PHHI Welcomes New Researcher Focused on Berry and Vegetable Genomics and Breeding

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. –Dr. Massimo Iorizzo recently joined N.C. State University’s Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI) at the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis. An assistant professor in the Department of Horticultural Science, Iorizzo’s research will focus on genetics, genomics, germplasm improvement and breeding of small fruits (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.) and vegetable crops.

He will research the health-promoting phytoactive compounds inherent in fruits and vegetables, while also investigating strategies for selecting, concentrating and preserving these phytochemicals. Iorizzo will begin his research effort at PHHI by working to identify molecular mechanisms regulating anthocyanin accumulation and diversification in carrot, in collaboration with Dr. Philipp Simon’s team at University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he worked as a postdoctoral assistant and an assistant scientist for the past five years. Ultimately he will be developing an integrated genetic and genomic approach to identify genes regulating the accumulation of health-promoting phytochemicals in berries and vegetables.

PHHI’s interdisciplinary structure and the connection with the Department of Horticultural Science were attractive aspects of this position. Iorizzo says, “I can help to link a plant genome to my colleagues’ research on plant phytochemical characterization, conservation and benefit to human health. This link will lay the groundwork for an effective strategy to breed for new varieties of berries and vegetables with increased nutritional value.”

Dr. Mary Ann Lila, director of the Plants for Human Health Institute, says, “In addition to the contributions Dr. Iorizzo will make benefiting the berry industry in North Carolina through his research, he will be an enormous asset to our campus-wide Plant Pathways Elucidation Project (P2EP). He will interface with NC State and UNC Charlotte faculty as well as Dole Foods and General Mills scientists in this expanding program, and will mentor and guide the P2EP graduate students and interns.”

Iorizzo earned his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics from the University of Naples, Italy, in 2009. He most recently held an assistant scientist position at the University of Wisconsin Madison and has published more than 20 research articles.
The Plants for Human Health Institute now includes six lead research faculty, with three more expected to be hired this fall in the areas of regenerative medicine, translational nutrition and food allergies/ immunology. The institute employs 52 faculty and staff, including postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and Cooperative Extension associates.

PIZZERIA LOCALE OPENS FIRST KANSAS CITY LOCATION

Neapolitan-style pizzeria in partnership with Chipotle Mexican Grill opens first location outside Denver in Kansas City’s Waldo neighborhood

DENVER, July 9, 2015 – Pizzeria Locale, a partnership between restaurateurs Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG), will officially open its third restaurant, the first outside of Denver, at 505 West 75th Street in Kansas City, Mo., on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Pizzeria Locale’s fast-casual restaurants are based on Stuckey and Mackinnon-Patterson’s full-service pizzeria in Boulder, Colo., and incorporate the original’s commitment to the finest ingredients and service with a fast-casual service model inspired by Chipotle.

“Opening Pizzeria Locale in Kansas City is an exciting milestone for us and we are thrilled that we’re able to be a part of such a dynamic and inspiring dining scene,” said Mackinnon-Patterson. “The community of restaurateurs, purveyors and diners has welcomed us with open arms.”

Pizzeria Locale offers a menu that includes classic pizzas as well as the option for guests to create their own combinations from a selection of high-quality ingredients presented in an interactive service line. Pizzas are then fired in a custom-designed, high-temperature pizza oven. The restaurant also serves hand-tossed salads and sides, including meatballs and freshly sliced prosciutto. Red or white Italian wine, custom-blended by Stuckey, is available on tap. Additionally, the Kansas City location offers a special selection of local beers from Mother’s Brewing, Boulevard, Martin City, Urban Chestnut, Public House, Free State and Schlafly. The menu also features a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, including Alchemy Coffee from Lawrence, Kan., which created 8 oz. cold brew coffee bottles specially for Pizzeria Locale.

Pizzeria Locale’s contemporary interiors, produced in collaboration with Denver-based firm Semple Brown Design, features dark woods, white tiled floors and walls and marble accents on tables and the pizza-making station.  Additional design highlights include photographs of Naples street scenes and markets by Dave Woody, a Colorado-based photographer and longtime friend of Stuckey and Mackinnon-Patterson’s. Pizzeria Locale’s Kansas City location has indoor seating for 32 and seasonal outdoor seating for 18.

The original Pizzeria Locale in Boulder opened in 2011 and was created by Frasca Food and Wine founders Stuckey, a Master Sommelier, and executive chef Mackinnon-Patterson.  The full-service restaurant is a contemporary pizzeria inspired by the traditional pizzerias of Naples, Italy.  The fast-casual restaurants also draw from the same inspiration, as well as a commitment to premium ingredients and an interactive service format similar to Chipotle.

Pizzeria Locale joins ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen as an additional concept that provides future growth opportunities for Chipotle.  Chipotle currently operates 10 ShopHouse restaurants in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles with additional restaurants opening in the coming months.

Stuckey and Mackinnon-Patterson’s other ventures, Frasca Food and Wine and the original Pizzeria Locale in Boulder, Colo., are not part of this partnership and are not affiliated in any way with Chipotle.

Does marriage predict home sales?

Does marriage predict home sales?

By Robert Romano

"[M]illennials' current aversion to marriage and children affects when — or if — they purchase homes. As long as they delay or forego these choices, they are much less likely to want to buy a home, even if they can afford it. Homeownership simply does not fit their current lifestyle."

That was Mark Fleming, chief economist of First American Financial Corp., writing for Investor's Business Daily an eye-opening piece behind the continued decline of homeownership in the U.S.

In it, Fleming notes that the homeownership rate has declined from 69 percent in the mid-2000s to just 64 percent today. He discounts factors such as student loan debt or lack of finances as the primary culprit.

In fact, as in past generations, a college degree still predicts a higher rate of employment, and higher levels of income.

Instead, writes Fleming, "My research has led me to an unconventional, yet surprisingly obvious, answer. Lack of finances is not the primary reason millennials are shunning homeownership — in fact, it's not a significant problem at all. The real reason they're delaying or avoiding homeownership is their lifestyle choices, especially in the realm of marriage and children."

Indeed, considering a combination of data compiled by the National Association of Realtors, the Centers for Disease Control, and the U.S. Census Bureau, surges in the marriage rate appear to precede jumps in home sales, which in turn, precede increases in the birth rate.

Fleming notes over the past generation, as the baby boom abated, the percentage of families with children has declined from 50 percent to 42 percent, and the percentage of married couple households has also dropped from 58 percent to 48 percent.

Fleming sums up the problem, "For a variety of reasons, millennials are getting married later and having children later — if they do either at all."

This, in turn, is suppressing demand to own a home. All of which does not bode well for the real estate market.

After all, why buy a 3-bedroom, single-family home if you're still single? Regardless of income, the additional expense and risk of taking on a mortgage is apparently not compelled except by the necessity of more space that comes with raising children.

However, since economic growth, job creation, and a lot of other vital indicators tend to rely on a robust housing market, the decision of younger Americans not to get married and have children in as great of numbers as they once did is a troubling one.

Declining birth rates will also drag down growth over the long term, with fewer working-age adults producing less and also spending less. Indeed, what is the point of increasing production if demand will be falling?

Something to consider.

In the meantime, don't be surprised if the collapse of American families continues to drag down everything from home sales to growth, sorry to say.

Robert Romano is the senior editor of Americans for Limited Government. 

Four School Nutrition Professionals Recognized for Extraordinary Achievements

Salt Lake City, UT (July 12, 2015) – The School Nutrition Association (SNA) recognized four of its own today at the 69th Annual National Conference, in Salt Lake City, UT.  In addition to state and regional award winners, four SNA members received national recognition for their superior accomplishments in the school nutrition arena:

Ann Roberson’s upbeat attitude and inspiring work ethic has earned her the Employee of the Year Award and a place in the hearts of students and staff at Pierce County High School in Georgia. Ann has excellent rapport with her students, connecting with each of them as they come through the cafeteria and making an extra effort to engage any students sitting alone. She’s known as a team player, quick to take on new responsibilities, support her coworkers and promote a positive work environment. Ann goes above and beyond, developing new, healthy recipes and volunteering to spearhead the expansion of the district’s summer meal program into local churches, successfully increasing the program’s reach by 7,000 meals.

Lizabeth Randall, SNS of Wayzata Public Schools in Minnesota has earned the Manager of the Year Award for her constant focus on improving the cafeteria experience for students and staff. With student wellness in mind, Lizabeth redesigned the serving lines and developed a visual labeling system to encourage students to select more fresh fruits and vegetables. To help young students navigate the cafeteria, she produced informative videos and hosts Parent Forums throughout the school year, showcasing serving lines and foodservice operations. Wayzata’s Culinary Express team also appreciates Lizbeth’s efforts to improve staff training and professional development.

Leah Schmidt, SNS, of Hickman Mills C-1 School District in Missouri has earned the Director of the Year Award. As nutrition services director, Leah has focused on expanding access to healthy meals for students, implementing Grab and Go and Universal breakfast programs, starting the first supper program in the state and helping establish a weekend BackSnacks program to benefit families in need. She revitalized the menu with offerings like Roasted Chicken Curry, Sweet Potato Crusted Fish and fresh Chef Salads. With the support of her devoted staff, the district has increased the number of healthy meals served by 82%. Leah has also hired a registered dietitian to conduct nutrition education in the classroom, partnered with local farmers on student events and coordinated a wellness mentoring program among teens and elementary students.  Leah served as 2013-2014 School Nutrition Association President.

The Industry Member of the Year Award goes to Tracey Tinder, ConAgra Foods, Inc.’s Western Regional Sales Manager K-12 School Specialist. Once a beneficiary of the National School Lunch Program, Tracey has dedicated the last 18 years to strengthening the program for students. She hosts taste tests and nutrition fairs, volunteers to teach staff development and training sessions and even launched an “Adopt a School Program” to better support the districts she has served. Among her many critical roles at California SNA, Tracey has devoted countless hours to the affiliate’s Public Policy and Legislation Committee, collaborated with operators to develop impactful legislative resources, and raised funds allowing 140 SNA members to participate in legislative conferences. Tracey currently serves as a member of the SNA Industry Advisory Board.

Carmel Middle School Student Petitions for Healthy, Vegetarian Lunches

***http://www.thepetitionsite.com/987/051/407/***

An eighth grade student’s Care2 petition has gathered over 17,000 signatures

CHARLOTTE  — A student going into eighth grade at Carmel Middle School says the school doesn’t provide enough vegetarian lunch options for students like her. Her Care2 petition asking the school to provide healthy vegetarian options has gathered over 17,000 signatures from supporters all over the world.

VIEW THE CARE2 PETITION HERE: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/987/051/407/

Elly Kirk, 13, says she started her Care2 petition because her vegetarian friends have limited options when choosing what to eat. She says she plans to present her petition to the school board.

“At my school, healthy options for vegetarians are rare. I don't buy my lunch, but my friends that don't eat meat and DO buy the cafeteria food come back with barely anything to eat at all,” Kirk writes on her petition. “Not even the salads are meat-free. It's close minded and disrespectful.”

Kirk says the vegetarian options at the school are mainly snack items.

“When they aren't snacks they are either nachos, mac and cheese, or cheese sticks, and that's pretty much it,” Kirk told Care2.

She says her vegetarian friends have seen the petition and fully support her efforts.

“Just because we're kids doesn't mean we should eat whatever someone puts on our plates,” Kirk writes. “We have minds of our own, and we should be able to make the decision for ourselves.”

School officials were unable to be reached for comment.

WHAT ARE THE BEST FRENCH FRIES IN THE COUNTRY?

RANKER RELEASES RESULTS OF BEST FAST FOOD FRIES POLL BASED ON
24,000 VOTES

Los Angeles, CA – July 13, 2015 – Every fast food restaurant has their own style of fries, and people can be very opinionated about their favorites.

In honor of National French Fries Day (July 13th), Ranker.com, the #1 online destination for crowdsourced rankings of everything, today released the results of its public poll asking voters to rank The Best Fast Food French Fries to determine which ones are a cut above the rest.

The poll, which closed voting on July 11th, included 32 varieties for consumers to rank. The Top 10 as determined by more than 24,000 votes are as follows:

1. McDonald’s French Fries
2. Wendy’s Natural Cut Fries
3. Arby’s Curly Fries
4. Chick-fil-A Waffle Fries
5. KFC Potato Wedges
6. Burger King French Fries
7. Five Guys’ Cajun Fries
8. Popeyes Cajun Fries
9. Rally’s/Checker’s Seasoned Fries
10. In-n-Out French Fries

Full Poll Results

While McDonalds dominated the #1 Spot ranking first across virtually all demographics, Ranker’s poll also reveals:
•         Millennials prefer Dairy Queen French Fries and Chick-fil-A Waffle Fries
•         Baby Boomers like Arby’s Curly Fries and White Castle Fries
•         Women favor Rally’s/Checker’s Seasoned Fries and Culver’s Fries
•         Men’s top picks included KFC Potato Wedges and Dairy Queen French Fries

DOCUMENTARY, THE CONTENDER, FOLLOWS AMERICAN CHEF TRAINING FOR WORLD COOKING COMPETITION

Los Angeles, CA (July 13, 2015)—In September 2015, Havenbrook Media is releasing The Contender, a documentary that takes place in the winter of 2012, where Certified Master Chef Rich Rosendale and Corey Siegel earn the opportunity to represent the United States in the prestigious cooking competition known as the Bocuse d'Or. The documentary is directed by Josh Baldwin who also serves as producer along with Mark E. Trent.

Held every two years in Lyon, France, the Bocuse d'Or represents the pinnacle of competition cooking. With the United States determined to make the podium for the first time ever, Rich and Corey embark on an intense one-year training regimen that includes the construction of a secret test kitchen inside of a decommissioned cold war bunker. Together with some of America’s greatest chefs, they vied for culinary glory at the Bocuse d'Or in Lyon, France.

“This film will give you the perspective of what it is like to compete at the very top of culinary competition,” said Rosendale.  “The dizzying workload and the attention to detail is unlike anything you have ever seen before. And in the end, you will see if the United States will finally make history.”