April 29, 2005
It's been fun.
Well...what a long, strange trip it's already been. I've ranted. You've ranted. We've had some lively debates and discussions, and I hope they'll continue.
I've been impressed by some bloggers' ability to turn EVERY SUBJECT into an attack on Guilford County Schools. I mean, wow, an historical marker somehow becomes the chance to take a potshot at Terry Grier? That's imaginative and impressive. Seriously.
I've also been happy to see that there are some folks who would like to talk about other things. If anyone has anything they'd like to discuss next week, please post a comment. I've enjoyed this first week of blogging.
See you next week.
Posted by at 4:26 PM | Comments (5)
Jamestown author has new book
"Walking Ribbon," the newest book by Jamestown author Julia Taylor Ebel, was released today. It's a children's book set in Liberty, the town in Randolph County.
Ebel also is the author of "Addie Clawson: Appalachian Mail Carrier."
Within days, "Walking Ribbon" should be available for purchase at the Jamestown Public Library, 200 W. Main St. You can already buy "Addie Clawson" there for $10.
For more information, call the library: 454-4815.
Posted by at 2:55 PM | Comments (2)
New historical marker
If you've been speeding along Greensboro-High Point Road, intent on getting home or to work, you may have missed Jamestown's newest historical marker.
It's outside the Mendenhall Plantation, which dates back to the early 19th century. Here's the text of the marker:
Home of Richard Mendenhall, C. (circa, I guess) 1811
Built in the center of old Jamestown, near the intersection of Federal and Union streets, Richard Mendenhall's house served as a gathering place for residents and a stopover for travelers. The home exemplifies the community of Quaker tradepeople and farmers who actively opposed slavery, promoted education for all, and labored to create a life of peace and simplicity during troubled times. Family members lived here until 1900.
Posted by at 12:35 PM | Comments (5)
Big boxes and litter on a stick
Most likely, you've heard the term "sprawl." But you may not be sure what it is. Sprawling, you think, is what guys do on the couch all weekend. It brings to mind loose limbs dangling near remotes or half-empty beer cans.
That concept of sprawl is pretty similar to the one used by urban planners. "Sprawl" refers to seemingly careless development, spread out over a large area. It pretty much demands laziness because sprawl is designed for cars, not pedestrians.
A great introduction to sprawl is Dolores Hayden's "A Field Guide to Sprawl," available at the High Point Public Library (well, available as soon as I return it). It contains the often-amusing vocabulary of sprawl...Well, it would be amusing if sprawl didn't cause pollution due to increased cars and promote unhealthy lifestyles (also due to increased cars), among other problems.
In north High Point, you've seen many of the following...
"Big box." These are large, windowless buildings, usually made of concrete. Aesthetics? Fuhgeddaboudit. If you live in the 27265 zip code, your best bet for viewing big boxes is just over the line into Greensboro, at the intersection of Bridford Parkway and Wendover Avenue. The big-box smorgasbord includes Mega-Super-Giganto Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Home Depot.
"Category-killer." Think Home Depot. Think Barnes & Noble. Category killers dominate one part of the retail market, making it difficult for mom-and-pop shops to compete.
"Clustered world." Most likely, you live in one of these. I do. They're suburban neighborhoods filled with similar-looking houses sold at similar prices to families likely to buy the same kinds of goods.
"Edge nodes." These are growth areas of commercial real estate, typically outside of a city's traditional core and near an Interstate. A huge office park like north High Point's Piedmont Centre is a prime example.
"Greenfield." I also live in one of these. It's a neighborhood built on what used to be farmland, in view of a few remaining silos or tilled fields.
"Gridlock." 'Nuff said.
"Impervious surface." Parking lots and concrete drives keep stormwater from penetrating into the ground, and this can lead to the erosion of whatever ground manages to remain exposed.
"Litter on a stick." Thankfully, there's not a whole lot of this in north High Point. "Litter on a stick" is a colorful way to describe billboards.
"Power center." Let's return to Bridford and Wendover. "Power centers" are groupings of big-box stores designed to draw in people by offering a wide variety of goods. Of course, they also make it all-but impossible for small businesses in the area to compete.
Posted by at 9:50 AM | Comments (9)
April 28, 2005
High Point and Jamestown housing report
Every quarter, the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association posts housing statistics for High Point and Jamestown (combined). The first quarter, which ended in March, indicates that 264 homes were sold in High Point and Jamestown, up 10 percent over the first quarter of 2004.
It's not as many homes as were sold in the fourth quarter of 2004, but overall, there's been an upward trend, at least since 2003.
But wait a minute...I thought everyone was moving OUT of High Point. That's what several comments on my blog have indicated...
Anyway, here's the link to the first quarter 2005 report. I'm sure some folks will be able to find statistics that would seem to indicate High Point is, in fact, going to the dogs:
http://www.grra.org/associations/583/files/HighPoint05q1.pdf
Posted by at 11:35 AM | Comments (8)
A Terry Grier obsession
OK, I've got to put a rant of my own in here...
Is everyone in north High Point only interested in writing about Terry Grier?
If anyone in north High Point or Jamestown has ANY OTHER ISSUE that interests him or her, please post a comment.
If you want to talk about Grier or anti-Grier bumper stickers, please contact the chalkboard.
I'm reasonably sure that there are at least SOME north High Point and Jamestown residents who don't have an obsession with our superintendent.
There may even be some who actually care about, say, what there is to do in north High Point and Jamestown. Or have concerns about other issues related to living in those communities. Or are just not interested in reading a litany of posts about the High Point school choice plan.
If I'm wrong...my bad.
Posted by at 9:49 AM | Comments (9)
April 26, 2005
But there's nothing to DO there!
OK, we have a request to discuss the merits of entertainment in north High Point and Jamestown.
Let's see...we've got the Palladium Cinemas. It's a good theater. I just wish it offered more independent and art films. There's live music at J. Butler's and JP Looney's. And maybe other places as well...I just know about those clubs.
But wait a second...
We HAD a comedy club, but it shut down due to lack of business. I'm not sure what that means. If we're so starved for entertainment, why didn't folks flock to the Funny Bone?
Anywho...When you're not leaving them to go to Greensboro, Winston and the Triangle, what do you do for fun in north High Point and Jamestown? Where are the hidden treasures. ARE there any hidden treasures?
Posted by at 2:14 PM | Comments (14)
Spanish Academy
I've just received a flyer from Exito Spanish Academy on Tarrant Trace Circle. Tagline? "Helping today's students become tomorrow's bilingual leaders."
The flyer says the academy is 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for three Saturdays a month. Class size is limited to 20 students, ages 4 to 12. In the summer, Exito will offer a high school summer academy for rising freshmen and seniors. The summer program will be tailored to students' skill levels.
Call 855-2858 for more information.
Posted by at 1:22 PM | Comments (1)
Good golly, Miss Molly
Wow. Eleven comments followed that cheesy first entry I wrote yesterday? That would seem to answer the question about why we need a north High Point/Jamestown blog.
One person said she'll stick to the chalkboard. That's fine. I'm going to let them deal with the High Point school choice plan.
Man, it would be GREAT if my snowdome collection could someday put my son through private school. Does anyone want to offer me $50,000 for about 75 domes, featuring locales as far flung as Munich and Paris? If so, lemme know right away, and they're yours. Money order or cashier's check only, please.
Everyone have a good day. I'll have a "real" new posting later this afternoon.
Posted by at 8:41 AM | Comments (2)
April 25, 2005
Welcome, neighbors.
Hello, north High Point and Jamestown residents and aficionados. I'm one of you. I live in Waterford Meadows, off of Skeet Club Road, with my wife, 16-month-old son and two dogs: Murphy and Elvis. I collect snowdomes and read voraciously.
But enough about me. This is your blog. It will contain information and conversation about issues of interest to those of us in the Jamestown/High Point area: development, sprawl, schools, entertainment, etc. I'm open to any number of additional topics.
And I hope this blog will alert me to stories about my neighbors and community. I don't mean "stories" in a gossipy, "Desperate Housewives" sort of way. I'm talking about tales of ordinary folks doing interesting and/or extraordinary things. Some call these human-interest stories. I call them backyard epics.
Please drop me a line. You can suggest conversational topics, chat about yourself and your concerns, tell me about interesting neighbors or neighborhood events, vent about your concerns or just say, "Hello."
Posted by at 12:21 PM | Comments (13)
