Developments worthy of note, as reported in other publications: – “Novant plants flag on giants’ turf,” News & Observer, July 31. The company that owns Rowan Regional Medical Center is going after the Triangle market, announcing plans recently to build a $110 million, 46-bed hospital in Wake County’s Holly Springs. “Novant executives insist they have eyes only for Holly Springs, and the nonprofit health-services chain will face a tough fight to win state regulators’ approval,” the N&O says. Novant would be competing with UNC Health Care, Duke University Health System and WakeMed. If Novant’s aggressive stance and $1.4 billion debt rattle nerves, some health care experts say there’s no need. “They’ve consistently shown growth, and they pay attention to their expenses,” one person from a health care rating group told the N&O. Good to know.
– “Markets gain Latino flavor,” Charlotte Observer, Aug. 13. Food Lion is trying a new concept in five Raleigh stores, broadening its offering of ingredients used most often by Hispanic cooks. “Aisles are lined with an abundance of beans, rice, masa mixes and fruit-flavored juices that are favorites of Hispanic households.” Produce and freezer sections also cater to their tastes. Hispanic spending is projected to increase to $52 billion by 2015. Food Lion wants a big share of that market.
– “Greening the Grass,” Discover magazine, August. Many extol the virtues of grass-fed beef; the cattle need less antibiotics, the beef has less saturated fat and has a smaller carbon footprint. But there’s a downside. “Cow burps,” as the magazine calls them, send methane into the atmosphere and may cause global warming. But there’s a solution. An Australian company, Gramina, has developed genetically modified grass that is more easily digested. See, there’s an answer for everything. To avoid feeding cows grain that contains protein supplements, antibiotics and other drugs, including growth hormones, cattle ranchers may resort to genetically modified grass. Doesn’t sound natural, does it?
– “No Place to Hide,” Discover magazine, August. Google and other companies are mapping out our world in ever increasing detail. “For a few thousand dollars, pretty much any American can buy up-to-the-moment satellite images of Iran’s nuclear sites, CIA headquarters, even the top secret Air Force testing site, Area 51, in Nevada.” Google Earth offers virtually the same stuff ó although slightly older ó for free. Think of the money the government can save now on spy satellites. Think also, though, about the ease with which these companies can photograph and map your house ó and possibly your comings and goings. Spooky.
– “Executives Teach Inmates How to Be Employees,” Wall Street Journal, March 17. A cosmetics company executive volunteered to be “principal for a day” at a New York school and found himself at Rikers Island, leading a class for inmates ages 18-24. That daunting but ultimately rewarding experience led the executive, Mark Goldsmith, to form a nonprofit called Getting Out and Staying Out, GOSO, based in Harlem. He and other volunteers “are working to counter the familiar story of prisoners getting released without skills, jobs, money or a place to live, and then resorting to crime only to get locked up again.” Some friends think Goldsmith is crazy to spend so much time with prisoners. “If they’d get to know some of these kids better, they’d know they’re not hopeless,” he says. “A lot of them are as smart and talented as anyone you meet in business, they just haven’t had anyone to help them.” Commendable. Could a program like that work here?