Be a Salute! Wine Festival volunteer!  On Saturday, May 10, volunteer to work a two-hour shift between 10 a.m.and 6 p.m. and get a free ticket to the festival and a beautiful Salute! tee shirt.  Click here for more information on volunteering.

Hunt Collins & Associates is relocating from 380 Knollwood to 524 N. Trade Street in the Traders Row Building.  The company is a comprehensive financial services firm specializing in financial planning.  Principals are John Hunt and Jim Collins. 

 836 OAK is now being marketed by a team from Prudential Carolinas Realty.  Two floors of the historic 5-story building, formerly known as Tobacco Square, are finished and will be open for tours each Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. beginning April 5.  Many features original to the building have been maintained such as solid brick walks, wood floors, expansive windows and 10 to 15 foot ceiling heights. New amenities such as expansive landscaping, fitness room and total security round out the project.  For information contact Thomas Maier at 655-6641 or visit www.836oak.com.

Second Harvest Food Bank’s Empty Bowls signature fundraiser will again be held downtown – this time at the Millennium Center on Fifth Street.  On April 23 a variety of savory soups will be served up in handcrafted pottery bowls which become keepsakes.  Live music and a silent auction add to the lunchtime event which coincides with Administrative Professionals Day.  For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.hungernwnc.org.

 Join the war on graffiti!  To report graffiti on public or private property, call City Link at 727-8000 or click here.  Be prepared to give an exact location and description.  The City Council is considering a graffiti abatement ordinance.

 Hatch, Inc. now occupies over 12,000 s.f. on the lobby floor of Winston Tower after relocating from .Commerce Plaza. The company is an early childhood education solutions provider known for its computer technology used in classrooms nationwide.  Hatch offers a full catalog of over 3,500 products that are stocked in its warehouse.

 The law firm of Tolin Morrison & Altman has opened offices on the 8^th floor of Winston Tower.  Partners James Tolin, Alice Morrison and Kevin Altman focus on criminal and domestic law.

 First Presbyterian Church will host a stop on the 20-City “Whispered and Shouted” tour featuring Dove Award-winning “New Artist of the Year” Aaron Shust on Wednesday, April 16.  The concert will be the first big event in First Presbyterian’s new worship center at 200 N. Cherry Street.  The doors open at 6 p.m., and all tickets are general admission.  They can be purchased at the church, at The Master’s Loft bookstore and online at www.itickets.com.

 Leonard Ryden Burr has completed a renovation of its offices at 1012 Glade Street to create space for up to 15 more sales associates.  Leonard Ryden Burr, a residential real estate company, posted a 9.1% increase in sales last year over 2006 as compared with the overall market decline.

 Maya Angelou will be honored on her 80^th birthday with “A Hometown Salute” on Saturday, April 19, at 1 p.m. in Corpening Plaza.  Music, dancing, drama, special guests – all free and open to the public.

 Centenary United Methodist Church is sponsoring three seminars that explore issues surrounding immigration.  On Sunday, April 20, the award-winning documentary, “Crossing Arizona” will be shown; on Sunday, April 27, a panel will discuss the societal, economic, health, educational, and theological aspects of immigration and policy issues; on Sunday, May 4, Discernment Circles will focus on responding faithfully to the issues.  Each session will be held in the church auditorium accessed from 4-1/2 street from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

 Uptown Runaround Concierge is offering full concierge services to downtown businesses and residents alike.  As a time-saver for its clients, the company can provide errand services, grocery shopping, delivery/courier service, all types of business services, personal services or simply waiting.  To learn more, visit www.uptownrunaroundconcierge.com or call 336. 377-2411. The company is licensed and bonded.

 Stimmel Associates, PA a Landscape Architectural, Land Planning and Civil Engineering firm with offices at Trade and Sixth streets, has added to its staff Jessica Montgomery, PE  project engineer; Amy Leach EI and Ken Binkley EI, Engineering Technicians.  Downtown projects currently being worked on by Stimmel Associates are the strollway extension, ballpark, the Goler community streetscape, and various Piedmont Triad Research Park master plan projects.

THE 10TH ANNUAL RIVERRUN FILM FESTIVAL will take place April 23-28, 2008, one of the country’s fastest-growing regional film festivals, unveiled a sneak preview of some of the films in the program lineup for 2008. The Festival also announced that reduced-price All-Access Passes are now available for purchase.  Closing Night to Feature Alloy Orchestra, Full Program to Be Announced March 26th.  Visit www.riverrunfilm.com for more information.

Experience music, dance, theatre, film and more—all in one weekend! The second annual University of North Carolina Festival of the Arts will be held at the North Carolina School of the Arts on Saturday, April 12, from noon until 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 13, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The festival is family-friendly, free and open to the public, and will feature performances by groups from universities in the UNC system. Don’t miss this unique opportunity! Visit ncarts.edu/festival for more info.

 Winston-Salem has been named of the Top 100 Cities to Live and Launch!   "Rolling with the changing times, Winston-Salem has shifted its economic focus from tobacco, textiles, and furniture to biotech, supply-chain logistics and product distribution.  Like its business climate, Winston-Salem's social reputation has undergone a change. The city has worked hard over the past 10 years to improve the quality of life it offers, largely by broadening and better promoting its culinary and arts scenes. Music venues and galleries are scattered throughout the city, and annual theatre and film festivals keep arts mavens happy."