North Carolina's Amtrak Piedmont Leads The Way

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s state-owned Amtrak Piedmont train service was number one in the nation in growth within the Amtrak system during fiscal year 2012. “It’s very satisfying to know that more North Carolinians are using train travel as an option,” said NCDOT Rail Division Director Anthony Fuller. “It is equally gratifying to know that our state grew faster in fiscal year 2012 than any other service in the Amtrak system.”

The Piedmont route, which serves the Raleigh to Charlotte rail corridor, carried nearly 163,000 riders in the 12 months through Sept. 30. That amounts to a 16 percent ridership increase from fiscal year 2011. The Piedmont makes two round trips between Raleigh and Charlotte each day, and serves seven other North Carolina cities- Cary, Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury and Kannapolis. The state-supported Carolinian also makes one round trip each day serving the same locations.

"Lenovo and Deere-Hitachi Expand In North Carolina"

North Carolina's economy continues to show signs of recovery as established employers ramp up production. Computer giant Lenovo and heavy equipment manufacturer Deere-Hitachi are among the latest companies to announce expansions in North Carolina.

Lenovo, the world’s second-largest personal computer vendor, recently announced the company will build a U.S. personal computer manufacturing line in Whitsett, near Greensboro. As part of the expansion, Lenovo will create 115 new manufacturing jobs where workers will build both Think-branded notebook and desktop PCs for sale to domestic business, government and education customers, as well as consumers.

The new U.S. PC manufacturing line currently is under construction and will open in early 2013. It will reside within Lenovo’s recently expanded, 240,000-square-foot U.S. distribution center in Whitsett. Hiring for the manufacturing and related positions will begin later this year. The U.S. manufacturing line will be capable of turning out some of Lenovo’s newest and most innovative products, such as the recently announced ThinkCentre M92p Tiny Desktop and ThinkPad Tablet 2. Lenovo believes that having a manufacturing component in the U.S. can provide the capability to deliver products to customers more quickly and reliably in many situations, while offering an even broader and more valuable set of PC-related services.

“Lenovo is establishing a U.S. manufacturing base because we believe in the long-term strength of the American PC market and our own growth opportunities here,” said Yuanqing Yang, chairman and CEO, Lenovo. “As Lenovo expands globally, we are establishing even deeper roots in each major market. In addition to localized sales and marketing teams, in our major countries we are establishing an even stronger manufacturing footprint, investing in R&D and ensuring that we hire top local talent. This global reach with local excellence helps us become even faster, more innovative and more responsive to our customers around the world.”

Lenovo’s U.S. headquarters is located in Research Triangle Park. The company employs more than 2,000 people in North Carolina. Lenovo is a $30 billion personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile Internet devices, including tablets and smart phones.

Deere-Hitachi also announced plans to expand their Kernersville facility. The company plans to create at least 340 jobs by the end of 2016, and invest more than $97 million in its Forsyth County facility. These announcements defy a trend that has seen manufacturing jobs migrate overseas for more than two decades. “Companies like Deere-Hitachi recognize that North Carolina is a great place to thrive because of our top-notch business climate, incredibly well-trained workforce, and central location with access to customers and transportation channels,” said Gov. Perdue. “When the company was ready to expand, North Carolina was the perfect choice.”

Deere-Hitachi is a 50/50 joint venture between John Deere located in Moline, Ill. and Hitachi Construction Machinery Corporation in Tokyo, Japan. The company was established in 1988 to provide both Hitachi and Deere brand excavators to the Americans. As part of Gov. Perdue’s most recent visit to Japan, she met with executives at Hitachi to discuss its current presence in North Carolina and opportunities for it to grow.

“This investment will have a significant positive impact on the State of North Carolina, providing additional employment opportunities for Deere-Hitachi as well as many of our North Carolina-based suppliers,” noted, Al Seeba, Chairman and CEO of Deere-Hitachi. “Deere-Hitachi has been manufacturing in the state since 1988, and we are pleased to partner with state and local officials to help make our vision a reality.”

 

 

"North Carolina Film Production

 Exceeds 2011 Record"

35 Productions to date account for $300 million in spending,

16,000 job opportunities created

Film productions in North Carolina have eclipsed 2011's record setting numbers for in-state spending.

The North Carolina Film Office has received notification from more than 35 productions in regards to filming in the Tar Heel State this year. The projects are expected to have a direct in-state spend of more than $300 million while creating 15,000-plus job opportunities, including more than 3,300 well-paying crew positions for the state's skilled film professional workforce.

"My top priority is creating jobs and the enhanced film credit has created record spending by production companies in this state and resulted in thousands of jobs," said Gov. Bev Purdue. "It's great to see this industry thriving again in North Carolina and we must continue to build on this momentum by creating even more of an economic impact," the Governor added.

Production has taken place or is scheduled to take place in 30 of the state's 100 counties so far this year with highlights including "Iron Man 3," Safe Haven," "We're The Millers," "The Warren Files (The Conjuring)," "The Occult," Jessabelle" and the independent features "You Are Here" and "Writers." Television production has also increased with cameras rolling on the second season of the award winning season of "Homeland" and two new series, "Banshee" and Revolution," as well as the most recent season of "The Bachelorette." National commercials for Under Armour, ESPN, and Mountain Dew have also been shot in the state.

Much of the success of North Carolina's film industry over the past two years is a result of bi-partisan legislation to enhance the state's film tax incentive that was championed by Gov. Purdue and approved by the General Assembly in 2010. Under the incentive, productions receive a 25 percent refundable tax credit based on their direct in-state spending on goods, services and labor. Productions must spend at least $250,000, and the credit is given to the productions only after they have completed their spending and have been audited by the state's Department of Revenue.

"We have one of the smartest incentives in the nation, and when combined with our talented crew base and diverse locations, it makes our state ideal for filmmakers," said North Carolina Film Office director Aaron Syrett."

Beyond the $300 million in direct spending, additional spending and job creation have taken place on numerous lower budget projects and commercials whose cost didn't meet the state's minimum requirement for the tax incentive.

Established in 1980, the North Carolina is part of the state's Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development within the Department of Commerce. Its primary  responsibilities are to recruit productions to the state by marketing the many assets-including the film incentive, crew base, infrastructure, and locations statewide-North Carolina has to offer. In addition, the film office assists productions with permitting and other logistics and works hand-in-hand with regional film commissions in the Wilmington, Research Triangle, Piedmont Triad, Charlotte and Western regions of the state.

"North Carolina Lighthouses

Reveal Maritime History"

Lighthouses are a fascinating feature of the North Carolina coast. Visitors can find a unique lighthouse about every 40 miles along the picturesque shore of North Carolina. In more than two centuries of history, North Carolina lighthouses have endured untold adventure. They have been moved, demolished and reincarnated. From the Civil War to high winds and relentless erosion, each of these beacons has its own unique story to tell.

 Currituck Beach Lighthouse

North Carolina's northernmost lighthouse lies about 30 miles south of Virginia's Cape Henry Light Station.

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse, located in the Corolla community, was built on the same basic model as the towers at Bodie Island, Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras, but Currituck sports a distinctive redbrick facade. Its approximately 1 million bricks were left unpainted to help the seafarers distinguish it from its neighbors.

Completed in 1875, the 158-foot Currituck Beach Lighthouse was the last of the brick lighthouses constructed on the North Carolina coast. It's one of the only eight lighthouses in the nation using its historic first-order Fresnel lens, which casts a beam that's visible for about 19 miles. From Easter to Thanksgiving, visitors can climb 241 steps to the top of the Currituck lighthouse, which has been lovingly restored.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

Bodie Island Lighthouse has had its troubles. Disagreements over the location delayed its initial construction for over 10 years. Construction finally began in 1847, but the structure was leaning toward the ocean even before it was completed, and within two years, one side had dropped one foot lower than the other. Attempts to prop it up failed, and a new, a 90-foot brick tower was built in 1859. More misfortune befell the Bodie Island Lighthouse in 1861 when Confederate troops slipped into the lighthouse and blew it up to keep it from Union ships. After the war, another tower was built, this one on the model of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Shortly after it 1872 opening, a flock of geese flew into the 150-foot-tall structure and damaged the beacon's lens.

The light's latest setback stemmed from structural problems discovered during a major restoration and a lack of funds to fix them. Work has resumed and by spring 2013 the lighthouse will be open to visitors who want to climb its 214 steps. The newly restored first order Fresnel lens will burn bright again on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

The 208-foot Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on the American Coast. Located in Buxton, this tower is made of 1.2 million bricks that were hauled to the site by oxen. Its walls are 14 feet thick at the base. The lighthouse presides over the Diamond Shoals, projecting light 20 miles into the Atlantic and warning travelers away from this dangerous area known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic."

There have been three different lighthouses at Cape Hatteras, the first was erected in 1803. Today's lighthouse was begun in 1869 and was once so threatened by erosion that in 1936 a steel skeleton tower in nearby Buxton Woods replaced it. The erosion was reversed in 1950 and the brick lighthouse was reactivated.

In the summer of 1999, the National Park Service moved the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 2,900 feet from its original location. It still rests there today on a new concrete foundation just 1,600 feet from the shoreline, the distance it stood from the sea when it was completed in 1870. From mid-April through mid-October, visitors can climb the 248 iron spiral stairs to the top.

Although the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is probably the most famous, the Carolina coast is dotted with these beacons from another era. Many are now under the care of the National Park Service and can be visited during the summer months until October. For more information on these and other Carolina attractions go to www.visitnc.com.

Carolina Attractions: The Reasons Why You Must Move To The Carolinas Immediately
by: Robert Bencivenga

 Charlotte North Carolina Sky

In case you are perusing this, you most likely know by now why you should move to the Carolinas. Well, it’s our opportunity to inform you some of the reasons we like the Carolinas. A few of our finest Carolina attractions are given below.

The abundance of nature, history and diverse lifestyles is one of our principal reasons for loving South and North Carolina. In the span of four hours you can go from the Smoky Mountains in Asheville, to the limpid waters of the Atlantic Ocean beyond Charleston.

 From the avenues of Charleston to the historic sand dunes of the Outer Banks, the past tends to envelop you in the Carolinas. One of the most excellent ways to come into contact with the legacy of both states is to discover the Heritage Trails.

 These two states make the most of the mild weather conditions and crowd their schedules full of activities throughout the year. Some of the more famous Carolina attractions comprise the Beaufort Water Festival, in Beaufort, SC, the Bele Chere music festival in Asheville, and the performing arts festival of Spoleto, in Charleston.

North Carolina (NC) is famous for the Research Triangle Park in the vicinity of Raleigh and Durham (the most extensive research park in the world), the Piedmont Triad Research Park, close to Winston-Salem, and University City, near Charlotte (the 2nd biggest banking center in U.S.) Numerous other Carolina attractions comprise cities like Columbia and Charleston, which include thriving business centers. The Carolinas are woven together via 6 main interstates and in excess of hundred thousand miles of state highways. The maximum amount of progress is occurring along the I-85 corridor and should you need to travel a long distance, the Carolinas possess half a dozen important airports in suitable locations.

Hot jobs in the Carolinas cover medical, technology, banking, education, and manufacturing industries. Once known as a textiles center, in the last two decades a number of manufacturers have shifted abroad. Many corporations have noted the qualified workers and tax benefits and shifted in.

Carolina attractions in cuisine rank high on our reasons why you have to relocate to the Carolinas. The attractions concern comfort, family and food. North Carolina is particularly noted for its barbecue. There are 2 types of barbecue: Eastern, with its red pepper and vinegar based sauce, and Western, which uses tomatoes and brown sugar in addition to the red pepper and vinegar.

The Carolinas are noted for their great seafood as well (particularly in South Carolina). South Carolina’s individual way of cooking seafood is described as “Calabash.” Originating in the town with a similar name, Calabash style cooking dips the seafood in evaporated milk, after that a breading mixture and then it’s deep-fried. Western North Carolina’s mountains focus on river trout.

Irrespective of whether you choose to shift to North Carolina or South Carolina, both states have top notch medical services. North Carolina houses four medical universities and South Carolina contains a medical college in Charleston, and large hospitals in Columbia and Greenville/Spartanburg.

Everyone has their own reasons why they ought to move to the Carolinas. What are yours?

To get a FREE REPORT on “Affordable Best Places In The Carolinas”, and find the best place for you visit: http://www.PlacesOfValue.com/page/best_places.php