The Carolinas were among the hottest areas in the country for economic development last year, according to “Area Development,” a national magazine focused on economic development activity. The magazine awarded South Carolina the Gold Shovel Award and North Carolina the Silver Shovel Award based on the number of high value-added jobs and the amount of investment for projects announced in 2010.
South Carolina also was awarded the “Project of the Year” award, giving it both of the magazine’s top honors for the first time. First Quality Tissue’s planned new manufacturing facility in Anderson County, expected to create 1,000 new jobs with $1 billion in investment, was identified as the top project in the country. Following an extensive site selection process, First Quality Tissue said it chose Anderson County in part because of its proximity to a growing Southeastern market, quality infrastructure and low energy costs.
The top 10 projects listed by the magazine for South Carolina in 2010 included a total of 5,975 jobs and $1.94 billion in investment. The top projects in North Carolina included 4,954 jobs with $2.49 billion in investment.
The top 10 projects in South Carolina were:
1. Proterra in Greenville County;
2. Dixie Narco in Barnwell County;
3. Johnson Controls in Florence County;
4. First Quality Enterprises in Anderson County;
5. ZF Group in Laurens County;
6. Caterpillar in Newberry County;
7. CT&T Co. in Spartanburg County;
8. Robert Bosch LLC in Dorchester County;
9. South Carolina Tissue in Barnwell County;
10. Boeing Fabrication Interiors in Charleston County.
The top 10 projects in North Carolina were:
1. Siemens Energy in Charlotte;
2. Caterpillar in Winston-Salem;
3. Facebook in Forest City;
4. CREE in Durham;
5. Reser’s Fine Foods in Halifax;
6. Apple Inc. in Maiden;
7. Electrolux in Charlotte;
8. IEM in Research Triangle Park
9. Zenta in Charlotte;
10. EMC. Corp. in Apex.
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Electrolux North America announced recently its plans to create 200 jobs in Charlotte over the next four years as it consolidates positions from locations across the country.
Electrolux, a manufacturer of home and professional appliances, said the new jobs will have an average, annual wage of $90,150, not including benefits. The pay is well above the Mecklenburg County average annual wage of $51,584. The state provided a $325,000 economic development grant from the One North Carolina Fund to help facilitate Electrolux’s expansion. The fund provides cash grants to attract business projects that the governor considers to be vital to the state’s economy. Companies must meet job creation and investment targets to obtain the grants.
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ESAB Welding & Cutting Products said it will hire 100 people at a new manufacturing facility for welding wire in Union County, S.C. The company plans to produce its line of MIG and Sub Arc welding wire at the new facility, which is expected to begin production by the end of this year. ESAB already has business offices in Columbia and a manufacturing facility that employs 550 people in Florence.
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Charlotte is the smoggiest city on the East Coast, according to annual rankings from the American Lung Association. Based on ozone readings from 2007 to 2009, the Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury metropolitan area was the 10th worst area in the nation for smog. Mecklenburg County last year became the last county in North Carolina to meet a smog standard set in 1997 by the Environmental Protection Agency. Mecklenburg, along with some other counties in the state, is expected to fail new, stricter smog standards coming out in July.
Charlotte and other areas in the state were able to reduce smog in recent years through regulations relating to coal-fired power plants and vehicles, but the state will have to do more to further clean up the air. Mecklenburg County said it is looking at new ways to encourage commuters to carpool or ride buses.
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Buncombe County Schools Supt. Tony Baldwin said the school district may have to eliminate more than 100 positions because of a $22 million budget gap. Buncombe County Schools said it could lose about $11 million in funding based on the state House’s budget proposal that trims public school funds by 8.8 percent. To offset part of its budget deficit, the district plans to use about $5.3 million from the federal Education Jobs Fund and $2.5 million from the district’s fund balance. The district’s proposed job cuts included 72.5 instructional assistant positions, 20 clerical and custodial jobs, four central office positions and seven assistant principal jobs.
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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board said it is willing to add $45 million to the district’s budget plan this year to help avoid the loss of more than 1,000 jobs. The funding also would help preserve prekindergarten programs for hundreds of 4-year-olds.
School board members have indicated they plan to ask Mecklenburg County for more money. The district could obtain more revenue if the property tax rate is left unchanged following the county’s recent revaluation.  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools already began sending out layoff notices based on superintendent Peter Gorman’s proposed budget, which shows a loss of almost $100 million in state, federal and county funds. Gorman has proposed eliminating 1,500 jobs, including 600 teachers. The school board said it could save more than 1,000 of those jobs if it receives the additional $45 million.
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US Airways has announced plans to begin nonstop service from Asheville Regional Airport to Philadelphia International Airport on May 8. Philadelphia will be the third destination offered from Asheville by US Airways, which already operates flights to Charlotte-Douglas International and LaGuardia International in New York.
AirTran and American Airlines previously announced plans to add flights from Asheville this year. AirTran plans to restart its nonstop flight to Tampa International Airport, providing the flight four days a week as a year-round service. American plans to restart its seasonal, daily flight to Dallas Ft. Worth International.
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Unemployment Insurance benefits are now available for North Carolinians who are out of work as a result of severe storms on April 16. The Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available for self-employed business people, farmers and other who may not be covered by traditional unemployment benefits. The state is operating a Disaster Recovery Center to help storm victims. Federal assistance through FEMA is also available to anyone who suffered damage from the strong storms.
N.C. Governor Bev Perdue recently announced the state has received a federal disaster declaration for eight more counties affected by the tornadoes and severe storms, bringing the total to 18 counties. Craven, Currituck, Greene, Hertford, Hoke, Pitt, Robeson and Sampson counties were added to the list. Counties previously given the designation were: Bertie, Bladen, Cumberland, Halifax, Harnett, Johnson, Lee, Onslow, Wake and Wilson.
The disaster declaration provides access to low-interest loans or grants for storm victims. The funds can be used to repair homes and businesses. Local governments affected by the storms can also receive federal financial help.
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The Charlotte Symphony’s annual free concerts at SouthPark won’t be free anymore. The symphony said it will begin charging admission this year due to financial hardship. Former governor Jim Martin, chair of the orchestra’s board of directors, said the symphony has to find a way to cover expenses for the events. By taking such measures, he says, the symphony hopes to avoid the path of others, such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, which recently filed for bankruptcy protection. The Charlotte Symphony has faced deficits since its 2002-03 season. The free concerts at SouthPark have cost the Charlotte Symphony about $500,000 a year, and only about 20 percent of that cost has been covered by sponsorships and donations.