Placebook: Iced Out and Powered Down

Broken Cherry Tree in Yard in Greensboro. Photo by Kristen E. Jeffers

This happened. For those of us in Guilford, Alamance, Orange and pieces of other counties in the Piedmont, we’ve had quite the weekend. I decamped from my Greensboro apartment to a hotel in Durham near an old apartment of mine. Others were trapped behind trees with snapped limbs or completely uprooted. As of this writing, I’m back in my apartment and the lights are on. At one point at least 400,000 people were out of power statewide. Here’s who continues to not have any statewide. I’m going to hold my Duke Energy #fail jokes. Who didn’t fail: several of our mayors, city council members and state representatives in keeping us informed through Facebook where Duke Energy didn’t. Anyway, it’s going to be 70 degrees today, we are all thawed out, we are dealing with those trees, you’re here for other news and here it is. Happy Monday!

Oh and shout out to The Atlantic Cities for including the Placebook on being a Walmart town as one of the best #cityreads of last week. Also, don’t forget, we have a bigger house now. After a message from our sponsors, you can find the news below or head over there too.

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News from North Carolina

Even though Trader Joe’s is not coming to Greensboro, the lot where it was slated to go is still going before the rezoning commission.

What, namely the ACC Tournament, makes Greensboro a basketball town.

A report details how the State of North Carolina could use drones.

The field thus far for NC-60 (State House).

How a 150-200 million dollar bond referendum would benefit each ward of Winston-Salem.

The N.C. Division of Emergency Management staged a rescue simulation at Hanging Rock State Park this past weekend.

Child health has improved in Guilford County.

New development coming to a long vacant stretch of High Point’s N. Main Street.

Durham Public Schools has introduced a new option for long-term suspensions.

A new co-working space opens in Asheville.

How municipal parking works in Wilmington.

Fayetteville leaders want to redevelop Bragg Boulevard from the strip club strip it is today, but facing resistance.

An artist co-op and an art show are helping revitalize Downtown Lumberton.

Around the Nation: Why American cities are afraid to make driving harder, and two years of a transit advocate riding DC’s Metro and making detailed notes.