Chris Harrison tells us at the end, the finale will be the most dramatic in Bachelor history! Hey Chris, if you keep upping the ante like that at the end of every "Bachelor" season, eventually one of these final rose ceremonies is going to have to end with someone being murdered.

Other thoughts on the episode:

1/ The dance. I'm so embarrassed for Tenley I don't know what to do.
2/ Tenley is definitely not over her ex. Does Jake want to be her rebound husband? Run, Jake!
3/ Vienna's family. So not what I expected, but then at the same time, it all makes sense now.
4/ Jake didn't really seem at ease with Gia's family. I think she's the next to go.
5/ Ali will absolutely come back. She has to.

School board commitee recommends dropping Forest Ridge High site

KeungHui — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:28:22 -0500

At the first meeting today of the new Wake County school board facilities committee, members voted to recommend abandoning the Forest Ridge High School site in favor of looking at two alternatives in Rolesville.

But the committee recommendation, which could be voted on by the full board next week, came after staff warned that it could cost $15.5 million more to abandon Forest Ridge. You can expect to hear that number a lot before the board votes on the recommendation.

The biggest chunk, $10 million, is estimated to come from acquiring additional classroom trailers to deal with overcrowding caused by delaying the school. It's estimated that scrapping Forest Ridge for a new site would push the opening of the school back two years to 2014.

Staff said that they'd need the trailers for crowding at Knightdale High. They said they'd also need the trailers because a two-year delay would prevent them from using either the Wakefield or Wake Forest-Rolesville high school ninth-grade centers to early start an elementary school to relieve crowding.

Staff said there's a potential $4 million cost from inflation from delaying work and another $1.5 million cost from drawing up new designs.

The money would likely come from a reserve fund in the current school construction program.

School board member Chris Malone, chairman of the facilities committee, questioned whether the cost would be high. Even then, he said they have to weigh the negative impact using Forest Ridge High would have on traffic issues around that community.

School board member Kevin Hill questioned why they weren't going with the recommendations from that task force that found it would be more expensive and lead to delays to abandon Forest Ridge.

But members of the new board majority began to immediately question the findings of the group.

Task force members conceded today that they had overestimated the cost for one of the Rolesville tracts by not including a sewer line that was on the site. But task force members said the reduced cost for that parcel didn’t change the recommendations,

Durham wins $1.25M grant to help black male students

StanChambersJr — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:12:27 -0500

Durham Public Schools will receive $1.25 million over five years to further close the achievement gap between African-American male students and their peers.

The grant money, given by the NEA Foundation, will be used for the Redefining Futures for African-American Males Initiative, aimed to enhance black male student achievement within the district's most challenging schools. The effort will help students transition between grade levels, support teaching endeavors that increase African-American learning and increase parental and community involvement.

The effort will also include counselors working with families in their homes, something that Gov. Beverly Perdue said is needed for academic achievement.

The initiative will be instituted in two sets of schools that feed into one other: Eno Valley Elementary, Chewning Middle and Norhtern High schools and Fayetteville Street, Lowe's Grove Middle and Hillside High schools.

For more on this story, see www.newsobserver.com and tomorrow's News & Observer.

Big banks' bonuses a welcome boost for Charlotte

AlanMWolf — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:06:25 -0500

Some good news out of the Queen City: Bank bonuses are rebounding.

In Charlotte, the nation's No. 2 bank town after New York, Bank of America and Wells Fargo are preparing to pay bigger annual bonuses to many of their 34,000 local employees, the Charlotte Observer reports.

The levels won't reach the peaks hit during boom times a few years back, but they should be up significantly over last year. Wells Fargo's total pool for bonus and commission pay is up about 66 percent over last year, the newspaper reports.

While politically sensitive nowadays, the payouts are a critical part of personal income - and consumer spending - in Charlotte. The bonuses help drive the city, funding charitable giving, the real estate market, retail and other aspects of the economy.

To a lesser extent, the fatter bonuses could provide an economic boost to this region's economy, where Wells Fargo's Wachovia and Bank of America also employ thousands of people.

But the riches will be more rewarding in Charlotte.

At Lions Jewelers in Phillips Place, left, a high-end shop that has benefited in past years from bonus season, manager Tonda Rifkin is glad that sales are up compared to the past two years, but she isn't sure if it's related to anticipated bank bonuses.

"You used to hear clients mention that they had received or were getting a bonus, and you just don't hear the bonus talk any more," Rifkin said. "Maybe they are getting a bonus and they're just not talking about it as much."

Read the full Charlotte Observer story here.

Nation's might rooted in arts and culture, futurist says

johnmurawski — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:51:19 -0500

Conventional engineers are a useless defense against foreign competition.

That's the warning from author Daniel Pink, this morning's featured speaker at the 25th annual Emerging Issues Forum at the Raleigh Convention Center. Pink said the nation's future depends on producing a cadre of scientists and engineers who think creatively like painters and novelists.

Pink -- whose writing has run in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review and Fast Company -- said the mass-produced scientist-technician who performs routine repetitive tasks can easily be outsourced with cheaper foreign labor.

Pink advocated for a right-brain/left-brain synthesis in education by a renewed emphasis on the performing arts, fine arts and liberal arts. In fact, much of Pink's hour-long speech on the future of civilization sounded a lot like a Renaissance philosophy of the Humanities that embraces all branches of learning.

"There's a notion out there that if we only train armies of scientists and engineers, we're going to be okay," Pink said. "We're reducing kids into vending machines who spit out the right answers."

Pink is a Yale Law School graduate who was a speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore and recently published "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us." He is part of a new wave of thinkers reacting against what they denounce as the one-dimensional emphasis on efficiency in management theory and public policy.

Pink gave an brief overview of the history of civilization as an evolution from physical labor to routine intellectual tasks, an epoch that is now coming to an end. He said we are entering a new paradigm that will require creative, big-picture thinking.

Routine intellectual tasks include some types of accounting, finance, law and computer programming -- tasks that can be performed by computers, such at TurboTax, or cheap foreign labor.

"Machines replaced our back," he said. "Software is replacing our brain."

He also said that current educational measures, such as the SAT, emphasize the left-brain thinking that's becoming less important in human affairs.

"We need to infuse arts education throughout the curriculum," he said. "The arts aren't ornamental, they're fundamental."

PPD reports weaker sales, profit

AlanMWolf — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:39:07 -0500

Shares of PPD fell this morning after the drug-research company reported weaker sales and profit.

The Wilmington-based company employs about 1,400 people in the Triangle and is one of the largest contract-research organizations in a region full of them.

Fourth-quarter revenue fell slightly to $357.4 million, PPD reported late Monday. Net income fell 60 percent to $18.99 million.

PPD plans to spin off its drug-development division as a new, publicly traded company around the middle of this year to focus on expanding its other businesses. Most of the company's Triangle employees are involved in the contract research side.

PPD competes for new business with rivals such as Durham-based Quintiles Transnational. Big pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are cutting costs as they try to offset slowing sales.

PPD's stock, which is down 16 percent in the past year, fell 41 cents to $21.72 this morning.

Results from "Ultimate Cake Off" show featuring Raleigh bakers

brookecain — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:26:41 -0500

Adrienne is on the road today, but reports that the Raleigh team of bakers from Swank Cake Design competing on last night's "Ultimate Cake Off" on TLC did not win the $10,000 prize money.

Here's what Adrienne said: "Wayne Steinkopf did not win. He won the skills test, which was decorating a dog bowl with fondant, but he lost the taste test which cost him 30 minutes in working time. Still, he did finish his 8-foot cake, which had a rotating agility ring. The judges didn't think most of his dogs looked realistic enough (the winner's dogs looked REALLY realistic) and that is what I think did him in. But overall, I do think he had the best looking cake. He has a clean style and the cake was colorful, but not overdone."

Green Hope No. 3 in girls state basketball poll

timstevens — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:01:24 -0500

1A GIRLS
1. Bishop McGuinness (10) 13-4 – 135
2. Williamston (4) 19-0 – 127
3. Mount Airy 18-2 – 112
4. River Mill 23-4 – 82
5. East Surry 16-4 – 78
6. Robbinsville 17-2 – 72
7. Mitchell 17-4 – 56
8. Avery 19-2 – 44
9. Southside 15-3 – 20
10. Hiwassee Dam 14-5 – 16

HONORABLE MENTION: Union (16-3) - 11; South Robeson (15-4) - 6; Cherokee (15-5) - 4; Goldsboro (13-4)- 3; Chatham Central (13-4) - 2; Pender (10-2) - 2; East Wilkes (12-7) - 1;

2A GIRLS
1. Salisbury (12) 17-0 – 137
2. East Bladen (2) 21-0 – 127
3. Northside-Jax 19-0 – 112
4. Shelby 17-2 – 90
5. Ashe County 18-1 – 79
6. East Davidson 17-3 – 67
7. Newton-Conover 18-3 – 51
8. North Stanly 19-2 – 48
9. Cummings 15-2 – 36
10. Bandys 17-3 – 10

HONORABLE MENTION: Jordan-Matthews (20-3) - 9; North Pitt (14-6) - 2; Berry (18-4) - 1; Bertie (17-3) - 1; Beddingfield (15-5) - 1;

3A GIRLS
1. Forestview (14) 17-2 – 140
2. South Central 18-4 – 126
3. Western Harnett 20-3 – 98
4. Hickory 16-3 – 84
5. Jay Robinson 18-2 – 83
6. Eastern Guilford 19-2 – 69
7. Concord 16-5 – 65
8. Parkwood 16-3 – 43
9. Charlotte Catholic 19-2 – 30
10. Freedom 18-4 – 14

HONORABLE MENTION: Rocky Mount (14-3) – 7; North Buncombe (15-5) - 4; Havelock (17-3) - 4; North Iredell (13-2) - 3; Fike (13-4) - 1; West Rowan (16-4) - 1;

4A GIRLS
1. East Mecklenburg (10) 21-2 – 132
2. McDowell (3) 20-0 – 127
3. Green Hope (1) 22-0 – 109
4. HP Central 18-1 – 86
5. Butler 14-4 – 81
6. Fayetteville Smith 17-1 – 78
7. Northern Durham 17-2 – 53
8. South Caldwell 18-1 – 46
9. Seventy-First 17-3 – 23
10. Greensboro Dudley 16-4 – 8

HONORABLE MENTION: Athens Drive (17-3) - 7; Clayton (19-2) - 7; Hopewell (16-4) - 4; AC Reynolds (14-2) - 4; Ashley (17-2) - 2; Porter Ridge (19-3) - 1; Mount Tabor (15-5) - 1; Lumberton (15-2) - 1;

Enloe, Millbrook remain in Top 10

timstevens — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:57:56 -0500

1A BOYS
1. Winston-Salem Prep (12) 21-3 – 136
2. Monroe (1) 20-1 - 123
3. Cherryville (1) 16-2 - 110
4. Pender 17-1 - 102
5. Weldon 16-1 - 78
6. Lejeune 19-2 - 62
7. Hendersonville 15-4 - 48
8. Wallace-Rose Hill 15-3 - 28
9. North Rowan 16-4 - 22
10. Murphy 14-5 - 21

HONORABLE MENTION: North Wilkes (15-4) - 10; SW Onslow (10-2) - 9; Albemarle (13-3) - 8; Hayesville (17-4) - 5: North Edgecombe (11-3) - 4: Bishop McGuinness (13-6) - 4; Goldsboro (13-6) - 2;

2A BOYS
1. Kinston (13) 18-3 - 138
2. Shelby 17-2 – 120
3. East Rutherford (1) 18-1 – 117
4. West Caldwell 16-2 - 93
5. West Bladen 18-2 - 82
6. Cedar Ridge 17-2 - 74
7. Smoky Mountain 15-4 - 41
8. Mountain Heritage 13-2 - 30
9. Providence Grove 18-3 - 22
10. Brevard 16-3 - 15

HONORABLE MENTION: Northeastern (17-2) - 12; Pisgah (15-3) - 8; Trinity (17-3) - 6; Jordan-Matthews (19-4) - 5; Salisbury (10-4) - 4; Reidsville (14-4) - 2; Bertie (15-5) – 1;

3A BOYS
1. South Central (13) 19-1 - 139
2. Northern Guilford (1) 16-2 - 124
3. Hickory 18-3 – 99
4. Rocky Mount 15-2 - 96
5. CB Aycock 19-2 - 70
6. Northern Vance 14-3 - 68
7. Carson 17-2 - 65
8. Huss 16-2 - 46
9. North Forsyth 14-4 - 24
10. Concord 12-6 - 14

HONORABLE MENTION: Westover (14-4) - 9; West Rowan (12-6) - 9; Waddell (14-6) - 6; Ledford (14-4) - 2;

4A BOYS
1. Hopewell (12) 20-0 – 137
2. Terry Sanford (2) 22-0 – 128
3. McDowell 19-0 – 111
4. Lake Norman 16-2 – 87
5. Dudley 16-6 – 69
5. Pinecrest 18-2 – 69
7. Riverside 18-2 – 57
8. Enloe 16-3 – 39
9. Millbrook 18-3 – 37
10. Reagan 14-2 – 19

HONORABLE MENTION: Vance (15-4) - 13; Seventy-First (15-6) - 3; Apex (17-4) - 3;

Biogen Idec reports stronger quarter

AlanMWolf — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:30:20 -0500

Biogen Idec reported stronger fourth-quarter profit, bolstered partly by rising sales of its Tysabri medicine for multiple sclerosis.

The Massachusetts company makes Tysabri and other drugs at its campus in Research Triangle Park, where it employs about 850 people. About half of those make drugs and the rest handle patient services and support.

Net income of $305.6 million beat expectation of Wall Street analysts. Revenue rose to $1.13 billion, up 5.4 percent from the same quarter a year earlier.

Sales of Tysabri, Biogen's fastest-growing product, rose 39 percent to $216 million. Its top seller, the MS treatment Avonex, rose 5.4 percent to $596.5 million.

Tysabri is a controversial drug, having been linked to 31 deaths of a deadly brain infection since regulators allowed its return to the market in 2006. But the drug, sold with partner Elan, also is increasingly seen as a promising treatment for MS.

Biogen shares had climbed about 25 percent since late October. They rose $1.04 to $53.88 in midday trading.

The company now faces several management challenges. Its board is seeking a replacement for CEO James Mullen, who announced last month he plans to retire. In addition, activist investor Carl Icahn, who has advocated for changes at Biogen, wants to install three people to the company's board.

Pack's McCollum may leave for Georgia Tech

kentysiac — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:24:37 -0500

Linebackers coach Andy McCollum has been considering an opportunity to leave N.C. State and join Georgia Tech's staff.

N.C. State athletics director Lee Fowler confirmed Tuesday morning that McCollum has interviewed for the job and said McCollum hadn't made up his mind as of Monday afternoon.

McCollum is from Marietta, Ga., and his father still lives there, Fowler said.

"I know he's very interested," Fowler said. "It would be like going home."

McCollum, 50, is a former head coach at Middle Tennessee and has spent three seasons on Tom O'Brien's staff at N.C. State.

NCDOT changes mind on vet clinic

jaydub — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:07:15 -0500

Good news this morning for the Triangle Veterinary Emergency Clinic and the folks of Morreene Road: NCDOT has changed its mind.

According to City Councilman Mike Woodard, highway department engineers met this morning and decided the clinic will not have to add a turn lane in front of its planned new clinic at Morreene Road and Linden Terrace -- thus removing the need to move a city sewer line and saving the clinic around $250,000.

As reported in last Saturday's Durham News, residents near the clinic site -- former Mariner's Cove restaurant location -- want the clinic to move in and renovate the warehouse eyesore in their midst. After learning that DOT's requirements for the turn lane and sewer move jeopardized the clinic's plan, they mounted a campaign to convince DOT to reconsider and enlist city and state officials on their side.

Martin Marietta reports demand for products still soft

dbracken — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:01:25 -0500

Martin Marietta Materials reported today that sales and profit declined in the fourth quarter as demand for the company's construction materials continued to be hurt by the recession, which has reduced state budgets for road work and curtailed overall construction activity.

The Raleigh company, which produces rock, gravel and other materials, had revenues for the three months that ended Dec. 31 of $374.7 million, down 20 percent from the same quarter in the prior year.

For the year, Martin Marietta revenues dropped 19.5 percent from 2008.

The company reported a loss per diluted share of 7 cents for the quarter, compared with earnings per diluted share of 60 cents for the same quarter in the prior year.

Earnings per diluted share for the year were $1.91, compared with $4.18 for the prior year, and lower than the company had predicted.

In November, Martin Marietta lowered its guidance for the year from $2.70 to $3.30 per share to $2.20 to $2.45 per share.

"The infrastructure construction market, which represented 55 percent of 2009 shipments, was weakened as state budgets were negatively impacted by the prolonged recession and further exacerbated by the expiration of the federal highway bill in September 2009," said Ward Nye, Martin Marietta's president and CEO.

Martin Marietta has had 15 consecutive quarters of declining volume when compared to the same quarter in the previous year.

Nye said the company expects the demand for infrastructure construction materials to improve in 2010, noting that in the company's top five states only 15 percent of the federal stimulus dollars allocated was actually spent.

Nye said the company expects a 2 to 4 percent increase in overall volume, adding, "however, if the decline in commercial construction is greater than anticipated, volumes may be flat or down compared to the prior year.

Martin Marietta owns nearly 300 quarries in 28 states. It employs about 4,750 people.

The company's stock closed Monday at $79.61, off 22 percent from its recent high Sept. 17.

Beginning the review of Wake's school diversity policy

KeungHui — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0500

The road toward the potential elimination of Wake County's school diversity policy will get going on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the current student assignment policy will be the topic of discussion of the first meeting of the new school board policy committee. The policy committee was given the charge of reviewing the proposed changes to the assignment policy that would eliminate all references to diversity in focusing on neighborhood schools.

But before the policy can be changed, the board members will receive an overview of the current Policy 6200 "in order for Board members to begin identifying possible changes," according to the meeting agenda.

They'll go over the policy and the R&P.

Debra Goldman, chairwoman of the policy committee, has indicated that it could be a lengthy review. She says she wants to implement the new policy after a careful review.

Most of the committee agenda is on reviewing routine policies. The review of Policy 6200 is scheduled to go for 20 minutes.

The committee meeting is scheduled to run from 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the board conference room, 3600 Wake Forest Road in Raleigh.

Southeast Raleigh sweeps Smithfield-Selma in hoops

dclaybest — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:58:15 -0500

Monday's prep basketball results

Boys

Southeast Raleigh 49, Smithfield-Selma 42

Girls

Southeast Raleigh 44, Smithfield-Selma 34