Craig Powers — submitted photoSALISBURY — Craig Powers, former Public Works director for Salisbury, has been selected as Rowan County’s director of engineering and environmental services.

Powers began his career in local government in 2004 with Salisbury as a civil engineer, later becoming the Public Works Director.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and in 2008, obtained his professional engineer license (P.E.). He is a graduate of the Leadership Excellence and Development (L.E.A.D.) program at the University of Virginia, the Municipal and County Administration Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the ICMA Emerging Leaders Program.

Powers is a past winner of the Robert S. Hopson Leadership Service Award from the American Public Works Association and was named an International City/County Management Association’s (ICMA) Life, Well Run Community Hero.

Powers is a lifelong Rowan County resident where he continues to live with his wife and two children. along with his wife and two children. He is a member and past president of the Rowan Rotary Club, and a member and current chair of Shelter Ministries.

 

Kannapolis human resources director a finalist for Business Journal honor

KANNAPOLIS – Tina Cline, the city of Kannapolis human resources director, has been named a best in HR finalist by the Charlotte Business Journal. She and her department team members were recognized at a recent ceremony. The Charlotte Business Journal recognized the city for innovative internal and external personnel practices, policies and programs as city employees responded to the pandemic.

Cline has been with the city of Kannapolis for 27 years.

 

Salisburian among 28 public sector employees to earn Certified Public Manager certificates

RALEIGH —Public sector employees from state agencies and local governments were recognized for completing the North Carolina Certified Public Manager Program (CPM) during the program’s first in-person commencement ceremony since the pandemic. The 40th anniversary even in the State Archives Auditorium in Raleigh was meant to celebrate the current 28-member cohort as well as graduates from the past two years.

Juanita Oats  of Salisbury’s Department of Health and Human Services earned the certificate.

“The challenging circumstances of the pandemic again required this year’s class to complete this highly collaborative program through fully online instruction,” said State Human Resources Director Barbara Gibson. “Graduates learned to be nimble in an evolving workplace, gaining extraordinary insight into the processes that ensure vital programs and services continue for the people of North Carolina.”

Managed by OSHR’s Talent Management Division, the program was established in 1982 as the North Carolina Public Manager Program to enhance the effectiveness of public sector organizations across our state by developing the leadership capabilities of mid-level managers. Since then, 2,505 mid-level managers across federal, tribal, state and local governments have completed the program.

 

A third of China Grove, Landis customers now have fiber internet option

CHINA GROVE — Some 5,000 homes and businesses in the China Grove and Landis area, or a third of the two communities, are now equipped for ultrahigh-speed internet with the deployment of optical fiber by network provider Kinetic.

“Fiber in China Grove and Landis means you’ll have more bandwidth to stream, game and surf on every device in your house,” said Stacy Hale, Kinetic state operations president, in a news release. “And your connection will stay superfast no matter how many other people are online. They can even be streaming a movie and you’ll still have the same connection.”

He added that Kinetic’s fiber-optic network offers users symmetrical speeds to upload and download at 1,000 megabits, or 1 gigabit, a second.

“Fiber is technology that can meet today’s demands and tomorrow’s potential,” Hale said. “‘High Speed for Here’ now includes China Grove and Landis.”

The China Grove and Landis fiber project is part of a $2 billion multiyear capital investment strategy to dramatically expand gigabit internet service across Kinetic’s 18-state footprint.

Customers may visit GoKinetic.com to find out if they are eligible for a speed upgrade.

 

Lutheran Services Carolinas partners with GlenFlora

GlenFlora and Lutheran Services Carolinas (LSC) have entered a nonprofit partnership to continue to serve seniors in Lumberton, where GlenFlora has operated for over 70 years.

GlenFlora Executive Director Austin Locklear will continue to lead the partnership and said, “We are excited about this partnership and look forward to strengthening GlenFlora and LSC to serve in the future.”

Two existing members of the board of directors, Dr. John Rozier and Dr. Cherry Beasley, will continue to serve on the board with LSC representatives.

“It is an honor to partner with such a strong nonprofit to serve the Lumberton area for years to come,” said LSC President Ted Goins.

GlenFlora was founded in 1952 as the N.C. Cancer Institute and changed its name in 1999. It provides skilled nursing care, assisted living and in-patient and out-patient rehabilitation.  LSC was created in 1960 as a nonprofit organization and now has eight nursing homes, four senior living communities, low-income senior housing, PACE, home care, and adult day services. LSC’s child and family programs serve across both Carolinas, and include foster care, refugee resettlement, disaster relief and group homes. LSC is a $140 million health and human services organization with over 1,800 teammates. Learn more at www.LSCarolinas.net.