Winston-Salem Non-Profits To Merge
Two area non-profits are merging. Executives from the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem and SciWorks made the announcement on Thursday.
They say timing is perfect for the partnership because both organizations are growing and they share similar goals. Paul Kortenaar with Sciworks says the partnership allows them to provide more educational opportunities for the public.
Kortenaar says both will operate from their current campuses, but they're discussing the possibility of finding a new location downtown for a joint museum. The merger officially takes effect on July 1.
High Point Begins Search For New Police Chief
High Point's search for a new police chief is underway. A public forum was held Thursday night to give residents a chance to say what they're looking for in a new leader.
Lee Bostic, a former High Point officer, was among those who attended. He says he wants to see a return to more visible community policing.
Others said they wanted to see more openness and accountability from the department.
Thursday night's forum was the only one planned for taking direct comments from the community.
The search is being conducted to find a successor for Chief Marty Sumner, who is retiring. The search is expected to take about three months.
Youth Homelessness, Rainy-Day Fund Among Lawmaker Studies
Youth homelessness, property insurance rates and the state's rainy-day fund are subjects North Carolina lawmakers intend to study before the legislature reconvenes in April or the next session begins in January 2017.
Lawmakers comprising the Legislative Research Commission met Thursday and approved six study topics recommended by House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger. Committees were formed for each topic.
The state budget directed some of the topics to be studied, including the rainy-day emergency reserve, now at $1.1 billion. Some want fund deposits to be more predictable. Other topics approved Thursday include recreational access to public lands, municipal service districts and small business credit and capital.
The study committees are in addition to oversight committees and a few House panels meeting while the legislature isn't in session.
Electrolux Cancels $85M Charlotte Expansion
Swedish appliance-maker Electrolux is canceling its plans for a major expansion at its North American headquarters in Charlotte after its failed attempt to purchase General Electric's appliance unit.
Electrolux CEO Keith McLoughlin tells The Charlotte Observer that the company has informed local leaders that it's not moving forward with a project that would have nearly doubled its Charlotte workforce.
Electrolux employs about 850 people at its North American headquarters in Charlotte. In 2013, Electrolux said it was planning to add 810 workers by 2017 with an $85 million expansion.
In June, the company said it was evaluating that plan as part of its planned GE deal. GE, however, pulled out last month in the face of regulatory opposition and found another suitor at a higher price.
3 Stolen Vintage Banjos Worth More Than $16,000 Recovered
A North Carolina music shop has recovered three vintage banjos valued at more than $16,000 that turned up at an auction house the day they were stolen.
Ed Lowe of Lowe Vintage Instrument Co. says the banjos were stolen Wednesday while his son helped another customer at their Burlington store. Lowe believes the customer was in cahoots with the thief.
He says the most valuable is a 1930s-era blue Gibson RB-11 valued at almost $9,000. Lowe says it's particularly valuable because Gibson wasn't making many five-string banjos then.
Lowe says the thieves sold the banjos to an auction house in Greensboro, which then called Lowe to find out if he wanted to purchase them. He says his son and the store's co-owner drove to Greensboro and picked up the banjos Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.