SALISBURY — The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce will host Chris Chung, chief executive officer of North Carolina Economic Development, as its January Power in Partnership speaker.

The virtual program is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 a.m. and will be sponsored by the Rowan EDC.

Chung will present a 2021 economic outlook and share information on the NC Economic Development Partnership. He joined the group in 2015, bringing more than 23 years of state-level economic development experience to the role. The EDPNC is a public-private partnership that is responsible for a number of economic development functions on behalf of the state. With a staff of 70 professionals and an annual operating budget of more than $25 million, the EDPNC is focused on improving the economic well-being and quality of life for North Carolina’s 10 million residents.

The Spring Season of PIP programs include:

• Feb. 18 – State Legislative Session   
• March 18 – Salute to Agri-business
• April 15 – Healthcare Speaker, sponsored by Novant Health Rowan Medical Center
• May 20 – Steve Chandler, Chandler Thinks on Rowan Brand

 The Leadership Rowan class will start their day with the PIP and then get a deep dive into sessions focused on important aspects of the community.  

The Chamber’s Power Card is being offered for those who would like to take advantage of the PIP frequent attender program. Power Card holders receive a discounted price for the series and do not have to make a reservation each month. The cost of the event is $59 for members; $125 for non-members.  

Individual reservations are also welcome. The reservation deadline is Tues., Jan. 19 by 5 p.m. The cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. Contact the Chamber for information on reservations or sponsorship opportunities at 704.633.4221 or info@rowanchamber.com.

City of Salisbury seeking feedback on Main Street plan

SALISBURY — The city of Salisbury will host several opportunities for citizens to provide input on its Main Street plan.

In the summer of 2019, the city hired McAdams engineering firm to design plans to renovate a 10-block section of Main Street. The project is still in the receiving feedback stage and is hoping for citizens’ comments about the plan, which includes changing driving lanes and parking angles.

The schedule for events:

• Wednesday, Jan. 6 – Community Appearance Commission, 4 p.m.
• (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81847159932)
• Thursday, Jan. 21 – Neighborhood Leaders Alliance, 4 p.m.
• (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84157323179)
• Wednesday, Jan. 27 – Main Street Plan Zoom session – 6 p.m.
• (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85452162365)

Outdoor In-person Public Engagement (weather dependent):

• Thursday, Jan. 14 – Historic Preservation Commission – 1 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 22 – Koco Java (North Main), 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
• Friday, Jan. 22 – In front of the Wells Fargo building, near to Sidewalk Deli (South Main), 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Questions can be directed to Alyssa Nelson at anels@salsiburync.gov.

Downtown Salisbury will host first stakeholders meeting of new year

SALISBURY — Downtown Salisbury Inc. will host its quarterly stakeholders meeting virtually on Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 8:30 a.m.

The meeting will be held via Zoom and any downtown business owners, residents, employees or property owners can register for the meeting online.

For those who do not have access to a computer, instructions will be given to call in via phone.

Sonic Drive-In donates money to Kannapolis teachers

KANNAPOLIS — Three teachers in Kannapolis have been chosen to receive a combined $4,059 for essential materials from Sonic-Drive In.

This year, Sonic Drive-In donated an all-time high of $1.3 million to fund public school teacher requests across the country as part of its annual Limeades for Learning Fall Voting campaign. This is the 12th year in a row that Sonic has conducted the program.

“Celebrating public school teachers through our Fall Voting Campaign feels special every year, but especially this year, as our incredible public school teachers are going the extra mile to keep their students inspired, regardless of where their classroom may be,” Christi Woodworth, vice president for public relations for Sonic, said in a news release. “From cleaning supplies to humidifiers and technology needs, we were able to fulfill thousands of teachers’ wish lists for necessary teaching materials to keep their students safe and learning.”

From Monday, Sept. 28 through Sunday, Oct. 25, Sonic fans voted for teacher requests that moved them at LimeadesforLearning.com, and the requests with the most votes nationwide received funding, totaling $1.3 million at the close of the campaign.

The Kannapolis teachers will be able to use the money to create an engaging learning environment in both physical and virtual classrooms.

In Kannapolis, the following exceptional teachers at one school earned funding for their much-needed learning materials as part of the annual Fall Voting Campaign:

• Aleks Tallent at Concord Lake STEAM Academy for the project “Coding Kinders!”
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  Aleks Tallent at Concord Lake STEAM Academy for the project “Odds and Friends for Kindergarten Friends!”
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  Aleks Tallent at Concord Lake STEAM Academy for the project “Rockets Fly High With Rewards Part 5”
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  Aleks Tallent at Concord Lake STEAM Academy for the project “The Magic of Math for Amazing Kinders”
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  Katie Mcdaniel at Concord Lake STEAM Academy for the project “Isolation Room Readiness!”
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  Stephanie Carbonell at Concord Lake STEAM Academy for the project “Help English Language Learners Soar”
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  Teresa Bove at Concord Lake STEAM Academy for the project “Rockets Love Rewards!”

More info about Sonic’s Limeades for Learning program can be found at sonicdrivein.com.

State Employees’ Credit Union gives holiday donation to Salvation Army

In light of the holiday season, the State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation has awarded The Salvation Army of the Carolinas with an additional $1 million for COVID-19 disaster relief efforts.

The Salvation Army will use the funding to address mounting requests from North Carolinians across the state for food, shelter, financial assistance and other essentials. The grant, combined with a joint $2 million donation given from the SECU and the SECU Foundation in April, brings SECU’s collective total to $3 million in aid to the Salvation Army.

“The Salvation Army of the Carolinas provides essential support to citizens in need year-round, year after year. However, the grip of this dire pandemic sharply increases the demand for such services,” Jo Anne Sanford, SECU Foundation board chair, said in a news release. “This grant will help deliver aid and hope, and will help sustain the mission of the Salvation Army as it responds to community needs statewide. The collaborative efforts of The Salvation Army and SECU Foundation reflect the shared philosophy of ‘People Helping People.’ We are pleased to work with The Salvation Army, and grateful for the organization’s passion and dedication to the people and communities of North Carolina.”

The Salvation Army has been serving in the Carolinas since 1887 and is among 40 North Carolina nonprofits that have received COVID-19 disaster relief funding from SECU and the SECU Foundation, whose collective donations now surpass $16 million.

“As the challenges of the pandemic continue and The Salvation Army responds to the increased demand for services, this incredibly generous contribution will serve thousands of citizens across the state of North Carolina,” Lieutenant Colonel Jim Arrowood, divisional commander of The Salvation Army of the Carolinas, said in a news release. “Food insecurities, requests for shelter, and the need for emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities have sharply risen as we strive to meet human needs without discrimination. This work could not be done without the important collaboration between our devoted staff, volunteers, and community partners as we offer a powerful impact of help, relief, and hope for our neighbors. We are most grateful.”