Recently in Business Category

In an effort to manage cash, North Carolina Department of Revenue is delaying refund checks for individuals and businesses for the second year in a row. Revenue Secretary Kenneth Lay says the reason for the delays is that tax collections are very weak. Last year, taxpayers learned of delays in early March, after many started to complain. Eventually, the department caught up in mid-May. In a typical year, it takes between two and six weeks for a return with no errors or problems to be processed and approved. As the April 15 deadline approaches, the time frame increases to 12 weeks or longer.

Watauga County had a record number of foreclosure filings last year, mirroring a statewide increase, and finishing a year in which two-thirds of all counties saw foreclosure increases. In Watauga County, foreclosures jumped nearly 15 percent, up to 264, as recorded by the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts. Watauga had 48 recorded foreclosures in 1999 and 94 foreclosures in 2004. Since then, the number of foreclosures has increased each year: to 95 in 2005, 107 in 2006, 184 in 2007 and 231 in 2008. Foreclosures filings in North Carolina continued to climb rapidly to a new annual high in 2009 of 63,341, an increase of nearly ten thousand over the high in 2008 of 53,960.  The highest number reported was in Mecklenburg County with 12,774, up from 8,384 in 2008. Wake, Durham, and New Hanover counties saw increases while Guilford county decreased.

Appalachian State University's Center for Entrepreneurship, Watauga County, and the Committee of 100 is sponsoring a program for anyone wanting to start or grow their own business. Open a new world of possibilities, including financial independence, flexibility in scheduling, and the ability to make a living doing something that you enjoy. All workshops will be held from 6-9 p.m. at the Appalachian Enterprise Center.

The workshop series is free but participants are asked to attend all three workshops to complete the series.  Space is limited to the first 30 registrants and the registration deadline is Oct. 2. Information brochures are available at area businesses, banks, community centers or grocery stores. For more information, contact James Perez at 828-265-8685.