Posts tagged ‘Christmas’

Christmas tree for nation’s Capitol can be seen in Oro Valley

By admin, 29 November, 2009, No Comment

The Christmas tree that will adorn the nation’s Capitol during the holidays rolls tiffany jewelry into Oro Valley on Friday, the first stop on its journey through Southern Arizona.

“It’s a chance for the public to see the tree that we are presenting to the nation,” said Jason Mangum,who works for the city of Show Low, a project sponsor.

“This is a gift from all Arizonans.”

The tree festivities will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Oro Valley Marketplace, on the northwest corner of North Oracle and East Tangerine roads.

The event will include remarks about “the history of the tree and the whole tradition bangles of the people’s tree,” said Mary Davis, an Oro Valley spokeswoman.

The blue spruce, which is about as tall as a six-story building, will be atop a 105-foot flatbed truck and under a canopy that opens to expose the main attraction.

“It is a beautiful tree,” said Jim Payne, U.S. Forest Service spokesman. “When you open the doors, the smell of the blue spruce is so strong.”

Back home in the White Mountains of Arizona, the spruce stood tall at 85 feet before it was cut Saturday. It is now 65 feet for logistical reasons, Payne said.

This is Arizona’s first tree for the Capitol lawn since various states have provided them for more than 40 years.

“It’s a big deal for Arizona,” Payne said.

An Arizona tree has been at the White House before, though. In 1965, the White Mountain Apache Tribe shipped one there via rail, Payne said.

This Christmas‘ spruce, which is 70 years old, began its journey Tuesday. It will make 28 stops before it’s delivered in Washington, D.C., Nov. 30. Arizona schoolchildren made 10,000 ornaments to go along with the tree.

Keeping the spruce in tip-top shape while on the road entails elaborate work.

To counter hotter-than-normal days, the tree is sprayed with a solution to keep needles moist and its base sits in a water-filled plastic bladder filled with water.

“We put 60 to 80 gallons in that a day,” Payne said. An air-conditioning system and a swamp rings cooler run as needed.

“Although we’re expecting cooler temperatures in the next few days, we’re concerned when we go back into higher temperatures.”

The tree endeavor will cost more than $200,000, most of it covered by cash and in-kind donations, Payne said.

The spruce will be lighted Dec. 8 at the capitol, where it will stay for good.

“The tree will be ground up into mulch and the mulch will be spread in the flower gardens and other locations at the Capitol,” Payne said.

Go to www.capitolchristmastree2009.org for details on the Christmas tree tour.

Contact reporter Lourdes Medrano at 618-1924 bracelets or lmedrano@azstarnet.com.

Annual Christmas program set for Monday

By admin, 27 November, 2009, No Comment

Portales’ annual toy drive is coming to town, and this year, a lucky donor tiffany and co can have milk and cookies with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The Lighting of the Tree ceremony Monday is set to kick off the Mayor’s Christmas Toy Drive: Operation Santa Cop for this Christmas season.

A non-perishable food drive is held in conjunction with the annual toy drive for youth through age 18.

The tree lighting features free cookies, face painting and ornament making, as well as a visit from Santa and his wife. The children can expect goodie bags from Santa.

The Portales High School and Portales Junior High School choirs provide live caroling as well.

“We would like the whole community to come out for it,” City Community money clips Affairs Coordinator Nicole Wilkening said.

That night, she said, people can begin taking ornaments representing an anonymous child in need from the tree. They should return the gifts to City Hall by Dec. 4.

People can also drop off new, unwrapped gifts for any child or donate money.

The food drive is collecting canned goods and staples such as flour and sugar, said Police Deputy Chief Lonnie Berry. Last year, he said, officers delivering toys noticed some families also needed food.

For the first time this year, toy donors are entered in a drawing for a chance to have milk and cookies one-on-one with the Clauses.

“It’s just a Christmasy incentive to have people participate in the program,” pendants Wilkening said.

The drawing is scheduled for the Dec. 1 Portales City Council meeting.

“The program’s really important because everyone pulls together to provide presents and food staples, things of that nature, to families that won’t have a traditional Christmas this year,” Wilkening said. “So it’s just a way for the community to support each other and those going through hard times, because everyone does. The spirit of it is to not get discouraged and that the community is a family.”

Portales police officers deliver the gifts within city limits, and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s deputies serve children in the county. Portales Deputy Chief Lonnie Berry said officers took toys to 702 children last year.

Berry said there’s no particular type of gift needed.

“We serve such a wide variety, anything provided for us, we’ll be able to make use of it,” he said.

Berry said the drives are a great opportunity to give back to the earrings community.

“We have great interactions with the kids and the families we get to go back to,” he added.

Fast Facts

What: Lighting of the Tree for the Mayor’s Toy Drive: Operation Santa Cop

When: 6:30 p.m. Monday

Where: Portales City Hall

Toy drop locations:

–Portales City Hall, 100 W. First St.

–Portales Police Department, 1700 N. Boston Ave.

–Portales Senior Center, 421 N. Industrial Dr.

–Hestand’s Floral and Gifts, 813 W. Second St.

–Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, 100 S. Ave. A

earrings

New pitch says shop local at Christmas: Chamber hopes campaign can rev up poor economy

By admin, 19 November, 2009, No Comment

Billboards and advertisements carrying the message “Shop York County” will roll out for the Christmas shopping season, part of a marketing campaign to keep your wallet south of the state line.

Beleaguered retailers said they could use the help. As shoppers milled around the Rock Hill Galleria food court on Friday, Joseph Gurkan manned a kiosk that sells glass art jewellery. Gurkan had his laptop open and was checking out pictures on Facebook. He said he also was looking for other jobs.

“Right now, we are losing money,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s going to get better at Christmastime.”

Nearby, in the vacant Fashion Bug space, business and government leaders gathered to kick off the “Shop York County” campaign. They made some announcements:

Comporium Communications will donate air time for TV spots to promote the message.

Stores at the Galleria and nearby Manchester Village will team up to market the area as a shopping destination, officials said. They will form a permanent merchants’ association to share group advertising and partner on special events.

“It’s a really important step in the right direction,” said Rock Hill developer Warren Norman III, whose grandfather developed the mall 20 years ago.

Battling perceptions

The Galleria long has battled perception problems among shoppers in search of trendier options. Many make the 25-minute drive north to Carolina Place Mall in Pineville, N.C.

Dani Berry browsed clothing racks at the new anchor store, Famous Labels, on Friday afternoon. The 21-year-old Winthrop University student said she was about to head for Charlotte.

“There’s always that stereotype of ‘Charlotte’s bigger,’” she said. “They’re going to have better stuff. All my friends go to Charlotte to shop.”

Four years ago, Galleria owners put together plans to remake the mall’s front entrance with a snazzier facade and new restaurants. The project has been put on hold indefinitely, general manager Jeff Kirby said Friday.

City leaders have pushed forward with their own set of improvements.

In front of the Galleria, workers put in brick markers and black granite water fountains, as well as sidewalks, curbs and landscaping.

The goal is to brand the Dave Lyle Boulevard exit as a gateway entrance into South Carolina, City Manager Carey Smith told the audience Friday.

Kirby said the mall is positioned for success as the economy rebounds.

“We’ve come a long way in the last two decades,” he said. Retail space is 85 percent occupied, including some Christmas-themed stores that move in for the holiday season, Kirby said.

Wanted: More jobs

Job applications poured into Famous Labels as word spread of the store’s opening. Regional Director Milford Whitfield said he has a stack of 300 sitting on his desk and plans to hire about 10 employees.

The high number of job-seekers helps explain why the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce looked for ways to jump-start the economy as Christmas approaches.

One in five people in Rock Hill is out of work. The city’s unemployment rate stood at 20.6 percent in September, according to the most recent figures from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The countywide jobless rate is 14.1 percent.

“We are in a much different world today,” said Tony Berry, the developer of nearby Manchester Village. “What little dollars we all may be spending this year, we need to think about spending locally.”

About Famous Labels

Rock Hill Galleria lands anchor tenant

Famous Labels opened this week in the former Goody’s space, selling discount clothes and gift items in a store comparable to TJ Maxx.

The Las Vegas-based retailer operates 40 stores nationwide, including locations in Anderson and High Point, N.C.

Galleria officials are exploring options for the space left vacant by Steve & Barry’s discount clothing store. The space might be divided into smaller units, but nothing is imminent, general manager Jeff Kirby said.

For Famous Labels job information, visit famouslabels.net or e-mail milford@famouslabels.net.