Appalachian Solar Energy announced today that it has been acquired by Vanir Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Vanir Group of Companies Inc. Vanir Energy will be headquartered in Fletcher and staffed by the former personnel of Appalachian Solar Energy with support from Vanir management in Sacramento, Calif. The announcement, which was made during the AdvantageWest [...]
December 3, 2008
World’s Largest Solar Thermal Project for Heating and Cooling Announced in Western North Carolina
December 3, 2008
CNBC: Bank of America could cut 30,000 jobs
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America employees are learning that there could be as many as 30,000 layoffs when the bank and Merrill Lynch merge. That’s three times as many layoffs as first estimated. “There will be a lot of layoffs,” said CNBC reporter Charlie Gasparino Tuesday afternoon. “Something like 30,000 layoffs over a period of [...]
December 3, 2008
Easley moves up construction projects to stimulate economy
Gov. Mike Easley is putting more than $700 million in education and public safety building projects on the fast track in hopes of stimulating the state’s economy. Economists estimate that every $1 million dollars spent on construction projects in North Carolina generates $2.5 million for the state’s economy. And 36 new jobs. So that’s why [...]
December 3, 2008
Economic News Not All Bad – WNC Fares Better than Many Areas
As one who is interested in the economic welfare of Asheville and the WNC region at large – I feel compelled to report on the “good news” as well as the “bad”. Unlike my contemporaries at the Asheville Citizen Times – where everyday seems a day of doom and gloom, I find that there are [...]
December 3, 2008
Mecklenburg unemployment up slightly
The unemployment rate in Mecklenburg County rose to 6.7 percent in October from 6.6 percent in September. In October, 30,931 residents were unemployed among the county’s labor force of 462,563, according to the N.C. Employment Security Commission. Unemployment in the Charlotte/Gastonia/Concord area was 7.1 percent, up from 6.9 percent in September. In the Hickory/Lenoir/Morganton metro [...]
December 3, 2008
CHS losses total $284.5M
Carolinas HealthCare System reports losses of more than $284.5 million for the first nine months of the year, driven by significant reductions in investment income and softer patient volumes. The Charlotte-based health-care provider posted net income — which it refers to as excess revenue over expenses — of $182.5 million for the same period last [...]
December 3, 2008
There’s life after banking, Charlotte
Charlotte has proven itself as a financial capital and location for corporate headquarters, but the region must be proactive in building a more diverse economy. That was the message Monday from a handful of location advisers – people who help companies decide on relocation and expansion sites. The consultants met with area business and civic [...]
