February 8, 2021
Contact: Steve Lockett, Interim Executive Director
828-351-2373
Upcoming Meetings and Events
PUBLIC NOTICE
ISOTHERMAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (IPDC)
A Meeting of the IPDC Executive Commission Executive Committee will be held on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at 12:00 noon via an electronic meeting. The IPDC, under North Carolina General Statue 143-318.13 will host an electronic meeting. To view the agenda, click here.
For public participation in the IPDC Executive Committee meeting, you may join the virtual meeting on GoToMeeting via telephone or cell phone. To join, please dial +1 (669) 224-3412. The meeting access code is 337-419-893.
You will initially be placed on hold/mute if you plan on participating in the meeting. We will call upon you by the name registered or your phone number. Once called upon you will be unmuted and be able to participate in the public comment. If you have any questions before the meeting please contact Steve Lockett at slockett@regionc.org.
The meeting will be recorded and placed on the IPDC Website at www.regionc.org
Western Community-Based Grants Initiative and Regional Leadership and Capacity Building Kickoff Training
Polk and Rutherford Counties
Join the Golden LEAF Foundation and the NC Rural Center for the Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI) and Regional Leadership and Capacity Building kickoff training on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
The kickoff training will provide and equip participants with information and tools to:
Understand regional economic and social data and trends
Identify regional assets and challenges, and
Build collaborative partnerships across communities, sectors, and organizations
Additionally, participants will learn about engaging in the CBGI and capacity building process to receive coaching and technical assistance, connect with resources, and develop a strategic project for Golden LEAF’s CBGI funding opportunity.
The training is available to a broad-based group of leaders representing diverse sectors and organizations across the 13-county region. Click here to learn more and register.
Training Opportunities for Local Elected Officials
UNC School of Government is offering several training opportunities for municipal and county elected officials and managers. These classes are being offered on-line through Zoom.
February 19 - Working Well Together: Governing Guidance - A high-performing Council or Board is one that intentionally cultivates an environment of working well together.
February 26 – Evaluating Manager and Board Performance - Regular, constructive feedback is important to meeting community expectations and assuring that both the elected and appointed officials are working toward common goals.
Register for the 2021 Rural Summit
The Rural Center’s 2021 signature policy-advocacy event, the 2021 Rural Summit will take place on March 15-17. The Rural Summit will call attention to a number of public policy issues and priorities affecting our state’s rural people and places, with a special thematic focus on entrepreneurship and small business development. Additional policy issues on the event agenda include broadband, healthcare, social determinants of health, water and wastewater infrastructure, regional collaboration, racial equity, and communities mobilizing for change. Register for this event.
Regional News
Governor Cooper Awards Walter Dalton the Order of the Long Leaf Pine
Governor Roy Cooper has awarded Walter Dalton the state’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cooper made the presentation via a video at the Isothermal Community College Board of Trustees meeting.
Dalton, the former lieutenant governor, retired Friday as Isothermal’s president. He served in that capacity since May 2013. In the video, Cooper noted Dalton’s “remarkable career” and longtime service to the state and the community college system.
“I know our state is better because you answered the call to service,” Cooper said to Dalton in the video.
The traditional poem that accompanies the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award states:
Here’s to the land
of the long leaf pine,
The summer land
where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong
and the strong grow great,
Here’s to “down-home,”
the Old North State!
Kings Mountain Earns Recognition of Housing Market, Main Street Accreditation
Smart Asset recently named Kings Mountain as the healthiest housing market in the United States. Four criteria were used to determine rankings including stability of the housing market, affordability, fluidity (ease of sale), and risk of loss. The scores from these four criteria were weighted and combined for a total “Healthy Market” score. Kings Mountain ranked in the top 10 national rankings for stability, risk, and fluidity which helped position the city for the overall top score.
“We have always known what a great place Kings Mountain is to live and raise a family,” said Kings Mountain Mayor Scott Neisler. “Now, that our housing market is ranked as the healthiest in the country, we expect more people will be calling Kings Mountain home.”
“Being ranked as the healthiest housing market in the country is exciting news for the City of Kings Mountain,” said Stuart Gilbert, Planning and Economic Director for the City of Kings Mountain. “Kings Mountain is an outstanding choice for individual home buyers, residential and commercial developers, and business investment.”
Governor Cooper, State's Top Education Leaders Say It's Time for In-Person Instruction for K-12 Schools
Gov. Cooper, NCDHHS Sec. Cohen, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt, and State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis called on K-12 school districts to allow in-person instruction for all students. The state leaders highlighted the ongoing research that shows that in-person learning is safe with proper mitigation measures and emphasized the importance of ensuring all students have the opportunity to learn in a classroom. They also thanked educators for their extraordinary work helping students learn remotely and in-person during this unprecedented time.
Research continues to affirm that with strong safety protocols in place, getting students back in classrooms can be done safely. Ongoing medical studies and data also show that children infected with the virus generally have mild or no symptoms and are less likely to spread the disease. Read more at What are We Learning.
The Grahamtown Team (GTeam), an organization made up of citizens from Rutherford County who have an interest in serving the community, will be celebrating the L.E.A.P. program on February 13.L.E.A.P. Over the past year, L.E.A.P has helped to educate, empower, and grow young girls in Rutherford County by exposing them to business, leadership, and entrepreneurialism in Rutherford County. For more information on the celebration, please email Kisha McDowell at kisha@grahamtownteam.org.
Aging
People over 65 are at the highest risk for severe illness with #COVID19. Take your shot to gain the peace of mind that you and your loved ones are protected. You have a spot. #TakeYourShotNC: YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov #COVID19Vaccine #VaccinesWork #VaccinesSaveLives #COVID19NC #StopCOVID19
Since the advent of COVID-19, community-based social service organizations in the aging sector have pivoted to deliver evidence-based programs (EBPs) remotely to reach older adults who are sheltering at home. The Evidence-Based Leadership Collaborative (EBLC) began learning from this crisis in Spring 2020 through surveys, interviews, and conversations with EBP participants and leaders, AAAs and other community-based organizations, EBP administrators, and policymakers. Presenters will share findings from our evaluation to understand whether and how these proven in-person programs are working when adapted to be delivered by phone, mail or video-conferencing.
RBDG is a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues. Programmatic activities are separated into enterprise or opportunity type grant activities.
There is no maximum grant amount for enterprise or opportunity type grants; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. Generally, grants range from $10,000 up to $500,000. There is no cost-sharing requirement. Total opportunity type grant funding is limited statutorily to up to 10% of the total RBDG annual funding. The deadline is February 26. Click here to learn more.
EDA Invites Applications for Economic Development Grant Opportunities
The EDA invites applicants to submit applications under its Public Works program and Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) programs. Through these programs, EDA invites applications to request grant assistance for clearly defined construction or non-construction assistance projects that will advance job creation, job retention, and private investment or enhance economic development decision-making, respectfully.
For Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs, the match is generally 50 percent, although communities may qualify for a higher grant rate. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. To learn more and to discuss potential projects, please contact Hillary Sherman at hsherman@eda.gov. To access the funding notice and application forms, please go to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=321695
USDA Accepting Applications to Support RLFs that Service Microentrepreneurs in Rural Areas
USDA Rural Development has announced it is now accepting applications from nonprofits, cooperatives, and federally-recognized tribes interested in creating revolving loan funds to support rural businesses and community development projects in their area.
Mountain BizWorks Accepting Applications for New PPP Loans and Second Draw Applicants
Mountain BizWorks is accepting applications for both new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loans, and for Second Draw applicants returning after receiving a PPP loan in 2020.
Please visit their website for more information and for access to their online loan application portal. Click here to learn more and apply.
NC State of Technology 2021 Industry Report
Highlights from the State of the Technology Industry Report:
North Carolina is the #7 state in total tech industry employment growth from 2014-2019.
North Carolina is the #2 state for the Percentage of Women in the Technology Industry with women making up 35.4% of the workforce.
For the next five years, North Carolina is projected to be the 11th and 12th highest tech growth state for both tech industry jobs and tech occupations jobs respectively.
North Carolina is the #7 ranked state for startups created from university technology transfer with 47 startups created in 2018.
The state ranked 13th in both total and business performed research & development.
The state remained in the top ten states in venture capital funding per gross state product and moved into the top fifteen states for SBIR/STTR funding.
Over the past year, technology industry employment grew by 1.3%
Extension of CDC Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions through March 31, 2021
The CDC has extended their notice on a Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions, published in the Federal Register on September 4, 2020, and authorized under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 264 and 42 CFR 70.2. The notice is now extended through March 31, 2021.
Rural Transportation
NCDOT, NCDHHS Fund Transit Rides to COVID-19 Vaccine Sites
Don’t forget, if you need transportation assistance traveling to a COVID-19 vaccine site, reach out to your local transit agency.
From potholes to bike lanes, our transportation networks affect the quality of life in all our communities. Have you ever wondered how and when the planning for our state’s highway network takes place? As a local elected official, do you know the best way to inject your community’s transportation needs into the statewide planning process?
This interactive free virtual workshop will provide the audience a basic understanding of the policies that affect statewide transportation priorities and the avenues for making your voices heard. Some of the questions that will be answered include:
What is the Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP)? the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Plan (MTIP)? the State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)?
Where can I influence the decisions?
What is the NCDOT Complete Streets Policy?
What are “locally administered projects”?
How is NC planning for future needs and changes in vehicle design technology?
l Summit will take place on March 15-17. The Rural Summit will call attention to a number of public policy issues and priorities affecting our state’s rural people and places, with a special thematic focus on entrepreneurship and small business development. Additional policy issues on the event agenda include broadband, healthcare, social determinants of health, water and wastewater infrastructure, regional collaboration, racial equity, and communities mobilizing for change. 
rds Walter Dalton the Order of the Long Leaf Pine
s 1 Year of L.E.A.P
