Highway 321 headaches over, for now

The barricades are gone, so are the flashing signs announcing the schedule of road closures.

All four lanes of Highway 321 are now open for traffic going up into the mountains between Lenoir and Blowing Rock.

A $63 million widening project caused major traffic headaches for the past six years along the 7 mile stretch of highway.

Twice each week, for several hours at a time, the road would shut down completely for blasting. At other times, lanes were blocked, traffic slowed to a crawl and sometimes it would take an hour to get through the construction zone.

The project was supposed to be finished in August of 2008 but cutting through the mountains took longer than officials expected. There is still some paving to be done in the lower section of the project when the weather warms up but the road is in shape to stay open until then, said officials.

On Wednesday, Alan Kirby was seen directing traffic around a small work project. "There are a couple of small things left to do, but nothing major, he said. Wednesday was his last day on the job. Kirby expects to be unemployed for a few weeks "Then when they come back to do some paving I'm supposed to come back and help but after that I don't know what I will do."

The company that handled the project, English Contractors out of Virginia, paid thousands of dollars in penalties for not completing the project on time, according to state officials.

Though the barricades are down on this project, Highway 321 will see them again, say officials. The final stretch of the two lane portion of the road, between Blackberry Ridge and Blowing Rock, is slated to be widened to four lanes. Bid will be let on the project this summer with construction expected to begin next year.

Source http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13871801

Casting call for cover band reality show

TriStar Entertainment is conducting an open casting call and looking for twelve enthusiastic cover and tribute bands for a Tribute/Cover Band reality television show. We are scouring the globe in search of the best cover and tribute bands dedicated to the 80's rock/metal scene. To be considered, please email a presskit that includes a bio, band photo, along with links to music and videos.

In addition to bands, we are also casting for three hosts, male and female. We are looking for someone who isn’t shy on camera and can talk about all things 80’s. Please send a bio, photos, videos, portfolio to the email below for consideration.

Please email info@foreverrockin80s.com

Source  http://www.thegauntlet.com/article/1225/20865/Casting-call-for-cover-band-reality-show.html

Heavy rain does not stop revelers on Beale Street

There was a soggy start to the New Year's Eve celebration on Beale Street Friday where thousands were expected to ring in 2011.

Hours before the planned Gibson guitar drop at the Hard Rock, rain dropped on Beale Street.

Thunder drowned out a drummer as the band Rock Sugar conducted a sound check in the stormy weather.

Organizers said they were on pins and needles all week.

"It's always been cold, but the precip out here hasn't been a problem," said Mike Glenn with the Beale Street Merchants Association.

Organizers anticipated upwards of 40,000 people for New Year's Eve, partly because of the crowd in town for the Liberty Bowl.

"We did not come prepared for the rain," said Beale Street visitor Eric Dunn.  "Just leaving the Liberty Bowl to see the O'Jays and, man, we didn't know it was going to be like this."

"We had no rain all Summer long," said Doug Akers, visiting from Kentucky.  "Anytime you get a little, 70 degrees and New Year's Eve, let it rain."

Organizers advised no one under the age of 21 will be allowed on Beale Street on New Year's Eve after 11:00 p.m.

Source  http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13767042

Casino executives look for promising 2011

Coast casino executives are looking for a more prosperous year in 2011.

The year now coming to a close included the negative impacts of a struggling national economy and the BP oil spill. But the business predictions about the new year are upbeat.

The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is traditionally a busy one for the casino industry, and this week is no exception.

"Everybody is off work, visiting family. They have a little extra Christmas cash in their pockets. Typically a pretty good week for the casino world," said Chris Kern, Hard Rock Casino Biloxi's Marketing Director.

Kern said predictions for the new year are generally positive. 2010 will be remembered as a year of challenges.

"We were kind of hoping the economic recession would lift a little bit, and we were hopeful coming into the summer. Then, of course, we had the oil spill in the Gulf, which obviously kept a lot of tourists away, particularly during those critical summer months," Kern explained.

"We're here catering to the locals that live here and work here," said Boomtown Casino Marketing Director Sunita Sailor.

That local reputation Boomtown Casino caters to may help explain why that property didn't experience a serious drop in business during the oil spill.

"Well, we don't have a hotel. And so I think most of our customers come locally and were staying informed about what was going on. And we were just hoping for the best," said Sailor.

As the New Year begins, the coast casino with the biggest expansions plans is the Palace. A construction project, already well underway, will expand the gaming area, improve the hotel facilities and add restaurant and retail space.

"The casino industry has historically been a little resilient when it comes to recessions. It took a little while, but it certainly got to us. And we certainly felt the pinch this year," said Kern.

But the promise of a new year brings predictions of an ongoing turnaround.

"I would definitely say that we're optimistic and upbeat going into 2011. We hope the residual effects of getting those tourists back to the coast after the oil spill are going to continue in 2011," said the Hard Rock executive.

Source http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=13746437

For marriage to work, it takes two to tango

I have a simple metric for making a determination. Marriages need love, trust, honor, respect and desire. The people in them also need to embody the adjective forms of those words: lovable, trustworthy, honorable, respectable and desirable. If one of the persons stops being those things, or stops working to be those things, the marriage will suffer. — D.R.

On warming to flawed parents — We were brought up by a loving mother, and a father who was cranky and cold. All three of us longed for a doting dad. I finally decided he suffered, for whatever reason, from Tiny Little Heart Syndrome — there was only room in it for my mother.

Over the years I observed that the doting-dad/daddy's-little-girl relationship was not always a healthy one. Too much of a good thing can be as bad as too little. I also learned over the years that while our father was unable to relate to children, he was talented and ethical and funny and a rock we could depend on, and I know he did the best he could.

We had a wonderful friendship as adults, and my life was the better for his being part of it. Why was he the way he was? I don't know, but I do know that when he died at 89 I loved him with all my heart, and still miss him terribly. — Md.

On grieving for a grandchild not placed for adoption — My daughter became pregnant at 24 and, at the urging of her friends, made the decision to keep her baby. We are a close, middle-class family who were prepared to be supportive of her choice and to be there for her and her child. She talked herself into it because that's what others told her she "ought" to do.

Through the years, I have frequently been the primary caregiver, been there financially when things were difficult, and have been the one who has done homework, volunteered at school, and known all my grandchild's friends. I've basically been the parent, and while I adore my grandchild, had adoption been the choice, I know it would have been the best one for this child. Two parents who love this child and wanted this child so much, contact with the bio family if the bio family wants it, no regrets everyday because you know you kept the baby to make others happy, and knowing you've done what is really best for your child.

You have to understand, it isn't because I resent what I have needed to do; it is all about this child's life.

What no one thinks about in these situations is that women who "aren't ready to be mothers" aren't lying about that; they really aren't, and now, many grandparents are doing the job they had thought that daughter (or son) would step up and do. We're ready to be grandparents, not the parents.

If I had it to do over again, I would take my daughter out for a long drive and beg her to reconsider the decision to keep her child, not for my sake, but for her child's sake. — Anonymous

Source  http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/relationships-and-special-occasions/columns/carolyn-hax/article_be68a19f-5ab6-5f21-939f-ab0b6be4abd0.html