Eastern
Invasive species threatens Lake Waccamaw
June 17, 2013
(The Fayetteville Observer)
Hydrilla, a rapidly moving invasive plant, threatens to choke Lake Waccamaw, and the state is battling back with treatments that could cost up to $4 million over the next eight years.
Wilmington debates future of downtown land
June 17, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
Wilmington officials must decide whether to rezone land just south of the Cape Fear Bridge, essentially a debate about whether the property should return to industrial uses or be preserved for a residential use.
Fort Bragg hospital makes cuts after sequestration
June 17, 2013
(Associated Press)
Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg is cutting pharmacy and primary-care hours and forcing workers to take unpaid time off as a result of federal cuts known as sequestration enacted earlier this year.
Six N.C. counties among 100 fastest-growing in U.S.
June 14, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
Six North Carolina counties -- Hoke, Harnett, Wake, Mecklenburg, Durham and Brunswick -- were among the 100 that grew the fastest in the country between April 1, 2010, and July 1, 2012. Hoke led the way with a 7.6% growth rate.
NewBridge Bank buying Southport bank
June 14, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
Greensboro-based NewBridge Bancorp will acquire Southport-based Security Savings Bank, adding six branches and one loan-production office that will push it over the $2 billion threshold for assets. It also will become one of the biggest community banks in southeastern North Carolina.
Columbus County man leads sweet-potato revolution
June 13, 2013
(The Fayetteville Observer)
Columbus County resident George Wooten, who runs one of the nation's largest sweet-potato businesses, has helped improve marketing of the tuber and is one of the driving forces behind Trinity Foods, which will open a plant in Pembroke to process sweet potatoes for more uses such as sweet-potato fries.
Fayetteville mall to get a facelift
June 13, 2013
(The Fayetteville Observer)
Developers plan to transform Fayetteville's Marketfair Mall from a traditional enclosed structure to an open-air one featuring shopping, dining and a theater. The complex would continue to be anchored by HH Gregg and Gander Mountain.
Work begins on downtown Fayetteville condos
June 13, 2013
(The Fayetteville Observer)
Developers have broken ground on a $15 million project in downtown Fayetteville that will include 47 units for townhomes and condos. A Days Inn previously sat on the property before being demolished.
Consultant recommends beefing up Fayetteville arts scene
June 12, 2013
(The Fayetteville Observer)
A consultant's report detailing ways Fayetteville can improve its quality of life recommends more performance-arts space, an idea that has been broached in the past. The report also recommends recruiting more people to live downtown and finding a permanent home for the downtown farmer's market.
Northern New Hanover corridor grows businesses
June 12, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
A stretch of U.S. 17 from northern New Hanover County to Hamstead has increasingly become a popular business corridor, as evidenced by WalMart's recent announcement that it wants to build a supercenter there. Residential development also has increased in the area in recent years.
Pinehurst looks for lessons recruiting Open visitors to downtown businesses
June 11, 2013
(The Fayetteville Observer)
Ardmore, Pa., this year's host of the U.S. Open, is using "guerrilla marketing" to attract visitors to nearby businesses, employing tactics such as distributing pamphlets by hand -- a method Pinehurst could look to next year when it hosts back-to-back U.S. Open tournaments in the village.
'Sleepy Hollow' television show to film in Wilmington
June 10, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
20th Century Fox Television will bring filming of its new television drama Sleepy Hollow to Wilmington this summer. The pilot episode was shot in Salisbury.
Brunswick County rewrites rules to be more business friendly
June 10, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
Brunswick County officials are rewriting development codes and making it easier for small businesses to open up shop. For example, they've lifted restrictions for businesses developing along the county's highway corridors.
U.S. House approves construction package at Fort Bragg
June 7, 2013
(The Fayetteville Observer)
A U.S. House committee passed more than $202 million for construction at Fort Bragg in 2014.
North Carolina coast under tropical storm warning
June 6, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
The first named storm of the season, Andrea, has formed over the Gulf of Mexico and left the North Carolina coast under a tropical storm warning.
Brunswick County to remain in Myrtle Beach MSA
June 6, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
Despite pleas from local officials, the federal Office of Management and Budget will uphold its shift of Brunwick County from the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area to Myrtle Beach.
Wilmington wood-pellet plan gets approval
June 5, 2013
(The News & Observer, Raleigh)
The Council of State approved a lease that will allow a $35 million wood-pellet storage and shipping facility to be built at Wilmington's port. The 21-year lease is with Maryland-based Enviva Holdings, which is expected to ship pellets starting in January 2015.
Wilmington medical-device company moving to Raleigh
June 5, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
Wilmington medical-device company has completed its merger with Baxano Inc., another medical-device company, and its headquarters will relocate to Raleigh. What the impact would be for Wilmington workers was not immediately clear.
Measure to gut film incentives narrowly fails in House
June 5, 2013
(StarNews, Wilmington)
A proposed amendment that would essentially gut the state's film incentives program narrowly failed a House committee Tuesday, though a bill that would do the same thing is still sitting in another House committee.
Military bases eye possibility of base realignments
June 5, 2013
(New Bern Sun Journal)
The state's military bases such as Cherry Point are eyeing the possibility of a Base Realignment and Closure Commission in 2015 as the nation draws down from two wars.
