Skip to main content

January 2011

Jan 31, 2011

South Central advisors are 'Hungry to Help' those in need

Children who rely on school meals for food will have an easier time getting through the weekends, thanks to the efforts of about 120 volunteers with N.C. Cooperative Extension. In late January, these advisers and extension employees gathered to package more than 3,500 meals that will provide some weekend meals for school children in extension’s South Central District. 

Jan 31, 2011

Wiggle room in the federal budget

Many people want to balance the federal budget by focusing on reducing government spending. How easy is that? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden weighs in. 

Jan 31, 2011

New garden book available

Eleven years ago, North Carolina Cooperative Extension launched the newsletter Extension's Successful Gardener to address the high demand for gardening information across the state. Founding editor Leah Chester-Davis has joined with team member, Extension agent and acclaimed garden-book author Toby Bost to produce a book with some of the newsletter's best material. 

Jan 28, 2011

Superbugs from swine?

New research from North Carolina State University and Kansas State University shows that the common pests that live on the swine farms acquire antibiotic-resistant bacteria and have the potential to spread these bacteria. 

Jan 28, 2011

Strawberry breakfast a sweet start to Valentine's Day

Looking for a way to get Valentine's Day off to a sweet start? Try the strawberry blonde muffin recipe that a Johnson & Wales student developed as part of the N.C. Strawberry Project, a partnership with N.C. State University. 

Jan 28, 2011

Confusing job numbers

National job numbers for December paint a confusing picture: One job survey showed a rather modest increase in employment, but the other survey indicated a major decline in the unemployment rate. N.C. State University economist Mike Walden clarifies the findings. 

Jan 27, 2011

Why do bubbles happen?

The recession began with the so-called bursting of the investment bubble in residential housing. But what exactly is an investment bubble? And what causes it? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden answers. 

Jan 26, 2011

Can the grid handle it?

In coming years electric-powered vehicles are expected to greatly increase in popularity, and many people would like to see them take over a greater share of the market so we can reduce our reliance on oil and gas. But do experts foresee any problems in meeting the electricity usage that these vehicles will create? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden weighs in. 

Jan 25, 2011

Pension plans

Many states are facing problems with the public pensions. In some of those states there are recommendations to dramatically change how government workers are paid a pension. N.C. State University Extension economist Mike Walden outlines these discussions. 

Jan 24, 2011

Who are discouraged workers?

Discouraged workers are individuals without a job who are not actively looking for work, so they are not counted in the most frequently used measure of unemployment. But N.C. State University economist Mike Walden says we do have information on why such jobless individuals are not pounding the pavement for jobs.