► Visitor spending increases in NC, Polk County among highest spending counties

Figures from the Department of Commerce for the 2015-2016 fiscal year indicate domestic visitor spending has increased in 91 of 100 counties in the state. Visitors spent a record $21.9 billion statewide last year, which directly supported 211,487 jobs and generated nearly $5.3 billion in payroll income across North Carolina. The visitor spending figures come from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina and conducted by the U.S. Travel Association using sales and tax revenue, data employment figures and other industry and economic data to determine the overall impact of visitor spending in North Carolina.

► GE’s CEO speaks at Mission Health in Asheville Friday

General Electric’s CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, held a press conference at Mission Health in Asheville last Friday to announce a new deal that will curb the costs of healthcare while improving services. In his speech Immelt guaranteed Mission would save $40 million during the next 10 years with this partnership. The goal of the partnership is to figure out how to better use the monitoring equipment at a patient’s bedside while also improving images of CT scanners and MRIs. Mission committed to spending $280 million on GE equipment for the duration of the project.

► Mountain View BBQ added to Edia Maps Great NC BBQ Map

A new map detailing BBQ eateries in the state has added 65 new restaurants this year, including Mountain View BBQ in Columbus. The “Great NC BBQ Map,” created by Edia Maps in Charlotte, condenses a large amount of information on each restaurant listed and provides an infographic on a variety of restaurant information from hours of operation to the style of sauce used by each restaurant chef. The map also provides a history of BBQ and features BBQ traditions, culture and the importance of BBQ in the United States. The map will be available September 1 at www.ediamaps.com.

► Burntshirt Vineyards awarded medals at 2016 Asheville Wine & Food Festival

Burntshirt Vineyard’s 2015 Grüner Veltliner and 2014 O Cellars Reserve Cabernet Franc were awarded Gold Medals during the 2016 Asheville Wine & Food Festival’s Wine Competition. Silver medals were also awarded to Burntshirt’s 2014 Chardonnay, 2013 Merlot and NV Altitude 3400 wines. Burntshirt Vineyards is located at 2695 Sugarloaf Road in Hendersonville and is open daily from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. All of the grapes used in Burntshirt’s wines are grown in one of their two vineyards straddling the Eastern Continental Divide of the Appalachian Mountains.