News-Record.com

I disagree with your statement "High Point Rd isn't exactly an embarrassment..." I think it's a near complete embarrassment. With only a few exceptions, the entire drag from the Coliseum to the city limit, it is a run-down scary mess. I've had friends refuse to meet me for dinner there because they are afraid to walk from their car to the restaurant in the dark. It's a crying shame that we have allowed that area (and others) to get so run-down and crime-ridden.

It's high time someone decided to try and improve the area. I used to like having dinner at some of the places out there. Maybe in 5-10 years, I'll be able to return. :(

High Point Road doesn't need a "new vision." It needs a crackdown on crime in the area.

Honestly, the city doesn't need to reinvent the wheel on this one or implement some elaborate, expensive "strategic plan". High Point Road simply needs some good, old-fashioned police work to clean up the area and make people feel safe to come there.

For example, the new Four Seasons Grand is the nicest movie theater in Greensboro. But every time I've been, it's been nearly empty. Why? I suspect people are afraid to come into the neighborhood. Many other great businesses on High Point Road also suffer from the (perhaps accurate) perception that the area isn't safe.

Bottom line: the key to fixing High Point Road lies in addressing the crime and gang problem. Anything else is just a new coat of paint.

The "new vision" for HP Rd. and indeed the whole City of G-Boro is for the City of G-Boro to buy all the real estate on High Point Rd., including JR's family real estate, and indeed buy ALL the real estate owned by JR's family within all local enviorns, and throw all this tax burden on the property owners of G-Boro. JR can then take the buy-out, retires to Fantasy Island somewhere in the Bahamas, where all rich people and C.E.O's etc. go who have raped the country dry over the last fifteeen years go. We then get a newspaper that can actually provide a Fourth Estate function, checking and balancing local gvt. Mitch goes. New Mrgr. No more racial horses--t. And a New Age dawns for G-Boro.

Savage:
Why get petty and personal?
We editorially opposed the city buying Canada Dry. We believe that private investors eventually would come forward. And that's fair game for discussion, as are your views on city policy.
Your attack on JR is not.

Allen, in light of the obvious lack of critical or even token questioning response of the N&R to numerous troubling issues re: City of G-Boro's administrative and legislative conduct over the last three years, one would have to essentially have to take the N&R approach of burying one's head in the sand, not to have conflict of interest concerns.

Let's be honest. Here we are, almost two weeks after a G-Boro council and mayoral vote to give away 750 K to black police officers without a shred of evidence put forth to justify such. This after the black book was explained, the Fulmore suit was dismissed, the "record disposal scandal" was found to be a hoax" etc. AND not single word editorially on this tax payer give- away. Now there's supposedly a vote tonight to get people who run the N&R paid.

So you don't think a reasonable person would question this?

Allen...

Allen?

Hmmm...Might have had a 9 o'clock. movie time. More power to him. I'd be there too.

You raise legitimate questions about the settlement. But the gratuitous personal stuff about JR is mean and petty.
As I mentioned before, we do have an editorial on the police settlements in the works.

Allen, movie or just went to bed early?

Not sure how wanting JR to be rich is being petty.

I guess with Obama's projected tax structure a lot of the real estate sale money would go back to the people(the gvmt) anyway, so maybe it is a petty concern, you are right.

So in saying concerns are justified you are acknowledging the N&R has followed a closed mouth policy re city gvt.?

Your "we might get around to it" or "there is something in the works" approach to the police officer settlement issue is puzzling unless you are just following Mom's advice; "if you can't find something good to say, don't say it at all". (an approach which is uusually not taken by newspapers).

This issue potentially is going to be a defining moment of Yvonne's admin. One of the most basic, perhaps atavistic, fears regarding black polticians, is that they will obtain office, the cookie jar will be cracked open and distributed according to people's integument. If Yvonne wants to be successful and bridge these divisions and fears, which I took to be the gist of her successful candidacy for mayor, this is absolutely the worst thing she could do. I mean, if there is a shred of evidence that this setltement is justified, let's see it. You can't keep having Mitch say "we can't say" due to due process etc. This "we can't say" is destroying city gvt.

No. We've been plenty critical of the city. I was saying that there are legitimate questions about the settlements.

No, it simply means we are going to find out the facts before stating an opinion.

It's a FACT that Mitch Johnson recently admitted that the black book was a proper investigative tool.
It's absolutely incredible how the N&R blasted Wray & Co. for the last few years and actually fueled the racial fires that continue to burn around that whole saga.
It's even more incredible how you're burying your head in the sand on Mitch's most recent about face citing BS like "that's JR's area" etc.
Weak paper, weak staff. That's why i canceled my subscription in October after being a daily subscriber for decades.