HDDA July Meeting Schedule
4/40 DESTINATION DOWNTOWN PROGRAM
Western Piedmont Symphony News
Full Circle Arts Announces Winners
Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse Hosts Artists
City of Hickory - 50/50 Graffiti Removal Program
New Small Business Owner Tax Benefits - Article
Swinging Under the Stars CDs Now Available
Available Properties in Downtown Hickory

HDDA JULY MEETINGS

July 5 - Independence Day HDDA Closed
July 13 - 8:00 am Promotions Committee Taste Full Beans
July 13 - 11:30 am Business Development Table 220
July 15 - 9:00 am Oktoberfest Committee City Hall
July 20 - 10:30 am Board of Directors City Hall

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HDDA - 4/40 DESTINATION DOWNTOWN PROGRAM

Come downtown. See what we have. Purchase that special item you've been looking for.
Enjoy your shopping experience.

The object of the 4/40 Program is to encourage citizens to repeat their visits to downtown Hickory and support locally-owned, independent businesses. By supporting independent businesses, more of your money stays in the community and strengthens the local economy.

Make your downtown Hickory your destination for shopping. You're invited.

4 Pick 4 of your favorite downtown businesses....ones you would like to keep around!

40 Drop into these businesses and spend at least $40 once a month in all four, or just one. You may wish to spend $10 at 4; $20 at 2. Your choice. The object is to promote sustainability of downtown businesses by being a regular customer.

Fact: Local businesses have bigger local impact. For every $100 spent in independently owned, local stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. Spent in a national chain, only $43 remains in Hickory. Spent online the amount is $0 *.

Fact: The City of Hickory's population is about 40,000. If half of our population spent at least $40 a month in downtown, the impact would be $800,000 a month or $9.6 million per year**.

Join the 4/40 @ Destination Downtown movement! Catch the spirit!

*Civic Economics 2004
**Western Piedmont Council of Governments

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WESTERN PIEDMONT SYMPHONY NEWS

PROGRAM BOOK CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY
The annual program book ad campaign is in full swing. WPS needs your help again this year! The funds generated through selling ads for the program book is vital to the overall operation of the symphony. If you, or possibly your company or employer, would like to place an ad, we'd be very grateful for your help. Contact Paulette Miller, WPS Marketing Director, at 828-324-8603 or email her at paulettemiller@wpsymphony.org for more information.

YOUTH SYMPHONY SCHEDULE
The schedule of the Western Piedmont Youth Symphony is online at www.wpsymphony.org
Auditions for the Western Piedmont Youth Symphony will be held August 25-Sept 9 by appointment through the WPS Office. Candidates for membership need to prepare two major scales and one minor scale (any form) in two or more octaves, and a solo piece. Sightreading is also required. Youth Symphony dues are $65 per year.

KONTRAS ON THEIR WAY!
The Kontras Quartet members will be visiting our area from July 5-13th to look for housing for next season. They will be in Hickory for three years. Anyone who might have a suggestion for housing options for Kontras Quartet members should contact the WPS office at 324-8603. One of the violinists Francois is married to Erica, but they do not have children, the other three members (one male, two female) are all single. Call the WPS office or email johnross@wpsymphony.org if you have suggestions. This might be a good way to derive some extra income from an empty mother-in-law apartment, for example.

ALLEN KINDT TO PERFORM WITH KONTRAS
On July 10th at the Arts Center Auditorium there will be a special concert featuring three of the Kontras members and retired ASU piano professor Allen Kindt at 8 p.m. featuring Mozart's Piano Quartet in g minor. A complete schedule of events will follow in the next edition of E-News.

ROCK 'N ROLLERS TAKE NOTE!
Members of the Western Piedmont Symphony will be appearing at CoMMA in Morganton on Thursday, July 29th at 7:30 p.m. in "The Music of Queen" a full evening of hits. For more information and online ticket purchase check on commaonline.org. Tickets are priced from $32-$44 and are also available at the CoMMA box office. You can call 828-433-SHOW.

TWO PART-TIME POSITIONS AVAILABLE AT SYMPHONY
WPS is currently taking applications for the two part-time positions: Personnel Manager to the Orchestra and Music Librarian. Please see website or call office for more details.

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FULL CIRCLE ARTS ANNOUNCES WINNERS

Winners Announced Full Circle Arts All Member Show

Full Circle Art's All Member Show is competition for members of Full Circle Arts. The exhibition will be on view at Full Circle Arts until July 10. The members of Full Circle Arts consider this show a wonderful opportunity to display the great variety and range of their artistic talents.

Amanda Forbrick, formerly of the Hickory Museum of Art and now with Brunk Auctions in Asheville, judged the art works for prizes. Ribbons and merchant awards were presented at the Annual Members' meeting on June 10, 2010.

First prize, Judy Rider for Morning Light
Second prize, Barbara Haeme for Slinkys Large and Small
Third prize, Ellen Schwarzbek forTrees Whisper of Long Ago

Honorable mentions went to:
Nina Hardison forThe Big Catch
Margery Johnson for Shadow's Garden
Priscilla Wallace for Christus Rex
Nelson Brookshire for Water Lily I
Natalie McNeely for Holding Myself Together
Meredith Janssen for In the Shade of the Palms
Deber Klein for White Room
Shirley Lee for Maine Coastline

Visitors to the gallery were able to vote for a People's Choice award, which went to Nelson Brookshire for Water Lily I.

Those who donated awards to go with the ribbons are: Lynn Blackwelder, Chloe's Salon, Heather Friday, Barbara Haeme, Nina Hardison, Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory Museum of Art Galleria, Meredith Janssen, and P.L. Rhodes.

Full Circle Arts is located in downtown Hickory, NC, at 266 First Avenue NW. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11:00 to 5:00. More information about Full Circle Arts, classes, membership or other upcoming events is available at 828-322-7545. You may also write to Full Circle Arts P.O. Box 3905 Hickory NC 28603 or email info@fullcirclearts.org. Please visit our website at http://www.fullcirclearts.org/.

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THE ARTISTS OF TASTE FULL BEANS COFFEEHOUSE
29 Second Street NW

Spencer Huffman (photography),
Matt Robbins (oils),
Janey Miller (acrylics),
Beth Hunter (pottery),
Stony Walker (acrylics),
Everdith Landrau (jewelry),
Anne Fredley (oils), and
Pat Flachbart (watercolors)

The works of these artists will be exhibited through July 17!

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CITY OF HICKORY - 50/50 GRAFFITI REMOVAL PROGRAM

The City of Hickory invites citizens to partner with the City of Hickory in cleaning up graffiti on
their property. The City has developed a grant program to remove graffiti on buildings and to
protect neighborhoods against blight. The City wants to partner with property owners to clean up their property; and to help, the City is offering a up to $1,000 or a 50 percent cost share match (whichever is less) to property owners who participate. The Graffiti Removal Grant Program is designed to help reduce the burden of the cost of this initial clean up and encourage property owners to take steps now to remove graffiti. This program will be in effect through the summer; however, all graffiti must be removed by September 15th to qualify for the grant reimbursement. Details about the Graffiti Removal Grant are listed below:

Features of the 50/50 Graffiti Removal Grant

1. The Graffiti Removal Program is a voluntary program for property owners with graffiti in
the city limits.

2. Grants of up to $1,000 or 50% of eligible project costs (whichever is less) are available
for reimbursement according to the grant guidelines.

3. Property owners are limited to one graffiti removal grant regardless of the number of
properties they own.

4. A participation form must be filled out for the program. Go to www.hickory.gov to
access the grant materials.

5. The graffiti covered under this program must be on the exterior of the structure.

6. There is no right or entitlement to grant funding. All funding decisions are made at the
discretion of the granting authority and subject to budget appropriation.

Program Steps

1. Inquire about the reimbursement program by calling the Hickory Police Department at
828-261-2649. HPD Code Enforcement staff will take the initial phone call and a police
officer will complete a report with photos and address information.

2. Property owners must fill out a participation form (available online or sent in a
notification letter) and turn it in to the City of Hickory Finance Department.

3. The property owner has the work performed and keeps receipts and/or invoices for
reimbursement.

4. The property owner submits receipts/invoices for reimbursement of 50% (or $1000
whichever is less) to the City of Hickory Finance Department. To contact the Finance
Department regarding this grant, call 828-323-7417.

5. Property owners contact Hickory Police Code Enforcement Unit at 261-2649 to inspect
the site to document that the graffiti removal work was performed according to the
program guidelines.

6. The City of Hickory Finance Department issues a check for the appropriate
reimbursement amount (50% or $1000, whichever is less) to the property owner.

Applicant Eligibility

Applicant must:
_ Be the legal owner of the property;
_ Not owe any back taxes or utilities fees;
_ Sign a participation form to be eligible for reimbursement.
_ Submit receipts and invoices for the work done.
_ Complete the graffiti removal and submit all paperwork to City of Hickory Finance Department prior to 5:00pm on September 15, 2010 in order for the work to be inspected and the reimbursement to be processed before September 30, 2010.

Graffiti Ordinance Adopted

Effective October 1, 2010, the City has passed a new regulation that makes having graffiti on
your building a nuisance according to City Code. The Graffiti Ordinance categorizes graffiti as a
nuisance, and requires that property owners remove the graffiti at their expense. Failure to
remove the graffiti in a certain time period will trigger the City tore move it at the owners
expense, including the potential for a lien on the property, according to Chapter 20 of the Hickory
City Code.

We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to partner with the City of Hickory to
clean up the graffiti and receive a 50 percent reimbursement for your costs up to $1000.00.
For more information on this grant, please contact the Hickory Police Department Code
Enforcement Unit at 828-261-2649. We look forward to working with property owners to clean
up Hickory.

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NEW IRS TAX BENEFITS FOR BUSINESSES
From Industry Alexander Newsletter, June 2010

Two new tax benefits are now available to employers hiring workers who were previously unemployed or only working part time. These provisions are part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act enacted into law earlier this year.

Employers who hire unemployed workers this year (after Feb 3, 2010 and before Jan 1, 2011) may qualify for a 6.2 percent payroll tax incentive, in effect exempting them from their share of Social Security taxes on wages paid to these workers after March 18, 2010. This reduced tax withholding will have no effect on the employee's future Social Security benefits, and employers would still need to withhold the employee's 6.2 percent share of Social Security taxes, as well as income taxes. The employer and employee's shares of Medicare taxes would also still apply to these wages.

In addition, for each worker retained for at least a year, businesses may claim an additional general business tax credit, up to $1,000 per worker, when they file their 2011 income tax returns.

" These tax breaks offer a much needed boost to employers willing to expand their payrolls, and businesses and nonprofits should keep these benefits in mind as they plan for the year ahead," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman.

The two tax benefits are expecially helpful to employers who are adding positions to their payrolls. New hires filling existing positions also qualify but only if the workers they are replacing left voluntarily or for cause. Family members and other relatives do not qualify.

In addition, the new law requires that the employer get a statement from each eligible new hire certifying that he or she was unemployed during the 60 days before beginning work or, alternatively, worked fewer than a total of 40 hours for someone else during the 60-day period. The IRS is currently developing a form employees can use to make the required statement.

Businesses, agricultural employers, tax-exempt organizations and public colleges and universities all qualify to claim the payroll tax benefit for eligible newly-hired employees. Household employers cannot claim this new tax benefit.

Employers claim the payroll tax benefit on teh federal employment tax return they file, usually quarterly, with the IRS. Eligible employers will be able to claim the new tax incentive on thier revised employment tax form for the second quarter of 2010. Additional details about the HIRE Act are available on the IRS website at www.irs.org

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SWINGING UNDER THE STARS CDS NOW AVAILABLE


If you pre-purchased a "CD" from Swinging Under the Stars, it is now available with your name on it and will be waiting for your pickup at "The Music Center, Inc." in Hickory (beside Home Depot) after Monday, June 28. Additional CD's are available for $5. CD #1 is the Hickory Jazz Orchestra only.. nearly 80 mins of music. CD #2 is the Arndt Middle school and the Northview Middle School only. You're welcome to both at no extra cost. Thanks for making this year's SUS a huge success and look for the Hickory Jazz Orchestra at Oktoberfest in downtown Hickory! For more info please visit www.hickoryjazzorchestra.com.