Charlotte, NC (Jan. 17, 2012)

The 175,400-square-foot facility offers state-of-the-art court facilities as well as new accommodations for the county’s law enforcement departments.  The facility also features a 300-bed detention facility, which houses both minimum and maximum security detainees.

Rockingham County was eager to integrate high performance design principles to create a more energy-and water-efficient facility, which will positively impact the facility’s operational costs.

Lance Metzler, Rockingham’s County Manager, expressed his enthusiasm with the project and the county’s leaders.  “I’ve worked on a LEED Silver project before, so I understand how hard this team worked to successfully target LEED Gold for our center.  Not only will this facility save the county operational costs in the long run, but we are leading by example.”

Dan Mace, a vice president with Moseley Architects and the managing principal on the project indicated that Rockingham County’s leadership viewed LEED certification as a measured risk worth taking for one of the county’s largest capital projects.  “I think the further along we got the more we could see how the project would benefit from the high performance design strategies we were considering and how pursuing certification was a good use of taxpayer dollars.”

Moseley Architects incorporated green building strategies in the design in order to earn LEED Gold certification.  Working closely with the project’s general contractor, Branch & Associates, Inc. the team included the following noteworthy features: energy-efficient HVAC systems, lighting, and building envelope strategies to reduce energy expenditures by 28 percent ($94,000/year); rainwater cisterns to annually save 600,000 gallons of water; Energy Star® compliant roof membrane to lessen local heat island effects and keep the building cooler; and local and regionally manufactured building materials to support the state economy and reduce transportation impacts on the environment.

John Nichols, Moseley Architects’ Sustainability Coordinator on the project, summed up the facility’s accomplishment.  “Our approach to LEED certification relied upon a wide array of team members in order to improve the design, construction, and operations of the facility in a cost-effective manner.  The whole team should be proud of the collaboration, which carried the project from an initial goal of LEED Certified to the actual achievement of LEED Gold.”

Lisa Demmel

Marketing/Communications Manager

MOSELEY ARCHITECTS

COUNTY LEADERS’ QUOTES REGARDING JUSTICE CENTER

The Honorable W. Keith Mabe, Chairman of Rockingham County Board of Commissioners:

“It’s fantastic that we are leading in the green energy environment … it’s a good model for other counties to follow.”

The Honorable Samuel S. Page, Rockingham County Sheriff:

“This has been a great experience in my law enforcement career working with the Rockingham County Judicial Center advisory team. I appreciate the support of all participants during the planning, design and construction phases, and especially working with our partners, Moseley Architects who helped us reach our goal of LEED Gold certification.

This is a proud accomplishment that Rockingham County Government can talk about for a long time. With this certification we have saved tax dollars, and reduced waste in the construction and operational process.

Thanks again to Moseley Architects for this memorable experience in building design.”

The Honorable Rebecca B. Cipriani, Rockingham County Register of Deeds: 

“We are in the center of the County and serve as a hub of county services so I commend the Commissioners for their vision in guarding our environment and natural resources and at the same time, providing us a facility to utilize technology to better serve our citizens.

From a 1907 courthouse using manual processes, typewriters and microfilm; to today’s high-tech “green courthouse” with wireless internet so customers can use their IPads; it is exciting to be a part of this exciting time in history.”

The Honorable J. Mark Pegram, Clerk of Superior Court:

“I would like to commend the Commissioners’ leadership who decided to fulfill this project and had the forethought of being on the environmental cutting-edge.”

The Honorable Edwin G. Wilson Jr., Senior Resident Superior Court Judge:

“It’s so impressive to now have one of the premier facilities in the state and country. This extra effort will save so much money in the long run.”

The Honorable Fred B. Wilkins, Chief District Court Judge:

“They had talked about needing a new courthouse for many years because I’ve been practicing 37 years and it’s been in the works.  This is outstanding.  I never thought I’d see this during my career, and then the LEED Gold certification.  I’m really pleased.”

###

---

---

  Click For More Information
To view additional Upcoming Event Flyers,
Visit the UPCOMING EVENTS flyer page
on Rockingham Update.

---

---

---

“My top priority is creating jobs, and this bill will fuel the expansion of an industry that has already put down roots in North Carolina,” Gov. Perdue said. “North Carolina’s top-ranked business climate helps us attract new businesses and help existing ones grow and thrive.”

The legislation will allow all breweries to offer tastings and sell their products on site, a change aimed at drawing new breweries – and new jobs – into North Carolina. In recent years, the state has seen a sharp growth in small craft breweries, and the new law will help attract new operations interested in opening breweries that also serve as tourist destinations.

Reposted from: governor.state.nc.us

###

Settlement includes restitution for Charlotte, Orange, Dare and Cumberland counties

(Raleigh, NC) -  Wachovia Bank, now Wells Fargo, will pay $58.75 million to North Carolina and 25 other states as part of a multistate settlement for its part in a bid rigging scheme that defrauded local governments, hospitals and schools, Attorney General Roy Cooper said Thursday.

“Rigging the system to prevent fair competition cost taxpayers, local governments and schools millions of dollars,” Cooper said. “I’m pleased that we’ve been able to win money back for those who were harmed here in North Carolina.”

Wachovia has agreed to pay $54.5 million in restitution to affected municipalities, school districts and not-for-profit entities nationwide that entered into municipal derivative contracts with Wachovia between 1998 and 2004. In addition, Wachovia agreed to pay a $1.25 million civil penalty and $3 million for fees and costs of the investigation to the settling states.

The settlement resolves allegations that Wachovia defrauded cities and counties, schools, colleges, hospitals and other entities that purchased a type of investment through the bank called municipal bond derivatives.

Under the settlement, governments and non-profits that were injured by the scheme will get money back, including approximately $2 million to the following in North Carolina: Barton College, Blue Ridge Health System, the City of Charlotte, Dare County, Orange County, Cumberland County, Fayetteville Memorial Hospital, Gardner-Webb University, Goldsboro Housing Authority, Mocksville Housing Foundation, Iredell County, Mooresville Graded School District, Surry County Hospital District, RDU Airport Authority, UNC Pembroke University Foundation, Wake Forest University, and West Jefferson.

The states’ settlement is part of a global settlement worth $148 million that Wachovia is entering into with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Internal Revenue Service.

Wachovia is the fourth financial institution to settle in the ongoing municipal bond derivatives investigation following Bank of America, UBS AG and JP Morgan. To date, the state working group has obtained settlements worth almost $310 million.

This is the fourth settlement Cooper’s office has reached regarding municipal bond derivatives as part of an ongoing multistate investigation. In December 2010, Bank of America agreed to pay $3.4 million to North Carolina local governments, schools and non-profits as part of a $67 million multistate settlement. In May 2011, UBS agreed to pay $252,995 to entities in North Carolina as part of a $90.8 million multistate settlement. In July 2011, JP Morgan Chase (JPMC) agreed to pay $126,326 to Charlotte, Wake County and North Carolina State University as part of a $92 million multistate settlement.

Governments and non-profits use municipal investment derivatives to reinvest the proceeds from tax-exempt bond offerings until the funds are needed or to guard against fluctuating interest rates. In April 2008, North Carolina and the other states began investigating allegations that some banks, insurance companies, brokers and swap advisors had engaged in deceptive and fraudulent conduct in the municipal bond derivatives market.

The ongoing investigation has so far revealed that Wachovia, JPMC, UBS and Bank of America along with certain brokers kept the process from being fair by rigging bids and submitting non-competitive courtesy bids.

The alleged schemes enriched financial institutions or brokers at the expense of state agencies, towns, cities, school districts, non-profits and the taxpayers who fund them. As a result, governments and non-profits got artificially low rates of return on these investments or paid higher rates than they should have.

“This was not the way to do business,” Cooper said. “We’ll continue our investigation to make sure that those who broke the law are held accountable.”

Reposted from: ncdoj.gov

The $2.4 million contract was awarded to the Thompson-Arthur Division of APAC-Atlantic Inc. of Greensboro. Work can begin as early as April 2, 2012 and is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 3, 2012.

The following roadways will be resurfaced:

• U.S. 311/N.C. 770 from N.C. 14 to Shady Grove Road/Washington Street;

• N.C. 87 from N.C. 65 to U.S. 311/N.C. 770 (Harrington Highway);

• Scales Street from Sprinkle Street to Madison Street;

• Madison Street from Scales Street to N.C. 14; and

• Hubbard Street from Lawsonville Avenue to Morehead Street.

This is one of 12 contracts totaling $32.1 million awarded by Conti for highway and bridge projects across North Carolina. NCDOT awarded the contracts to the lowest bidders, as required by state law. The bids received on the projects awarded came in about 6 percent, or about $2.1 million, below NCDOT estimates. Since Gov. Bev Perdue took office in January of 2009, NCDOT has awarded 439 highway contracts totaling $3.4 billion to ensure that all North Carolinians have access to jobs and educational opportunities.

For more information about funding for infrastructure improvements in North Carolina, as well as other NCDOT projects and activities, visit www.ncdot.gov.

*** NCDOT ***

“Our top priority is creating and sustaining jobs in North Carolina, and we all know that small businesses are the primary engine of job growth,” Gov. Bev Perdue said. “More than 1,000 small businesses are now able to keep their doors open and their employees working. These are the types of programs that ease regulatory burdens and make doing business with state government more efficient.”

The program offers penalty and fee waivers, as well as longer-term payment plans to companies that have fallen behind on sales, withholding and other trust taxes. With a total cost savings of almost $6.8 million in fees and penalties, 1009 businesses are now participating in the program.

“Companies from the mountains to the coast are benefiting from the state’s help during these tough economic times,” said Secretary of Revenue David Hoyle. “We have everything from restaurants, automotive centers, and healthcare services to landscaping and building companies that are using this program to get back on their feet.”

Businesses with 200 or fewer employees qualify for the program and must agree to use the counseling services of the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) or the NC Small Business Center Network (SBCN). Both organizations are available to assist with financial planning and other business needs. All services are confidential and protected from public information requests.

The program runs through June 2013.

Interested business owners should contact the department at 1-877-252-3052 and visit the “Information for Businesses” section of www.dornc.com to learn more about eligibility and participation.

Re-posted from: governor.state.nc.us

Forbes Again Declares North Carolina No. 3 ‘Best State for Business’

(Raleigh, N.C., November 23, 2011) – Gov. Bev Perdue has been focused on reducing the regulatory burden and other costs on businesses to help create jobs. Forbes Magazine this week reflected North Carolina’s continued success by ranking North Carolina as the most favorable regulatory environment in the nation and as the No. 3 “Best State for Business.”

“My top priority is creating jobs, and a critical element in doing that is creating a business environment that attracts new companies and helps existing businesses grow and thrive,” Gov. Perdue said. “These rankings clearly show that our commitment to creating a business-friendly climate is paying off. We’ve eliminated hundreds of unnecessary rules that place a burden on North Carolina businesses while still protecting our air, our water and public safety. Business leaders are taking notice that our investments in education and job training programs have given this state a top-notch labor force. That recognition underscores the importance of our fight to reverse the legislature’s damaging cuts to education.”

In the Forbes rankings, North Carolina scored first in regulatory environment, second in business costs and third in labor supply.

In its rankings, Forbes scored the states on six measures including business cost, labor supply, regulatory environment, economic climate, growth prospect, and quality of life.

The Forbes ranking can be seen at http://www.forbes.com/

Re-Posted from: governor.state.nc.us

(Raleigh, N.C., November 23, 2011) – Gov. Perdue has proclaimed Saturday, November 26th as “Small Business Saturday” in North Carolina.

“I want to encourage all North Carolinians to support small businesses close to home on this Saturday and every day,” Gov. Perdue said. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our state’s economic future. They make up 47.9% of all businesses in the state and create two-thirds of all new jobs.”

This event, celebrated nationally, is dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. Consumers are encouraged to use the Saturday after Thanksgiving, between “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” – traditionally the busiest shopping days of the year, to shop at small businesses around the state.

The national ‘Small Business Saturday’ movement is an excellent way to contribute to the local economies by patronizing local stores, restaurants, and service providers. The Governor urges consumers shopping this weekend and during the weeks to come to think local and support North Carolina’s small businesses.

Small business success is critical to North Carolina’s and the nation’s overall economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are approximately 28 million small businesses in the United States, which have created 65 percent of new jobs over the past two decades. According to the 3/50 Project, a small business advocacy group, “for every $100 spent in locally-owned, independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures.”

For more information on the state’s small business resources, visit: www.nccommerce.com/smallbusiness

Re-Posted from governor.state.nc.us

(Raleigh, NC) – Gov. Bev Perdue, on November 17, 2011, announced that Henniges Automotive will add new manufacturing jobs at its plant in Reidsville. The expansion will bring 64 new jobs along with a $2.2 million capital investment. The project was made possible in part by a $65,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.

“Creating jobs is my top priority, and one of the best ways to do that is to support existing North Carolina businesses and encourage them to grow,” Gov. Perdue said. “Henniges Automotive’s decision to expand operations in Reidsville is proof that North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate where global manufacturers can thrive.”

Henniges Automotive manufactures automotive sealing parts for the global market. The company currently employs 226 people at its Reidsville facility, which produces parts for Ford, Chrysler and BMW. Henniges Automotives also has plants located in Missouri, Oklahoma and Iowa.

Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will be $27,849 not including benefits. The Rockingham County average annual wage is $31,044.

“The support we have received from North Carolina is much appreciated at Henniges Automotive,” said Geri Gasperut, Vice President of Human Resources. “Partnerships like this allow our company to grow and provide additional employment for the state of North Carolina. We look forward to continuing this trend in the future.

The One North Carolina Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.

North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train, and retrain its workforce, laying the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.

Through the use of the One North Carolina Fund, more than 55,000 jobs and $11 billion in investments have been created since 2001. Other partners that helped with this project include the N.C. Department of Commerce, N. C. Community Colleges, Rockingham County Partnership for Economic & Tourism Development, Rockingham County and the City of Reidsville.

Re-posted from: governor.state.nc.us

Wentworth, N.C. (November 16, 2011)

The Rockingham County delegation attending Governor Beverly Perdue’s awards ceremony on Monday included Commissioners James Kallam, Keith Mabe, Harold Bass and Tommy Flynt, Interim County Manager Ben Neal, e-NC Authority Executive Director Jane Patterson, Cooperative Extension Director Brenda Sutton, Reidsville Area Foundation Executive Director Craig Cardwell, RCBTC Technology Coordinator Jon Jones and RCBTC Executive Director Mark Wells. “This is a great honor for the work of the Center and especially for the vision of those who created it over six years ago,” said Wells.

About the Rockingham County Business & Technology Center:

The RCBTC is an e-NC Authority Business and Technology Telecenter designed to create an entrepreneur-friendly, technology-enabled environment in Rockingham County. The RCBTC helps entrepreneurs learn how to plan, start and grow businesses, while making sure they understand how to use technology to be competitive in today’s global marketplace. For more information call (336) 342-7853 or visit www.rockinghambusiness.org.

Press Release

CONTACT:

Mark Wells

Rockingham County Business & Technology Center

www.rockinghambusiness.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

###

The Eden agency, formerly located on Meadow Road, closed on Oct 26, 2011. DMV’s policy is to seek new applicants whenever a contract expires or ends.

Plate agency applications (Form MVR-93 or Form MVR-93AA) are located under “License Plates and Registration” on the website forms page. Interested applicants are invited to download an application form for a motor vehicle LPA or call (919) 861-3332 with questions. The application must be returned to NCDMV no later than Friday, Dec. 16.

LPAs offer vehicle registration services and title transactions, as well as vehicle license plate renewals, replacement tags and duplicate registrations. Currently, about 120 license plate agencies operate across North Carolina.

Re-posted from: NCDOT

***NCDOT***