North Carolina Now; North Carolina Now Episode from 03/26/1997

The It's Wednesday March 20 said tonight creating new wetlands in North Carolina now. Good evening I'm reading it right thanks so much for joining us for this Wednesday edition of North Carolina now. Tonight Kelly McCann Ray takes a look at high

definition television or HDTV and why it's taking the television industry by storm and what it means to you as a consumer. Plus Mitchell Lewis shares with us why this is a very special year for the city of Asheville. And we'll find out about some of the favorite recipes of Andy Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy. As Betty Lyerly joins us to talk about the best of Mayberry cookbook that's all coming up a bit later. But first part two of our special examination on our state's wetlands. Scientists estimate that North Carolina has lost at least 50 percent of its wetlands due mostly to development. That's why the state is hoping to become more proactive about creating preserving and restoring wetlands throughout its through its new wetlands restoration program. Tonight Shannon Vicary takes us to Charlotte where one state agency is already leading the way in wetlands creation. When most North Carolinians think about the Department of Transportation

they generally think about the many miles of roads d o t workers create each year. But what most people don't realize is that every year North Carolina's Department of Transportation also creates thousands of acres of wetlands. In fact most people don't even know deity has a. We have a full time staff of people that are just we're not even concerned about building highways we're just concerned about making up for the environmental impacts caused by highways. Ted Devons works as the Department of Transportation's wetland mitigation coordinator. We try as hard as we can during the planning phases to avoid those wetlands and then we go into design we do all we can to minimize it. But you just can't avoid him totally under state and federal law. The Department of Transportation is required to replace any wetlands damaged during construction. But it wasn't until the mid 1980s that the DOJ got serious about creating

new wetlands and they quickly found wetlands construction is not an easy task. When we started this. Really getting serious about it without their warning specifications you can go out in libraries and find all sorts of specifications for how to build a road. But there was absolutely nothing for how to build a wetland. But over the years the North Carolina d o t has designed a process for creating wetlands that's become a national model. In fact on average I'd say that we're creating or enhancing or restoring about three acres of wetlands for each acre that we have to impact for the highway project. We're hoping in the next 10 years to build 20000 acres of what lands in North Carolina just in the next two we've got about 8000 acres slated to go to construction with this emergent Marsh melon Creek in Charlotte is one example of their work. Deo t Cruz built this site to make up for the wetlands lost during the construction of Charlotte's outer loop.

The upstream water is going to come through all these this Juncus grass and cat tails and. And the reeds and whatnot and this side is literally acting as a filter. This is like a water treatment plant. So far the marsh seems to be working as it keeps tires and other trash out of a nearby creek. The OT workers hope to have the same success with this site near Matthews. The Little Sugar Creek wetlands is located in the heart of one of Mecklenburg county's busiest shopping areas. The Little Sugar Creek side is only about five weeks old but already you can see all the trash that's been collected here at the sediment trap destruction would normally run straight from the shopping center into a creek that feeds directly into Charlotte's water supply. This side is expected to collect even more trash once it officially becomes a wetlands. Right now DOJ officials are closely monitoring the water levels so that newly planted vegetation has a chance to grow. We can essentially control the rudder levels from the site using two

different sluice gates there you see the top gate is open right now but there's a lower gate that's also open at this time. About a year from now we're going to close the bottom sluice gate. But the water levels rise and we'll have a wetland. You just don't build a weapon overnight. Even the day that we come in here and we construct this wetland and we we grade it off and plant the plants it's going to take several years before it's consumed. And so we would consider it a productive wetlands. You know as a biologist you learn that there we're all connected you know there's you know that we all need each other there's a reason for all of the different habitat types and animals and so forth the plants that we have run feral is the manager for the state's new wetlands restoration program. He says the new program will try to combine the wetland restoration efforts of state agencies like the Department of Transportation into one program. The goals of the wealth restoration program are to replace many of the Lost wetland functions and values such as

water quality benefits flood control have to have recreational activities. All of these things that wetlands provide for us we've slowly begun to realize how important they are to us. Last year the General Assembly appropriated just over nine million dollars to get this new program up and running. Farrel says the program should especially help subdivision developers who are also required to replace any wetlands they damage. Under current state and federal law. With the current regulatory program the permit goes out and buys a piece of land wherever he can get it and replaces the well and often it's not within a context that actually gives the state or the people in North Carolina any benefit. It cost the developer a lot of money and yet we're not getting the benefit that we should get from it. But he says under the new system that should change giving the state a chance to replenish its wetlands something Department of Transportation has been trying to do

for several years. This wetland will be here forever when we create a wetland or preserve want to restore one. We will go to specific steps to in the future deed this property to an agency that's going to take care of this in perpetuity this site will never be developed and always be a wetland and in the future the state hopes to have many more sites just like this one sites not act as a small oasis in the middle of North Carolina's rapidly growing cities. One of the interesting aspects of the new wetlands restoration program is that developers and state agencies will now be able to pay into a state fund called a mitigation bank if they damage wetlands during construction. This money will then be used to purchase large pieces of wetlands that are considered to be vital to the state's environmental health. Still ahead on North Carolina now the changing picture of television. But first it's time for the latest headlines. For that we turn to Mitchell who is at the North Carolina now news desk. Good evening Mitch.

Thanks Merida. Good evening everyone. North Carolina's hog farmers are taking action against proposed legislation a block long line of farmers marched around the legislative building today. They were protesting a bill that would place a one year moratorium on new or expanding hog operations and allow counties to regulate industrial style pork operations through zoning. Farmers say they're being singled out and mistreated. The protest was organized by the construction company hog slats incorporated. The Likud group's internal documents concerning nicotine levels in cigarettes may soon hit courtrooms across the country. Judges in Texas Mississippi Illinois and Minnesota are demanding to see the papers which may be used in legal actions alleging the tobacco companies culpability and tobacco related deaths. They get agreed to make the documents available as part of a lawsuit settlement. The tobacco industry's four largest companies obtained a temporary restraining order in Winston-Salem to block the documents release. However the same Forsyth County judge

who granted the order says look at can give the papers to other judges who demand to see them. A report writes North Carolina's Medical Board as one of the country's worst Public Citizens Health Research Group based in Washington D.C. says North Carolina ties with Tennessee for forty eighth place in the nation. The rating is based on the number of serious disciplinary actions for every 1000 physicians. The North Carolina Board took 38 actions last year or two point twenty four actions for every 1000 physicians. Mississippi's medical board was the nation's most active. For the first time federal regulators will consider the economic harm to people living down river from a North Carolina paper mill. Many residents downstream of champion International's Canton mill are unhappy with the variance approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. The measure grants the Millo water discharge permit allowing champion to skirt requirements of the Clean Water Act. Residents accuse the EPA of focusing on the thousands of jobs when North Carolinians at the

mill while ignoring the economic and environmental harm done by the mills discharge to Tennesseans living downstream as part of the variance review the EPA will evaluate possible treatment of Champion's discharge operational technologies and management approaches. Looking ahead to tomorrow's weather more warm temperatures are expected statewide most of the state will reach the low 70s. Boone will be in the mid 60s sunny conditions are on tap for the entire state for Thursday with no rain in sight. In business news real estate brokers say this may be the biggest year ever for home sales in the triangle. This despite the fact that mortgage rates may rise with the announcement of the rise in the overnight lending rate. However builders and brokers doubt the action would be felt by homeowners in the triangle demanded low interest rates and steady job growth are expected to keep the markets soaring. Brokers in Wake County which constitutes about 75 percent of the triangle's housing market say a small increase in mortgage rates might even spur sales to

buyers eager to lock in before further increases. And now for a look at what happened on Wall Street today. If you are a fan of The Andy Griffith Show as most North Carolinians are then you'll want

to include as part of your souvenir collection a new cookbook called The Best of Mayberry. This cookbook has been compiled by a home economist from Mount Airy she is Betty Lyerly who joins us this evening welcome to North Carolina now. Thank you. How did you get the. How do you to put this cookbook together. Well I was a home economist with Duke power for 30 years and I'm also from an area North Carolina. And since about 1956 every year do power around Christmas time we always put out our favorite recipes which I had the opportunity to work on for about 30 years until we just our favorite recipe. And of course many of the recipes in the book for use in math programs and I had the good if everybody was going to tie some in the head to be quick and easy if I was going to use them in a food program. And I also thought that we needed to have recipes from our area and stat from somewhere else with the Mayberry theme since we were Forman Arry.

There are some interesting stories on how you got these these recipes together and how you actually made the selections as to what goes into the book. I tried to select the best of the best. That's my subtitle. They're all tested by professional home economist and I. We have a lot of good recipes that did get through our food programs through the years and it was a really hard task today. At least I made comments on the recipes as I went through and used them and that was very helpful to me. And the end for the book also includes some information other than just recipes right you have some photographs in there and yes one of the things that I decided that we needed is to have a dad to our city man Arry of course has the nickname of Mayberry. And there are 12 pictures of our area in the book. One of course being Andy Griffith's boyhood.

Such as we have here. And each of the pictures has a history on the back so this particular page with Andy's boyhood home also has some history about Andy. There's downtown scenes in the book there's Mt. Pollack that's referred to on mountain mountain. We have the history of power mountain and even the man of come back to me and said we've enjoyed reading your cookbook have enjoyed the history they've enjoyed the photography and the book. You know we have so much information at the end of the show was so popular and there are so many people that you know have put together souvenirs or collectors items about Mayberry. Why do you feel it's important to have this cookbook done by somebody who is from Mount Airy. Well I think everywhere you visit travel a lot myself. I like things from the area that I visit. Not from somewhere else. I mean if I go to Japan I want something from Japan

and not something from China that AFAIK deafened your pay and if I get a Manny or I think I want to have something local and that's what we've decided to do with this book is to give them things it's local. From my understanding a portion of the proceeds of the book goes to charity. Yes my Foothill salons club is also getting some money out of the book. OK I'm sorry we're just hoping that it's going to grow so much that this will be our only project and that in the future that we can spend our time helping people who really need to they have to rather than just having to get out and spend a lot of our time raising money. Well that's an investment I would like to say. And where can our viewers pick up your book. Well any bookstore can get it if they do not have it it's fairly new and of course I haven't had a chance to do a lot of book signings. Of course I can order it for me if I want a personal autographed copy

if being here the. Show so anywhere in the state I go to your bookstore and they don't have it. Let them order it. OK great wall really I want to thank you so much for your time your this evening I wish you well on your book. Thank you. OK. Asheville has reached a major milestone this year as the city celebrates its 2 100th birthday and residents in the Mountain City are preparing for a major bicentennial Bash. Michel Louis takes us to ASH takes a look at

Asheville's history as well as the party plans taking place. I live in peace. I live in beauty. This is a community of diverse active people. It's growing but it's growing nicely so far. And there is there's a wonderful faith feeling of community here. And not only in crisis but in celebration. And North Carolina the city nestled where the Great Smokies meet the Blue Ridge Mountains National is well known for its beauty. But this year marks something special bicentennial birthday Trina really are is the events manager for the celebration. The theme is celebrate Asheville so you can make it into anything you want. It's about enjoying where we live. The community that we have Asheville is a small town

city really. You can walk down the street and know a lot of people. Asheville is got a vast cultural diversity and heritage and the whole theme is to celebrate that. Asheville's creation began along the French Broad River in the early 1790s land formerly belonging to the Cherokee was opened for settlement in November of 1797 four hundred acres of land was incorporated in Buncombe County and was called Morristown. The area then became Asheville named after Governor Samuel ash Asheville is well represented when it comes to historic figures of the past. Riverside cemetery is the resting place of such North Carolina notables as Gov. Zabulon Baird Vance who was governor of North Carolina during the War Between the States. Governor Locke Crick was governor from 1913 to 1970 in the construction category. William Sharpe

Smith supervised the construction of the famous Biltmore Estate in the literary realm there is a William Sidney Porter best known as short story writer. Oh Henry. And who can forget novelist Thomas Wolfe author of Look Homeward Angel. Let me set Nick co-chair of the actual bicentennial board says part of that work is a main ingredient in the celebration. Yes you can come home again. Hometown reunion. Calling all bashful sons and daughters home to celebrate a reunion. It'll be family oriented and it will be a pedestrian friendly. We'll have everything. Discussions by natives of Asheville pictures displayed both food and drink and crafts. Everything we're trying to have is local origin rather than a vendor from Florida coming in.

In all the Asheville bicentennial board is overseeing more than 30 events. The group is made up of various community and civic leaders. Members hope that while folks are celebrating downtown among the Gothic style buildings the gargoyles and the griffons that this special milestone will not only be a time of reflection but also re dedication to making Asheville an even better place to live. Everybody is invited. All inclusive everybody. YOUNG You know our old native those those blessed enough to have been born here or those fortunate enough to have been drawn here. Although many events have been planted throughout the year for Asheville's bicentennial the main celebration will take place September 20th. Well how would you like to watch North Carolina now on a TV that is bigger and sharper than the one you have right now. And how would you like to have perfect reception all the time. Well actually that technology is already here and we're in for some big changes. Reporter

Kelly McHenry tells us what it means for all of us who watch TV. This may look like a typical TV broadcast facility but in Raleigh there is something different going on. Nothing less than a revolution in television technology. HD I definition television is coming. Jim Goodman of Capital Broadcasting is helping to lead the country into high definition television capital's flagship station WRAL in Raleigh was granted the nation's very first license to broadcast HDTV. But what is that. Well high definition TV is a completely new way to broadcast television. Even though TVs have improved in quality over the years the basic engineering hasn't changed a bit. But HDTV is totally different. It has nearly six times more information than our current sets can broadcast which means a dramatically clearer picture beautiful picture.

Changing picture size aspect ratio much wider screen like 35 millimeter film. Great for sports great for movies and improved audio CD quality 5 channel CD quality audio but you're probably saying I can see that the HDTV set is bigger but it doesn't seem to look any better to me. The problem is it's impossible to really show you the difference during the story. The reason is that any camera we used to videotape HDTV Not to mention the sets you were watching at the current time. It's like trying to see a color picture on a black and white monitor but I can tell you that I have seen an HDTV set and compared to our current models the picture is so much clearer and more detail that you can hardly believe you're watching television. HD is not only sharper and clearer than standard TV but it's also digital meaning the signal is completely unaffected by the weather. No dusting no snow as long as you are in the coverage area for the station or the little television signal you will receive what is essentially a perfect

since July of last year WRAL has been airing test signals on channel 32. But don't bother trying to tune in. You have to have an HD set to pick up the signal. Those sets are now being developed but don't think you'll have to rush out and buy the first one. Changing over to this new system will be a slow process. We believe that broadcasters will continue to transmit both the standard and the digital television signal for up to seven to 10 years before phasing out the standard television broadcast. During that time every TV station in the country including UN CTV will have to replace the old technology with a new HD system costing each facility millions of dollars. You and I will also have to buy a new set at an estimated cost of about $3000 although prices are expected to drop just as the price of the C RS and CD players did. Still many broadcast executives believe the very future of free television depends on HDTV.

They say without it broadcasting will never survive the fierce competition from cable and satellite transmission which is grabbing much of free TV's audience over the years. This is great for the future of the long term future of the free of the air system tables and satellites are incredible. But where the local element. We had a local ball that locals don't have the best technology and that lets me with excited about the future about this. It's taken nearly 10 years and a lot of infighting to develop the HDTV system. In fact computer companies almost derailed the plan last fall over how HD would integrate with computers which are also digital. But late last year the warring parties ironed out their differences and the Federal Communications Commission approved an industry wide standard for the new technology. Experts say that was a crucial step in this coming HD revolution a revolution that's already well underway here in North Carolina.

More high definition test broadcasts are planned this year with the first commercial HD TV shows expected to hit the airwaves in 1998. Well a big event hits the airwaves this weekend in a final for action and for all of you Ewan see Chapel Hill basketball fans out there. You were invited to watch the Tarheels Arizona game on big screen TVs at the Smith Center tip office Saturday evening at 5:42. Well please make plans to join us again tomorrow night when Bob Garner explores some of the technology being developed to combat the problems of hog waste. Shannon Vicary will head up to the mountains to find out about a program that helps children in rural areas stay healthy. And then it's all aboard as Michel Louis introduces us to some of the people who make your train travel a bit more enjoyable. Have a great evening. We'll see you tomorrow. Good night.