2001 WAS BUSY LOCALLY

The headlines atop today's High Point Enterprise Focus section cover page
say it well. "The first year" the banner reads, followed by, "We'll never
forget dawning of the 21st century."

The report on that page and 2F provides a blow-by-blow account of 2001.
Inside the Focus section, the top business-related stories are profiled on
the Business pages. When Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue addressed the High Point
Chamber of Commerce's annual dinner earlier this month, she noted North
Carolina had lost 50,000 jobs in 2001. Today's Business section report
indicates that North Carolina's Piedmont Triad region contributed heavily
to that number.

With a quick review, allow me to point out some major developments in the
greater High Point area during the year.

A few subjects dominated the news on a year-long basis, with intensity
rising and falling but rarely, if ever, dipping below the horizon. They
included:

lThe Federal Express hub project.

lRed-light cameras.

lJob losses.

lThe Las Vegas developers' foray into the furniture market universe.

Other major news developments included:

JANUARY

lFire destroyed Kepley's Barn, eliminating one of High Point's popular
meeting places.

lJack Flynn, while serving as chairman of the High Point Housing Authority
Board, stepped in as interim executive director when Ken Martin (who died
Jan. 11) became too ill to serve. The Housing Authority remained near the
top of the news for the remainder of the year.

lLoren Hill was hired as president of the High Point Economic Development Corp.

FEBRUARY

lA new era dawned for the International Home Furnishings Market with
beginnings of the High Point International Home Furnishings Market
Authority Corp.

lA Randolph County drug bust hauled in 26 pounds of cocaine valued at $1
million.

lPepper spray and its use by police officers in Guilford County Schools was
a hot topic of conversation for several weeks.

MARCH

lLocal school population reports cited diversity - 87 nationalities, 76
languages.

lA partnership convened by United Way of Greater High Point undertook an
inclusive community assessment and plan for action process to build on
strengths and overcome weaknesses that continues as we enter 2002.

lHigh Point became Title City when the High Point Central girls and High
Point Andrews boys won state basketball championships during the same weekend.

APRIL

lHigh Point Housing Authority chose Don Rogers as executive director.

lA complaint about a Confederate symbol on the Mississippi state flag, one
of three flying above the Center Point furniture showroom complex, spurred
quite a flap during the spring International Home Furnishings Market.

MAY

lAfter months of wrangling, the plug was pulled on the electric
deregulation surge.

lThe city's budget raised water and sewer fees.

JULY

lGuilford County Board of Commissioners raised property taxes.

lThe effort to rename a High Point street in honor of Martin Luther King
resurfaced.

lHigh Point Chamber of Commerce President Judy Mendenhall was hired as
first president of the High Point International Home Furnishings Market
Authority Corp.

lLack of a verdict from the U.S. Department of Justice delayed High Point
municipal election.

lPresident Bush nominated Earl N. "Phil" Phillips Jr. as ambassador to the
eastern Caribbean.

lHigh Point Mayor Arnold Koonce announced he was against the FedEx hub project.

SEPTEMBER

lHigh Point's Planning & Zoning Commission rejected bid to rename College
Drive in honor of Martin Luther King.

lMany local connection stories evolved following the terrorist attacks on
Sept. 11.

OCTOBER

lLending legend Fred Alexander died.

lAttendance at the fall International Home Furnishings Market dropped
somewhere between 25 and 40 percent.

lMethamphetamine bust by Randolph and Rowan law-enforcement authorities
resulted in confiscation of 27 pounds of the drug (valued at $1.3 million)
and seven arrests.

lHigh Point's 2001 municipal elections were delayed until May 7 (primary)
and June 4 (general), 2002, because of the flap over ward redistricting.

NOVEMBER

lThe FAA approved the design for the FedEx hub.

lSusan Mendenhall announced that she would not seek re-election as
chairwoman of Guilford County Board of Education.

lDrought continued to prevail in the Triad.

DECEMBER

lDemocrat Mike Barber was chosen chairman of Guilford County Board of
Commissioners, and Republican Billy Yow was elected vice chairman.

lCalvin Boykin was elected chairman of Guilford County Board of Education.

lThree Davidson County deputies and an Archdale police officer were among
those arrested on federal drug charges.

What a year!

No doubt 2002 will be just as exciting locally.