Careers
Briefs
n
Mellow Mushroom
opens in Greensboro
Pizza and sub restaurant, Mellow Mushroom,
opened last week in the historic South Elm District of
Downtown Greensboro at 609 S. Elm St.
The expansive and inviting open space that once
occupied the TWoArtChicks studio has a dining
capacity of 185 and features concrete flooring, four
seater table tops, bar seating with a view to the
kitchen and ornate chandeliers hang above from the
warehouse-high ceilings
The new Downtown Greensboro location is a sec
ond venture for owners, Jinj. and Cindy Waters who
also own the Mellow Mushroom located in
Downtown Winston-Salem
Salem professor to
present paper in Ireland
Daniel Prosterman, assistant professor of history
at Salem, has had a paper accepted for presentation at
the "War and American Identity" conference spon
sored by the Clinton Institute for American Studies.
The conference will be held during March 2009 at
the University. College Dublin, Ireland. Following
"tfiat appearance. Dr. Prosterman will make a presen
tation at the Electoral Reform Society in London,
made possime Dy a grant rrom
the Society's McDougall Trust.
Prosterman's paper, entitled
'"Join the Sentinels of
Liberty!': Popular Culture and
Youth Mobilization in World
War II," was developed during
his teaching of a course on
United States diplomatic history
at Salem College, where he has
been on the faculty since sum
Prosterman mer 2008 Hailing from
Chattanooga. Tenn.. Prosterman
holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from
Northwestern University and a master's and a Ph.D.
in history from New York University. He comes, to
Salem from Syracuse University in Syracuse. N.Y.,
where he served as faculty fellow in the humanities
from 2006-2008. Before Syracuse, he taught a variety
of U.S., world and East Asian history courses at New
York University, Yeshiva University's .Stem College
for Women, Pace University and St. Francis College.
GMAC receives bailout funds
? WASHINGTON (AP) -'The Treasury
Department said Monday that it will provide $5 bil
lion to GMAC Financial Services LLC, the ailing
financing arm of General Motors Corp., from the
$700 billjon bank rescue program. ~ .
V The government will receive preferred shares that
pay an 8 percent dividend and warrants to purchase
additional shares in return for the money, the depart
ment said.
Treasury also said it will lend up to $1 billion to
General Motors so that the company can purchase
additional equity that GMACjs. planning to offer as
part of its effort to raise more capital.
The assistance is part of a larger government
effort to aid the auto industry and is on top of the
$17.4 billion is loans the Bush administration agreed
to provide to the industry Dec. 19. a Treasury
Department official said.
Analysts had speculated that if GMAC didn't
obtain financial help it would have to file for bank
ruptcy protection or shut down, which would be a
serious blow to GM's own chances for survival
Last week, the Feder&l Reserve approved
GMAC's application to become a bank holding com
pany, which made it eligible to receive money from
the financial rescue fund. The Fed's approval was
contingent on GMAC raising additional capital.
Separately, GMAC said late Monday that it has
accepted all the bonds tendered in a debt-for-equity
swap that was also part of its capital-raising efforts.
Baity named director of
Northwest Forsyth Center
v Forsyth Technical Community College has cho
sen Kristie Baity as director of its recently opened
Northwest Forsyth Center in King. Baity, who has
worked for Forsyth Tech for nine years, had been
chair of the Public Safety
Technology department. I 1
"The courses here are a
good mix of curriculum ahd
non-credit courses" she said.
"Our hope is that students who
come here for non-credit cours
es will get a taste of the college
experience, and go on to enroll
in degree and djploma pro
grams."
In addition to housing
Forsyth Tech's public safety ,
training programs, the
Northwest Center Offers Certified Nursing, Assistant
training; plumbing, HVAC and other technical skills;
and GED courses.
Baity's responsibilities include promoting
Forsyth Tech to residents in Stokes County and the
northwestern part of Forsyth County, and letting
them know that more easily accessible college cours
es are now available. to them. The Northwest Forsyth
Center officially opened on July 18.
Kristie Baity earned her B.S. degree in Criminal
Justice from- Eastern Carolina University and her
M.A. degree in Social Science from Appalachian
State University. She is pursuing a doctorate in busi
ness online from Northcentral University.
Library is offering resume help
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
These are tough times /or
johrseekers.
The week of Christmas, the
claims for unemployment rose
across the nation to 586.000,
the highest level in more than a
quarter century. Many ,of those
depending on -unemployment
benefits are North Carolinians.
The state's unemployment rate
was 7.9 percent at the end of
November (the last numbers
aivailable as of press time).
That rate is higher than the
nationalaverage. and the high
est level that the state has seen
since 1983
The Forsyth County Public
Library is stepping up to do it's
part to help those who are
seeking a new start in this tur
bulent job market.
This month, the Central
Library Branch, which is on
Fifth Street downtown, is ded
icating time two days a week
to providing resume help. The
library's coftiputer lab will be
available from 9 <- 11 a.m.
every Monday and Wednesday
to anyone who needs to create
?pr update a resume for a job
search .
Library staff will also be
on-hand to provide any assis
tance necessary. AH levels of
?computer users are welcome.
The staff will also provide tips
on how job-seekers can take
advantage of the library's
many free resources that can
not onjy *he.lp. residents
research jobs but also show
them the keys to constructing
effective resumes and cover
letters.
For mote information, call
Piedmont Natural Gas
rates are going down
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT .
Piedmont Natural Gas customers could see their
bills decrease beginning this month.
As a result of the plunging price of jiN and whole
sale natural gas, the Charlotte-based company has
filed paperwork with the North Carolina Utilities
Commission (NCUC) and South Carolina's Public
Service Commission (PSC) that seeks to lower the
customer -billing rates. Both the NCUC and PSC
must approve any changes in rates. The proposed
reductions would each go into effect this month.
Piedmont
Natural Gas
also provides
service to
customers in
Tennessee .
The company
filed a
request with
the Tennessee
Regulatory
Authority to
Piedmont
Natural Gas
reduce cus
tomer billing rates in early December.
Apy reduction would be made in the wholesale
gas rate, which fluctuates and 'is indicated on each
customer's bill. The wholesale cost of gas represents
the single largest portion of a residential or commer
cial customer's monthly natural gas bill, typically
making up between 65 percent and 70 percent of the
total bill.
The company says that as a regulated natural gas
distribution company. Piedmont tsfanftal Gas is
required to "tfue-up" orpass through the wholesale
cost of gas to its customers on a dollar-for-dollar
basis, without adding on any additional profit mar
gin. "'?* ?' * "
Piedmont's proposed reductions would have the
effect of reducing residential billing rates by approx
imately 7 percent in Nqrth Carolina, between 7 and 8
percerft in South Carolina, ai>d by 15 percent in
Tennessee.
Travel agent looks to grant wishes .
chronicle staff report
A Charlotte travel agent is on a mis
sion to make dreams come .true for
chronically and terminally ill children
Alishah Kier is working to book
passengers on a Memorial Day cruise
that she h?pes will raise $25,000 for the
Make- A- Wis.h Foundation. Kjer. o>ner
"of Honor and Glory Executive
Travel Services, is teaming with
RoyaL Caribbean International
for the first-ever Memorial Day
{fundraiser Cruise* ?*.
Passengers will travel aboard
the Royal Caribbean Adventure
of the Seas from May 24 - 3 1 .
: The itinerary for the cruise,
which will start in San Juan.
Puerto Rico, includes the islands
of Antigua, Barbados, Barbuda,
at. Croix, M. Lucia and at . ivjaarten
' "Often, parents give gifts that lose
their excitement the .very next day. This
fundraiser cruise opportunity is an
excellent way to give our- children the
lasting gift of compassion by providing
them the chance to take a vacation ;tfid -
help other children with needs." said
Kier, who has had tremendous success
planning other fundraiser cruisffs- for
- other agencies and causes . ?
Two hundred and fifty cabins will
have to. be booked in order to . raise
$25,000 ' for the ;r Make- A- Wish'
"Foundations which grants the wishes of
children- witlr life-threatening medical
conditions that enrich the human expe
rience with hope, strength and "joy.
Royal Caribbean International has
. also been involved in efforts
to raise money and aware
ness for worthwhile causes.
In fact. Kier. first became
acquainted with Royal
Caribbean International's
dedication to the Make-A
Wish Foundation during a
benefit auction that took
place on a Royal Caribbean
Kier
ship. That auction has
inspired her to become
involved with Make a Wish.
"We are thrilled to be working with
Alishah Kie'r who is a professional trav
el expert and always well represents out
brand." said Vicki Freed. Royal
Caribbean's senior VP of sales, trade
and support services.
For more information about the
cruise, , call 1 '800-393-1 581 or -go to
www.honorandglorycrutses .com .
BB&T honors former CEO's wife with gift to Scouts
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
' COLFAX - The Girl
Scouts, Tarheel, Triad Council
Inc. has received an unrestrict
ed gift of $250,000 from
Winston-Salem-based BB&T
Corp., one of the largest finan
cial holding companies in the
United States.
The gift was presented in
honor of Betty M. Allison, a
long-time Girl .Scout adviser,
supporter and leader at a cere
mony at Magnolia Manor, the
Tarheel Triad Council's-Colfax
headquarters. Allison is the
wife of BB&T Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer John
A. Allison, who recently
retired as GEO. John Allison is
ttill a member of the BB&T
oard of directors. He will
serve as chairman in 2009. The
gift was also made on behalf of
John Allison.
The Tarheel Triad Council
will use the funds to develop
an information-technology net
work that will greatly enhance
communications among Girl
Scout councils in the western
half of North Carolina and
York County, S.C. The gift is
the ? largest donation that the
Tarheel Triad Council has
received^utside of capital
BRAT Phnju
RB&T's Steve Wiggs and Belly Allison are surrounded by Girl Stouts Troops 561 , 655 and 1242.
campaign contributions.
"We truly appreciate
BB&T's investment in our Girl
Scouts' fwures," Betty Allison
said. "This extraordinary gift
will build a network that' will
allow Girl Scouts, their leaders
and councils to have better
access to Girl* Scout events<
programs and ideas. It' wjflt
ensure that the next generation
of Girl ScoUts in the western
Carolines will- haVe the tools
that they need to become lead
ers of tomorrow."
The money will allow the
Tarheel Triad Council to move
* ' Sec BB4T on A5