Images Rocky Mount 2011-2012

2011-12 | imagesrockymount.com 速

rocky mount, north carolina

advanced education Students benefit from new schools and technology

Take it outside Parks beckon outdoor recreation enthusiasts

Bring In The New Big changes are under way in Rocky Mount

sponsored by the rocky mount area Chamber of Commerce

2011-12 edition | volume 12 速

Rocky Mount, North Carolina co nte nt s F e atu r e s 10 bring in the new

10

Big changes are coming to Rocky Mount

14 Advanced Education Schools in Rocky Mount are getting a technological makeover

18 at your service Nash Health Care thriving in Rocky Mount

22 for a good cause Cummins Engine Plant known for giving back to community

d e pa r tm e nt s 6 Almanac 26 Biz Briefs 28 Chamber Report 29 Economic Profile 30 Image Gallery 36 Local Flavor 38 Health & Wellness 40 Arts & Culture 42 Sports & Recreation 44 Education 47 Community Profile 48 Through the Lens on the cover Photo by Todd Bennett Rocky Mount Sports Complex action.

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All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

Please recycle this magazine

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What’s Online imagesrockymount.com

Photos & Videos Visually explore Rocky Mount in our online photo and video galleries

2011-12 | imagesrockymount.com ®

rocky mount, north carolina

advanced education Students benefit from new schools and technology

take it outside Parks beckon outdoor recreation enthusiasts

Facts Get the most up-to-date info on cost of living, top employers, schools, population demographics and more

Living here Learn the basics about local neighborhoods, schools and health care providers

bring in the new Big changes are under way in Rocky Mount

sponsored by the rocky mount area chamber of commerce

Digital magazine Flip through the pages of this magazine and easily share articles using Facebook, Twitter or email.

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Rock y Mount, North Carolina Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinator Jessica Walker Staff Writer Kevin Litwin Copy Editor Jill Wyatt Contributing writers Melanie Hill, Melonee McKinney Hurt, Spencer Mohead, Kari Quill, Tiffany Williams Media Technology Director Christina Carden Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Jessica Manner, Janine Maryland, Kris Sexton, Vikki Williams Graphic Designers Rachael Gerringer, Taylor nunley Media Technology Analysts becca ary, Chandra Bradshaw, lance Conzett Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier Web Content Manager John Hood

Coastal Beverage Company and Miller Lite support the Rocky Mount community.

Web project manager noy fongnaly Web designer II Richard stevens Web developer i Yamel Hall, nels noseworthy Web Account Manager Lauren Eubank Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan I.T. Director Yancey Bond I.T. support technician daniel cantrell Senior Accountant Lisa Owens Accounts Payable Coordinator Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator Diana Guzman Office Manager/Accounts Receivable Coordinator Shelly Miller Senior Integrated Media Manager ruth martineau color imaging technician Alison Hunter Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla Thurman Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner Senior V.P./business Development Scott Templeton Senior V.P./Agribusiness Publishing Kim HOlmberg V.p./External Communications Teree Caruthers V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens V.P./Sales Charles Fitzgibbon, Herb Harper, Jarek Swekosky v.p./Travel publishing Susan Chappell Controller Chris Dudley Content Director/Business Publications Bill McMeekin content Director/livability.com Lisa battles Marketing Creative Director Keith Harris Distribution Director Gary Smith Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan Human Resources Manager Peggy Blake Receptionist Linda Bishop

Images Rocky Mount is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at info@jnlcom.com.

For more information, contact: Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce 100 Coast Line St., 2nd Fl. Rocky Mount, NC 27804 Phone: (252) 446-0323 • Fax: (252) 446-5103 www.rockymountchamber.org Visit Images Rocky Mount online at imagesrockymount.com ©Copyright 2011 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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The Association of Magazine Media Member

Custom Content Council

Member Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce

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Almanac

Welcome to Rocky Mount An introduction to the area’s people, places and events

Photo Courtesy of Rocky Mount Children’s Museum

Riding for Charity

The Land Before Time

The Laughery name is synonymous with philanthropy in Rocky Mount. Helen Laughery’s husband, Jack, who passed away in 2006, was the former CEO and chairman of the Hardee’s restaurant chain and an advocate of higher education … and motorcycles. Combining the two, Helen founded the annual Jack Laughery Ride for Knowledge in 2008, benefiting the Helen and Jack Laughery Honorary Scholarship Fund at Nash Community College. She also was instrumental in launching Reach Out Rocky Mount’s Fun Run for Charities, which has raised over $1.1 million for local charities in just three years.

Prepare to explore an era larger than life at the Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center.

The Dinosaurs! exhibit that runs through December 2011 features six large animatronic dinosaurs, including the tyrannosaurus rex, stegosaurus, triceratops and apatosaurus, that were made half of their estimated true size. Built in the mid-1980s by acclaimed paleontologists and dinosaur experts, the mechanical robots were designed to stimulate the imaginations of all ages.

Admission on Sundays is free for Rocky Mount residents.

Snapshots of the Past Since 2008, Braswell Memorial Library has been restoring and digitizing photographic negatives from the Charles S. Killebrew Photograph Collection, composed of nearly half a million images.

A freelance and staff photographer for the Rocky Mount Telegram, Charles Killebrew amassed this collection from the 1940s to 1990s.

The library welcomes the public to marvel at his photographs of agriculture, weather, weddings, political events and more images taken throughout Nash and Edgecombe counties.

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Rocky Mount

Feast on This There’s a celebration for every season in Rocky Mount.

The Nashville Chamber of Commerce’s annual Blooming Festival includes a parade honoring a Mother of the Year, band performances, a mini-farmers market and a carnival. In preparation for the fall, the National Spring Hope Pumpkin Festival takes place downtown the first Saturday in October and features everything pumpkin, including the Miss Pumpkin Queen Pageant.

A weekend later, cooks compete in the Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down. Celebrations of diversity are popular here, too, and include the Harambee Festival, Latino Festival and International Festival of Cultures.

Show and Sale In 2012, Rocky Mount will host the 75th annual 4-H Livestock Show and Sale co-sponsored by the counties of Nash, Edgecombe and Halifax, and 4-H representatives. Held at the East Carolina Agriculture & Education Center, youths will compete for awards in livestock showmanship, market quality and judging. After the awards show, the hog, steers and lambs are sold at a benefit auction. The proceeds are used to offset college expenses and purchase a new 4-H project.

©2011 Rierson Photography

Wake Up and Smell the Roses

The aesthetic appeal of the Rose Hill Conference Center justifies the 15-minute trip from Rocky Mount to Nashville, N.C. Fit for large gatherings, the center is part of a countryside estate built in 1762 from a land grant on behalf of King George II to the Boddie family. Since 1982, the Rose Hill estate has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The restored Manor House’s heart pine floors and thick white columns create the perfect venue for weddings and weekend getaways. Rose Hill is also an 860-acre working Angus cattle farm. i m ag e sr o c k y m o u n t. c o m

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Rocky Mount

Fast Facts

Batter Up

n Rocky Mount has the distinction of having twice been named an AllAmerican City by the National Civic League, first in 1969 and again in 1999.

In honor of Rocky Mount’s baseball legend, Walter Fenner “Buck” Leonard, the Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences opened The Buck Leonard Exhibit in 2008. It displays artifacts from Leonard’s career as a first baseman in Negro-league baseball and personal items connected to his life accomplishments. In 1972, Buck Leonard was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

After retiring in 1950, he lived in Rocky Mount until his death at 90 years old.

n If you like barbecue, don’t miss the Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down that takes place the second Friday and Saturday in October.

Rocky Mount At A Glance POPULATION (2010 estimate) 57,477

the Tuscarora Indians, but the town wasn’t formally established for another 155 years.

LOCATION Rocky Mount, in the state’s heartland region, intersects I-95 and U.S. 64.

That intersection claims the No. 1 traffic count along the I-95 corridor in North Carolina.

BEGINNINGS European settlers first arrived in Rocky Mount in 1712 after years of battling

FOR MORE INFORMATION Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce 100 Coast Line St., 2nd Fl. Rocky Mount, NC 27804 Phone: (252) 446-0323 Fax: (252) 446-5103 www.rockymountchamber.org

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n The farmers market in Rocky Mount’s Historic Mill District is open on Fridays and Saturdays from April through November.

E D G E CO M B E

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n The Rocky Mount train station is part of the city’s historic district.

Whitakers

NASH Dortches

n The Twin Counties region comprises Nash and Edgecombe counties. Rocky Mount is the largest municipality in the region.

Nashville 64

To Raleigh eigh h

Rocky Mount 43

Tarboro

Sharpsburg 258

64

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The Douglas Block revitalization in the historic African-American business district renovated several old downtown buildings, including the historic Booker T. Theatre.

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Rocky Mount

Bring in

the New Big changes are coming to Rocky Mount

Story By Laura Hill Photography By todd bennett

T

hat cool, refreshing breeze you feel blowing through Rocky Mount might just be the welcome winds of change.

Downtown revitalization, a new pedestrian plan, a slate of new municipal leaders and a developing vision of a historic community’s future have energized Rocky Mount.

“A lot of exciting things are going on here,” says new city manager Charles Penny. “We have an opportunity to bring all segments of our community together to do strategic planning

and visioning – to really move the Twin County area forward.”

Downtown Revitalization Rocky Mount is building on past successes, such as the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences and the renovated Historic Train Station. The rehabilitation of the Douglas Block, which is bringing six buildings back to life in the historic African-American business district, is another. That $8 million project, Penny says, demonstrates the city’s commitment to revitalizing downtown, now

enjoying an additional facelift in a $6.5 million Streetscape improvement effort.

“We’re widening streets, improving curb appeal, adding new street lamps, signage, furniture, trees,” Penny says. “In order to attract private investment, the government has to put money into downtown first, and we’re doing that. It shows what you can do.”

Studying the Future As sidewalks are being widened downtown, the ambitious Rocky Mount Pedestrian Plan is i m ag e sr o c k y m o u n t. c o m

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The Douglas Building is another one of the structures being renovated as part of the Douglas Block revitalization.

promoting a network of paths, greenways and safe crossings designed to make the community friendlier to those on foot.

While Streetscape unfolds – it is scheduled for completion in late 2012 or early 2013 – ambitious visioning for the entire two-county area is in the works. The Twin Counties Competitiveness Assessment, funded by the Rocky Mount City Council and Edgecombe and Nash counties, was presented in spring 2011. It outlines in detail the community’s strengths and improvements needed for the area to thrive economically in the 21st century. One example is the importance of preparing students for success in the growing global

economy, a critical goal for new Nash Rocky Mount Public Schools superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson.

Schools Look at the Global Economy “Our role right now is to prepare our students for their futures, not our past,” he says. “Many of the jobs we are preparing our children for right now don’t even exist. We have a huge responsibility, probably more than any previous generation. We have to embrace the impact of technology, social media, all those things that are changing the way we do business.”

The challenges for Rocky Mount’s new leadership – in addition to Penny and Jackson, the community

has recently welcomed fire chief Trey Mayo and interim Edgecombe County Schools Superintendent Dr. Del Burns – are vast. But a collaborative effort by all stakeholders will meet those lofty goals, both Penny and Jackson say.

“In 10 years I see a viable downtown with interesting businesses, restaurants, the arts, more people living downtown, more activity on the streets – people taking advantage of a place that was once hustling and bustling and will be again,” Penny says. “People have to have a desire to see it happen, and I think we do. We have demonstrated that we can work together and make things happen.”

$8 million

$6.5 million

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approximate investment in the revitalization of the Douglas Block

approximate investment in the Downtown Streetscape Project

approximate number of landscape pits planned along downtown sidewalks

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Rocky Mount

Todd Bennett

Photo Courtesy of Rocky Mount Academy

Advanced Education rocky mount students are getting new facilities, more technology

Story By Karen Schwartzman

R

ocky Mount has an edge on education. A string of capital improvements and a couple of brandnew facilities are making the educational opportunities in the area a force to be reckoned with.

Breaking Ground Two of the area’s high schools are opening new doors: Faith Christian School in 2011 and Rocky Mount High School in 2012.

“This will be a great asset to the city,” says Mark Strickland, special assistant to auxiliary services for Rocky Mount High School. “In addition to numerous other improvements, the community now has the opportunity to promote this

brand-new school, which we hope will be a great draw.”

A new facility for Faith Christian School solidifies the message that providing quality learning environments for students is a priority for area residents, across both the public and private education sectors.

“We want to have a positive impact on the community.

I don’t look at us as competing with other schools, I see us as partnering with them,” says Edward Bunn, headmaster of Faith Christian School.

Getting Technical Some of the most exciting additions to both the new and

old school buildings are improvements in technology.

“Our system is really technology intensive,” Strickland says, “and it’s state-of-the-art in terms of energy efficiency.”

The new Rocky Mount High School is pursuing a LEED gold certification, employing a geothermal well system for heating and cooling and relying heavily on day-lighting, according to Strickland.

In terms of technology, both the high school and the new Faith Christian School facility will feature impressive upgrades, including interactive whiteboards.

FCA will have LCD screens throughout the hallways posting

Top: New projectors in use at Rocky Mount Academy. The projectors are a big part of Phase One of EDGE at RMA. Bottom: Rocky Mount High School is set to open a new facility in 2012.

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Modern Outlook These educational advances fall perfectly in line with those being made throughout the entire Rocky Mount area, Strickland says.

“It’s another jewel in the crown for the city, in terms of what the city’s been trying to do to upgrade amenities and aesthetics. The curriculum will be as good as ever, but now it’ll be housed in a space that is more in keeping with the quality of those programs.”

Brian M c Cord

four desktop computers for every PK-5 classroom, an iPad mobile lab and more. Phase 2 will equip every student in grades six through 12 with an Lenovo ThinkPad beginning the 20122013 school year.

Todd Bennett

information to students, from game reminders to club sign-ups.

“Wherever we can integrate technology, we are. It becomes a tool in relating to kids because it’s such a big aspect of their life,” Bunn says.

Also on the technology front, the independent college preparatory school Rocky Mount Academy successfully completed Phase 1 of its EDGE (Engaging the Digital Generation in Education) initiative. The program raised over $210,000 to fund equipment and professional development that provides teachers with additional tools to educate all students in grades PK-12, including 44 laptops for teachers, 35 interactive data projectors for all classrooms,

From top: Interactive whiteboards are among the upgrades at Faith Christian School; The high school addition to Faith Christian School

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Rocky Mount

Frank J. Courts, D.D.S, Ph.D.

Pediatric Dentistry SPECiAliziNG iN DENtiStRy FoR

infants, Children & Patients with Special Needs First visit recommended between 12 months and 18 months

Associates Elizabeth K. Miller, D.D.S., M.S. Pediatric Dentist Heather H. Kim, D.D.S., General Dentist 73 Success Ct. Rocky Mount, NC 27804

252-443-7136

Dedicated to Children’s Oral Health We accept most insurance, cash, checks, care credit, debit and credit cards.

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At Your

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Rocky Mount

Service Nash health care thriving in Rocky Mount

Story By Melanie Hill

N

ash Health Care is bringing world-class health care home.

Comprised of five hospitals, the nonprofit system is in the midst of a five-year expansion that’s bringing neverbefore-offered services to patients from Nash, Edgecombe, Halifax, Wilson and Johnston counties.

Todd Bennett

Nash Regional Heart Center In 2011, Rocky Mount welcomed the Nash Heart Center. Developed as a partnership between Nash Health Care, Boice-Willis Clinic in Rocky Mount and University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina in Greenville, N.C., Nash Heart Center allows patients to receive stent placement and other interventional services locally.

“This partnership has enabled us to expand the level of service we’re performing in the hospital now,” says Larry Chewning, president and chief executive officer of Nash Health Care.

“Our patient volume has doubled since we began the program, but most importantly the number of patients being transferred to tertiary care or teaching hospitals has dropped dramatically.”

Nash General Hospital Claude Mayo Jr. Surgery Pavilion

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Top 10

Pet-Friendly Cities EUGENE Oregon LOUISVILLE Kentucky NASHVILLE Tennessee ALBUQUERQUE New Mexico ROCKY MOUNT North Carolina BOULDER Colorado SANTA CRUZ California

Rocky Mount made the list.

Top 10 Pet-Friendly Cities See more Top 10 lists at Livability.com.

ASHEVILLE North Carolina COLORADO SPRINGS Colorado PORTLAND Oregon

Introducing the Livability.com Top 10 Lists New lists every month | Not your average lists | Not your average website

Staff Photo

Todd Bennett

From left: A doctor talks with a patient at the Nash Breast Care Center; Nash General Hospital’s new Surgery Pavilion

Pediatric Emergency Care Center Another significant part of Nash’s growth includes expansion of Nash General Hospital’s Emergency Care Center, which currently sees some 66,000 visitors a year. In 2012, an adjoining Pediatric Emergency Care Center will provide a separate treatment area for children and teens.

“Nearly 20 percent of our emergency patients are children, so we want to be able to treat them in a child-friendly environment,” Chewning says. “From the front door in they’ll have an entity that’s entirely their own, away from the potentially frightening trauma of a traditional emergency room.”

Nash Breast Care Center Rocky Mount also is home to the Nash Breast Care Center, which opened in November 2010. The center provides each patient with a personal registered nurse breast health navigator to help guide her

through screening, diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Digital mammography, high-definition ultrasound and bone densitometry are among the services available.

“Patients now have the ability to receive everything they need for diagnostic and physician services in one place,” Chewning says.

The center is housed in a new medical office building on the hospital’s main campus.

Located behind Nash Day Hospital, the easily accessible site also is home to the Nash Sleep Disorders Center and 42,000 square feet of rentable space that includes Rocky Mount Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Center, Nash OB-GYN Associates and Boice-Willis Clinic General Surgeons.

Building Health Care in Rocky Mount In 2011, Nash Health Care also broke ground on a 5,600-squarefoot Middlesex, N.C., medical office building in southern Nash

County. And in 2013, Nash Health Care will become a satellite campus for third- and fourth-year medical students from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Chewning says the addition will bring a higher sense of clinical decision-making and help the system compete with other hospitals for new physicians.

“All of our programs, projects and expansions are designed with the purpose of providing the maximum amount of health-care services locally,” Chewning says.

“We realize we have a broad role in the community, and that involves bringing in new physicians, growing medical staff and bringing primary care to underserved areas.”

Nash Health Care is comprised of five licensed hospitals totaling 403 beds: Nash General Hospital, Nash Day Hospital, the Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center, Community Hospital and Coastal Plain Hospital. i m ag e sr o c k y m o u n t. c o m

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Business

For a

Good Cause Cummins engine plant known for giving back to community

Story By Melonee McKinney Hurt

A

pillar in the community since 1982, the Cummins-Rocky Mount Engine Plant employs more than 1,400 full-time employees and more than 300 temporary employees.

The Rocky Mount plant builds diesel and natural-gas engines ranging from 90 to 600 horsepower.

Ken Anderson, who joined the Cummins-Rocky Mount plant in 2008 and became plant manager in 2010, says they make nearly 4,000 different engine configurations from heavy duty automotive to construction equipment.

Economic Rebound Hits Rocky Mount Plant The plant started to see some growth in 2010 in terms of economic recovery with increases in business from South America, Asia, China and Korea. As a result, the Cummins plant here has added roughly 600 jobs.

Anderson says of those positions, most are skilled workers with about 25 or so being professional staff.

“Many of the added positions came through temporary 22

Rocky Mount

employment, but we have since converted more than half of those to full-time, and will probably add another 100 full-time employees by the end of the year,” Anderson says.

“We are on pace for record volume produced in the plant in 2011.”

“We are certified to produce the Dodge RAM engine, but we don’t,” he says. “We make the industrial version of the same engine. By changing a few components and a computer program, it becomes something that’s hauling industrial loads.”

The production lines are capable of producing more than 750 engines per day and currently are running two full shifts. Of the company’s many philosophies, a major one is stewardship in the community.

Company Philanthropy is its Backbone Anderson and the founders of Cummins Inc. believe the success of the RMEP stems from its steadfast commitment to community involvement and corporate responsibility,

which focuses on education, environment and social justice.

The company has completed several major projects through the years that have made a difference for the communities, not to mention the array of resources provided through partnerships with many of the nonprofits in Edgecombe, Nash and Halifax counties. The Rocky Mount Homeless Shelter, Phillips Middle School grounds, the Battleboro Community Center, Enfield Warriors Athletic Field and, most recently, the Whitakers Public Library, are among the major renovation or restoration projects the company takes pride in, as well as hosting a hazardous waste amnesty day, which was centralized at Golden East Mall to accommodate anyone who wanted to participate.

The company partnered with the City of Rocky Mount to provide free energy assessments for residential customers and recently donated engines to three community colleges to assist in training programs to better

Cummins-Rocky Mount Engine Plant

prepare potential candidates for employment and workforce preparedness in general.

United Way Contribution Hits Six Figures Annually To validate all that it continues to do, the plant’s annual contribution to the Tar River Region United Way has skyrocketed each year. The plant’s support makes up one-third of the community’s United Way budget.

The plant was recognized in February 2010 with a Spirit of North Carolina Award for its

campaign. The award provided statewide recognition for exceptional commitment and support to the community through the local United Way. “It stems from the fundamental base of our company,” Anderson says. “We have paid time off budgeted for each employee to do community service because we realize at a minimum, a job puts food on the table. But if it’s a positive environment that affords you the opportunity to make a difference in the community, it is very satisfying, making RMEP

a great place to work.”

But you won’t find the Cummins-Rocky Mount plant plastered all over the press for its endeavors. The company doesn’t make a practice of sending out press releases about its charitable contributions. The plant simply empowers its employees and takes pride in a job well done.

Additional editorial contributions provided by Gloria Wiggins-Hicks, RMEP Community Relations Manager

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Business

Other Major Businesses in Rocky Mount Kaba Ilco Corp.

A leading provider of mechanical and electronic access control solutions. The Rocky Mount location, which employs almost 700 people, specializes in key blanks, key machines, transponder equipment, brass cylinders, security hardware and locksmith supplies.

Hospira A global specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company that manufactures and supplies specialty injectables, medication management systems and infusion therapy solutions and supplies.

One of its six manufacturing facilities in the United States is located here in Rocky Mount and employs nearly 2,000 people.

Honeywell Honeywell’s Rocky Mount operations serve the commercial air transport and helicopter markets with support for a variety of aerospace equipment systems. Among the components supported are mechanical and hydraulic actuators and hydromechanical and pneumatic fuel controls.

QVC Multimedia retailer QVC constructed a distribution center in Rocky Mount in 1999 and recently announced plans to expand the facility by 1 million square feet while creating 500 full- and part-time jobs by the expected completion in fall 2012. The company currently employs approximately 541 fulltime and 998 part-time workers at the facility.

Sara Lee Bakery Sara Lee Bakery is a manufacturer of brands that make up one of the world’s best-loved portfolios of food, beverage, household and body care products, including Ambi Pur, Ball Park, Douwe Egberts, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Kiwi, Sanex, Sara Lee and Senseo. Collectively, these brands generate more than $13 billion in annual net sales.

The Tarboro location employs 1,100 people locally.

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More is Better Rocky Mount residents can now enjoy faster, more expansive technology

R

esidents and businesses in Rocky Mount and Nash and Edgecombe counties can now enjoy more media than ever – at faster speeds, too – thanks to a multimillion-dollar network upgrade

by Suddenlink.

The company recently completed an eight-month project that involved constructing and upgrading about 1,500 miles of cable and fiber-optic lines across Suddenlink’s North Carolina operations, including approximately 650 miles in the Rocky Mount area.

“The Rocky Mount upgrades are part of Project Imagine, a program we started in late 2009, calling for $350 million in capital investments companywide, above and beyond our traditional capital investments,” says Phil Ahlschlager, senior

vice president of regional operations for Suddenlink in North Carolina. “The ultimate goal of Project Imagine is to make sure our technology and service are second to none.”

As a result, area residents have access to a more expansive selection of Suddenlink services, such as video on demand, more than 80 high-definition TV channels and speedier Internet. Additionally, the company is transitioning to an all-digital TV lineup that will improve picture and sound quality.

And that’s not all. By the end of 2011, Suddenlink plans to invest more than $25 million in North Carolina, with approximately $10 million of that invested in the Rocky Mount area.

“The investments we’ve made in Rocky Mount will provide our customers with better service and an expanded array of choices,” Ahlschlager says.

“The upgraded network has 1 gigahertz (GHz) of capacity, making it a state-of-the-art system; no other cable system in the U.S. surpasses the ability of this one to provide residential and business customers with leading services.”

– Jessica Walker

P.O. Box 789 7253 NC Hwy. 48 Battleboro, NC 27809 (252) 972-2500 Ph (252) 973-6791 Fax www.mclaneco.com ABOUT US McLane Company is one of the largest and fastest growing nationwide distributors of grocery and general merchandise products in the country.

OUR MISSION To become the world's premier logistics company.

OUR PEOPLE McLane Company has, for well over 100 years, been built on a heritage of honesty, integrity and high Christian principles, both in our customer relationships and teamwork of our employees.

OUR TENURE McLane Company is celebrating 15 years of service to our customers and the community in the Rocky Mount area.

OUR AFFILIATIONS United Way • Children's Miracle Network

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Business

Biz Briefs Businesses – both large and small – that help define rocky mount’s economic climate

Scorecard Business At A Glance

$875 million Annual retail sales

$15,625 Retail sales per capita

Photo Courtesy of LongStreet Wide Format Printing and cutting

$98 million Annual hotel and food sales

4,171 Total number of firms

Photo Courtesy of Ossid Corporation

Source: U.S. Census QuickFacts

Photo Courtesy of Rocky Mount Electric Motor Sales and Service

Photo Courtesy of B&M Roofing Contractors

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B&M Roofing Contractors Biz: Roofing contractor Buzz: For 13 years, this family-owned business serves residential, commercial, industrial and repair needs for clients throughout the U.S. Instead of using a nail gun, its employees handnail every shingle to ensure an even and sound roof and offers superior warranties. B&M was named among the Top 200 Roofing Contractors in the U.S. by Roofing Contractor magazine. www.bmroofingcontractors.com

LongStreet Wide Format Printing and Cutting Biz: Custom digital printing and cutting Buzz: LongStreet Printing produces the highest-quality printed graphics and cut material such as banners, signs, stand-up cut outs and custom orders using all digital machinery. The business offers environmentally friendly inks for all graphics.

(252) 467-2174 Babington Technology Biz: Advanced manufacturing Buzz: The father-son team and its employees received the 2011 Small Business of the Year award for its innovation, community involvement, growth and power. Since Bob Babington’s invention of the Airtronic Burner, a smokeless and odorless oilfired burner used in mobile kitchens, the company has become the leading manufacturer of mass feeding systems for all branches of the U.S. military. www.babingtontechnology.com

Discover the cost-cutting secrets of outsourcing.

You name it. We can do it!

Tri-County Industries 1250 Atlantic Ave. Rocky Mount, NC 27801

(252) 977-3800 (866) 605-7765 Toll-free (252) 977-2283 Fax

ISO 9001 and AS9100C Registered

www.tciworks.com

ASSEMBLE IT. BOX IT. CLEAN IT. COLLATE IT. CONNECT IT. COUNT IT. CUT IT. DELIVER IT. DE-RIVET IT. DISASSEMBLE IT. DRILL IT. FAX IT. FILL IT. FOLD IT. GLUE IT. INSPECT IT. LAMINATE IT. MAIL IT. NAIL IT. PACKAGE IT. PAINT IT. POLISH IT. RECYCLE IT. REPAIR IT. REWORK IT. SAND IT. SAW IT. SEAL IT. SHIP IT. SLIT IT. SOLDER IT. SORT IT. STAMP IT. STAPLE IT. STRIP IT. TAPE IT. TEXT IT. WAREHOUSE IT. WEIGH IT. WELD IT. WIRE IT. WRAP IT.

Rocky Mount Electric Motor Sales & Service Inc. Biz: Electric motor repair Buzz: Also a recipient of the 2011 Small Business of the Year award, this 24-hour business repairs AC electric motors, DC motors and generators among other speciality machines for industrial clients within a 150-mile radius. It recently opened a new warehouse to house new and rebuilt motor inventory.

(252) 446-1510 OSSID Corporation Biz: Packaging equipment design Buzz: Ever wonder how your ground chuck was so neatly packaged on its foam tray before you grabbed it off the shelf at the grocery? Machines like those produced by Ossid Corp. are the answer. The company, headquartered in Rocky Mount, designs, makes and leases this type of food packaging equipment to companies who produce fresh meats, medical devices and other consumer goods. www.ossid.com

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Business

Chamber Report Chamber committee focuses on education

R

euben Blackwell is pleased that all freshmen entering Edgecombe Early College High School receive a free laptop computer and keep their laptops throughout high school.

“Ever since that initiative began, test scores are up, dropout rates have decreased and behavioral problems at Edgecombe have

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Rocky Mount

lessened,” says Blackwell, vicechairman of the Workforce Development Education Committee, formed in late 2010 by the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce.

The committee is a collaboration among privatesector business and industrial leaders, educators, small-business

owners and government leaders working to develop the knowledge infrastructure of Nash and Edgecombe counties for economic growth and success.

“The Twin Counties have been hit by unfortunate occurrences over the past decade or so, including NAFTA opening the trade borders and costing our community about 10,000 jobs, then Hurricane Floyd in the late 1990s flooded our whole region,” Blackwell says. “We’ve also been enduring the current national economic recession. So the Workforce Development Education Committee is backing business and education initiatives earmarked to grow our community better than we were before. A key goal is to prepare our students and workforce to be globally competitive.”

Blackwell says another way the local knowledge infrastructure is strengthening is by Nash and Edgecombe school systems working together to establish collaborative technology programs to benefit students in both districts. That particular mission aims to get students started on a pathway to eventual success in the hottest, most challenging and rewarding careers of the future.

“Also, East Carolina University, North Carolina State University and North Carolina Wesleyan College are partnering with our local business and industry community to bring higherlearning opportunities to our region, including several beneficial online programs,” he says. “A lot of things are happening these days in the Twin Counties, and the chamber’s Workforce Development Education Committee will continue to do whatever we can to achieve more success stories.”

– Kevin Litwin

economic profile Business climate The Rocky Mount region has a thriving small-business sector.

While some startup businesses remain small by design, many local companies have experienced rapid growth and now employ hundreds of people. Large corporations like BoddieNoell Enterprises and MBM Corp. are headquartered in the area.

top employers Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools Hospira, Inc. Nash Health Care Systems RBC Bank Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant Edgecombe County Public Schools QVC Rocky Mount, Inc. CenturyLink Universal Leaf North America City of Rocky Mount Sara Lee Bakery

INcome

workforce

$20,788

74%

Per Capita Income

White-Collar Jobs

$53,172

26%

Average Annual Household Income

Transportation Amtrak 101 Hammond St. Rocky Mount, NC 27804 (252) 446-3646 www.amtrak.com

Tax Structure

Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport (RWI) 7265 Air Terminal Drive Elm City, NC 27822 (252) 446-7057 rwiairport.com Highway 97 between Rocky Mount and Wilson

Residential Property Tax Property Taxes for 2008-09 (per $100 valuation) are $.94 in Edgecombe County, $.70 in Nash County and $.55 in the City of Rocky Mount.

The closest international airport is Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), which is approximately 70 miles west of downtown Rocky Mount.

STAMP OUT BREAST CANCER WITH YOUR FEET.

Learn more about the Komen Race for the Cure by visiting www.komen.org or calling 1-877 GO KOMEN. This space is provided as a public service. ©2008 Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

Blue-Collar Jobs

education

8.8% Associate Degree

11.1% Bachelor’s Degree

5% Advanced Graduate Degree

Distance to major Cities Charlotte, 220 miles Greensboro, 135 miles Raleigh, 60 miles Durham, 69 miles Fayetteville, 95 miles

Belgian Quality 6610 Corporation pkwy. | BattleBoro, nC 27809 252-442-4016 | Fax 252-442-3191 www.poppies.Com

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Image Gallery

Rocky Mount Train Station, also home of the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce Photo by Todd Bennett

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Rocky Mount

Visitors to City Lake Park enjoy a sunny morning.

Photo by Todd Bennett

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Image Gallery

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Rocky Mount

The Rocky Mount Sports Complex Photo by Todd Bennett

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Image Gallery

Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park Photo by Todd Bennett

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Rocky Mount

An American flag is reflected in a window at the Edgecombe County Courthouse.

Photo by Todd Bennett

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Photo Courtesy of Tar River Wine Fest

Local Flavor

Tar River Wine Festival

From Farmer to Festival Rocky Mount entices food lovers with festivals, a farmers market and more

H

ome to food-focused festivals, a thriving farmers market and local businesses producing nationwide favorites, Rocky Mount tempts foodies from all over.

Food-Focused Festivals Perhaps the city’s biggest culinary claim to fame is the Eastern Carolina BBQ Throwdown, a major barbecue cook-off every October. The contest is an official North Carolina State Barbecue Championship as well as a sanctioned competition of the renowned Kansas City Barbeque Society.

The Spring Hope National Pumpkin Festival is a fall favorite in the town of Spring Hope. There are contests for all ages, including

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Rocky Mount

a pumpkin weigh-in, recipe competition, pumpkin queen pageant and a pumpkin creation contest. It doesn’t just stop at the pumpkins though. Other activities include a street dance, crafts show, antique car show, music, carnival and parade.

The Tar River Wine Festival combines upscale wine tasting and fundraising efforts to offer one of the most popular charitable events in Eastern North Carolina. Participants enjoy an elegant evening of Southern cuisine and wine sampling.

Food Products From the Rocky Mount Area For fresh produce and some meats, the Rocky Mount Farmers Market sells fruits‚ vegetables‚ herbs‚ jams‚ country meats and

more. The market is located in a building on Peachtree Street, and operates Wednesdays from June to August and Saturdays from April to October.

Peanuts are big business in the region. Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts and America’s Best Nut Company both sell and distribute gourmet nuts nationwide.

Braswell Foods in Nash County produces Eggland’s Best eggs, which are sold at stores such as Walmart, Costco and other grocers across the country.

Eggland’s Best eggs have 25 percent less saturated fat than other eggs, and are available in white, organic and cage free.

Atlantic Natural Foods LLC in Nashville produces health and natural foods like tofu.

F

rom peanuts to sweet potatoes, roots run deep in eastern North Carolina. County agriculture cooperatives and youth organizations like Future Farmers of America and 4-H are working to promote – and protect – the region's thriving croplands.

“It's very important for kids to realize they live in such a strong agricultural area,” says Sandy Hall, Nash County extension agent for 4-H and youth programs. “You can get fresh produce right here in Nash County, and kids who don't get out in the countryside need to know the things going on in their community.”

Each year, the organization reaches more than 5,000 kids through school enrichment programs, traditional 4-H programs and their annual Heritage Days celebration showcasing agricultural exhibits and demonstrations.

In Edgecombe County, 150,000 acres of cropland comprise 1,200plus farms yielding the nation's best commodity crops. Cotton, soybeans, peanuts, tobacco and sweet potatoes are found here, along with a thriving livestock industry.

“Why agriculture and 4-H? Next time you sit down to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner, you'll be eating the answer,” says Lesa Walton, extension agent for 4-H and youth programs for the Edgecombe County Extension Center.

Todd Bennett

Rooted in Agriculture

Health & Wellness University Health Systems Heritage Hospital

A Regional Cure-All Facilities provide healthy outlooks for residents and region

N

ash General, Heritage and LifeCare hospitals are major medical centers in Rocky Mount, but health care in this city of 57,000 residents is even more than that. Partnerships, satellite clinics and specialty offices also provide quality care to patients of Rocky Mount – and beyond. Some of the health care facilities are:

Nash General Hospital County-owned Nash Health Care Systems owns this hospital which provides services usually found only in major metropolitan areas.

“Physicians who come to our staff from hospitals like Duke [University Medical Center] say the quality of services here is equal to, if not better than, what’s available at the big teaching centers,” says Larry Chewning, NHCS president and CEO. The campus is home to specialized facilities such as Rocky Mount Heartburn Treatment Center, Joint Replacement Center and Nash Wound Care Center.

NHCS also locally operates Nash Day Hospital, the Bryant Aldridge Rehabilitation Hospital, Coastal Plain Hospital and the Emergency Care Center.

Heritage Hospital The Tarboro-based center has 117 beds and 20 physician specialties and services ranging from same-day surgery to critical care and rehabilitation. There is also a Level III intermediate care nursery, family birthing center, cancer center, pain management clinic, chronic heart failure clinic, orthopedic services and a 24-hour emergency department.

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LifeCare Hospital LifeCare was formed in 1992 and has 50 licensed beds and a medical staff of 35 physicians. The hospital is accredited with The Joint Commission and the College of American Pathologists, and specializes in the treatment of medically complex patients who require extended hospitalization.

Boice-Willis Intermediate Care The physician-owned practice opened in 1914 and covers 16 different medical specialties.

Boice-Willis has seven locations and services that include a women’s imaging center, physical therapy, and health and diabetes education departments.

Boice-Willis Clinic

Carolina Quick Care The Carolina Quick Care clinic treats minor injuries and non-lifethreatening illnesses, including sprains, lacerations, sore throats, coughs and colds, flu, sinus infections, burns and rashes. It is open seven days a week and patients never need an appointment.

OIC Medical Center OIC Medical Center services include family care, women’s health and imaging. Hours are 8:30 a.m.5 p.m. Monday-Friday, Thursdays until 9 p.m. and three Saturdays each month from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Family Medical Center of Rocky Mount Services at the Family Medical Center include complete family care, women’s health, a coagulation clinic and diabetes education classes.

Family Medical Center

Richard T. Fritz, MD Tillman Bailey III, MD Ivan Y. Peacock, MD Gerald W. Capps, MD Allen M. Johnson, MD Linda L. Willis, MD Todd H. Duncan, MD All Board-Certified Radiologists providing diagnostic imaging interpretation as well as vascular and interventional radiology services at Nash General Hospital, Nash Day Hospital, Nash Open MRI, Nash Breast Center and Hardees Heart Center.

• Diagnostic Radiography • Fluororadiography • Digital Mammography • CT Imaging • MR Imaging • PET Imaging • Ultrasound Imaging • Nuclear Isotope Imaging • Image Guided Biopsy and Drainage • Image Guided Vascular Access • Catheter Directed Angiography • Therapeutic Spine Injections • Vein Ablation • Uterine Fibroid Embolization

Department of Imaging Services – Nash Day Hospital: (252) 962-8946 Cardiovascular and Interventional Services – Hardees Heart Center: (252) 962-8202

PHOTOS BY Todd Bennett

131 Roundabout Ct. • P.O. Box 7946 Rocky Mount, NC 27804 (252) 443-4024 • (252) 443-5021 Fax

Department of Imaging Services – Nash General Hospital: (252) 962-8083

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Staff Photo

Todd Bennett

Arts & Culture

From left: The 1808 Blount-Bridgers House is part of the Tarboro Historic Walking Tour; Sculpture at the Imperial Center for the Arts and Sciences

Having an Artistic Bent The arts take center stage in Rocky Mount

W

hether it’s music, dance, theater or good ol’ fashioned visual arts one craves, there are plenty of cultural centers in the Rocky Mount area to satisfy even the most sophisticated arts appetite.

Tarboro Historic Tours Explore significant stops within Tarboro’s 45-block historic district, downtown and Calvary Churchyard via Tarboro Historic Walking Tours. The tours begin at the 1808 Blount-Bridgers House, also known as the Grove, a national historic landmark that houses a permanent collection celebrating the 200-year-old

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Rocky Mount

material culture of Edgecombe County and the creative achievements of Tarboro-born artist, Hobson Pittman (18991972). The two-hour tours cost $5 and are available most Saturdays from April through September and by appointment Fridays or Sundays. For reservations, call (252) 823-4159 or (252) 641-6465.

Albemarle Historic Tours Venture through Northeast North Carolina on the expansive Albemarle Historic Tour (HAT), the state’s oldest heritage trail, that will carry you through centuries of American history. The tour will take you to 32 historic

places with sites spanning across the 17-county Northeast region.

Some sites within the state include Stonewall Manor and Hope Plantation, and the historic cities of Halifax, Jackson, Murfreesboro and Tarboro.

On the coast, there are numerous attractions such as the Elizabethan Gardens, Frisco Native American Museum and Island Farm, to name a few. Taking the tour is as easy as following the signs. The recently added brown HAT signs are along the state’s major thoroughfares connecting the roadways to their historic destinations. For more information, call (800) 734-1117 or visit historicalbemarletour.org.

Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences The historically renovated, 135,000-square-foot Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences is located in downtown Rocky Mount and houses an arts center, multiple arts exhibits, a children’s museum and science center, and community performing arts theater, which stages more than 100 productions each year.

Dunn Center for the Performing Arts One such facility is the stateof-the-art Dunn Center for the Performing Arts, located on the North Carolina Wesleyan College campus. Best known for its stage performances and top-notch sound and lighting systems, the center seats more than 1,200 in its revered Minges Auditorium and 133 in its intimate Powers Recital Hall. The center also houses two visual arts galleries dedicated to

showcasing artists in the community, as well as from around the world. Mims Gallery features professional and international art, while the Civic Gallery showcases the creative talents of local artists. Located nearby in NCWC’s Pearsell Building is the world-renowned Four Sisters Gallery. Featuring self-taught, visionary artists from the Coastal Plain, the gallery often features selections from the Lynch Collection of Outsider Art.

Keihin Auditorium The two-story‚ 70‚000-squarefoot Keihin (pronounced kay-HEEN) Auditorium at Edgecombe Community College in Tarboro is another facility devoted to enhancing the arts quality in the Rocky Mount community. Seating 1,029, the Keihin Auditorium, located in the college’s Fleming Building, has a 70-foot-wide stage, flown acoustic

panels and a cutting-edge lighting system – attracting top musical talent, ranging from legendary blues artist BB King to folk guitarist Doc Watson to country music star Taylor Swift.

Nash Arts Center Housed in the former First Baptist Church is the Nash Arts Center, built back in 1914. Slated for demolition in 1983 to become a parking lot, the center has remained a thriving entity in the Rocky Mount arts scene with the help and support of the community – today, still using the original pews from the church for its seating. Run by Nash Arts Council and the North Carolina Arts Council, the 200-seat center features performances by local music acts‚ plays written and directed by North Carolina playwrights and works of art by area artists.

– Tiffany Williams

Caring for You in All the Stages of Your Life

Diplomate American Board Obstetrics and Gynecology Frederick G. Kroncke, Jr., M.D., FACOG

Douglas D. Boyette, M.D., Retired

Dennis J. Van Zant, M.D., FACOG

Matthew T. Collins, M.D., FACOG

Ingrid S. Bullard, M.D., FACOG Christina R. Peyton, M.D., FACOG

www.nashobgyn.com

Mel W. Fryar, M.D., FACOG Christopher D. Chandler, M.D., FACOG

200 Nash Medical Arts Mall • Rocky Mount, NC 27804 (252) 443-5941 or (800) 521-5199

Todd Bennett

Sports & Recreation

The Rocky Mount Sports Complex hosts a tournament with 25 youth baseball teams from across the state.

Take it Outside Rocky Mount offers outdoor recreation in abundance

A

nyone who seeks fun and relaxation outdoors – from paddling a canoe to participating in basketball and baseball leagues – will find an array of recreational opportunities in the Rocky Mount area.

Rocky Mount Sports Complex With its disc golf course, six youth baseball fields, four dualuse baseball and softball fields, championship regulation baseball field, four soccer/football fields, two basketball courts and walking trail, the sprawling Rocky Mount Sports Complex has diverse offerings. Proposed extensions of the Tar River walking trail will link to the complex. The disc golf course features three different tee lengths that allow players of different abilities to fairly compete

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Rocky Mount

against each other. The course also features water hazards and mandos for a complete disc golf experience.

in the lake’s placid surface. A planned trail will officially join City Lake to the Tar River Trail.

Sunset Park

The Tar River Trail is a paved walking/bike path that links 4 miles of parks from City Lake to Martin Luther King Park. Along this verdant stretch of the Tar River you’ll find a miniature train and tennis courts in Sunset Park, the falls of Tar River, the historical homes of Mill Village and Battle Park, the site of the town’s “rocky mound” namesakes.

A comprehensive map of recreational opportunities in the Tar River area is available at: www.rockymountnc.gov.

Sunset Park offers a number of unique attractions and activities including a miniature train, historic carousel, a skate park and a spray park with 10 computercontrolled water spray fountains within a traditional playground structure. The outdoor skate park features ramps and hills for kids of all ages including halfpipe, rails and quarterpipes.

City Lake Rocky Mount’s City Lake is the ideal place to feed ducks, fish or just lounge in the sun-soaked grass. In the winter months, Christmas lights are doubled

Tar River Trail

Tar River Waterways Following the course of the Tar River and Stony Creek, the gentle

Canoeing the Tar River

Class I canoe and kayak trails wind through downtown Rocky Mount. For an in-depth river experience, or just an afternoon picnic, camping platforms are available along the river trail in the Rocky Mount Reservoir and Battle Park. Visit www.rockymountnc.gov for information about campsite reservations and canoe rentals.

Harrison Family YMCA Staff Photo

Just up the road from the river, Harrison Family YMCA seeks to improve Rocky Mount by providing day camps, after-school care, athletics and a variety of special events to its members.

The YMCA organizes recreational activities for adults in swimming, rock climbing, karate, basketball and volleyball groups, while youth activities range from preschool tumbling to flag football and soccer. In addition to athletics, the YMCA also hosts youth clubs like Teens in Philanthropy, child care before and after school, and summer daycare.

A brief drive to nearby Scotland Neck will bring you to Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park, a wetlands sanctuary and highly successful breeding center for rare birds. The park echoes with the calls of more than 180 species of waterfowl and tropical birds that can be observed from a wheelchair-accessible tree house observation deck. Apart from the main waterfowl enclosure, the park houses 1,500 birds in its breeding area. Here, rare and endangered species like the Madagascar teal, African pygmy goose, Australian freckled duck and the fragile white winged wood duck are coaxed back from the edge of extinction by park founders Mike and Ali Lubbock.

Park hours and admission can be found at www.shwpark.com. – Spencer Mohead

City Lake

photos by Todd Bennett

Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park

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Education

All About A’s Rocky mount excels in education

R

ocky Mount provides a true educational continuum with quality primary, secondary and continued education options for its residents. From the cradle to the office chair, the Rocky Mount area meets the needs of those who call it home.

Public Schools Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools’ commitment to excellence is evident when one considers the fact that 122 of the school system’s teachers are National Board Certified. This is the highest credential available to primary and secondary educators.

NRMPS is able to shape the minds of approximately 18,000 kindergarten through high school students on 29 campuses while still maintaining the ecological responsibility that won them the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Partner of the Year award.

Edgecombe County Public Schools offer their 7,800 students the kind of advanced, modern educational opportunities they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced world. With the implementation of the 1:1 Laptop initiative, high school students receive personal laptop computers to strengthen their computer literacy and increase the interactivity of their lessons. North Edgecombe High School was selected as a pilot for the North Carolina Virtual Public School program, allowing students more access to online courses. Career academics, advanced placement courses, and Edgecombe Early College High School provide the pre-K through high school students with further benefits.

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College prep school Rocky Mount Preparatory School is a nationally accredited independent charter public school. This means the not-for-profit school has no tuition besides the rigorous academic and ethical standards to which its kindergarten through grade 12 students adhere.

Programs and tools like Rocky Mount Prep’s online homework assignments are instead supported by donations and endowments.

Private Schools Rocky Mount’s private schools also set the bar high. Rocky Mount Academy provides an education that, since 1971, has had a 95 percent success rate in sending the graduates of its pre-K through grade 12 school to college. An 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio assures a personalized experience for students, while the 50 hours of community service they complete during their four years of high school aims to teach them social responsibility.

There also are faith-based educational options in the area, including Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School and Faith Christian School.

Higher Education For continuing and technical education, Rocky Mount has options ranging from the fouryear North Carolina Wesleyan College and its affiliated Gateway Technology Center, to the Nash Community College and Edgecombe Community College, all the way to the College of Adult and Professional Education.

Gateway Technology Center is located on the Rocky Mount campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College, as well as

the closest possible destination, a home computer. Gateway offers distance learning in association with NCWC and North Carolina State University in a variety of degrees and programs of study.

Online courses at Gateway can also be used as credit hours for two years of a bachelor’s degree at Nash Community College and Edgecombe Community College.

An online MBA program is a recent addition.

Edgecombe Community College is a two-year institute that provides 25 degrees as well as diplomas, certificate programs and study areas in such fields as human resource training, nursing assistance, emergency medical services and business training.

The main campus is in Tarboro, with several buildings in Rocky Mount. Besides its distancelearning endeavors, ECC offers a youth training program for 14 to 21-year-olds that provides job training and work experience for young people emerging onto the job market.

If you’re looking for workforce development or a diverse field of study from accounting to electric lineman training, Nash Community College fits the bill. NCC often works directly with local and emerging businesses to create a technically skilled body of future employees. This is the crux of NCC’s Focused Industrial Training program. The two-year college offers 68 degrees, diploma and certificate studies through its business technology, health science, social science, human services and computer information technology departments.

–Spencer Mohead

Area community colleges planning for workforce development

I

n Rocky Mount, education doesn’t end after the diploma. Schools like Nash Community College and Edgecombe Community College are making sure that area workers are well prepared to meet industry needs.

Both schools have developed plans for workforce development, providing local industries with programs to help business and workers grow.

“We find out what the need is for those industries and build customized training programs around them,” says Debbie Lamm, president of Edgecombe Community College.

Both schools meet with industries on a regular basis to find out which areas of production are most in need of improvement, and then design training modules to cover those areas, including computer classes and securing teachers for particular classes.

Not only do the industries improve, but state needs are satisfied as well, according to Lamm.

The program represents a wide variety of

industries; some major players for ECC include Sara Lee and QBC, while Nash Community College has worked with well-known companies such as Hospira and the Cheesecake Factory Bakery.

So far, both schools have seen success, both in building their own programs as well as successfully meeting the needs of area industries.

“Many of our industries have expanded,” Lamm says, “which verifies that we’ve been able to meet their needs.”

– Karen Schwartzman

Todd Bennett

Production Plan

Rocky Mount campus of Edgecombe Community College

Bobby Murray Toyota www.bmurraytoyota.com Carolinas Gateway Partnership www.econdev.org Coastal Beverage Company www.coastal-bec.com Edgecombe Community College www.edgecombe.edu Frank J. Courts DDS PHD Hampton Inn www.rockymount.hamptoninn.com Heritage Hospital www.uhseast.com/heritage Holiday Inn www.holidayinn.com/rockymountnc Life Care Hospitals of North Carolina www.lifecare-hospitals.com McLane Company Inc. www.mclaneco.com Nancy Liipfert Associates Inc. www.nancyliipfert.com Nash Community College www.nashcc.edu Nash Health Care Systems www.nhcs.org Nash OB/GYN Associates www.nashobgyn.com Nash X-Ray Associates

Just the facts, please.

6039-TR12260M_TGB_Livability.indd 1

DINING

3/22/10 11:40:09 AM

CULTURE

HEALTH C A R E

SHOPPING

BUSINESSES

NEIGHBORHOODS

SENIOR LIVING

RECREATION SALARY VOLUNTEERING MOVING SCHOOLS POPULATION

INDUSTRY TRANSPORTATION

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Rocky Mount

WEATHER

UTILITIES

MEDIA

visit our

advertisers

Many factors will determine your move, and now you’re just a click away from all the basic facts you’ll need.

Visit imagesrocky mount.com for our enhanced Facts & Stats section, now rich with quick, pertinent details about the community.

Nash-Rocky Mount Public School System www.nrms.k12.nc.us North Carolina Wesleyan College www.ncwc.edu Poppies International Inc. Rocky Mount Preparatory School www.rockymountprep.org Rocky Mount Public Utilities www.rockymountnc.gov Suddenlink Communications www.suddenlink.com TCI Works www.tciworks.com

community profile Snapshot The Rocky Mount area is located in Nash and Edgecombe counties. The region offers a small-town feel and charm but bigcity amenities, such as sophisticated arts and culture, abundant sports and recreation, and the security of quality health care and excellent educational opportunities.

Cost of Living

MARITAL STATUS:

$43,210

49%

Median Household Income

Married

$89,926

51%

Median Home Price

Single

$582 Climate

89°

Median Rent for a Two-Bedroom Apartment

ETHNICITY:

Household Information

White

AGE:

July High Temperature

37

30°

Median Resident Age

January Low Temperature

28%

44

”

19 and Under

Annual Rain Fall (vs. National Average Annual Rain Fall of 37”)

time zone Eastern

45%

46% 49% Black

2% Hispanic

3% Other

20-54

TRANSPORTATION

27%

16 minutes

55 and Over

Median Travel Time to Work

This section is sponsored by

Rocky Mount PRePaRatoRy School • • • • • •

A Tuition-Free College Preparatory School Grades K-12 100% College Acceptance 17 Athletic Teams Nine Advanced Placement Offerings Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

(252) 443-9923 • www.rockymountprep.org

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Ad Index

C3 Bobby Murray Toyota

8 Carolinas Gateway Partnership

5 Coastal Beverage Company

45 Edgecombe Community College 17 Frank J. Courts DDS PHD

C2 Nash Health Care Systems

41 Nash OB/GYN Associates

39 Nash X-Ray Associates

8 Nash-Rocky Mount Public School System

4 North Carolina Wesleyan College

1 Hampton Inn

2 Heritage Hospital

29 Poppies International Inc.

37 Life Care Hospitals of North Carolina

47 Rocky Mount Preparatory School

25 McLane Company Inc.

28 Rocky Mount Public Utilities

C4 Nancy Liipfert Associates Inc.

17 Nash Community College

5 Suddenlink Communications 27 TCI Works

Through the Lens

Get the Story Behind the Photo Now that you’ve experienced Rocky Mount through our photos, see it through the eyes of our photographers. Visit throughthelensjci.com to view our exclusive photographers’ blog documenting what all went in to capturing those perfect moments.

From Our Photo Blog: Rocky Mount The 1920s-era carousel at Sunset Park in Rocky Mount, N.C., was severely damaged by hurricane Floyd in 1999. The carousel spent several days under 8-10 feet of water and completely devastated the ride.

Estimates for repairs went into six digits. Only with the help of private donations could the city of Rocky Mount even fathom the idea of repairing the ride instead of just scrapping it. To raise money, individuals and groups were given the chance to adopt a horse for restoration. People throughout the area responded. Some with fond childhood memories of making the trip to Rocky Mount just to ride the carousel.

One group in particular, a local elementary school, plunged head first into raising funds for the restoration. They held candy sales to raise the money to nurse one of the injured animals back to health.

In the end, the children were able to name their horse, which they unanimously, and appropriately, named “Hurricane.”

Posted by todd bennett

More Online See more favorite photos and read the stories behind the shots at throughthelensjci.com.

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Rocky Mount

Bobby Murray

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Be

ats

nt

943 N. Wesleyan Blvd.

Rocky Mount, NC 27804 (252) 977-0224 Toll-free: (800) 745-2686

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Mou

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TOYOTA

Service: (252) 977-0225 Fax: (252) 442-2448 Email: sales@bmurraytoyota.com

at Bobby Mu

www.bmurraytoyota.com

Rocky Mount Area Relocation Relocating is more than just about changing houses.

It is about all the parts of your life that make a home.

Nancy Liipfert Associates understands. Please let us help.

We are a member of North America’s leading independent broker network.

Whether you are moving to or from Rocky Mount, please call on our team of trained professionals.

Helen Williams

HannaH JOnes

nanCY liiPFeRT

Dean Janke

a Leader in corporate relocation for 22 years an all Broker office

NaNcy Liipfert associates iNc. 3709 Westridge Circle Dr. • Rocky Mount, NC 27804-0218 (252) 937-7000

(800) 831-0114

nancyliipfert.com