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amfitfoot · 6 years ago

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Visiting Our Past: More WNC artifacts in Mr. Smith’s musket and a WWII poster

Last week’s column read into the history of a bed warmer at the Vance Birthplace and a washboard at the Zachary-Tolbert house. Here, two more artifacts tell their stories, one from the Smith-McDowell House and the other from the Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society.

Daniel Smith’s musket

“Long Tom” is the name that Buncombe County pioneer Daniel Smith gave his 6-foot-long flintlock rifle.

He had it during Rutherford’s Campaign against The Cherokee in 1776. He used it at the Battle of Kings Mountain, the decisive defeat of the British by Revolutionary “Overmountain Men” in 1780.

He “was sentimentally proud of his revolutionary services, (and) frequently referred to that in conversation,” his friend David Lowry Swain, state governor and then UNC president, testified in 1845 in support of the Smith children’s pension application.

“Long Tom” went with Smith to Western North Carolina, where he settled in 1785, avenging the murder of his wife’s uncle, settler Col. Samuel Davidson, by Indians in Swannanoa. After building a home on a hill (probably at the site of present-day Fernihurst) above what is now called Nasty Branch south of Depot Street, Smith took his rifle with him to the public square in newly created Asheville, where he was “almost daily seen,” historian Foster Sondley noted in 1912, “mounted on his large white horse,” acknowledged as a legendary “Indian killer.”

For two generations, leading up to and after the Revolutionary War, Western North Carolinians had lived with constant violence, fighting a civil as well as a frontier war.

Smith had been assigned command of several forts that guarded the upper Catawba frontier against the attacks of the militant faction of the Cherokee. The primary fort under his command was Davidson’s, located on the plantation of Samuel Davidson (at present day Old Fort, NC).

Smith “maintained a warfare, generally single-handed, against the Cherokee Indians for many years, and not less than one hundred are said to have ‘bitten the dust’ from the effects of his unerring rifle,” J.P. Davison wrote in the “Asheville City Directory and Gazetteer of Buncombe County” that he compiled for 1883-84.

Smith’s firearm was presented at the unveiling of the monument for Samuel Davidson’s grave in 1913, and historian Foster Sondley described it in his speech.

“This gun,” Sondley said, “is as a smooth bore, or musket, with flint lock and rifle sights, the bore being a little larger than that of an ordinary fowling piece. The length of the weapon is six feet, and that of the barrel alone is fifty-six inches; while the stock, smaller than usual at the butt, extends underneath the barrel clear to the muzzle. ‘Long Tom’ was capable of carrying a large ball or several shot, and was a most formidable engine of destruction.”

Some say that Smith had gotten his rifle from Europe, but Steven Riess in his book, “Sports in America from Colonial Times to the 21st century,” states, “In the early 1720s, German and Swiss gunsmiths in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, began to manufacture flintlock rifles, a model that became popular by the 1740s, especially among market hunters and Indian fighters, because of its long range accuracy.”

The rifle, which got the names “long,” “Pennsylvania,” and “Kentucky,” was accurate to 200 yards.

The rifle hangs in a case on a wall at the Smith-McDowell House and Museum, originally built by Smith’s son, James McConnell Smith, in 1840. It is operated by the Western North Carolina Historical Association (wnchistory.org, 828-253-9231). Find good information about Daniel Smith at caswellcountync.org/genealogy.

World War II poster

In 1948, American Publishers of Conyers, Georgia, assembled photographs of 937 Buncombe County WWII veterans for a giant poster that hangs at the Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society. Retired Col. Bascombe Jay Wilson had retrieved the poster from his late mother’s Vanderbilt Apartments home in 2001 after his own miraculous escape from death.

Wilson, coming from Colorado, had been traveling on I-40 to his mother’s funeral when, entering North Carolina, his van hit an oil slick and tumbled three times over down an embankment. After a trip to an emergency room, he went to take care of his mother’s estate and found the poster.

On the bottom row of the poster, Wilson’s father, Leslie Wilson, a communications technician for the Army’s Antiaircraft Artillery, poses comfortably in a peaked cap. The faces that join him speak of Americans’ confidence coming away from World War I and coming out of the Depression.

Leslie Wilson’s younger sister, Alice Wilson Lynch, recalls her brother’s off-limits room, where he tinkered endlessly with his crystal radio set in the 1920s. After graduating from Woodfin High School, Leslie married his school sweetheart, Ida Lee Silver, and went to work at the Enka rayon plant. He joined the army at age 29. When he returned, Enka rehired him, and he started a family.

During the Korean War, Leslie’ son, Jay, volunteered as one of the airplane watchers atop the Buncombe County Courthouse. He met many WWII veterans and researched his father’s career and local history.

“Asheville was one of the secret cities in World War II,” Col. Wilson says. “The City Hall was the headquarters of the Airways Communications Service, precursor of the Air Force. From there, officers controlled worldwide communications for the war. The Weather Records Bureau, moved to the Grove Arcade, made critical forecasts that helped determine the outcome of the war. Asheville housed many other important government functions, having been chosen for its secure position among the mountains.”

Rob Neufeld writes the weekly “Visiting Our Past” column for the Citizen-Times. He is the author of books on history and literature, and manages the WNC book and heritage website The Read on WNC. Follow him on Twitter @WNC_chronicler; email him at [email protected]; call 828-505-1973.

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amfitfoot · 6 years ago

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Supreme Court halts claim against Asheville hotel in alcohol death

(Photo: Stock image via Pixabay)

RALEIGH, N.C. – The estate of a woman who died after a night of heavy drinking while celebrating with her husband at a hotel restaurant cannot successfully sue the owners because her actions contributed to her death, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled Friday.

In a 4-3 ruling, the justices reversed a state Court of Appeals ruling that found operators of the Crowne Plaza Tennis & Golf Resort in Asheville had violated their duty to stop serving Lisa Mary Davis in October 2012 when she became visibly intoxicated. That court decided that Davis’ husband – the estate’s administrator – could seek monetary damages under a so-called “dram shop” claim.

But the majority of justices agreed the factual allegations in the complaint establish his wife’s contributory negligence, which essentially canceled out any liability by the owners and operators of the resort and Milligan’s restaurant.

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amfitfoot · 6 years ago

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Vulnerable LGBT Youth to Receive Better Access to Life-Saving Technology

STAUNTON, Va., June 5, 2018 PowerOn, the national program to put life-saving technology into the hands of America’s housing-insecure and at-risk LBGTQ youth, proudly announces the upcoming launch of three new partner centers, extending its reach to ten cities across the country.

PowerOn issued a national call for new partner applications in early February of this year. After a review of those applications received, three new partner centers will be opened imminently: Youth OUTright in Asheville, North Carolina; Triangle Community Center in Norwalk, Connecticut; and Sacramento LGBT Community Center in Sacramento, California.

"The PowerOn program strives to meet LGBTQ individuals where they are by working nationally to upcycle lightly used donated technology from individuals and companies," explained Christopher Wood, Executive Director of the LGBT Technology Institute. "Beginning with a certified wipe of all devices, we offer a complete refurbishment and distribution of life-saving technology to homeless and housing-insecure LGBTQ youth through a network of partner LGBTQ community centers and homeless shelters."

Each night, as many as 1.6 million children and teens sleep on America’s streets. Over 40 percent of these homeless youth identify as LGBTQ, which is equivalent to the population of our nation’s capital, or about 650,000 people.

With 64% of LGBTQ youth reporting discrimination or stigma coming from family compared to just 37% of non-LGBTQ youth, many LGBTQ youth find themselves in homeless or housing-insecure situations after family conflicts over sexual orientation or gender identity. Technology is important for homeless and at-risk LGBTQ youth to stay connected with supportive networks and to improve their personal safety. Phones and other devices often provide one of the only LGBTQ-safe and affirming access points to the Internet. Safety and connectivity are crucial resources since LGBTQ youth have twice the rate of early death compared to their non-LGBTQ peers experiencing homelessness.

"When an LGBTQ youth tells us it was because of a PowerOn device that they have a job, started a business, or are completing their education, it truly highlights the impact PowerOn is having all over the country in our community," said Christopher Wood. "With those stories in mind, I’m beyond thrilled that we will now have the same impact in three more cities across America this summer as we launch Norwalk, Asheville, and Sacramento."

With the launch of these three new centers, PowerOn partners will be able to assist LGBTQ youth in ten different cities across the country. PowerOn hopes to add seven more centers to the program by this time next year, bringing the national total to 17 partner centers.

For more information about PowerOn, or to donate your old technology, please visit http://www.poweronlgbt.org.

SOURCE PowerOn

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amfitfoot · 6 years ago

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Booking a place to stay on your summer vacation? You have more options than ever

Erica Hagen, a Washington resident, swears by Airbnb. "With the kids, it’s a lot better than a hotel; I’ve become a convert," she says of the website and app that allow users to rent rooms or entire homes in thousands of places. But last summer, while searching online for a beach house for a family vacation, she somehow found her way to Vacation Rental By Owner. "I probably looked at Airbnb first, but there was very little left by spring. I’d heard of VRBO, and there were more options there." She wound up renting a house on VRBO, and this year, she’s renting a new beach house from the site.

Renters seeking vacation homes used to rely on glossy brochures at real estate offices in vacation towns to find a place to rent. VRBO shook up the industry in 1995, creating a platform on which homeowners and property managers could list a property available for rent. Gradually, VRBO grew and was acquired by Homeaway, which also purchased other vacation rental sites.

"There was a common theme from the beginning to today: Vacation rentals offered a great product," says Matt Landau, founder of the Vacation Rental Marketing Blog. "More space, more privacy and a better value than a hotel." But not everyone knew about the.

Enter Airbnb in 2008. A lot of Americans, it turned out, were enthusiastic about paying less than they would at a hotel for a space with personality and kitchen access. According to a 2016 Goldman Sachs survey, consumers who hadn’t tried Airbnb preferred a traditional hotel, but after staying in an Airbnb unit, a majority said they wouldn’t go back to a hotel.

"That was a big tipping point," Landau said of Airbnb’s launch. "Airbnb is this wonderful gateway – everyone recognizes it, it’s increasingly accessible, with a super-easy interface."

The site took off – as did the number of vacation rentals globally. According to a study by the Britain-based IbisWorld, the vacation rental industry grew by 3.6 percent annually between 2011 and 2016, with a particular jump during the last two years. In some resort areas, investors are developing buildings specifically to lease them out as short-term rentals.

The number of websites catering to the industry also has grown. Airbnb makes up only a fraction of those short-term rentals; others include TripAdvisor (which has several global affiliates), Booking.com and many smaller sites.

But there’s a key difference between Airbnb and sites such as VRBO or TripAdvisor. Airbnb hosts tend to view renting their homes out as a side gig, whereas those who advertise on the other sites frequently treat the homes as businesses, complete with marketing plans and accounting systems. And that difference in seriousness is often obvious in the style of the unit.

"They were more like corporate apartments – more generic," Sterling, Virginia, resident Eva Markowitz says of her experience in a couple of TripAdvisor units she rented in Europe. "There’s a printout with the WiFi code, and nothing about nearby restaurants. The special touches were missing."

Contrast that with Atieno Bird’s property in Crozet, Virginia. She and her husband regularly rent out their one-bedroom carriage house, and sometimes their three-bedroom farmhouse, on Airbnb. "We have my kids’ art on the walls. We might leave local produce and one of the local wines or ciders [for guests]," Bird said. And renters respond well to the personal touches, she said. "They know it’s your home."

That sense of personality or quirkiness is something users enjoy about Airbnb units, and Landau said it’s a big challenge for the more professional property owners and managers to match. "How does the industry grow and preserve that funkiness, while standardizing it and building something predictable?" he asks.

The industry views that aesthetic issue as a challenge, but there’s also a distinct downside to having hitched its star to Airbnb: Local regulations. An enormous amount of new legislation in municipalities across the country aims to limit short-term rentals to primary residences. If the unit in question is a second home or investment property, it frequently can’t be rented for a short period. What that means is that "amateur" hosts who use Airbnb have wound up being less affected than the more professional property owners and managers.

This year, in response to residents’ complaints, Ocean City, Maryland, officials considered restricting Airbnb rentals. The town eventually dropped the effort – for now – but had it gone forward, it would have been in good company. Over the past few years, city after city has sought a way to limit the number of short-term rentals that can operate in their municipality. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and even typical tourist destinations such as Asheville, North Carolina, and the town of South Lake Tahoe, California, have crafted legislation to reduce Airbnb listings in their area.

Most of those efforts have been driven by residents’ concerns over local affordable housing shortages exacerbated by Airbnb or, as in the case of Ocean City, residents’ complaints about noise and crime, according to the Coastal Association of Realtors.

And that’s caused considerable uncertainty in the market, says Amy Hinote, founder of VRM Intel, a news site covering professionally managed vacation properties. "No one wants to sit on an investment property if they think they can’t rent it or won’t be able to in a year," she said.

Ultimately, "is the negative impact from regulations going to outweigh the positive impact Airbnb is having on awareness [of the industry]?" asks Hinote. "The whole industry is watching to see if it’ll be a net positive." After all, online vacation rentals are still fairly new, and it’ll be a while before the glitches settle out.

But what about those local realty companies renting out beach and lake properties that some families have been using for generations – how have they been affected by Airbnb? For many people, those properties were their first exposure, years ago, to vacation rentals.

Real estate agents say they’re doing just fine.

"It’s competition, yes," says Grace Masden, owner of Sea Grace at North Beach, an Ocean City vacation rentals company. Like many other local real estate agents, she advertises her properties on sites such as TripAdvisor and FlipKey, as well as on Sea Grace’s own website. "It’s a service to my owners to expose the properties to as many people as I can."

But Airbnb isn’t particularly great at week-long rentals in vacation areas; its specialty is short urban trips. So even though the site can offer more flexibility for visitors who want to stay at the beach for only a couple of days – most beach houses rent for a week at a time – it’s often not great at locating homes for longer stays.

And those short trips end up costing more. "Someone has to pay the cleaning fees, so we pass that along to customers," Masden said.

In fact, Madsen said, websites such as Airbnb and VRBO can be more expensive than booking a house directly from a local realty company. "Those third-party booking companies are charging owners to list their property on the site, or are charging the guest a booking fee to book the reservation, so we’re not going to take a hit – it’s the guest who’s paying it," Masden said. "Sometimes it’s $500 more."

Lori Brooks, principal broker at Coastal NC Realty Group, agreed that Airbnb and other sites haven’t hurt business much. Her company acts as a property manager, as well as a real estate agent, and can quickly respond to maintenance issues and repairs – or to scams, which she says are increasingly popping up as renters rely solely on online information.

Plus, she said, agencies like hers have a personal connection to renters that can’t be duplicated through a Web connection. It’s the power of tradition. "Vacationers, they book a week and save up all year, spending a great deal of money to come with their family," Brooks said. "Airbnb can’t compete with that type of memory. People have been coming for years, and they keep coming back. We don’t see that going away."

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amfitfoot · 6 years ago

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86.5 Langwell Avenue, Asheville, NC

Enjoy privacy in the heart of bustling West Asheville at this original arts and crafts bungalow.

This fantastic 1927 home has beautiful hardwoods throughout, many built-ins, and a full master suite downstairs. The eat-in kitchen flows out to a back patio overlooking an oversized yard. Enjoy privacy that’s still walkable to Haywood Road.

Home Details: APPROX. SQ. FT: 1,595 BED/BATH: 3/2 APPROX. ACREAGE: 0.230 HALF BATH: 0

Meet the Agent: Julie Smith

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amfitfoot · 7 years ago

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Budget public hearing to take place at May 22 Council meeting

Asheville City Council didn’t have much to say after Chief Financial Officer Barbara Whitehorn presented the city’s proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2018-19 at its last meeting on May 15 — combined, her outline of the document and Council’s remarks lasted just over four and a half minutes. City residents will likely not be so concise at Council’s regular meeting in council Chambers at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22, when a public hearing will take place for comment on the spending plan.

One key element of the $180 million budget, however, is already off the table: Council voted at its last meeting to approve changes to Asheville’s parking policies. By eliminating the first hour free in city parking garages for all patrons who stay longer than one hour, as well as raising the daily maximum and monthly parking rates, Council estimates it will generate an additional $960,000 in annual revenue, which will be used to fund the city’s transit system.

Council members voted 5-1 in favor of the parking resolution, with Brian Haynes dissenting and Julie Mayfield — chair of Council’s Planning & Economic Development Committee, which oversees transit and parking — absent from the meeting. Vijay Kapoor said that, while he’d heard concern from members of the downtown business community over the parking increases, he believes the changes will fill a significant budget gap for items that benefit the area, including expanded transit hours and the new downtown police district.

Whitehorn did not mention funding for expanded policing in her budget presentation, even though the document itself contains $2 million more for the Asheville Police Department compared to fiscal year 2017-18. This figure includes $466,000 for 15 new officers to staff the downtown district and $847,000 in overall compensation increases to discourage turnover in the APD. Council members Sheneika Smith, Keith Young and Haynes had expressed hesitation about the additional spending at an April 10 work session but did not voice those concerns again on May 15.

The formal vote to adopt the proposed budget is scheduled roughly a month from the public hearing at Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, June 19.

Moving towards equity

A number of other items on Council’s agenda for the meeting do explicitly deal with concerns over policing. First is a presentation on reducing racial disparities in traffic stops to be delivered by Ian A. Mance, staff attorney with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Mance will return to Council to speak in support of proposals made by the Asheville-Buncombe NAACP in April 2017 to deprioritize stops for low-level regulatory and equipment violations and require written authorization for consent-based vehicle searches.

In his documents for the presentation, Mance notes that the APD conducted roughly 50 percent more traffic stops of black drivers in 2017 than in 2016, while stops of white drivers increased by just 0.1 percent over the same period. Black drivers are also disproportionately more likely to be stopped for minor regulatory and equipment issues such as broken tail lights: Under Chief Tammy Hooper, blacks have accounted for 28 percent of such stops despite making up approximately 12 percent of Asheville’s population.

By reducing emphasis on these stops or prohibiting them altogether, Mance argues, the APD can improve its relationship with the black community, as has occurred in other North Carolina cities such as Greensboro and Fayetteville. Requiring written consent for vehicle searches made during these stops, he adds, will also support racial equity in policing.

City staff will present on its progress toward the items set forth by Council during a March 20 work session on APD equity and transparency. In a memo issued before the meeting, Jaime Matthews, assistant to Interim City Manager Cathy Ball, notes that staff have already implemented immediate criminal review of excessive use-of-force complaints and brought in consultants 21st Century Policing to review the APD’s practices and policies.

Other actions are taking place on a longer timescale. Changes to the city’s personnel policies and Civil Service Board rules around employee removal for “terminatable conduct,” for example, won’t be implemented until July 2019. Funding for an outside attorney to represent residents who bring complaints against law enforcement is also still under consideration.

The memo also mentions proposed state-level legislation on police accountability, which Mayor Esther Manheimer introduced at the May 15 meeting. Those bills will be up for discussion on Tuesday; last week, Council members Kapoor and Smith voiced concern that they hadn’t had a chance to properly assess the legislation.

Together, the three proposed bills would allow City Council to create a new citizen review board with subpoena, oathing and disciplinary powers; permit the APD to release body camera recordings to Council and the new review board; and let the city manager release the results of disciplinary hearings against police officers.

Finally, Council will determine who to interview for the newly formed Human Relations Commission, a subcommittee of which will likely receive the powers mentioned in the proposed legislation. The group will consist of 15 members, with recommended composition quotas including six African-Americans, two Latinx individuals and two to three members living in public housing.

Other business

In new business, Council will vote to approve $242,000 in grants to 19 community organizations from its Strategic Partnership Fund. This funding level represents a nearly $100,000 increase over last year’s grants. Despite the additional money, however, most of the community organizations will receive smaller grants than they initially requested, and two groups that applied for grants — River Arts District Artists and LEAF Community Arts — will not be funded.

Council will also conduct three public hearings on proposed zoning changes. UNC Asheville is seeking approval to build a new multipurpose building in association with expanded student housing, while the Princess Anne Hotel hopes to convert its existing dining room into a public restaurant. The most contentious change would approve a 248-unit residential development at 39 Bradley Branch Road in South Asheville, roughly two miles from the Asheville Regional Airport. In his report on the proposal, Todd Okolichany, planning services division director, noted concerns from surrounding property owners about traffic, stormwater runoff and contamination due to the site’s history as an unregulated landfill.

The last public hearing of the agenda concerns debt financing for capital projects through up to $48 million in limited obligation bonds. The Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority will also give its State of the Airport presentation, which notes that total passenger traffic was up by more than 15 percent in 2017 compared to 2016 and by more than 50 percent compared to 2012.

Consent agenda

City Council will also consider items on its consent agenda. Unless specifically singled out for separate discussion, these items are typically approved as a single package. In brief, they include:

An additional sanitary sewer easement to the Metropolitan Sewer District at 345 Montford Ave., as well as to accept a sidewalk and stormwater easement for the McCormick Place project adjacent to the McCormick Field baseball stadium. Authorization to seek grants from a federal low- or no-emission vehicle program for electric busses, a federal job access and reverse commute program to fund a bus route to Black Mountain, and a French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization program for paratransit services. Contracts for the Asheville playgrounds bond project at Herb Watts Park, West Asheville Park and Lakewood Park, as well as the Tempie Avery Montford Center Improvements bond project. A public hearing on June 19 for a Land Use Incentive Grant for Sweetgrass Apartments — the same South Asheville project under zoning discussion at Tuesday’s meeting. The grant would award $842,360 to the developer, Madison Capital Group, over four years, a subsidy of $33,015 for each of 26 planned affordable housing units. Allowing the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages and/or unfortified wine at multiple specific public festivals. Proclamations

Finally, the Council will issue the following proclamations to designate honorees for certain days, weeks and months:

June 4-10 as Vegan Challenge Week Announcement of the Volunteer of the Year Award

Asheville City Council meets at 5 p.m. in council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall at 70 Court Plaza, Asheville. The full meeting agenda and supporting documents can be found here.

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amfitfoot · 7 years ago

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The 50 best places to live in America for 2018

ShutterstockAustin, Texas, took the top spot for the second year in a row. Shutterstock U.S. News & World Report releases a list of the best places to live in America every year.The best places to live 2018 ranking looked at five metrics: job market, value, quality of life, desirability, and net migration.The best place to live in America is Austin, Texas, followed by Colorado Springs, Colorado.

When deciding where to put down roots, many factors are in the eye of the beholder, such as climate, politics, or proximity to extended family.

Other aspects are coveted by nearly everybody: affordable housing, access to well-paying jobs, a low cost of living, good schools, and quality healthcare. In its ranking of the best places to live in America for 2018, U.S. News & World Report gathered data on these crucial components for more than 100 US cities.

They then categorized the data into five indexes for each city — job market, value, quality of life, desirability, and net migration — to definitively rank these major metro areas. You can read U.S. News’ full methodology here.

Scores for "value," a blend of annual household income and cost of living, and "quality of life," which accounts for crime, college readiness, commute, and other factors, are included below on a 10-point scale, as well as the city’s population and average annual salary.

Austin, Texas, came out on top for the second consecutive year, while Colorado Springs, Colorado, jumped from No. 11 to take the No. 2 spot, edging out the state’s capital, Denver, which rounded out the top three.

Nearly a dozen cities made the top-50 list for the first time since 2017, including Huntsville, Alabama; Asheville, North Carolina; and Anchorage, Alaska.

Keep reading to discover the 50 best places to live in America.

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50. Lansing, Michigan

Population: 470,348

Average annual salary: $47,550

Quality of life: 7.0

Value index: 7.1

Lansing, the diverse capital of Michigan, earns a spot on the list for its affordability, abundance of jobs, and local flavor. The area is home to everyone from career government workers to recent college graduates, and "you can go from a college campus to a waving wheat field in 10 minutes," one local expert said.

Residents love Lansing for its sports culture and fine arts scene, and although it gets chilly in the winters, the sunny summers more than make up for it.

49. Cincinnati, Ohio

Population: 2,146,410

Average annual salary: $48,130

Quality of life: 6.4

Value: 7.7

Cincinnati is a city that loves its food, sports, and culture. There’s something for everyone in the Midwest’s Queen City, from a strong job market to a busy event calendar filled with museums, baseball, and local heritage events.

Residents appreciate the city’s affordability — housing there is cheaper than the national average, despite Cincinnati being one of the 30 biggest metro areas in the US.

48. Syracuse, New York

Population: 660,652

Average annual salary: $48,530

Quality of life: 7.1

Value: 7.6

It might get 124 inches-plus of snow per year, but don’t let the blustery climate deter you: Syracuse boasts a low cost of living, easy access to both the city center and surrounding suburbs, and a host of cultural activities, including the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.

Home to Syracuse University, the town also rallies behind the Orange during basketball season, cheering the team to victory.

47. Atlanta, Georgia

Population: 5,612,777

Average annual salary: $50,720

Quality of life: 5.8

Value index: 7.0

An attractive blend of big city and big country, Atlanta is attracting transplants far and wide with its award-winning restaurants, culture centers, and flourishing job market. More than a dozen Fortune 500 companies call the city home, including Delta, The Home Depot, and The Coca-Cola Company, and it’s an increasingly popular spot for film productions.

In addition, "The Chattahoochee River that traverses the metro area, and Stone Mountain, the world’s largest chunk of exposed granite, located just northeast of the city proper, also offer a quick escape from any urban anxiety," says one local expert.

46. Hartford, Connecticut

Population: 1,211,826

Average annual salary: $58,400

Quality of life: 7.0

Value index: 6.7

Located in the Connecticut River Valley, Hartford was once the home to notable historic figures, including Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Among the city’s historic attractions, today it offers nearby entertainment venues, ski slopes, state parks.

The aerospace, healthcare, and financial services industries dominate the job market in Hartford, which is home to Aetna Inc., United Technologies Corp., and Hartford Hospital.

45. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Population: 561,447

Average annual salary: $47,220

Quality of life: 6.7

Value index: 7.4

Located on the banks of the Susquehanna River and the foothills of the Appalachian Trail, Harrisburg offers residents unlimited access to the outdoors. Many are employed by the state and federal government in Harrisburg, but there’s also several large private-sector companies that are top employers, including Hershey’s, Rite Aid, and D&H Distributing.

44. Jacksonville, Florida

Population: 1,424,097

Average annual salary: $45,140

Quality of life: 6.7

Value index: 6.3

Jacksonville’s beach-adjacent location makes it ideal for outdoor activities. In addition to spending lazy days in the sand, residents can also visit the area’s prime golf courses or go hiking, camping, and kayaking in the nearby parks. Jacksonville also continues to grow, with burgeoning art and music scenes, as well as new business development, according to a local expert.

43. Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Population: 654,589

Average annual salary: $44,100

Quality of life: 6.5

Value index: 7.1

The cost of living in Winston-Salem is a bargain. The city’s average housing costs remain well below the national average — renters pay about $200 less per month for a one-bedroom apartment than their counterparts around the country.

Residents can also take advantage of the city’s cultural offerings with visits to the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art and the Reynolda House Museum of American Art.

42. Anchorage, Alaska

Population: 398,000

Average annual salary: $57,770

Quality of life: 6.4

Value index: 7.5

Alaska is often a tough sell for Americans from the lower 48 states. It’s freezing cold for much of the year, and thanks to Alaska’s isolation, costs for basic things like groceries are much higher than you’ll see in other states.

That said, Anchorage makes a compelling argument for people looking for a new home: It has a booming, diverse population but enjoys a distinctly small-town vibe. Not to mention, it’s a haven for adventure seekers and nature lovers, as well as quirky events like the Summer Solstice Festival and the Mr. Fur Face Beard and Mustache Contest. And because the summers are so short, residents take advantage of every minute.

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41. Ft. Meyers, Florida

Population: 680,970

Average annual salary: $40,420

Quality of life: 6.3

Value index: 5.2

The charming streets of Fort Myers attract people of all ages, even if the southwestern Florida city is better known as a retirement destination. More than a third of the rapidly growing population is under 34 years old. Residents take advantage of Fort Myers’ vibrant downtown, and the city’s convenient location on Florida’s Gulf Coast lends itself to water activities like boating and fishing. People in Fort Myers tend to pay a little extra for real estate and transportation, but they save thanks to Florida’s lack of state income taxes.

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40. Fort Wayne, Indiana

Population: 426,755

Average annual salary: $42,250

Quality of life: 6.1

Value index: 8.7

The Rust Belt hub of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is seeing something of a revitalization as of late. Manufacturers including General Motors and BAE Systems have brought jobs to the area, while its economy is seeing a spike from young people eager to move downtown from the suburbs.

"With its low cost of living and quiet neighborhoods, Fort Wayne, Indiana, is an excellent place to buy a house, start a career, launch a business and raise children," a local expert said.

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39. Albany, New York

Population: 879,291

Average annual salary: $52,340

Quality of life: 6.9

Value: 7.2

Despite the snowy winters, living in Albany comes with several advantages. Albany offers a cost of living lower than the national average and the cost of housing sits well below the rest of the US as a whole. In terms of jobs, the city’s tech and healthcare industries are on the rise.

Albany’s downtown is lined with art galleries, wine shops, and churches for visitors to peruse. In keeping with the city’s cold climate, hockey is the sport of choice for residents.

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38. Charleston, South Carolina

Population: 728,271

Average annual salary: $44,500

Quality of life: 6.2

Value index: 6.2

Charleston’s charming, historic, and sophisticated ambiance is exemplary of southern culture. "Not only is the area overflowing with entertainment and good food, but this low country locale is also gorgeous," said a local expert.

Tourism is booming in Charleston, creating plenty of jobs, especially in the summer months. Year-round, jobs in tech, sales, marketing, and advertising keep the city’s economy strong.

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37. Manchester, New Hampshire

Population: 404,948

Average annual salary: $51,920

Quality of life: 7.0

Value index: 6.7

Manchester, New Hampshire may be smaller than most metropolitan areas on the east coast, but it makes up for it with its strong culture, youthful vibe, and political character. New Hampshire’s largest town skews young and educated thanks to the various colleges that call with home.

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36. Columbus, Ohio

Population: 1,995,004

Average annual salary: $48,850

Quality of life: 6.5

Value index: 7.4

Ohio’s capital is a bustling city with a youthful flavor and a passion for sports, music, and entertainment. For many residents, life revolves around the Ohio State University football team — "the region lives and breathes football," as one local expert put it. But it’s the business-friendly economy and affordability that contributes to its entry on this list. Between home prices, monthly rents, and the overall cost of living, Columbus is cheaper than most metros of its size.

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35. Honolulu, Hawaii

Population: 986,999

Average annual salary: $51,080

Quality of life: 6.5

Value index: 4.7

Often considered the cultural and culinary hub of the Hawaiian islands, according to U.S. News’ local expert, Honolulu abounds with shopping centers, restaurants, and miles of beaches. It’s on the expensive side when it comes to cost of living — but you can’t beat the year-round tropical temperatures.

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34. Sarasota, Florida

Population: 751,422

Average annual salary: $41,870

Quality of life: 7.3

Value index: 5.3

Sarasota boasts "warm temperatures year-round, award-winning beaches, and a thriving arts and cultural scene," said a local expert. The biggest employers in Sarasota are in education, trade, and transportation, and the leisure and hospitality sector touts a low unemployment rate powered by a recent increase in tourism and a flood of new residents.

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33. Reno, Nevada

Population: 443,855

Average annual salary: $45,210

Quality of life: 7.3

Value index: 6.3

Reno, Nevada, is much more than a tourist town. "America’s Biggest Little City" may have been built on the gambling industry, but today offers opportunities in a number of fields including technology and education. The city offers plenty of family-friendly outdoor activities, and people of all ages are drawn there for it’s strong economy and job opportunities.

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32. Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Population: 533,110

Average annual salary: $43,000

Quality of life: 7.7

Value index: 7.0

In Lancaster, residents can breeze through numerous environments in the course of a day, from rolling farmland to busy city streets to quiet suburbs. Though dairy farming rules the economy here, major companies, including Kellogg’s and Mars, also call the area home.

Lancaster might be famous for its Amish and Mennonite population, but the town is also bustling with a mix of college students and non-religious families.

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31. Greenville, South Carolina

Population: 862,064

Average annual salary: $42,290

Quality of life: 6.7

Value index: 7.2

Once a sleepy small town, Greenville has witnessed a cultural revival in recent years, complete with an influx of new restaurants and businesses. Though the summers can get hot, the city’s typically mild weather make it possible to explore downtown on foot anytime of the year.

An influx of manufacturing jobs have also boosted Greenville’s economy, with brand-name companies, such as GE and Michelin, setting up shop in town.

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30. San Diego, California

Population: 3,253,356

Average annual salary: $55,480

Quality of life: 7.2

Value index: 4.1

With year-round sunshine and beautiful beaches to boot, it’s easy to enjoy living in San Diego. According to U.S. News, this Southern California gem "offers world-class dining, professional sports, and entertainment options" for college students, young professionals, and families alike.

Tourism is a huge industry in San Diego — which sees more than 30 million visitors annually — but the city’s seaside location is more than just eye candy. Some of the area’s largest employers include the US Navy and the Marine Corps.

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29. Melbourne, Florida

Population: 560,683

Average annual salary: $46,520

Quality of life: 7.1

Value index: 6.2

Between fishing, boating, and a plethora of bars and restaurants, there’s never a shortage of things to do in the Melbourne area. The city’s ripe with retirees and "snowbirds" — people who split their time between colder climates in the summer and Florida in the winter — who can enjoy days on one of the many nearby golf courses and nights out exploring the local shops and art galleries.

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28. Omaha, Nebraska

Population: 904,834

Average annual salary: $46,490

Quality of life: 6.6

Value index: 7.9

Due to a combination of Omaha’s history of cattle ranching and its current landscape of bustling tech startups, the city has earned the nickname "Silicon Prairie." Plus, eight Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Omaha, including Berkshire Hathaway, Union Pacific Railroad, and Mutual of Omaha. Young professionals and families are attracted to the city primarily for its affordability, safety, and strong economy.

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27. Portland, Maine

Population: 523,874

Average annual salary: $47,770

Quality of life: 7.2

Value index: 6.4

Located right on the water at Casco Bay and lined with cobblestone streets, Portland immediately evokes the quaintness of a much smaller town. Between fishing, sailing, cross-country skiing, and exploring the city’s buzzing nightlife, there’s no shortage of things to do. Seafood lovers can nosh on fresh catches at the city’s modern oyster bars and or grab one of Maine’s signature lobster rolls.

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26. Houston, Texas

Population: 6,482,592

Average annual salary: $52,870

Quality of life: 6.9

Value index: 7.1

Houston is a major player in the oil and gas, manufacturing, aerospace, and healthcare industries — it’s also home to 26 Fortune 500 companies. According to one local expert, "a paycheck goes further in Houston than it does in other major cities, with affordable housing and free or cheap attractions." Plus, the city has an affinity for food, counting some 11,000 restaurants within its boundaries.

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25. Boston, Massachusetts

Population: 4,728,844

Average annual salary: $64,080

Quality of life: 6.5

Value index: 5.9

Boston attracts a diverse group of residents, including everyone from recent college graduates to retirees and musicians to engineers. The historical city — often referred to as the "Cradle of Liberty," according to one local expert — also overflows with team spirit for the Red Sox and 2017 Super Bowl champions, the Patriots.

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24. Asheville, North Carolina

Population: 441,724

Average annual salary: $40,330

Quality of life: 7.2

Value index: 6.3

It’s no surprise why the mountain town of Asheville, North Carolina, is beloved by tourists and residents alike. Nestled in between the Blue Ride and Appalachian mountains, Asheville is a magnet for outdoors lovers as well as fans of music, art, and craft beer.

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23. Boise, Idaho

Population: 663,680

Average annual salary: $43,040

Quality of life: 6.8

Value index: 7.4

Idaho’s capital city is "a recreationalist’s paradise," according to one local expert, who also said Boise sits "squarely on the boundary of urban and rural, civilized and wild, refined and raw." The region is home to more than 22,000 Boise State University students and provides jobs at government agencies as well as in tech and healthcare.

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22. Charlotte, North Carolina

Population: 2,381,152

Average annual salary: $49,600

Quality of life: 6.4

Value index: 7.5

A "melting pot effect" draws all types of people to Charlotte, a place with "equal parts old-fashioned southern charm and high-energy cosmopolitan bustle," touted one local expert. NASCAR and motorsports are a cultural cornerstone of Charlotte. The Queen City houses Bank of America’s headquarters and major offices for Wells Fargo, making it one of the largest financial hubs in the country.

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21. Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky

Population: 495,193

Average annual salary: $43,620

Quality of life: 7.1

Value index: 7.8

Lexington, Kentucky, is known as the horse capital of the world, and residents are especially proud of their city’s reputation for equestrian. On top of world-famous horse parks and race courses, the area has more than 1,000 horse farms, not to mention streets named after Triple Crown winners and a bevy of horse statues in parks around the city. But a love of equestrian isn’t the only thing Lexington offers.

Younger residents move there for its college-town feel and appreciation for local sports and music. And the area is a haven for fans of the outdoors — the nearby Red River Gorge and Cumberland Falls are scenic places for residents to explore their surroundings.

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20. San Francisco, California

Population: 4,577,530

Average annual salary: $69,110

Quality of life: 6.4

Value index: 5.3

A local expert described San Francisco as "the heart of the bohemian lifestyle, the epicenter of the LGBT rights movement, and the launching point of the technology era." In the last decade, thousands of tech companies have raced to set up shop in the Bay Area, sending the cost of living through the roof. But despite all the focus on the tech and startup scene, the city also has plenty of business jobs available with more than 30 international finance headquarters.

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19. Phoenix, Arizona

Population: 4,486,153

Average annual salary: $47,540

Quality of life: 6.8

Value index: 6.6

Come for the weather, stay for the city: Phoenix boasts more sunny days per year than any other city in the US, according to a local expert. But it’s the thriving job market, variety of shops and restaurants, and easy access to numerous outdoor activities — think everything from hiking to paddleboarding — that keep residents happy long-term.

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18. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

Population: 6,957,123

Average annual salary: $50,350

Quality of life: 7.0

Value index: 7.1

A healthy balance of urban and rural, Dallas offers residents "big-city excitement and quiet, suburban living," shared one local expert. There’s local bars, retail shops, and plenty of sports spirit to satisfy the huge population. The city — with large large employers in business, finance, and education — is teeming with young professionals.

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17. San Jose, California

Population: 1,943,107

Average annual salary: $78,990

Quality of life: 7.4

Value index: 5.7

The sprawling city of San Jose is "as much defined by its suburban neighborhoods and large tech campuses as it is by the high-rises in its business district," said a local expert. Young residents and recent graduates of nearby Stanford and UC Berkeley have no trouble finding jobs in the area, which touts Cisco, eBay, and IBM as its largest private-sector employers.

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16. Madison, Wisconsin

Population: 634,269

Average annual salary: $50,830

Quality of life: 7.1

Value index: 7.3

Wisconsin’s capital is a "hotbed of the healthcare, information technology, and manufacturing industries," said a local expert. The area is also home to the University of Wisconsin at Madison, providing hundreds of jobs in education. Madison has a unique food culture that’s a blend of fine dining and farmer’s markets catering to the city’s college students, young professionals, and families.

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15. Salt Lake City, Utah

Population: 2,361,981

Average annual salary: $46,221

Quality of life: 6.9

Value index: 7.9

Salt Lake City might experience some of the snowiest weather in the country, but residents make the most of it through the multitude of ski resorts perched in the city’s backyard. In warmer weather, residents can take advantage of Salt Lake’s more than 900 acres of public parks and enjoy outdoor performances from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Temple Square.

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14. San Antonio, Texas

Population: 2,332,345

Average annual salary: $45,210

Quality of life: 7.0

Value index: 7.0

At once a destination city and a down-home community, San Antonio offers up a variety of cuisines, music styles, and art for visitors and locals. The city hosts "more than 50 major events and festivals throughout the year," a number of which honor the area’s Spanish heritage, said a local expert. San Antonio is home to four military and air force bases and camps, collectively known as Joint Base San Antonio.

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13. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

Population: 1,786,119

Average annual salary: $52,669

Quality of life: 6.7

Value index: 7.8

Raleigh-Durham and Chapel Hill are collectively known as the Triangle, an area anchored by its foundation in research and tech. The Triangle employs nearly 40,000 residents at companies like IBM, SAS Institute Inc., and Cisco Systems as well as surrounding colleges Duke, North Carolina State, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A strong job market coupled with a burgeoning microbrewery and dining scene draws 80 new residents every day, said a local expert.

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12. Grand Rapids, Michigan

Population: 1,028,173

Average annual salary: $43,610

Quality of life: 7.7

Value index: 8.1

Grand Rapids attracts "college students and young families with its healthy job market, affordable housing, and outdoor recreational activities," said a local expert. The self-proclaimed "Beer City USA" has more than 40 breweries as well as dynamic public art and music scenes.

Once a hub for furniture production, Grand Rapids’ job market is now dominated by education and healthcare, with many opportunities for workers without a college degree.

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11. Nashville, Tennessee

Population: 1,794,570

Average annual salary: $45,780

Quality of life: 6.1

Value index: 7.3

Honky-tonk culture and an entrepreneurial spirit define Nashville. "A blossoming job market and an exploding entertainment scene [are] fueling an appetite (and thirst) for all things locally sourced and artisanal in craft," a local expert said. Thousands of residents work in healthcare at the area’s large hospitals and research centers, small startups, and business accelerator programs.

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10. Seattle, Washington

Population: 3,671,095

Average annual salary: $61,170

Quality of life: 6.2

Value index: 6.4

Seattle is sandwiched between water and mountains and doesn’t get as much rain as you’d think, said one local expert. The city’s residents are drawn to the area for its atmosphere of "calm and patience" and its close proximity to nature. Jobs in Seattle are concentrated in tech, healthcare, and maritime industries, but the city is also a huge manufacturing center for companies like Boeing.

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9. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota

Population: 3,488,436

Average annual salary: $55,010

Quality of life: 6.9

Value index: 7.9

The Twin Cities have "big-city amenities like museums and sports stadiums, but also have an approachable, Midwestern feel," according to a local expert. Residents are accustomed to the area’s changing seasons, participating in ice fishing and cross-country skiing in the winter and music festivals and baseball games in the spring and summer.

Jobs are available in science-focused fields at companies like Xcel Energy and Medtronic as well as retail corporations like Best Buy and Target.

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8. Washington, DC

Population: 6,011,752

Average annual salary: $68,000

Quality of life: 6.4

Value index: 7.4

The District’s neighborhoods each give off their own vibe, but across the city residents often "gather for block parties, mingle at dog parks, and converse at coffee shops," explained a local expert. While Washington, DC, is known as a hub for politics, there’s also a strong job market for education and health services.

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7. Huntsville, Alabama

Population: 440,230

Average annual salary: $52,960

Quality of life: 7.0

Value index: 8.8

The once-sleepy town of Huntsville, Alabama, gained fame in the 1960s when it became a hub for NASA. Now Huntsville is undergoing another renaissance, with tech companies, craft breweries, and artists all flocking to the town in recent years.

Huntsville is the fastest-growing city in Alabama, and residents are enjoying an emerging downtown shopping and and dining scene even as the city maintains a low cost of living. If you can handle the heat and humidity, you might find yourself at home there.

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6. Portland, Oregon

Population: 2,351,319

Average annual salary: $53,960

Quality of life: 6.5

Value index: 6.5

Portland isn’t for everybody — its slogan is "Keep Portland Weird," after all. But one local expert asserts that it’s a "well-rounded city with more than just the offbeat shops and events" and a population that has "more academic degrees than the national average."

An annual job growth rate of 2.9% per year is attributed to roots in the technology sector, including major employer Intel Corporation, as well as the 6,000-employee headquarters for Nike, located about seven miles outside of Portland.

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5. Fayetteville, Arkansas

Population: 503,642

Average annual salary: $44,980

Quality of life: 7.5

Value index: 7.9

Fayetteville sits among the Ozark Mountains and is home to the University of Arkansas’ flagship campus. The surrounding area of northwest Arkansas is home to headquarters for seven Fortune 500 companies including Walmart and Tyson Foods. The city has experienced immense growth, according to a local expert, who said the region has evolved "from a small town to a center of higher education, culture, commerce, and entrepreneurialism."

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4. Des Moines, Iowa

Population: 611,755

Average annual salary: $49,420

Quality of life: 7.0

Value index: 8.5

Des Moines is drawing millennials and young families alike for its "one-of-a-kind shops, locally owned restaurants, and hip bars" as well as its historical residences in quiet neighborhoods, said a local expert. Home to more than 80 insurance companies including giants Allied Insurance and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, the job market is thriving.

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3. Denver, Colorado

Population: 2,752,056

Average annual salary: $54,910

Quality of life: 6.7

Value index: 7.2

While Denver sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains, it’s not considered a mountain town since it takes at least an hour to get to the Rockies for snowboarding and ski activities, a local expert explained. At 5,279 feet, the Mile High City lives up to its name in more ways than one: In 2012, Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, paving the way for a flourishing and lucrative cannabis industry.

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2. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Population: 688,643

Average annual salary: $49,450

Quality of life: 7.2

Value index: 7.2

Colorado Springs is "booming, with new residences popping up alongside quality schools, parks, and cultural attractions," touts a local expert. The city is just an hour drive from Denver and in close proximity to Aspen and Vail’s world-class ski resorts. Military jobs influence Colorado Springs’ culture and economy, but jobs are also available in medical innovation and tech.

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1. Austin, Texas

Population: 1,942,615

Average annual salary: $50,830

Quality of life: 7.1

Value index: 7.1

The capital of Texas gains about 50 new residents daily, many seeking out the city’s "music, outdoor spaces, and cultural institutions," said a local expert.

Austin is beloved for its live music scene and is host to some of the country’s biggest music and culture festivals, including South by Southwest and Austin City Limits. The city was nicknamed "Silicon Hills" in the 1990s for its status as "among the top areas for venture capital investment in the country."

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Asheville wellness startup wins NC IDEA grant: See how much they’ll get

ASHEVILLE — An Asheville-area startup that developed a smartphone app to measure heart rate variability is one of seven winners of NC IDEA SEED grant funding.

Elite HRV takes home a $50,000 grant from the NC IDEA Foundation, an independent private foundation which supports entrepreneurs in North Carolina. The company is the only grant winner this cycle based in Western North Carolina and only the sixth local winner since the program began in 2006.

In total, NC IDEA SEED awarded $300,000 to grant finalists this spring, doling out five $50,000 grants and two worth $25,000.

"The newest cohort of NC IDEA Seed grant recipients is a great representation of the expansion of entrepreneurship across the state," Thom Ruhe, president and CEO of NC IDEA, said in a news release this month. "These companies illustrate the vibrancy of entrepreneurial interests and are position to quickly grow, create jobs and positively impact the state’s economy."

Elite HRV was founded in 2014. It is managed by Asheville couple Jason and Alyssa Moore as well as its Chief Commercial Officer Vivek Menon. Menon told the Citizen Times last month the app has more than 200,000 users worldwide, divided between elite athletes training for events and everyday people trying to lose weight or monitor chronic conditions.

He added that the grant could bridge the stage between "scrappy, small startup" to something potentially larger and more effective for users.

"We were surprised how quickly it took off," Menon said. "Because it’s grown so fast, we said we need to invest and build some new capability here, hopefully with some of the things NC IDEA presents as an opportunity and really make this mainstream."

Others to win NC IDEA SEED grants in the most recent cycle include:

Cardinal Workshop LLC, a furniture brand, based in BurlingtonCharlotte-based wealth management firm Freeman CapitalGlean, LLC in Snow HillmyBeeHyve, a contact management system, in HampsteadSalesSync, LLC, a phone performance management platform in Caryand VitalFlo Inc., a Raleigh-based company that created a lung health analytics platform

Of the five previous Western North Carolina grant winners, four still are operating including No Evil Foods, which won a NC IDEA SEED grant last year.

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Making communities great places for all — subject of new UNC-TV program “Booming”

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC

— In a new program entitled “Booming,” airing in May on UNC-TV, and the NC Channel, viewers will learn how, four different programs are creating community and are building healthy and active opportunities for older adults to engage with others.

By the year 2025, the vast majority (90 of 100) counties in the state will have more residents ages 65 and older, than those 18 and younger. That is the reason why several communities in the state are taking measures now to improve the lives of residents of all ages.

AARP North Carolina Associate State Director Doug Dickerson explains, “Making improvements that help older adults live independently in the own homes has great benefits for people of all ages. The new television program looks at four inspiring ideas that improve the health and mobility of people in North Carolina communities large and small.”

For example, Dickerson explained, in the Raleigh-Durham area there are many opportunities to socially engage. “So how do we get more older adults to participate in community activities that enrich their health and well-being?” he asked.

Age-friendly or livable communities have walkable streets, housing and transportation options, access to key services and opportunities for residents to participate in community activities. By doing so, these communities are better equipped to become great places, and even lifelong homes, for people of all ages.

In North Carolina, Wake, Mecklenburg, Buncombe, Guilford and Orange Counties have each joined AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly Communities. They are a a few of over 230 communities nationwide that are working with elected officials, city planners, concerned citizens and others to actively work toward making their town, city, county or state a great place for people of all ages.

The AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities encourages states, cities, towns and counties to prepare for the rapid aging of the U.S. population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic and social factors that influence the health and well-being of older adults.

Produced by UNC-TV with the support of AARP, the “Booming” program looks as aspects of age-friendly through the eyes of older adults. The series looks at community gardening in Asheville, social engagement in Raleigh, transportation services in Charlotte, and the health and wellness of people in the rural community of Pantego, NC.

The program air dates and times in May are as follows:

UNC-TV:

Thursday, 5/3, 8pm Sunday, 5/5, 10am

NC Channel: https://www.unctv.org/watch/channels/nc-channel/

Tuesday, 5/1, 9pm 5/3, 2pm 5/5, noon 5/5, 2:30pm

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From Teen Mom To Newsroom Titan: Meet Robyn Tomlin

View Slideshow 1 of 4 Robyn Tomlin served as the vice president and managing editor of The Dallas Morning News before returning to North Carolina.

Robyn Tomlin oversees eight newspapers across two states. In January, she was appointed the first regional McClatchy editor for the Carolinas. But her relationship with newspapers started far from a bustling newsroom. As a 19-year-old mom running a daycare inside her apartment, Tomlin became an avid reader of The News & Observer. The paper was her lifeline to a world outside of dirty diapers and wailing children.

She put herself through school at Durham Technical Community College and eventually decided to try her hand at writing. Tomlin started a student newspaper at Durham Tech, had a short stint with North Carolina Central University’s The Campus Echo, studied journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later became an editor with The Daily Tar Heel. She spent many late nights working on the paper while her young son goofed around with reporters or slept on the sofa in the staff room. Tomlin’s reporting skills and work ethic earned her a position as a police reporter in Pittsburgh, and she has been working in newsrooms ever since.

She worked as an editor for the Asheville Citizen-Times and the Wilmington Star News before serving as the founding editor of Digital First Media’s Project Thunderdome, a national digital news hub. Before returning to North Carolina, she served as managing editor of The Dallas Morning News and led their award-winning coverage of the 2016 killings of five Dallas police officers. Robyn Tomlin joins host Frank Stasio to share stories from her days as a young single mom, to experiences in newsrooms around the country. In addition to her role as regional editor, Tomlin is also executive editor of The Herald-Sun and The News & Observer.

Interview Highlights:

On how experiences as a young kid shaped her journalistic outlook: My father was a Jesse Helms Republican. My grandmother was an Ann Richards Democrat. And I would get seated at the dinner table between the two of them ostensibly to keep them from arguing. They loved each other, but if the subject of politics came up, they would inevitably both get very wound up. And it was actually kind of a formative thing for me, because I was stuck between two people I adored who had very interesting points of view. And I empathized with both sides. So, as a journalist I really kind of root much of my ability to try to look at things from different angles to those dinner tables where I was listening to the two of them start to get into those arguments.

On navigating her last year of high school while pregnant: I discovered early in my senior year that I was pregnant and had to make a big decision … Initially I had an English teacher who really tried to convince me that I didn’t belong there. They had a night school program in Durham, and she really encouraged me to go there. She said she thought I would be uncomfortable. That it would be very difficult for me. But it became really clear in our conversations … that she was very much feeling that I was a bad example to other people … So I actually did go to the night school classes, tried them out a couple times and said: You know what, this isn’t me. I’m gonna go, and I’m gonna hold my head high … I just went back and walked across the stage at the Dean Dome with everyone else.

On one of her first reporting jobs out of college as a police reporter in Pittsburgh: I really learned how to chase news quickly – how to tell stories about tragedies and triumphs and every element of the human condition. And how to work sources. Police officers are really an amazing group of people who are so dedicated and devoted and talented, but they have a way of being that sometimes makes it difficult for journalists to be able to tell the story … We covered about 18 different municipalities … I’d go from police department to police department, and I’d bring cookies with me. And I finally got to be known as that reporter with the cookies. They would let me back behind the barrier because I brought the cookies, and with it a lot of questions. The cookies were my access to ask the questions that I needed to ask.

On what losing her sister to a house fire taught her about journalism: [My sister] and her fiance were in a house that burned down. It was in Lexington, North Carolina. And Lexington is in the middle of a lot of media markets and a number of TV stations and newspapers covered the fire. And I remember several of them got things wrong … But even more so, there were several people, one in particular, who reported really unnecessary details. My sister had died trying to get out of the house. She was found on the stairs face down. That was not a detail that my mother needed to learn in a newspaper. And it really gave me an important window into what the people who we report about – the families who are affected by some of the tragedies of the stories we tell – … have to deal with, and the things that they have to learn.

On the future of print journalism: The analytics do tell us that people want impactful journalism. They do want investigative work. They want stories that are revelatory that tell them something about who we are as a people and how we individually all connect together as a community. They don’t necessarily want the meat and potatoes process stories that we have traditionally told when we go to a city council meeting … We’re not in the business of cat videos, but we are certainly trying to use all of the different tools at our disposal to try to make sure that we’re balancing both the important investigative work that we do and explanatory work that we do with the work that tells us who we are right now as a culture.

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amfitfoot · 7 years ago

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Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation awards sabbaticals to North Carolina’s nonprofit leaders

Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Sabbatical Retreat portraits in Durham, NC Friday, April 13, 2018. (Justin Cook)

Celeste Collins, executive director of OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling in Asheville, is one of the recipients.

Press release from Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation:

Winston-Salem, NC (April 26, 2018) – The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (ZSR) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2018 Sabbatical Program.

Since 1990, the Foundation has honored North Carolina’s nonprofit leaders for their dedicated service and commitment to the sector by awarding sabbaticals. Up to five sabbaticals, which had previously been offered annually until 2016, are now offered every other year.

Established as one of the first of its kind, ZSR’s Sabbatical Program is intended to provide veteran nonprofit leaders with an extended break from work that allows time to focus on their personal needs, growth and self-revitalization so that they can return to their organizations with a rejuvenated spirit and renewed sense of focus. Recipients are encouraged to spend three to six months engaging in activities that interest them and that are unrelated to their field of work. Since the program’s inception, the Foundation has invested $3 million in the Sabbatical Program and made awards to 144 nonprofit leaders.

“It is such an inspiration to learn about the incredible commitment of nonprofit leaders who are dedicated to improving the quality of life of the people and communities they serve across North Carolina,” said Jane Patterson, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation trustee and chair of the Sabbatical committee. “This program is not only intended to ensure that we retain strong leadership within the nonprofit sector across the state, but also provides these leaders with what they need to come back refreshed and ready to work on behalf of the residents of our state.”

“The most creative and inspiring leaders in the nonprofit sector are extremely committed to the work they do,” said Maurice “Mo” Green, executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. “However, because of this selfless dedication, they can reach a point of burnout, where they have completely expended their personal energy. An extended break from their work allows them time to re-energize and hopefully return to their organizations with fresh ideas and newfound momentum. This makes the sabbatical not only beneficial to the recipient, but also to the staff, board and communities they are working alongside.”

This year’s recipients are:

Michael Gullatte, executive director of Cleveland County Rescue Mission (Shelby, NC) Deanne Gerdes, executive director of Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County (Fayetteville, NC) Amy Lytle, executive director of HandsOn Northwest North Carolina (Winston-Salem, NC) Celeste Collins, executive director of OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling (Asheville, NC) Juvencio Rocha-Peralta, executive director of Association of Mexicans in North Carolina (AMEXCAN) (Greenville, NC)

Eligibility for a sabbatical is limited to individuals in paid, full-time executive level positions with a North Carolina based nonprofit, who have served in their organizations for at least three years (two of which are in an executive level position). Preference is given to individuals with at least five years of experience with their organization. This program is not intended for public school, college, university or government employees, hospital administrators and full-time clergy. In 2016, the Foundation increased financial support to assist organizations with planning and transition expenses, making it easier for individuals of organizations to apply. Also, sabbaticals, which had previously been offered annually, are now offered bi-annually. 2019 will be the next year leaders can apply with sabbaticals being awarded in 2020.

Profiles of the 2018 recipients are below:

Described by one colleague as a “pillar of the community,” for the past eight years, Michael Gullatte has served as executive director of Cleveland County Rescue Mission – a faith-based organization that provides shelter, recovery programs, and 24/7 supportive services to homeless men, women and children. Some of Michael’s work responsibilities include, but are not limited to: overseeing ministry department heads to ensure the consistency of responsibilities within campus facilities as well as between departments and the Board. Some of his other tasks include facilities operations, marketing, fundraising, client ministry, and program curriculum and implementation. In its last fiscal year, the Rescue Mission served more than 350 individuals, provided over 11,000 nights of shelter, and served more than 34,000 meals. Nearly 40 percent of its residents transitioned out of one of its programs and into independent living. Michael has worked in the North Carolina nonprofit sector for 16 years.

Deanne Gerdes has served as executive director of the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County for nine years. One of Deanne’s colleagues says she “has been fortunate to witness firsthand the innovation and relentlessness Deanne displays when fighting for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence” and that Deanne’s “focus allows her to negotiate some of the most challenging situations one could possibly conceive.” Deanne’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: the oversight of day to day operations, programs and staff, grant writing and grant management, fiscal oversight of the agency, speaking on behalf of the agency and/or victims of sexual violence, reviewing cases with local law enforcement, providing direct services, answering crisis calls, accompanying victims to court or legal proceedings, and crisis management. Deanne has worked in the North Carolina nonprofit sector for 25 years.

Described by a colleague as “the most selfless executive director” she knows, Amy Lytle has been at the helm of HandsOn Northwest North Carolina (NWNC) for 10 years. HandsOn NWNC works with more than 400 local nonprofits to provide high-quality capacity-building services and engages between 4,000-5,000 volunteers a year in meaningful service across that network. Amy’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the programs, services, budget, and marketing of HandsOn NWNC; overseeing all marketing and community engagement efforts; serving as the face of HandsOn in the wider community; and supporting the board and other volunteer leaders in their work. Amy has worked in the North Carolina nonprofit sector for 19 years.

Celeste Collins has worked with OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling for 24 years and served as executive director for 15 of those years. OnTrack helps people achieve their money and housing goals through financial education, counseling, and support so that they can overcome crises, afford their basic needs, improve their money management skills, and make financial choices rooted in their values. Some of Celeste’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: working with board of directors, the leadership team and staff to develop and maintain the organization’s strategic direction, policies, practices, and resources; maintaining OnTrack’s relevance by listening to stakeholders to identify unmet community needs and developing programs to meet those needs through collective impact, existing collaborations, and new partnerships; creating a culture of excellence, client satisfaction, and continuous improvement; and ensuring policies & procedures that reflect up-to-date standards for legal, ethical, and effective service delivery. OnTrack’s programs help more than 9,000 people in Western NC each year. Celeste is described by a colleague as “a trusted advisor and friend to many,” who is “one of those rare individuals who sincerely loves her work, and is dedicated to the organization and community at large.” Celeste has worked in the North Carolina nonprofit sector for 24 years.

Juvencio Rocha-Peralta has served as executive director of Association of Mexicans in North Carolina (AMEXCAN) for 16 years. The mission of AMEXCAN is to promote the active participation of Mexicans and Latinos in their new communities and encourage the appreciation, understanding, and prosperity of the Mexican and Latino community through cultural, educational, leadership, health, and advocacy activities. Juvencio’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to: overseeing and guiding all programs, events, activities, and initiatives while remaining in line with the organization’s mission. One colleague has said, “AMEXCAN has served the community beyond its capacity for as long as I can remember and Juvencio Rocha-Peralta has completed inhuman feats and sacrifices in order to serve his community. Whenever someone comes to the organization in need, Juvencio always finds a way to meet that need, be it through direct counseling, being a liaison to a service provider or institutional system, being an advocate, or simply a show of support or solidarity.” Juvencio has worked in the North Carolina nonprofit sector for 30 years.

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