Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
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Some of what’s going around:
Top story
-Arvato announcement:Arvato Digital Services, the Weaverville maker of DVDs (formerly known as Sonopress), will invest $1.8 million to add a call center offering 408 jobs — the biggest single addition of jobs in Buncombe County in at least 16 years, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times. The state of North Carolina and Buncombe County commissioners promised $200,000 in taxpayer money as incentives for the company to expand. The newspaper also notes that the company recently laid off about 50 workers to make the company “more competitive,” said a local economic development official.
The rest of the story
-Kenilworth’s controversial apartments: From the Citizen-Times:
A developer whose proposal for a 100-unit apartment complex in Kenilworth was turned down by City Council in September is trying again with a proposal for two complexes with 50 units each in the same area.
he head of the TRC said at the beginning of the hearing that a vote would be postponed because a member responsible for traffic issues was absent, then the delay was lengthened after Kenilworth residents and their attorney raised a number of objections.
In an unusual move, Mayor Terry Bellamy was among those who raised concerns over Howington’s proposals, telling the TRC that it would be “out of … scale with the existing neighborhood, given the character of the streets.”
-The Grinch appears: From the Citizen-Times:
The Grinch has stolen someone’s Christmas. A Salvation Army kettle at the Ingles on Long Shoals Road in South Asheville was stolen in broad daylight Monday. The kettle contained around $300.
-Gingerbread houses: A set of six or 10 gingerbread houses that won honors in the Grove Park Inn’s annual gingerbread house-building competition will be on their way to New York City soon for a Christmas Eve appearance on Good Morning America. The Citizen-Timesreport.
-Music notes: Two questions – Did Lauryn Hill tix sell out? And are there any tix left to the Avett Brothers two shows in Asheville next week? I haven’t had time to check.
-Lunar eclipse: Lots of folks stayed up last night to watch the lunar eclipse, which fell on the solstice for the first time in like 400 years or something. I was too tired. So tell me – was it worth it?
-White Christmas: It’s gonna snow on Saturday. Be prepared.
-Job fair: The 5th Annual Homecoming Job Fair will be held on Tuesday, December 28, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Biltmore Square Mall in Asheville. This has turned out to be a huge event the past few years. Mark it down.
A 2001 Reynolds High School graduate may be the third victim of a serial strangler, police in Philadelphia said. Authorities on Friday said the woman is 27-year-old Casey Mahoney of East Stroudsburg. She was found dead in a vacant lot in Philadelphia’s Kensington area near a set of train tracks.
-Foxhole: Here’s a great movie from Justin Robinson, a Greenville, S.C.,-based filmmaker. Check this out:
Arvato is a German company with facilities in 18 countries. Yes, including Mexico. But also including 6 other US operations (compared to only 2 in Mexico). And given that the Weaverville plant handles media replication and fulfillment, demand for which is likely tanking as consumers increasingly download music and videos rather than purchase CDs and DVDs, the fact that they only had to cut 50 jobs at this point is good news. But it'll probably take a lot more cuts than that to truly make the company more competitive.
That's alot more "giving", than "taking away" by Arvato.
Arvato is a German company with facilities in 18 countries. Yes, including Mexico. But also including 6 other US operations (compared to only 2 in Mexico). And given that the Weaverville plant handles media replication and fulfillment, demand for which is likely tanking as consumers increasingly download music and videos rather than purchase CDs and DVDs, the fact that they only had to cut 50 jobs at this point is good news. But it'll probably take a lot more cuts than that to truly make the company more competitive.
Lunar eclipse was eclipsed by clouds. I watched on a Miami livestream. Still cool.
Arvato laid off people becuase the know have a plant in MEXICO!!!! BUY USA ONLY!!!!!!