DOE grant: No winners

The Rhino’s John Hammer on this week’s ‘magnanimous moment’ in Greensboro city government:

…Councilmembers Trudy Wade and Diane Bellamy-Small rarely agree on anything, but the two joined on Tuesday, Sept. 21 to question a $5 million federal stimulus program aimed at promoting loans to make East Greensboro homes more energy efficient – a program several Greensboro councilmembers said they feared would merely encourage homeowners to take on more debt.

The US Department of Energy Better Buildings grant, which was awarded to 25 cities across the country, including Greensboro, would multiply by many times the more modest programs Greensboro has had in place to make older homes more energy efficient.

When Wade and TDBS both say there are no winners in this deal, there probably aren’t, except the ‘consultants’ and city staff members hired to oversee the program.

Downtown G’boro outdoor ice skating rink

No judgment, just fact —–Downtown Greensboro Inc. —–recipients of city money —- is gauging interest in a downtown outdoor ice skating rink as part of annual Winterfest. No surprise, N&R editorial page editor Allen Johnson thinks it’s a ‘cool idea.’

Commenters raise concerns about G’boro’s moderate winter climate, although the article mentions ice rinks in Charlotte and Raleigh as part of those cities’ winter festivals, while Johnson notes Myrtle Beach’s rink.

Personally, I’m not understanding why the budget goes up considerably once the rink is up and running —–with admission comparable to a movie ticket.