My antenna was raised scrolling through this Twitter feed, but I thought surely not. But evidently it’s for real —Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines is pondering a run for governor.
Name recognition is a problem at this late date —no time to build a brand.
Little history lesson from the local paper of record —-Winston -Salem has given the state only one governor —-Robert B. Glenn, who served from 1905-1909.
No CommentsOn top of last night’s blowout comes news that Greensboro Page quarterback James Summers has forsaken the Wolfpack in favor of the Tar Heels.
Summer did it all in Page’s victory in the state championship game, but he’s not a classic pocket passer and rumor had it he would switch to receiver or defensive back at State. But —according the N&R —- new Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora can see Summers playing quarterback in the Heels’ new spread offense.
No CommentsI was mentally shouting out a big —-pardon the pun —-yessss! as I read Yes!Weekly’s editorial letting Greensboro Coliseum Director Matt Brown hear it over his push for a $30-plus million bond to replace aging War Memorial Auditorium:
It’s important to remember that, though Brown is the city’s highest paid employee — by quite a bit last year, at $212,332 making more than $30,000 more than former City Manager Rashad Young and almost $75,000 more than police Chief Ken Miller — the coliseum is not as central to the city’s well being as its internal operations and police department, which could survive without the coliseum but without which the coliseum could not make it.
Brown seems to be acting like a favored child, who wants everything at the expense of his siblings, and we are here to tell him to share his toys.
So you can imagine the letdown —I was hoping they’d suggest shoving the bond— when the editorial went on to say that a new entertainment center belongs downtown, perhaps in the Ole Asheboro neighborhood, although in the end it did question the need “for such a thing.”
Far be it for me to defend Matt Brown, but when looked at objectively, his plan is cheaper —perhaps much cheaper depending on the numbers, which right now range between $32 million- $43 for a site at the coliseum complex to $49-$72 million for a downtown site.
Besides, what does Brown care where it goes, since Mayor Robbie Perkins has already let it be known that he wants Brown to run the new venue, no matter where it ends up. And if Brown has to split time between two different sites, the city would have to give him a raise, eh?
No CommentsCJ reports on Gov. Perdue’s surprising announcement that she will not seek another term.
So who’s on the short list, besides Rep. Bill Faison?
Democratic consultant Joe Sinsheimer said the wild card in the primary fight would be whether Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx runs.
“Personally, I think he is the strongest nominee,” Sinsheimer said. “Dalton would suffer from Perdue baggage, because he comes from the same political machine as the governor, and Foxx would be the freshest face.”
Foxx, an African-American, won a second term as mayor of the Queen City in November, taking home two-thirds of the vote compared to his Republican opponent.
Another name being floated as a gubernatorial contender: U.S. Rep. Brad Miller, Democrat of North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District, who announced Wednesday that he won’t seek re-election to Congress. Rumors had circulated that Miller would challenge fellow Democrat David Price to a primary in the 4th Congressional District.
Other names on the short list: Bob Etheridge, former congressman from North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District; Erskine Bowles, former chief of staff to President Clinton and past president of the University of North Carolina system; and Heath Shuler, congressman from North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.
Sinsheimer adds “Perdue’s announcement is good news for Democrats, because the ‘focus in November can now be on the message as opposed to the messenger.’”
No CommentsThe Rhino covered the recent ‘urgent special called meeting’ to try to figure out what’s wrong with High Point.
I’d sum it up as a total lack of charm, but ‘private providers’ hired HP-based McNeill Communications Group to get some specifics. The leading indicator that something’s wrong is executives working for High Point-based companies apparently choose to live in G’boro or surrounding smaller communities:
McNeill Communications grilled the execs on what research they had done before moving to Guilford County, where they got their information on the county, and what their impressions were of High Point before moving.
Of the 31 people interviewed, seven had no general impression of High Point, five knew of it only through the furniture market, three (seriously) answered, “furniture, furniture, furniture,” two were familiar with the area and two considered it a pretty small town that was dead between the spring and fall furniture markets.
…Other weaknesses included a lack of shops, restaurants and entertainment, an “unacceptable” main street and “unappealing” front and back doors to the city (US 311 north and south). McNeill projected on a screen comparative photographs of Main Street in High Point and main streets in other cities, and the contrast hardly needed comment.
High Point lingers in a sort of municipal no-man’s land —-it does not have the amenities of nearby larger cities like G’boro or Winston-Salem; nor does it have the charm of nearby smaller cities like Lexington or Thomasville. City leaders are doing the best they can to effect change with efforts like the Core City plan, but —as is the case with most gov’t central planning —— expectations are often higher than actual results.
No CommentsI was just digesting the news that my congressman Brad Miller will not seek another term when the story breaks that Gov. Bev Perdue will not seek a second term.
Let’s be honest –liberal Democrats love the power of public office and the only reason why they don’t run is they know they can’t win.
No CommentsDevelopers of the proposed —and already controversial— development at W. Friendly Avenue and Hobbs Road met with N&R reports and editorial writers today and provided details.
The 53,000, four-building shopping center would be anchored by a grocery store and a drugstore, though no names were mentioned. Trader Joe’s and CVS have been rumored, however. The developer still has not submitted a formal plan to the city’s zoning commission, which mean it would be March at the earliest before it could go before the commission.
I’ve been following the amateur real estate brokers in local blogs and the N&R LTE pages submitting other possible locations for a Trader Joe’s that would make for a win-win situation. I’m not knocking their ideas, but it’s clear the developer wants to build on this particular piece of property, period. Thus local gov’t —- most definitely this will go before the liberal NIMBY Greensboro City Council—- will be forced to choose between the developer and the nearby neighborhood. It will be an interesting decision.
1 CommentThe High Point Enterprise reports the Piedmont Triad International Airport Authority has approved fee waivers for airlines that offer or expand service to an airport served by PTIA:
An airline that introduces service between PTIA and a new airport will have its “new service charges” waived for two years after the service starts. An airline that “introduces new competitive service” to an airport now served by PTIA would receive the incentives for one year. The incentives to airlines couldn’t surpass a ceiling of $5 for each “qualifying passenger” an airline boards through its new service, according to the Airport Authority.
Authority chairman Henry Isaacson according to the HPE — says the airport “would recoup the incentives through additional money spent by greater numbers of passengers on parking, meals, beverages, gifts and other items at PTIA.”
That’s the way it works, at least in theory.
No CommentsThe Winston-Salem Journal calls the city’s Creative Corridors Coalition public art competition a ‘misfire’:
All three qualifying entries (two others did not meet the qualifying criteria) showed thought and imagination, but judging from public reaction, they were, perhaps not quite the most accurate representation of Winston-Salem that could be hoped for.
Artists’ conceptions don’t jibe with the general public’s conception —imagine that. But —-imagine this —-the Journal asks for a do-over and —while they’re at it —suggests “it might also help the coalition to offer a bit more than a $300 first-place award.”
You know the old saying —-$$$$$ talks……..bullshit walks.
No CommentsThe Greensboro City Council endorsed a November bond referendum for a new performing arts center to replace aging War Memorial Auditorium. Exactly where it would go is unclear —-Coliseum director Matt Brown favors a site close to the coliseum complex in order to take advantage of existing infrastructure, but we’re already seeing movement to build it downtown.
Read the N&R story and you’ll note projected costs are all over the place — depending on the site—- but the Rhino’s been reporting that a $30 million bond is being floated.
Mayor Robbie Perkins said the “public sector shouldn’t be asked to bear any greater burden downtown than it should be asked to bear at the coliseum.” Problem is the definition of public sector burden depends on the particular point of view.
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