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EET SEE FSS eT a nea a SE ee Ae 0 FS I FRETS a a ips a 3s bE ESB . play. forcement. Wednesday, July 14, 2010 INDUSTRY From Page1 ° "Significant businesses - are looking at being located in Cleveland County," said Rep. Tim Moore (R-Cleve- land), who was a primary sponsor of House Bill 1958 before it was taken over by the Senate with SB 1171. "Should they choose to lo- cate in Cleveland County we'd be the envy of the state." Commissioner Johnny Hutchins agreed that, should their prospects pan out, the announcement would be golden. The county has coined its mission to attract this new in- dustry "Project Blue Ridge". - An incentives deal that offers help with grants, extra water, speedy permits, a waive of fees, a tremendous break in property taxes and that cov- ers utility connection fees, all over a 10-year span, is the county's first public attempt to attract the industry. The deal with Project Blue Ridge is based on the promise of 31 new, perma- nent full-time jobs, buildings and installation of machinery and equipment that would ledd to a total investment of approximately $600 million to the county over the next 10 years. The City of Kings Moun- tain will provide water, sewer and electricity to the site. In the approved incentive agreement, the county will "aggressively pursue grant funding for high speed fiber optic network transmission services" for the company, and provide "at no cost to the company" a secondary water source. The county also ‘nomic of Kings Mountain to expe- dite the processing of all ap- plications for permits required by the city or the county" and to work with the city to "waive all fees for per- mitting, inspection, develop- ment, or other fees normally charged by the city or the county". The county "agrees to work with the city to waive or otherwise pay for all connection fees to local utilities", according to the in- centives deal, and the county agrees to refund 70 percent of the total ad valorem (prop- erty value) taxes on real property and 85 percent of the total ad valorem taxes on personal property paid each year by the company. * Rep. Moore said that he and Sen. Debbie Clary have been working closely with the state department of com- merce and the local Eco- Development Commission to bring the data centers to Cleveland County. "I hope there will be an announcement soon," Moore said. Hutchins said that he be- lieves an announcement will be made within 30 days. But more than one data center or data farm could be on the hook. With the ap- proval of the incentives deal, Hutchins said that this is “only a hub”; “there will be more to come”. County Manager David Dear has said that more than one business has been look- ing at potential data center sites in Cleveland County. Spoiler alert # According to the Char- lotte Business = Journal, Wipro Technologies and Ju- niper Networks could bring a total of 750,000 square feet Sr CA Sy Wt DI The Kings Mountain Herald of server-farm (data farm) space to counties west of Charlotte. “Microsoft, which is also considering sites in Virginia, plans a 500,000- square-foot data center.” Even if all three located here, the number of jobs cre- ated ‘would be small, but benefits to the tax base could be large. Earlier this year, TS Part- ners of Atlanta, who special- izes in recruiting data farm abundant source of ‘water available here. On the "farm" A site in Mebane has been on the radar for com- puter companies, according to The Alamance News. A special meeting was called for Alamance County com- missioners to discuss incen- tives for the unnamed company (that sources iden- tified as Microsoft). It was FILM FEST From Page 4A Page 7A FBI operation attempts to bust an Asian human trafficking ring, but in a botched raid only one girl survives. This is the story of an FBI agent who tries to make a difference and ul- timately must stop one of his own men from siding with the bad guys." "My Breasts Could Kill Me," a documentary by Lee Phillips of the United Kingdom takes a look at breast cancer, a disease that claims the lives of over 12,000 people a year, "Contact", a documentary by Bentley Dean and Martin i Butler of Australia, gives voice to an aboriginal girl whose clan was the "last abo- For a complete called off at the last minute. yt list of show Nearly a week later, companies, purchased the Chris*Craft building at 140 Riverside Court, Kings Cleveland County commis- riginal mob still living tradi- times and Mountain. sioners called a special meet- tionally, without any contact With adjacent properties, ing to order at 9 am. on or knowledge of modern previews visit TS has controlling interestin Wednesday for a public Australia" - until rocket test- the Cleveland about 260 acres surrounding hearing to discuss an incen- ing brought the outside world the former Chris*Craft plant, tives deal of their own - for to their land. hire: Cou nty Arts ripe for growth. a company known only as "Yuwali gives a riveting tng g ‘Council online account as she and her group . =~ = = oo are chased hundreds of kilo- meters around the desert try- “Wipro, based in Banga- lore, India, is eyeing a "Project Blue Ridge". The project entails a 215,000-square-foot build- ing in Kings Mountain,” ac- cording to the Charlotte Business Journal. “Juniper Networks has looked at an 141,000-square-foot former Carolina Mills building in Maiden for a data center” and Microsoft is hoping for a 500,000-square-foot data center. According to the county’s incentive agreement, the company is considering the “construction and equipping of an approximately 400,000-square-foot build- ing located at 140 Riverside Court,” a plan that may ex- pand the former 250,000- square-foot ~~ Chris*Craft building. ! Rep. Moore said that these types of industries may be attracted to the state and, especially Kings Mountain, because of the relatively low-cost of electricity, prox- imity to Charlotte and an in- ternational airport, and the "agrees to work with the City STATE PL AY "prevent the disguise of bingo and other game forms or promotional From Page 1 schemes", and "prevent participation In 1937, the state of North Carolina prohibited the use of slot machines. The state specifically prohibited the use of video poker machines in 2000, and then again in 2006. Over the years state legislators have also sought to limit or prevent the operation of "for-profit" Bingo parlors, prevent commercialized gambling, ments". by criminal and other undesirable ele- In 2006, state legislators approved the North Carolina Education Lottery - operated and taxed by the state. Any federally-recognized Indian tribe, such as the Cherokees who* themselves make up a sovereign na- tion, are exempt from state laws re- garding gambling. SWEEPSTAKES From Page 1 "It's like having $50 to spend on rent or bills and one chooses instead to use the $50 at a restaurant and another chooses to spend the $50 on a sweepstakes (game)," he said. The state doesn't say any- thing to the one who spent his money at a restaurant, - but the one who blew $50 playing sweepstakes is wrong, Johnson said. But, as other operators have pointed out, morality can be a blurry vision. Leg- islators outlawed - video poker in 2006, shortly after approving the state's own ed- ucation lottery. Video sweep- stakes started migrating in after the ban, with operators and industry professionals claiming the law didn't apply _ to them since the new ma- chines did not require the in- sertion of money or coins to Some were ‘allowed to . operate unscathed by law en- Others were deemed dens of sin and gam- © bling halls. They were ~ promptly shut down. Operators claimed the * sweepstakes were no differ- X ent from the games offered ¢ by fast food chains and soft drink companies to market * products. But legislators saw a difference. ~ Rep. Tim Moore (R- ‘Cleveland) voted in favor of the bill. "In 2006, video poker was banned, but this “bill clears up any confusion {concerning computer-based ~ sweepstakes. The bill now | awaits the Governor's signa- ture." It was presented to Gov. + Beverly Perdue on Thursday, “July 8th. As of Monday evening, she had yet to sign Vt, Industry spokesmen . urged the state to pass legis- lation that would regulate “and tax video sweepstakes, saying that it would generate ‘at least $500 million in rev- enue each year - a tempting argument as the state looks ahead to a $3 billion shortfall next year. The new law applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2010, re- quiring operators to pull the plugs in four and a half months. Johnson, who also “offers video sweepstakes at his other KM businesses (Soap N Suds, 301 E. King St., and Rags to Riches, 712 York Rd.), is just one of sev- eral owners that carry the games in the city limits. The sign has come down at Bill Condrey's Kings Mountain Business Center, which of- fered the sweeps at 608 York Rd. Polo's, an establishment at 300 N. Cansler St., which sold clothes and "lucky phone cards", had four ter- minals still open for play on Monday. Other gaming cen- « ters around town, including three owned by Mike Heath and two by Ted Ford, will also have to close come Dec. Ist. "Here in the city we want to have a good quality of life," said Mayor Rick Mur- phrey. "Sweepstakes is not part of the quality of life that we want to promote." Before the new legisla- tion, city leaders have had to look at different ways to reg- ulate the industry. Grover and Kings Mountain studied zoning ordinances and li- cense fees. Grover raised its annual privilege license fees for the operation of Internet cafes and sweepstakes busi- nesses to $4,000 per estab- lishment. After a six-month mora- torium preventing any new sweepstakes parlors from springing up in town, the City of Kings Mountain amended its zoning laws to severely restrict where the establishments can operate and set a $2,500 annual fee on conditional use permits. State law will take over in December. "We're going to adhere to the state's law and enforce that and hopefully sweep- stakes and gambling will leave our city," Murphrey said. And Grover's Main Street shops will likely be mostly empty and quiet again. Six gaming facilities have been operating in that downtown. Lib Stewart contributed to this report. plant, where instead of pis- tons and conveyer belts, a building is filled with thou- sands of high-tech comput- ers. It's often called a "server farm" or "data farm", Rep. Moore said. Google set up its own data center near Lenoir in Caldwell County in 2008. In neighboring Catawba County, Apple Inc. an- nounced last year that they planned tobuild a $1 billion facility. More companies and more server farms may be on the way. ing to escape the 'devil men’ in the rocks that move' (four wheel drives)," according to the film's description. And in "Sebastian's Voodoo", a four-minute animation by Joaquin Baldwin of California, "a voodoo doll must find the courage to save his friends from being pinned to death". Descriptions, trailers and previews of other films that will be shown at the festival can be found online at www.ccartscouncil.org/realtoreel/index. html Parents are advised to preview the descriptions of the films that will be playing each day. HOW TO REACH US Contact the Herald by coming by the office at 700 E. Gold St.; call 704-739-7496, fax 704-739-0611 or Email emily.kmherald @ gmail.com j Mediesie United of Omaha Life Insurance Company Medicare Supplement Monthly Premium* _ PlanG $7449 _ PlanF $8763 $96.67 $82.17 $106.45 $90.48 rates oie rates generally Yow (tobacco-user rates may be higher); Unite oF ONARA LiFe INSURANCE COMPANY A MUTUAL of OMAHA COMPANY atoriet of insurance and an n insurance agent will contact you by telephone. Neither United of Omaha Life Insurance Company nor its Medicare supplement insurance policies ‘are connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare supplement insurance policy forms UM20-21719NC, UM23-21720NC, UM24-21721NC are underwritten by United of Omaha Life Insurance Company, Mutual of Omaha Plaza, Omaha, NE 68175. This insurance has exclusions, limitations and reductions. United of Omaha Life Insurance Company.is licensed natiorfwide except in NY. UC7492 NC Get outstanding low prices on quality products. SAVE 35% 1 0° reg. 16.99 32-Gal. Wheeled Trash Can Two handles lock down to keep lid secure from pests. W314 994 Fo While supplies last. Find the right supplies for your Nr 0S pp advice. 9-Pc. Weekend Paint Tray Kit includes 2 roller frames, 4 roller covers, angle sash brush, deep well tray and tray liner. P 815004 BS Whilo supplies last. ol (€ ELD EE in | LZ Jie Re rer Enory -—' Bridges True Value Hardware 100 S. Cansler St. © Kings Mountain, NC 28086 . pt 2 lu La i START RIGHT. START HERE’ Your choice instant in-store 99 sale price - ¥ 1 savings*. 99 FINAL PRICE reg. 6.99 | Energizer Alkaline €or D, or 2-pk, 8V, 168 005 While supplies last. $1 instant in-store savings. Limit 1 per customer. Batteries Choose 8-pk. plus 2 free AA or AAA, 4-pk. E 125 497, 493, 412 817, 825, Consumer responsible for taxes. www. bridgeshardware.com e 704-739-5461 Monday-Friday 8-8; Saturday 8-6 Sale ends 07/31/10 2010 by True Value® Company. All rights reseoved
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