Winston-Salem Journal articles from August 2002

Winston-Salem Journal archives from August 2002

Winston-Salem, N.C., TV Ad Is First to Use Animated Version of Attorneys.
August 31, 2002... Byline: Jeanne Sturiale Aug. 31--They're animated. They're digitized. Just don't call local attorneys, Tony Vrsecky and Bob Probst, "stuffy." During Oprah or the early morning news, local TV viewers can a glimpse of the digital...

Bank Not Responsible for Actions of Man Who Used Account to Bilk Investor.
August 31, 2002... Byline: Jane Seccombe Aug. 31--A federal appellate court affirmed this week that Wachovia Corp. was not negligent when it allowed a man to open an account that was then used to bilk an investor out of $1 million. The case stems from...

Winston-Salem, N.C.-Based Krispy Kreme Reports Increase in Profits.
August 30, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 30--Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. reported yesterday a 50 percent increase in profit in its fiscal second quarter compared to the same period last year as the company opened more stores and increased sales. ...

Lower Rent Is Not Approved for Greensboro, N.C.-Based Aviation Firm.
August 29, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 29--The Forsyth County Airport Commission has rejected requests by Timco Aviation Services Inc. to lower its rent at Smith Reynolds Airport, saying that it would lose too much revenue. The company, based in...

Proposed Reform Would Hurt Many North Carolina Bankruptcy Filers, Groups Say.
August 29, 2002... Byline: Theo Helm Aug. 29--Proposed bankruptcy-reform legislation would hurt thousands of bankruptcy filers in North Carolina who are facing unemployment, two public-interest groups said yesterday. Representatives from the N.C....

Winston-Salem, N.C.-Area Television Stations Swap 'Oprah'.
August 29, 2002... Byline: Tim Clodfelter Aug. 29--Starting Monday, television viewers in the Triad will find Oprah Winfrey on a different station. WXII in Winston-Salem has picked up the rights to her top-rated talk show, which is distributed by King...

High Point, N.C.-Based Textile Maker Posts First-Quarter Loss.
August 29, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 29--Culp Inc. reported a loss for the first quarter yesterday, primarily because of restructuring charges and the writedown of goodwill. The textile manufacturer also said it plans additional restructuring,...

Winston-Salem, N.C., Drug Firm Buys Product, Makes Management Changes.
August 28, 2002... Byline: Jane Seccombe Aug. 28--Targacept Inc. said yesterday that it has bought the marketed drug, Inversine, from Layton Bioscience Inc., expanding its portfolio of products used to treat the central nervous system. Financial terms...

Head of Travel Agents Society Discusses Industry in Greensboro, N.C.
August 28, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 28--GREENSBORO, N.C.--Travel agents are having to adapt to major changes in their industry, Richard M. Copland, the president of the American Society of Travel Agents, told local travel agents yesterday. ...

Furniture Firm Displays New Name, Logo in High Point, N.C.
August 28, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 28--HIGH POINT, N.C.--Magnussen Presidential Furniture Inc. introduced a new name and logo yesterday at its new U.S. headquarters in Mendenhall Business Park. The 71-year-old furniture company, which is based...

Small Businesses Are Backbone of North Carolina, Report Says.
August 27, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 27--Small businesses are truly the backbone of North Carolina, according to a report by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. The report shows that more than 98 percent of the...

Winston-Salem, N.C., Job Market Likely to Pick Up in Fall, Survey Says.
August 26, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 26--The job market in Winston-Salem is expected to pick up this fall in line with an improving economy, local employment agencies said yesterday. The traditional seasonal increase in hiring is also playing a...

Greensboro, N.C., Textile Company to Close Stokesdale Distribution Center.
August 24, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 24--Burlington Industries Inc. plans to close a distribution center in Stokesdale and a manufacturing plant and division offices in Reidsville, cutting about 330 jobs in all, state employment officials said...

Capsule, Tablet Maker to Consolidate U.S. Operations in High Point, N.C.
August 23, 2002... Byline: Kristi E. Swartz Aug. 23--Banner Pharmacaps Inc., a maker of capsules and gelatin-coated tablets for such drugs as Excedrin, Aleve and Advil, said yesterday that it is consolidating its U.S. manufacturing operations in High...

Unemployment Rate in Winston-Salem, N.C.-Area Increased to 7.1 Percent in July.
August 23, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 23--The unemployment rate in the Triad increased sharply to 7.1 percent in July from a revised 6.5 percent the month before, which state officials mainly attributed to temporary summer shutdowns by local...

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Starts Coupon-Mailing Program.
August 22, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 22--Responding to a new Philip Morris USA coupon-mailing campaign to boost sales, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has started a similar program in an effort to defend its market share. "We are acting in direct...

Jobless North Carolina Construction Workers Protest Utility's Hiring Practice.
August 22, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 22--Unemployed construction workers gathered at the entrance of the Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County yesterday to protest what they allege is Duke Power's practice of bringing in construction workers...

Committee Submits for Development around Greensboro, N.C.-Area Airport.
August 21, 2002... Byline: Kristi E. Swartz Aug. 21--GREENSBORO, N.C.--Members of the Airport Area Plan Update committee submitted suggestions for future residential, commercial and transportation uses around the Piedmont Triad International Airport...

Greensboro, N.C., Couple Finds Success in Retail-Resale Chains.
August 21, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 21--Nancy and David Farmer are not slowing down. With two Plato's Closet franchise stores, one of which recently opened in Winston-Salem, and five Once Upon a Child franchise stores under their belts, the...

Volvo Unveils Line of Commercial Trucks with New Engines.
August 21, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 21--GREENSBORO, N.C.--Volvo Trucks North America Inc. unveiled yesterday a new line of commercial trucks with an engine that it said would meet the federal emission standards scheduled to go into effect Oct. 1....

Shares of Lowe's Rally after Company Posts 42 Percent Profit Increase.
August 20, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 20--Shares of Lowe's Cos. Inc., the No. 2 home-improvement retailer, rallied 11 percent yesterday after the company posted a 42 percent increase in second-quarter profit, beating Wall Street expectations. ...

North Carolina Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly to 6.8 Percent.
August 17, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 17--North Carolina's unemployment rate increased to 6.8 percent in July from 6.7 percent in June, according to figures released yesterday by the N.C. Employment Security Commission. The slight increase didn't...

Winston-Salem, N.C.-Based Blue Rhino's Earnings, Revenue Higher than Expected.
August 16, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 16--Shares of Blue Rhino Corp. rallied 10 percent yesterday after the Winston-Salem company said that earnings and revenue for fiscal 2002 will be higher than it previously projected. The company said that...

Winston-Salem, N.C., Harris Teeter Supermarket to Close.
August 16, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 16--Peters Creek Parkway is about to lose another grocery store. Harris Teeter said yesterday that it expects to close its store next to the Big Kmart on Peters Creek Parkway at 5 p.m. on Sept. 4 because of...

Furniture Company Executives Urged to Work Together against Imports.
August 15, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 15--GREENSBORO, N.C.--A furniture-industry consultant, Lee Houston, urged furniture-company executives yesterday to band together and look for ways to compete against foreign imports, saying he was tired of their...

Nonprofit for Artists in Winston-Salem, N.C., Buys First Building.
August 14, 2002... Byline: Kim Underwood Aug. 14--As its 40th birthday nears, Piedmont Craftsmen Inc. is buying its first home. The nonprofit organization, which sells a wide range of crafts by national artists, has closed on its purchase of the first...

Winston-Salem, N.C., Cinema to Shut Down; Company Cites Decline in Patronage.
August 14, 2002... Aug. 14--After 15 years of serving moviegoers in Winston-Salem, Eastern Federal Corp.'s North Point 5 Theatre on Brownsboro Road will close its doors for the last time at the end of business today. The closure will leave the city with...

Better Business Bureau in North Carolina Warns against Employment Schemes.
August 14, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 14--The Better Business Bureau of Northwest North Carolina is warning job seekers to be on guard for employment opportunities touted by less-than-reputable companies. Although no statistics are available,...

North Wilkesboro, N.C.-Based Company Buys Some Assets of Rival Mirror Maker.
August 14, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 14--NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C.--Gardner Glass Products, the second-largest mirror manufacturer in North America, said yesterday that it has bought some of the assets of a longtime rival, Carolina Mirror. Terms of...

US Airways' Bankruptcy Filing Stirs Uncertainty for Winston-Salem, N.C., Area.
August 13, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 13--The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by US Airways has created uncertainty for its 1,970 employees in Winston-Salem and the local office market. The airline rents 414,000 square-feet of space in Winston-Salem...

North Carolina Airport Has Alternatives to Offer if US Airways Cuts Flights.
August 13, 2002... Byline: Kristi E. Swartz Aug. 13--Travelers booked on US Airways flying out Piedmont Triad International Airport have plenty of other flight options if the airline cuts back service as it tries to reorganize its finances under bankruptcy...

Wachovia Uses North Carolina Employees in Photo Shoot for Print Ad.
August 10, 2002... Byline: Jeanne Sturiale Aug. 10--Traci Welch let out a sustained cheer in the crowd at Bowman Gray Stadium yesterday, standing and sitting with the rhythmic precision required to execute a stadium "wave." Welch, a human-resources...

Kernersville, N.C., Mayor Says Support Is Likely for Business Park Development.
August 9, 2002... Byline: Wesley Young Aug. 9--KERNERSVILLE, N.C.--Kernersville is likely to support a private plan to develop a 150-acre business park to serve companies attracted by the proposed FedEx cargo hub, Mayor Larry Brown said yesterday. ...

Greensboro, N.C.-Based Secure Designs Wins Cash, Office Space in Contest.
August 9, 2002... Byline: Kristi E. Swartz Aug. 9--GREENSBORO, N.C.--Secure Designs Inc., which is developing security services for the Internet, was awarded cash and office space as the first-place winner of the Triad's business-plan competition. The...

Winston-Salem, N.C., Chamber Study Finds Recruitment Becoming Difficult.
August 9, 2002... Byline: Jane Seccombe Aug. 9--Local businesses are finding it increasingly tough to recruit skilled workers, a study by the Winston-Salem Area Chamber of Commerce shows. The report also says that job training is a concern. ...

Board Recommends Approving Forsyth County, N.C., Rezoning Request.
August 9, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 9--The City-County Planning Board unanimously recommended to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners yesterday that it approve a rezoning request that would pave the way for an 83-acre housing development in...

Winston-Salem, N.C.-Based Biotechnology Firm Can Now Launch Asthma Drug.
August 8, 2002... Byline: Kristi E. Swartz Aug. 8--Pilot Therapeutics Holdings Inc., a biotechnology company based in Winston-Salem, has successfully completed the last clinical trial needed to launch its over-the-counter treatment for asthma, the company...

Gas Station Supplier Gilbarco to Cut 90 Jobs at Greensboro, N.C., Headquarters.
August 8, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 8--Gilbarco Inc., a supplier of gas pumps, cash registers and other systems used by service stations, plans to cut 90 production jobs at its Greensboro headquarters, leaving it with a local work force of just...

Carolina Congressman Says Research Park's Successes to Spur Job Creation.
August 7, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 7--U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, D-12th, said that more jobs will be created in Winston-Salem when research being conducted by companies in the Piedmont Triad Research Park is put to practical uses. "It's a pretty...

Tobacco-Auction Season Begins in North Carolina.
August 7, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 7--A local tradition that spans more than 130 years continued yesterday as the rapid-fire hum of a tobacco leaf auctioneer signaled the opening of the area's tobacco-auction season. The auctioneer, Joe...

Greensboro, N.C.-Based Oakwood Homes Reports Quarterly Loss.
August 7, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 7--Struggling Oakwood Homes Corp., a manufactured-home maker based in Greensboro, said yesterday that the amount of money it lost in its fiscal third quarter more than doubled compared to the same period last...

North Carolina's First Sales-Tax Holiday Looks Like a Success.
August 6, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 6--Judging from initial reaction by local retailers, North Carolina's first sales-tax holiday was a success, especially for stores selling big-ticket items such as computers. "It went extremely well for us,"...

Ruling Opens Way for Tobacco Companies Get Some Adverse Verdicts Overturned.
August 6, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 6--R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Philip Morris Cos. might be able to reverse some courtroom setbacks in California thanks to a decision yesterday by the California Supreme Court. The California high court...

Carolina Biotech Firms' Success Depends on Availability of Space, Capital.
August 5, 2002... Byline: Kristi E. Swartz Aug. 5--Biotechnology companies in the Triad have strong potential for growth over the next five years, but their success will depend on the availability of laboratory space and venture capital, according to a...

North Carolina Sales Tax Holiday Brings Out Shoppers.
August 3, 2002... Aug. 3--Traffic clogged the area around Hanes Mall yesterday as shoppers turned out in force for the start of the state's first sales-tax holiday. North Carolina temporarily dropped the 6.5 percent sales tax on most school supplies,...

Bone-Dry Ground Makes Life Tough for Winston Salem, N.C., Landscapers.
August 2, 2002... Byline: Brian Louis Aug. 2--Searing heat and bone-dry ground are making life tough for local landscapers, but they say that long-term business contracts are shielding them from the worst of the drought. Many companies have annual...

Sara Lee Reports Drop in Fourth-Quarter Net Income.
August 2, 2002... Byline: Fran Daniel Aug. 2--Sara Lee Corp. reported a drop in net income for the fourth quarter yesterday as it continued its two-year corporate reorganization. The company, whose branded-apparel division based in Winston-Salem, said...

North Carolina Attorney General Says Firm Is Banned from Telemarketing.
August 2, 2002... Byline: Kristi E. Swartz Aug. 2--A company that pitched low-interest loans over the telephone to North Carolina residents has been banned from telemarketing and ordered to refund its customers, the state's Attorney General Roy Cooper...

Charlotte, N.C.-Based Wachovia Arranges to Purchase Insurance Broker.
August 2, 2002... Byline: Jane Seccombe Aug. 2--Wachovia Corp. signed an agreement yesterday to buy Cameron H. Harris & Co., an insurance broker based in Charlotte that specializes in commercial and personal risk management and employee benefits. ...

Carolina-Based Dudley Products in Partnership with Grenadian Spice Maker.
August 1, 2002... Byline: Wesley Young Aug. 1--KERNERSVILLE, N.C.--Dudley Products has entered into a "multi-million-dollar" distribution partnership with a company based in Grenada to make a pain reliever from nutmeg oil, officials with Dudley Products...